Patents by Inventor Patrick Y. Maeda
Patrick Y. Maeda has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 11827037Abstract: A laser imager for a printing system, comprising a plurality of independently addressable surface emitting lasers arranged in a linear array on a common substrate chip and including a common cathode and a dedicated control channel associated with an address trace line for each laser of the plurality of independently addressable surface emitting lasers, and optical elements arranged in a linear lens array configured to capture and focus light from the plurality of independently addressable surface emitting lasers onto a imaging member, wherein the plurality of independently addressable surface emitting lasers arranged in a linear array and the optical elements arranged in a linear lens array operate together to image the imaging member.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2021Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Joerg Martini, Christopher Chua, Zhihong Yang, Mark Teepe, Patrick Y. Maeda, Sourobh Raychaudhuri, Elif Karatay, Noble M. Johnson, David K. Biegelsen, Joseph Lee
-
Publication number: 20230339024Abstract: A 3D object printer is disclosed. The 3D object printer advantageously incorporates one or more optical systems and optical devices that improve the operation and output of the 3D object printer including, for example, a laser heating system or an optical monitoring system. A variety of arrangements of optical structures and systems are provided to guide light beam(s), such as laser beams, illumination beams, reflected light beams, etc., into or out of the fabrication environment of the 3D object printer. These optical structures and systems overcome structural and spatial constraints of the 3D object printer, which might otherwise prevent effective operation of the laser heating system or the optical monitoring system.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2022Publication date: October 26, 2023Inventor: Patrick Y. Maeda
-
Patent number: 11774774Abstract: A structure can be provided for collimating light from a light source (e.g., vertical cavity surface emitting diodes). The structure can include at least one light source, a pit formed at an output of the at least one light source and a microbead formed in the pit. Microbeads can function as a lens to collimate light emitting from the at least one light source. The structure can provide by forming an array of VCSELs on a substrate, forming a pit in front of each VCSEL of the array of VCSELs, and assembling a microbead in each pit formed in front of each VCSEL. The microbeads can thereby function as lenses to collimate light emitted from the VCSELs.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Jacob Chamoun, Patrick Y. Maeda, Joerg Martini, Christopher L. Chua
-
Patent number: 11679556Abstract: Additive manufacturing devices and methods for the same are provided. The additive manufacturing device may include a stage configured to support a substrate, a printhead disposed above the stage, and a targeted heating system disposed proximal the printhead. The printhead may be configured to heat a build material to a molten build material and deposit the molten build material on the substrate in the form of droplets to fabricate the article. The targeted heating system may be configured to control a temperature or temperature gradient of the droplets deposited on the substrate, an area proximal the substrate, or combinations thereof.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2020Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATEDInventors: Patrick Y. Maeda, Joanne L. Lee
-
Publication number: 20230055149Abstract: A laser imager for a printing system, comprising a plurality of independently addressable surface emitting lasers arranged in a linear array on a common substrate chip and including a common cathode and a dedicated control channel associated with an address trace line for each laser of the plurality of independently addressable surface emitting lasers, and optical elements arranged in a linear lens array configured to capture and focus light from the plurality of independently addressable surface emitting lasers onto a imaging member, wherein the plurality of independently addressable surface emitting lasers arranged in a linear array and the optical elements arranged in a linear lens array operate together to image the imaging member.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2021Publication date: February 23, 2023Inventors: Joerg Martini, Christopher Chua, Zhihong Yang, Mark Teepe, Patrick Y. Maeda, Sourobh Raychaudhuri, Elif Karatay, Noble M. Johnson, David K. Biegelsen, Joseph Lee
-
Publication number: 20230057298Abstract: A structure can be provided for collimating light from a light source (e.g., vertical cavity surface emitting diodes). The structure can include at least one light source, a pit formed at an output of the at least one light source and a microbead formed in the pit. Microbeads can function as a lens to collimate light emitting from the at least one light source. The structure can provide by forming an array of VCSELs on a substrate, forming a pit in front of each VCSEL of the array of VCSELs, and assembling a microbead in each pit formed in front of each VCSEL. The microbeads can thereby function as lenses to collimate light emitted from the VCSELs.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2021Publication date: February 23, 2023Inventors: Jacob Chamoun, Patrick Y. Maeda, Joerg Martini, Christopher L. Chua
-
Publication number: 20230055986Abstract: Focusing optics can include optical elements disposed and bonded in a linear arrangement (linear array) in at least two rows. A transparent bonding agent can secure alignment of the at least two rows of the optical elements. Scattering elements can also be disposed in the transparent polymer to cause light diffusion. Diffused or un-diffused light from a semiconductor laser array can then be caused to pass through the optical element and illuminate a target substrate such as an imaging member in a printing system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2021Publication date: February 23, 2023Inventors: Joerg Martini, Zhihong Yang, Patrick Y. Maeda, Yu Wang
-
