US 12,285,910 B2
High-temperature stereolithography apparatus and methods of use thereof
Nicholas Chartrain, Blacksburg, VA (US); Viswanath Meenakshisundaram, Blacksburg, VA (US); and Christopher B. Williams, Blacksburg, VA (US)
Assigned to VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC., Blacksburg, VA (US)
Appl. No. 16/954,124
Filed by Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc., Blacksburg, VA (US)
PCT Filed Dec. 15, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/065883
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 15, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/118946, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 20, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/599,287, filed on Dec. 15, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0162657 A1, Jun. 3, 2021
Int. Cl. B29C 64/255 (2017.01); B29C 64/124 (2017.01); B29C 64/135 (2017.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/245 (2017.01); B29C 64/264 (2017.01); B29C 64/295 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 70/00 (2020.01); C08F 120/68 (2006.01); C08F 283/00 (2006.01); C08F 283/06 (2006.01); C08L 5/00 (2006.01); B29K 33/00 (2006.01); B29K 75/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/00 (2006.01); B29L 31/52 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 64/135 (2017.08) [B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B29C 64/245 (2017.08); B29C 64/255 (2017.08); B29C 64/264 (2017.08); B29C 64/295 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 70/00 (2014.12); C08F 120/68 (2013.01); C08F 283/006 (2013.01); C08F 283/065 (2013.01); C08L 5/00 (2013.01); B29K 2005/00 (2013.01); B29K 2033/08 (2013.01); B29K 2075/00 (2013.01); B29K 2105/0088 (2013.01); B29L 2031/52 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A top-down stereolithography apparatus for layer-by-layer additive manufacturing of an article from a high-viscosity resin, the top-down stereolithography apparatus comprising:
a vat for containing the high-viscosity resin, the vat having a first area comprising a lower surface, the vat further having at least one opening in the lower surface that opens to a second area of the vat that extends vertically below the lower surface;
a build platform within the second area, wherein the build platform is incrementally movable vertically by a plurality of increments with respect to the lower surface of the vat, and wherein each of the increments in the plurality of increments defines a layer thickness in the article;
a resin applicator within the vat, the resin applicator comprising at least one recoat blade that holds a portion of the resin within a portion of the first area of the vat comprising the lower surface so that the portion of the resin is positioned above the lower surface of the first area and away from the at least one opening, the at least one recoat blade of the resin applicator movable within the vat to scrape the portion of the resin across the at least one opening that opens to the second area in the vat and away from the at least one opening, wherein the scraping of the portion of the resin across the at least one opening forms a smooth resin layer within the at least one opening, wherein an upper surface of the smooth resin layer is level with the lower surface of the first area of the vat that holds the portion of the resin;
a light source positioned to project a patterned light onto the smooth resin layer to cure at least a portion of the resin in the smooth resin layer to form a layer of the article;
a heating apparatus enclosing at least the vat, the build platform, and the resin applicator to heat the resin, when the resin is in the vat, to an elevated temperature with respect to room temperature during the additive manufacturing; and
an optical window through which the patterned light is projected onto the smooth resin layer, wherein the light source is external to the heating apparatus.