Patents by Inventor Christopher Tanner

Christopher Tanner 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).

  • Publication number: 20240099557
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein that improve control of a shapeable or steerable instrument using shape data. Additional methods include preparing a robotic medical system for use with a shapeable instrument and controlling advancement of a shapeable medical device within an anatomic path. Also described herein are methods for altering a data model of an anatomical region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Matthew J. Roelle, Neal A. Tanner, Robert G. Younge, Christopher R. Carlson, Federico Barbagli, David Camarillo
  • Patent number: 11870663
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to automated investigation of regression or other defects. A time-series of values for a metric associated with an execution of a verification action for a service may be provided. If a metric value in the time-series of values is outside of a control range, further actions may be performed, including: determining a last valid version of the service based on the time-series of values; determining a first invalid version of the service based on the time-series of values; determining changes associated with differences between the last valid version of the service and the first invalid version of the service based on the time-series of values; determining responsible users based on the determined changes; and generating a defect report based on the changes and the metric value that is outside of the control range such that the responsible users are associated with the defect report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Tableau Software, LLC
    Inventors: David Alexander Smolin, Yury Alekseyevich Bogucharov, Lizette Garcia Cruz, Clark Reid Hodder, Nickolai Medveditskov, Akiva Michael Tuttle Notkin, Andrew Christopher Tanner
  • Patent number: 11760032
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a vertical support, a support plate, a resin vessel, a fluid spill containment vessel, and a light engine. The support plate is affixed to the vertical support at a proximal end. The support plate has an inner surface defining a first central opening. The resin vessel is supported above the support plate and has an inner edges surrounding a second central opening. The resin vessel includes a transparent sheet that closes the second central opening. The fluid spill containment vessel is supported below the support plate and includes a transparent window. The light engine is supported below the fluid spill containment vessel. The first central opening, the second central opening, and the window laterally overlap to provide an optical path whereby the light engine can project light upwardly to a build plane in the resin vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: 3D SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher Tanner
  • Publication number: 20230249946
    Abstract: A lifting fixture comprises a lifting affordance slidingly coupled to an upper horizontal beam assembly, a lower assembly comprising two spaced-apart horizontal beams defining an intervening gap, and a substantially vertical structural assembly connecting a first end of the upper beam assembly to a first end of the lower assembly. The horizontal beams include arrays of threaded holes for receiving various adapter plates. The first horizontal beam assembly comprises a motor driving a power threaded lead screw engaged to a lifting affordance such as a lifting eye. The motor may be controlled by wireless remote control. The lifting fixture allows lifting of an object stored beneath an overhead obstruction to be manipulated using a crane whose lifting axis is offset to the side of the overhead obstruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventor: Darren Christopher Tanner
  • Publication number: 20210252793
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a vertical support, a support plate, a resin vessel, a fluid spill containment vessel, and a light engine. The support plate is affixed to the vertical support at a proximal end. The support plate has an inner surface defining a first central opening. The resin vessel is supported above the support plate and has an inner edges surrounding a second central opening. The resin vessel includes a transparent sheet that closes the second central opening. The fluid spill containment vessel is supported below the support plate and includes a transparent window. The light engine is supported below the fluid spill containment vessel. The first central opening, the second central opening, and the window laterally overlap to provide an optical path whereby the light engine can project light upwardly to a build plane in the resin vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventor: Christopher Tanner
  • Patent number: 11007721
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a vertical support, a support plate, a resin vessel, a fluid spill containment vessel, and a light engine. The support plate is affixed to the vertical support at a proximal end. The support plate has an inner surface defining a first central opening. The resin vessel is supported above the support plate and has an inner edges surrounding a second central opening. The resin vessel includes a transparent sheet that closes the second central opening. The fluid spill containment vessel is supported below the support plate and includes a transparent window. The light engine is supported below the fluid spill containment vessel. The first central opening, the second central opening, and the window laterally overlap to provide an optical path whereby the light engine can project light upwardly to a build plane in the resin vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Tanner
  • Patent number: 10960602
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a resin vessel, a light engine, a movement mechanism, a fixture, and a controller. The resin vessel is for containing a photocurable resin and has a lower portion with a transparent sheet. The light engine is configured to selectively project radiation up through the transparent sheet and over a build plane. The fixture is coupled to the movement mechanism and has a lower face that faces the transparent sheet. The controller is configured to operate the light engine to solidify a particle trapping sheet proximate to the build plane thereby trapping particles that extend upwardly from the transparent sheet into the build plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Tanner, Andrew Enslow, Ben Wynne, Robert Mueller, James Pingel, Martin Alan Johnson
