US 12,257,766 B2
Shaping apparatus and shaping method
Masayuki Furuse, Nagano (JP); and Shunta Hanaoka, Nagano (JP)
Assigned to MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD., Nagano (JP)
Appl. No. 17/776,225
Filed by MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD., Nagano (JP)
PCT Filed Nov. 18, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/042915
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 12, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/106699, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 3, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-212531 (JP), filed on Nov. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0379546 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 64/112 (2017.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/218 (2017.01); B29C 64/236 (2017.01); B29C 64/277 (2017.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B29K 105/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 64/112 (2017.08) [B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B29C 64/218 (2017.08); B29C 64/236 (2017.08); B29C 64/277 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B29K 2105/0032 (2013.01); B29K 2995/002 (2013.01); B29K 2995/0026 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A shaping apparatus comprising:
a controller, comprising a processor;
an inkjet head that forms one shaped layer by performing a plurality of main scans of ejecting an ink droplet of a curable ink that cures according to light of a predetermined wavelength toward a shaping table while reciprocating in a main scanning direction defined in advance;
a light source that is provided at least at one position on a front side in a forward direction or a return direction of the plurality of main scans with respect to the inkjet head and irradiates an ink dot formed by the ink droplet with the light; and
a flattening unit, comprising a roller, that flattens an upper surface of the ink dot; the shaping apparatus forming a shaped object by layering the shaped layer,
wherein a cured state of the ink dot varies according to a degree of illuminance of the ink dot by the light,
wherein the processor is configured to control the light source to adjust the degree of illuminance of the ink dot by the light without completely curing the ink dot by controlling an on/off state or illuminance of the light source at a time of at least one main scan among the plurality of main scans, such that the ink dot is cured to a semi-cured state in which the ink dot, which has landed, does not flow,
wherein the flattening unit is configured to flatten the ink dot that is cured to the semi-cured state in which the ink dot, which has landed, does not flow.