US 12,240,179 B2
Determination device for determining at least one parameter of an energy beam
Christian Dicken, Weidenberg (DE); and Thomas Schulz, Gerach (DE)
Assigned to Concept Laser GmbH, Lichtenfels (DE)
Filed by Concept Laser GmbH, Lichtenfels (DE)
Filed on Nov. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/519,474.
Application 18/519,474 is a division of application No. 16/294,848, filed on Mar. 6, 2019, granted, now 11,850,798.
Claims priority of application No. 18202970 (EP), filed on Oct. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0092027 A1, Mar. 21, 2024
Int. Cl. B29C 64/386 (2017.01); B23K 26/03 (2006.01); B23K 26/064 (2014.01); B23K 26/067 (2006.01); B23K 26/342 (2014.01); B23K 26/70 (2014.01); B28B 1/00 (2006.01); B29C 64/268 (2017.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/386 (2017.08) [B23K 26/032 (2013.01); B23K 26/064 (2015.10); B23K 26/067 (2013.01); B23K 26/342 (2015.10); B23K 26/705 (2015.10); B28B 1/001 (2013.01); B29C 64/268 (2017.08); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/00 (2014.12)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, the apparatus comprising:
an irradiation device configured to generate an energy beam; and
a determination device in a beam path of the energy beam, wherein the determination device includes:
a first determination unit comprising one or more first pattern elements;
a second determination unit comprising one or more second pattern elements;
a beam splitter;
a screen, wherein the beam splitter is disposed between the first and second determination units and the screen such that the energy beam is guided from the first and the second determination units to the beam splitter and then to the screen, the screen configured to emit radiation upon receiving irradiation of the energy beam from the beam splitter; and
a camera configured to receive the radiation emitted from the screen, wherein the camera is configured to generate a pattern corresponding to a portion of the energy beam passing through each the first determination unit, the second determination unit, the screen, and the beam splitter by a presence or absence of one or more light gaps in the pattern, indicating an alignment or a misalignment of the energy beam; and
wherein the first and the second determination units are arranged in succession in a beam path of the energy beam generated by the irradiation device, and wherein at least one of the one or more first pattern elements and at least one of the one or more second pattern elements are arranged together with respect to each other to form the pattern.