Patents Examined by Timothy Kennedy
  • Patent number: 12208577
    Abstract: A system includes a partial enclosure configured to hold resin. The system further includes one or more structures configured to at least partially cover the resin. The one or more structures are configured to prevent evaporation of the resin. The system further includes a build platform configured to support an object that is being formed from layers of the resin. A first blade is configured to provide the layers of the resin to form the object on the build platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Viswanath Meenakshisundaram, Peter Dorfinger, Umesh Upendra Choudhary, Michael Christopher Cole
  • Patent number: 12208578
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments relate to recoater systems for use with additive manufacturing systems. A recoater assembly may be adjustable along multiple degrees of freedom relative to a build surface, which may allow for adjustment of a spacing between the recoater assembly and the build surface and/or an orientation of the recoater assembly relative to an orientation of the build surface. In some embodiments, the recoater assembly may be supported by four support columns extending above the build surface, and attachments between the recoater assembly and the support columns may be independently adjustable to adjust the recoater relative to the build surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: VulcanForms Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew Sweetland
  • Patent number: 12202247
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing on an article are disclosed. An embodiment of a method may include the generation of a virtual mask that can designate areas for printing and/or designate areas to exclude from printing. A method may include utilization of the virtual mask during either 2D or 3D printing such that a print design is printed in areas designated for printing by the virtual mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Todd W. Miller
  • Patent number: 12202177
    Abstract: A molding apparatus includes a movable molding surface with molding cavities, a pressure shoe with a stationary outer surface that defines in cooperation with the molding surface a pressure zone, and a resin source configured to introduce molten resin into the pressure zone to be forced into the molding cavities by pressure in the pressure zone. The molding surface is movable with respect to the pressure shoe to introduce molding cavities to the pressure zone to be filled with resin while the outer surface of the pressure shoe and the molding surface define in between an entrance gap of decreasing width upstream of the pressure zone. The outer surface of the pressure shoe is spaced from the molding surface in the pressure zone to define a minimum gap at which the outer surface of the pressure shoe has a slope parallel to the molding surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Velcro IP Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Gregory K. Kopanski, Stephen R. Arata, Charles S. White
  • Patent number: 12193899
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a ceramic molding, comprising the following steps: a) providing three or more ceramic powder layers that are arranged in layers, one on top of the other, to form a compression-molded element and sintering the compression-molded element obtained in step b) to form a ceramic molding, characterized in that the ceramic powder layers have different compositions, each ceramic powder layer comprising a mixture of at least two different base powders and each base powder containing at least 80 wt. % ZrO2 and at least 0.02 wt. % Al2O3, each weight amount being relative to the total weight of the constituents of the base powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Vita Zahnfabrik H. Rauter GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Gödiker, Eva Kolb, Christian Strasser
  • Patent number: 12194702
    Abstract: In a rubber temperature measuring device, a temperature sensor and a biasing member are disposed in an installation hole formed in a molding surface of a mold. The temperature sensor is biased by the biasing member and a temperature detecting unit at a tip end projects from the molding surface and is not in contact with the mold. The mold is closed and vulcanized in a state in which a green tire making contact with the temperature detecting unit presses the temperature sensor against biasing force of the biasing member and an opening portion of the installation hole is blocked by the temperature detecting unit. Temperature data detected by the temperature detecting unit is input to a control unit disposed outside the mold through a communication line extending in a communicating hole communicating with the installation hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Yukihisa Takahashi
  • Patent number: 12194670
    Abstract: A method for forming an article includes providing a sheet of material, optionally conditioning the sheet with a surface of a roller, forming the sheet to provide a web, and separating an article from the web to provide the article. An apparatus adapted to form the article from a sheet is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Berry Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Eickhoff, Ryan Dewig, Jeffrey A. Mann, Roy E. Ackerman, Dan Eichelberger, Holden W. Barnes, Zachary L. Baughman, Kody A. Chapman, Daniel O. Davis
  • Patent number: 12187004
    Abstract: A tooling assembly, including an elongated ceramic member having a distal end and an oppositely disposed proximal end, a plurality of spaced protuberances extending from the elongated proximal end, at least one groove formed in the proximal end, and an elongated polymer member enveloping the distal end. The overlap of the elongated polymer member and the elongated ceramic member defines a joint. The joint has a tensile strength of at least 11121 Newtons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Inventor: Thomas Blaszczykiewicz
  • Patent number: 12186976
