US 12,485,614 B2
Apparatus for the manufacture of three-dimensional objects
Frederik Tjellesen, Cambridge (GB); and Anders Hartmann, Cambridge (GB)
Assigned to Stratasys Powder Production Ltd., Nottingham (GB)
Filed by Stratasys Powder Production Ltd., Cambridge (GB)
Filed on Mar. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/685,041.
Application 17/685,041 is a division of application No. 16/765,006, previously published as PCT/GB2018/053337, filed on Nov. 16, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 1719094 (GB), filed on Nov. 17, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0184887 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B01F 27/053 (2022.01); B01F 27/112 (2022.01); B01F 27/1121 (2022.01); B01F 27/1125 (2022.01); B22F 12/57 (2021.01); B29C 64/241 (2017.01); B29C 64/245 (2017.01); B29C 64/255 (2017.01); B29C 64/314 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/73 (2021.01); B22F 12/13 (2021.01); B22F 12/17 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/295 (2017.01); B29C 64/35 (2017.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/314 (2017.08) [B01F 27/053 (2022.01); B01F 27/112 (2022.01); B01F 27/1121 (2022.01); B01F 27/1125 (2022.01); B22F 12/57 (2021.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.08); B29C 64/241 (2017.08); B29C 64/245 (2017.08); B29C 64/255 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/73 (2021.01); B22F 12/13 (2021.01); B22F 12/17 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B29C 64/295 (2017.08); B29C 64/35 (2017.08); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object, the apparatus comprising:
a powder tank;
a stirring device configured to rotate within the powder tank about an axis of rotation, wherein the stirring device includes,
a base plate, and
a strut extending from the base plate into the powder tank, the strut including a leading portion having a leading edge with respect to the direction of rotation, and a trailing portion having a trailing edge with respect to the direction of rotation, the leading portion having an inner face facing the axis of rotation and into the powder tank, and the trailing portion having an inner face facing the axis of rotation and into the powder tank and forming an obtuse angle with the inner face of the leading portion, one or more blades extending from the inner face of the trailing portion into the powder tank and towards the inner face of the leading portion, each of the one or more blades forming an acute angle with the leading edge of the strut; and
the powder tank further including an inner wall extending parallel to the axis of rotation and having an inner wall surface conforming at least partially to a portion of the shape of the base plate, wherein the strut is mounted to the outer periphery of the base plate such that upon rotation of the stirring device about the axis of rotation the leading edge of the strut sweeps the inner wall surface of the tank and lifts the powder within the tank.