Patents by Inventor Ronald A. TRUONG

Ronald A. TRUONG 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: 20240092025
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of determining the fill level of a resin pool in a bottom-up additive manufacturing apparatus includes the steps of: (a) providing an additive manufacturing apparatus including a build platform and a light transmissive window, the build platform and the window defining a build region there between, with the window carrying a resin pool, the pool having a resin top surface portion; (b) advancing the build platform and the window towards one another until the build platform contacts the resin top surface portion; (c) detecting the impact of the build platform with the resin top surface portion; and (d) determining the fill level of the resin pool from the detected impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Ronald A. Truong, Steven R. Katzman
  • Publication number: 20240017497
    Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional object (31) includes the steps of: (a) providing an apparatus including a carrier (15), a light transmissive window (12) having a build surface, polymerizable liquid (21) on the build surface, and a growing object (31) on the carrier, the growing object produced by light polymerization of the polymerizable liquid; (b) vertically reciprocating the carrier (15) with respect to the build surface in an upstroke and a downstroke, the downstroke being shorter than the upstroke, to form a build region between the growing object and the build surface, and to fill the build region with the polymerizable liquid, while also: (i) sensing force exerted between the carrier and the build surface through the growing object (31) and the polymerizable liquid (21) during the upstroke; and (ii) modifying the speed, acceleration, or both speed and acceleration of the upstroke in response to the sensed force so that the sensed force approaches a predetermined target force; then (c) irradiati
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Ronald Truong, Daniel Jiaji Yang
  • Publication number: 20240009933
    Abstract: A method of enhancing a performance characteristic of an additive manufacturing apparatus, the method including: (a) dispensing a batch of a light polymerizable resin into the additive manufacturing apparatus, the batch characterized by at least one physical characteristic; (b) determining the unique identity of the batch; (c) sending the unique identity of the batch to a database; then (d) either: (i) receiving on the controller from the database modified operating instructions for the resin batch, which modified operating instructions have been modified based on the at least one physical characteristic, or (ii) receiving on the controller from the database the at least one physical characteristic for the specific resin batch and modifying the operating instructions based on the at least one physical characteristic; and then (e) producing the object from the batch of light polymerizable resin on the additive manufacturing apparatus with the modified operating instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: John R. Tumbleston, Clarissa Gutierrez, Ronald Truong, Kyle Laaker, Craig B. Carlson, Roy Goldman, Abhishek Parmar
  • Patent number: 11801642
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of determining the fill level of a resin pool in a bottom-up additive manufacturing apparatus includes the steps of: (a) providing an additive manufacturing apparatus including a build platform and a light transmissive window (12), the build platform (15) and the window (12) defining a build region therebetween, with the window (12) carrying a resin pool, the pool having a resin top surface portion; (b) advancing the build platform (15) and the window (12) towards one another until the build platform (15) contacts the resin top surface portion; (c) detecting the impact of the build platform (15) with the resin top surface portion; and (d) determining the fill level of the resin pool from the detected impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald A. Truong, Steven R. Katzman
  • Patent number: 11801643
    Abstract: A method of enhancing a performance characteristic of an additive manufacturing apparatus, the method including: (a) dispensing a batch of a light polymerizable resin into the additive manufacturing apparatus, the batch characterized by at least one physical characteristic; (b) determining the unique identity of the batch; (c) sending the unique identity of the batch to a database; then (d) either: (i) receiving on the controller from the database modified operating instructions for the resin batch, which modified operating instructions have been modified based on the at least one physical characteristic, or (ii) receiving on the controller from the database the at least one physical characteristic for the specific resin batch and modifying the operating instructions based on the at least one physical characteristic; and then (e) producing the object from the batch of light polymerizable resin on the additive manufacturing apparatus with the modified operating instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Tumbleston, Clarissa Gutierrez, Ronald Truong, Kyle Laaker, Craig B. Carlson, Roy Goldman, Abhishek Parmar
  • Patent number: 11685117
    Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional object includes providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface. The carrier and the build surface define a build region therebetween. The method further includes filling said build region with a polymerizable liquid; continuously or intermittently irradiating said build region with light through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid; applying a reduced pressure and/or polymer inhibitor-enriched gas to the polymerizable liquid through the optically transparent member to thereby reduce a gas content of the polymerizable liquid; and continuously or intermittently advancing (e.g., sequentially or concurrently with said irradiating step) said carrier away from said build surface to form said three-dimensional object from said solid polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: Bob E. Feller, David Moore, John R. Tumbleston, Ronald Truong, Kyle Laaker
  • Patent number: 11597158
