Apparatus for production of three-dimensional objects by stereolithography

Claim 3

An improved system for producing a three-dimensional object from a fluid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed synergistic stimulation, said system comprising: a body of fluid medium capable of transforming its physical state in response to synergistic stimulation; object support means immersed within said fluid medium for supporting a three-dimensional object to be formed; translational means for selectively moving said object support means progressively away from a designated surface of said fluid medium; and reaction means capable of altering the physical state of said fluid medium and operating in a prescribed pattern upon said designated surface of said fluid medium to provide a thin solid lamina at said surface representing a corresponding cross-sectional lamina of said three-dimensional object to be formed, whereby successive adjacent laminae are provided to form said three-dimensional object on said object support means as said translational means moves said support means away from said designated surface.

Claim 4

An improved system for producing a three-dimensional object from a fluid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed synergistic stimulation, said system comprising: a body of fluid medium capable of transforming its physical state in response to synergistic stimulation; object support means immersed within said fluid medium for supporting a three-dimensional object to be formed; translational means for selectively moving said object support means progressively away from a designated surface of said fluid medium; and reaction means capable of altering the physical state of said fluid medium and operating in a prescribed pattern upon said designated surface of said fluid medium to provide a thin solid lamina at said surface representing a corresponding cross-sectional lamina of said three-dimensional object to be formed, whereby successive adjacent laminae are provided to form said three-dimensional object on said object support means as said translational means moves said support means away from said designated surface.

Claim 5

A system as set forth in claim 2, and further including: programmed control means for varying the graphic pattern of said reaction means operating upon said designated surface of said fluid medium.

Claim 6

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reaction means includes: a beam of impinging radiation.

Claim 7

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reaction means includes: an electron beam.

Claim 8

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reaction means includes: a beam of high energy particles.

Claim 9

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reaction means includes: a beam of light.

Claim 10

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reaction means includes: x-rays.

Claim 11

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reaction means includes: a beam of ultraviolet light.

Claim 12

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reaction means includes: a jet of a reactive chemical to induce solidification of said fluid medium.

Claim 13

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reaction means includes: a patterned mask overlying said designated surface for selectively applying a chemical to induce solidification of said fluid medium.

Claim 14

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reaction means includes: a patterned mask overlying said designated surface for selectively exposing said surface to synergistic stimulation.

Claim 15

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reaction means includes: a patterned mask overlying said designated surface for selectively exposing said surface to radiation.

Claim 16

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said translational means moves said object as it is formed away from said designated surface and further into said fluid medium.

Claim 17

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said translational means moves said object as it is formed away from said surface and out of said fluid medium.

Claim 18

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein exposure to said reaction means at said designated surface is through a second non-reactive medium.

Claim 19

A system as set forth in claim 2, and further including: a container for said fluid medium, wherein exposure of said designated surface to said reaction means is through the bottom of said container and a second non-reactive medium adjacent said designated surface.

Claim 20

A system as set forth in claim 17, wherein said second non-reactive medium is heavy water.

Claim 21

A system as set forth in claim 17, wherein said second non-reactive medium is ethylene glycol.

Claim 22

A system as set forth in claim 2, and further including: rotational means, supplementing said translational means for altering the orientation of said object relative to said designated surface at which laminae are being formed.

Claim 23

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the level of said fluid medium locating said designated surface is variable.

Claim 24

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the level of said fluid medium locating said designated surface is maintained constant.

Claim 25

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said translational means has multiple degrees of freedom of movement.

Claim 26

A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein precise focus of said beam of impinging radiation upon said designated surface is maintained.

Claim 27

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said prescribed pattern is formed upon said designated surface by radiation emanating from the face of a cathode ray tube.

Claim 28

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said prescribed pattern is formed by light directly emanating from a phosphor image.

Claim 31

An improved system for producing a three-dimensional object from a fluid medium capable of altering its physical state when subjected to prescribed radiation, said system comprising: a body of fluid medium capable of altering its physical state; means for forming said three-dimensional object from said fluid medium by irradiating a designated surface of said medium to provide integrated, successive surface laminae at said surface, said laminae together defining said three-dimensional object.

Claim 32

An improved system for producing a three-dimensional object from a fluid medium capable of altering its physical state when subjected to prescribed radiation, said system comprising: a body of fluid medium capable of altering its physical state; means for forming said three-dimensional object from said fluid medium by irradiating a designated surface of said medium to provide integrated, successive surface laminae at said surface, said laminae together defining said three-dimensional object.

Claim 33

An improved system for producing a three-dimensional object from a fluid medium, said system comprising: a body of fluid medium capable of altering its physical state in response to prescribed radiation; a radiation source for impinging said prescribed radiation in a selected pattern upon a designated surface of said fluid medium to provide only at said surface a thin solid lamina representing a cross-sectional lamina of a three-dimensional object to be formed; and means for combining successive adjacent laminae to form said three-dimensional object from said fluid medium.

Claim 34

An improved system for producing a three-dimensional object from a fluid medium, said system comprising: a body of fluid medium capable of altering its physical state in response to prescribed radiation; a radiation source for impinging said prescribed radiation in a selected pattern upon a designated surface of said fluid medium to provide only at said surface a thin solid lamina representing a cross-sectional lamina of a three-dimensional object to be formed; and means for combining successive adjacent laminae to form said three-dimensional object from said fluid medium.

Claim 35

A system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said radiation source includes: a beam of impinging radiation.

Claim 36

A system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said radiation source includes: an electron beam.

Claim 37

A system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said radiation source includes: a beam of high energy particles.

Claim 38

A system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said radiation source includes: a beam of light.

Claim 39

A system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said radiation source includes: a beam of ultraviolet light.

Claim 40

A system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said radiation source includes: x-rays.

Claim 41

A system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said radiation source and pattern includes: a patterned mask overlying said designated surface for selectively exposing said surface to synergistic stimulation.

Claim 42

A system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said radiation source and pattern includes: a patterned mask overlying said designated surface selectively exposing said surface to radiation.

Claim 43

A system as set forth in claim 29, wherein exposure to said prescribed radiation at said designated surface is through a second non-reactive medium.

Claim 44

A system as set forth in claim 29, and further including: a container for said fluid medium, wherein exposure of said designated surface to said prescribed radiation is through the bottom of said container and a second non-reactive medium adjacent said designated surface.

Claim 45

A system as set forth in claim 39, wherein said second non-reactive medium is heavy water.

Claim 46

A system as set forth in claim 39, wherein said second non-reactive medium is ethylene glycol.

Claim 47

A system as set forth in claim 39, wherein the level of said fluid medium locating said designated surface is maintained constant.

Claim 48

A system as set forth in claim 39, wherein said translational means has multiple degrees of freedom of movement.

Claim 49

A system as set forth in claim 39, wherein precise focus of said prescribed radiation upon said designated surface is maintained.

Claim 50

A system as set forth in claim 39, wherein said selected pattern is formed upon said designted surface by radiation emanating from the face of a cathode ray tube.

Claim 51

A system as set forth in claim 39, wherein said selected pattern is formed by light directly emanating from a phosphor image.

Claim 52

A system as set forth in claim 39, and further including: programmed control means for varying the pattern of said impinging radiation upon said designated surface of said fluid medium.