Methods for shaping an extrudable material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11565454-B2
Application number	US-202017010700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2020
Priority date	Jun 28, 2017
Publication date	Jan 31, 2023
Grant date	Jan 31, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus for shaping an extrudable material comprises a sleeve, comprising a first sleeve end, a sleeve inlet at the first sleeve end, a second sleeve end, opposite the first sleeve end, and a sleeve outlet at the second sleeve end. The extrudable material enters the sleeve through the sleeve inlet and exits the sleeve through the sleeve outlet. The apparatus further comprises an actuation mechanism, selectively operable to change at least one of a size or a shape of the sleeve outlet. The sleeve is sufficiently flexible to enable the actuation mechanism to change at least one of the size or the shape of the sleeve outlet. The sleeve is insufficiently stretchable to enable the actuation mechanism to stretch the sleeve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of shaping an extrudable material, the method comprising steps of:
advancing the extrudable material through a sleeve that comprises a first sleeve end and a second sleeve end, opposite the first sleeve end, and a sleeve outlet at the second sleeve end; and
selectively changing at least one of a size or a shape of the sleeve outlet by changing a size or a shape of a shaping ring, surrounding and coupled to the second sleeve end of the sleeve, wherein the shaping ring is more rigid than the second sleeve end of the sleeve.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of selectively changing at least one of the size or the shape of the sleeve outlet comprises a step of selectively operating a plurality of actuators, coupled to the second sleeve end of the sleeve via a plurality of cables.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the step of selectively operating the plurality of actuators comprises a step of pushing or pulling the plurality of cables.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein:
the extrudable material advances through the sleeve in a flow direction;
the step of pushing the plurality of cables comprises pushing the plurality of cables in a first direction perpendicular to the flow direction and toward a central axis of a sleeve channel, defined by the sleeve, to move corresponding portions of the second sleeve end of the sleeve in the first direction and
the step of pulling the plurality of cables comprises pulling the plurality of cables in a second direction perpendicular to the flow direction and away from the central axis of the sleeve channel, to move the corresponding portions of the second sleeve end of the sleeve in the second direction.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the step of selectively operating the plurality of actuators comprises pushing a first one of the plurality of cables, relative to a sleeve inlet, and pulling a second one of the plurality of cables, relative to the sleeve inlet.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the step of pushing or pulling the plurality of cables comprises pushing or pulling the plurality of cables without stretching the plurality of cables.

7. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the step of selectively operating the plurality of actuators, coupled to the second sleeve end of the sleeve via the plurality of cables comprises moving each one of the plurality of cables through a corresponding one of a plurality of cable tubes.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the shaping ring comprises at least four links, each pivotally coupled to two adjacent ones of at least the four links; and
the step of changing the size or the shape of the shaping ring comprises pivoting one of at least the four links relative to another one of at least the four links.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of advancing the extrudable material through the sleeve while at least the one of the size or the shape of the sleeve outlet is selectively changed.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising automatically selectively changing at least the one of the size or the shape of the sleeve outlet using a controller.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of selectively changing at least the one of the size or the shape of the sleeve outlet comprises flexing the sleeve outlet.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of selectively changing at least the one of the size or the shape of the sleeve outlet comprises flexing, but not stretching, the sleeve outlet.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of selectively changing the shape of the sleeve outlet comprises selectively changing the shape of the sleeve outlet into a square.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of selectively changing the shape of the sleeve outlet comprises selectively changing the shape of the sleeve outlet into a polygon, comprising more than four sides.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of selectively changing the shape of the sleeve outlet comprises selectively changing the shape of the sleeve outlet into an asymmetrical shape.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the shaping ring comprises at least eight links, each pivotally coupled to two adjacent ones of at least the eight links; and
the step of changing the size or the shape of the shaping ring comprises pivoting one of at least the eight links relative to another one of at least the eight links.

17. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising extruding the extrudable material having the size and the shape of the sleeve outlet, from the sleeve outlet in an additive manufacturing process.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising automatically selectively changing at least the one of the size or the shape of the sleeve outlet using a controller, wherein the additive manufacturing process is executed using at least one numerically-controlled machine.

19. A method of shaping an extrudable material, the method comprising steps of:
advancing the extrudable material through a sleeve that comprises a first sleeve end and a second sleeve end, opposite the first sleeve end, and a sleeve outlet at the second sleeve end; and
selectively operating a plurality of actuators, coupled to the second sleeve end of the sleeve via a plurality of cables to selectively change at least one of a size or a shape of the sleeve outlet wherein:
each one of the plurality of cables passes through a corresponding one of a plurality of cable tubes;
the plurality of cable tubes are fixed to a support structure;
the support structure is more rigid than the sleeve; and
the step of selectively operating the plurality of actuators comprises moving each one of the plurality of cables through the corresponding one of the plurality of cable tubes.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein:
the sleeve comprises:
a plurality of grooves; and
a plurality of sleeve segments, wherein adjacent ones of the plurality of sleeve segments are pivotally coupled together by a corresponding one of the plurality of grooves; and

the step of selectively changing at least one of the size or the shape of the sleeve outlet comprises bending the sleeve along at least one of the plurality of grooves to pivot adjacent ones of the plurality of sleeve segments, pivotally coupled together by at least the one of the plurality of grooves, relative to each other.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Kozar Michael Patrick
• Wilenski Mark S
• Harrison Samuel F
• Torres Faraon

Classifications

• B29C48/325

  being} adjustable {, i.e. having adjustable exit sections · CPC title

• B29C48/25

  Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations · CPC title

• B29C48/05 Primary

  Filamentary, e.g. strands · CPC title

• B29C48/302

  being adjustable, i.e. having adjustable exit sections · CPC title

• B29C48/31

  being} adjustable {, i.e. having adjustable exit sections · CPC title