Three-dimensional printing apparatus

Abstract

A three-dimensional printing apparatus is provided, including a container, a display, a control unit and an optical film. The container contains a photosensitive material. The display has a plurality of display units. Each of the display units is capable of emitting a light beam. The control unit is capable of controlling the display units. The optical film is capable of projecting the light beams emitted from the display units onto the photosensitive material, forming a plurality of projected patterns. An arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the projected patterns are substantially the same as an arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the display units.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A three-dimensional printing apparatus, comprising:
 a container, containing a photosensitive material;   a display, having a plurality of display units, each of the display units being capable of emitting a light beam;   a control unit, connected to the display and controlling the display units of the display; and   an optical film, disposed between the display and the container, the optical film comprising a plurality of optical structures folined thereon and arranged in a direction perpendicular to a transmission direction of the light beams, and the optical structures respectively projecting the light beams emitted from the corresponding display units onto the photosensitive material to a plurality of projected patterns, wherein an arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the projected patterns are substantially the same as an arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the display units, and a dimension of each of the projected patterns is substantially equal to a dimension of each of the display units, so that the projected patterns are formed as not overlapping, and a distance between the display and the upper surface of the container is less than or equal to 3 cm.   
     
     
       2. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the container has a bottom, disposed between the display and the photosensitive material, and the bottom is a light-transparent bottom, the bottom of the container has an upper surface facing the photosensitive material. 
     
     
       3. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a distance between the display and the upper surface of the container is less than or equal to 3 cm. 
     
     
       4. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a work platform, dipped into the photosensitive material, capable of moving relatively with the container, wherein the work platform has a work surface;   wherein the work platform is controlled by the control unit, the control unit commands the display to display a first image during a first time and locates the work surface to a first location, the light beams emitted from the display units corresponding to the first image are projected onto a first layer of the photosensitive material between the work surface and the upper surface through the optical film, so as to cure the first layer of the photosensitive material to form a first cured layer, and the control unit commands the display to display a second image during a second time and locates the work surface to the second location, the light beams emitted from the display units corresponding to the second image are projected to a second layer of the photosensitive material between the first cured layer and the upper surface through the optical film, so as to cure the second layer of the photosensitive material to form a second cured layer.   
     
     
       5. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the work surface faces the bottom, the second cured layer is located between the first cured layer and the bottom, and the first location is located between the bottom and the second location. 
     
     
       6. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the optical structures is aligned with at least one of the display units. 
     
     
       7. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein each of the optical structures is a lens, and each of the lenses is aligned with one of the display units. 
     
     
       8. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein each of the optical structures is a cylindrical lens, and each of the cylindrical lenses is aligned with a row of the display units. 
     
     
       9. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein an image of the display units is projected on the photosensitive material to form the projected patterns by the optical structures. 
     
     
       10. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein each of the display units comprises at least a pixel. 
     
     
       11. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a size of each of the optical structures is an integer times a size of the pixel of the corresponding display unit. 
     
     
       12. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the display units is aligned with some of the optical structures. 
     
     
       13. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein a size of each of the display units is an integer times a size of the corresponding optical structure. 
     
     
       14. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the optical structures is a pyramidal prism or a triangular-shaped prism. 
     
     
       15. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the light beams emitted from the display units are visible light. 
     
     
       16. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the optical film may be a single layer film or a multilayer film. 
     
     
       17. A three-dimensional printing apparatus, comprising:
 a container, containing a photosensitive material;   a display, having a plurality of display units, each of the display units being capable of emitting a light beam;   a control unit, connected to the display and controlling the display units of the display; and   an optical film, disposed between the display and the container and projecting the light beams emitted from the display units onto the photosensitive material to form a plurality of projected patterns, wherein an arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the projected patterns are substantially the same as an arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the display units, and the projected patterns are formed as not overlapping, wherein the container has a bottom, disposed between the display and the photosensitive material, the bottom is a light-transparent bottom, the bottom of the container has an upper surface facing the photosensitive material, and a distance between the display and the upper surface of the container is less than or equal to 3 cm.   
     
     
       18. An optical assembly for a three-dimensional printing apparatus, comprising:
 a container and a display, optically connected with each other, wherein
 a plurality of display units are located in the display, and each of the display units is capable of emitting a light beam; and 
 the container is disposed above the display and comprises a light-transparent bottom being configured to accommodate a photosensitive material, wherein the light-transparent bottom of the container has an upper surface facing the photosensitive material; 
   wherein a distance between the display and an upper surface of the transparent bottom of the container is less than or equal to 3 cm.   
     
