Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110123794 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DIGITAL MANUFACTURING - A method for manufacturing objects/materials includes selectively arranging the predetermined components in a staging area, substantially simultaneously selectively removing two or more of the selectively arranged predetermined components according to a predetermined removal plan and substantially simultaneously placing the selectively removed components, the removed components being substantially simultaneously placed at a predetermined location. A system for practicing the method includes a supply of the predetermined components, an arranging subsystem receiving the predetermined components and arranging the predetermined components according to a predetermined arrangement, a selective removal subsystem for selectively removing at least two of the selectively arranged predetermined components, the selectively removing occurring substantially simultaneously and according to a predetermined removal prescription, and a placement subsystem for substantially simultaneously placing the selectively removed components at a predetermined location. | 05-26-2011 |
20110169193 | MODULAR FABRICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system controller is operably connected to the material deposition device to control operation of the material deposition device. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating an article using the system of the invention and a method of fabricating a living three-dimensional structure. | 07-14-2011 |
20110291527 | Fluid Current Energy Capture Apparatus And Method - One aspect of the present invention involves investigation of the principles and feasibility of the harvesting energy from the wind in constrained spaces, such as around buildings, as an alternative to conventional rotary wind turbines. Some embodiments involve the idea of harvesting energy from wind induced vibration instead of wind driven rotation. Some embodiments are a tree-like generator for wind energy harvesting including multiple vibrating elements. Some embodiments include a “piezo stalk and leaf” as an element of a plant-like generator. In some embodiments, a leaf, made at least in part from piezoelectric type materials is capable of generating electrical power through wind induced vibrations. Some embodiments include a cantilever piezo-electric material containing stalk member that exhibits at least one mode of cantilever motion. Some embodiments include an elongated piezoelectric material containing stalk member (which may or may not qualify as a cantilever), where a pendular member (or leaf member) is mechanically connected to the stalk and extends in a direction substantially non-parallel (for example, perpendicular to) the direction of elongation of the stalk. | 12-01-2011 |
20120241993 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FREEFORM FABRICATION OF FOAMED STRUCTURES - Technologies are provided herein for fabricating foamed structures using a three dimensional fabricator. In particular, the present disclosure provides systems and methods of producing foamed structures using foamed materials, lattice foamed materials, and/or layer deposition employing the concept of viscous thread instability. | 09-27-2012 |
20130055838 | BIDIRECTIONAL GEAR, METHOD, AND APPLICATIONS - A bidirectional gear set includes a male bidirectional gear component having an array of addendum teeth and a female bidirectional gear component having an array of dedendum sockets, wherein each dedendum socket has a full boundary edge around an open end thereof. One or both of the male and female gear components may have a circular cross sectional geometry, or one may have a non-circular cross sectional geometry. The non-circular cross sectional geometry may be a flat sheet or a sheet with surface contour. In an intermeshed state, neither the male nor the female component can ‘slide’ relative to the other regardless of whether the male and female components are arranged in a parallel or perpendicular orientation. A method of making a bidirectional gear set is disclosed. | 03-07-2013 |
20130089642 | MODULAR FABRICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system controller is operably connected to the material deposition device to control operation of the material deposition device. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating an article using the system of the invention and a method of fabricating edible foodstuffs. | 04-11-2013 |
20130106127 | GRIPPING AND RELEASING APPARATUS AND METHOD | 05-02-2013 |
20140013962 | DEPOSITION OF MATERIALS FOR EDIBLE SOLID FREEFORM FABRICATION - Technologies are provided herein for processing edible materials using tools associated with a fabrication system. In one aspect, a fabricator includes a control module and a drive assembly controlled by the control module. The fabricator also includes at least one food processing tool head coupled to the drive assembly that can process material for fabricating an edible structure on a build surface. | 01-16-2014 |
20140016856 | PREDICTION OF SUCCESSFUL GRASPS BY END OF ARM TOOLING - Given an image and an aligned depth map of an object, the invention predicts the 3D location, 3D orientation and opening width or area of contact for an end of arm tooling (EOAT) without requiring a physical model. | 01-16-2014 |
20140050811 | DEPOSITION TOOL WITH INTERCHANGEABLE MATERIAL BAY - Technologies are provided herein for a modular deposition tool design that allows for both, the fast interchanging of materials and for easy cleaning of all wetted surfaces. A drive assembly for use in a solid freeform fabrication system, includes a drive module having a drive mechanism and a detachable material bay assembly that is detachable from the drive module. The material bay assembly includes a material bay holder, a material deposition tool, and a corresponding material bay actuation mechanism that can engage with the drive mechanism of the drive module when the material bay assembly is coupled to the drive module such that when the drive mechanism of the drive module is actuated, the material bay actuation mechanism is actuated, which causes the material deposition tool to deposit material from a material bay inserted in the material bay holder. | 02-20-2014 |
20140069813 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR MOVING OBJECTS INDIVIDUALLY AND IN PARALLEL - Electro-osmosis is used to create droplets in order to easily, carefully, and quickly pick-and-place millions of objects (ranging in size from millimeters to nanometers) individually or in parallel. Droplets are formed within channels that are individually controlled in order to achieve a predetermined configuration of the selected objects. | 03-13-2014 |
20140117586 | MODULAR FABRICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system controller is operably connected to the material deposition device to control operation of the material deposition device. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating an article using the system of the invention and a method of fabricating a living three-dimensional structure. | 05-01-2014 |
20150084238 | MODULAR FABRICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system controller is operably connected to the material deposition device to control operation of the material deposition device. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating an article using the system of the invention and a method of fabricating a living three-dimensional structure. | 03-26-2015 |