The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 19, 2019
Filed:
Jun. 02, 2015
Soyoung Park, Kanagawa, JP;
Shinichi Kakuda, Kanagawa, JP;
Shozo Sakura, Kanagawa, JP;
RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object includes a fabrication stage and a flattener. A fabrication layer in which powder particles are bound together is formed layer-by-layer on the fabrication stage. The flattener relatively moves in a moving direction along a stage surface of the fabrication stage and flattens a surface of powder on the fabrication stage to form a powder layer. The fabrication stage and the flattener are arranged to be relatively movable in a height direction. In formation of the powder layer on the fabrication layer formed on the fabrication stage, the apparatus performs an operation to increase a distance between the flattener and the fabrication stage in the height direction when the flattener moves to a position near an edge of the fabrication layer in the moving direction.