Publication number: 20230056905Abstract: A semiconductor surface-emitting laser array can be provided with a group of independently addressable light-emitting pixels arranged in at least two rows and in a linear array on a common substrate chip and including a common cathode and a dedicated channel associated with an address trace line for each pixel. An aggregate linear pitch can be achieved between pixels of the at least two rows along the linear array in a cross process direction that is less than the size of a pixel. The semiconductor laser array can include more than one common substrate chip tiled and stitched together in a staggered arrangement to provide an at least 11-inch wide, 1200pdi imager with timing delays associated with each of the more than one common substrate chip in the staggered arrangement.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2021Publication date: February 23, 2023Inventors: Christopher Chua, Joerg Martini, Zhihong Yang, Noble M. Johnson, Patrick Y. Maeda, Peter Kiesel
-
Patent number: 11586031Abstract: An optical imager system and method of operating the optical imager system, can include one or more imager modules including a laser light source, a collimator, an illumination optical system, a grating light valve, a spatial light modulator and a projection optical system. A group of imager modules can include the one or more imager modules. The group of imager modules is operable in a stacked arrangement to produce an image from in-line stitching of individual images generated by the one or more imager modules. The illumination optical system can homogenize, shape, and direct a beam from the laser light source onto the grating light valve, and homogenization can occur in a cross-process direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2020Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: XEROX CORPORATIONInventor: Patrick Y. Maeda
-
Patent number: 11518086Abstract: Additive manufacturing devices and methods for the same are provided. The additive manufacturing device may include a stage configured to support a substrate, a printhead disposed above the stage, and a targeted heating system disposed proximal the printhead. The printhead may be configured to heat a build material to a molten build material and deposit the molten build material on the substrate in the form of droplets to fabricate the article. The targeted heating system may be configured to control a temperature or temperature gradient of the droplets in a flight path interposed between the printhead and the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2020Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATEDInventors: Patrick Y. Maeda, Joanne L. Lee
-
Publication number: 20220176630Abstract: Additive manufacturing devices and methods for the same are provided. The additive manufacturing device may include a stage configured to support a substrate, a printhead disposed above the stage, and a targeted heating system disposed proximal the printhead. The printhead may be configured to heat a build material to a molten build material and deposit the molten build material on the substrate in the form of droplets to fabricate the article. The targeted heating system may be configured to control a temperature or temperature gradient of the droplets deposited on the substrate, an area proximal the substrate, or combinations thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2020Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicant: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATEDInventors: Patrick Y. Maeda, Joanne L. Lee
-
Publication number: 20220176618Abstract: Additive manufacturing devices and methods for the same are provided. The additive manufacturing device may include a stage configured to support a substrate, a printhead disposed above the stage, and a targeted heating system disposed proximal the printhead. The printhead may be configured to heat a build material to a molten build material and deposit the molten build material on the substrate in the form of droplets to fabricate the article. The targeted heating system may be configured to control a temperature or temperature gradient of the droplets in a flight path interposed between the printhead and the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2020Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicant: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATEDInventors: Patrick Y. Maeda, Joanne L. Lee
-
Publication number: 20220152233Abstract: Methods and systems for disinfecting a surface, can include a light source, and a transparent window located above the light source. The light source can be integrated into an object, and an outer surface of the object can be located above the transparent window. Light from the light source can irradiate the outer surface through the transparent window and from within the object to disinfect the outer surface of the object. The light can comprise violet and ultraviolet (UV) light. A photocatalytic layer comprising a photocatalytic material may also be located above the transparent window and below the outer surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2020Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: Thomas Wunderer, Joerg Martini, Patrick Y. Maeda, Barbara Cromarty, Paloma Fautley
-
Publication number: 20220011566Abstract: An optical imager system and method of operating the optical imager system, can include one or more imager modules including a laser light source, a collimator, an illumination optical system, a grating light valve, a spatial light modulator and a projection optical system. A group of imager modules can include the one or more imager modules. The group of imager modules is operable in a stacked arrangement to produce an image from in-line stitching of individual images generated by the one or more imager modules. The illumination optical system can homogenize, shape, and direct a beam from the laser light source onto the grating light valve, and homogenization can occur in a cross-process direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2020Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventor: Patrick Y. Maeda
-
