Patents Examined by Francisco W Tschen
  • Patent number: 11975487
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for producing 3D shaped parts (300), comprising a plurality of construction field tools (500), which are arranged in a movable manner, and at least one layer unit (800) which is arranged in a movable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: VOXELJET AG
    Inventor: Daniel Günther
  • Patent number: 11976002
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to encapsulated optical devices and methods for fabricating the encapsulated optical devices. In one or more embodiments, a method for encapsulating an optical device includes depositing a metallic silver layer on a substrate, depositing a barrier layer on the metallic silver layer, where the barrier layer contains silicon nitride, a metallic element, a metal nitride, or any combination thereof, and depositing an encapsulation layer containing silicon oxide on the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Alexia Adilene Portillo Rivera, Andrew Ceballos, Kenichi Ohno, Rami Hourani, Karl J. Armstrong, Brian Alexander Cohen
  • Patent number: 11975481
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement for producing a workpiece using additive manufacturing techniques involve pre-process, in-process and post-process measurement in order to determine individual characteristics of one or more workpiece layers. In particular, dimensional and/or geometrical characteristics of a workpiece layer are measured before the next workpiece layer is produced. Advantageously, production parameters are controlled in response to individual material characteristics determined prior to the production process. Also advantageously, measurement results are fed back into a production process in order to increase accuracy, reliability, repeatability and precision of the production process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Marcin B. Bauza, Diana Spengler, Christoph Hilmar Graf Vom Hagen, Claus Hermannstaedter, Michael Totzeck, Robert Zarnetta, Markus Birkhold
  • Patent number: 11969959
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a blade component of rotor blade of a wind turbine includes providing a plurality of pultrusions constructed of one or more fibers or fiber bundles cured together via a resin material. The method also includes placing a protective cap over at least one end of one or more of the plurality of pultrusions. Further, the method includes heat treating a surface of the plurality of pultrusions while the protective cap remains over the at least one end. Moreover, the method includes removing the protective cap from the at least one end. The method further includes arranging the plurality of pultrusions in a mold of the blade component. In addition, the method includes infusing the plurality of pultrusions together so as to form the rotor blade component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology LLC
    Inventor: Andrew Mitchell Rodwell
  • Patent number: 11958246
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a transparent chamber having a space therein for containing an object while heating under vacuum, at least one directed energy source configured to direct energy to heat the object positioned within the space of the transparent chamber, a cap on the transparent chamber, and a connection between the transparent chamber and at least one vacuum for creating a vacuum within the transparent chamber. The apparatus may further include at least one temperature sensor to measure temperature of the object. The apparatus may further include a control system, the control system operatively connected to the at least one temperature sensor and the at least one directed energy source and wherein the control system is a closed loop system to adjust laser power to provide more or less energy to heat or maintain the temperature of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SCIPERIO, INC
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Church, Paul I. Deffenbaugh, Casey W. Perkowski, Curtis Wayne Hill
  • Patent number: 11959286
    Abstract: A method for making a floor or wall panel has a foamed polymer core. A foamable polymer powder is foamed between two conveyor belts in the forming zone of a steel belt press. The sum of the thicknesses of the two conveyor belts and the total thickness of the layers at the entrance of the steel belt press is less than or equal to the opening of the steel belt press at the entrance of the steel belt press. The sum of the thicknesses of the two conveyor belts and the total thickness of the substrate at the outlet of the steel belt press is equal to the opening of the steel belt press at the outlet of the steel belt press and greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the two conveyor belts and the total thickness of the layers at the entrance of the steel belt press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: UNILIN BV
    Inventors: Kristof Van Vlassenrode, Jochen Bossuyt
  • Patent number: 11951511
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing of a multilayer PVC semi-finished product, in particular a multilayer PVC synthetic leather or a multilayer PVC foam sheet, the method comprising the steps of: a. Coating a coated or uncoated carrier web with a PVC plastisol, whereby a carrier web coated with an ungelled plastisol layer is obtained; thereafter b. Gelling the ungelled plastisol layer, whereby a carrier web coated with a gelled plastisol layer is obtained; and thereafter c. Cooling the carrier web coated with the gelled plastisol layer; characterized in that the coating comprises coating the carrier web with at least two PVC plastisols one above the other, simultaneously or in immediate succession. A corresponding apparatus is further described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: OLBRICH GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Robeling, Andre Josten, Frans Te Welscher, Matthias Hollstegge
