Patents Examined by Margaret B Hayes
  • Patent number: 11472110
    Abstract: The invention relates to a facility (1) for the manufacture of three-dimensional objects from material powder, through layerwise consolidation of said material powder present on a process surface (42) in such places of the particular layer (40) that correspond, in accordance with geometrical data, to the object about to be manufactured, wherein the facility (1) comprises a process floor (46) surrounding the process surface and a powder feed device (10) to feed, provide and distribute the powder on the process surface (42), wherein the powder feed device (10) comprises: a conveying element (12) for feeding powder into the powder feed device (10), a reservoir (14), into which the at least one conveying element (12) feeds the powder, a process conveying element (16), which can act on powder in the reservoir (14), in order to provide this in dosed quantity on the process floor (46) adjacent to the process surface (42), a process pusher (18) for distributing the powder provided adjacent to the process surface (42)
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: REALIZER GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Fockele, Daniel Golz
  • Patent number: 11400624
    Abstract: A mandrel for a molding process that includes a first portion that has a first portion outer surface, a first portion inner surface, a first portion first end, and a first portion second end. A thickness of the first portion first end is greater than the first portion second end. A second portion has a second portion outer surface, a second portion inner surface, a second portion first end, and a second portion second end. A thickness of the second portion first end is smaller than the second portion second end. The first portion inner surface engages the second portion inner surface to form a mandrel that has a constant cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ken F. Blaney, Thomas E. Clark
  • Patent number: 11338528
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support, and a print head connected to and moveable by the support. The system may also include an encoder configured to generate a signal indicative of an amount of material passing through the print head, and a controller in communication with the encoder. The controller may be configured to selectively implement a corrective action in response to the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Continouos Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Trevor David Budge, Nathan Andrew Stranberg, Kyle Frank Cummings, Dan Budge
  • Patent number: 11331860
    Abstract: A system includes an enclosed laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) containment volume. A powder drain is included below the containment volume configured to receive powder dropping from the containment volume by force of gravity. A valve below the powder drain is configured to allow passage with the valve in an open state of unfused powder from the drain into a powder collection volume separated from the containment volume by the valve, and prevent passage of powder from the drain into the collection volume with the valve in a closed state. A source of wetting agent is in fluid communication with the powder collection volume for capturing powder in the collection volume by wetting the powder. A moisture trap is operatively connected to the drain above the valve and is configured to capture moisture to prevent moisture from the collection volume migrating into the containment volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Morganson, Brendan T. Gustafson, Jason J. Purdy
  • Patent number: 11312072
    Abstract: A blade changer includes a housing with a port, a magazine supported within the housing, and a manipulator. The manipulator is operably associated with the magazine and has a reach extending beyond the port to interchange re-coater blades between the magazine and an additive manufacturing system coupled to the port. Additive manufacturing systems and methods of interchanging a deployed re-coater blade with a staged re-coater blade are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jasen Deforge, Shawn Karl Reynolds
  • Patent number: 11267180
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an extrusion die and a method for extruding a sheet using the same, and according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an extrusion die comprising a storage part configured to hold a raw material, the storage part defining a first width, a pressure part configured to move the raw material through the storage part, a first die defining a second width less than the first width, such that a flow width of the raw material becomes narrower, a second die in fluid communication with the first die, the second die defining a width that increases from the second width to a third width, such that the flow width of the raw material passing through the first die becomes wider and a flow thickness becomes smaller, and a heating part configured to heat the raw material passing through the second die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Inventors: Chae Gyu Lee, Myung Han Lee, Byeong In Ahn, Kyung Hwan Yoon, Chang Kwon Chung
  • Patent number: 11241832
    Abstract: According to examples, an apparatus may include a back panel to absorb energy and an energy emitter to supply energy onto a build material layer. The energy emitter may include an energy emitting element and an outer tube. In addition, a reflective element may be provided on a portion of the outer tube facing the back panel to direct energy away from the back panel. The apparatus may also include a transparent panel, in which energy from the energy emitter may be emitted through the transparent panel and onto the build material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Arthur H. Barnes, William Winters, Daniel Fredrickson
  • Patent number: 11235539
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for severing a continuous reinforcement from a print head at conclusion of an event during fabrication of a composite structure. The method may include moving the print head a distance away from the composite structure that provides clearance for a cutting mechanism between an outlet of the print head and the composite structure, and responsively causing the cutting mechanism to make a first cut of the continuous reinforcement at a boundary of the composite structure. The method may also include moving the print head to a waste discard location, and responsively causing the cutting mechanism to make a second cut of the continuous reinforcement at a desired distance offset from the outlet of the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Continuous Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Hugh Hambling, Trevor David Budge
  • Patent number: 11230058
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes a print head, a first light source array, a second light source array, and a controller. The print head includes a first rotatable reflector and a second rotatable reflector. The first light source array is configured to direct multiple first light beams toward a build medium via the first rotatable reflector. The second light source array is configured to direct multiple second light beams toward the build medium via the second rotatable reflector. The controller is coupled to the print head, the first light source array, and the second light source array. The controller is configured to control activation of the first light beams and activation of the second light beams to selectively fuse portions of the build medium to form one or more objects from the build medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: David Keith Mefford, Kevin Thomas Slattery
  • Patent number: 11230032
    Abstract: A cable-driven additive manufacturing system includes an end effector configured for linear translation within a three-dimensional workspace, an aerial hoist suspending the end effector by at least one suspension cable, a plurality of base stations disposed below the aerial hoist, and control cables running from each of the base stations to the end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Brian K. Post, Lonnie J. Love, Randall F. Lind, Phillip C. Chesser, Alex C. Roschli
  • Patent number: 11201526
    Abstract: A magnet embedded core is manufactured in a stable manner by preventing an excessive pressurizing force from being applied to the laminated iron core and performing the clamping with an appropriate pressurizing force so that the leakage of the resin out of the magnet insertion holes can be minimized, and the reduction in the geometric and dimensional precision of the laminated iron core may be suppressed. An electric die clamping device is used, such that a laminated iron core is placed on one of a fixed die and a moveable die and upon clamping by the die clamping device, the other of the fixed die and the moveable die is caused to abut onto an end surface of the laminated iron core to close openings of magnet insertion holes and pressurize the laminated iron core in a laminating direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: KURODA PRECISION INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Osamu Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 11198250
    Abstract: A filament container for housing a spool of filament comprising a base and a lid that define an inner volume. The lid rotatably attached to the base and moveable between a closed position, wherein the inner volume is substantially sealed, and an open position, wherein the inner volume is accessible. First and second horizontal shafts are supported rotatably within the inner volume, parallel to and spaced from one another a distance, and rotatable about a respective longitudinal axis. The first and second horizontal shafts are adapted to support a spool of filament vertically within the inner volume and to allow the spool of filament to freely rotate about a horizontal axis that is parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axis of each of the first and second horizontal shafts as filament is pulled from the spool and out of the filament container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Essentium Inc.
