Patents
US 12673370 B2: Electrostatic powder remover for powder bed fusion additive manufacturing
- Granted
- 2026-07-07
- Filed
- 2023-01-31 application 18162086
- Type
- Utility · 20 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a system for removing an upper layer of powder from a powder bed, wherein the powder bed includes metal powder particles. The system makes use of an electrode subsystem having an electrode and a dielectric layer secured to the electrode. A metallic build plate is used for supporting the powder layer thereon. The electrode subsystem is supported above an upper surface of the powder bed such that the dielectric layer is separated from the upper surface by a gap of a predetermined distance. A power source is coupled to the electrode subsystem and the build plate for supplying a voltage across the electrode subsystem and the build plate. The voltage generates an electric field in the gap which is sufficient to attract and lift a predetermined thickness portion of the powder layer adjacent the upper surface, onto the dielectric layer, to leave a new upper surface on the powder bed.
Source: PTBLXML, file of 2026-07-07 (ipgb20260707.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC 1,498 patents | US company or organization | Livermore, CA | LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC State business registration EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state | PTBLXML, file of 2026-07-07 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael John Troksa | Veradale, WA | 3 | PTBLXML, file of 2026-07-07 | |
| Ziheng Wu | Seattle, WA | PTBLXML, file of 2026-07-07 | ||
| Eric S. Elton | Livermore, CA | 3 | PTBLXML, file of 2026-07-07 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| B22F | Working metallic powder; manufacture of articles from metallic powder; making metallic powder ; apparatus or devices specially adapted for metallic powder | B22F10/68 | PTBLXML, file of 2026-07-07 |
| B33Y | Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3d] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3d printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering | B33Y30/00 | PTBLXML, file of 2026-07-07 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
| Recorded | What | From | To | Reel/frame | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-04 | Government interest Confirmatory license | LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC signed 2023-03-07 | NNSA ALBUQUERQUE, NM | 73681/846 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2023-03-09 | Government interest Confirmatory license (see document for details) | LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC signed 2023-03-08 | U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON, DC | 63011/201 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2023-01-31 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | TROKSA, MICHAEL JOHN signed 2023-01-25 WU, ZIHENG signed 2023-01-25 ELTON, ERIC S. signed 2023-01-25 | LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC LIVERMORE, CA | 62547/864 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
Documents recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch that list this patent. A security interest is a lender’s claim on the patent as collateral; a release ends it.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.