US 12,479,155 B2
Powder distribution system for three-dimensional printer
Jake Flick, Irwin, PA (US); Michael John McCoy, Murraysville, PA (US); Joseph J. Bolt, Irwin, PA (US); Alec Hydock, Pittsburgh, PA (US); Travis Maxwell Inks, Greensburg, PA (US); Anthony S. Dugan, Irwin, PA (US); and Thomas Lizzi, Allison Park, PA (US)
Assigned to DESKTOP METAL, INC., Burlington, MA (US)
Filed by Desktop Metal, Inc., Burlington, MA (US)
Filed on Jun. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/210,047.
Application 18/210,047 is a continuation of application No. 16/684,065, filed on Nov. 14, 2019, granted, now 11,691,335.
Application 16/684,065 is a continuation in part of application No. PCT/US2018/036803, filed on Jun. 11, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/592,624, filed on Nov. 30, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/544,341, filed on Aug. 11, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/518,122, filed on Jun. 12, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2024/0165872 A1, May 23, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B07B 1/40 (2006.01); B22F 12/52 (2021.01); B22F 12/67 (2021.01); B29C 64/205 (2017.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/255 (2017.01); B29C 64/329 (2017.01); B29C 64/35 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 40/00 (2020.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01)
CPC B29C 64/153 (2017.08) [B07B 1/40 (2013.01); B22F 12/52 (2021.01); B22F 12/67 (2021.01); B29C 64/205 (2017.08); B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B29C 64/255 (2017.08); B29C 64/329 (2017.08); B29C 64/35 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/00 (2014.12); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A powder-layer three-dimensional printer (2) comprising:
a recoater (20) and a build material discrete supply hopper (340), the discrete powder hopper (340) having
(a) a build powder reservoir (342) having a bottom opening (355);
(b) a planar mesh (352), the planar mesh (352) being selectively permeable to a build powder and being located so as to permeably close off the bottom opening (355); and
(c) a selectively operable vibrator (362, 364) in vibrational communication with the planar mesh (352) and/or the build powder;
wherein at least one of the recoater (20) and the discrete supply hopper (340) is adapted to vertically align the recoater (20) below the discrete supply hopper (340) for the build powder dispensed by the planar mesh (352) during the operation of the vibrator (362, 364) to be received by the recoater (20).