Patents by Inventor Travis Gene Sands
Travis Gene Sands 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).
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Publication number: 20240059013Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a support plate defining a window and a resin support configured to support an uncured layer of resin. A stage is configured to hold one or more cured layers of the resin to form a component positioned opposite a support plate. A radiant energy device is positioned on an opposite side of the resin support from the stage and is operable to project radiant energy in a grid through the window. The grid and/or pixels thereof are intelligently shifted to efficiently print one or more layers of a component.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Mary Kathryn Thompson, Travis Gene Sands, Kevin Robert Dickson, William Joseph Steele, Trent William Muhlenkamp
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Publication number: 20240059022Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a support plate defining a window and a resin support configured to support an uncured layer of resin. A stage is configured to hold one or more cured layers of the resin to form a component positioned opposite a support plate. A radiant energy device is positioned on an opposite side of the resin support from the stage and is operable to project radiant energy in a grid through the window. The grid and/or pixels thereof are intelligently shifted to efficiently print one or more layers of a component.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Mary Kathryn Thompson, Travis Gene Sands, Kevin Robert Dickson, William Joseph Steele, Trent William Muhlenkamp
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Publication number: 20240059011Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a support plate defining a window and a resin support configured to support an uncured layer of resin. A stage is configured to hold one or more cured layers of the resin to form a component positioned opposite a support plate. A radiant energy device is positioned on an opposite side of the resin support from the stage and is operable to project radiant energy in a grid through the window. The grid and/or pixels thereof are intelligently shifted to efficiently print one or more layers of a component.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Mary Kathryn Thompson, Travis Gene Sands, Kevin Robert Dickson, William Joseph Steele, Trent William Muhlenkamp
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Publication number: 20240059023Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a support plate defining a window and a resin support configured to support an uncured layer of resin. A stage is configured to hold one or more cured layers of the resin to form a component positioned opposite a support plate. A radiant energy device is positioned on an opposite side of the resin support from the stage and is operable to project radiant energy in a grid through the window. The grid and/or pixels thereof are intelligently shifted to efficiently print one or more layers of a component.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Mary Kathryn Thompson, Travis Gene Sands, Kevin Robert Dickson, William Joseph Steele, Trent William Muhlenkamp
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Publication number: 20230321898Abstract: A method of making a workpiece in an additive manufacturing process includes determining a preferred angular orientation of the grid array about a build axis extending perpendicular to a layer to be built for a first layer of a workpiece. The preferred angular orientation is selected to align an edge of one or more pixels with an edge of the layer of the workpiece being built. The method further includes orienting a patterned image of radiant energy to the preferred angular orientation by rotating a projector before solidifying a portion of a resin that forms the first layer of the workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2023Publication date: October 12, 2023Inventors: Travis Gene Sands, Stephen Michael Deak
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Patent number: 11712843Abstract: A binder jet printing apparatus (10), along with methods of its use, is provided. The binder jet printing apparatus (10) may include: a job box (18) having a actuatable build plate (46) therein; a supply box (54) having a bottom platform (56) that is actuatable within the supply box (54); a print system including at least one print head (32) connected to a binder source (38) and configured to apply a pattern of binder onto an exposed powder layer (42) over the build plate (46) of the job box (18); a recoat system (16) including a recoater configured to move from the supply box (54) to the job box (18) to transfer powder from the supply box (54) to the job box (18) so as to form a new powder layer (48) over the build plate (46) of the job box (18); and a cure system (14) configured to direct electromagnetic radiation onto the job box (18).Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2018Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Vadim Bromberg, Victor Wayne Fulton, Carlos H. Bonilla, Travis Gene Sands, Brian Harlow Farrell, Joseph Lucian Smolenski, Younkoo Jeong, Glen Charles Fedyk
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Patent number: 11701817Abstract: A method of making a workpiece in an additive manufacturing process includes determining a preferred angular orientation of the grid array about a build axis extending perpendicular to a layer to be built for a first layer of a workpiece. The preferred angular orientation is selected to align an edge of one or more pixels with an edge of the layer of the workpiece being built. The method further includes orienting a patterned image of radiant energy to the preferred angular orientation by rotating a projector before solidifying a portion of a resin that forms the first layer of the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2020Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Travis Gene Sands, Stephen Michael Deak
