Gary Keith Lewis
Engineers at Pilar, Los Alamos, NM

6418955, Jul 16, 2002

Apr 24, 2001

09/841770

Gary K. Lewis - Los Alamos NM
Richard M. Less - Los Alamos NM

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

F16L 100

137 10, 137561 A, 137268, 251367

A device for providing uniform powder flow to the nozzles when creating solid structures using a solid fabrication system such as the directed light fabrication (DLF) process. In the DLF process, gas entrained powders are passed through the focal point of a moving high-power laser light which fuses the particles in the powder to a surface being built up in layers. The invention is a device providing uniform flow of gas entrained powders to the nozzles of the DLF system. The device comprises a series of modular splitters which are slidably interconnected and contain an integral flow control mechanism. The device can take the gas entrained powder from between one to four hoppers and split the flow into eight tubular lines which feed the powder delivery nozzles of the DLF system.

6429402, Aug 6, 2002

Jun 2, 2000

09/587183

Raymond D. Dixon - Los Alamos NM
Gary K. Lewis - Los Alamos NM
John O. Milewski - Santa Fe NM

The Regents of the University of California - Los Alamos NM

H05B 100

21912163, 21912164, 21912182

It has been discovered that wires and small diameter rods can be produced using laser deposition technology in a novel way. An elongated article such as a wire or rod is constructed by melting and depositing particulate material into a deposition zone which has been designed to yield the desired article shape and dimensions. The article is withdrawn from the deposition zone as it is formed, thus enabling formation of the article in a continuous process. Alternatively, the deposition zone is moved along any of numerous deposition paths away from the article being formed.

6263918, Jul 24, 2001

Mar 10, 2000

9/523260

Gary K. Lewis - Los Alamos NM
Richard M. Less - Los Alamos NM

The Regents of The University of California - Oakland CA

F17D 1100

137597

A device for providing uniform powder flow to the nozzles when creating solid structures using a solid fabrication system such as the directed light fabrication (DLF) process. In the DLF process, gas entrained powders are passed through the focal point of a moving high-power laser light which fuses the particles in the powder to a surface being built up in layers. The invention is a device providing uniform flow of gas entrained powders to the nozzles of the DLF system. The device comprises a series of modular splitters which are slidably interconnected and contain an integral flow control mechanism. The device can take the gas entrained powder from between one to four hoppers and split the flow into eight tubular lines which feed the powder delivery nozzles of the DLF system.

5837960, Nov 17, 1998

Nov 30, 1995

8/566430

Gary K. Lewis - Los Alamos NM
John O. Milewski - Santa Fe NM
David A. Cremers - Los Alamos NM
Ronald B. Nemec - White Rock NM
Michael R. Barbe - White Rock NM

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

B23K 2600

21912163

Method and apparatus for forming articles from materials in particulate form in which the materials are melted by a laser beam and deposited at points along a tool path to form an article of the desired shape and dimensions. Preferably the tool path and other parameters of the deposition process are established using computer-aided design and manufacturing techniques. A controller comprised of a digital computer directs movement of a deposition zone along the tool path and provides control signals to adjust apparatus functions, such as the speed at which a deposition head which delivers the laser beam and powder to the deposition zone moves along the tool path.

5961862, Oct 5, 1999

Nov 30, 1995

8/565798

Gary K. Lewis - Los Alamos NM
Richard M. Less - Los Alamos NM

The Regents of the University of California - Los Alamos NM

B23K 2614, B23K 2600

21912184

A deposition head for use as a part of apparatus for forming articles from materials in particulate form in which the materials are melted by a laser beam and deposited at points along a tool path to form an article of the desired shape and dimensions. The deposition head delivers the laser beam and powder to a deposition zone, which is formed at the tip of the deposition head. A controller comprised of a digital computer directs movement of the deposition zone along the tool path and provides control signals to adjust apparatus functions, such as the speed at which the deposition head moves along the tool path.

6305884, Oct 23, 2001

Mar 3, 2000

9/518768

Gary K. Lewis - Los Alamos NM
Richard M. Less - Los Alamos NM

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

B65G 5124

406182

A device for increasing the uniformity of solids within a solids fabrication system, such as a direct light fabrication (DLF) system in which gas entrained powders are passed through the focal point of a moving high-power light which fuses the particles in the powder to a surface being built up in layers. The invention provides a feed through interface wherein gas entrained powders input from stationary input lines are coupled to a rotating head of the fabrication system. The invention eliminates the need to provide additional slack in the feed lines to accommodate head rotation, and therefore reduces feed line bending movements which induce non-uniform feeding of gas entrained powder to a rotating head.