  • Patent number: 10766193
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a resin vessel, a light engine, and a fluid spill containment vessel. The resin vessel is for containing resin and has a transparent sheet on a lower side that provides a lower bound for the resin. The light engine is disposed below the resin vessel for projecting pixelated light up through the transparent sheet. The fluid spill containment vessel is disposed between the resin vessel and the light engine to capture resin that spills from the resin vessel. The fluid spill containment vessel includes a housing for containing the spilled resin, a transparent window for allowing the pixelated light to project up through the fluid spill containment vessel and to the transparent sheet, and a fluid barrier wall surrounding at least part of the clear window and configured to reduce an amount of spilled resin required to occlude the pixelated light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John Michael Harris, Christopher Tanner
  • Patent number: 10639880
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a vertical support, a support plate, a resin vessel, a carriage, and a support fixture. The support plate has a proximal end affixed to the vertical support and extends along a first lateral axis to a distal end. The resin vessel is supported by the support plate and has a rear side that is proximate to the proximal end of the support plate. The resin fluid outlet is supported over the rear side of the resin vessel. The carriage is configured to be translated vertically along the vertical support. A pair of fixture receiving arms extend from the carriage along the first lateral axis from a proximal to a distal end. The fixture receiving arms are spaced apart along a second lateral axis that is perpendicular to the first lateral axis. The support fixture is supported by the two fixture receiving arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Tanner
  • Patent number: 10589513
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a support plate, a resin vessel, and one or more mechanical features. The support plate includes a ridge surrounding a first central opening. The resin vessel includes a vessel body defining an inner edge surrounding a second central opening and a transparent sheet that closes the central opening to define a lower bound for a body of resin to be contained within the resin vessel. The one or more mechanical features are configured to align and secure the resin vessel relative to the support plate whereby the ridge engages a lower surface of the transparent sheet to tension the transparent sheet and the ridge is laterally recessed inwardly relative to the inner edge of the vessel body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Tanner
  • Patent number: 10532554
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a vertical support, a support plate, a resin vessel, a resin handling module, a latch, and an interface mechanism. The support plate has a proximal end affixed to the vertical support and extends along a first lateral axis to a distal end. The resin vessel is supported by the support plate and includes a vessel body and a transparent sheet. The vessel body has a latch feature formed therein. The resin handling module includes a fluid outlet for dispensing resin into the resin vessel. The interface mechanism is configured to move the latch into engagement with the latch feature and to move the resin handling module from a non-operating position to an operating position whereby the fluid outlet is operably positioned over a portion of the resin vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Tanner
  • Publication number: 20190134899
    Abstract: A three dimensional (3D) printer generates 3D articles of manufacture through the selective hardening of light curable liquid resins. The 3D printer includes a vessel, a fixture, a movement mechanism, a light engine, a controllable pressure source, and a controller. The vessel contains light curable resin with a bottom portion including a transparent sheet. The light engine selectively illuminates a lower face of a 3D article of manufacture being formed through the transparent sheet. The fixture and movement mechanism selectively translate the lower face up and down which generates a varying pressure of the resin against a top surface of the transparent sheet. The controllable pressure source applies a gas pressure to a bottom surface of the transparent sheet to offset the varying pressure of the resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Robert Mueller, Ben Wynne, Jamie Etcheson, Christopher Tanner
  • Publication number: 20180345584
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a vertical support, a support plate, a resin vessel, a fluid spill containment vessel, and a light engine. The support plate is affixed to the vertical support at a proximal end. The support plate has an inner surface defining a first central opening. The resin vessel is supported above the support plate and has an inner edges surrounding a second central opening. The resin vessel includes a transparent sheet that closes the second central opening. The fluid spill containment vessel is supported below the support plate and includes a transparent window. The light engine is supported below the fluid spill containment vessel. The first central opening, the second central opening, and the window laterally overlap to provide an optical path whereby the light engine can project light upwardly to a build plane in the resin vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Christopher Tanner
  • Publication number: 20180345594
