Patents by Inventor Alan SCHMIDT
Alan SCHMIDT has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6997232Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a three-dimensional object includes the steps of forming a mixture that contains a binder and a least one of aluminum or a first aluminum-base alloy into a green composite, removing the binder from said green composite, forming a porous preform structure, reacting the aluminum or first aluminum base alloy with nitrogen to form a rigid skeleton and infiltrating the porous structure with molten aluminum or second aluminum base alloy to form the three-dimensional object with near theoretical density. The green composite may be formed by an additive process such as computer aided rapid prototyping, for example selective laser sintering. The method facilitates the rapid manufacture of aluminum components by an inexpensive technique that provides high dimensional stability and high density.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2004Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: University of QueenslandInventors: Timothy Barry Sercombe, Kris Alan Schmidt, Graham Barry Shaffer, Kenneth J. Newell
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Patent number: 6916441Abstract: A method for removing supports from a three-dimensional object formed by solid freeform fabrication. The three-dimensional object and support structure both contain a phase change component in order to achieve the desired phase change characteristics needed for dispensing the material. The method prevents the phase change material within the three-dimensional object from migrating within the object during post processing to remove the support structure.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2002Date of Patent: July 12, 2005Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth J. Newell, Kris Alan Schmidt, Michael Thomas Sherwood
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Patent number: 6841589Abstract: A UV curable composition useful for three-dimensional inkjet printing comprising (i) at least one UV curable urethane (meth)acrylate resin; (ii) at least one wax; (iii) at least one (meth)acrylate diluent; (iv) at least one photoinitiator; and (v) at least one polymerization inhibitor; wherein the amount of wax (ii) is sufficient to phase change the UV curable composition after jetting.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2001Date of Patent: January 11, 2005Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.Inventors: Kris Alan Schmidt, Vu A. Doan, Pingyong Xu, John S. Stockwell, Susan Kay Holden
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Patent number: 6841116Abstract: A selective deposition modeling method and apparatus for dispensing a curable phase change material. The dispensing temperature of the material is set at or less than a thermally stable temperature value for the material in which the reactive component of the material remains substantially uncured when held at the temperature for a desired time period. The dispensed material is provided with an environment that enables the material to solidify to form layers of the object. The solidified material is normalized to a desired layer thickness and is then cured by exposure to actinic radiation. In a preferred embodiment a UV curable phase change material is dispensed at about 80° C. and has a viscosity of about 13 to about 14 centipoise at this temperature. The cured material provides substantially increased physical properties over thermoplastic phase change materials previously used in selective deposition modeling.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2001Date of Patent: January 11, 2005Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.Inventor: Kris Alan Schmidt
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Publication number: 20040242728Abstract: A jettable non-curable support material composition useful for three-dimensional ink jet printing comprising at least one fatty alcohol and at least one abietic rosin ester alcohol, wherein the support material has a melting point between about 50° C. to about 65° C. and a freezing point between about 45° C. to about 55° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2004Publication date: December 2, 2004Applicant: 3D Systems, Inc.Inventors: Pingyong Xu, Stephen A. Ruatta, Kris Alan Schmidt, Vu A. Doan
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Publication number: 20040226405Abstract: A powder blend for use in laser sintering and a method for forming tough, strong, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant infiltrated metal products are provided. The powder blend comprises a steel alloy, a polymeric binder and a high melting temperature fine particulate which are blended together, then applied layer by layer to a working surface in a laser sintering system, exposed a layer at a time to fuse together the powder until a green part of high strength is formed, and then the green part is infiltrated with a metal infiltrant in a non-reducing gas atmosphere at an effective temperature for an effective period of time. The preferred steel is a mild steel alloy.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2004Publication date: November 18, 2004Applicant: 3D Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brad Geving, Kris Alan Schmidt, Kenneth J. Newell
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Patent number: 6814926Abstract: A powder blend for use in laser sintering and a method for forming tough, strong, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant infiltrated metal products are provided. The powder blend comprises a steel alloy, a polymeric binder and a high melting temperature fine particulate which are blended together, then applied layer by layer to a working surface in a laser sintering system, exposed a layer at a time to fuse together the powder until a green part of high strength is formed, and then the green part is infiltrated with a metal infiltrant in a non-reducing gas atmosphere at an effective temperature for an effective period of time. The preferred steel is a mild steel alloy.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2003Date of Patent: November 9, 2004Assignee: 3D Systems Inc.Inventors: Brad Geving, Kris Alan Schmidt, Kenneth J. Newell
