Patents Examined by Nahida Sultana
  • Patent number: 11833749
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a treated object, comprising the steps of: applying a layer of particles to a target area; applying a liquid binder to a selected portion of the layer in accordance with a cross-section of the object, so that the particles in the selected portion are bonded; repeating the steps of applying a layer of particles and applying a binder for a plurality of layers so that the bonded portions of the adjacent layers are bonded to form an object, wherein at least a part of the particles comprises a meltable polymer. A binder which cures by cross-linking is preferably selected as the binder. The obtained object is at least partially contacted with a liquid heated to ?T or with a powder bed heated to ?T in order to obtain the treated object. T represents a temperature of ?25° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: STRATASYS, INC.
    Inventors: Dirk Achten, Thomas Buesgen, Roland Wagner, Jonas Kuenzel, Michael Kessler, Bettina Mettmann
  • Patent number: 11830724
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide an apparatus and method for fabricating a wafer, such as a SiC wafer. The apparatus includes a support having a plurality of arms for supporting a substrate. The arms allows for physical contact between the support and the substrate to be minimized. As a result, when the substrate is melted, surface tension between the arms and molten material is reduced, and the molten material will be less likely to cling to the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Ruggero Anzalone, Nicolo' Frazzetto
  • Patent number: 11826792
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing excess material, preferably a powder, from a cavity of a component, wherein the apparatus includes: a platform for retaining the component, preferably an additively manufactured component, a drive mechanism being coupled to the platform, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to rotate the component being retained by the platform independently around two orthogonal spatial directions and each with an unlimited angular deflection, an actuator for mechanically actuating the platform during a removal of the excess material, and a housing, defining a working space in which the excess material can be removed from the cavity, wherein the housing seals the working space against an environment, and wherein any electrical components for the drive mechanism are arranged out of the working space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Yaroslav Lebed
  • Patent number: 11826954
    Abstract: Methods of in-situ additively manufacturing (AM) a part include placing a blank of a decorative material onto a platform and applying an AM material onto the blank such that the blank and the AM material simultaneously contour to a shape of the platform to form the part. The AM material may be applied onto the part by an extrusion process. The blank and the AM material may be under vacuum. The blank and/or the AM material may be directly or indirectly heated while the AM material is applied onto the blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert D. Bedard, Matthew Cassoli, Jeffery N. Conley, Giuseppe Domenic Lacaria
  • Patent number: 11820047
    Abstract: The invention relates to an additive manufacturing method in which a component (10, 42, 43, 44, 45) is produced in layers using an energy beam (8, 41, 58) which solidifies a starting material (4) and is irradiated by energy beam irradiating means (9, 22, 31, 38, 39, 55, 59, 61) while the starting material (4) is held by a base surface (3, 15, 30, 36, 52) arranged on a base element (2, 16, 29, 35, 51). While the starting material (4) is being irradiated with the energy beam (8, 41, 58), the base element (2, 16, 29, 35, 51) is moved by a rotational component which has a base element rotational axis, wherein the starting material (4) is held on the base surface (3, 15, 30, 36, 52) by a centrifugal acceleration generated by the rotational component. The invention is characterized in that a rotational movement is produced for at least some of the energy beam irradiating means (9, 22, 31, 38, 39, 55, 59, 61).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Inventors: Henning Janssen, Florian Schmidt, Christian Brecher, Daniel Zontar
  • Patent number: 11820079
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a stereolithography apparatus for generating a three-dimensional object, comprising: an optical unit for projecting an image towards the photocurable substance for hardening the photocurable substance deposited in the focus layer; a control unit, characterized by further comprising: a detection unit which comprises: a detection means movably arranged in a detection region for detecting during the generation process or in a generation-pause the image projected by the optical unit and for outputting a detection signal; and a first driving means for moving the detection means into or out of the detection region, wherein the optical unit comprises: a second driving means linked to the optical unit for moving the focus layer into or out of the detection region, wherein the control unit adjusts the optical unit and/or modifies the image to be projected based on the signal indicative of the detected image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: DENTSPLY SIRONA INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Michalica, Christian Schmidt, Franz Basler
  • Patent number: 11813585
