Patent ID: 11938539
Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  Y | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A build unit for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, the build unit comprising:
an energy beam system, the energy beam system comprising one or more irradiation devices respectively configured to direct one or more energy beams toward a build plane and onto a region of a powder bed; and
an inertization system, the inertization system comprising an irradiation chamber defining an irradiation plenum and a return manifold configured to receive and/or evacuate a process gas from the irradiation plenum while irradiating the region of the powder bed with the build unit situated above the region of the powder bed, the process gas flowing through the irradiation plenum and into the return manifold while irradiating the region of the powder bed;
wherein the return manifold comprises a plurality of return manifold bodies arranged along a width of the return manifold, each of the plurality of return manifold bodies defining a respective one of a plurality of return manifold outlets of the return manifold, the plurality of return manifold bodies respectively coupled to one another or defining a respective integrally formed portion of the return manifold, the return manifold comprising a return manifold inlet disposed at a bottom portion of the irradiation chamber and defined at least in part by each of the plurality of return manifold bodies, respective ones of the plurality of return manifold bodies comprising one or more return manifold pathways downstream of the return manifold inlet fluidly connecting the return manifold inlet to respective ones of the plurality of return manifold outlets and with a process gas evacuation line, and the return manifold inlet fluidly communicating with the irradiation plenum defined by the irradiation chamber and the one or more return manifold pathways defined by the respective ones of the plurality of return manifold bodies;
wherein the return manifold inlet is configured to receive a lateral flow of the process gas parallel or substantially parallel to the build plane from at least a portion of an irradiation plenum defined by the irradiation chamber, wherein the return manifold inlet has an elongate cross-sectional profile, and wherein the return manifold comprises one or more narrowing regions and/or one or more rib elements disposed about the return manifold inlet and/or within the one or more return manifold pathways.