US 11,919,236 B2
Spin cleaning method and apparatus for additive manufacturing
Ananda Rose Day, San Francisco, CA (US); Kenton J. Kwok, Palo Alto, CA (US); and William James Tucker, Mountain View, CA (US)
Assigned to Carbon, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/272,470
Filed by Carbon, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 26, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/053188
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 1, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/069152, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/736,648, filed on Sep. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0323234 A1, Oct. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. B29C 64/35 (2017.01); B08B 3/08 (2006.01); B08B 7/00 (2006.01); B08B 7/02 (2006.01); B08B 7/04 (2006.01); B29C 64/129 (2017.01); B29C 64/357 (2017.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/35 (2017.08) [B08B 3/08 (2013.01); B08B 7/0071 (2013.01); B08B 7/02 (2013.01); B08B 7/04 (2013.01); B29C 64/357 (2017.08); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B08B 2220/04 (2013.01); B29C 64/129 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of separating excess resin from at least one object, comprising:
(a) stereolithographically producing at least one object, each said object having at least one retention feature formed thereon, each said object carrying excess resin on a surface thereof; then
(b) mounting each said at least one object on at least one transfer frame, each said transfer frame having at least one retention member that mates with said retention feature;
(c) connecting each said transfer frame to a rotor with said at least one object carried thereon;
(d) centrifugally separating excess resin from each said object by spinning said rotor with each said transfer frame connected thereto while said at least one object remains connected to each said transfer frame by said retention feature; then
(e) removing each said transfer frame from said rotor, with excess resin separated from each said at least one object thereon,
wherein said rotor comprises a drive and a horizontal base plate connected to said drive, with each said transfer frame configured for connecting to said base plate.