Patents Examined by Xue H Liu
  • Method for producing a three-dimensional component
    Patent number: 11247400
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional component 14 by means of an additive construction method in which the component 14 is constructed by solidifying construction material 9 that can be solidified using radiation 18, especially a selective laser melting method or a selective laser sintering method, in which the component 14 is produced by successively solidifying construction material 9 that can be solidified using the impact of radiation 18 by melting or sintering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: CONCEPT LASER GMBH
    Inventor: Frank Herzog
  • Method of manufacturing laminar object and active energy ray curable ink
    Patent number: 11241821
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a laminar object includes discharging an active energy ray curable ink A, irradiating the active energy ray curable ink A with active energy rays, discharging an active energy ray curable ink B, and irradiating the active energy ray curable ink B with the active energy rays, wherein the amount of the active energy rays per pass is greater in the irradiating of the active energy ray curable ink A than that in the irradiating of the active energy ray curable ink B, wherein a surface roughness Sq1 of solid printed matter having a thickness of 40 ?m obtained in the discharging and the irradiating of the active energy ray curable ink A is 1.5 times or more than a surface roughness Sq2 of solid printed matter having a thickness of 40 ?m obtained in the discharging and irradiating of the active energy ray curable ink B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Manabu Arita, Mie Yoshino
  • Process and device for producing molded foam
    Patent number: 11241816
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a foam-molded product, including a plasticizing cylinder which has a plasticization zone for plasticizing and melting a thermoplastic resin into a molten resin and a starvation zone for allowing the molten resin to be in a starved state and which is formed with an introducing port for introducing a physical foaming agent into the starvation zone; and a physical foaming agent supply mechanism which supplies the physical foaming agent to the plasticizing cylinder via the introducing port, wherein the introducing port is open at all times, and the physical foaming agent having a fixed pressure is continuously introduced into the starvation zone from the physical foaming agent supply mechanism via the introducing port during the producing of the foam-molded product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Yusa, Satoshi Yamamoto, Hideto Goto
  • Methods of separating carbon fiber tows
    Patent number: 11220025
    Abstract: A method of separating carbon fiber tows. The method includes separating two or more first carbon fiber tows from a first tow band onto a second elevation to form two or more second carbon fiber tows from a second tow band. The two or more second carbon fiber tows from the second tow band leave gaps next to first adjacent tows of the two or more first carbon fiber tows remaining from the first tow band after the separating step. The first adjacent tows from the first tow band leave gaps next to second adjacent tows of the two or more second carbon fiber tows from the second tow band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Aerlyte, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Johnston, VII
  • Process of debundling carbon fiber tow and molding compositions containing such fibers
    Patent number: 11214894
    Abstract: A process for debundling a carbon fiber tow into dispersed chopped carbon fibers suitable for usage in molding composition formulations is provided. A carbon fiber tow is fed into a die having fluid flow openings, through which a fluid impinges upon the side of the tow to expand the tow cross sectional area. The expanded cross sectional area tow extends from the die into the path of a conventional fiber chopping apparatus to form chopped carbon fibers, or through contacting tines of a mechanical debundler. Through adjustment of the relative position of fluid flow openings relative to a die bore through which fiber tow passes, the nature of the fluid impinging on the tow, the shape of the bore, in combinations thereof, an improved chopped carbon fiber dispersion is achieved. The chopped carbon fiber obtained is then available to be dispersed in molding composition formulations prior to formulation cure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL STRUCTURAL PLASTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Probir Kumar Guha, Michael J. Siwajek, Michael J. Hiltunen, Shane Skop, Christopher Hiltunen, Patrick Hale
  • Surface projection tool for multi-axis additive manufacturing
    Patent number: 11214005
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices including a light guide tool for multi-axis additive manufacturing. The light guide tool includes a tubular light guide. The tubular light guide may be made from an optically transmissive material enclosed by one or more reflective side walls that are interposed between opposing optically transmissive ends. The light guide tool includes an optical coupling fixed to a first end of the optically transmissive ends of the tubular light guide. The optical coupling is configured to couple to a lens. The light guide tool includes a transparent non-stick coating. The transparent non-stick coating is adhered over a second end of the optically transmissive ends of the tubular light guide. The light guide tool includes a lens. The lens is coupled to the optical coupling and configured to emit a two-dimensional light pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Yong Chen, Xiangjia Li
