Stretchable surfaces with programmable texture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11077587-B2
Application number	US-201816161029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2018
Priority date	Oct 13, 2017
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure may be embodied as a method for creating a restriction pattern from a mask material having a strain (ε mask ) an for mapping elastomeric membrane having a strain (ε membrane ) into a target 3D shape. The method may include discretizing the target 3D shape into a plurality of radial segments, and a radial strain (ε r ) is determined for each radial position (r) on each radial segment of the plurality of radial segments. A restriction pattern is determined, wherein the restriction pattern comprises a quantity of mask material for each position r to provide a composite strain (ε mask , ε silicone ). In some embodiments, the method further includes depositing a first membrane layer into a mold and placing mask material into the first membrane layer according to the determined restriction pattern. The first membrane layer is cured.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for creating a mesh pattern from a mesh material having a strain (ε mask ) for mapping an elastomeric membrane having a strain (ε membrane ) into a target 3D shape, comprising:
discretizing the target 3D shape into a plurality of radial segments;
determining a radial strain (ε r ) for each radial position (r) on each radial segment of the plurality of radial segments; and
determining a mesh pattern comprising a quantity of mesh material for each position r to provide a composite strain (ε mask , ε silicone ).

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
depositing a first membrane layer into a mold;
placing mesh material onto the first membrane layer according to the determined mesh pattern; and
curing the first membrane layer.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising depositing a second membrane layer onto the mesh material and first membrane layer.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein placing the mesh material onto the first membrane layer further comprises:
treating the mesh material according to the mesh pattern; and
removing excess mesh material to leave the mesh pattern.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein a laser is used to treat the mesh material.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein
the mesh material placed onto the first membrane layer comprises a plurality of fibers, and wherein the act of placing further comprises embedding the mesh material within the first membrane layer.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first membrane layer comprises silicone.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein each fiber of the plurality of fibers is flexible.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein each fiber in the plurality of fibers is substantially inextensible in a longitudinal direction.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the mesh pattern comprises a plurality of concentric rings.

Assignees

• Univ Cornell

Inventors

• Pikul James
• Cohen Itai
• Shepherd Robert

Classifications

• B29L2031/702

  Imitation articles, e.g. statues, mannequins (medical equipment B29L2031/753; models B29L2031/40) · CPC title

• B29K2105/206

  Meshes, lattices or nets · CPC title

• B29C41/20

  incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. moulding inserts or for coating articles · CPC title

• B23K26/40

  taking account of the properties of the material involved · CPC title

• B29C41/12

  Spreading-out the material on a substrate {, e.g. on the surface of a liquid} · CPC title