Atmosphere and part formation in a liquid metal drop-on-demand printer
US11607724B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 12, 2020 |
| Grant date | Mar 21, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 18, 2041 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P10/25
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A three-dimensional (3D) printer includes an ejector and a heating element configured to heat a solid printing material in the ejector, thereby causing the solid printing material to change to a liquid printing material within the ejector. The 3D printer also includes a coil wrapped at least partially around the ejector. The 3D printer also includes a power source configured to supply one or more pulses of power to the coil, which cause one or more drops of the liquid printing material to flow out of the ejector through a nozzle of the ejector. The 3D printer also includes a gas-controlling device configured to control a gas in the 3D printer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.