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:
May. 05, 2020
Filed:
Jan. 23, 2018
The Government of the United States of America, As Represented BY the Secretary of the Navy, Arlington, VA (US);
Andrew J. Birnbaum, Washington, DC (US);
Athanasios Iliopoulos, Rockville, MD (US);
John Steuben, Oxen Hill, MD (US);
John G. Michopoulos, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for volumetric manufacture of three-dimensional physical objects from a precursor material based on plans, specifications, or virtual models. A build domain is provided comprising an enclosed three-dimensional wire grid in which the wires are connected to one or more electric power sources configured to controllably and addressably apply power to one or more individual wires to cause the wires to dissipate heat produced by Joule heating to the surrounding precursor material situated within the build domain, and to further allow for the control of the three-dimensional heat distribution and accordingly temperature distribution within the build domain. By activating and deactivating one or more predetermined subsets of the wires in the build domain, the precursor can be caused to melt and/or solidify so as to form a three-dimensional object within the build domain.