IPC分类号：
B29C64/118 | B29C64/245 | B29C64/268 | B33Y10/00 | B33Y30/00 | G02B27/09 | B29C64/209 | B33Y50/00 | C03B19/02
当前申请(专利权)人地址：
Drottning Kristinas väg 53,114 28 Stockholm SE
发明人：
FOKINE, MICHAEL | LIU, CHUNXIN | ORIEKHOV, TARAS
摘要：
The present invention relates to an apparatus (100) for additive manufacturing of a three- dimensional glass object. The apparatus comprises a stage (130) for supporting the glass object, a laser beam source (110) for providing a primary laser beam (150), a printer head (102), and means for relative movement of the printer head (102) and the stage (130), wherein the printer head (102) comprises at least one glass filament feeding nozzle (120) for feeding a glass filament (160) towards a location of deposit (140) in order to form the glass object, and an optical beam path unit configured for directing the laser beam (150) from the laser beam source (110) to the location of deposit (140) for heating the glass filament (160). The apparatus is characterized in that the optical beam path unit comprises a beam splitter (145) in order to divide the primary laser beam (150) into at least three partial laser beams (150'), wherein the optical beam path unit is configured for directing each of the at least three partial laser beams (150') from the beam splitter (145) to the location of deposit (140), and a feed-back control unit comprising means for monitoring a process parameter that is representative for the temperature at the location of deposit (140) and means for controlling the power of the primary laser beam (150) in order to adjust the temperature at the location of deposit (140) towards a predetermined level.
技术问题语段：
The technical issues addressed in this patent text are related to the existing technologies for glass three-dimensional printing or glass additive manufacturing. These existing technologies have limitations and drawbacks, such as limited material selection, poor printing quality, long process time, and high energy consumption.
技术功效语段：
The technical efficacy of the patent scheme is to provide an apparatus for additive manufacturing in the glass sector. This apparatus allows for the formation of three-dimensional glass objects directly onto a stage.
权利要求：
Claims
1. Apparatus (100) for additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional glass object comprising:
- a stage (130) for supporting the glass object,
- a laser beam source (110) for providing a primary laser beam (150),
- a printer head (102), and
- means for relative movement of the printer head (102) and the stage (130), wherein the printer head (102) comprises:
- at least one glass filament feeding nozzle (120) for feeding a glass filament (160) towards a location of deposit (140) in order to form the glass object, and
- an optical beam path unit configured for directing the laser beam (150) from the laser beam source (110) to the location of deposit (140) for heating the glass filament (160), characterized in that the optical beam path unit comprises:
- a beam splitter (145) in order to divide the primary laser beam (150) into at least three partial laser beams (150'), wherein the optical beam path unit is configured for directing each of the at least three partial laser beams (150') from the beam splitter (145) to the location of deposit (140), and
- a feed-back control unit comprising means for monitoring a process parameter that is representative for the temperature at the location of deposit (140) and means for controlling the power of the primary laser beam (150) in order to adjust the temperature at the location of deposit (140) towards a predetermined level.
2. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein said process parameter is constituted by the power of the primary laser beam (150) upstream the beam splitter (145) in the printer head (102).
3. The apparatus (100) according to claim 2, wherein means for monitoring the process parameter constituted by the power of the primary laser beam (150) comprises a beam tap (127) configured for separating a predetermined sample of the primary laser beam (150) towards a detector (128).
4. The apparatus (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the optical beam path unit comprises means for providing circular polarization to the primary laser beam (150) upstream the beam splitter (145).
5. The apparatus (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the optical beam path unit comprises a pyramid mirror (155) located downstream the beam splitter (145) in order to diverge the at least three partial laser beams (150') from each other.
6. The apparatus (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the optical beam path unit comprises for each partial laser beam (150') one or more secondary beam steering mirror (165) configured for directing the partial laser beam (150') towards the location of deposit (140).
7. The apparatus (100) according to claim 6, wherein the glass filament feeding nozzle (120) is located surrounded by the secondary beam steering mirrors (165).
8. The apparatus (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the glass filament feeding nozzle (120) is configured for feeding the glass filament (160) in a direction perpendicular to a geometrical plane, wherein each of the at least three partial laser beams (150') has an angle of incidence equal to 30-60 degrees in relation to said geometrical plane.
9. The apparatus (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the optical beam path unit comprises a focusing lens (135) located upstream the beam splitter (145) in order to adjust the primary laser beam (150).
10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the focusing lens (135) is displaceable back and forth in relation to the beam splitter (145) in order to adjust the diameter of the primary laser beam (150).
11. The apparatus (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the printer head (102) comprises a gas purging arrangement configured for removing deposits from the area comprising the location of deposit (140) and the glass filament feeding nozzle (120).
12. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein said process parameter is constituted by the temperature at the location of deposit (140).
13. The apparatus (100) according to claim 12, wherein means for monitoring the process parameter constituted by the temperature at the location of deposit (140) comprises a thermal imager/camera.