US 12,109,614 B2
Layer forming apparatus, method of forming powder layer, and recording medium
Tomoki Kai, Kanagawa (JP); Yasutomo Aman, Kanagawa (JP); and Yasuyuki Yamashita, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Tomoki Kai, Kanagawa (JP); Yasutomo Aman, Kanagawa (JP); and Yasuyuki Yamashita, Kanagawa (JP)
Filed on May 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/735,649.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-093392 (JP), filed on Jun. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0388069 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. B22F 12/00 (2021.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 12/50 (2021.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01)
CPC B22F 12/226 (2021.01) [B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 12/50 (2021.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A layer forming apparatus comprising:
a loading unit including a supply stage onto which powder is supplied, and a fabrication stage;
a rotator configured to flatten the powder on the fabrication stage to form a powder layer; and
circuitry programmed to control the rotator to:
move in a first moving direction parallel to a surface of the fabrication stage and rotate while contacting the powder on the fabrication stage to form the powder layer; and
move in a second moving direction opposite to the first direction and rotate while contacting surplus powder on a frame of the fabrication stage or a frame of the supply stage, the rotation of the rotator being in a first rotation direction based on overlapping the frame of the fabrication stage on a first side of the fabrication stage and a second rotation direction based on overlapping the frame of the fabrication stage on a second side of the fabrication stage, the second side of the fabrication stage being opposite to the first side of the fabrication stage in the second moving direction,
wherein the circuitry is further programmed to cause the loading unit to lower the powder layer on the fabrication stage below a height of the frame after the rotator forms the powder layer and before the rotator moves in the second direction.