Patent ID: 7546841
Filing Date: 2009-06-16
Classification: B08B,B33Y

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for removing water soluble support material from a rapid prototype part, said apparatus comprising in combination: a retention tank having walls and a base collectively forming an interior chamber for containing and storing an aqueous cleaning solution, said base having an aperture extending therethrough and adaptably fitted with a valve for selectively controlling flow of the aqueous cleaning solution from said interior chamber into an external sump collector, said wall having intake and outlet apertures extending therethrough; intake and outlet piping passing through said intake and outlet apertures of wall, said intake and outlet piping each having one end attached to intake and outlet sides of a pump and a second end attached to a basket strainer and a manifold assembly, respectively, said manifold assembly comprising a nozzle head having a nozzle tip for passing therethrough the aqueous cleaning solution into said interior chamber; a thermocouple having an internal probe positioned internally in said interior chamber to engage the aqueous cleaning solution and an external lead communicatively coupled to a microprocessor for measuring temperature of the aqueous cleaning solution; a heating element having an internal end positioned internally in said interior chamber to engage the aqueous cleaning solution and an external end communicatively coupled to said microprocessor for controlling heat input to the aqueous cleaning solution contained within said interior chamber; a plate guard having an upper leading edge attached to said retention tank to structurally divide said interior chamber into first and second compartments for housing therewithin said manifold assembly, heating element and basket strainer and for receiving therewithin one or more rapid prototype parts, respectively, said plate guard having a plurality of nozzle apertures each being selectively positioned to align with said nozzle tip and a plurality of openings selectively arranged in proximity of said basket strainer and said heating element to yield effective circulation of the aqueous cleaning solution within said interior chamber for uniform heat transfer while simultaneously inhibiting the passage of rapid prototype parts into said first compartment from said second compartment; a work surface mounted to said retention tank and having a recessed portion and an opening fitted therewithin for containing and channeling the aqueous cleaning solution back into said interior chamber; and a level indicator positioned internally in said first compartment at a predetermined distance above said nozzle head for transmitting level measurements of the aqueous cleaning solution present in said interior chamber to said microprocessor to selectively activate said heating element and said pump for a predetermined time interval as controllably maintained by a timer.