Patents Assigned to Xactiv, Inc.
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Patent number: 11167477Abstract: A method of fabricating an object, comprising direct depositing a first layer of first object material on a support substrate electrode; applying a conductive agent material onto the first layer; direct depositing a first layer of charged powder onto the first layer on the support substrate electrode, to form a first powder layer on the first layer on the support substrate electrode. Multiple powder layers may be direct deposited on the first layer. The method may be further comprised of fusing the powder layer(s) to form a first fused layer on the support substrate electrode. A related object fabrication apparatus is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2017Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: Xactiv, Inc.Inventors: Dan A. Hays, Peter J. Mason
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Patent number: 10723072Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a 3D object. The apparatus may be comprised of a charged powder transferring system, a first charged powder layer generating device, a second charged powder layer generating device, a powder layer consolidation station, and an object build platform. In operation of the apparatus, a portion of a powder transferring surface of the flexible web traverses a directional change member during cyclic motion, and exceeds a radius of curvature defining a delamination threshold between the powder transferring surface and a first fused slice of the object. The apparatus may include an oven operable to fuse a stack of delaminated fused slices on a support substrate into a fused stack comprising fused second powder material and fused first powder material forming at least a portion of the object. A method of fabricating a 3D object is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2017Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: XACTIV, INC.Inventors: Robert Edward Zeman, Peter John Mason
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Patent number: 10632670Abstract: A method of fabricating an object, comprising depositing a first layer of first object material on a support substrate electrode; applying a conductive agent material onto the first layer; depositing a first layer of charged powder on an intermediate substrate; conveying the first layer of charged powder on the intermediate substrate proximate to the first layer of first object material; and applying a transferring electric field to cause transfer of the first layer of charged powder from the intermediate substrate onto the first layer on the support substrate electrode, to form a first powder layer on the first layer on the support substrate electrode. Multiple powder layers may be deposited on the first layer. The method may be further comprised of fusing the powder layer(s) to form a first fused layer on the support substrate electrode. A related object fabrication apparatus is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2019Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: Xactiv, Inc.Inventors: Dan A. Hays, James Mason, Peter J. Mason, Robert Edward Zeman, David Jackson
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Publication number: 20190255767Abstract: A method of fabricating an object, comprising depositing a first layer of first object material on a support substrate electrode; applying a conductive agent material onto the first layer; depositing a first layer of charged powder on an intermediate substrate; conveying the first layer of charged powder on the intermediate substrate proximate to the first layer of first object material; and applying a transferring electric field to cause transfer of the first layer of charged powder from the intermediate substrate onto the first layer on the support substrate electrode, to form a first powder layer on the first layer on the support substrate electrode. Multiple powder layers may be deposited on the first layer. The method may be further comprised of fusing the powder layer(s) to form a first fused layer on the support substrate electrode. A related object fabrication apparatus is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2019Publication date: August 22, 2019Applicant: Xactiv, Inc.Inventors: Dan A. HAYS, James MASON, Peter J. MASON, Robert Edward ZEMAN, David JACKSON
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Publication number: 20190232556Abstract: An apparatus for forming a part, comprising a substrate for holding the part during forming; a transport web; a web delivery system; a powder generation system configured to deposit a portion of powder on a portion of the web delivered by the delivery system; a sintering station configured to sinter the portion of powder on the delivered portion of the transport web; and a transfer station configured to transfer the sintered portion of the powder from the transport web to a partially formed portion of the part and join the sintered portion of the powder to the partially formed part. Additionally, a method for making a part comprising depositing a first portion of a powder on a transport web substrate; sintering the first portion of powder on the web substrate; and joining the sintered portion of the powder to the support substrate to form a first layer of the part.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2018Publication date: August 1, 2019Applicant: Xactiv, Inc.Inventors: Robert Edward ZEMAN, Peter J. MASON
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Patent number: 10272664Abstract: A method is disclosed for improving the productivity of digitally fabricated 3D objects with the same or different shape and material composition. The improved productivity is enabled by the incorporation of multiple build platforms and multiple objects per build platform within a 3D object fabrication apparatus. Some 3D manufacturing processes such as those based on electrophotography require a wait time to condition the build object before the next layer of build and support material can be applied. Under these fabrication conditions, the utilization of multiple build platforms in the 3D object manufacturing process effectively minimizes the wait time between layer deposition so that the productivity for fabricating 3D objects is improved. Furthermore, the incorporation of an additional adjacent set of multiple platforms enables rapid changeover when the fabrication of one set of 3D objects is completed on an adjacent set of build platforms.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2016Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Xactiv, Inc.Inventors: Dan A. Hays, Peter J. Mason, James Mason
