Patent ID: 11872754
Assignee: POWDER MOTION LABS, LLC
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  Y | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. An additive manufacturing system comprising:
a powder bed that resides in a powder bed reservoir having one or more top edges;
an electrode positionable over the powder bed; and
a voltage supply configured to produce a high voltage alternating current signal for creating an alternating electric field between the electrode and the powder bed;
wherein:
the one or more top edges of the powder bed reservoir are angled outwardly to thereby deflect powder inwards and keep powder in the powder bed reservoir; and/or
one or more seals are located below the electrode between outer edges of the electrode and the one or more top edges of the powder bed reservoir, the one or more seals configured to prevent powder from exiting the powder bed reservoir underneath the outer edges of the electrode; and/or
the electrode is configured to be positioned over the powder bed and then actuated in a downward motion to an effective distance from a top surface of the powder bed before the voltage supply produces the high voltage alternating current signal to thereby limit powder escaping from the powder bed reservoir underneath edges of the electrode after the voltage supply produces the high voltage alternating current when the electrode is in the downward position; and/or
the powder bed reservoir includes one or more sidewalls defining recesses, and the electrode includes edges configured to be seated within the recesses of the powder bed reservoir, whereby the seating of the edges of the electrode within the recesses of the powder bed reservoir enables powder to accumulate about the one or more sidewalls defining the recesses proximate the edges of the electrode thereby keeping powder in the powder bed reservoir.