Patents Examined by Christina Johnson
  • Patent number: 10500640
    Abstract: Systems and methods for volumetrically fabricating 3D objects. The system includes at least a controller operably connected to a build volume and one or more energy sources. The build volume defines a volumetric buildable size of the object to be fabricated and includes media for fabricating the object therein. The energy source(s) is configured to emit at least a first and second energy beam therefrom. The controller is configured to direct the first and second emitted energy beams towards an intersecting point in the build volume to begin fabricating the media therein. The energy from each of the first and second beams is not sufficient to fabricate the object out of the media. The object is fabricated once multiple beams intersect, as collectively, the energy of the intersecting beams is sufficient to fabricate the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Heiko Claussen, Livio Dalloro, Joshua S. McConkey
  • Patent number: 10488615
    Abstract: Elastic compression apparatus for loose tube used in fiber optic cables, comprising compression contacts for gripping the loose tube following extrusion, the loose tube being made of a first material having a predefined post-extrusion shrinkage, and the compression contacts being made of a second material, wherein the compression contacts are modified to provide a coefficient of friction between the two materials such that said compression contacts apply a radial pressure and an axial tension to said tube that cause elastic deformation only and do not cause plastic deformation. The tube may be extruded at a line speed rate that is relatively different from the optical fiber line speed rate, and causes elastic extension of the tube over the distance that would be covered by post-extrusion shrinkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Teldor Cables & Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Tuvia Liberman, David Miller
  • Patent number: 10471676
    Abstract: A fabric coated or impregnated with an elastomeric material may include a polyurethane dispersion layer combined with a sealant. The fabric may be applied in such a fashion so as to enable the elimination of solvent or fluid that is associated with the elastomer. The polyurethane dispersion layer generally comprises an elastomeric material dispersed or dissolved in a liquid medium, such as, but not limited to, water. At the same time, the integrity of the elastomeric composite which is formed from the dispersion and sealant layers may be maintained in order to minimize the presence of air voids and pockets. It has thus been realized that in doing so the performance of the self-sealing volume is dramatically improved. This method of construction usually may be accomplished without significantly adding to the weight or thickness of the volume and without affecting the outer dimension of the self-sealing volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: ROBERTSON FUEL SYSTEMS, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Matthew Whipple, Davis Lee
  • Patent number: 10471652
    Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention implement additive manufacturing techniques that employ different sets of deposition characteristics and/or material formation characteristics during the additive manufacture of an object so as to strategically build up the object. In many embodiments, material used to build up an object is deposited at different deposition rates during the additive manufacture of the object, and the object is thereby strategically built up. In one embodiment, a method of additively manufacturing an object includes: depositing material onto a surface at a first deposition rate so as to define a first region of the object to be additively manufactured; and depositing material onto a surface at a second deposition rate so as to define a second region of the object to be additively manufactured; where the second deposition rate is different from the first deposition rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Douglas C. Hofmann, John Paul C. Borgonia
  • Patent number: 10464172
    Abstract: A processing system directs a laser beam to a composite including a substrate, a conductive layer, and a conductive border. The location of a focus of the laser beam can be controlled to bring the laser beam into focus on the surfaces of the conductive materials. The laser beam can be used to ablatively process the conductive border and non-ablatively process the conductive layer by translating a focus-adjust optical system so as to vary laser beam diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Martinsen, Adam Dittli, Ken Gross
  • Patent number: 10465048
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for forming particles. A precursor material is provided to a rotor-stator construction and fed through apertures in the cylinder. The apertures are in intermittent fluid communication with the stator. A conveyor is provided beneath the cylinder. The conveyor has recesses and the recesses move in registration with the apertures in the cylinder. The precursor material is passed through the apertures and deposited in the recesses in an amount that overfills the recesses. The deposited precursor material is cooled to form a plurality of particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: RIchard Albert Huddleston, Niteen Vasant Bapat
