Patents Examined by Matthew J Daniels
  • Patent number: 11926105
    Abstract: According to some aspects, techniques are described for generating support structures that may be easily removed after fabrication yet provide sufficient structural support during fabrication. In some cases, the techniques may include tuning an extent to which pillars of a support structure are interconnected to one another in regions proximate to the part. In some cases, the techniques may include fabricating very small contact structures, referred to herein as “hair” supports, in regions of a support structure where it connects with the part. In some cases, the techniques may include generating support structures that comprise obliquely-angled tips, which allow forces during fabrication to be applied in a preferred direction even when the support structure does not make a connection to the part in the preferred direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Formlabs, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin FrantzDale
  • Patent number: 11926078
    Abstract: A method for creating a fan cowl with a hollow hat stiffener includes pressing a resin film between a non-crimp fabric (NCF) and a release poly-film to create a resin-fabric sheet. The method further includes cutting the resin-fabric sheet to a pre-determined shape to create at least one of a first resin-fabric preform, a second resin-fabric preform, and a third resin-fabric preform, draping at least the first resin-fabric preform over a tool to create an outer layer of the fan cowl, setting a mandrel over the outer layer, and draping the second resin-fabric preform over at least a portion of the mandrel and at least a portion of the first resin-fabric preform to form the hollow hat stiffener having a geometry similar to a shape of the mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: ROHR, INC
    Inventors: Bryan Thai, Delphine Turpin
  • Patent number: 11919260
    Abstract: A process for shaping, by compaction, a fibrous structure obtained by three-dimensional or multilayer weaving between a plurality of layers of warp yarns and a plurality of layers of weft yarns. The yarns of each plurality of layers of warp yarns and layers of weft yarns are coated with a sizing composition. The shaping includes a pre-compaction stage followed by a stage of final compaction of the fibrous structure. During pre-compaction and final compaction, the fibrous structure is at a temperature greater than or equal to the softening temperature of the sizing composition. The process further includes the cooling of the fibrous preform obtained after final compaction of the fibrous structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN
    Inventors: Christophe Ravey, Olivier Foussard, Nicolas Pierre Lanfant, Didier Payen, Adrien Touze, Romain Venat
  • Patent number: 11919213
    Abstract: A method for producing injection-molded parts by a two-component injection-molding technique in which a first material component is injected into a mold cavity and is displaced into peripheral regions of the mold cavity by injecting a second material component. The first material component is injected into a partial region of the mold cavity at a first gating point and the second material component is injected into the mold cavity at a second gating point and, as a result, the first material component is acted upon by the second material component and displaced in the direction of the regions of the mold to be filled with the first material component. The first material component is thereby displaced into regions of the mold at the wall, and the second material component is introduced in those regions of the mold as a core material and completely into other regions of the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Zahoransky Formenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Reinhard Schnurr
  • Patent number: 11919238
    Abstract: A method of printing a 3D part with an additive manufacturing system includes printing a first portion of the part and pre-heating the first portion of the part along an upcoming tool path to a temperature at or above a material-specific bonding temperature and below a degradation temperature of the material. Material is extruding material onto the first portion along the pre-heated tool path while the temperature along the part surface remains at or above a material-specific bonding temperature and below the degradation temperature of the material thereby forming a newly extruded road. The method includes cooling the newly extruded road along the pre-heated tool path to remove heat imparted by the preheating step such that a thermally stable temperature is reached, wherein the preheating, extruding and cooling is performed in less than ten seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Clint Newell, Jason Robert Nixon, Timothy Diekmann
  • Patent number: 11919242
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a 3D printer includes the steps of providing information obtained in a factory calibration indicating a center of an inner diameter of a tip orifice in a metal extrusion nozzle and a center of a tip surface for the nozzle and inductively sensing the nozzle with an eddy current sensor when secured to a print head on a gantry or robotic arm of the 3D printer to identify a sensed location of the center of the tip surface of the nozzle. The method includes determining a location of the center of the inner diameter of the tip orifice on the nozzle on the print head and utilizing the provided information to locate the center of the inner diameter of the tip orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Bosveld, Thomas Peter Paul
