Patent ID: 7008206
Filing Date: 2006-03-07
Classification: B08B,B29C,B33Y,F24F

Abstract:
1. A ventilation and cooling system for capturing airborne contaminants in a selective deposition modeling apparatus dispensing a curable and flowable build material layer by layer to form a three-dimensional object, the ventilation and cooling system comprising: a containment chamber surrounding the selective deposition modeling apparatus, the containment chamber having a dispensing device for layerwise selective dispensing of the build material, a heat generating exposure system to cure the build material in each layer and at least one air inlet duct and at least one air exit duct, the containment chamber further having unsealed gaps; at least one air-moving device in communication with the air inlet of the containment chamber creating a first flow of air entering the apparatus; at least one air-moving device in communication with the air exit duct creating a second flow of air exiting the apparatus; a third flow of air that is drawn into the apparatus through the unsealed gaps at a flow rate which, when added to the flow rate of the first flow of air, substantially equals the flow rate of the second flow of a when a steady state condition is established between the first flow of air, the second flow of air, and the third flow of air; a filter in communication with the air exit duct for receiving the second flow of air to capture airborne contaminants from the second flow of air, the airborne contaminants comprising vapors of the curable build material; and wherein the second flow of air has a flow rate that is greater than the flow rate of the first flow of air.