Apparatus for manufacturing printout having cross-sectional pattern
Inventors
Ahn, Geunseon • JIN, Songwan • Shim, Jinhyung • Yun, Wonsoo • KANG, Donggu
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11602885-B2
Publication Date
2023-03-14
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention is a printing device using multiple inks and a printing method using thereof, and more specifically, relates to a three-dimensional printing method of a printed product with a cross-sectional pattern comprising a step of providing different inks into each partitioned spaces and applying the same pressure condition to the inks retained in the ink-receiving part, thereby extruding the inks into a single extruding port to prepare and print an extruded ink product, using the printing device comprising an ink extruding member comprising an ink-receiving part receiving the multiple inks in each partitioned space, and an ink-extruding part equipped with a single passage in which the multiple inks received in the ink-receiving part are passed together.
Core Innovation
A three-dimensional printing device and an ink product formed by the device are described. The device includes an ink extruding member, an ink-receiving part, an ink-extruding part, and a nozzle connected to a terminus of the ink-extruding part, such that a printed product with a cross-sectional pattern is formed. A partitioning member provides two or more partitioned spaces, and the ink receiving part receives different ink in the partitioned spaces provided by the partitioning member.
The ink-extruding part is positioned in the lower part of the ink-receiving part and is equipped with a single passage through which the inks received in the partitioned spaces pass and extrude. At least one pressure member applies pressure to the inks retained in each partitioned space. The different inks are printed through the ink-extruding part equipped with the single passage so as to have the same cross-sectional pattern as the printed product, and the extruded ink product discharged from the ink-extruding part has the same cross-sectional pattern as the cross-sectional pattern of the ink-receiving part with reduced size.
At least one of the inks comprises one or more selected from a gelling polymer, a cell, a growth factor, and an extracellular matrix. The approach is directed to complex biological-tissue cross-sectional patterns using multiple different inks subjected to the same pressure condition, which are co-extruded together through the single passage. The document further emphasizes reduced nozzle/shear stress compared with multiple-head or small-nozzle approaches in order to improve cell activity/viability and simplify the system.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim covers a three-dimensional printing device that uses partitioned spaces to supply different inks and co-extrudes the inks through an ink-extruding part having a single passage to reproduce a cross-sectional pattern with reduced size. It includes inventive constraints on the pattern matching, the single-passage co-extrusion structure, and the inclusion of at least one biological ink component chosen from gelling polymer, cell, growth factor, and extracellular matrix.
Partitioned spaces receiving different inks for cross-sectional pattern printing
The device comprises an ink extruding member including a partitioning member providing two or more partitioned spaces and an ink receiving part that receives different ink in the spaces partitioned by the partitioning member.
Single-passage co-extrusion through an ink-extruding part for same-pattern reduced-size output
An ink-extruding part positioned in a lower part of the ink-receiving part is equipped with a single passage in which the inks received in the ink-receiving part pass and extrude, so that the different inks are printed through the ink-extruding part equipped with the single passage to have the same cross-sectional pattern as the printed product, and the extruded ink product has the same cross-sectional pattern as the cross-sectional pattern of the ink-receiving part with reduced size.
Pressure member applying pressure to inks retained in each partitioned space
At least one pressure member applies pressure to the inks retained in each partitioned spaces.
Biological ink composition includes gelling polymer, cell, growth factor, and/or extracellular matrix
At least one of the inks comprises one or more selected from a group consisting of a gelling polymer, a cell, a growth factor, and an extracellular matrix.
Overall, the claim coverage is centered on co-extruding different inks supplied in partitioned spaces through an ink-extruding part having a single passage to form an extruded ink product whose discharged cross-sectional pattern matches the target pattern while being reduced in size, with pressure applied to the partitioned inks and at least one biological ink component including gelling polymer, cell, growth factor, and/or extracellular matrix.
Stated Advantages
Reduced nozzle/shear stress compared with prior multiple-head or small-nozzle approaches, to improve cell activity/viability.
Simplified system compared with prior multiple-head approaches.
Documented Applications
Printing complex biological-tissue cross-sectional patterns using multiple different inks.
Replicating different partitioning shapes and tissue-like forms with downsized extruded ink product.
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