  • Patent number: 11919254
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a structural member includes preheating a plurality of fibers to a first temperature, moving the preheated fibers along an assembly line, applying a binder having a viscosity lower than 25 centipoise to at least one of the preheated fibers, providing a die shaped to receive the preheated fibers, wherein the die moves together with the preheated fibers along at least a portion of the assembly line, maintaining a temperature of the plurality of fibers at a temperature substantially similar to the first temperature, and compressing the plurality of fibers within the die while maintaining a temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Neuvokas Corporation
    Inventors: Erik John Kiilunen, Kenneth Brian Keranen, Matthew Paul Kero
  • Patent number: 11911979
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a striking plate of a golf club head includes the steps of: a sewing step, in which at least one roving material is sewn onto a base material so as to form a laminate blank with an uneven thickness in a normal direction of the base material; and a forming step, in which the laminate blank is placed in a mold cavity of a mold and is formed into the striking plate with an uneven thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL MULTITECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yen-Zhou Xie, Yuan-Jen Hou
  • Patent number: 11904519
    Abstract: Present invention is related to an extrusion equipment for processing a fibre composite. The extrusion equipment comprises a decompression and a melt tank arranged and operated vertically along with the direction of gravity. The melt tank comprises a melt tank impregnation section and a melt tank control section with a melt tank cavity as a channel condition defined within. The channel has its inner diameter or passage gradually decreased from top to bottom. The extrusion equipment provided by the present invention is configured in the direction of gravity for processing the melted thermoplastic resin and the fibre vertically for avoiding fibre fracture or breakage and improving the quality of the final products. As the melted plastic is processed vertically along with the gravity, the melted plastic could transfer or pass through the channel quickly without resulting decomposition due to the high heat and the long retention time in the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Plastics Industry Development Center
    Inventors: Chia-Yu Yu, Li-Kai Lin, Chia-Hsin Tung, Wei-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11904524
    Abstract: A three-dimensional modeling device includes a modeling unit having a nozzle configured to eject a modeling material, a stage, a movement mechanism unit for changing a relative position between the nozzle and the stage, a measuring unit, a reference unit having a reference surface arranged at a position that corresponds to a deposition surface of the stage in an intersecting direction and where the reference surface can face the measuring unit, the reference unit being separate from the nozzle, and a control unit controlling the modeling unit and the movement mechanism unit. The control unit controls the measuring unit to measure a first distance between the measuring unit and the reference surface and a second distance between the measuring unit and the distal end surface, and decides a distance between a distal end surface of the nozzle and the deposition surface, based on the first and second distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Yanagisawa, Kenichi Ono, Naoki Shishido
  • Patent number: 11904563
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for control of pressure in a tire curing press bladder. The present invention learns from a previous duty cycle by saving the data from those duty cycles. The data is analyzed, and program outputs are optimized for execution of the subsequent cycle. The pressure in the tire bladder is more accurately controlled to achieve desired set point values and significantly reduce overshoot and undershoot conditions. The system may be implemented with an appropriately programmed programmable logic controller (PLC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventors: Teddy Lee Gore, Edgar Pearson Brazelton
  • Patent number: 11897197
    Abstract: A three-dimensional printer for generating a printed component, includes a build substrate defining a surface that supports the printed component and a heated nozzle including a nozzle body. The heated nozzle is configured to deposit a build material upon either the build substrate or the printed component. The three-dimensional printer also includes a heated plate including one or more heating elements and a main body that defines an opening for receiving the nozzle body of the heated nozzle. The one or more heating elements are configured to heat at least a portion of the heated plate to a predefined temperature, where a volume of hot air is created between the heated plate and the printed component when the heated plate is heated to the predefined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: ESSENTIUM IPCO, LLC
    Inventors: Natalie Pardivala, Nirup Nagabandi
  • Patent number: 11897180
