Patents by Inventor Eiji Okamoto

Eiji Okamoto 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: 20220274333
    Abstract: A three-dimensional shaping device includes: an ejection head including a nozzle configured to eject a binder containing water, a water-soluble resin, and a wetting agent, an individual liquid chamber communicating with the nozzle, an inflow path configured to flow the binder into the individual liquid chamber, and an outflow path configured to flow the binder out of the individual liquid chamber; and a circulation flow path configured to circulate the binder flowing out of the outflow path to the inflow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Inventors: Eiji Okamoto, Toshimitsu Hirai, Kaoru Momose, Takayuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11383303
    Abstract: A method for producing a three-dimensional shaped article by stacking a plurality of layers is provided, and is characterized in that a series of steps including a layer forming step of forming the layer using a composition containing a plurality of particles, and a joining step of joining the particles contained in the layer to one another by irradiating the layer with a laser beam is repeatedly performed, an average particle diameter of the particles is represented by D50 and a thickness of the layer formed in the layer forming step is represented by Ds, a relation of Ds/D50<5.0 is satisfied, and an arithmetic average height Sa of a surface of the layer in a state where the particles are joined to one another by the joining step is 15 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventors: Takeshi Miyashita, Eiji Okamoto, Akihiko Tsunoya, Naoko Shima
  • Publication number: 20220033664
    Abstract: A molding composition contains a powder, a wax, an adhesive component, a molding component, and a plasticizer, in which a melt flow rate of the adhesive component at 190° C. is 200 g/10 min or more, and a density of the plasticizer is 1.0 g/cm3 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Kozo SHITAGAMI, Eiji OKAMOTO, Akihiko TSUNOYA
  • Publication number: 20220001605
    Abstract: A three-dimensionally shaped article production member is a member used in a three-dimensionally shaped article production apparatus for producing a three-dimensionally shaped article by stacking a layer formed using a composition containing particles. The member is placed on a stage and comes in contact with the layer, and has a portion provided with pores in a contact surface with the layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Eiji OKAMOTO, Shinichi NAKAMURA, Koki HIRATA
  • Patent number: 11185922
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a three-dimensional structure includes forming unit layers using at least one of a first flowable composition including first powder and a second flowable composition including second powder and solidifying at least one of the first flowable composition including the first powder and the second flowable composition including the second powder in the unit layers. In the forming the unit layers, both of the first flowable composition and the second flowable composition are caused to be present in plane directions crossing a thickness direction of the unit layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Ishida, Toshimitsu Hirai, Eiji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11154932
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a three-dimensional structure includes forming unit layers using at least one of a first flowable composition including first powder and a second flowable composition including second powder and solidifying at least one of the first flowable composition including the first powder and the second flowable composition including the second powder in the unit layers. In the forming the unit layers, both of the first flowable composition and the second flowable composition are caused to be present in plane directions crossing a thickness direction of the unit layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Ishida, Toshimitsu Hirai, Eiji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11154931
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a three-dimensional formed object for manufacturing the three-dimensional formed object by stacking layers includes supplying a first forming material of the three-dimensional formed object to a contour region of the three-dimensional formed object in the layers, applying energy to the first forming material supplied to the contour region to solidify the first forming material, supplying a second forming material to a region corresponding to the three-dimensional formed object, the region being a contact region in contact with the contour region, and applying energy to the second forming material supplied to the contact region to solidify the second forming material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Ishida, Hajime Onishi, Eiji Okamoto, Kentaro Yamada
  • Publication number: 20210268734
    Abstract: A fluid-material-dispensing-apparatus includes a setting section of a cartridge containing a fluid material, a material chamber to which the fluid material is supplied, a valve seat constituting a part of the material chamber and including a dispensing port, a piston configured to move inside the material chamber in a direction toward or away from the dispensing port, and a drive unit for the piston. The cartridge is detachable, and a plurality of cartridges respectively containing different fluid materials can be employed. At least one of the valve seat and the piston is detachable, and a plurality of detachable members respectively having different structures can be employed. The detachable members each include a structure information provider of a corresponding structure. The fluid-material-dispensing-apparatus includes an information reader that reads information from a material information provider, and the structure information provider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Eiji OKAMOTO, Masaya ISHIDA, Akihiko TSUNOYA, Takeshi MIYASHITA, Naoko SHIMA