  • Patent number: 11945150
    Abstract: An injection molding apparatus and method of fabricating a molded part are provided. The apparatus may include a barrel, a nozzle enclosing an end of the barrel and defining an opening in fluid communication with an inside of the barrel, and an extrusion screw positioned at least partially inside the barrel and rotatable relative to the barrel. The extrusion screw may include a screw tip. Relative axial movement between the barrel and the extrusion screw may open or close the opening of the nozzle to permit or prevent, respectively, material flow through the opening of the nozzle. The method may include clamping a mold, opening a nozzle, rotating the extrusion screw to pump a molten material into the mold until the mold is filled, closing the nozzle, and unclamping the mold to release a molded part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Extrude to Fill, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Ernest Fitzpatrick
  • Patent number: 11945185
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a shoe structure includes: a setting step of setting an upper on a shoe last, and distributing a foam matrix material comprising a plurality of semi-foamed granules of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) along a bottom of the shoe last to position the foam matrix material between the shoe last and the upper, and a foaming step of heating the shoe last with the upper and the foam matrix material thereon by microwave, so that the semi-foamed granules are foamed to form an insole bonded to the upper, and the upper is shaped along a contour of the shoe last after cooling and removing the shoe last.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Inventor: Chin-Hsun Hsiao
  • Patent number: 11945032
    Abstract: A forging head for additive manufacturing, comprising a base portion and a forging portion. The forging portion extends from the base portion for forging a cladding layer during formation of the cladding layer by additive manufacturing. The forging head further comprising a through hole which is formed through the base portion and the forging portion, for at least one of an energy bean and an additive material to pass through during formation of the cladding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hai Chang, Dalong Zhong, Yingna Wu, Yong Wu, Zirong Zhai, Yifeng Wang
  • Patent number: 11938711
    Abstract: A fixture for lap shear bonding a bottom panel to a top panel comprises a bottom tool, a first spacer, a second spacer, and a top tool. The bottom tool has a quadrilateral shape including a top surface, a bottom surface, and four side surfaces and is configured to retain the bottom panel on the top surface. The first spacer is attached to the top surface of the bottom tool adjacent to one edge. The second spacer is attached to the top surface of the bottom tool adjacent to an opposing edge. The top tool has a quadrilateral shape including a top surface, a bottom surface, and four side surfaces and is configured to retain the top panel on the bottom surface. The top tool is further configured to attach to the first spacer and the second spacer such that the top panel contacts the bottom panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Matthew Selter
  • Patent number: 11939470
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sinter powder (SP) comprising a first polyamide component (PA1) and a second polyamide component (PA2), where the melting point of the second polyamide component (PA2) is higher than the melting point of the first polyamide component (PA1). The present invention further relates to a method of producing a shaped body by sintering the sinter powder (SP) or by an FFF (fused filament fabrication) method, and to a shaped body obtainable by the methods of the invention. The present invention further relates to a method of producing the sinter powder (SP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Claus Gabriel, Thomas Meier, Clemens Gottke, Angelika Zepp
  • Patent number: 11936106
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the production of shipping containers, computer server farm containers, and other forms of physical storage containers from a carbon nanotube-based fiber material with the potential application of other, non-carbon, nano-based materials containing various structures. Current materials used for shipping containers, computer server farm containers, and other forms of physical storage containers are heavier than the present invention and lack the ability to withstand high-intensity shock vibrations and other disturbances and are vulnerable to radiofrequency (“RF”) radiation. Instead of using metal, which is the currently preferred material used in the development of shipping containers, computer server farm containers, and other forms of physical storage containers, the present invention provides the use of a carbon nanotube-based material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Inventor: Alexander Socransky
  • Patent number: 11925981
