Method for production of three-dimensional objects by stereolithography

Claim 1

A method for producing a three-dimensional object from a medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed radiation, said method comprising: containing a body of said medium capable of solidification; drawing upon and forming successive cross-sectional laminae of said object at a two-dimensional interface of said medium defining a designated working surface, said laminae including a first cross-sectional layer of structure at said working surface; automatically coating over the entire said first cross-sectional layer of structure with a body of said medium and decreasing a substantial portion of said body of medium in thickness from a layer of excess fluid thickness to a successive layer of less thickness in preparation for formation of a second cross-sectional layer of structure adhered to said first cross-sectional layer; and moving said cross-sectional layers as they are formed and building up said object from a plurality of successively adhered layers of structure in stepwise fashion, whereby a three-dimensional object is extracted from a substantially two-dimensional surface.

Claim 2

A method for producing a three-dimensional object from a medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed radiation, said method comprising: containing a body of said medium capable of solidification; drawing upon and forming successive cross-sectional laminae of said object at a two-dimensional interface of said medium defining a designated working surface, said laminae including a first cross-sectional layer of structure at said working surface; automatically coating over the entire said first cross-sectional layer of structure with a body of said medium and decreasing a substantial portion of said body of medium in thickness from a layer of excess fluid thickness to a successive layer of less thickness in preparation for formation of a second cross-sectional layer of structure adhered to said first cross-sectional layer; and moving said cross-sectional layers as they are formed and building up said object from a plurality of successively adhered layers of structure in stepwise fashion, whereby a three-dimensional object is extracted from a substantially two-dimensional surface.

Claim 7

A method for directly producing a three-dimensional object as it is designed by a computer, said method comprising: deriving graphic image output from said computer, said graphic image output defining successive adjacent cross-sections of the three-dimensional object designed by said computer; containing a medium capable of solidification; drawing upon and forming successive layer cross-sections, corresponding to the computer designed cross-sections of said object, at a two-dimensional interface of said medium defining a working surface, said layer cross-sections including a first cross-sectional layer of structure at said working surface; automatically coating over the entire said first cross-sectional layer of structure with a body of said medium and decreasing a substantial portion of said body of medium in thickness from a layer of excess fluid thickness to a successive layer of less thickness in preparation for formation of a second cross-sectional layer of structure adhered to said first cross-sectional layer; and moving said cross-sectional layers as they are formed and building up said object from a plurality of successively adhered layers in a stepwise fashion, whereby the three-dimensional object designed by said computer is automatically extracted from a substantially two-dimensional surface.

Claim 8

A method for directly producing a three-dimensional object as it is designed by a computer, said method comprising: deriving graphic image output from said computer, said graphic image output defining successive adjacent cross-sections of the three-dimensional object designed by said computer; containing a medium capable of solidification; drawing upon and forming successive layer cross-sections, corresponding to the computer designed cross-sections of said object, at a two-dimensional interface of said medium defining a working surface, said layer cross-sections including a first cross-sectional layer of structure at said working surface; automatically coating over the entire said first cross-sectional layer of structure with a body of said medium and decreasing a substantial portion of said body of medium in thickness from a layer of excess fluid thickness to a successive layer of less thickness in preparation for formation of a second cross-sectional layer of structure adhered to said first cross-sectional layer; and moving said cross-sectional layers as they are formed and building up said object from a plurality of successively adhered layers in a stepwise fashion, whereby the three-dimensional object designed by said computer is automatically extracted from a substantially two-dimensional surface.

Claim 13

A method for producing a three-dimensional object from a medium capable of altering its physical state when subjected to prescribed radiation, said method comprising: containing a body of medium capable of altering its physical state, said medium defining a designated working surface; p1 forming said three-dimensional object from said medium by irradiating said designated working surface of said medium to provide integrated, successive surface laminae at said working surface, said laminae together defining said three-dimensional object, said laminae including a first cross-sectional layer of structure at said working surface; and automatically coating over the entire said first cross-sectional layer of structure with a body of said medium and decreasing a substantial portion of said body of medium in thickness form a layer of excess thickness to a successive layer of less thickness in preparation for formation of a second cross-sectional layer of structure adhered to said first cross-sectional layer, whereby a plurality of successively adhered layers of structure form said three-dimensional object.

Claim 14

A method for producing a three-dimensional object from a medium capable of altering its physical state when subjected to prescribed radiation, said method comprising: containing a body of medium capable of altering its physical state, said medium defining a designated working surface; p1 forming said three-dimensional object from said medium by irradiating said designated working surface of said medium to provide integrated, successive surface laminae at said working surface, said laminae together defining said three-dimensional object, said laminae including a first cross-sectional layer of structure at said working surface; and automatically coating over the entire said first cross-sectional layer of structure with a body of said medium and decreasing a substantial portion of said body of medium in thickness form a layer of excess thickness to a successive layer of less thickness in preparation for formation of a second cross-sectional layer of structure adhered to said first cross-sectional layer, whereby a plurality of successively adhered layers of structure form said three-dimensional object.

