Optimized three dimensional printing using ready-made supports

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11330865-B2
Application number	US-201716092754-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2017
Priority date	Apr 15, 2016
Publication date	May 17, 2022
Grant date	May 17, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods for supporting an object to be printed in an additive manufacturing process are disclosed. Support structures (202, 302, 402, 502, 602) are prefabricated and positioned in the build area of a 3D printing device prior to printing the 3D object. When the object has been printed, the support is removed and can be reused to print another object by repositioning the support structure in the building area of the additive manufacturing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An item of cushioning produced using an additive manufacturing device, comprising:
a plurality of curved layers each formed by the additive manufacturing device, wherein at least one curved layer conforms to a curved shape of an outer surface of the item of cushioning;
embedded wires within the plurality of curved layers, wherein the embedded wires follow curvature of the plurality of curved layers; and
a first area with a first thickness and a second area with a second thickness, wherein the first area has a greater thickness than the second area and comprises a greater number of curved layers than the second area.

2. The item of cushioning of claim 1 , wherein variance in thicknesses in the first area and second area is achieved using an infill method, and wherein infill layers are provided in the first area of the item of cushioning that has the greater thickness.

3. The item of cushioning of claim 2 , wherein a curvature of the infill layers is based on a stress analysis.

4. The item of cushioning of claim 2 , wherein a curvature of the infill layers is based on at least one of a top layer of the item of cushioning and a bottom layer of cushioning.

5. The item of cushioning of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of curved layers comprises a plurality of fibers.

6. The item of cushioning of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of fibers includes fibers comprising a first material and fibers comprising a second material.

7. The item of cushioning of claim 6 , wherein one of the first material and the second material is a reinforcement material.

8. The item of cushioning of claim 7 , wherein the reinforcement material comprises a carbon filament material.

9. The item of cushioning of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of curved layers comprises a plurality of fibers, and wherein in a first layer of the plurality of curved layers, the plurality of fibers includes fibers comprising a first material, and wherein in a second layer of the plurality of curved layers, the plurality of fibers includes fibers comprising a second material.

10. The item of cushioning of claim 9 , wherein in a third layer of the plurality of curved layers, the plurality of fibers includes fibers comprising the first material and fibers comprising the second material.

11. The item of cushioning of claim 1 , wherein a first layer of the plurality of curved layers comprises a plurality of fibers comprising a first material, and wherein a second layer of the plurality of curved layers comprises a plurality of fibers comprising a second material.

12. An item of cushioning produced using an additive manufacturing device, comprising:
a plurality of curved layers each formed by the additive manufacturing device, wherein at least one curved layer conforms to a curved shape of an outer surface of the item of cushioning; and
a first area with a first thickness and a second area with a second thickness, wherein the first area has a greater thickness than the second area and comprises a greater number of curved layers than the second area, wherein each of the plurality of curved layers comprises a plurality of fibers, and wherein the plurality of fibers in a first layer are deposited in a first direction, and wherein the plurality of fibers in a second layer are deposited in a second direction.

13. The item of cushioning of claim 12 , wherein the first direction is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the item of cushioning, and wherein the second direction is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the item of cushioning.

14. The item of cushioning of claim 12 , wherein the first direction is 45 degrees offset the longitudinal axis of the item of cushioning, and wherein the second direction is 45 degrees offset the longitudinal axis of the item of cushioning and perpendicular to the first direction.

15. The item of cushioning of claim 12 , wherein the first direction is between 10 degrees and 80 degrees offset in the longitudinal axis of the item of cushioning, and wherein the second direction is between 10 degrees and 80 degrees offset the longitudinal axis of the item of cushioning.

16. The item of cushioning of claim 1 , wherein the embedded wires are part of sensors.

17. The item of cushioning of claim 16 , wherein the sensors comprise pressure sensors.

18. The item of cushioning of claim 16 , wherein the sensors are adapted to monitor structural integrity of the item of cushioning.

Assignees

• Mat Nv

Inventors

• Wang Mingzheng
• Welkenhuyzen Jan
• Van Der Schueren Bart

Classifications

• A43B17/006 Primary

  multilayered · CPC title

• B29C33/308

  Adjustable moulds (for injection moulding B29C45/376) · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/40

  Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof · CPC title

• B29C64/245 Primary

  Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) · CPC title