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Publication number: 20040182202Abstract: A powder blend for use in laser sintering and a method for forming tough, strong, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant infiltrated metal products are provided. The powder blend comprises a steel alloy, a polymeric binder and a high melting temperature fine particulate which are blended together, then applied layer by layer to a working surface in a laser sintering system, exposed a layer at a time to fuse together the powder until a green part of high strength is formed, and then the green part is infiltrated with a metal infiltrant in a non-reducing gas atmosphere at an effective temperature for an effective period of time. The preferred steel is a mild steel alloy.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2004Publication date: September 23, 2004Applicant: 3D Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brad Geving, Kris Alan Schmidt, Kenneth J. Newell
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Publication number: 20040184944Abstract: A powder blend for use in laser sintering and a method for forming tough, strong, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant infiltrated metal products are provided. The powder blend comprises a steel alloy, a polymeric binder and a high melting temperature fine particulate which are blended together, then applied layer by layer to a working surface in a laser sintering system, exposed a layer at a time to fuse together the powder until a green part of high strength is formed, and then the green part is infiltrated with a metal infiltrant in a non-reducing gas atmosphere at an effective temperature for an effective period of time. The preferred steel is a mild steel alloy.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2003Publication date: September 23, 2004Applicant: 3D Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brad Geving, Kris Alan Schmidt, Kenneth J. Newell
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Publication number: 20040173335Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a three-dimensional object includes the steps of forming a mixture that contains a binder and a least one of aluminum or a first aluminum-base alloy into a green composite, removing the binder from said green composite, forming a porous perform structure, reacting the aluminum or first aluminum base alloy with nitrogen to form a rigid and continuous skeleton and infiltrating the porous structure with molten aluminum or second aluminum base alloy to form the three-dimensional object with near theoretical density. The green composite may be formed by an additive process such as computer aided rapid prototyping, for example, selective laser sintering. The method facilitates the rapid manufacture of aluminum components by an inexpensive technique that provides high dimensional stability and high density.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2004Publication date: September 9, 2004Inventors: Graham Barry Schaffer, Timothy Barry Sercombe, Kenneth J. Newell, Kris Alan Schmidt
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Patent number: 6784225Abstract: An improved enhancer formulation for use in forming precision molded articles from a furnace process is disclosed wherein an organometallic zirconia coupling agent is used in conjunction with a polymer in solvent to inhibit the bleed-through of infiltrant metal in a finished part formed in a single-step furnace process.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2001Date of Patent: August 31, 2004Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.Inventor: Kris Alan Schmidt
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Publication number: 20040135805Abstract: A method and system for cross-organizational targeted document creation is disclosed which provides a tool for cross-organizational targeted document creation. The document composition system is implemented based on multi-layer architecture, and provides a configuration management component adapted to control user access to the available functionalities. The document composition system further comprises a collaboration support attribute and workflow functions adapted for project collaboration, and provides practical advantages such as a thin client application. The document composition system uses a platform-independent transfer mechanism and provides check image statement capabilities.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2003Publication date: July 15, 2004Inventors: Neal F. Gottsacker, Alan A. Schmidt
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Publication number: 20030115996Abstract: An apparatus and method for cutting and threading a sheet of material is described. The apparatus can facilitate the transfer of a sheet from a sheet forming machine to a processing machine, and can halt the feeding of sheet material to the processing machine. When the processing machine is ready to receive more sheet material, the apparatus cuts the sheet and feeds the newly formed sheet to the processing machine.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2001Publication date: June 26, 2003Applicant: Kimberly Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Michael Alan Schmidt, Paul Kerner Pauling, Joel Andrew Cowden