    Abstract: A method of measuring the viscosity of a resin in a bottom-up additive manufacturing apparatus, includes the steps of: (a) providing an additive manufacturing apparatus including a build platform and a light transmissive window, said build platform and said window defining a build region there between, with said window carrying a resin; (b) advancing said build platform and said window towards one another until said build platform contacts said resin; (c) detecting the force exerted on said build platform by said resin; and (d) generating in a processor a viscosity measure of said resin from said detected force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua D. Deetz, Catherine E. Wood, Ronald A. Truong
  • Publication number: 20230053973
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of determining the fill level of a resin pool in a bottom-up additive manufacturing apparatus includes the steps of: (a) providing an additive manufacturing apparatus including a build platform and a light transmissive window (12), the build platform (15) and the window (12) defining a build region therebetween, with the window (12) carrying a resin pool, the pool having a resin top surface portion; (b) advancing the build platform (15) and the window (12) towards one another until the build platform (15) contacts the resin top surface portion; (c) detecting the impact of the build platform (15) with the resin top surface portion; and (d) determining the fill level of the resin pool from the detected impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Ronald A. Truong, Steven R. Katzman
  • Publication number: 20230038421
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and/or apparatuses for making an object on a bottom-up stereolithography apparatus that includes a light source, a drive assembly, optionally a heater and/or cooler, and a controller. The light source, optional heater and/or cooler, and/or the drive assembly have at least one adjustable parameter that is adjustable by said controller. An example method comprises (a) installing a removable window cassette on said apparatus in a configuration through which said light source projects, said window cassette comprising an optically transparent member having a build surface on which an object can be produced, and with said optically transparent member having at least one thermal profile associated therewith; and then (b) modifying said at least one adjustable parameter by said controller based on said at least one thermal profile of said optically transparent member; and then (c) producing the object on said build surface from a light-polymerizable liquid by bottom-up stereolithography.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel N. Mohsenizadeh, Kyle Laaker, Ronald A. Truong
  • Patent number: 11548219
    Abstract: A method of improving production performance of an additive manufacturing system includes obtaining a first production plan and a second production plan, different from the first production plan, for the manufacture of a plurality of objects using a fleet of additive manufacturing apparatus, automatically generating a first allocation of a first quantity of the plurality of objects to the fleet of additive manufacturing apparatus using the first production plan, automatically generating a second allocation of a second quantity of the plurality of objects to the fleet of additive manufacturing apparatus using the second production plan, comparing a production performance of the first and second quantity of the plurality of objects after being manufactured by the fleet of additive manufacturing apparatus, and based on the comparison of the production performance, automatically regenerating the first and second allocations to change the first and second quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald A. Truong, John R. Tumbleston, Kyle Laaker, Bob E. Feller, Joshua D. Deetz
  • Patent number: 11498274
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and/or apparatuses for making an object on a bottom-up stereolithography apparatus that includes a light source (11), a drive assembly (14), optionally a heater (34) and/or cooler (34), and a controller (15). The light source, optional heater and/or cooler, and/or the drive assembly have at least one adjustable parameter that is adjustable by said controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel N. Mohsenizadeh, Kyle Laaker, Ronald A. Truong
  • Publication number: 20220105687
    Abstract: A method of measuring the viscosity of a resin in a bottom-up additive manufacturing apparatus, includes the steps of: (a) providing an additive manufacturing apparatus including a build platform and a light transmissive window, said build platform and said window defining a build region there between, with said window carrying a resin; (b) advancing said build platform and said window towards one another until said build platform contacts said resin; (c) detecting the force exerted on said build platform by said resin; and (d) generating in a processor a viscosity measure of said resin from said detected force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Joshua D. Deetz, Catherine E. Wood, Ronald A. Truong
  • Publication number: 20220057776
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system may include an additive manufacturing apparatus on which a process of producing a three-dimensional object from a material can be performed; an additive manufacturing process controller operatively associated with the additive manufacturing apparatus; and a first memory device operatively associated with the additive manufacturing process controller. The first memory device may include first and second stable release process programs each comprising a first subset of operations executable by said process controller. The system may include a second memory device comprising another stable release process program comprising a second subset of operations executable by said process controller. The system may include a selector configured to choose one of the stable release process programs to run on said process controller when producing a three-dimensional object on the additive manufacturing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: John R. Tumbleston, Kyle Laaker, Ronald A. Truong, Roy Goldman, Abhishek Parmar
  • Patent number: 11235533
