Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080231731 | IMAGER AND METHOD FOR CONSISTENT REPEATABLE ALIGNMENT IN A SOLID IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid imaging apparatus is provided that includes a replaceable cartridge containing a source of build material and an extendable and retractable flexible transport film for transporting the build material layer-by-layer from the cartridge to the surface of a build in an image plane. An operator using the device needs merely to remove a spent cartridge and replace it with a fresh cartridge to continue solid imaging virtually uninterrupted. The apparatus also includes the capability of withdrawing and inserting an imager without the operator having to perform a separate alignment step. A brush attached to the transport film and forming part of the cartridge provides for intra-layer removal of excess uncured build material. If desired, the apparatus can produce a fully reacted build. A high intensity UV source cures the build between layers. An injection molded build pad is designed to hold a build in an inverted position for improving the build. The invention also provides for tilting the build elevator to reduce air entrainment and for releasing the build from the image plane. | 09-25-2008 |
20090110763 | Material Delivery Tension and Tracking System for Use in Solid Imaging - A solid imaging apparatus and method employing a radiation transparent build material carrier and a build material dispensing system that accurately controls the thickness of the transferred layer of solidifiable liquid build material to the radiation transparent build material carrier to achieve high resolution imaging in three-dimensional objects built using an electro-optical radiation source. | 04-30-2009 |
20090243135 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING FOAM-IN-PLACE CUSHIONS WITH SELECTIVE DISTRIBUTION OF FOAM - A method and apparatus for making a foam-in-place cushion in which a foam-forming composition is dispensed between two plastic film portions in a predetermined fashion to selectively control the distribution of the foam in the cushion. A foam dispenser can be moved in a transverse direction as foam is dispensed. A dispersion device can be employed to apply pressure on predetermined areas of the film portions towards each other so as to cause the composition to be redistributed in position in a predetermined manner while the composition is in a less than fully expanded state. The plastic film can then be sealed closed to form an expanding foam cushion that can be placed into a shipping carton where the cushion expands to fill void space, or into a mold where the cushion expands and is molded into a desired shape. | 10-01-2009 |
20090283109 | Methods for Cleaning and Curing Solid Freeform Fabrication Parts - A post-processing system is provided for cleaning and/or curing a part produced by solid freeform fabrication (SFF). The post-processing systems include a housing, a part retaining device to retain the part within the housing, and an actinic radiation source to cure the part with actinic radiation. The systems also include a fluid circulation device adapted to expose the part to cleaning fluid and/or to allow the cleaning fluid to absorb actinic radiation to permit filtration of removed build material to allow extended use of the cleaning fluid. Certain systems include a first rotating portion that can rotate the retained part about a first axis, and further systems include a second rotating portion that can rotate the retained part about a second axis. The systems also include additional features to provide safe and efficient cleaning and/or curing of parts produced by SFF. | 11-19-2009 |
20090283119 | Post-Processing System For Solid Freeform Fabrication Parts - A post-processing system is provided for cleaning and/or curing a part produced by solid freeform fabrication (SFF). The post-processing systems include a housing, a part retaining device to retain the part within the housing, and an actinic radiation source to cure the part with actinic radiation. The systems also include a fluid circulation device adapted to expose the part to cleaning fluid and/or to allow the cleaning fluid to absorb actinic radiation to permit filtration of removed build material to allow extended use of the cleaning fluid. Certain systems include a first rotating portion that can rotate the retained part about a first axis, and further systems include a second rotating portion that can rotate the retained part about a second axis. The systems also include additional features to provide safe and efficient cleaning and/or curing of parts produced by SFF. | 11-19-2009 |
20110207057 | Edge Smoothness With Low Resolution Projected Images For Use in Solid Imaging - A solid imaging apparatus and method employing sub-pixel shifting in multiple exposures of the digitally light projected image of a cross-section of a three-dimensional object on a solidifiable liquid medium. The multiple exposures provide increased resolution, preserving image features in a three-dimensional object and smoothing out rough or uneven edges that would otherwise be occur using digital light projectors that are limited by the number of pixels in an image projected over the size of the image. Algorithms are used to select pixels to be illuminated within the boundary of each image projected in the cross-section being exposed. | 08-25-2011 |
