Patents by Inventor Nicholas J. Pinkston

Nicholas J. Pinkston 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).

  • Patent number: 11599088
    Abstract: A method for automated part probing using a physical machine defining a physical working volume, the method including: generating a virtual model based on a virtual part design received from a user account, the virtual model comprising a virtual part model, based on the virtual part design, virtually fixed to a virtual fixture plate arranged within a virtual working volume representative of the physical working volume; generating a probing routine based on the virtual model; sending the probing routine to the machine; receiving probe outputs from the machine; and validating the virtual model based on the probe outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: CADDi Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Pinkston, Jonathan Stults
  • Patent number: 11055755
    Abstract: One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Plethora Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston
  • Publication number: 20210200184
    Abstract: A method for automated part probing using a physical machine defining a physical working volume, the method including: generating a virtual model based on a virtual part design received from a user account, the virtual model comprising a virtual part model, based on the virtual part design, virtually fixed to a virtual fixture plate arranged within a virtual working volume representative of the physical working volume; generating a probing routine based on the virtual model; sending the probing routine to the machine; receiving probe outputs from the machine; and validating the virtual model based on the probe outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Pinkston, Jonathan Stults
  • Publication number: 20210182928
    Abstract: One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston
  • Patent number: 10976720
    Abstract: A method for automated part probing using a physical machine defining a physical working volume, the method including: generating a virtual model based on a virtual part design received from a user account, the virtual model comprising a virtual part model, based on the virtual part design, virtually fixed to a virtual fixture plate arranged within a virtual working volume representative of the physical working volume; generating a probing routine based on the virtual model; sending the probing routine to the machine; receiving probe outputs from the machine; and validating the virtual model based on the probe outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Plethora Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Pinkston, Jonathan Stults
  • Publication number: 20200372558
    Abstract: One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston
  • Patent number: 10776841
    Abstract: One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Plethora Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston
  • Publication number: 20200004223
    Abstract: One variation of a method for implementing design-for-manufacturing checks during construction of a virtual model of a real part includes: in response to insertion of a virtual feature into the virtual model, estimating a minimum stock geometry for the real part based on the virtual feature; selecting a first material stock cross-section from a set of available material stock cross-sections of a material designated for the real part based on the minimum stock geometry; at a first time, prompting a user to adjust a dimension of the virtual feature to enable production of the real part with a second material stock cross-section in the set of material stock cross-sections, less than the first material stock cross-section; at a second time succeeding the first time, submitting, to a manufacturing facility and over a computer network, an order for production of a unit of the real part according to the virtual model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston
  • Publication number: 20190219985
    Abstract: A method for automated part probing using a physical machine defining a physical working volume, the method including: generating a virtual model based on a virtual part design received from a user account, the virtual model comprising a virtual part model, based on the virtual part design, virtually fixed to a virtual fixture plate arranged within a virtual working volume representative of the physical working volume; generating a probing routine based on the virtual model; sending the probing routine to the machine; receiving probe outputs from the machine; and validating the virtual model based on the probe outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Pinkston, Jonathan Stults
  • Publication number: 20190213653
    Abstract: One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston
  • Publication number: 20190064772
    Abstract: A method for automated part probing using a physical machine defining a physical working volume, the method including: generating a virtual model based on a virtual part design received from a user account, the virtual model comprising a virtual part model, based on the virtual part design, virtually fixed to a virtual fixture plate arranged within a virtual working volume representative of the physical working volume; generating a probing routine based on the virtual model; sending the probing routine to the machine; receiving probe outputs from the machine; and validating the virtual model based on the probe outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Pinkston, Jonathan Stults
  • Patent number: 10146208
    Abstract: A method for automated part probing using a physical machine defining a physical working volume, the method including: generating a virtual model based on a virtual part design received from a user account, the virtual model comprising a virtual part model, based on the virtual part design, virtually fixed to a virtual fixture plate arranged within a virtual working volume representative of the physical working volume; generating a probing routine based on the virtual model; sending the probing routine to the machine; receiving probe outputs from the machine; and validating the virtual model based on the probe outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Plethora Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Pinkston, Jonathan Stults
  • Publication number: 20180329393
    Abstract: One variation of a method for implementing design-for-manufacturing checks during construction of a virtual model of a real part includes: in response to insertion of a virtual feature into the virtual model, estimating a minimum stock geometry for the real part based on the virtual feature; selecting a first material stock cross-section from a set of available material stock cross-sections of a material designated for the real part based on the minimum stock geometry; at a first time, prompting a user to adjust a dimension of the virtual feature to enable production of the real part with a second material stock cross-section in the set of material stock cross-sections, less than the first material stock cross-section; at a second time succeeding the first time, submitting, to a manufacturing facility and over a computer network, an order for production of a unit of the real part according to the virtual model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston
  • Publication number: 20180253770
    Abstract: One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston
  • Patent number: 10061299
    Abstract: One variation of a method for implementing design-for-manufacturing checks during construction of a virtual model of a real part includes: in response to insertion of a virtual feature into the virtual model, estimating a minimum stock geometry for the real part based on the virtual feature; selecting a first material stock cross-section from a set of available material stock cross-sections of a material designated for the real part based on the minimum stock geometry; at a first time, prompting a user to adjust a dimension of the virtual feature to enable production of the real part with a second material stock cross-section in the set of material stock cross-sections, less than the first material stock cross-section; at a second time succeeding the first time, submitting, to a manufacturing facility and over a computer network, an order for production of a unit of the real part according to the virtual model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Plethora Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston
  • Publication number: 20170270578
    Abstract: One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston
  • Patent number: 9697554
    Abstract: One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Plethora Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston
  • Publication number: 20160370790
    Abstract: A method for automated part probing using a physical machine defining a physical working volume, the method including: generating a virtual model based on a virtual part design received from a user account, the virtual model comprising a virtual part model, based on the virtual part design, virtually fixed to a virtual fixture plate arranged within a virtual working volume representative of the physical working volume; generating a probing routine based on the virtual model; sending the probing routine to the machine; receiving probe outputs from the machine; and validating the virtual model based on the probe outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Pinkston, Jonathan Stults
  • Publication number: 20160259323
    Abstract: One variation of a method for implementing design-for-manufacturing checks during construction of a virtual model of a real part includes: in response to insertion of a virtual feature into the virtual model, estimating a minimum stock geometry for the real part based on the virtual feature; selecting a first material stock cross-section from a set of available material stock cross-sections of a material designated for the real part based on the minimum stock geometry; at a first time, prompting a user to adjust a dimension of the virtual feature to enable production of the real part with a second material stock cross-section in the set of material stock cross-sections, less than the first material stock cross-section; at a second time succeeding the first time, submitting, to a manufacturing facility and over a computer network, an order for production of a unit of the real part according to the virtual model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston
  • Patent number: 9367063
    Abstract: One variation of a method for implementing design-for-manufacturing checks during construction of a virtual model of a real part includes: in response to insertion of a virtual feature into the virtual model, estimating a minimum stock geometry for the real part based on the virtual feature; selecting a first material stock cross-section from a set of available material stock cross-sections of a material designated for the real part based on the minimum stock geometry; at a first time, prompting a user to adjust a dimension of the virtual feature to enable production of the real part with a second material stock cross-section in the set of material stock cross-sections, less than the first material stock cross-section; at a second time succeeding the first time, submitting, to a manufacturing facility and over a computer network, an order for production of a unit of the real part according to the virtual model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Plethora Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy Herrman, Nicholas J. Pinkston