Patents Examined by Erica Hartsell Funk
  • Patent number: 11981068
    Abstract: A plastic sheet supplying apparatus for a thermoforming machine having an adjustable pin is proposed. Such a plastic sheet supplying apparatus for a thermoforming machine having an adjustable pin according to the present invention has the technical feature in which in a process in which a plastic sheet adhering to a material of a door trim is heated, fixing pins supporting a lower portion of an edge portion of the plastic sheet are configured to have adjustable positions so as to be moved in response to the change of the size of the plastic sheet caused by heating, so that the entire portion of the plastic sheet is uniformly heated and is also uniformly stretched without wrinkling, whereby the quality of a molded product is improved, and fabric consumption is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: GUNYANG ITT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taek Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11981064
    Abstract: A die plate changing system holds first and second die plates and selectively transitions the first and second die plates into and out of communication with a material source. The die plate changing system has a frame having a body defining a first recess that receives the first die plate and a second recess that receives the second die plate, where the frame is heats the first and second die plates when the first and second die plates are disposed in the first and second recesses, respectively. The die plate changing system also includes a movement assembly operably coupled to the frame and that selectively moves the frame between a first position, where the first die plate receives material from the material source, and a second position, where the second die plate receives the material from the material source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Dirk Schlief, Nikolai Schnellbach
  • Patent number: 11981087
    Abstract: In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a system is described. The system includes a fracture channel controller to determine fracture channels for a three-dimensional (3D) printed object. Portions of the 3D printed object along fracture channels are to be solidified to a lesser degree as compared to non-channel portions of the 3D printed object. The system also includes an additive manufacturing controller to control an additive manufacturing device. The additive manufacturing controller controls the additive manufacturing device to 1) solidify portions of a layer of powdered build material to form a slice of the 3D printed object and 2) selectively solidify fracture channels in the slice, wherein the fracture channels are solidified to a lesser degree as compared to non-channel portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Wei Huang, Gary J Dispoto
  • Patent number: 11981076
    Abstract: A machine for additive manufacturing comprises a work top, a work area, a device for depositing a layer of powder onto the work area and a heat or energy source used to selectively consolidate a layer of powder, the device comprising a movable element for receiving powder moving relative to the work top and in the vicinity of the work area, a device for dispensing a bead of powder onto the movable element and a device for spreading the bead of powder. The movable element assuming the form of a translationally movable slide or the movable element rotationally moving around the work area, at least part of the upper surface of a movable element is located above the upper surface of the work top and/or at least part of the upper surface of a movable element is located below the upper surface of the work top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: ADDUP
    Inventor: Jean-Baptiste Mottin
  • Patent number: 11977328
    Abstract: A flexible stamp comprising at least three layers, an upper layer as a texturing layer (203) having a relief area (203B), a strengthening layer (202) and a protective layer (201), characterized in that the strengthening layer (202) has a thermal expansion coefficient of 10 ppm/° C. or lower, a Young's modulus in the range of 10 GPa-200 GPa, a layer thickness of below 300 ?m and an area which at least covers the relief area (203B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: MORPHOTONICS HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Jan Matthijs Ter Meulen, Bram Johannes Titulaer, Adrianus Van Erven, Leon Willem Veldhuizen
  • Patent number: 11964423
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to the present disclosure includes: a plasticizing step of plasticizing at least a part of a shaping material including a first fiber material and a thermoplastic resin to generate a plasticized material to be discharged from a nozzle opening for shaping a three-dimensional shaped object; a fiber introducing step including either a step of introducing a second fiber material longer than the first fiber material into the shaping material or the plasticized material before being discharged from the nozzle opening, or a step of introducing the second fiber material into the plasticized material after being discharged from the nozzle opening; and a shaping step of shaping the three-dimensional shaped object including the first fiber material and the second fiber material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Okamoto, Akihiko Tsunoya
  • Patent number: 11960203
    Abstract: A method of forming patterns on a substrate by double nanoimprint processes includes providing a first replicate mold and a second replicate mold. The first replicate mold includes numerous first patterns. The second replicate mold includes at least one second pattern. The second pattern corresponds to at least one of the first patterns. Later, a first substrate is provided. A first polymeric compound layer is coated on the first substrate. Next, the first patterns are nanoimprinted into the first polymeric compound layer. Subsequently, the first substrate is etched by taking the first polymeric compound layer as a mask. After that, a second polymeric compound layer is coated on the first substrate. Later, the second pattern is nanoimprinted into the second polymeric compound layer. Finally, the first substrate is etched by taking the second polymeric compound layer as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Yi-Chieh Lai, Chih-Hsien Tang
  • Patent number: 11958243
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for use in additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include at least one support, and a print head operatively connected to the at least one support and configured to discharge composite material. The system may further include an auxiliary tool operatively connected to the at least one support and configured to receive the composite material discharged by the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Continuous Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Isaak Stuart, Tyler B. Alvarado, Ryan C. Stockett
  • Patent number: 11932971
    Abstract: A method of producing a precursor fiber for carbon fiber includes extruding a polyacrylonitrile copolymer solution from a spinneret into the air, immersing it in a coagulation bath liquid stored in a coagulation bath, redirecting traveling of the coagulating fiber bundle by a first guide immersed in the coagulation bath disposed below the spinneret, and pulling it out of the coagulation bath liquid into the air to prepare a coagulated fiber bundle, which is then subjected to at least a washing step in water, stretching step, oil agent applying step, and drying step, wherein the depth-directional coagulation bath immersion length, which means a distance between the starting point of the immersion of the spinning dope solution in the coagulation bath liquid and the first guide immersed in the coagulation bath where traveling of the coagulating fiber bundle is redirected, is 3 to 40 cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Ayanobu Horinouchi, Fumitaka Watanabe, Yuuki Okishima
  • Patent number: 11926099
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a structure. The system may include a motion platform, a print head, and a drive. The drive may include a base connectable to the motion platform, a slipring disposed inside of the base, and a drivetrain extending between the base and the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Continuous Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Michael Stulc, Nathan Andrew Stranberg
  • Patent number: 11919204
    Abstract: Provided is a method for making a mold of a gap between components, the method comprising: a step for preparing a curable composition by mixing a resin material with a curing agent that promotes curing of the resin material; a step for cooling the curable composition (M) to a predetermined temperature at which curing of the curable composition is not initiated, so as to manufacture a mold-making kit; a step for placing the mold-making kit in a gap between a first member and a second member so as to fill the gap; a step for curing the mold-making kit between the first member and the second member to mold the mold-making kit into the shape of the gap; and a step for removing the cured mold-making kit from the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kobayashi, Noriya Hayashi