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. 11, 1993
Filed:
Oct. 30, 1990
Dennis R Smalley, Baldwin Park, CA (US);
Hop D Nguyen, Little Rock, CA (US);
Kris A Schmidt, Granada Hills, CA (US);
Herbert E Evans, Valencia, CA (US);
Ray S Freed, Northridge, CA (US);
Paul J Jacobs, La Crescenta, CA (US);
3D Systems, Inc., Valencia, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for reducing surface discontinuities, resulting from the formation of a three-dimensional object out of a plurality of stacked layers, during layer by layer stereolithographic formation of the three-dimensional object. The discontinuities between layers are reduced by utilizing formation and solidification of thin fill layers near the edges of thicker structural layers or by utilizing surface tension effects to smooth discontinuities between the structural layers by formation of meniscuses of building material and solidifying the meniscuses.