  • Publication number: 20210213533
    Abstract: A method for producing a three-dimensional shaped article by stacking a plurality of layers is provided, and is characterized in that a series of steps including a layer forming step of forming the layer using a composition containing a plurality of particles, and a joining step of joining the particles contained in the layer to one another by irradiating the layer with a laser beam is repeatedly performed, an average particle diameter of the particles is represented by D50 and a thickness of the layer formed in the layer forming step is represented by Ds, a relation of Ds/D50<5.0 is satisfied, and an arithmetic average height Sa of a surface of the layer in a state where the particles are joined to one another by the joining step is 15 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Takeshi MIYASHITA, Eiji OKAMOTO, Akihiko TSUNOYA, Naoko SHIMA
  • Publication number: 20210162730
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensionally formed object includes: forming a layer using a flowable composition including constituent material particles of a three-dimensionally formed object and a flowable composition including support portion-forming particles for forming a support portion which supports the three-dimensionally formed object during the formation of the three-dimensionally formed object; and imparting energy to the constituent material particles and the support portion-forming particles, in which in the imparting of the energy, the energy is imparted such that a temperature of the constituent material particles and a temperature of the support portion-forming particles are equal to or higher than a melting point of the constituent material particles and are lower than a melting point of the support portion-forming particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Eiji OKAMOTO, Masaya ISHIDA, Toshimitsu HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20210154743
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensionally formed object includes: forming a layer using a flowable composition including constituent material particles of a three-dimensionally formed object and a flowable composition including support portion-forming particles for forming a support portion which supports the three-dimensionally formed object during the formation of the three-dimensionally formed object; and imparting energy to the constituent material particles and the support portion-forming particles, in which in the imparting of the energy, the energy is imparted such that a temperature of the constituent material particles and a temperature of the support portion-forming particles are equal to or higher than a sintering temperature of the constituent material particles and are lower than a sintering temperature of the support portion-forming particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Eiji OKAMOTO, Masaya ISHIDA, Toshimitsu HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20210154940
    Abstract: Provided is a three-dimensional shaping apparatus in which surface of a three-dimensional shaped object can be prevented from being roughened. The three-dimensional shaping apparatus that shapes a three-dimensional shaped object by stacking layers of a material includes: a stage; a discharge unit that has a nozzle surface in which a nozzle hole is formed; a moving unit that is configured to change a relative position between the stage and the nozzle surface; and a control unit that is configured to control the moving unit. The control unit drives the moving unit such that a relation between a gap G between the nozzle surface and the stage or the layer of the material when the material is discharged from the discharge unit and an outer diameter Dp of the nozzle surface satisfies a following relation (1). Dp×20×G+0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Manabu WATANABE, Eiji OKAMOTO, Akihiko TSUNOYA, Koji FUJIMORI, Kazuhide NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20210154891
    Abstract: A three-dimensional shaped article production method for producing a three-dimensional shaped article by stacking layers to form a stacked body includes a constituent layer formation step of forming a constituent layer which corresponds to a constituent region of the three-dimensional shaped article, a support layer formation step of forming a support layer which is in contact with the constituent layer and supports the constituent layer, and a sintering step of sintering the constituent layer, wherein the support layer is configured such that as compared with the volume decrement accompanying the sintering step of a space surrounded by the constituent layer from at least two directions, the volume decrement accompanying the sintering step of the support layer which supports the constituent layer in the space is larger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Eiji OKAMOTO, Masaya ISHIDA, Hiroshi WADA, Toshimitsu HIRAI
  • Patent number: 10994488
    Abstract: A three-dimensional modeling apparatus includes a plurality of ejection sections that eject shaping material on the basis of shaping data, a detection section detecting an ejection state of the shaping material from the ejection section, a maintenance section that performs maintenance of the ejection section, and a control section that controls the ejection section, the detection section, and the maintenance section, in which, when the detection section detects an ejection abnormality of the shaping material in any of the ejection sections, the control section causes the maintenance section to perform the maintenance of the ejection section in which the ejection abnormality is detected, regenerates the shaping data, and causes the ejection section in which the ejection abnormality is not detected to eject the shaping material at a position where the shaping material is to be ejected from the ejection section in which the ejection abnormality is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Inventors: Akihiko Tsunoya, Eiji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10994478
