Related Applications

[0002] The present application claims priority from United States Patent Application 62/399,691 filed September 26th, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a beam director for a 3D printer, and in particular to a beam director including a rotating reflector rotating around a horizontal axis and receiving a beam of light along a horizontal axis.

Background

[0004] Conventional 3D printers, such as the one disclosed in US 9,435,998 issued September s, 2016 to Bibas et ai, which is incorporated herein by reference, include beam directors with reflectors, which rotate about and receive light along a vertical axis. Accordingly, a second reflector is typically required redirect the beam onto the work surface.

Summary

[0005] The present invention relates to a beam director comprising:

a light source for generating a beam of light;

a reflector configured to receive the beam of light from the light source along a rotational axis of the reflector for reflecting the beam onto a work surface at a constant angle to the rotational axis; and

an actuator for rotating the reflector about the rotational axis;

wherein the rotational axis is parallel to the work surface; and

whereby the reflector is capable of receiving the beam of light along the rotational axis, and reflecting the beam of light onto the work surface at a plurality of different angular positions of the reflector following a path relative to the work surface and tracing out a line perpendicular to the rotational axis on the work surface. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of a print head for a 3-D printer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 illustrates rays of light directed by the printhead of Fig. 1 , showing a tangent factor in which the distances between rays of light increase at the work surface although the beam rotates in constant movement as reflected by same angles;

Figure 3 illustrates rays of light directed by the printhead of Fig. 1 , showing a tangent factor in which the shape of the spots of light change at the work surface as the beam rotates in constant movement as reflected by same angles;

Figure 4 illustrates a first embodiment for correcting for the tangent factor;

Figure 5 illustrates a second and third embodiment for correcting for the tangent factor;

Figure 5B illustrates a fourth embodiment for correcting for the tangent factor;

Figure 6 illustrates a fifth and sixth embodiment for correcting for the tangent factor; and

Figure 7 illustrates a seventh embodiment for correcting for the tangent factor.

Detailed Description

[0007] The beam director 19 includes a reflector, e.g. mirror 21 , rotatable about a horizontal, longitudinal rotational axis, e.g. which is parallel to a work surface 3, by an actuator 18, e.g. a motor. The mirror 21 includes a reflective surface disposed at an acute angle, e.g. 30° to 80°, preferably 45°, to the longitudinal axis for directing a beam of light 20 launched from a light source 14, e.g. laser, along a horizontal axis, e.g.

parallel to the Y-axis and the work surface 3.

[0008] The beam director 19 of the present invention may be utilized as a print head for a 3-D printer (Fig. 1 ) and installed on a positioning system of a 3-D printer, which may take the form of a X-Y-Z gantry system. A Y-axis stage 13 may be comprised of two elevated tracks, one on each side of a work surface 3, each track supported by one or more pillars. A first X-axis stage 12 extends between the two elevated tracks of the Y-axis stage 13, includes an elevated track, and is reciprocateabie along the X axis in the elevated tracks of the Y-axis stage 13. A Z axis stage 16 is reciprocateabie along the Y-axis in the track of the X-axis stage 12, and includes a vertical track enabling the beam director 19 to move in the Z-axis, towards and away from the work surface 3. The beam director 19 is mounted on a base, which is reciprocateabie in the tracks of the Z-axis stage 18. The base also includes tracks in which the beam director 19 is mounted for reciprocal motion in the Y2 direction for moving the mirror 21 closer or farther away from the light source 14

[0009] When the beam is activated, e.g. launched along the rotational axis parallel to the work surface 3, and the actuator 18 rotates the reflector 21 , the beam strikes the reflector 21 reflecting the beam, e.g. substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis, to the work surface 3; the beam then follows a path relative to the work surface, e.g.

substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis, e.g. parallel to the X-axis, and traces out a line perpendicular to the rotational axis, on the work surface 3 including a plurality of spots at desired positions on the work surface 3 corresponding to angular positions of the reflector 21 . When reflector 21 is an off axis parabolic mirror it will further simplify the optics system as parabolic reflector will not only used as a reflector but also as a focus element. Where a beam entering along the optical axis will exit and focus at the work area.

