Methods and apparatus for additive manufacturing of glass

US10266442B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology · US

Inventors

• John Klein · Great Neck, US
• Giorgia Franchin · San Pietro Assarti, IT
• Michael Stern · Cambridge, US
• Markus Kayser · Bremen, DE
• Chikara Inamura · Somerville, US
• Shreya Dave · Cambridge, US
• Neri Oxman · Cambridge, US
• Peter Houk · Ann Arbor, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 23, 2018
• Grant date: Apr 23, 2019
• Expiry date: Jan 23, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B29C64/106
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

In illustrative implementations of this invention, a crucible kiln heats glass such that the glass becomes or remains molten. A nozzle extrudes the molten glass while one or more actuators actuate movements of the nozzle, a build platform or both. A computer controls these movements such that the extruded molten glass is selectively deposited to form a 3D glass object. The selective deposition of molten glass occurs inside an annealing kiln. The annealing kiln anneals the glass after it is extruded. In some cases, the actuators actuate the crucible kiln and nozzle to move in horizontal x, y directions and actuate the build platform to move in a z-direction. In some cases, fluid flows through a cavity or tubes adjacent to the nozzle tip, in order to cool the nozzle tip and thereby reduce the amount of glass that sticks to the nozzle tip.