公开(公告)号：US20240253299A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-01

申请号：US18162152

申请日：2023-01-31

Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Inventor： Chesley Lane ,  Steven J. Floyd ,  Talbot P. Thrasher ,  Timothy R. Stone ,  Vernon M. Benson

IPC: B29C64/147 ,  B29C64/188 ,  B29C64/205

CPC classification number: B29C64/147 ,  B29C64/188 ,  B29C64/205 ,  B29K2307/04 ,  B29K2309/08 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y40/00

Abstract: A machine for manufacturing tube elements comprised of tape strips. The machine includes a shaft, a disk mounted to one end of the shaft, a motor coupled to an opposite end of the shaft, and a plate mounted to the shaft. The plate includes a plurality of spools mounted to the plate, where a separate one of the strips is wound on each spool. In one embodiment, the machine further includes a rail positioned adjacent to the disk, a slide slidably secured to the rail and including an end support configured to hold ends of the tape strips, and an indexer configured to pull the slide on the rail away from the disk. The tape strips are unwound from the spools when the indexer pulls the slide in a manner so that the tape strips ride in a spaced apart manner around the disk to form the tube element.

公开(公告)号：US11167484B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-09

申请号：US16380328

申请日：2019-04-10

Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Inventor： Eric G. Barnes ,  Pedro A. Gonzalez ,  Todd L. Szallay ,  Steven J. Floyd ,  Sung S. Park ,  Brett G. Morham ,  Cody J. Brown ,  Reese R. Allen ,  Ryan L. Bischoff

IPC: B29C64/20 ,  B29C64/118 ,  B29C64/209 ,  B29C64/241 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y10/00

Abstract: A printing machine for fabricating high performance 3D integrated composite structures. The machine includes a robot having a base portion, a robot arm and an end joint secured to the arm opposite to the base portion, at least one source of an extrudable material, and an end-effector mounted to the end joint. The end-effector includes at least one extruder module for extruding the extrudable material and a rotary assembly, where the extruder module includes a nozzle assembly for extruding heated material out of the end-effector. The extruder module is mounted to the rotary assembly and the rotary assembly is rotatable so as to rotate the nozzle assembly relative to the part without rotating the end-effector.

公开(公告)号：US20200324459A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-15

申请号：US16380131

申请日：2019-04-10

Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Inventor： Eric G. Barnes ,  Pedro A. Gonzalez ,  Todd L. Szallay ,  Steven J. Floyd ,  Sung S. Park ,  Brett G. Morham ,  Cody J. Brown ,  Reese R. Allen ,  Ryan L. Bischoff

IPC: B29C64/118 ,  B29C64/209

Abstract: A 3D printing machine for fabricating high performance 3D integrated composite structures, where the machine includes a robot having a base portion, a robot arm and a rotatable connector secured to the arm opposite to the base portion, at least one source of an extrudable material, and an end-effector mounted to the rotatable connector and including at least one extruder module for extruding the extrudable material. The extruder module includes a nozzle assembly for extruding heated material out of the end-effector, and the end-effector is rotatable relative to the structure by the rotatable connector so that the nozzle assembly can be oriented normal to the part in different orientations without significantly changing a pose of the robot.

公开(公告)号：US20220080651A1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-17

申请号：US17456962

申请日：2021-11-30

Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Inventor： Eric G. Barnes ,  Pedro A. Gonzalez ,  Todd L. Szallay ,  Steven J. Floyd ,  Sung S. Park ,  Brett G. Morham ,  Cody J. Brown ,  Reese R. Allen ,  Ryan L. Bischoff

IPC: B29C64/118 ,  B29C64/379 ,  B29C64/245 ,  B29C64/209

Abstract: A system for fabricating a composite part using a 3D printing machine. The system includes means for forming the part by depositing consecutive part layers each including rows of filaments made of a part material from the machine, where depositing each part layer includes non-sequentially depositing one set of a plurality of filaments so that a gap is formed between the filaments and then depositing any number of additional sets of filaments so that each adjacent pair of filaments in each additional set of filaments are non-sequentially deposited.

公开(公告)号：US11220044B2

公开(公告)日：2022-01-11

申请号：US16380066

申请日：2019-04-10

Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Inventor： Eric G. Barnes ,  Pedro A. Gonzalez ,  Todd L. Szallay ,  Steven J. Floyd ,  Sung S. Park ,  Brett G. Morham ,  Cody J. Brown ,  Reese R. Allen ,  Ryan L. Bischoff

IPC: B29C64/118 ,  B29C64/379 ,  B29C64/245 ,  B29C64/209 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y40/00

Abstract: A method for fabricating a composite part using a 3D printing machine. The method includes forming the part by depositing consecutive part layers each including rows of filaments made of a part material from the machine, where depositing each part layer includes non-sequentially depositing one set of a plurality of filaments so that a gap is formed between the filaments and then depositing any number of additional sets of filaments so that each adjacent pair of filaments in each additional set of filaments are non-sequentially deposited.

