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:
Nov. 05, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 24, 1998
David M. Keicher, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Clinton L. Atwood, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Donald L. Greene, Corrales, NM (US);
Michelle L. Griffith, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Lane D. Harwell, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Francisco P. Jeantette, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Joseph A. Romero, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Lee P. Schanwald, Albuquerque, NM (US);
David T. Schmale, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Sandia Corporation, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Abstract
An energy beam driven rapid fabrication system, in which an energy beam strikes a growth surface to form a molten puddle thereon. Feed powder is then injected into the molten puddle from a converging flow of feed powder. A portion of the feed powder becomes incorporated into the molten puddle, forcing some of the puddle contents to freeze on the growth surface, thereby adding an additional layer of material. By scanning the energy beam and the converging flow of feed powder across the growth surface, complex three-dimensional shapes can be formed, ready or nearly ready for use. Nearly any class of material can be fabricated using this system.