JPH0452043Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an apparatus used in an optical modeling method for producing a cured body having a desired shape by irradiating a photocurable resin with a light beam. Specifically, the present invention relates to an optical modeling device configured to irradiate light from a light-transmitting window provided on the bottom surface of a container toward a photocurable resin inside the container.

[Prior art] A photocurable resin is irradiated with a light beam to cure the irradiated portion, and this cured portion is continued in the horizontal direction, and a photocurable resin is further supplied above it and cured in the same manner. An optical modeling method in which the cured body is made to continue in the vertical direction by repeating this process to produce a cured body in the desired shape was developed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.
It is publicly known from No. 60-247515, No. 62-35966, No. 62-101408, etc. It is also known to use a mask instead of scanning the beam.

A device for carrying out such an optical modeling method includes a container having a light-transmitting window on the bottom surface, a device for irradiating light into the container through the light-transmitting window, and a device for irradiating light into the container through the light-transmitting window in a direction away from the light-transmitting window. Some have a movably provided base.

In such an optical modeling apparatus equipped with a container having a light-transmitting window on the bottom surface, after irradiating light to form a first layer of cured material on the bottom surface of the base, the base is pulled up by a predetermined pitch, and then A second layer of cured product is formed on the first layer of cured product by irradiation with light, and by sequentially repeating this process, a target shaped body (three-dimensional) is manufactured. Therefore, in this type of device, the object shaped body is obtained in a state that it is attached to the lower surface of the base.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In order to take out the target shaped body attached to the lower surface of the base from the base, it is necessary to remove the entire base from the modeling device, which requires time and effort. Further, the target shape immediately after being modeled by the optical modeling device contains uncured photocurable resin, and the strength of the target shape may be low. Therefore, when the base is removed, vibrations or shocks are applied from the outside, or force is applied in the horizontal direction, so that there is a risk that the formed target-shaped body may be damaged.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides an optical modeling device that forms a target shape by irradiating light from a light-transmitting window on the bottom of a container and laminating a cured material on the bottom surface of the base. The device is characterized in that a cured material support plate is provided on the body, which can be attached and detached from above.

[Function] In the optical modeling apparatus of the present invention, the target shape is created as a laminate of cured products on the lower surface of the cured product support plate. And, regarding this idea,
By simply removing the cured product support plate upward from the base, the object having the desired shape created together with the cured product support plate can be shaped and taken out.

[Example] Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the structure of the device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the base, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the base.

In FIG. 1, a photocurable resin 12 is housed in a container 11. As shown in FIG. A transparent window 13 made of a transparent plate such as quartz glass is provided on the bottom of the container 11, and a light emitting section 15 with a built-in lens is provided to irradiate a beam 14 toward the transparent window 13. , the optical fiber 16 and the light emitting part 15 in the horizontal plane
An optical system including an X-Y moving device 17 for moving in the Y direction (X, Y are two orthogonal directions), a light source 20, etc. is provided.

A base 21 is installed inside the container 11, and the base 21 can be raised and lowered by an elevator 22. These moving device 17 and elevator 22 are controlled by a computer 23.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the base 21 consists of a frame 21A and a cured material support plate 21B that fits inside the frame 21A. The bottom of the cured material support plate 21B is aligned with or protrudes downward from the bottom of the frame 21A. frame 21
Step portions 21a and 21b are formed on the inner peripheral edge of A and the outer peripheral edge of the cured material support plate 21B, respectively, and the hardening is performed by hooking the step portion 21b of the cured material support plate 21B to the step portion 21a of the frame 21A from above. Object carrying plate 21B is supported by frame 21A. In addition,
The corners of the cured product support plate 21B are configured to be fixed to the frame 21A by the bottles 21c. Moreover, a handle 21d is provided on the cured product supporting plate 21B.

When producing a cured body using the above-mentioned apparatus, first, the base 21 is positioned slightly above the light-transmitting window 13, and the light beam 14 is scanned along the horizontal cross section of the target object. This scanning was performed using a computer controlled X
- carried out by the Y moving device 17;

After irradiating the entire horizontal cross section of the target shape (in this case, the portion corresponding to the bottom or top surface), the base 21 is slightly raised, and the cured product 2
4 and the light-transmitting window 13, and then the same light irradiation as above is performed. By repeating this procedure, a cured body with the desired shape (target-shaped body) is obtained as a multilayer laminate.

