US 11,718,041 B2
Cooperative 3D printing platform
Wenchao Zhou, Springdale, AR (US); Lucas Galvan Marques, Fayetteville, AR (US); and Robert Austin Williams, Fayetteville, AR (US)
Assigned to Board Of Trustees Of The University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR (US)
Filed by BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS, Little Rock, AR (US)
Filed on Oct. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/497,856.
Application 17/497,856 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/973,499, filed on May 7, 2018, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/502,401, filed on May 5, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0063203 A1, Mar. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 64/227 (2017.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/236 (2017.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B29C 64/30 (2017.01); H01R 41/00 (2006.01); B29C 64/379 (2017.01)
CPC B29C 64/393 (2017.08) [B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B29C 64/236 (2017.08); B29C 64/30 (2017.08); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B29C 64/379 (2017.08); H01R 41/00 (2013.01); H01R 2201/26 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A 3-D printing system comprising: a plurality of printers and an electrically conductive surface;
said printers being motorized to allow movement thereof in any direction and to allow free rotation thereof over said electrically conductive surface;
each of said printers having one or more printheads and a plurality of brushes for electrically connecting to said electrically conductive surface for powering said printers;
said electrically conductive surface being independent from said printers and adapted to receive a printed object formed by said printers; and
said electrically conductive surface comprised of a plurality of electrically conductive islands surrounded by nonconductive areas comprised of perpendicularly extending grooves and channels, said islands comprised of alternating positive and negative conductive strips arranged over a nonconductive base, with a depth of said channels reaching down to said base and a depth of said grooves not reaching said base.