US 12,337,535 B2
Thermal control for apparatus for the manufacture of three-dimensional objects
Marcel Garrido, London (GB); Anders Hartmann, London (GB); Gianluca Dorini, London (GB); Simon Bak, London (GB); and Hans Niels-Christiansen, London (GB)
Assigned to Stratasys Powder Production Ltd., London (GB)
Filed by Stratasys Powder Production Ltd., London (GB)
Filed on Apr. 16, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/637,175.
Application 18/637,175 is a continuation of application No. 17/782,817, granted, now 11,986,998, previously published as PCT/GB2020/053100, filed on Dec. 3, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1917823 (GB), filed on Dec. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0342986 A1, Oct. 17, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B29C 64/165 (2017.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/264 (2017.01); B29C 64/364 (2017.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/165 (2017.08) [B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B29C 64/264 (2017.08); B29C 64/364 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object from particulate material, the apparatus comprising:
a work space bounded by a floor, a ceiling, a first side wall on a first side of the work space, and a second side wall on a second side of the work space, the first side wall opposing the second side wall;
a build bed having a build bed surface, the build bed surface being comprised in the floor of the work space and having a first edge on the first side of the work space, towards the first side wall, and a second edge on the second side of the work space, towards the second side wall;
a first gas inlet at or near the first side wall and at a level closer to the floor than to the ceiling;
a second gas inlet at or near the second side wall and at a level closer to the floor than to the ceiling;
a first gas outlet above the floor of the work space and at a level closer to the ceiling than to the floor, wherein, in a projective view, the position of the first gas outlet is coincident with the first edge of the build bed surface, or is between the first edge of the build bed surface and the first gas inlet; and
a second gas outlet above the floor of the work space and at a level closer to the ceiling than to the floor, wherein, in a projective view, the position of the second gas outlet is coincident with the second edge of the build bed surface, or is between the second edge of the build bed surface and the second gas inlet;
wherein one or more flow devices are operable to create first and second gas flows between the first gas inlet and the first gas outlet, and between the second gas inlet and the second gas outlet, respectively, such as to create respective first and second gas curtains on the first and second sides of the work space in use.