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes multi-fluid kits for three-dimensional printing, three-dimensional printing kits, and methods of making three-dimensional printed objects. In one example, a multi-fluid kit for three-dimensional printing can include a fusing agent and a tinted anti-coalescing agent. The fusing agent can include water and an electromagnetic radiation absorber that absorbs radiation energy and converts the radiation energy to heat. The tinted anti-coalescing agent can include an aqueous liquid vehicle, a colored dye dissolved in the aqueous liquid vehicle, and an organosilane. The organosilane can have a central silicon atom covalently coupled to multiple hydrolysable groups and to an organic group by covalent bonding to a carbon atom in the organic group, wherein the organic group is not susceptible to hydrolysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Graciela Emma Negri Jimenez, Emre Hiro Discekici, Shannon Reuben Woodruff, Jacob Wright
  • Patent number: 12181325
    Abstract: A device for capacitively measuring a powder fill level in a filling apparatus for a rotary press where the fill apparatus comprises a filling pipe. The device comprises a first measuring electrode positioned on the filling pipe and a reference electrode. A first electrical capacitor is configured to be formed by the reference electrode and the first measuring electrode, wherein an electrical field is configured to be formed between the first measuring electrode and the reference electrode. The first measuring electrode is covered by an electrically conductive protective shielding on a side facing away from the filling pipe and the electrically conductive protective shielding is at a ground potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: FETTE COMPACTING GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Evers, Nicolas Walter, Sven Kolbe
  • Patent number: 12179427
    Abstract: An improved additive fabrication device and a build platform are provided. The additive fabrication device is configured to form layers of material on a build surface. The additive fabrication device comprising: a build platform comprising: a rigid structure; an actuation structure attached to the rigid structure, wherein the actuation structure comprises one or more sheet handles and a flexible sheet, and wherein a first surface of the flexible sheet forms a build surface on which the additive fabrication device is configured to form layers of materials; and the one or more sheet handles are configured to be actuated to apply a force to the flexible sheet while at least a part of the actuation structure remains attached to the rigid structure, to deform at least a part of the flexible sheet away from the rigid structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Formlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Frykman, Mark J. Ripoll, Lawrence Cheung, Nathan Jeffery, Yoav Reches, Derek J. Vilim
  • Patent number: 12172372
    Abstract: The invention describes a laser printing system (100) for illuminating an object moving relative to a laser module of the laser printing system (100) in a working plane (180), the laser module comprising at least two laser arrays of semiconductor lasers and at least one optical element, wherein the optical element is adapted to image laser light emitted by the laser arrays, such that laser light of semiconductor lasers of one laser array is imaged to one pixel in the working plane of the laser printing system, and wherein the laser printing system is a 3D printing system for additive manufacturing and wherein two, three, four or a multitude of laser modules (201, 202) are provided, which are arranged in columns (c1, c2) perpendicular to a direction of movement (250) of the object in the working plane (180), and wherein the columns are staggered with respect to each other such that a first laser module (201) of a first column of laser modules (c1) is adapted to illuminate a first area (y1) of the object and a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
    Inventors: Thomas Mattes, Stefan Paternoster, Gerd Cantzler, Jochen Philippi, Stephan Gronenborn, Gero Heusler, Holger Moench, Ralf Conrads
  • Patent number: 12172344
    Abstract: A stamp replication device for producing stamps for the production of at least one of microstructured and nanostructured components has a platform, a cover that is positionable on the platform and a holding device for a stamp carrier, wherein the holding device is provided on the cover or on the platform and includes a carrier as well as a microstructured vacuum surface on the carrier for holding the stamp carrier. In addition, a method for producing a holding device for a stamp replication device as well as a method for producing a stamp are specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: SUSS MICROTEC LITHOGRAPHY GMBH
    Inventors: Uwe Vogler, Fabian Kloiber, Georg Fink, Christian May, Ghazahleh Jalali
  • Patent number: 12173111
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an additive manufacturing process using a composition comprising the reaction product of a polyester polyol and a compound comprising at least one functional group that can react with a hydroxyl-group of the polyester polyol and at least one further functional group, selected from acrylate-or methacrylate-group, wherein the polyester polyol is based on at least one organic acid comprising at least two carboxyl groups or its anhydride and at least one polyol comprising at least two hydroxy-groups, wherein the reaction product has a glass transition temperature Tg of below 23° C., wherein the composition optionally further comprises a photoinitiator, as a photopolymerizable material in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Evonik Operations GmbH
    Inventors: David Bléger, Peter Altenbuchner, Emmanouil Spyrou, Thomas Pastor, Marie-Theres Wilkes, Odo Wunnicke, Benjamin Willy, Maik Dimmerling, Kim Bühning, Christiane Zatocil, Elke Gollan
  • Patent number: 12168312
    Abstract: Disclosed is an arrangement for granulating polymer material, having a housing with a gas supply line, connected opposite the latter to the housing, having a rectangular cross-section, a granulating unit located at least partially in the housing and having a perforated plate of a feed or plasticising unit feeding into the housing, and a scraper which crushes or separates the material emerging through the recesses of the perforated plate, wherein in a plane running parallel to the plane of the perforated plate, the two lateral wall surfaces of the gas discharge line perpendicular to this plane include an angle ?2 with one another, and the two lateral wall surfaces of the gas supply line perpendicular to this plane include an angle ?1, wherein the two angles ?1, ?2 open towards the housing and wherein the angle ?1 is greater than the angle ?2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen Gesellschaft M.B.H.