     
       19. The optical assembly of claim 18, wherein the optical assembly further comprises:
 a control unit, connected to the display and controlling the display units of the display; and   an optical film, comprising a plurality of optical structures formed thereon and arranged in a direction perpendicular to a transmission direction of the light beams, wherein the optical film is disposed between the display and the container and projects the light beams emitted from the display units onto the photosensitive material to form a plurality of projected patterns,   wherein an arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the projected patterns are substantially the same as an arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the display units, and the three-dimensional printing apparatus does not have a projection lens,   wherein a dimension of each of the projected patterns is substantially equal to a dimension of each of the display units, so that the projected patterns are formed as not overlapping.   
     
     
       20. The optical assembly of claim 19, further comprising:
 a work platform, dipped into the photosensitive material, capable of moving relatively with the container, wherein the work platform has a work surface;   wherein the work platform is controlled by the control unit, the control unit is programmed to command the display to display a first image during a first time and locates the work surface to a first location, the light beams emitted from the display units corresponding to the first image are projected onto a first layer of the photosensitive material between the work surface and the upper surface through the optical film, so as to cure the first layer of the photosensitive material to form a first cured layer, and the control unit commands the display to display a second image during a second time and locates the work surface to the second location, the light beams emitted from the display units corresponding to the second image are projected to a second layer of the photosensitive material between the first cured layer and the upper surface through the optical film, so as to cure the second layer of the photosensitive material to form a second cured layer.   
     
     
       21. The optical assembly of claim 20, wherein the work surface faces the bottom, the second cured layer is located between the first cured layer and the bottom, and the first location is located between the bottom and the second location. 
     
     
       22. The optical assembly of claim 19, wherein the optical film comprises a plurality of optical structures, and each of the optical structures is aligned with at least one of the display units. 
     
     
       23. The optical assembly of claim 22, wherein an image of the display units is projected on the photosensitive material to form the projected patterns by the optical structures. 
     
     
       24. The optical assembly of claim 22, wherein each of the display units comprises at least a pixel. 
     
     
       25. The optical assembly of claim 24, wherein a size of each of the optical structures is an integer times a size of the pixel of the corresponding display unit. 
     
     
       26. The optical assembly of claim 19, wherein the optical film comprises a plurality of optical structures, and each of the display units is aligned with some of the optical structures. 
     
     
       27. The optical assembly of claim 26, wherein a size of each of the display units is an integer times a size of the corresponding optical structure. 
     
     
       28. The optical assembly of claim 19, wherein the optical film comprises a plurality of optical structures, and each of the optical structures is a lens, a cylindrical lens, a pyramidal prism or a triangular-shaped prism. 
     
     
       29. The optical assembly of claim 19, wherein the optical film is a Fresnel lens, diffusing film or a privacy filter. 
     
     
       30. The optical assembly of claim 18, wherein the light beams incident on a lower surface of a cured photosensitive material are substantially perpendicular to the lower surface of the cured photosensitive material. 
     
     
       31. A projection system for a three-dimensional printing apparatus, comprising:
 a display, comprising a plurality of display units; and   a container disposed above the display and comprising a light-transparent bottom being configured to accommodate a photosensitive material, wherein the light-transparent bottom of the container has an upper surface facing the photosensitive material,   wherein each of the display units is capable of emitting light beams to the light-transparent bottom, and a distance between the display and of the upper surface of the transparent bottom of the container is less than or equal to 3 cm.   
     
     
       32. The projection system of claim 31, wherein the light beams incident on a lower surface of a cured photosensitive material are substantially perpendicular to the lower surface of the cured photosensitive material. 
     
     
       33. A container for a three-dimensional printing apparatus comprising a display and an optical film, comprising:
 a light-transparent bottom, being configured to accommodate a photosensitive material, and the light-transparent bottom of the container has an upper surface facing the photosensitive material, wherein a display is disposed under the light-transparent bottom of the container and has a plurality of display units, each of the display units being capable of emitting light beams,   wherein a single layer optical film is disposed between the display and the light-transparent bottom of the container, and the single layer optical film comprises a plurality of optical structures formed thereon and is arranged in a direction perpendicular to a transmission direction of the light beams,   wherein the light beams emitted from each of the display units pass through the single layer optical film and subsequently pass through the light-transparent bottom in a substantially parallel manner to reach a lower surface of a cured photosensitive material.   
     
     
       34. The container of claim 33, wherein the single layer optical film projects the light beams emitted from the display units onto the photosensitive material to form a plurality of projected patterns. 
     
     
       35. The container of claim 34, wherein the projected patterns are formed as not overlapping. 
     
     
       36. The container of claim 34, wherein an arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the projected patterns are substantially the same as an arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the display units.