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a vertical support, a support plate, a resin vessel, a resin handling module, a latch, and an interface mechanism. The support plate has a proximal end affixed to the vertical support and extends along a first lateral axis to a distal end. The resin vessel is supported by the support plate and includes a vessel body and a transparent sheet. The vessel body has a latch feature formed therein. The resin handling module includes a fluid outlet for dispensing resin into the resin vessel. The interface mechanism is configured to move the latch into engagement with the latch feature and to move the resin handling module from a non-operating position to an operating position whereby the fluid outlet is operably positioned over a portion of the resin vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Christopher Tanner
  • Publication number: 20180345579
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a resin vessel, a light engine, and a fluid spill containment vessel. The resin vessel is for containing resin and has a transparent sheet on a lower side that provides a lower bound for the resin. The light engine is disposed below the resin vessel for projecting pixelated light up through the transparent sheet. The fluid spill containment vessel is disposed between the resin vessel and the light engine to capture resin that spills from the resin vessel. The fluid spill containment vessel includes a housing for containing the spilled resin, a transparent window for allowing the pixelated light to project up through the fluid spill containment vessel and to the transparent sheet, and a fluid barrier wall surrounding at least part of the clear window and configured to reduce an amount of spilled resin required to occlude the pixelated light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: John Michael Harris, Christopher Tanner
  • Publication number: 20180345595
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a vertical support, a support plate, a resin vessel, a carriage, and a support fixture. The support plate has a proximal end affixed to the vertical support and extends along a first lateral axis to a distal end. The resin vessel is supported by the support plate and has a rear side that is proximate to the proximal end of the support plate. The resin fluid outlet is supported over the rear side of the resin vessel. The carriage is configured to be translated vertically along the vertical support. A pair of fixture receiving arms extend from the carriage along the first lateral axis from a proximal to a distal end. The fixture receiving arms are spaced apart along a second lateral axis that is perpendicular to the first lateral axis. The support fixture is supported by the two fixture receiving arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Christopher Tanner
  • Publication number: 20180345593
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a support plate, a resin vessel, and one or more mechanical features. The support plate includes a ridge surrounding a first central opening. The resin vessel includes a vessel body defining an inner edge surrounding a second central opening and a transparent sheet that closes the central opening to define a lower bound for a body of resin to be contained within the resin vessel. The one or more mechanical features are configured to align and secure the resin vessel relative to the support plate whereby the ridge engages a lower surface of the transparent sheet to tension the transparent sheet and the ridge is laterally recessed inwardly relative to the inner edge of the vessel body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Christopher Tanner
  • Publication number: 20180281277
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a resin vessel, a light engine, a movement mechanism, a fixture, and a controller. The resin vessel is for containing a photocurable resin and has a lower portion with a transparent sheet. The light engine is configured to selectively project radiation up through the transparent sheet and over a build plane. The fixture is coupled to the movement mechanism and has a lower face that faces the transparent sheet. The controller is configured to operate the light engine to solidify a particle trapping sheet proximate to the build plane thereby trapping particles that extend upwardly from the transparent sheet into the build plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher Tanner, Andrew ENSLOW, Ben WYNNE, Robert MUELLER, James PINGEL, Martin Alan JOHNSON
  • Publication number: 20180281287
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a print engine, a fixture, and a controller. The print engine further includes a vessel, a light engine, and a movement mechanism. The vessel is for containing a photocurable resin and has a lower portion with a transparent sheet defining a lower surface of the vessel. The light engine is configured to project radiation up through the transparent sheet over a lateral build plane which defines a maximum addressable lateral range of the light engine. The fixture has a lower face that faces downwardly. The controller is configured to: (1) position the lower face of the fixture at the build plane, and (2) operate the light engine and movement mechanism to solidify a particle trapping sheet proximate to the transparent sheet and substantially spanning the build plane and to thereby trap particles that are present along the build plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher Tanner, Andrew Enslow, Ben Wynne, Robert Mueller, James Pingel, Martin Alan Johnson
  • Patent number: 8629618
    Abstract: A backup lighting apparatus includes a light housing having a conductive base selectively connected to a light socket and a bulb portion extending upwardly therefrom that defines an interior area. A processor, battery, light, and audio sensor are situated in the interior area. The audio sensor is configured to detect a predetermined sound. Another sensor in the interior area is configured to detect a power outage and if a light switch is in an “on configuration.” The processor causes the battery to energize the light if a power outage is detected, the light switch is “on,” and a predetermined sound—such a hand clap—is detected. Accordingly, only a room in which a light was already on when an outage occurred and in which a person is present and signals for a backup is illuminated, such that electricity and battery power is conserved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Inventor: Christopher Tanner