Heated Build Chamber Patents
Note: It appears that the linked patent has expired. It should be possible to do the heated chamber without restriction.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US6722872B1/en
Patent appears to protect a motion system EXTERNAL to a heated build chamber, AND a deformable insulator.
the x-y-z gantry (18, 20) is located external to the build chamber (24) and is separated from the chamber (24) by a deformable thermal insulator (132, 136).
Thus the questions are:
Is a non-deformable insulator as in OSE Prior Art of High Temperature Heated Enclosure also covered by the patent?
Description of baffles - In the preferred embodiment, the two sets of baffles 132 and 136 are made out of a high temperature cloth material, such as Teflon™ coated fiberglass. The baffles are sewn with octagonal cross-sections so as to allow expansion and contraction and to insulate the x-y gantry 18 from the heat in the build chamber 24. Other baffle configurations are known in the art and could be used instead of the coated cloth. For example, the baffles could be welded out of thin stainless steel sheet or the baffles could be formed by sliding plates on plates. Optionally, a fan may be mounted over the x-gantry 18 so as to dissipate any heat that does escape from the build chamber 24, keeping the x-y gantry 18 at ambient temperature.
It is not clear whether insulation attached to the extruder is covered.
It appears that deformable is a key word. The OSE system is not deformable. In pace of the x-baffles 132 and the y-baffles 136, any deformable thermal insulator may be used that is compatible with the build environment.
Glossary
- Enablement - sufficiency of disclosure [1]