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for selectively sintering a powder layer in additive manufacturing processes to achieve a desired heat conductivity are disclosed. A method includes distributing a powder layer in a build chamber, selectively sintering the powder layer to form a plurality of sintered areas and a plurality of non-sintered areas based on a thermal model, and melting a subset of the plurality of sintered areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Arcam AB
    Inventor: Carl Hellestam
  • Patent number: 11926092
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing device for manufacturing a solid article comprises a laser generation unit, a raw material supply unit, a raw material container containing a raw material and having a raw material surface exposed to a laser beam to be emitted by the laser generation unit in operation and a control unit. The heating device includes a heating surface for heating the raw material surface to form a pre-heated raw material surface. The laser generation unit is disposed with a directing unit to direct the laser beam onto the pre-heated raw material surface according to a computer generated model of the solid article stored in a storage unit associated with the control unit. The laser beam generated by the laser generation unit passes through the heating surface onto the pre-heated raw material surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SINTRATEC AG
    Inventor: Christian von Burg
  • Patent number: 11926133
    Abstract: A sheet laminator includes a sheet lamination device, a heater, and circuitry. The sheet lamination device performs a sheet laminating operation on an object by application of heat and pressure. The heater heats the sheet lamination device. The circuitry changes between a first mode in which the heater constantly heats the sheet lamination device while the sheet lamination device is turned on and a second mode in which the heater starts heating the sheet lamination device in response to a request of the sheet laminating operation and stops heating the sheet lamination device after a given time has elapsed from completion of the sheet laminating operation. The circuitry adjusts the given time in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Monma, Keisuke Sugiyama, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Ruki Midorikawa, Sho Asano
  • Patent number: 11919234
    Abstract: A three-dimensional printing system including at least one positioning mechanism, and at least one end effector movably connected to the at least one positioning mechanism. The at least one end effector includes at least one mixing head configured to dispense a material, and at least one subtractive tool configured to subtract at least a portion of the material such that a desired design is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Gannett Peak Partners LLC
    Inventors: James Eric Compton, Casey Roberts, Ben Steinhauer, Kaleb Steinhauer, Daniel Holman
  • Patent number: 11919194
    Abstract: A method of plugging channels of a honeycomb body and a honeycomb body including plugged channels. The method includes applying a shear force to a plugging mixture including a plurality of inorganic particles, clay, and a liquid vehicle to alter the viscosity of the plugging mixture from a first viscosity prior to the vibrating to a second viscosity which is less than the first viscosity. A honeycomb body is placed into contact with the plugging mixture such that a portion of the plugging mixture having the second viscosity flows into the plurality of channels. Application of the shear force is stopped or reduced to increase the viscosity of the portion of the plugging mixture in the plurality of channels to greater than the first viscosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Keith Norman Bubb, Theresa Chang, Joseph Henry Citriniti, Kevin Eugene Elliott, Xinyuan Liu, Robert John Locker, Prashanth Abraham Vanniamparambil, Kevin Lee Wasson, Shu Yuan
  • Patent number: 11911957
    Abstract: An apparatus (1) for the additive manufacturing of at least one three-dimensional object (2) by selectively compacting layer by layer at least one compactible building material (3) by means of at least one energy beam (5) generated by at least one radiation generating device (4), comprising at least one radiation generating device (4) for generating at least one energy beam (5) for compacting at least one compactible building material (3), at least one coating device (8) for carrying out at least one coating operation to apply a defined building material layer (9) of at least one compactible building material (3) to a building plane (10) or to a building material layer (9) of at least one compactible building material (3) that has previously been applied in the course of carrying out a previous coating operation, and also at least one recording device (11) for recording layer information describing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Concept Laser GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Herzog, Florian Bechmann, Fabian Zeulner
  • Patent number: 11897233
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a glass resin laminated body includes a step of sticking a glass film on a resin film via an adhesive layer while holding the glass film and the resin film between a first roller that presses against the resin film and a second roller that is disposed opposite to the first roller and that presses against the glass film. A ratio of an elastic modulus P1 of a surface layer of the first roller to an elastic modulus P2 of the resin film P1/P2 satisfies a relation of 3×10?3?P1/P2?1.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Sato, Takeshi Murashige, Junichi Inagaki, Atsushi Kishi