Claim 19

A method for providing a three-dimensional object from a medium capable of altering its physical state when subjected to prescribed radiation, said method comprising: containing a body of medium capable of altering its physical state in response to prescribed radiation, said medium being sufficiently absorptive of said radiation to enable formation of an adequately cohesive lamina thinner than one millimeter and capable of being partially unsupported by any other lamina during formation; irradiating a designated surface of said medium with a prescribed pattern to provide a thin, cross-sectional lamina of less than one millimeter in thickness at said designated surface; moving the lamina formed away from said designated surface; and repeating said exposing and moving steps and thereby repeatedly forming a plurality of such laminae in succession at said designated surface such that each successive lamina is formed integrally with the immediately preceding lamina to build the three-dimensional object.

Claim 20

A method for providing a three-dimensional object from a medium capable of altering its physical state when subjected to prescribed radiation, said method comprising: containing a body of medium capable of altering its physical state in response to prescribed radiation, said medium being sufficiently absorptive of said radiation to enable formation of an adequately cohesive lamina thinner than one millimeter and capable of being partially unsupported by any other lamina during formation; irradiating a designated surface of said medium with a prescribed pattern to provide a thin, cross-sectional lamina of less than one millimeter in thickness at said designated surface; moving the lamina formed away from said designated surface; and repeating said exposing and moving steps and thereby repeatedly forming a plurality of such laminae in succession at said designated surface such that each successive lamina is formed integrally with the immediately preceding lamina to build the three-dimensional object.

Claim 21

A method of automatically generating and producing three-dimensional objects from a medium capable of solidification, said method comprising: generating data representing cross-sections of the three-dimensional object to be formed; forming a first cross-sectional layer of structure by exposing said medium to solidifying radiation generated in response to said data, said medium being sufficiently absorptive of solidifying radiation to enable formation of an adequately cohesive layer of structure thinner than one millimeter and capable of being partially unsupported by any other layer of structure during formation; automatically coating over said first layer of structure with a successive layer of said medium thinner than one millimeter; forming said successive layer into a second cross-sectional layer of structure by exposing said successive layer to solidifying radiation; and adhering said second cross-sectional layer to said first cross-sectional layer during the exposure of said successive layer to the solidifying radiation causing formation of said second ross-sectional layer, whereby a plurality of successively adhered layers of structure form a three-dimensional object.

Claim 22

A method of automatically generating and producing three-dimensional objects from a medium capable of solidification, said method comprising: generating data representing cross-sections of the three-dimensional object to be formed; forming a first cross-sectional layer of structure by exposing said medium to solidifying radiation generated in response to said data, said medium being sufficiently absorptive of solidifying radiation to enable formation of an adequately cohesive layer of structure thinner than one millimeter and capable of being partially unsupported by any other layer of structure during formation; automatically coating over said first layer of structure with a successive layer of said medium thinner than one millimeter; forming said successive layer into a second cross-sectional layer of structure by exposing said successive layer to solidifying radiation; and adhering said second cross-sectional layer to said first cross-sectional layer during the exposure of said successive layer to the solidifying radiation causing formation of said second ross-sectional layer, whereby a plurality of successively adhered layers of structure form a three-dimensional object.

Claim 28

A method of generating and automatically producing a three-dimensional object from a medium capable of solidification, said method comprising: generating data representing cross-sections of the three-dimensional object to be formed; forming a first layer of said medium into a first cross-sectional layer of structure by exposing said medium to solidifying radiation generated in response to said data; forming a successive layer of said medium into a second cross-sectional layer of structure by exposing said successive layer of said medium to solidifying radiation, said medium being sufficiently absorptive of said solidifying radiation to enable formation of a layer of structure thinner than one millimeter and capable of being partially unsupported by any other layer of structure during formation; and adhering said second cross-sectional layer to said first cross-sectional layer during the exposure of said successive layer of said medium to the solidifying radiation causing formation of said second cross-sectional layer, whereby a plurality of successively adhered layers of structure form a three-dimensional object.

Claim 29

A method of generating and automatically producing a three-dimensional object from a medium capable of solidification, said method comprising: generating data representing cross-sections of the three-dimensional object to be formed; forming a first layer of said medium into a first cross-sectional layer of structure by exposing said medium to solidifying radiation generated in response to said data; forming a successive layer of said medium into a second cross-sectional layer of structure by exposing said successive layer of said medium to solidifying radiation, said medium being sufficiently absorptive of said solidifying radiation to enable formation of a layer of structure thinner than one millimeter and capable of being partially unsupported by any other layer of structure during formation; and adhering said second cross-sectional layer to said first cross-sectional layer during the exposure of said successive layer of said medium to the solidifying radiation causing formation of said second cross-sectional layer, whereby a plurality of successively adhered layers of structure form a three-dimensional object.