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:
Oct. 13, 1992
Filed:
Nov. 09, 1990
Kris W Grube, Austin, TX (US);
Joseph J Beaman, Austin, TX (US);
DTM Corporation, Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A radiant heater, and an apparatus for performing selective laser sintering using the same, are disclosed. The radiant heater is ring-shaped with its dimensions and distance from the target surface preferably defined to provide radiant energy to a target surface, with the rate of energy received per unit area of the target surface being substantially uniform. A frusto-conical ring-shaped radiant heater is also disclosed, which may be disposed closer to the surface to provide improved efficiency of heat transfer in a uniform fashion. A cooling element similarly shaped is also disclosed, which operates in the same manner to uniformly transfer radiant heat from the target surface. Zoning of the ring-shaped radiant heaters, to allow for non-uniform radiant energy emission to the target surface, is also disclosed. Monitoring of the temperature of the target surface is done by way of infrared sensors. For monitoring of cool temperatures, a second infrared sensor is directed at the radiant heater, so that compensation for reflection of the radiant heat from the surface may be accomplished.