Object texturizer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020406555-A1
Application number	US-201916453626-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 26, 2019
Priority date	Jun 26, 2019
Publication date	Dec 31, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A texturizer is provided and includes an extension arm and fine and gross motor controllers. The fine motor controller includes a heating element, one or more texturizing tools and a fine motor which is operable to control respective positions and orientations of the heating element and the one or more texturizing tools. The gross motor controller is interposed between the extension arm and the fine motor controller and is operable to control a position and an orientation of the fine motor controller relative to the extension arm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A texturizer, comprising:
an extension arm; a fine motor controller comprising a heating element, one or more texturizing tools and a fine motor which is operable to control respective positions and orientations of the heating element and the one or more texturizing tools; and a gross motor controller interposed between the extension arm and the fine motor controller and operable to control a position and an orientation of the fine motor controller relative to the extension arm.

2 . The texturizer according to claim 1 , further comprising a head sensor array configured to sense one or more conditions of an object.

3 . The texturizer according to claim 1 , wherein the fine motor controller further comprises a tool sensor array configured to sense one or more conditions of the one or more texturizing tools.

4 . The texturizer according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more texturizing tools comprise:
an additive manufacturing tool; and one or more subtractive manufacturing tools.

5 . The texturizer according to claim 4 , wherein the fine motor controller comprises a tool swapping system configured to position one of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools in a current use position and to stow the others of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools.

6 . The texturizer according to claim 4 , wherein the fine motor controller further comprises an additional fine motor which is operable to control movements of a currently used one of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools.

7 . The texturizer according to claim 4 , wherein the additive manufacturing tool and a currently used one of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools are simultaneously operable.

8 . The texturizer according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more texturizing tools comprise a smoothing tool.

9 . An additive manufacturing device, comprising:
a housing comprising a printing bed; an additive manufacturing head configured to additively manufacture an object on the printing bed; and a texturizer comprising: an extension arm, which is movable relative to the printing bed; a fine motor controller comprising a heating element, one or more texturizing tools and a fine motor which is operable to control respective positions and orientations of the heating element and the one or more texturizing tools relative to the object; and a gross motor controller interposed between the extension arm and the fine motor controller and operable to control a position and an orientation of the fine motor controller relative to the extension arm.

10 . The additive manufacturing device according to claim 9 , wherein the additive manufacturing head comprises:
an additive manufacturing head element configured to dispense material of the object; and a curing or hardening element configured to cure or harden the material of the object.

11 . The additive manufacturing device according to claim 9 , wherein the texturizer further comprises a head sensor array configured to sense one or more conditions of an object.

12 . The additive manufacturing device according to claim 9 , wherein the fine motor controller further comprises a tool sensor array configured to sense one or more conditions of the one or more texturizing tools.

13 . The additive manufacturing device according to claim 9 , wherein the one or more texturizing tools comprise:
an additive manufacturing tool; and one or more subtractive manufacturing tools.

14 . The additive manufacturing device according to claim 13 , wherein the fine motor controller comprises a tool swapping system configured to position one of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools in a current use position and to stow the others of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools.

15 . The additive manufacturing device according to claim 13 , wherein the fine motor controller further comprises an additional fine motor which is operable to control movements of a currently used one of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools.

16 . The additive manufacturing device according to claim 13 , wherein the additive manufacturing tool and a currently used one of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools are simultaneously operable.

17 . The additive manufacturing device according to claim 9 , wherein the one or more texturizing tools comprise a smoothing tool which is operable simultaneously with the additive manufacturing head.

18 . A method of operating a texturizer of an additive manufacturing device, the method comprising:
positioning a fine motor controller relative to an object, the fine motor controller comprising a heating element, an additive manufacturing tool and one or more subtractive manufacturing tools; positioning one of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools in a current use position and stowing the others of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools; and operating at least one of the heating element, the additive manufacturing tool and the one of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools in the current use position in accordance with a texturizing algorithm for the object.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the operating comprises simultaneously operating the heating element, the additive manufacturing tool and the one of the one or more subtractive manufacturing tools in the current use position.

20 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein:
the fine motor controller comprises a smoothing tool, and the method further comprises operating the smoothing tool simultaneously with an additive manufacturing head of the additive manufacturing device.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Hicks Andrew
• Pedrone Miles C
• Garrett Tynan J
• Lyons Michael Peter

Classifications

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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

• B29C64/393 Primary

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29C64/295

  Heating elements · CPC title

• B29C64/30

  Auxiliary operations or equipment · CPC title