    Inventors: Michael Aigner, Christian Wagner, Roland Huber, Klaus Feichtinger
  • Patent number: 12169358
    Abstract: A template and a template blank are used for imprint lithography transferring a transfer pattern in a concave and convex structure to a resin on a transfer substrate, in which a first step structure is formed on a main surface of a base, a second step structure is formed on the first step structure, and an outside region of the second step structure on an upper surface of the first step structure is covered with a light shielding film to solve the above problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takaharu Nagai, Katsutoshi Suzuki, Koji Ichimura, Kouji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 12162218
    Abstract: A modular and expandable 3D printer frame includes frame members to be coupled together to form a base defining an inner area. Each frame member includes at least one coupling member to removably couple the frame member to another of the frame members. The printer frame further includes first modular plates to be disposed within the inner area, and second modular plates to be disposed within the inner area and removably coupled to the first modular plates. The first and second modular plates, when coupled together, define a printer footprint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE NEVADA SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS
    Inventors: Kwang J. Kim, Alexandrea Washington, Emma Chao, Justin Neubauer, Sophia Leon, Zachary Frank, Zakai Olsen
  • Patent number: 12157167
    Abstract: A powder bed fusion system is provided. The system comprises a build area with a movable build plate. Two powder overflow and extraction (POE) chambers flank the build area on opposite sides. Two dispensing chambers flank the POE chambers, opposite the build area. Two reservoir chambers flank the dispensing chambers, opposite the POE chambers. A recoater device is configured to move build material from the dispensing chambers or reservoir chambers to the build area. An energy source is configured to generate an energy beam. An energy beam positioning device is configured to selectively direct the energy beam within the build area. A controller is programmed to control, according to a 3D model of a part, the energy source, energy beam positioning device, recoater device, build plate, and vertically movable plates within the POE chambers, dispensing chambers, and reservoir chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Inventors: Jonathan Slager, Joshua Green
  • Patent number: 12157256
    Abstract: A powder injection molding apparatus including an injection unit, mold formed of two mold parts with parting surface between first and second mold part, enclosing in assembled state of mold a mold cavity fluidically connected with injection unit via transfer channel, vibrational energy generator and transducer, and clamping unit designed to retain under the effect of clamping force first and second mold parts in contact with each other. Apparatus is characterized in that first and second mold parts include a first and second retaining hole, respectively, each extending essentially perpendicularly to parting surface and arranged opposite to each other respective to parting surface, clamping unit includes first and second pin each extending essentially perpendicularly to parting surface, wherein first and second pins cooperate in assembled state of mold with retaining portion of first and second retaining holes, respectively, to retain first and second mold parts in contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: STRAUMANN HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Gabriele Bordoli, Bruno Buergisser, Marc Stephan, Stephane Courvoisier
  • Patent number: 12151442
    Abstract: The methods and apparatus disclosed in this document may be used to create parts with void features such as holes, cavities, channels, slots, and the like. In some embodiments, the void features have a large depth to width aspect ratio. In some embodiments, the void features are formed in pliable, resilient and/or elastomeric materials. In some embodiments, the void features are formed in parts comprising silicone elastomer or silicone rubber. The void features may be adapted and configured for use in medical applications, aerospace applications, electrical applications, and/or industrial applications in some embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: Ingenarious Consultants LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Schieber, Randall Takahashi, Rem Roeun