  • Patent number: 10464240
    Abstract: Provided are induction heating cells including pressure bladders used for supporting dies and methods of using these induction heating cells. A pressure bladder may be disposed between a die and a bolster of the cell. Even when the bolster is deformed during operation of the cell, the pressure bladder continues to provide uniform support to the die thereby preserving integrity of the die and prevents its cracking or braking. As such, the cell may be operated at a higher processing pressure inside the cavity formed by the die without further strengthening the bolster. The bolster is allowed to deform without compromising the integrity of the die. The deformation of the bolster is compensated by the shape change of the pressure bladder. The number and/or position of the bladders in the cell may depend on the shape of processed parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Marc R. Matsen, David S. Nansen, Lee C. Firth, Carey E. Wilkinson, Gregory J. Hickman, William C. Dykstra
  • Patent number: 10460873
    Abstract: Dielectric ceramic particulates are introduced into thin a sheet of pre-cured elastomer to form a sheet. Successive layers of the sheets may then be laminated together to form a finished article. An electric field may be applied to the article during a curing process while the article is at a temperature near a Curie temperature of the dielectric ceramic particulates to increase a dielectric constant of the article. As each sheet may be different from each other in the finished article, the resulting finished article may have anisotropic dielectric and mechanical properties. Similarly, tiled dielectric ceramic structures may be introduced into the elastomers layers to generate materials with varying dielectric constants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sean Jason Keller, Tristan Thomas Trutna, Vincenzo Casasanta, III, David R. Perek
  • Patent number: 10448644
    Abstract: A method for producing a natural fiber part may comprise applying an aqueous solution of an inorganic aluminum salt to the natural fiber part and drying the natural fiber part applied with the aqueous solution. The aqueous solution may contain the aluminum salt in a concentration of 2 to 40% by weight. The aluminum salt may include an alum compound. At least one of an inorganic thickening agent or an inorganic stabilizing agent may be added to the aqueous solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Lisa Draexlmaier GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Fischer
  • Patent number: 10436983
    Abstract: A system may include a fiber distribution hub including a plurality of fiber-optic cables, wherein a particular one of the plurality of fiber-optic cables includes a machine-readable identifier; and a robotic device configured to access particular ones of the plurality of fiber-optic cables. The robotic device may include a print head configured to splice together the particular ones of the plurality of fiber-optic cables by three-dimensional printing of a silane material. A hand-held unit may also include a print head configured to splice together fiber-optic cables by three-dimensional printing of a silane material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: John Scott Perez
  • Patent number: 10434696
    Abstract: The invention relates to an annular die on an extrusion head for producing tubular or sheet-like preforms with an arcuate die gap and with a melt channel delimited by a mandrel and a die body, the cross-sectional profile of the melt channel being variable by way of adjusting elements, the annular die according to the invention being distinguished by the fact that the outer circumference of the melt channel is at least partially delimited directly by at least one radially adjustable slide, that the slide is formed by a number of segments that can be adjusted together from at least one first position into at least one second position, and that the segments in each position form a respectively closed arc portion of the delimitation of the melt channel, the radius of the arc portion being different according to the position of the segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: KAUTEX TEXTRON GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Joachim Eckhardt, Thomas Froitzheim, David Schenkel
  • Patent number: 10421157
    Abstract: A method of forming an electrode structure for a capacitive touch sensor in a first transparent conductive layer (19) which is located on a first side of a glass substrate (5) on the second side of which is a color filter layer (11,12,13) over-coated with a transparent non-conductive layer (15) and a second transparent conductive layer (7), by a direct write laser scribing process using a pulsed solid state laser (22), the laser wavelength in the range 257 nm to 266 nm and a pulse length in the range 50 fs to 50 ns so grooves (21) are formed in the first transparent conductive layer (19) to electrically isolate areas of the first transparent conductive layer (19) on opposite sides of each groove (21). This selection of wavelength and pulse length enables the grooves (21) to be formed with substantially no damage to the underlying color filter layer (11, 12, 13), the transparent non-conductive layer (15) or the second transparent conductive layer (7) on the second side of the glass substrate (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: M-SOLV LTD.