[0010] The laser 14 is centered along the longitudinal axis of the rotating mirror 21. The base, moving along the Y2 axis, is used by the rotating mirror 19 to move the mirror 21 closer to the laser 14 to change the focus, if needed (more below when focusing on the edge of the model and not the center of the model)

[0011] A drawback of the current arrangement is the Tangent factor illustrated in F!Gs. 2 and 3. The tangent factor results in the distance between the rays of light increasing at the work surface 3 even though the beam rotates at a constant rotational velocity, and is thereby reflected at a same angle 1 for each constant time period. Accordingly, distance 4 is larger than distance 5 as:

H ^* tan(2 ^* ) - H ^* tan(a) > H ^* Tan(a)

[00012] Where H 24 is the normal to the work area 3 and σ is 1 . The further away we get from the center, i.e. shortest or normal distance, the larger the gap 4 or 5 between the points on the work area 3 for a given angular rotation of the mirror 21 . [0013] Moreover as the beam moves away from the center:

1. Beam energy amount absorbed by the work surface is proportional to

E ₀ ^* Cos(i ^* o) where E ₀ max beam energy (or power) at a=0 and i is the beam index where it start at 0 at the work surface center.

2. The beam shape is distorted from a circle 7 to an elliptic like shape 6 (stretched at 5 the further away from the center then the closet)

3. The beam area is getting larger as it gets away from the center as the beam

expands from its focus compares to when it is at the center. Therefore, energy (or power) density per cm ^A 2 is getting smaller as i increases.

[0014] However, correction may be performed by using a correcting lens as shown in FIG 4, such as an f-theta lens 10, ("correcting lens") where the correcting lens 10 will correct the tangent factor. This correction will produce equal distances 1 1 between points with equal rotational angles of the mirror 21. The correction lens 10 may be relatively expensive to make, and may not be scalable due to manufacturing limitation. As the f-theta mirror function also keeps the focus on the work surface 3 rather than on the circular path 2.

[0015] Alternatively, the tangent factor may be corrected via electronic and/or software means and methods as illustrated in F!Gs. 5, 5B, 6 and 7.

[0016] Pulse Wide Modulation (PWM) Method when the beam focus is at the center of the work surface: As the beam gets further away from the center, i.e. normal distance from the working surface 3, at higher rotation angles from the normal of the mirror 21 , the power pulses generated by the laser 14 will be increased by a controller 23, such as a computer including non-transitory memory for storing computer software executable thereon for controlling the laser 14, to last longer at angular positions farther from the normal distance, therefore delivering higher energy to at least partially, but preferably substantially fully, compensate for the losses due to the E ₀ ^* Cos(i ^* a) losses. See Fig 5;Pulse Wide Modulation. [0017] Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) Method when the beam focus is at the center of the work surface: As the beam gets further away from the center the power pulses generated by the laser 14 will deliver higher energy (higher amplitude) by the controller 23, therefore delivering higher energy to at least partially, but preferably fully, compensate for the loses due to the E ₀ ^* Cos(i ^* a) loses. See FIG 5.; Pulse Amplitude Modulation.

[0018] Method IV: is a combination of both PWM and PAM where the focus is at the center of the work surface - When the pulse width and the pulse energy are increased as the beam moves closer to the center. Therefore, the controller 23 modulates the power by adjusting both the pulse time period and the pulse energy amplitude. See FIG 5B.

[0019] FIG 6. Illustrates compensation using of Pulse Wide Modulation or Pulse Amplitude Modulation is utilized when the focal point is at the edge of the work surface 3. FIG 7. Illustrates compensation when both PWM and PAM are utilized and when the focal point is at the edge of the work surface 3. When focusing at the edge the beam size will grow as the beam travels back to the center.

[0020] Drawing reference numbers

1. Angle a, between laser lines

2. Focal point path

3. Work surface

4. Distance between two beam at work surface at the edge of the work surface; H ^* tag(2a)-H ^* tag(a)

5. Distance between two beams closer to the work surface area; H ^* tag(a)

6. Laser beam shape size and shape away from the center.

7. Laser beam size and shape at the normal to the work area.

8. Laser beam size and shape at the work surface

9. Laser beam size and shape at the work area

10. F theta like correction Lens

1 1 . Distance between beams at the work surface

12. y axis rail 13. x axis rail

14. Laser beam generator

15. Laser beam size

16. y axis rail

17. y2 rail for the changing focal point

18. Holding bracket for rotating motor

19. General reference to the beam director

20. Laser beam path at the work surface

21 . Mirror and/or Parabolic mirror

22. Optics system

23. Controller

24. The distance H from the rotating laser to the work surface