Methods for manufacturing three-dimensional devices and devices created thereby
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of forming a casting, comprising:
- filling a mold having a stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil layers with a first casting material to form a first cast product having an aspect ratio of greater than 10;
1, the stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil layers defining a protruding undercut; and
demolding the first cast product from the mold, said first cast product comprising a plurality of product surfaces that define a periphery of a layer-less volume of said first cast product, a product surface from said plurality of product surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate a mold surface formed by said stacked plurality of metallic foil layers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process of making a casting includes the steps of designing a mold (1010), fabricating the layers (or laminations) of the mold (1020), stacking and assembling the laminations into a mold (1030), producing a casting (1060) and demolding the casting (1070). If necessary, a derived mold can be made (1040, 1050) prior to producing the casing (1060).
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. A method of forming a casting, comprising:
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filling a mold having a stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil layers with a first casting material to form a first cast product having an aspect ratio of greater than 10;
1, the stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil layers defining a protruding undercut; anddemolding the first cast product from the mold, said first cast product comprising a plurality of product surfaces that define a periphery of a layer-less volume of said first cast product, a product surface from said plurality of product surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate a mold surface formed by said stacked plurality of metallic foil layers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of forming a casting, comprising:
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filling a mold having a stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil layers with a first casting material to form a first cast product having an aspect ratio of greater than 10;
1, the stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil layers defining a protruding undercut; anddemolding the first cast product from the mold, the first cast product reflecting the protruding undercut, said first cast product comprising a plurality of product surfaces that define a periphery of a layer-less volume of said first cast product, a product surface from said plurality of product surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate a mold surface formed by said stacked plurality of metallic foil layers.
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39. A method of fabricating a stack lamination mold, comprising:
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lithographically micro-machining each of a plurality of metallic foil layers; and assembling the plurality of layers into a stack that defines a protruding undercut and an aspect of greater than 10;
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- 40. A lithographically-derived micro-machined metallic foil stack lamination mold that defines a protruding undercut and that defines an aspect ratio of greater than 10:
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57. A metallic foil stack lamination mold that defines a protruding undercut and an aspect ratio of greater than 10:
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58. A metallic foil stack lamination mold that defines a cavity having a protruding undercut and an aspect ratio of greater than 10:
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59. A mold derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said derived mold defining a cavity therein, a protruding undercut, and a feature having an aspect ratio greater than 10:
- 1, said derived mold comprising a plurality of surfaces that define a periphery of a layer-less volume of said derived mold, a surface from said plurality of surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate a stack lamination mold surface formed by a stacked plurality of metallic foil layers comprised by said stack lamination mold.
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60. A mold derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said derived mold defining a protruding undercut and an aspect ratio of greater than 10:
- 1, said derived mold comprising a plurality of surfaces that define a periphery of a layer-less volume of said derived mold, a surface from said plurality of surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate a stack lamination mold surface formed by a stacked plurality of metallic foil layers comprised by said stack lamination mold.
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61. A mold derived from a metallic foil stack lamination mold, said derived mold defining a cavity having a protruding undercut and an aspect ratio of greater than 10:
- 1, said derived mold comprising a plurality of surfaces that define a periphery of a layer-less volume of said derived mold, a surface from said plurality of surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate a stack lamination mold surface formed by a stacked plurality of metallic foil layers comprised by said stack lamination mold.
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62. A method of forming a casting, comprising:
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filling a mold having a stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined layers with a first casting material to form a first cast product having an aspect ratio of greater than 10;
1, the stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined layers defining a protruding undercut; anddemolding the first cast product from the mold, such that the mold is not substantially damaged, said first cast product comprising a plurality of component surfaces that define a periphery of a layer-less volume of said first cast product, a component surface from said plurality of component surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate a mold surface formed by said stacked plurality of layers.
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63. A method of forming a casting, comprising:
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filling a mold having a stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined layers with a first casting material to form a first cast product having an aspect ratio of greater than 10;
1, the stacked plurality of lithographically-derived micro-machined layers defining a protruding undercut; anddemolding the first cast product from the mold such that the mold is not substantially damaged, the first cast product reflecting the protruding undercut, said first cast product comprising a plurality of component surfaces that define a periphery of a layer-less volume of said first cast product, a component surface from said plurality of component surfaces comprising a plurality of 3-dimensional micro-features that substantially spatially invertedly replicate a mold surface formed by said stacked plurality of layers.
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Specification