Patents by Inventor Thomas Muehler

Thomas Muehler 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: 11235490
    Abstract: A method for the additive production of a ceramic main part has the following steps: providing a slip of ceramic base material particles suspended in a liquid phase; producing a slip layer; orienting the radiation of a laser light source onto a section of the slip layer; evaporating liquid phase out of the slip layer in the section of the slip layer onto which the radiation of the laser light source is oriented or was oriented; forming a section of the ceramic main part in the slip layer in a sinter-free manner; optionally repeating the steps of producing a slip layer, orienting the radiation, evaporating the liquid phase, and forming a section of the main part in a sinter-free manner until the ceramic main part is provided; and separating the ceramic main part from the slip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Alumina Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Guenster, Juergen Heinrich, Thomas Muehler
  • Patent number: 11230052
    Abstract: The invention relates to an additive production method involving the production of a layer of geometrically compact particles, having the following steps: a) providing a particle layer depositing arrangement, comprising a first and a second semi-chamber, wherein a partition separates the first semi-chamber from the second semi-chamber, and the partition is permeable for a dispersion medium and impermeable for particles dispersed in the dispersion medium; b) providing a particle dispersion comprising the dispersion medium and particles dispersed therein in the first semi-chamber, the particle dispersion being distributed substantially homogenously in the first semi-chamber; c) generating a pressure gradient between the first and the second semi-chamber such that the pressure gradient in the first semi-chamber causes a particle dispersion flow directed towards the partition; and d) depositing a particle aggregate material comprising geometrically compact particles on the partition by transporting a dispersion a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, vertreten durch den Bundesminister fuer Wirtschaft und Energie, dieser vertreten durch den Praesidenten der Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und—pruefung (BAM)
    Inventors: Jens Günster, Andrea Zocca, Cynthia Wirth, Thomas Mühler
  • Publication number: 20200147831
    Abstract: The invention relates to an additive production method involving the production of a layer of geometrically compact particles, having the following steps: a) providing a particle layer depositing arrangement, comprising a first and a second semi-chamber, wherein a partition separates the first semi-chamber from the second semi-chamber, and the partition is permeable for a dispersion medium and impermeable for particles dispersed in the dispersion medium; b) providing a particle dispersion comprising the dispersion medium and particles dispersed therein in the first semi-chamber, the particle dispersion being distributed substantially homogenously in the first semi-chamber; c) generating a pressure gradient between the first and the second semi-chamber such that the pressure gradient in the first semi-chamber causes a particle dispersion flow directed towards the partition; and d) depositing a particle aggregate material comprising geometrically compact particles on the partition by transporting a dispersion a
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Applicant: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, vertreten durch den Bundesminister fuer Wirtschaft und Energie, dieser v
    Inventors: Jens Günster, Andrea Zocca, Cynthia Wirth, Thomas Mühler
  • Patent number: 10576656
    Abstract: The invention relates to an additive production method involving the production of a layer of geometrically compact particles, having the following steps: a) providing a particle layer depositing arrangement, comprising a first and a second semi-chamber, wherein a partition separates the first semi-chamber from the second semi-chamber, and the partition is permeable for a dispersion medium and impermeable for particles dispersed in the dispersion medium; b) providing a particle dispersion comprising the dispersion medium and particles dispersed therein in the first semi-chamber, the particle dispersion being distributed substantially homogenously in the first semi-chamber; c) generating a pressure gradient between the first and the second semi-chamber such that the pressure gradient in the first semi-chamber causes a particle dispersion flow directed towards the partition; and d) depositing a particle aggregate material comprising geometrically compact particles on the partition by transporting a dispersion a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, vertreten durch den Bundesminister fuer Wirtschaft und Energie, dieser vertreten durch den Praesidenten der Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und—pruefung (BAM)
    Inventors: Jens Günster, Andrea Zocca, Cynthia Wirth, Thomas Mühler
  • Publication number: 20180141235
    Abstract: A method for the additive production of a ceramic main part has the following steps: providing a slip of ceramic base material particles suspended in a liquid phase; producing a slip layer; orienting the radiation of a laser light source onto a section of the slip layer; evaporating liquid phase out of the slip layer in the section of the slip layer onto which the radiation of the laser light source is oriented or was oriented; forming a section of the ceramic main part in the slip layer in a sinter-free manner; optionally repeating the steps of producing a slip layer, orienting the radiation, evaporating the liquid phase, and forming a section of the main part in a sinter-free manner until the ceramic main part is provided; and separating the ceramic main part from the slip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: JENS GUENSTER, JUERGEN HEINRICH, THOMAS MUEHLER
  • Patent number: 9533452
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for stabilizing a powder bed by means of low pressure for an additive manufacturing method, wherein the device comprises: a container open at least on one side, comprising a bottom, at least one side wall and a container opening; a filter in or above the bottom and/or in the at least one side wall, wherein an area occupied by the filter corresponds to the area of the bottom or the area of the side wall and wherein the filter is substantially impermeable to a powder comprising the powder bed; and a connection at the bottom and/or at the side wall of the container or on a side of the filter facing away from the container opening, wherein the connection is suitable for connection to a suction pump, such that a powder bed arranged in the container is pressed against the filter and stabilized by means of a vacuum produced by the suction pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, vertreten durch das Bundesministerium fuer Wirtschaft und Technologie, dieses vertreten durch den Praesidenten der BAM, Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und-pruefung
    Inventors: Jens Guenster, Andrea Zocca, Cynthia Morais Gomes, Thomas Muehler
  • Publication number: 20150246485
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for stabilizing a powder bed by means of low pressure for an additive manufacturing method, wherein the device comprises: a container open at least on one side, comprising a bottom, at least one side wall and a container opening; a filter in or above the bottom and/or in the at least one side wall, wherein an area occupied by the filter corresponds to the area of the bottom or the area of the side wall and wherein the filter is substantially impermeable to a powder comprising the powder bed; and a connection at the bottom and/or at the side wall of the container or on a side of the filter facing away from the container opening, wherein the connection is suitable for connection to a suction pump, such that a powder bed arranged in the container is pressed against the filter and stabilized by means of a vacuum produced by the suction pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Applicant: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, vertreten durch das Bundesministerium fuer Wirtschaft und Technologie,
    Inventors: Jens Guenster, Andrea Zocca, Cynthia Morais Gomes, Thomas Muehler