DESC:Field of invention
[001] Present invention provides a uniformly heated platform for 3D printers
Particularly the invention provides uniform heat dissipation to the build plate, More particularly uniform controlled heat maintaining method is provided in build plates also called as platform bed in 3D printers.

Background of invention

[002] The main idea of implementing an uniform heat bed is to maintain a constant and uniform temperature in the build plate area where the actual model or prototype is printed which avoids the warping and misshaping of the actual design or required prototype. Currently heat beds have a single thermistor to monitor the temperature of the heat bed of different size and the heat on the bed is not constant in every point which makes the sides and corners of the print to get warped eventually raising away from the build plate that leads to failure in printing the prototypes. This causes waste of build time and developmental resources like material and machine time. The issue with the existing heat beds are non linear thermal dissipation in the build plate since single temperature sensor and single heating element is used. The non linear thermal dissipation leads to warping or shape change issue on the sides and corners of the model to be printed. Also since there is a temperature difference in the build plate the flatness of the heatbed is not maintained. Therefore there is a need to provide a heatbed with uniform heating and temperature control over the entire heatbed or platform for accurate 3D printing.

[003] Present invention provides such a controlled and uniform heating on a 3D printing platform by use of multiple smaller heat beds arranged in matrix format with a single/multiple thermistor in each heatbed.

Objectives of the invention

[004] Principle objective of the invention is to provide uniformly heated platform for 3D printers

[005] Another objective of the invention is to provide uniform heat dissipation to the build plate of a 3D printer

[006] A further objective of the invention is to provide a method for uniform controlled heated platform

[007] Yet another objective of the invention is to provide multiple smaller heat beds arranged in matrix format to provide uniform heat on a larger area.

[008] Still another objective of the invention is to provide plurality of sensors in each unit of heat bed on a larger platform

Description of the drawings

[009] Fig. 1 Shows a single matrix heat bed element with single sensor.
(1) is the heat conducting plate (2) is the temperature sensor, (3) is the heating element placed in concentric rectangles.

[010] Fig. 2 Shows a single matrix heat bed elements with single sensor
(21) is the heat conducting plate (22) is the temperature sensor, (33) is the heating element placed in concentric circles.

[011] Fig. 3 Shows a single matrix heat bed elements with multiple sensors.
(31) is the heat conducting plate, (32) is the sensor placed in multiple position, (33) is the heating element placed in concentric rectangles or circles.

[012] Fig. 4 Shows arrangement of embodiment with plurality of heating elements (41) is the heat conducting plate, (42) is the sensor placed in multiple position, (43) are the various embodiments of the heating coils geometry

[013] Fig. 5 shows and embodiment of a Control flow to maintain uniform heat on the heat bed .(51) is a heating logic controller with capabilities of sensing each and every matrix sensors placed in heatbed with individual capablity of switching ON/OFF each and every matrix heating element, (52) is the power controlling block for heating elements, (53),(54),(55),(56) are the individual matrix elements, (57) is the feedback loop from all sensors placed in matrix elements to (51)

[014] Fig. 6 Shows layer arrangement of uniform heating bed (61) is the base plate with matrix arranged heating elements and sensors with associated electronics as a bottom layer (62) is a double sided adhesive thermally conductive tape, (63) is the flat and thermal conducting material layer

Summary of invention

[015] According to the main aspect of the invention there is provided a uniformly heated platform for 3D printers comprising a base plate (1) with matrix arranged heating elements (3) , a temperature sensor as a bottom layer (2) , a double sided adhesive thermally conductive tape, a flat and thermal conducting material layer, the said heated platform preferably has an array of interconnected base plates with heating elements , a temperature sensor as a bottom layer.

[016] According to another embodiment wherein the heating elements may be of circular, rectangular, meanders type configuration.
According to yet another embodiment wherein the heating element may be of kenthal, manganin wire.

[017] According to still another embodiment the wattage of heating element may be changed according to the 3D filament material’s requirement

[018] According to still further embodiment the heat bed may be formed by inter connecting individual heating beds.

[019] According to still further embodiment the temperature sensor may be a thermocouple, a thermistor.

[020] According to yet another embodiment wherein the base plate may be of a thermally conducting material

Detailed description

[021] Present invention provides such a controlled and uniform heating on a 3D printing platform by use of multiple smaller heat beds arranged in matrix format with a single thermistor in each heat bed. Another variation is implementing the same using multiple smaller heat beds arranged in matrix format with multiple thermistors in each heat bed. Figure 1 shows a basic arrangement of a heat bed wherein (1) is the heat conducting plate (2) is the temperature sensor, (3) is the heating element placed in concentric rectangles. The heating element need not be set up as in Figure 1 , but also may be as shown in Fig 2 . The heating elements may be configured in any regular geometric form as shown in preferred embodiments as but without limiting choice of any other regular geometric shape

[022] The temperature sensor may be single (Fig 1)or an array as shown in Fig 3

[023] The heat bed is essentially a base plate with matrix arranged heating elements, (Fig 4) temperature sensors suitably placed on the base plate, a double sided adhesive thermally conductive tape, a flat and thermal conducting material layer. This layer may preferably be of alumimium, copper or any other material which has flatness maintaining property in the operating temperature zone to provide high thermal conductivity

[024] Fig. 5 shows and embodiment of a Control flow of maintain uniform heat on the heat bed (51) is a heating logic controller with capabilities of sensing each and every matrix sensors placed in heat bed with individual capability of switching ON/OFF each and every matrix heating element, (52) is the power controlling block for heating elements, (53),(54),(55),(56) are the individual matrix elements, (57) is the feedback loop from all sensors placed in matrix elements to (51) This helps to maintain the temperature distribution evenly at all points combined with suitable closed loop logic control electronics. Fig 6 shows a preferred arrangement uniform heating bed (61) is the base plate with matrix arranged heating elements and sensors with associated electronics as a bottom layer (62) is a double sided adhesive thermally conductive tape, (63) is the flat and thermal conducting material layer
,CLAIMS:I/We claim
1. A uniformly heated platform for 3D printers comprising a base plate (1) with matrix arranged heating elements (3) , a temperature sensor as a bottom layer (2) , a double sided adhesive thermally conductive tape, a flat and thermal conducting material layer, the said heated platform preferably has an array of interconnected base plates with heating elements , a temperature sensor as a bottom layer.
2. The heated platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heating elements may be of circular, rectangular, meander type configuration.
3. The heated platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heating element may be of kenthal, manganin wire.
4. The heated platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wattage of heating element may be changed according to the 3D filament material’s requirement
5. The heated platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heat bed may be formed by inter connecting individual heating beds.
6. The heated platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the temperature sensor may be a thermocouple, a thermistor.
7. The heated platform as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base plate may be of a thermally conducting material