Tagged Build Material For Three-Dimensional Printing
Patent No. US11167464 (titled "Tagged Build Material For Three-Dimensional Printing") was filed by Stratasys Inc on Feb 20, 2020.
What is this patent about?
’464 is related to the field of additive manufacturing , specifically three-dimensional printers that use various build materials to create objects. The background acknowledges the need for printers to automatically detect and acquire characteristics of the build material to properly process it. This is crucial for determining the correct operating parameters for the printer.
The underlying idea behind ’464 is to equip build material supplies (like spools or cartridges) with a data tag that contains information about the material. The 3D printer then reads this tag to automatically determine how to best use the material during the printing process. This eliminates the need for manual configuration and ensures optimal printing parameters are used for each material.
The claims of ’464 focus on a method and system where a tag sensor on a 3D printer reads data from a tag on a build material supply. This data, which includes at least one property of the build material, is then used to determine an operational parameter for the fabrication process. The operational parameter includes settings like build platform temperature, build volume temperature, infill requirement, rafting requirement, support structure requirement, and cooling requirement . A diagnostic test is performed to ensure the operational parameter is suitable for the printer, and if so, the printer's operation is controlled accordingly to fabricate the object.
In practice, the system uses a tag sensor (RFID, optical, magnetic, or mechanical) to read the data from the tag on the material supply. This data is then used by the printer's controller to automatically set the appropriate parameters for the print job. The diagnostic test ensures that the selected parameters are within the printer's capabilities and suitable for the material, preventing potential errors or damage.
This approach differs from prior solutions by automating the material recognition and configuration process. Instead of relying on user input or pre-programmed settings, the printer dynamically adjusts its parameters based on the information encoded on the material supply's tag. This ensures optimal print quality and reduces the risk of errors caused by incorrect settings, leading to a more user-friendly and efficient 3D printing experience.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2010s when ’464 was filed, three-dimensional printing was at a time when systems commonly relied on specific material characteristics to properly process build material through the printer extruder, when hardware or software constraints made automatic detection and acquisition of these characteristics non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The application was subject to a final rejection. Claims 1-9 and 11-21 were rejected for nonstatutory double patenting over several prior patents. The prosecution record does not describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.
Claims
This patent contains 20 claims, with claims 1, 12, and 19 being independent. The independent claims are directed to a method and a system for controlling a three-dimensional printer based on data read from a tag on a build material supply. The dependent claims generally elaborate on the components, features, and parameters described in the independent claims.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
Patent Family
File Wrapper
The dossier documents provide a comprehensive record of the patent's prosecution history - including filings, correspondence, and decisions made by patent offices - and are crucial for understanding the patent's legal journey and any challenges it may have faced during examination.
Date
Description
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US11167464
- Application Number
- US16796122
- Filing Date
- Feb 20, 2020
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Oct 28, 2033
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents