# US 12,594,604 B2 · Powder supply management system for laser forming device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,594,604 B2 - Document ID: US12594604B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/277,325 - Filed: 2022-02-17 - Published: 2024-04-18 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2021-02-19 - Assignees: Insstek, Inc. - Applicants: Insstek, Inc. - Inventors: Suk Hyun Seo; Won Hoe Kim; Seon Ju Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594604B2 ## CPC - B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] - B22F 12/52: Hoppers - B22F 10/34: of powder characteristics, e.g. density, oxidation or flowability - B22F 12/57: Metering means - B22F 12/90: Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors - B22F 10/73: of powder - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A powder supply management system for a laser forming device, includes: a hopper for discharging powder; a main sampling unit which guides a portion of the powder discharged from the hopper to the laser forming device and guides the remaining powder to be discharged to another location; and a discharge monitoring unit which calculates an amount of the remaining powder separated in the main sampling unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A powder supply management system for a laser forming device, comprising: a hopper for discharging powder; a first powder dividing unit connected to the hopper and configured to divide the powder discharged from the hopper into a first portion and a second portion; and a discharge monitoring unit configured to calculate an amount of the second portion of the powder divided in the first powder dividing unit, wherein the first powder dividing unit includes: a plurality of first slitters disposed side-by-side to define a first passage space having a first inlet connected to the hopper and a first outlet; at least one second slitter laterally adjacent to the first slitters to define a second passage space having a second inlet connected to the hopper and a second outlet; a first slitter guide covering side surfaces of outermost ones of the first slitters and the second slitter; a first guide tube connected to the first outlet and configured to guide the first portion of the powder in the first passage space toward the laser forming device; and a second guide tube connected to the second outlet and configured to guide the second portion of the powder in the second passage space toward the discharge monitoring unit, wherein the first inlet and the second inlet are connected to each other such that the powder discharged from the hopper is able to enter both the first passage space and the second passage space, and wherein the first outlet and the second outlet are separated from each other in different discharge directions such that the first passage space and the second passage space are configured to guide the powder in different discharge directions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The powder supply management system of claim 1, further comprising a second powder dividing unit connected to the second guide tube, wherein the second powder dividing unit is configured to: divide the second portion of the powder discharged through the second guide tube into a third portion and a fourth portion, and guide the third portion of the powder to the discharge monitoring unit and the fourth portion of the powder to the laser forming device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The powder supply management system of claim 2, wherein the second powder dividing unit includes: a plurality of third slitters disposed side-by-side to define a third passage space having a third inlet connected to the second guide tube and a third outlet; at least one fourth slitter laterally adjacent to the third slitters to define a fourth passage space having a fourth inlet connected to the second guide tube and a fourth outlet; a second slitter guide covering side surfaces of outermost ones of the third slitters and the fourth slitter; a third guide tube connected to the third outlet and configured to guide the third portion of the powder in the third passage space toward the laser forming device; and a fourth guide tube connected to the fourth outlet and configured to guide the fourth portion of the powder in the fourth passage space toward the discharge monitoring unit, wherein the third inlet and the fourth inlet are connected to each other such that the second portion of the powder discharged through the second guide tube is able to enter both the third passage space and the fourth passage space, and wherein the third outlet and the fourth outlet are separated from each other in different discharge directions such that the third passage space and the fourth passage space are configured to guide the second portion of the powder in different discharge directions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The powder supply management system of claim 1, further comprising a storage monitoring unit configured to capture an image of a state of the powder stored in the hopper. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The powder supply management system of claim 1, wherein the first passage space and the second passage space respectively include: a vertical space in a vertical direction; and a transverse space connected to the vertical space and inclined in a transverse direction.