    Abstract: A wet granulator includes a material cylinder. A cylinder cover is rotatably arranged at an opening of the material cylinder, and a locking member is arranged on the cylinder cover. The locking member includes a locking housing, and the locking housing is provided with a first through groove. A locking pin slides in the first through groove, and the locking pin includes a middle rod and a contacting rod. A first end of the contacting rod is connected to a first end of the middle rod to form a contacting platform, and a second end of the contacting rod extends out of the first through groove. The first end of the middle rod is arranged in the first through groove, and a second end of the middle rod extends out of the first through groove. The second end of the middle rod is provided with a pin head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG CANAAN TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Zheng Fang, Lei Zhang, Pengsheng Lian, Wutong Wu, Huafeng Dai
  • Patent number: 11813791
    Abstract: A method of producing a workpiece includes obtaining CAD data representing the workpiece in multiple workpiece layers. The CAD data includes multiple workpiece layer definitions corresponding respectively to the workpiece layers. The method includes selecting a first workpiece layer definition, preparing a powder bed of powder material on a build platform, and producing, based on the selected workpiece layer definition, a workpiece layer on the build platform by controlling a layer tool to selectively melt or sinter the powder material on the build platform. The method includes assessing the produced workpiece layer, including measuring the produced workpiece layer using a measuring head, analyzing the measurements of the produced workpiece layer, and, in response to the analysis indicating that the produced workpiece layer is defective, reprocessing the produced workpiece layer by controlling the layer tool to selectively melt or sinter the powder material on the build platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignees: Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH, Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology, LLC
    Inventors: Marcin B. Bauza, Tobias Held, Richard H. Knebel, Thomas Engel, Nils Haverkamp, Rainer Sagemueller, Dominik Seitz
  • Patent number: 11814539
    Abstract: A cross-linkable powder for use in a selective laser sintering (SLS) process for additive manufacturing is disclosed as well as a novel manufacturing process to form a 3D object using said cross-linkable powder. The manufacturing process makes it possible to create interlayer covalent bondings between deposited layers of cross-linkable powder such that 3D printed objects are achieved having improved mechanical strength, less object deformation and/or no warping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: HUNTSMAN INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventors: Hugo Verbeke, Bram Vanroy, David Briers
  • Patent number: 11806893
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing at least one monolithic inorganic porous support (1) having a porosity comprised between 10% and 60% and an average pore diameter ranging from 0.5 ?m to 50 ?m, using a 3D printer type machine (I) to build, in accordance with a 3D digital model, a manipulable three-dimensional raw structure (2) intended to form, after sintering, the monolithic inorganic porous support(s) (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: TECHNOLOGIES AVANCEES ET MEMBRANES INDUSTRIELLES
    Inventors: Philippe Lescoche, Jérôme Anquetil
  • Patent number: 11802203
    Abstract: Porous and microporous parts prepared by additive manufacturing as disclosed herein are useful in medical and non-medical applications. The parts are prepared from a composition containing both a solvent soluble component and a solvent insoluble component. After a part is printed by an additive manufacturing process it is exposed to solvent to extract solvent soluble component away from the printed part, resulting in a part having surface cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Poly-Med, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Scott Taylor, James Hyde, Brian Gaerke, Brad Johns, Michael Aaron Vaughn, Seth Dylan McCullen, David Gravett
  • Patent number: 11801642
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of determining the fill level of a resin pool in a bottom-up additive manufacturing apparatus includes the steps of: (a) providing an additive manufacturing apparatus including a build platform and a light transmissive window (12), the build platform (15) and the window (12) defining a build region therebetween, with the window (12) carrying a resin pool, the pool having a resin top surface portion; (b) advancing the build platform (15) and the window (12) towards one another until the build platform (15) contacts the resin top surface portion; (c) detecting the impact of the build platform (15) with the resin top surface portion; and (d) determining the fill level of the resin pool from the detected impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald A. Truong, Steven R. Katzman
  • Patent number: 11793659
    Abstract: This orthosis manufacturing system is designed to manufacture an orthosis to be fitted on a human body and provided with: an orthosis modeling data generation unit (2) for generating orthosis modeling data (D4) for the orthosis on the basis of three-dimensional data (D1) of the human body generated by measuring the shape of a portion of the human body to which the orthosis is to be fitted, a model shape data (D2) for the orthosis, and manufacture history data (D3) relating to other orthoses manufactured in the past; and an orthosis formation unit (3) for three-dimensionally forming the orthosis on the basis of the modeling data (D4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takashi Washizu, Yoshikazu Tanaka, Atsushi Takahashi, Takuya Ishigai
  • Patent number: 11794394