    Inventors: Yuk Kwan Chan, Camilo Prieto Rio
  • Patent number: 10415331
    Abstract: Solid polymer objects have size at least 0.5 mm in each of three orthogonal dimensions and shape such that each object has one or more edges, points or corners and/or has a plurality of projections which extend out from a core portion. Such objects may be included in a drilling fluid as a lost circulation additive intended to bridge fractures and mitigate fluid loss. Their angular shape features make it harder for them to slide over fracture faces or each other and helps them to bridge a fracture. A method of making these objects provides a travelling endless belt made of elastomer and defining mould cavities. The mould cavities are filled with a polyerisable liquid composition, which is cured in the mould as the belt advances, and the cured objects are ejected from a mould as the belt bends around a roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: David Snoswell
  • Patent number: 10416552
    Abstract: An imprinting method is capable of strictly interpolating application distribution of uncured resin material being applied to a substrate for each shot and interpolating application distribution of uncured resin material for each shot while reducing workload in a generation step. The imprinting apparatus includes a mold; a mold driving unit; a dispenser that applies uncured resin material to the substrate; a light source that cures uncured resin material as a pattern; a dispenser control unit that controls the dispenser by generating the application distribution of the uncured resin material to the resin pattern for each of a plurality of shots; and a main control unit that interpolates application distribution of uncured resin material, which has been generated by the dispenser control unit, using shot layout information of relative position among positions of a plurality of shots, the dispenser, and the light source with respect to the substrate, as variables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Sentaro Aihara
  • Patent number: 10406803
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object comprises: selecting a first ejector in a plurality of ejectors of a three-dimensional object printer with reference to a hardness identifier, the first ejector configured to eject a first material; selecting a second ejector in the plurality of ejectors with reference to a color identifier, the second ejector configured to eject a second material having a hardness that is different than a hardness of the first material; operating the first ejector to eject the first material toward a platen to form an inner portion of the object with the first material; and operating the second ejector to eject the second material toward the platen to form an outer layer of the object with the second material, the outer layer of the object surrounding at least a portion of the inner portion of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Folkins, Barry P. Mandel
  • Patent number: 10391689
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for manufacturing a substrate-integrated gasket, the method integrating a fiber substrate which is constructed by a pulp fiber having cellulose as a main component and a gasket body which is constructed by a rubber-like elastic body according to a rubber impregnation, wherein a plurality of substrate-integrated gaskets are obtained by executing an injection molding by plural stages of rubber metal molds. Further, the rubber material is filled in plural stages of metal mold cavities by passing the rubber material through the fiber substrate in which a rubber material flow channel in the metal mold is closed at its injection pressure. The invention can reduce a man hour for removing burr and cleaning a metal mold by suppressing generation of rubber burr at the molding time and can reduce an amount of disposal of a molding material, thereby achieving a good manufacturing efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventors: Shotaro Koga, Yuichi Kuroki
  • Patent number: 10391720
    Abstract: A method for making a slip resistant mat can include assembling parts with predetermined geometries to form a mold that can be used for making slip resistant mats that have channels to account for moisture between the mat and the floor. The unique geometries of the parts which form the mold can be manufactured efficiently and with reduced costs. The mold of this invention can be used to make slip resistant mats with channels that can both dissipate water and offer a high degree of mat to floor surface contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Cintas Corporate Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian S. Malpass, Jeffery L. Cofer, Edin Kurtovic
  • Patent number: 10391703
    Abstract: Articles including nanoscale fibers aligned by mechanical stretching are provided. Methods for making composite materials comprising a network of aligned nanoscale fibers are also provided. The network of nanoscale fibers may be substantially devoid of a liquid, and may be a buckypaper. The network of nanoscale fibers also may be associated with a supporting medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Florida State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Jianwen Bao, Zhiyong Liang, Ben Wang, Chun Zhang, Qunfeng Cheng
  • Patent number: 10384395
    Abstract: The three-dimensional object building apparatus includes a powder delivering unit that delivers a powder on an object building area, a powder flattening device that flattens the powder delivered from the powder delivering unit to form a powder layer, and a light beam radiating unit that is disposed above the object building area and radiates a light beam on the powder layer to sinter or melt solidify the powder for building an object. The three-dimensional object building apparatus also includes a transferring mechanism that moves the light beam radiating unit in three-dimensional directions, and a shroud that moves integrally with the light beam radiating unit and surrounds a space above an area of the powder layer that is smaller than the object building area around a radiation of the light beam. The powder delivering unit and the powder flattening device move integrally with the light beam radiating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takaharu Echigo, Akio Shimoda, Keisuke Takahashi, Kazunori Kawai, Tadashi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10369756
    Abstract: A system for manufacturing a composite article may include a resin-wetting control layer configured to be placed in contact with a composite ply of a composite preform. The resin-wetting control layer may be configured complementary to a ply surface of the composite ply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Karl R. Bernetich, James W. Kohlbrenner, Mark S. Wilenski