Patent ID: 7758329

Claim:
An optical modeling apparatus that forms a model of a desired shape by sequentially forming hardened layers by irradiating a light curable resin with light, the optical modeling apparatus comprising: a first light source that emits a light beam for plotting on the light curable resin; a scanning device that scans the light beam emitted by the first light source over the light curable resin; a second light source that emits light that irradiates one fixed region of the light curable resin at a time; a spatial light modulator that spatially modulates the light emitted by the second light source to blanket-expose a specified region of the light curable resin to the spatially modulated light; and an exposure position adjuster that moves, in at least one direction, the light that is transmitted by the spatial light modulator, wherein each of the hardened layers of the model is formed by the light beam that is scanned by the scanning device and by the light that is spatially modulated by the spatial light modulator and moved by the exposure position adjuster only a specified distance that is not greater than a distance that corresponds to the fixed region.