    Abstract: A rigid thermoplastic polymeric sheet material forming process. The process includes heating, while under a heating vacuum range, a rigid thermoplastic polymeric sheet in a heating zone to a forming temperature to form a heated rigid thermoplastic polymeric sheet material. The process further includes transferring, while under a feeding vacuum range, the heated rigid thermoplastic polymeric sheet material from the heating zone to feed the heated rigid thermoplastic polymeric sheet material into a forming zone under the feeding vacuum range. The process also includes forming, in the forming zone, the heated rigid thermoplastic sheet material into a formed article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Aerlyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Johnston, VII
  • Patent number: 11890823
    Abstract: A composite material structure manufacturing jig (10) is used when manufacturing a composite material structure by adhering prepreg to a framework structure including a frame component that includes a channel extending along a longitudinal direction of the frame component. The composite material structure manufacturing jig (10) is inserted in the channel of the frame component and used therein. The jig (10) includes a tubular body (11) formed of an elastic material containing a reinforcement fiber, the body (11) including a trapezoidal transverse section that is a cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the body (11), the trapezoidal transverse section including an upper base and a lower base longer than the upper base. An inner surface of the body (11) is coated with an inner peripheral film (16) serving as a gas barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshikazu Sana
  • Patent number: 11890824
    Abstract: A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic part from a blank part having a first moulding member and a second moulding member which are configured to cooperate together. A first heating body configured to heat the first moulding member and conductively heat the blank part. Two thermal insulation members are configured to cooperatively define a closed cavity in which at least the moulding members and the first heating body are arranged. A casing defining an internal volume in which at least the moulding members, the first heating body and the thermal insulation members are arranged, and a suction member is configured to lower the internal pressure in the internal volume to compress the preform part between the moulding members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: AIRBUS ATLANTIC
    Inventor: Romain Deruelle
  • Patent number: 11891485
    Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional object comprised of a silicone polymer is carried out by: (a) providing a silicone dual cure resin; (b) forming a three-dimensional intermediate from that resin, where the intermediate has the shape of, or a shape to be imparted to, the three-dimensional object, and where the resin is solidified in that intermediate object by irradiating with light; and then (c) further reacting the three-dimensional intermediate to form the three-dimensional object. The silicone dual cure resin includes: (i) a light polymerizable first reactant; (ii) a photoinitiator; (iii) at least one additional reactant(s), and (iv) optionally a catalyst. At least one of the first reactant and the additional reactant(s) contains a siloxane linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: Jessica D. Drazba, Jason P. Rolland
  • Patent number: 11883990
    Abstract: A work holding mechanism includes a body part having a three-dimensional shape including at least a recess or a protrusion, and an adsorption part for holding a work by adsorbing the work onto the body part in conformity to the three-dimensional shape of the recess or the protrusion provided in the body part. The work is held by being adsorbed in conformity to the three-dimensional shape of the body part, and, therefore, the amount of usage of the work in a work molding system can be reduced as compared with when the work is held so as to have a flat shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Ishizuka, Taisuke Uematsu, Takashi Konno, Hiroyuki Atake, Yoshiyuki Meiki, Minoru Ariyama, Masato Idegami
  • Patent number: 11884018
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to a finishing system for a three-dimensional (3D) printed part. Example systems include a sensor to detect a marking on a portion of the 3D printed part. A post-processing component of the system may perform a finishing operation on the portion of the 3D printed part while the marking is detected on the 3D printed part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: William E Hertling, Jeffrey Porter
  • Patent number: 11884029
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade using a two-step curing process, wherein the second curing is performed in the presence of a resin flow medium (76) comprising a curing inhibitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Lars Nielsen, Klavs Jespersen
  • Patent number: 11883987
    Abstract: In part, the disclosure relates to systems and methods of layer-by-layer assembly of composite structures such as for parts or workpieces. Various additive and subtractive processes can be used. In various embodiments, prepreg tapes that include continuous reinforcing fibers are used. In one aspect, a system that includes printer heads is provided. The printer heads may, in some embodiments, be used for manufacturing high quality continuous fiber reinforced structural parts. In some embodiments, the system includes a first printer head configured to lay down tape (e.g., a thermoplastic tape that includes reinforcing fibers).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: DESKTOP METAL, INC.
    Inventor: Konstantinos A. Fetfatsidis