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure mixing, dosing and recirculation head for injection or casting reaction molding, said high-pressure mixing, dosing and recirculation head comprising a head body, a mixing chamber, obtained in the head body wherein a valve element or mixing valve slides and in fluid communication with a supply duct, and a self-cleaning element comprising a scraping portion, said self-cleaning element being structured to slide in said supply duct, as well as comprising an apparatus for controlling and commanding mixing, supply and recirculation comprising a plurality of sensors and transducers mounted on board of the head body and of the components parts of the head connected thereto to detect and transform representative physical quantities of at least one operational status of said high-pressure mixing, dosing and recirculation head into electrical signals and an electronic control and storing system adapted to synchronously control and scan said sensors and transducers and adapted to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Afros S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marco Volpato, Maurizio Corti
  • Patent number: 11789181
    Abstract: Improved methods and apparatus for additive manufacture of an article with surface qualities conducive to use as an optical element, such as a contact lens. The improvements are directed to repeated application of a monomer according to a pattern of energy transmissibility, such as gray scale image. The method includes intermittent pinning of deposited polymerizable mixture and final cure of the deposited polymerizable mixture. A pattern of multiple defined areas may be manufactured, with each area representing an amount of energy transmissibility associated with that area. Each area may have a light value based upon a scale, such as an 8 bit, 16 bit, 32 bit, 64 bit scale or other scale. In some embodiments, each area may refer to a smallest single component of a digital image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Atheneum Optical Sciences, LLC
    Inventors: W. Anthony Martin, Ganesh Narayanan Kumar, Randall Pugh
  • Patent number: 11787116
    Abstract: An infrared radiation deflector (100) for an elongate infrared lamp (110), the radiation deflector (100) comprising opposing first and second elongate side walls (130_1, 130_2); at least one end support (170) connecting the ends of the side walls (130_1, 130_2); an upper opening (140) and a lower opening (150) arranged to pass lamp radiation to an exterior of the radiation deflector (100); and a mounting point (172) provided at the/each end support (170) for mounting the infrared lamp (110) and defining between them a lamp axis location (114); wherein the first and second elongate side walls (130_1, 130_2) comprise a first elongate mirror (130_1) and a second elongate mirror (130_2) extending parallel to the lamp axis location (114) and along at least a lower internal portion of the respective first and second side walls (130_1, 130_2); wherein the lamp axis location (114) extends along and between the first mirror (130_1) and the second mirror (130_2), the first and second mirror (130_1, 130_2) each having a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Stratasys Powder Production Ltd.
    Inventors: Gianluca Dorini, Anders Hartmann, Marcel Garrido Barrabes, Steffen Kongensbjerg Larsen
  • Patent number: 11787109
    Abstract: The present invention relates to 3-D structures having high temperature stability and improved micro-porosity as well as processes of making and using same. The disclosed 3-D are advantageous because they have low densities and low permittivities. When compared to previous 3-D structures, the present structures maintain their low permittivities over a broader range of electromagnetic frequencies. Thus, when used in communication devices such as array antennas, can provided higher communication performance in high temperature environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Hsiang H. Liu, James O. Hardin, IV, John D. Berrigan
  • Patent number: 11787111
    Abstract: Provided is a three-dimensional shaping apparatus comprising a nozzle having a discharge port through which a shaping material is discharged, and a flow rate regulation mechanism that includes a butterfly valve provided in a flow path upstream of the discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Inventors: Koichi Saito, Kohei Yuwaki, Shunsuke Mizukami, Kazuhide Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11780956
    Abstract: A build material for additive manufacturing applications is disclosed. The build material includes a build composition in powder form. The build composition includes a semi-crystalline polymer having a glass transition temperature of at least 60° C. as measured by DSC and a minimum crystallization half-time of greater than 100 minutes as measured by SALS. A semi-crystalline polymer useful in additive manufacturing applications, an additive manufacturing method for producing a three-dimensional object and an additive-manufactured polymer article are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Amit Vasant Desai, Andrew Thomas Detwiler, Steven Frederick Wright, Everett B. Shepard
  • Patent number: 11780163
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system is capable of extruding poly-fiber strand having a fiber core coated with a polymer with a high range of flexibility in positioning and orienting extruded fibers. Extruded fibers may be laid in a single direction, or may curve or turn to be laid in multiple directions. Structures of devices and components may be created using interconnected extruded strands having interstitial spaces between and around the strands. This structure may be infused with resin or polymer using a pressure or vacuum based infusion system. In this manner, durable polymeric objects can be created without requiring expensive molds. Other techniques are also possible, including varying the types of strands used in an object to create areas of the object that will preferentially twist or flex in certain ways or directions, as well as producing objects with zones having different types of resin or no resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Kevin L. Houser, Peyton L. Hopson, Vincent H. Barre