  • Method for non-penetration joining of members and non-penetration joining structure
    Patent number: 11207802
    Abstract: There is provided a method for non-penetration joining of members. The method includes: keeping a joining member having a protruding part by a receiving mold so that the protruding part is exposed; placing a joined member over the joining member so that the protruding part of the joining member is positioned in a blind hole of the joined member, and compressing the joined member against the receiving mold to plastically deform the joined member and the joining member at the same time and to wrap excess thickness of the joined member around an undercut part while forming the undercut part on the joining member, thereby non-detachably joining both the members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: NITTO SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kozi Yamamoto, Hidetaka Rokudo
  • Trim part for a motor vehicle, as well as method and device for its manufacture
    Patent number: 11207819
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a trim part for a motor vehicle that comprises: a carrier; and a decorative material applied onto an upper surface of the carrier, wherein the decorative material comprises a printed thermoplastic film; and wherein the trim part is shaped by a deep-drawing process and a grain or impression is produced on the visible side of the film, which faces away from the carrier, by the deep-drawing process. A method and a device for manufacturing the trim part is also proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: AURIA SOLUTIONS UK I LTD
    Inventors: Eugen Schimmelpfennig, Sascha Rauch, Georg Prahst, Manfred Hoffmann
  • Method of chemical vapor infiltration or deposition
    Patent number: 11198934
    Abstract: A method of chemical vapor infiltration or deposition includes forming silicon carbide in pores of a porous substrate or on a surface of a substrate, the substrate being placed in a reaction enclosure, the silicon carbide being formed from a gas phase introduced into the reaction enclosure, the gas phase including a reagent compound that is a precursor of silicon carbide and that has the following formula in which n is an integer equal to 0 or 1; m is an integer lying in the range 1 to 3; p is an integer lying in the range 0 to 2 with m+p=3; and R designates —H or —CH3; a ratio C/Si between the number of carbon atoms and the number of silicon atoms in the introduced gas phase lying in the range 2 to 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN CERAMICS
    Inventors: Stéphane Goujard, Adrien Delcamp, Cédric Descamps
  • Enhanced powder flow and melt flow of polymers for additive manufacturing applications
    Patent number: 11186717
    Abstract: Provided are thermoplastic-nanoparticle compositions that exhibit enhanced powder and melt flow. The disclosed compositions, comprising nanoparticles being silylated, have particular application in additive manufacturing processes, such as selective laser sintering and other processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: SHPP GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Chiel Albertus Leenders, Samuel Ijsselmuiden, Johannes Gerardus Petrus Goossens, Bruke Jofore, Hao Gu
  • Facile methods for fabricating a uniformly patterned and porous nanofibrous scaffold
    Patent number: 11168412
    Abstract: This invention describes a modified electrospinning method for making uniformly patterned and porous nanofibrous scaffolds that can be utilized in a variety of applications. While traditional electrospinning method uses a foil collector that generates compact layers of nanofibrous structures, resulting on the superficial cell growth and differentiation, the present method comprises adopting additional patterned film(s) on top of the conventional collector to make a patterned porous structure of nanofibrous scaffolds that are capable of supporting cell growth. For example, the method uses a double layered collector composed of a water soluble stabilizer film mounted on a foil to make a uniformly patterned and porous nanofibrous membrane sheets, which enhance both cell growth and attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Inventors: Dong Jin Lim, Jeremy Vines
  • Solid freeform fabrication using a plurality of modeling materials
    Patent number: 11161308
    Abstract: A system and methods for solid freeform fabrication of an object is disclosed. The system comprises a solid freeform fabrication apparatus having a plurality of dispensing heads, a building material supply apparatus configured to supply a plurality of building materials to the fabrication apparatus, and a control unit configured for controlling the fabrication apparatus and the supply apparatus based on an operation mode selected from a plurality of predetermined operation modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Stratasys Ltd.