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Patent number: 10272618Abstract: A method of fabricating an object, comprising depositing a first layer of first object material on a support substrate electrode; applying a conductive agent material onto the first layer; depositing a first layer of charged powder on an intermediate substrate; conveying the first layer of charged powder on the intermediate substrate proximate to the first layer of first object material; and applying a transferring electric field to cause transfer of the first layer of charged powder from the intermediate substrate onto the first layer on the support substrate electrode, to form a first powder layer on the first layer on the support substrate electrode. Multiple powder layers may be deposited on the first layer. The method may be further comprised of fusing the powder layer(s) to form a first fused layer on the support substrate electrode. A related object fabrication apparatus is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2016Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Xactiv, Inc.Inventors: Dan A. Hays, James Mason, Peter J. Mason, Robert Edward Zeman, David Jackson
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Publication number: 20190077141Abstract: A method is disclosed for improving the productivity of digitally fabricated 3D objects with the same or different shape and material composition. The improved productivity is enabled by the incorporation of multiple build platforms and multiple objects per build platform within a 3D object fabrication apparatus. Some 3D manufacturing processes such as those based on electrophotography require a wait time to condition the build object before the next layer of build and support material can be applied. Under these fabrication conditions, the utilization of multiple build platforms in the 3D object manufacturing process effectively minimizes the wait time between layer deposition so that the productivity for fabricating 3D objects is improved. Furthermore, the incorporation of an additional adjacent set of multiple platforms enables rapid changeover when the fabrication of one set of 3D objects is completed on an adjacent set of build platforms.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2018Publication date: March 14, 2019Applicant: Xactiv, Inc.Inventors: Dan A. HAYS, Peter J. MASON, James MASON
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Publication number: 20160243764Abstract: A method of fabricating an object, comprising depositing a first layer of first object material on a support substrate electrode; applying a conductive agent material onto the first layer; depositing a first layer of charged powder on an intermediate substrate; conveying the first layer of charged powder on the intermediate substrate proximate to the first layer of first object material; and applying a transferring electric field to cause transfer of the first layer of charged powder from the intermediate substrate onto the first layer on the support substrate electrode, to form a first powder layer on the first layer on the support substrate electrode. Multiple powder layers may be deposited on the first layer. The method may be further comprised of fusing the powder layer(s) to form a first fused layer on the support substrate electrode. A related object fabrication apparatus is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2016Publication date: August 25, 2016Applicant: Xactiv, Inc.Inventors: Dan A. HAYS, James MASON, Peter J. MASON, Robert Edward ZEMAN, David JACKSON
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Publication number: 20160200084Abstract: A method is disclosed for improving the productivity of digitally fabricated 3D objects with the same or different shape and material composition. The improved productivity is enabled by the incorporation of multiple build platforms and multiple objects per build platform within a 3D object fabrication apparatus. Some 3D manufacturing processes such as those based on electrophotography require a wait time to condition the build object before the next layer of build and support material can be applied. Under these fabrication conditions, the utilization of multiple build platforms in the 3D object manufacturing process effectively minimizes the wait time between layer deposition so that the productivity for fabricating 3D objects is improved. Furthermore, the incorporation of an additional adjacent set of multiple platforms enables rapid changeover when the fabrication of one set of 3D objects is completed on an adjacent set of build platforms.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2016Publication date: July 14, 2016Applicant: Xactiv, Inc.Inventors: Dan A. HAYS, Peter J. MASON, James MASON
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Publication number: 20160200046Abstract: An apparatus for forming a part, comprising a substrate for holding the part during forming; a transport web; a web delivery system; a powder generation system configured to deposit a portion of powder on a portion of the web delivered by the delivery system; a sintering station configured to sinter the portion of powder on the delivered portion of the transport web; and a transfer station configured to transfer the sintered portion of the powder from the transport web to a partially formed portion of the part and join the sintered portion of the powder to the partially formed part. Additionally, a method for making a part comprising depositing a first portion of a powder on a transport web substrate; sintering the first portion of powder on the web substrate; and joining the sintered portion of the powder to the support substrate to form a first layer of the part.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2016Publication date: July 14, 2016Applicant: Xactiv, Inc.Inventors: Robert Edward ZEMAN, Peter J. MASON
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Patent number: 9168564Abstract: An object fabricating apparatus is comprised of at least one charged powder cloud generating system, at least one electrode proximate to the powder cloud generating system and comprising at least one shaped slot, and a voltage supply in communication with each electrode to electrostatically modulate the flow of charged powder to a conductive substrate electrically biased to provide an electrostatic attraction of the charged powder to the substrate. An object fabricating method is also disclosed that uses the object fabricating apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2014Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: XACTIV, INC.Inventors: Dan A. Hays, James Mason, Peter J. Mason
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Patent number: 8771802Abstract: An object fabricating apparatus is comprised of at least one charged powder cloud generating system, at least one electrode proximate to the powder cloud generating system and comprising at least one shaped slot, and a voltage supply in communication with each electrode to electrostatically modulate the flow of charged powder to a conductive substrate electrically biased to provide an electrostatic attraction of the charged powder to the substrate. An object fabricating method is also disclosed that uses the object fabricating apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2013Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Xactiv, Inc.Inventors: Dan A. Hays, James Mason, Peter J. Mason