Patents by Inventor Richard Oeftering

Richard Oeftering 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).

  • Directional electrostatic accretion process employing acoustic droplet formation
    Patent number: 5722479
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for manufacturing a free standing solid metal part. In the present invention metal droplets are ejected in a nozzleless fashion from a free surface pool of molten metal by applying focused acoustic radiation pressure. The acoustic radiation pressure is produced by high intensity acoustic tone bursts emitted from an acoustic source positioned at the bottom of the pool which directs the acoustic energy at the pool surface. The metal droplets are electrostatically charged so their trajectory can be controlled by electric fields that guide the droplets to predetermined points on a target. The droplets impinge upon the target and solidify with the target material. The accretion of the electrostatically directed solidified droplets forms the free standing metal part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Richard Oeftering