20110272857 | Elevator and Method for Tilting Solid Image Build Platform for Reducing Air Entrainment and for Build Release - A solid imaging apparatus is provided that includes a replaceable cartridge containing a source of build material and an extendable and retractable flexible transport film for transporting the build material layer-by-layer from the cartridge to the surface of a build in an image plane. An operator using the device needs merely to remove a spent cartridge and replace it with a fresh cartridge to continue solid imaging virtually uninterrupted. The apparatus also includes the capability of withdrawing and inserting an imager without the operator having to perform a separate alignment step. A brush attached to the transport film and forming part of the cartridge provides for intra-layer removal of excess uncured build material. If desired, the apparatus can produce a fully reacted build. A high intensity UV source cures the build between layers. An injection molded build pad is designed to hold a build in an inverted position for improving the build. The invention also provides for tilting the build elevator to reduce air entrainment and for releasing the build from the image plane. | 11-10-2011 |
20110305810 | COOKING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF COOKING - An apparatus and method for cooking food, such as meat, protein, vegetable, or soup is disclosed. In one embodiment, the food items are supplied in a flexible polymer package that can withstand the temperature needed to cook the item. The cooking apparatus has two cooking surfaces in the form of heated platens, which may be arranged in a vertical orientation. These platens come together to simultaneously contact both sides of the food item. The cooking apparatus further includes a controller, configured to prepare the food using various control system algorithms. The apparatus cooks the food item from both sides to affect rapid and even cooking. It uses a combination of temperature, time, food thickness, platen force and a cooking code that is unique for each food type. The control system algorithm uses some or all of these parameters to determine precisely when the food item is cooked correctly. | 12-15-2011 |
20120012466 | Modular Cartridge System for Apparatus Producing Cleaning and/or Sanitizing Solutions - The presently disclosed subject matter comprises a method and system for producing cleaning and/or sanitizing solutions using a replaceable cartridge system. Particularly, the consumables needed to electrochemically or chemically produce the cleaning and/or sanitizing solutions can be supplied in a cartridge in a quantity measured to last for the chosen design life of the cartridge. Alternatively, the cartridge can comprise cleaning and/or sanitizing precursors that can be pre-prepared and supplied in a highly concentrated form. | 01-19-2012 |
20120148713 | COOKING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF COOKING - An apparatus and method for cooking food, such as meat, protein, vegetable, or soup is disclosed. In one embodiment, the food items are supplied in a flexible polymer package that can withstand the temperature needed to cook the item. The cooking apparatus has two cooking surfaces in the form of heated platens. These platens come together to simultaneously contact both sides of the food item. The cooking apparatus further includes a controller, configured to prepare the food using various control system algorithms. The apparatus cooks the food item from both sides to affect rapid and even cooking. It uses a combination of temperature, time, food thickness, platen force and a cooking code that is unique for each food type. The control system algorithm uses some or all of these parameters to determine precisely when the food item is cooked correctly. | 06-14-2012 |
20120181718 | Method for Making Foam-In-Place Cushions With Selective Distribution of Foam - A method for making a foam-in-place cushion in which a foam-forming composition is dispensed between two plastic film portions in a predetermined fashion to selectively control the distribution of the foam in the cushion. A foam dispenser can be moved in a transverse direction as foam is dispensed. A dispersion device can be employed to apply pressure on predetermined areas of the film portions towards each other so as to cause the composition to be redistributed in position in a predetermined manner while the composition is in a less than fully expanded state. The plastic film can then be sealed closed to form an expanding foam cushion that can be placed into a shipping carton where the cushion expands to fill void space, or into a mold where the cushion expands and is molded into a desired shape. | 07-19-2012 |
20130139665 | Slicing Apparatus - An improved slicer having a reciprocating blade is disclosed. The use of a reciprocating blade allows the configuration and functionality of the slicer to be modified to address many of the deficiencies of current rotary slicers. The slicer operates without manual intervention, and includes the capability to automatically stack the sliced products. In other words, the food product to be sliced is placed on the slicer, and the slicer automatically slices the food product and stacks the sliced product, in a configuration that is presentable to the customer. In some embodiments, the machine is designed to have certain zones that can be cleaned or replaced, while the rest of the machine is never contaminated. In addition, the reciprocating blade is inexpensive and easily replaceable, thereby eliminating the need to sharpen the blade. | 06-06-2013 |
20130216437 | APPARATUS FOR THE GENERATION OF CLEANING AND/OR SANITIZING SOLUTIONS - The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to an apparatus for the preparation of a cleaning, sanitizing, or sterilizing solution. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a modular component, such as a cartridge. The cartridge may contain chemical precursors to allow the generation of chlorine dioxide. The apparatus has a fluid inlet, and separates the fluid into a first flow path, which fills a reservoir. It also has a second flow path, which is heated before passing through the cartridge to create the desired gas. The fluid output from the cartridge is then fed into the reservoir. | 08-22-2013 |