US 11,738,312 B2
Multidimensional printer
Andrei A. Kolmakov, Frederick, MD (US); Glenn Emerson Holland, Rockville, MD (US); and Tanya Gupta, Gaithersburg, MD (US)
Assigned to GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, Gaithersburg, MD (US)
Filed by Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, Gaithersburg, MD (US)
Filed on Jul. 31, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/944,571.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/881,677, filed on Aug. 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0031150 A1, Feb. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. B29C 64/00 (2017.01); B01D 69/12 (2006.01); B01D 67/00 (2006.01); B29C 64/307 (2017.01); B29C 64/245 (2017.01); B33Y 40/00 (2020.01); B29C 65/82 (2006.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B29C 64/40 (2017.01); B33Y 99/00 (2015.01); B29C 64/255 (2017.01); B29C 64/30 (2017.01); B22F 12/82 (2021.01); B29C 64/10 (2017.01); B29C 64/205 (2017.01); B33Y 40/10 (2020.01); H01J 37/32 (2006.01); B22F 12/00 (2021.01); B33Y 70/00 (2020.01); B29C 64/182 (2017.01); B29C 64/25 (2017.01); G01N 23/2251 (2018.01); B33Y 50/00 (2015.01); B29C 64/386 (2017.01); B29C 64/176 (2017.01); B29C 64/227 (2017.01); B22F 10/00 (2021.01); B22F 10/85 (2021.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B29C 64/20 (2017.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); H01J 37/20 (2006.01); G02B 21/34 (2006.01); G01N 21/956 (2006.01); G01N 33/50 (2006.01)
CPC B01D 69/125 (2013.01) [B01D 67/00045 (2022.08); B01D 67/0088 (2013.01); B01D 67/00415 (2022.08); B22F 10/00 (2021.01); B22F 10/85 (2021.01); B22F 12/00 (2021.01); B22F 12/82 (2021.01); B29C 64/00 (2017.08); B29C 64/10 (2017.08); B29C 64/176 (2017.08); B29C 64/182 (2017.08); B29C 64/20 (2017.08); B29C 64/205 (2017.08); B29C 64/227 (2017.08); B29C 64/245 (2017.08); B29C 64/25 (2017.08); B29C 64/255 (2017.08); B29C 64/30 (2017.08); B29C 64/307 (2017.08); B29C 64/386 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B29C 64/40 (2017.08); B29C 65/8253 (2013.01); B29C 65/8292 (2013.01); B33Y 40/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/10 (2020.01); B33Y 50/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B33Y 70/00 (2014.12); B33Y 99/00 (2014.12); G01N 23/2251 (2013.01); H01J 37/3244 (2013.01); B01D 2323/30 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); G01N 33/50 (2013.01); G01N 2021/95676 (2013.01); G01N 2223/418 (2013.01); G02B 21/34 (2013.01); G03G 2215/2054 (2013.01); G05B 2219/49023 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10061 (2013.01); G06V 2201/122 (2022.01); H01J 37/20 (2013.01); H01J 2237/006 (2013.01); H01J 2237/2003 (2013.01); H01J 2237/2608 (2013.01); Y10S 148/143 (2013.01); Y10T 156/1722 (2015.01); Y10T 156/1798 (2015.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multidimensional printer for making a multidimensional structure from a liquid composition, the multidimensional printer comprising:
an energetic crosslinking particle source that produces energetic crosslinking particles;
a vacuum chamber in vacuum communication with the energetic crosslinking particle source and that receives the energetic crosslinking particles from the energetic crosslinking particle source and communicates the energetic crosslinking particles to a membrane;
the membrane in particle communication with the vacuum chamber and comprising a barrier layer and a transmission layer disposed on the barrier layer, wherein a portion of the membrane has some of the transmission layer in an absence of the barrier layer for transmission of the energetic crosslinking particles through the transmission layer without being obstructed by the barrier layer, such that the membrane:
receives the energetic crosslinking particles from the vacuum chamber;
blocks, by the barrier layer, the energetic crosslinking particles from being further communicated in the multidimensional printer; and
transmits, by the transmission layer, the energetic crosslinking particles for further communication in the multidimensional printer; and
a sample chamber in communication with the membrane and that:
receives a liquid composition that comprises a solvent and a plurality of polymers disposed in the solvent, the polymers comprising a cross-linkable moiety;
receives the energetic crosslinking particles communicated from the transmission layer of the membrane; and
subjects the cross-linkable moieties of the polymers to the energetic crosslinking particles such that portions of the polymers proximate to the cross-linkable moieties subjected to the energetic crosslinking particles crosslink to form a solid crosslinked polymer structure,
wherein the membrane isolates a vacuum of the vacuum chamber from vapor of the liquid composition in the sample chamber; and
a shadow mask interposed between the energetic crosslinking particle source and the membrane and that receives the energetic crosslinking particles from the energetic crosslinking particle source and communicates the energetic crosslinking particles to the membrane,
wherein the shadow mask selectively controls transmission of the energetic crosslinking particles through the shadow mask via apertures disposed in the shadow mask.