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:
Jul. 24, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 24, 1999
John J. Gigl, Elburn, IL (US);
Dennis R. Smalley, Newhall, CA (US);
Jan Richter, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Thomas H. Pang, Castaic, CA (US);
Kerry J. Allen, Saugus, CA (US);
Chris R. Manners, Moorpark, CA (US);
Paul F. Jacobs, La Crescenta, CA (US);
Hop D. Hguyen, Quartz Hill, CA (US);
Charles W. Hull, Santa Clarita, CA (US);
Richard N. Leyden, Topanga, CA (US);
3D Systems, Inc., Valencia, CA (US);
Abstract
An improved method for stereolithographically making an object by alternating the order in which similar sets of vectors are exposed over two or more layers. In another method, a pattern of tightly packed hexagonal tiles are drawn. Each tile is isolated from its neighboring tiles by specifying breaks of unexposed material between the tiles. Using an interrupted scan method, vectors are drawn with periodic breaks along their lengths. In another method, modulator and scanning techniques are used to reduce exposure problems associated with the acceleration and deceleration of the scanning system when jumping between vectors or changing scanning directions. In another method, a capability for automatically inserting vents an drains into a three-dimensional object representation is provided.