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:
Mar. 18, 1997
Filed:
Jan. 09, 1995
James V Tompkins, Austin, TX (US);
Britton R Birmingham, Austin, TX (US);
Kevin J Jakubenas, Austin, TX (US);
Harris L Marcus, Austin, TX (US);
Board Of Regents, The University of Texas System, Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A process for joining solid compositions, comprising placing a first solid composition having a first joining zone and a second solid composition having a second joining zone in a chamber; positioning a first gas phase, which comprises a substance that decomposes to a material that adheres to the first and second solid compositions during the process, proximate the target area; directing an energy beam to the first and second joining zones to selectively deposit material from the first gas phase on the first joining zone and the second joining zone until a joint is formed between the first and second solid compositions wherein the joint adheres to the first and second compositions at the first and second joining zones. A process useful for attaching a solid fastener to a solid composition, comprising: placing the solid composition in a chamber; positioning a first gas phase, which comprises a substance that decomposes to a material that adheres to the solid composition during the process, proximate the solid composition; directing at least one energy beam to the solid composition to selectively deposit material from the first gas phase on the solid composition to form the solid fastener attached to the solid composition. The invention can also be used to repair solid compositions which contain defects such as chips or cracks or to modify the preexisting shape by localized addition of material from the gas phase.