Lattice structures with identifiable patterns

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12578701-B2
Application number	US-202017910286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2020
Priority date	Jul 7, 2020
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

According to examples, an apparatus may include a processor that may identify a pattern to be visible in a portion of a lattice structure, determine a first zone in a digital model of the lattice structure corresponding to the identified pattern, and determine a second zone in the digital model corresponding to a location outside of the first zone. The processor may also arrange a plurality of seeds at a first density level in the first zone, arrange a plurality of seeds at a second density level in the second zone, and grow cells from the plurality of seeds to form the lattice structure in the digital model. The cells may grow until edges of the cells contact edges of neighboring cells to form cells at a different density level in the first zone than the second zone to cause the identified pattern to be visible from the cells.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and a memory on which is stored machine-readable instructions that are to cause the processor to:
identify, within a portion of a lattice structure comprising an external surface of an object to be manufactured, an information-conveying pattern to remain visible at the external surface of the object when completely manufactured;
determine a first zone in a digital model of the lattice structure corresponding to the identified information-conveying pattern;
determine a second zone in the digital model of the lattice structure corresponding to a location outside of the first zone;
arrange a plurality of seeds at a first density level in the first zone;
arrange a plurality of seeds at a second density level in the second zone;
grow cells from the plurality of seeds to form the lattice structure in the digital model, wherein the cells grow until edges of the cells contact edges of neighboring cells to form cells at a different density level in the first zone than the second zone to cause the identified information-conveying pattern to be visible from the cells; and
control fabrication components of a three-dimensional fabrication system to fabricate the object, including the lattice structure based on identified locations of the edges of the cells in the digital model of the lattice structure.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to:
increase widths of the edges; and control the fabrication components to fabricate the lattice structure with the increased widths.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to:
generate a digital model of an internal lattice structure separately from the digital model of the lattice structure, the digital model of the internal lattice structure having ends, wherein the internal lattice structure is to internally support the lattice structure; and join the ends of the digital model of the internal lattice structure with features of the digital model of the lattice structure.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to:
generate the digital model of the internal lattice structure to have a different density level than the digital model of the lattice structure.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first density level is higher than the second density level and wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to:
grow each of the plurality of seeds at a common rate to cause the cells in the first zone to be smaller than the cells in the second zone.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to:
randomly arrange the plurality of seeds at the first density level in the first zone; and randomly arrange the plurality of seeds at a second density level in the second zone.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to:
determine an intermediate zone between the first zone and the second zone; and arrange a plurality of seeds at a third density level in the intermediate zone, the third density level being between the first density level and the second density level.

8 . A method comprising:
determining, by a processor, a first zone in a digital model of a lattice structure at which a predefined information-conveying pattern is to be formed within a portion of the lattice structure comprising an external surface of an object and is to remain visible at the external surface of the object when completely manufactured; determining, by the processor, a second zone in the digital model of the lattice structure corresponding to a location adjacent to the first zone; arranging, by the processor, a plurality of seeds at a first density level in the first zone; arranging, by the processor, a plurality of seeds at a second density level in the second zone; growing, by the processor, the plurality of seeds into cells having edges that contact edges of neighboring cells, wherein the cells in the first zone are arranged at a different density level than the cells in the second zone; forming, by the processor, the digital model of the lattice structure to include the predefined information-conveying pattern from the cells; controlling fabrication components of a three-dimensional fabrication system to fabricate the object, including the lattice structure with the predefined information-conveying pattern.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
increasing widths of the edges of the cells; and controlling the fabrication components to fabricate the lattice structure with the increased widths of the edges.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
generating a digital model of an internal lattice structure separately from the digital model of the lattice structure, the digital model of the internal lattice structure having ends, wherein the internal lattice structure is to internally support the lattice structure; and joining the ends of the digital model of the internal lattice structure with structures of the digital model of the lattice structure to tie the internal lattice structure to the lattice structure.

11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
randomly arranging the plurality of seeds at the first density level in the first zone; and randomly arranging the plurality of seeds at a second density level in the second zone.

12 . A physical object comprising:
an external surface; a lattice structure comprising the external surface of the physical object; a first set of zones comprising a first lattice structure of the lattice structure, the first lattice structure formed of cells generated from seeds randomly arranged at a first density level, wherein the first set of zones correspond to information-conveying content that is visible at the external surface; and a second set of zones comprising a second lattice structure of the lattice structure, the second lattice structure formed of cells generated from seeds randomly arranged at a second density level, wherein the cells forming the first lattice structure are arranged at a different density level than the cells forming the second lattice structure.

13 . The physical object of claim 12 , further comprising:
an internal lattice structure, wherein the internal lattice structure has a different density level than the first lattice structure and the second lattice structure, and wherein the internal lattice structure has ends that are connected to structures of the first lattice structure and the second lattice structure.

Assignees

• Peridot Print Llc

Inventors

• Mccutcheon James Andrew
• Woodlock David Christopher

Classifications

• G05B2219/35012

  Cad cam · CPC title

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title