公开(公告)号：US11117319B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-14

申请号：US16380390

申请日：2019-04-10

Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Inventor： Eric G. Barnes ,  Pedro A. Gonzalez ,  Todd L. Szallay ,  Steven J. Floyd ,  Sung S. Park ,  Brett G. Morham ,  Cody J. Brown ,  Reese R. Allen ,  Ryan L. Bischoff

IPC: B29C64/209 ,  B29C64/118 ,  B29C64/20 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y10/00

Abstract: A printing machine for fabricating high performance 3D integrated composite structures, where the machine includes a robot having a base portion, a robot arm and an end joint secured to the arm opposite to the base portion, a plurality of sources of extrudable material, and an end-effector mounted to the end joint. The end-effector includes a multiple-extruder module having a first extruder and a second extruder each including a separate nozzle assembly, wherein the first extruder receives one extrudable material and the second extruder receives another extrudable material.

公开(公告)号：US12172368B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-24

申请号：US18162152

申请日：2023-01-31

Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Inventor： Chesley Lane ,  Steven J. Floyd ,  Talbot P. Thrasher ,  Timothy R. Stone ,  Vernon M. Benson

IPC: B29C64/147 ,  B29C64/188 ,  B29C64/205 ,  B29K307/04 ,  B29K309/08 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y40/00

Abstract: A machine for manufacturing tube elements comprised of tape strips. The machine includes a shaft, a disk mounted to one end of the shaft, a motor coupled to an opposite end of the shaft, and a plate mounted to the shaft. The plate includes a plurality of spools mounted to the plate, where a separate one of the strips is wound on each spool. In one embodiment, the machine further includes a rail positioned adjacent to the disk, a slide slidably secured to the rail and including an end support configured to hold ends of the tape strips, and an indexer configured to pull the slide on the rail away from the disk. The tape strips are unwound from the spools when the indexer pulls the slide in a manner so that the tape strips ride in a spaced apart manner around the disk to form the tube element.

公开(公告)号：US11167483B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-09

申请号：US16380131

申请日：2019-04-10

Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Inventor： Eric G. Barnes ,  Pedro A. Gonzalez ,  Todd L. Szallay ,  Steven J. Floyd ,  Sung S. Park ,  Brett G. Morham ,  Cody J. Brown ,  Reese R. Allen ,  Ryan L. Bischoff

IPC: B29C64/118 ,  B29C64/209 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B29C64/20 ,  B33Y10/00

Abstract: A 3D printing machine for fabricating high performance 3D integrated composite structures, where the machine includes a robot having a base portion, a robot arm and a rotatable connector secured to the arm opposite to the base portion, at least one source of an extrudable material, and an end-effector mounted to the rotatable connector and including at least one extruder module for extruding the extrudable material. The extruder module includes a nozzle assembly for extruding heated material out of the end-effector, and the end-effector is rotatable relative to the structure by the rotatable connector so that the nozzle assembly can be oriented normal to the part in different orientations without significantly changing a pose of the robot.

公开(公告)号：US20200324472A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-15

申请号：US16380328

申请日：2019-04-10

Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Inventor： Eric G. Barnes ,  Pedro A. Gonzalez ,  Todd L. Szallay ,  Steven J. Floyd ,  Sung S. Park ,  Brett G. MORHAM ,  Cody J. Brown ,  Reese R. Allen ,  Ryan L. Bischoff

IPC: B29C64/209 ,  B29C64/118 ,  B29C64/241

Abstract: A printing machine for fabricating high performance 3D integrated composite structures. The machine includes a robot having a base portion, a robot arm and an end joint secured to the arm opposite to the base portion, at least one source of an extrudable material, and an end-effector mounted to the end joint. The end-effector includes at least one extruder module for extruding the extrudable material and a rotary assembly, where the extruder module includes a nozzle assembly for extruding heated material out of the end-effector. The extruder module is mounted to the rotary assembly and the rotary assembly is rotatable so as to rotate the nozzle assembly relative to the part without rotating the end-effector.

公开(公告)号：US11565464B2

公开(公告)日：2023-01-31

申请号：US17456962

申请日：2021-11-30

Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Inventor： Eric G. Barnes ,  Pedro A. Gonzalez ,  Todd L. Szallay ,  Steven J. Floyd ,  Sung S. Park ,  Brett G. Morham ,  Cody J. Brown ,  Reese R. Allen ,  Ryan L. Bischoff

IPC: B29C64/118 ,  B29C64/209 ,  B29C64/245 ,  B29C64/379 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y40/00

Abstract: A system for fabricating a composite part using a 3D printing machine. The system includes means for forming the part by depositing consecutive part layers each including rows of filaments made of a part material from the machine, where depositing each part layer includes non-sequentially depositing one set of a plurality of filaments so that a gap is formed between the filaments and then depositing any number of additional sets of filaments so that each adjacent pair of filaments in each additional set of filaments are non-sequentially deposited.