US Patent 10589462 Three dimensional printing system with improved support fixture

A support fixture is provided for forming a three dimensional article of manufacture onto a lower build surface thereof. The formation occurs in a resin vessel containing photocurable resin. The resin vessel includes a transparent sheet that forms a lower bound for the resin. The support fixture includes a lower planar portion, an upper portion, and a side wall coupling the lower planar portion to the upper portion. The lower planar portion defines a dense array of small openings that minimize a fluid drag of lateral resin motion when the lower build surface is proximate to the transparent sheet. The upper portion is for providing alignment and support within the three dimensional printing system. A plurality of large openings formed along the side wall that individually have a cross sectional area that is equal to a combined cross sectional area of a plurality of the small openings.