    Inventors: Moshe Levi, Guy Menchik, Eduardo Napadensky
  • Method of manufacturing prosthetic socket interface
    Patent number: 11151291
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an interface for a body part having an underlying skeletal structure surrounded by soft tissue is described. The method comprises reducing a radial dimension of a positive or negative model of the body part at a plurality of compression areas. The plurality of compression areas are spaced circumferentially around a long axis of the model to create a compression pattern. Each compression area is longitudinal-shaped and extends along a long axis of the model. An interface that mates with the compression pattern of the model is fabricated. The compression pattern of the interface is sized and dimensioned to compress soft tissue of the body part against the skeletal structure such that motion of the skeletal structure towards a wall of the interface is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventor: Randall D. Alley
  • 3D printing ink containing a cyclopolymerizable monomer
    Patent number: 11142660
    Abstract: In one aspect, inks for use with a three-dimensional (3D) printing system are described herein. In some embodiments, an ink described herein comprise 10-70 wt. % or 20-40 wt. % of a cyclopolymerizable monomer, based on the total weight of the ink. The cyclopolymerizable monomer comprises an acrylate moiety and an ethenyl or ethynyl moiety, and the ?-carbon of the acrylate moiety and the ?-carbon of the ethenyl or ethynyl moiety may have a 1,5-, 1,6-, 1,7-, or 1,8-relationship. Additionally, an ink described herein can have a viscosity of 1600 centipoise (cP) or less at 30° C., or of 500 cP or less at 30° C. and can be used to print a desired 3D article having mechanical properties similar to those of articles formed from thermoplastic materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: 3D SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Pingyong Xu, John Fong
  • Manufacturing method for a building system in regards to structural and environmental factors
    Patent number: 11141881
    Abstract: A method for designing and manufacturing a building system in regards to environmental factors including, acquiring a visual image for determining topographic characteristics of a surface, generating a set of architectural geometries in a computing system, creating design models representing an architectural design of the building system, geometric comparison and evaluation of the topographic characteristics with the architectural geometries, selecting a design model for manufacturing the building system, manufacturing a plurality of interlockable building bricks, obtaining a plurality of interlockable modular structure by combining the interlockable building bricks, each of said bricks having a shell portion formed on the inner core of the interlockable building bricks so that the modular structure has common outer surface formed from said shell portion of each brick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: OZYEGIN UNIVERSITESI
    Inventor: Sevil Yazici
  • Repair of refillable or reusable polymer-based packaging
    Patent number: 11141939
    Abstract: This disclosure provides economical and effective methods and apparatus for repairing scratches and scuffs on refillable bottle surfaces that minimally contaminates the bottle during the refurbishing process. In one aspect, the method comprises the steps of: a) adding at least one fluid into the polymeric packaging material such as a bottle to form at least a partially filled packaging material; and b) applying at least one heat source to an exterior surface of the at least partially filled packaging material to form a repaired polymeric packaging material. Apparatus and recycling systems that incorporate this method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: THE COCA-COLA COMPANY
    Inventors: Ronald D. Moffitt, Yu Shi, Xiaoyan Huang
  • Expandable aerial vehicle components
    Patent number: 11135748
    Abstract: Expandable components for aerial vehicles may include an outer structure formed of carbon fiber, an adhesive bladder disposed within the outer structure, and expanding foam materials inserted into the adhesive bladder. The expandable components may be configured to transform from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration upon application of heat and/or pressure. For example, in the compressed configuration, the outer structure, adhesive bladder, and expanding foam materials may be folded, rolled, or compressed for storage or transport. In the expanded configuration, the expanding foam materials may expand and cure within the adhesive bladder, the adhesive bladder may expand, bond, and cure inside the outer structure, and the outer structure may expand and cure to a desired shape or size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven McGinnis, Adrian Timothy Wallace
  • Stent having adjacent elements connected by narrow flexible webs
    Patent number: 11129736
    Abstract: A stent and method of making incorporating flexible, preferably polymeric, connecting elements into the stent wherein these elements connect element(s) across an intervening space. The polymeric connecting elements are designed to fold within the space between the outer diameter of the stent and the inner diameter of the stent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan D. Kariniemi, Jeffrey J. Kustusch, Mark J. Ulm
  • Process and systems for molding thermosetting plastics
    Patent number: 11116611
    Abstract: Process and systems for molding or forming products from thermosetting plastics. The system utilizes a deformable container that is placed within the cavity of the housing of the mold with the resins and initiator mixed therein. As a piston slides into the cavity, the upper edges of the container engage between the housing and the piston to seal the housing form leakage. The pressure of the piston along with heat on the housing enable the curing process to be controlled to minimize shrinkage and porosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Global Dental Science, LLC
    Inventor: Timothy Thompson
  • Systems for manufacturing a particulate-binder composite article
    Patent number: 11117295
    Abstract: A system for manufacturing a particulate-binder composite article including a mold defining a mold cavity, a first opening into the mold cavity, and a second opening into the mold cavity, a mass of a particulate material received in the mold cavity, a binder source in selective fluid communication with the mold cavity by way of the first opening, the binder source including a binder material, a first filter disposed across the first opening, the first filter being permeable to the binder material and substantially impermeable to the particulate material, and a second filter disposed across the second opening, the second filter being permeable to air and substantially impermeable to the particulate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Karl R. Bernetich, Robert R. Ignatuk, James W. Kohlbrenner