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Patent number: 11484892Abstract: A particle separator for removing particles from a gaseous stream, the particle separator having a separator body having a centerline axis and a peripheral wall defining a separation chamber, a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the separation chamber, a particle outlet in fluid communication with the separation chamber, a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the separation chamber, and a plurality of angled inlet apertures fluidly coupled between the fluid inlet and the separation chamber. A particulate separation system for removing particles from a gaseous stream, the particulate filtration system having an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of particle separators located between and in fluid communication with, the inlet and the outlet, wherein each of the plurality of particle separators receives less than about 5 percent by volume of the flow of the gaseous stream entering the inlet.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2020Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Peter Joseph Rock, Jr., Cassidy Charles Shibiya, Travis Gene Sands, Joshua Tyler Mook, Zachary William Nagel, Mary Kathryn Thompson
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Patent number: 11351724Abstract: A method for producing a component layer-by-layer. The method includes the steps of: depositing particulate material to form a layer of particulate material having a first area over a build platform; applying at least one exothermic material over the build platform so that a selected portion of the first area is uniformly coated with the exothermic material; selectively sintering a second area of the layer smaller than the selected portion of first area, using an application of radiant energy to trigger an exothermic reaction in the at least one exothermic material, in a specific pattern that defines the geometry of a cross-sectional layer of the component; and repeating the steps of depositing, applying, and sintering for a plurality of layers until the component is complete.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2018Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mary Kathryn Thompson, Travis Gene Sands, Theodore Anderson
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Publication number: 20220063191Abstract: A method for producing a component from two or more sub-components includes the steps of: producing each of the sub-components using an additive manufacturing process in which a resin, which is radiant-energy-curable, is partially cured using a selective application of radiant energy, wherein each sub-component includes a joint surface in which the resin is partially cured which is cured to a lesser degree than the remainder of the respective sub-component, so as to leave the joint surfaces in a condition suitable for bonding; assembling the sub-components with their respective joint surfaces in mutual contact; and performing a secondary cure of the partially-cured resin at the joint surfaces using an application of radiant energy, so as to further cure the partially-cured resin and bond the sub-components to each other, thereby forming the component.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2021Publication date: March 3, 2022Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mary Kathryn Thompson, Christopher Barnhill, Travis Gene Sands, James Kenton Pullins, Mark Pezzutti
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Patent number: 11198249Abstract: A method for producing a component from two or more sub-components includes the steps of: producing each of the sub-components using an additive manufacturing process in which a resin, which is radiant-energy-curable, is partially cured using a selective application of radiant energy, wherein each sub-component includes a joint surface in which the resin is partially cured which is cured to a lesser degree than the remainder of the respective sub-component, so as to leave the joint surfaces in a condition suitable for bonding; assembling the sub-components with their respective joint surfaces in mutual contact; and performing a secondary cure of the partially-cured resin at the joint surfaces using an application of radiant energy, so as to further cure the partially-cured resin and bond the sub-components to each other, thereby forming the component.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2018Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mary Kathryn Thompson, Christopher Barnhill, Travis Gene Sands, James Kenton Pullins, Mark Pezzutti
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Patent number: 11155072Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods for additive manufacturing (AM) that utilize a computer aided design (CAD) model of a part to develop a layer representation of the part. The method includes: determining a build layer thickness of an additive manufacturing apparatus; identifying a feature of the part within the model; determining that the feature is not aligned along the z-axis based on the build layer thickness; and moving the feature within the model along the z-axis by a feature offset such that the feature is aligned along the z-axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2019Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Travis Gene Sands, Jerod Curtis Kruse, Johnny Deleon, Cory Riffe
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Publication number: 20210197214Abstract: A particle separator for removing particles from a gaseous stream, the particle separator having a separator body having a centerline axis and a peripheral wall defining a separation chamber, a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the separation chamber, a particle outlet in fluid communication with the separation chamber, a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the separation chamber, and a plurality of angled inlet apertures fluidly coupled between the fluid inlet and the separation chamber. A particulate separation system for removing particles from a gaseous stream, the particulate filtration system having an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of particle separators located between and in fluid communication with, the inlet and the outlet, wherein each of the plurality of particle separators receives less than about 5 percent by volume of the flow of the gaseous stream entering the inlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2020Publication date: July 1, 2021Inventors: Peter Joseph Rock, JR., Cassidy Charles Shibiya, Travis Gene Sands, Joshua Tyler Mook, Zachary William Nagel, Mary Katnryn Thompson