    Abstract: A method of measuring the viscosity of a resin in a bottom-up additive manufacturing apparatus, includes the steps of: (a) providing an additive manufacturing apparatus including a build platform and a light transmissive window, said build platform and said window defining a build region there between, with said window carrying a resin; (b) advancing said build platform and said window towards one another until said build platform contacts said resin; (c) detecting the force exerted on said build platform by said resin; and (d) generating in a processor a viscosity measure of said resin from said detected force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua D. Deetz, Catherine E. Wood, Ronald A. Truong
  • Publication number: 20210387413
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and/or apparatuses for making an object on a bottom-up stereolithography apparatus that includes a light source (11), a drive assembly (14), optionally a heater (34) and/or cooler (34), and a controller (15). The light source, optional heater and/or cooler, and/or the drive assembly have at least one adjustable parameter that is adjustable by said controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel N. Mohsenizadeh, Kyle Laaker, Ronald A. Truong
  • Publication number: 20210354378
    Abstract: A method of improving production performance of an additive manufacturing system includes obtaining a first production plan and a second production plan, different from the first production plan, for the manufacture of a plurality of objects using a fleet of additive manufacturing apparatus, automatically generating a first allocation of a first quantity of the plurality of objects to the fleet of additive manufacturing apparatus using the first production plan, automatically generating a second allocation of a second quantity of the plurality of objects to the fleet of additive manufacturing apparatus using the second production plan, comparing a production performance of the first and second quantity of the plurality of objects after being manufactured by the fleet of additive manufacturing apparatus, and based on the comparison of the production performance, automatically regenerating the first and second allocations to change the first and second quantities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Ronald A. Truong, John R. Tumbleston, Kyle Laaker, Bob E. Feller, Joshua D. Deetz
  • Publication number: 20210245429
    Abstract: A method of making a three-dimensional object is carried out by: (a) providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface, the carrier and the build surface defining a build region therebetween, the optically transparent member carrying a polymerizable liquid; (b) advancing the carrier and the optically transparent member away from one another to draw the polymerizable liquid into the build region; then (c) optionally, partially retracting the carrier and the optically transparent member back towards one another; and then (d) irradiating the build region with light to form a growing three-dimensional object from the polymerizable liquid; and then (e) cyclically repeating steps (b) to (d) while maintaining a continuous liquid interface between the growing three-dimensional object and the optically transparent member until at least a portion of the three-dimensional object is formed, while during at least some of the cyclically repeatings: (i) monitoring a transient increase in tension
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventor: Ronald A. Truong
  • Patent number: 10933580
    Abstract: A method of making a three-dimensional object (31) is carried out by: (a) providing a carrier (15) and an optically transparent member (12) having a build surface, the carrier (15) and the build surface defining a build region therebetween, the optically transparent member (12) carrying a polymerizable liquid (21); (b) advancing the carrier (15) and the optically transparent member (12) away from one another to draw the polymerizable liquid (21) into the build region; then (c) optionally, partially retracting the carrier (15) and the optically transparent member (12) back towards one another; and then (d) irradiating the build region with light to form a growing three-dimensional object (31) from the polymerizable liquid (21); and then (e) cyclically repeating steps (b) to (d) while maintaining a continuous liquid interface (22) between the growing three-dimensional object (31) and the optically transparent member (12) until at least a portion of the three-dimensional object (31) is formed, while during at le
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald A. Truong
  • Publication number: 20210023783
    Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional object includes providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface. The carrier and the build surface define a build region therebetween. The method further includes filling said build region with a polymerizable liquid; continuously or intermittently irradiating said build region with light through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid; applying a reduced pressure and/or polymer inhibitor-enriched gas to the polymerizable liquid through the optically transparent member to thereby reduce a gas content of the polymerizable liquid; and continuously or intermittently advancing (e.g., sequentially or concurrently with said irradiating step) said carrier away from said build surface to form said three-dimensional object from said solid polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Bob E. Feller, David Moore, John R. Tumbleston, Ronald Truong, Kyle Laaker
  • Patent number: 10821667
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus of forming a three-dimensional object includes providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface. The carrier and the build surface define a build region therebetween. The method further includes filling said build region with a polymerizable liquid; continuously or intermittently irradiating said build region with light through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid; applying a reduced pressure and/or polymer inhibitor-enriched gas to the polymerizable liquid through the optically transparent member to thereby reduce a gas content of the polymerizable liquid; and continuously or intermittently advancing (e.g., sequentially or concurrently with said irradiating step) said carrier away from said build surface to form said three-dimensional object from said solid polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventors: Bob E. Feller, David Moore, John R. Tumbleston, Ronald Truong, Kyle Laaker