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Publication number: 20030100658Abstract: A jettable non-curable support material composition useful for three-dimensional ink jet printing comprising at least one fatty alcohol and at least one abietic rosin ester alcohol, wherein the support material has a melting point between about 50° C. to about 65° C. and a freezing point between about 45° C. to about 55° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2002Publication date: May 29, 2003Applicant: 3D Systems, Inc.Inventors: Pingyong Xu, Stephen A. Ruatta, Kris Alan Schmidt, Vu A. Doan
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Publication number: 20030092820Abstract: A UV curable composition useful for three-dimensional inkjet printing comprising (i) at least one UV curable urethane (meth)acrylate resin; (ii) at least one wax; (iii) at least one (meth)acrylate diluent; (iv) at least one photoinitiator; and (v) at least one polymerization inhibitor; wherein the amount of wax (ii) is sufficient to phase change the UV curable composition after jetting.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2001Publication date: May 15, 2003Inventors: Kris Alan Schmidt, Vu A. Doan, Pingyong Xu, John S. Stockwell, Susan Kay Holden
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Publication number: 20030083771Abstract: A selective deposition modeling method and apparatus for dispensing a curable phase change material. The dispensing temperature of the material is set at or less than a thermally stable temperature value for the material in which the reactive component of the material remains substantially uncured when held at the temperature for a desired time period. The dispensed material is provided with an environment that enables the material to solidify to form layers of the object. The solidified material is normalized to a desired layer thickness and is then cured by exposure to actinic radiation. In a preferred embodiment a UV curable phase change material is dispensed at about 80° C. and has a viscosity of about 13 to about 14 centipoise at this temperature. The cured material provides substantially increased physical properties over thermoplastic phase change materials previously used in selective deposition modeling.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2001Publication date: May 1, 2003Inventor: Kris Alan Schmidt
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Publication number: 20030067098Abstract: A method for removing supports from a three-dimensional object formed by solid freeform fabrication. The three-dimensional object and support structure both contain a phase change component in order to achieve the desired phase change characteristics needed for dispensing the material. The method prevents the phase change material within the three-dimensional object from migrating within the object during post processing to remove the support structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2002Publication date: April 10, 2003Applicant: 3D Systems, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth J. Newell, Kris Alan Schmidt, Michael Thomas Sherwood
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Patent number: 6485140Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention increases the precision for drying diverse textile printing substrates during printing operation while ink is emitted from an ink jet print head to form patterns upon the textile substrate. The present invention addresses several long-standing obstacles to high quality printed textile output including media handling from a powered media supply roll, through a cross-web tensioning area, an idler pulley, then over a full-web media advance grit roller, through a printing zone, over an idler pulley, through a forced heating zone (preferably dual-sided), then over another idler pulley, and finally onto a take-up spool which is biased against the force created by the powered media supply spool. The print engine of the present invention utilizes an open-web printing zone, dual forced air heating of both the underside and the upper side of freshly printed media, and a continuously biased tension in the axial web directions and cross-web directions.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 1999Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: MacDermid Acumen, Inc.Inventors: Steven Lee Lidke, Robert Alan Schmidt
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Publication number: 20020086925Abstract: An improved enhancer formulation for use in forming precision molded articles from a furnace process is disclosed wherein an organometallic zirconia coupling agent is used in conjunction with a polymer in solvent to inhibit the bleed-through of infiltrant metal in a finished part formed in a single-step furnace process.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2001Publication date: July 4, 2002Inventor: Kris Alan Schmidt
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Patent number: 6252418Abstract: A noise suppression circuit for suppressing noises above and below reference voltages is provided. The noise suppression circuit for suppressing noises includes a clamping transistor, a feedback circuit, and a presetting means for presetting an internal latch of the noise suppression circuit to a predetermined state. The predetermined state is a high state or a low state depending upon the type of noise suppression accomplished by the circuit. After the occurrence of a noise coupling event, the clamping transistor restores the state of a data input of a circuit to which the suppression circuit is providing protection. The feedback circuit then turns off the clamping transistor after a predetermined amount of time.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 1999Date of Patent: June 26, 2001Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Christopher McCall Durham, Peter Juergen Klim, Shon Alan Schmidt