    Inventors: Erik John Gjovik, Matthew Ross Mitchell, William Jack MacNeish, III
  • Patent number: 11199770
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus includes a processing unit that forms a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate by using a mold, a chamber that accommodates this processing unit and includes a first gate to which a first containment unit that contains the substrate before being processed by the processing unit is connected and a second gate to which a second containment unit that contains the substrate after being processed by the processing unit is connected, and a control unit that prohibits opening of the first gate until a predetermined time elapses since the substrate on which the pattern is formed by the processing unit is contained in the second containment unit and the second gate is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiyohito Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11161288
    Abstract: A waterproof gasket structure and its gasket shaping mold are provided. The gasket shaping mold includes a mold seat having a surface, and plural mold cavity ring-grooves concavely formed on the surface, each having two corresponding longitudinal groove sections. At least one longitudinal groove section has one or more inwardly bent wavy bent portions, and plural turning round corner portions are formed at the junction between the longitudinal groove section and the wavy bent portion, and each turning round corner portion has a radius equal to or greater than 6 mm. Therefore, the middle of the mold cavity ring-groove can be utilized effectively, and plural waterproof gaskets can be manufactured by the same gasket shaping mold while achieving the effects of reducing the mold volume, improving the manufacturing efficiency, and saving the manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Tsung-Han Tsai, Yao-Chien Lin, Xin-Hung Lin
  • Patent number: 11161303
    Abstract: A platform carrier that is mountable on a machine table of an additive manufacturing machine. The platform carrier is exchangeable and has a rigid construction. In an embodiment, at least one heating element is integrated in the platform carrier. In an embodiment, a plurality of fixing modules for connecting a build plate onto the platform carrier is integrated in the platform carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: SYSTEM 3R INTERNATIONAL AB
    Inventors: Urs Markwalder, Romain Dubreuil, Ralf Loettgen
  • Patent number: 11148355
    Abstract: Provided are a three-dimensional shaped object production device and method capable of producing a predetermined three-dimensional shaped object by forming a ball at a leading end of a conductive wire through use of the conductive wire based on scanned data or designed data and aligning and stacking the balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: KAIJO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihisa Nakano
  • Patent number: 11141919
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including a method of multi-material stereolithographic three dimensional printing comprising, depositing a first material through a first material dispenser of a stereolithographic three dimensional printer onto an optical exposure window to form a first material layer; curing the first material layer to form a first material structure on a build head of the stereolithographic three dimensional printer; depositing a second material through the first material dispenser or a second material dispenser onto the optical exposure window to form a second material layer; and curing the second material layer to form a second material structure on the build head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: HOLO, INC.
    Inventors: Pierre Pascal Anatole Lin, Brian James Adzima, Arian Aziz Aghababaie, Andreas Linas Bastian, John Vericella, Jonathan Pomeroy
  • Patent number: 11141789
    Abstract: Powder module (1) for an apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, the powder module (1) comprising a powder chamber (6) having a power chamber volume (7) and a carrying device (9), the carrying device (9) comprising: a carrying unit (8) being moveably supported along a motion axis between a first position, particularly a lower end position, and a second position, particularly an upper end position, relative to the powder chamber (6), a drive unit (10) for generating a drive force for moving the carrying unit (8) between the first position and the second position or vice versa, a coupling unit (11) for coupling the carrying unit (8) with the drive unit (10), and a second extension state, particularly corresponding to the second position of the carrying unit (8), a guiding unit (12) surrounding the coupling unit (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Concept Laser GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Stammberger, Alexander Hofmann, Olaf Jäger, Lukas Stache
  • Patent number: 11123905
    Abstract: Novel polylactic acid biopolymer systems and methods of producing products with polylactic acid biopolymers are disclosed. Products produced according to the systems and methods disclosed herein have enhanced deflection temperature and improved mechanical performance when compared to conventional injection moulding processes. Systems and methods for compounding polylactic acid biopolymer and creating an object using a polylactic acid biopolymer by extrusion and injection moulding process are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Dandelion Research Limited
    Inventors: Kemal Kaya Kaplancali, Dominic Mount Tsun Mak
  • Patent number: 11110669
    Abstract: A formed article of a fiber-reinforced resin material is provided. The fiber-reinforced resin material is obtained by impregnating a plurality of stacked fiber layers with a resin. The formed article contains a first portion and a second portion formed to have a deep-drawn shape with respect to the first portion. The second portion contains a gradually changing portion with its thickness gradually changing, and the thickness of the gradually changing portion decreases with distance from the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshihide Yuza