Adapting electroforming techniques for the manufacture of architectural building elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016153103-A1
Application number	US-201414904498-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 11, 2014
Priority date	Jul 12, 2013
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an architectural building element, including providing a mold or master having a surface that is conductive. The mold or master is suspended in an electrolyte solution. Electro-deposition of a material disposed in the electrolyte solution upon the mold or master is performed using electrical current. The mold or master is removed from the electrolyte solution upon electro-deposition of a predetermined thickness of a coating of the material on the mold or master. The coating is then divorced from the mold or master to form an architectural building element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of manufacturing an architectural building element, the method comprising:
providing a mold or master having a surface, the surface being conductive, the mold or master having a tessellated shape; suspending the mold or master in an electrolyte solution; electro-depositing a material disposed in the electrolyte solution upon the mold or master using electrical current; removing the mold or master from the electrolyte solution upon electro-deposition of a predetermined thickness of a coating of the material on the mold or master; and divorcing the coating from the mold or master to form a tessellated architectural building element.

2 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the providing a mold or master comprises:
forming a tessellated shaped blank from fiber board;
vacuum forming a synthetic around at least a portion of the blank;
separating the synthetic from the blank after the vacuum forming to form the mold or master; and
applying conductive material to the surface of the mold or master.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
electro-depositing a second material disposed in the electrolyte solution upon the mold or master using electrical current to achieve a varying material blend.

4 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the providing a mold or master having a surface, the surface being conductive, comprises providing a mold or master having a conductive graphite surface.

5 . A method of manufacturing architectural building elements, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of molds or masters each having a surface, the surface being conductive, each of the plurality of molds or masters having a tessellated shape that is complementary to the other of the plurality of molds or masters to be devoid of gaps therebetween when joined together; suspending the plurality of molds or masters mold or master in an electrolyte solution; electro-depositing a material disposed in the electrolyte solution upon the plurality of molds or masters using electrical current; removing the plurality of molds or masters from the electrolyte solution upon electro-deposition of a predetermined thickness of a coating of the material on the plurality of molds or masters; and divorcing the coating from the plurality of molds or masters to form a plurality of tessellated architectural building elements each being joinable with the others of the plurality of tessellated architectural building elements to be devoid of gaps therebetween.

6 . The method according to claim 5 wherein the plurality of molds or masters comprises at least three molds or masters, each of the at least three molds or masters having a different tessellated shape that is complementary to the other of the at least three molds or masters to be devoid of gaps therebetween when joined together.

7 . The method according to claim 5 wherein the plurality of molds or masters comprises at least six molds or masters, a first three of the at least six molds or masters forming a first set and a second three of the at least six mold or masters forming a second set, each of the first set having a different tessellated shape that is complementary to the others of the first set to be devoid of gaps therebetween when joined together, the first set collectively further defining a tessellated shape that is complementary to the second set collective to be devoid of gaps therebetween when joined.

8 . The method according to claim 5 wherein the providing a plurality of molds or masters comprises:
forming a plurality of tessellated shaped blanks from fiber board;
vacuum forming a synthetic around at least a portion of the blanks;
separating the synthetic from the blanks after the vacuum forming to form the plurality of molds or masters; and
applying conductive material to the surface of the plurality of molds or masters.

9 . The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:
electro-depositing a second material disposed in the electrolyte solution upon the plurality of molds or masters using electrical current to achieve a varying material blend.

10 . The method according to claim 5 wherein the providing a plurality of molds or masters each having a surface, the surface being conductive, comprises providing a plurality of molds or masters each having a conductive graphite surface.

Assignees

• Univ Michigan

Inventors

• Sirota Anya
• Beauce Patrick
• Farges Jean-Louis

Classifications

• C25D1/00 Primary

  Electroforming · CPC title

• C25D1/10

  Moulds; Masks; Masterforms · CPC title

• C25D1/003 Primary

  3D structures, e.g. superposed patterned layers · CPC title

• C25D1/20

  Separation of the formed objects from the electrodes {with no destruction of said electrodes} · CPC title