Patent number: 10795169Abstract: An illuminator optical system combines, homogenizes, and shapes light spatially and angularly from one or more high power fiber coupled lasers. It may include a multichannel fiber cable, collimation and beam shaping optics, a multiple lens array (e.g., fly's eye lens array), and an objective lens. The multichannel fiber collects the light from the high power fiber coupled lasers and produces an aligned array of one or more optical fibers at the output of the cable. The light output from the cable is collimated and relayed to a multiple lens array that spatially divides and shapes the light into an array of beams. The objective lens homogenizes the light by collimating and overlapping the beams into a uniform top hat irradiance distribution in at least one dimension, resulting in the illumination pattern having the required spatial size and desired angular distribution at the illumination plane.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2019Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center IncorporatedInventors: Patrick Y. Maeda, David K. Biegelsen
-
Publication number: 20200117016Abstract: An illuminator optical system combines, homogenizes, and shapes light spatially and angularly from one or more high power fiber coupled lasers. It may include a multichannel fiber cable, collimation and beam shaping optics, a multiple lens array (e.g., fly's eye lens array), and an objective lens. The multichannel fiber collects the light from the high power fiber coupled lasers and produces an aligned array of one or more optical fibers at the output of the cable. The light output from the cable is collimated and relayed to a multiple lens array that spatially divides and shapes the light into an array of beams. The objective lens homogenizes the light by collimating and overlapping the beams into a uniform top hat irradiance distribution in at least one dimension, resulting in the illumination pattern having the required spatial size and desired angular distribution at the illumination plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2019Publication date: April 16, 2020Inventors: Patrick Y. MAEDA, David K. BIEGELSEN
-
Patent number: 10551625Abstract: An illuminator optical system combines, homogenizes, and shapes light spatially and angularly from one or more high power fiber coupled lasers. It may include a multichannel fiber cable, collimation and beam shaping optics, a multiple lens array (e.g., fly's eye lens array), and an objective lens. The multichannel fiber collects the light from the high power fiber coupled lasers and produces an aligned array of one or more optical fibers at the output of the cable. The light output from the cable is collimated and relayed to a multiple lens array that spatially divides and shapes the light into an array of beams. The objective lens homogenizes the light by collimating and overlapping the beams into a uniform top hat irradiance distribution in at least one dimension, resulting in the illumination pattern having the required spatial size and desired angular distribution at the illumination plane.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2017Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center IncorporatedInventors: Patrick Y. Maeda, David K. Biegelsen
-
Patent number: 10466455Abstract: High resolution printing systems that utilize high power laser diode bars and digital mirror devices (DMD) require side-by-side stacking of illumination modules to stitching of the image from each module to form a longer total image width. An inline illumination optical system having a refractive prism and Total Internal Reflection (TIR) prism pair with an air gap along with a light guide transporting light beams at a compound angle to the prism pair eliminates the need for any axial rotation of the laser and light guide, and enables side-by-side module stacking. The illumination optical system includes an illumination module having a light source, the light guide, a DMD array and a Refractive TIR (RTIR) prism. The system also includes a DMD housing containing the DMD array and having a width within which the illumination module is confined to allow side-by-side stacking.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2018Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center IncorporatedInventors: Patrick Y. Maeda, Timothy D. Stowe
-
Patent number: 10397529Abstract: A backplane has an array of output terminals arranged on an output surface of the backplane, and an array of solid state optical switches, each optical switch corresponding to one of the output terminals, wherein the solid state optical switches are responsive to light of a control wavelength and are transparent to light of a sensing wavelength, wherein the backplane is of a material transparent to light of a sensing wavelength different from the control wavelength. An optical system includes a backplane having an array of optocouplers, a projector to generate light of a control wavelength to which the optocouplers are responsive, optics to direct the control light onto the array of optocouplers on a backplane, an imaging system responsive to light of a sensing wavelength, wherein the backplane is at least partially transparent to the sensing wavelength.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center IncorporatedInventors: Jengping Lu, Patrick Y. Maeda, Sourobh Raychaudhuri, David K. Biegelsen, Eugene M. Chow
-
Publication number: 20190113762Abstract: An illuminator optical system combines, homogenizes, and shapes light spatially and angularly from one or more high power fiber coupled lasers. It may include a multichannel fiber cable, collimation and beam shaping optics, a multiple lens array (e.g., fly's eye lens array), and an objective lens. The multichannel fiber collects the light from the high power fiber coupled lasers and produces an aligned array of one or more optical fibers at the output of the cable. The light output from the cable is collimated and relayed to a multiple lens array that spatially divides and shapes the light into an array of beams. The objective lens homogenizes the light by collimating and overlapping the beams into a uniform top hat irradiance distribution in at least one dimension, resulting in the illumination pattern having the required spatial size and desired angular distribution at the illumination plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2017Publication date: April 18, 2019Inventors: Patrick Y. MAEDA, David K. BIEGELSEN