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. 23, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 02, 1997
Kevin L Stuffle, Tucson, AZ (US);
Peter J Creegan, Tucson, AZ (US);
John L Lombardi, Tucson, AZ (US);
Paul D Calvert, Tucson, AZ (US);
John A O'Kelly, Tucson, AZ (US);
Robert A Hoffman, Tucson, AZ (US);
Gabriel C Chambers, Tucson, AZ (US);
Stratasys, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for thermal extrusion of a polymeric material to manufacture prototype mechanical elements from said polymeric material, said apparatus used for deposition of a liquefied ribbon of said polymeric material in patterned layers which solidify to form a three-dimensional prototype element, said apparatus comprising in combination, a mounting frame, said mounting frame including a mounting plate with a movable platen movable in the x and y directions, said frame further including an extrusion cylinder, said extrusion cylinder comprising a cylindrical housing having a uniform diameter cylindrical through passage, a head member having a uniform diameter bore connected with a reduced diameter, integral tip opening, said head member attached by a clamp to one end of the cylindrical housing to align the bore with the through passage, said-bore and through passage having an equal diameter, said head member including a circumferential heater to liquefy contents of the head member, a reciprocal piston slidably positioned in the cylindrical housing, and a piston actuator for driving the piston into the through passage to eject material through the tip opening.