In order to take out this target shaped body from the optical modeling device, first remove the bottle 21c, then use the handle 21d.
It is only necessary to grasp the cured product support plate 21B and pull it upward, and the desired shape object is the cured product support plate 21B.
It is taken out upward together with B. Therefore,
This extraction operation can be performed extremely easily and quickly. Furthermore, during the extraction operation, almost no vibrations or shocks are applied to the target shaped body, and there is no risk of the target shaped body being damaged. Furthermore, after removing the cured product support plate 21B from the frame 21A, by attaching another cured product support plate 21B to the frame 21A, it is possible to immediately start modeling another target shape. The operating efficiency of the device is also significantly improved.

The target-shaped body taken out together with the cured product support plate 21B is cut at the surface of attachment to the cured product support plate 21B or in the vicinity thereof, thereby forming the cured product support plate 2.
The cured product support plate may be separated from 1B, or the cured product support plate may be used as a stand for the cured product if necessary. The product is then subjected to surface finishing treatment and finish hardening treatment as necessary.

In the above embodiment, the base includes a frame 21A, but it may also have a U-shaped frame 21D as shown in FIGS. 4-6. In FIGS. 4 to 6, the frame 21D includes a cured material supporting plate 21E.
is placed from above, and the cured product supporting plate 21E is fixed to the frame 21D by the bottle 21e. Note that a bottle hole 21f for attachment to the elevator is bored in the frame 21D. In addition, step portions 21g are cut into three sides of the cured product supporting plate 21E, and the step portions 21g engage with the frame 21D.

Of course, the configuration of the base in the above embodiment is an example of the present invention, and it is clear that the present invention may have a configuration other than that shown in the drawings as long as the cured material supporting plate can be attached and detached from above.

In addition, in the present invention, as shown in Fig. 7,
A removable sheet material 21S may be provided on the lower surface of the cured material supporting plate 21B. This sheet material may be attached to the lower surface of the cured product support plate 21B by being sandwiched between the frame 21A and the cured product support plate 21B as shown in FIG. Object carrying plate 21B
It can also be attached to the bottom of the . If such a sheet material 21S is provided, it becomes easier to separate the cured material supporting plate 21B from the object shaped body. Note that a sheet material may also be provided on the cured product supporting plate 21B shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.

In the above embodiment, the light is scanned by moving the optical fiber in the X-Y direction, but after reflecting the light from the light source with a mirror (not shown), it is converged with a lens and the photocurable resin is An optical system that emits light may also be used. In this case, the light beam can be scanned by rotating the mirror.

In the above embodiment, the cured product 24 is created by scanning the light beam 14, but in the present invention, this is applied to a known mask method, and for example, as shown in FIG. You may use the mask 26 which has this. Reference numeral 27 indicates a parallel light beam. Other symbols in FIG. 8 indicate the same members as in FIG. 1.

Note that as the photocurable resin, various resins that are cured by light irradiation can be used, such as modified polyurethane methacrylate, oligoester acrylate, urethane acrylate, epoxy acrylate, photosensitive polyimide, and amino alkyd. .

As the light, various types of light such as visible light and ultraviolet light can be used depending on the photocurable resin used. Although the light may be ordinary light, using laser light has the advantages of increasing the energy level, shortening the modeling time, and improving the modeling accuracy by utilizing good light focusing. can.

[Effects of the invention] As described above, in the optical shaping device of the present invention, a target shaped body can be taken out from the optical shaping device by simply pulling up the cured material support plate, which simplifies the task of taking out the target shaped body. Very easy and quick to do. Moreover, there is no fear that the target shaped body will be damaged during this extraction operation. Furthermore, it is possible to improve the operating efficiency of the modeling apparatus.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the embodiment device, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the base, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line shown in FIG. 2. 4 is a plan view of a base according to another embodiment, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a base according to yet another embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device of a different embodiment. 12...Photosetting resin, 13...Transparent window, 16
...Optical fiber, 20...Light source, 21...Base, 21A, 21D...Frame, 21B, 21
E... Cured material support plate, 22... Elevator.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] An apparatus used in an optical modeling method that includes a step of irradiating a photocurable resin with light, curing the portion irradiated with the light, and stacking the cured material, which has a transparent bottom surface. An optical modeling device comprising a container provided with a light window, a base movable in a direction away from the inner surface of the container of the light-transmitting window, and an irradiation device that irradiates light into the container through the light-transmitting window. . An optical modeling device, characterized in that a cured material supporting plate is provided on the base so as to be freely attachable and detachable from above.