发明人：
HIKMET, RIFAT, ATA, MUSTAFA | ANSEMS, JOHANNES, PETRUS, MARIA | WOUTERS, BERT | VAN HAL, PAULUS, ALBERTUS
摘要：
The invention provides a method for manufacturing a 3D item (1) by means of fused deposition modelling, wherein the 3D item (1) is a multi-arm light guide having an articulated body of at least two connected body elements (310), wherein each body element (310) is an arm of the multi-arm light guide, wherein each body element (310) has a first end (311) and a second end (312), wherein the first ends (311) of the connected body elements (310) are for incoupling of light in the multi-arm light guide, wherein the second ends (312) of the connected body elements (310) diverge from each other and are for outcoupling of light from the multi-arm light guide, wherein the method comprises a 3D printing stage wherein an extrudate (321) comprising a 3D printable material (201) is deposited in a layer- wise manner to provide the 3D item (1) comprising a 3D printed material (202); wherein the 3D printable material (201) comprises a light transmissive material; wherein the 3D item (1) comprises one or more layers (322) of the 3D printed material (202), wherein each of the connected body elements (310) comprises at least two adjacent 3D printed layer parts (1322); wherein the method comprises: - for each of the body elements (310) printing a single continuous layer part (2322) comprising the at least two adjacent 3D printed layer parts (1322), wherein the printing of the single continuous layer part (2322) involves printing in a first direction and then turning back and printing back in a second direction opposite to the first direction to provide a first body element U-turn (313) at the first end (311) of the body element (310); and - connecting adjacent body elements (310) by one or more of (i) merging parts of the adjacent body elements (310), (ii) 3D printing a connection element (320) connecting the adjacent body elements (310), and (iii) 3D printing the single continuous layer part (2322) comprising the 3D printed layer parts (1322) of the adjacent body elements (310).
技术问题语段：
The technical problem addressed in this patent is the difficulty in manufacturing multi-arm light guides, which are optical elements with articulated body elements. Current methods are not straightforward and may result in curved surfaces that affect the optical function. The invention proposes a 3D printing method using fused deposition modelling to create such light guides with a desired shape and performance. The invention also suggests different wave plate configurations to produce different light distributions from the same luminaire.
技术功效语段：
The patent is about a method for making a 3D item using fused deposition modelling, which is a type of 3D printing. The method involves creating a multi-arm light guide with an articulated body of at least two connected body elements, where each body element has a first end and a second end. The method allows for the creation of complex shapes that are difficult to make using other methods. The 3D item can be used in lighting devices and has improved optical performance. The invention also provides a software product for executing the method and a 3D printed item made using the method.
权利要求：
CLAIMS:
1. A method for manufacturing a 3D item (1) by means of fused deposition modelling,
wherein the 3D item (1) is a multi-arm light guide having an articulated body of at least two connected body elements (310), wherein each body element (310) is an arm of the multi-arm light guide, wherein each body element (310) has a first end (311) and a second end (312), wherein the first ends (311) of the connected body elements (310) are for incoupling of light in the multi-arm light guide, wherein the second ends (312) of the connected body elements (310) diverge from each other and are for outcoupling of light from the multi-arm light guide,
wherein the method comprises a 3D printing stage wherein an extrudate (321) comprising a 3D printable material (201) is deposited in a layer-wise manner to provide the 3D item (1) comprising a 3D printed material (202);
wherein the 3D printable material (201) comprises a light transmissive material;
wherein the 3D item (1) comprises one or more layers (322) of the 3D printed material (202),
wherein each of the connected body elements (310) comprises at least two adjacent 3D printed layer parts (1322);
wherein the method comprises:
for each of the body elements (310) printing a single continuous layer part (2322) comprising the at least two adjacent 3D printed layer parts (1322), wherein the printing of the single continuous layer part (2322) involves printing in a first direction and then turning back and printing back in a second direction opposite to the first direction to provide a first body element U-turn (313) at the first end (311) of the body element (310); and
connecting adjacent body elements (310) by one or more of (i) merging parts of the adjacent body elements (310), (ii) 3D printing a connection element (320) connecting the adjacent body elements (310), and (iii) 3D printing the single continuous layer part (2322) comprising the 3D printed layer parts (1322) of the adjacent body elements (310).
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the printing of the single continuous layer part (2322) involves printing in a third direction and then turning back and printing back in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction to provide a second body element U-turn (343) at the second end (312) of the body element (310).
3. The method according to claim 2, comprising providing the second body element U-turn (343) with a flattened face (344) of which at least part is perpendicular to a plane of printing.
4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting of adjacent body elements (310) is done by merging parts of two adjacent body elements (310) at first positions (351) closer to the first ends (311) of the body elements (310) than to the second ends (312).
5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting of adjacent body elements (310) is done by 3D printing the connection element (320) connecting the body elements (310) of two adjacent body elements (310) at second positions (352) closer to the second ends (312) of the adjacent body elements (310) than to the first ends (311).
6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising 3D printing the at least two connected body elements (310) around a cavity (350).
7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising printing the one or more layers (322) of 3D item (1) as one or more single continuous layer parts (2322), wherein each of the layer parts (1322) are comprised by the one or more single continuous layer parts (2322), wherein the layers (322) have layer heights (H) and layer widths (W) selected from the range of 0.5-5 cm.
8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising layer- wise depositing a plurality of the layers (322) along a height (HI) perpendicular to a plane of printing, to provide an elongated 3D item (1).
9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the 3D printable material (201) and the 3D printed material (202) comprise one or more of polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), styrene-acrylonitrile resin (SAN), polysulfone (PSU), polytethylene terephthalate (PET) and its copolymers, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), styrene acrylic copolymers (SMMA), and polyurethane.
10. A multi-arm light guide having an articulated body of at least two connected body elements (310), wherein each body element (310) is an arm of the multi-arm light guide, wherein each body element (310) has a first end (311) and a second end (312), wherein the first end (311) is for incoupling of light in the multi-arm light guide, wherein the second ends (312) of the connected body elements (310) diverge from each other, wherein the multi-arm light guide is a 3D item (1) comprising 3D printed material (202), and wherein the 3D item (1) is obtainable by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
11. The multi-arm light guide according to claim 10, wherein the at least two adjacent 3D printed layer parts (1322) of each of the body elements (310) are comprised by a single continuous layer part (2322) with a second body element U-turn (343) of the at least two adjacent 3D printed layer parts (1322) at the second ends (311), wherein the second body element U-turns (343) have a flattened face (344) perpendicular to an axis of elongation (Al) of the respective body elements (310).
12. The multi-arm light guide according to any one of the preceding claims 10-11, comprising the connection element (320) connecting the body elements (310) of two adjacent the body elements (310) at second positions (352) closer to the second ends (312) of the body elements (310) than to the first ends (311), wherein the at least two connected body elements are arranged (310) around a cavity (350), and wherein the one or more layers (322) of 3D item (1) are one or more single continuous layer parts (2322), wherein the layers (322) have layer heights (H) and layer widths (W) selected from the range of 0.5-5 cm.
13. A lighting device (1000) comprising the multi-arm light guide according to any one of the preceding claims 10-12, and a light source (10) configured to generate light source light (11), wherein the two or more first body element U-turns (313) are configured in
a light receiving relationship with the light source (10) so that light source light (11) can be coupled into the multi-arm light guide via the two or more first body element U-turns (313).
14. The lighting device (1000) according to claim 13, wherein the light source (10) is at least partially configured in the cavity (350) of the multi-arm light guide according to claim 12.
15. A software product when running on a computer is capable of bringing about the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.