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Publication number: 20210170680Abstract: A binder jet printing apparatus (10), along with methods of its use, is provided. The binder jet printing apparatus (10) may include: a job box (18) having a actuatable build plate (46) therein; a supply box (54) having a bottom platform (56) that is actuatable within the supply box (54); a print system including at least one print head (32) connected to a binder source (38) and configured to apply a pattern of binder onto an exposed powder layer (42) over the build plate (46) of the job box (18); a recoat system (16) including a recoater configured to move from the supply box (54) to the job box (18) to transfer powder from the supply box (54) to the job box (18) so as to form a new powder layer (48) over the build plate (46) of the job box (18); and a cure system (14) configured to direct electromagnetic radiation onto the job box (18).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2018Publication date: June 10, 2021Inventors: Vadim Bromberg, Victor Wayne Fulton, Carlos H. Bonilla, Travis Gene Sands, Brian Harlow Farrell, Joseph Lucian Smolenski, Younkoo Jeong, Glen Charles Fedyk
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Publication number: 20210031504Abstract: A method of making a workpiece in an additive manufacturing process includes determining a preferred angular orientation of the grid array about a build axis extending perpendicular to a layer to be built for a first layer of a workpiece. The preferred angular orientation is selected to align an edge of one or more pixels with an edge of the layer of the workpiece being built. The method further includes orienting a patterned image of radiant energy to the preferred angular orientation by rotating a projector before solidifying a portion of a resin that forms the first layer of the workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2020Publication date: February 4, 2021Inventors: Travis Gene Sands, Stephen Michael Deak
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Patent number: 10821717Abstract: A method is provided for making a workpiece in an additive manufacturing process in which a starting material is solidified in a layer by layer fashion, with each layer of the workpiece being solidified using a patterned image of radiant energy configured as a two-dimensional grid array of pixels. The method includes: for each layer of the workpiece, determining a preferred angular orientation of the grid array, relative to the layer; and orienting the patterned image to the preferred angular orientation before solidifying the starting material for that layer.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2016Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Travis Gene Sands, Stephen Michael Deak
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Publication number: 20200031045Abstract: A method for producing a component from two or more sub-components includes the steps of: producing each of the sub-components using an additive manufacturing process in which a resin, which is radiant-energy-curable, is partially cured using a selective application of radiant energy, wherein each sub-component includes a joint surface in which the resin is partially cured which is cured to a lesser degree than the remainder of the respective sub-component, so as to leave the joint surfaces in a condition suitable for bonding; assembling the sub-components with their respective joint surfaces in mutual contact; and performing a secondary cure of the partially-cured resin at the joint surfaces using an application of radiant energy, so as to further cure the partially-cured resin and bond the sub-components to each other, thereby forming the component.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2018Publication date: January 30, 2020Inventors: Mary Kathryn Thompson, Christopher Barnhill, Travis Gene Sands, James Kenton Pullins, Mark Pezzutti
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Publication number: 20200009849Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods for additive manufacturing (AM) that utilize a computer aided design (CAD) model of a part to develop a layer representation of the part. The method includes: determining a build layer thickness of an additive manufacturing apparatus; identifying a feature of the part within the model; determining that the feature is not aligned along the z-axis based on the build layer thickness; and moving the feature within the model along the z-axis by a feature offset such that the feature is aligned along the z-axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2019Publication date: January 9, 2020Inventors: Travis Gene Sands, Jerod Curtis Kruse, Johnny Deleon, Cory Riffe
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Patent number: 10434759Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods for additive manufacturing (AM) that utilize a computer aided design (CAD) model of a part to develop a layer representation of the part. The method includes: determining a build layer thickness of an additive manufacturing apparatus; identifying a feature of the part within the model; determining that the feature is not aligned along the z-axis based on the build layer thickness; and moving the feature within the model along the z-axis by a feature offset such that the feature is aligned along the z-axis.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2016Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Travis Gene Sands, Jerod Curtis Kruse, Johnny Deleon, Cory Riffe
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Publication number: 20190099941Abstract: A method for producing a component layer-by-layer. The method includes the steps of: depositing particulate material to form a layer of particulate material having a first area over a build platform; applying at least one exothermic material over the build platform so that a selected portion of the first area is uniformly coated with the exothermic material; selectively sintering a second area of the layer smaller than the selected portion of first area, using an application of radiant energy to trigger an exothermic reaction in the at least one exothermic material, in a specific pattern that defines the geometry of a cross-sectional layer of the component; and repeating the steps of depositing, applying, and sintering for a plurality of layers until the component is complete.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2018Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: Mary Kathryn Thompson, Travis Gene Sands, Theodore Anderson