US PATENT SUBCLASS 264 / 497
.~ Using laser sintering of particulate material to build three-dimensional product (e.g., SLS, selective laser sintering, etc.)

Current as of: June, 1999
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264 /   HD   PLASTIC AND NONMETALLIC ARTICLE SHAPING OR TREATING: PROCESSES

405  DF  DIRECT APPLICATION OF ELECTRICAL OR WAVE ENERGY TO WORK (E.G., ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE, PARTICULATE, MAGNETIC, INDUCTION HEAT, SONIC, ELECTROSTATIC ENERGY, ETC.) {26}
497.~ Using laser sintering of particulate material to build three-dimensional product (e.g., SLS, selective laser sintering, etc.)

DEFINITION

Classification: 264/497

Using laser sintering of particulate material to build three-dimensional product (e.g., SLS, selective laser sintering, etc.)

(under subclass 405) Processes directed to selective laser induced heat sintering to bond individually randomly associated distinct and deposited particles to form a complete three-dimensional article by building up layers containing a major amount of the particulate material.

(1) Note. The relative sizes of the particles are immaterial, however the particles must retain their discrete nature during the associating and bonding operation. Further, the mere presence of particles in a liquid carrier is not sufficient for this subclass (e.g., fillers or slurries, etc.,) since this is considered to be molding of a fluent or liquid mass rather than the association of particles and is provided for in appropriate subclasses below.

(2) Note. The material is usually, but not necessarily, in the form of fibers or granules and bonding of the particulate material may be effected by applying an adhesive or by the latent adhesive characteristics of the material.

(3) Note. Generally, the subject matter found in this subclass includes dispensing a layer which comprises a plurality of blended or coated powdered materials having different dissociation or bonding temperatures and applying a binder to selected portions of the powdered material, for example by way of an ink-jet print head. The locations that receive the binder are defined according to a cross-section of the part to be produced, communicated to the apparatus by a CAD, computer assisted design, data base. A roller is often used to assist in the proper delivery and alignment of the powdered material. Each powdered layer is selectively sintered by a CAD laser causing layer buildup thereby forming a complete three-dimensional product.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:

6, for processes of forming solid particulate material by liquid or melt comminuting combined with uniting of said bulk assembled or deposited particles.

109+, for forming articles by uniting randomly associated particles. 131, for a molding process combined with a step of coating with particulate material.

239+, for processes of molding (a) plastic compositions containing particulate material as a filler, (b) colloidal or non-settling dispersions (e.g., rubber latex, clay, etc.), and (c) plastic particulate material which lose their identity during molding to form a homogeneous product (see (1) Note, above).

517, for processes of applying vacuum or suction to bulk assembled particles.