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a three-dimensional shaped article in which the three-dimensional shaped article is produced by stacking a plurality of layers, and the method includes a layer formation step of forming layers by using a composition that contains a powder, a solvent, and a binder which constitute the three-dimensional shaped article, a solvent removal step of removing the solvent contained in the layers, a thermal treatment step of applying heat at a temperature equal to or higher than a glass transition temperature of the binder to the layers obtained by performing the layer formation step and the solvent removal step, and a heating step of carrying out at least one of degreasing and sintering with respect to a stack of the three-dimensional shaped article that has been thermally treated in the thermal treatment step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Inventors: Akihiko Tsunoya, Eiji Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20210121957
    Abstract: A method for producing a metal shaped article having a porous structure includes a shaping step of shaping a shaped article including a plurality of columns that contain a resin material and that extend from a substrate, and a sintering target material by repeatedly performing a resin material supply step of supplying a liquid containing the resin material to a plurality of places of the substrate at intervals in two directions crossing each other, a curing step of curing the liquid, and a sintering target material supply step of supplying the sintering target material to the substrate, a removal step of removing the substrate, a degreasing step of degreasing the columns, and a sintering step of sintering the sintering target material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventor: Eiji OKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210086265
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for three-dimensional structure has a layer forming step of supplying a flowable composition containing a powder and an organic material to form a unit layer, an organic material removing step of performing a treatment of removing the organic material on the unit layer, and an energy applying step of applying energy to the unit layer after the organic material removing step to form a molten layer or sintered layer, wherein the layer forming step, the organic material removing step, and the energy applying step are repeated with respect to the molten layer or sintered layer in a stacking direction as appropriate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Masaya ISHIDA, Tomoyuki KAMAKURA, Takeshi MIYASHITA, Eiji OKAMOTO
  • Patent number: 10926526
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensionally formed object in which the three-dimensionally formed object is manufactured by laminating layers to forma laminate, includes: forming a constituent layer corresponding to a constituent region of the three-dimensionally formed object; forming a support layer which is in contact with the constituent layer and supports the constituent layer by ejecting a flowable composition including a resin from an ejecting portion in the form of liquid drops; solidifying the support layer; and heating the laminate which is formed in the formation of the constituent layer, the formation of the support layer, and the solidification of the support layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Okamoto, Masaya Ishida, Daiki Tokushima, Toshimitsu Hirai
  • Patent number: 10906237
    Abstract: A production method of a three-dimensionally shaped object, includes a first layer forming step of forming a first layer by using a first composition containing first powder and binder, a second layer forming step of forming a second layer by using a second composition containing second powder, third powder, and binder, and a sintering step of sintering the first powder and the second powder. In a case where the first powder and the second powder are of the same material, difference in a contraction rate between the first layer and the second layer in the sintering step is reduced by matching a filling rate of the first powder in the first composition with a total filling rate of the second powder and the third powder in the second composition and matching an average particle diameter of the first powder with an average particle diameter of the second powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventors: Eiji Okamoto, Akihiko Tsunoya
  • Publication number: 20210023624
    Abstract: A method for producing a metal shaped article having a porous structure includes a mold formation step of forming a mold having a plurality of columnar structures extending from a substrate by performing a resin material supply step of supplying a liquid containing a resin material to a plurality of places of the substrate at intervals in two directions crossing each other, and a curing step of curing the liquid, a sintering target material supply step of supplying a sintering target material to the mold, a removal step of removing the substrate, a degreasing step of degreasing the columnar structures, and a sintering step of sintering the sintering target material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Eiji OKAMOTO, Ichiro UECHI