Methods and apparatus for digital material skins

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9690286-B2
Application number	US-201313924530-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2013
Priority date	Jun 21, 2012
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A digital material skin is made of a set of discrete units with a finite set of parts and joints. The discrete units are assembled into a layer according to a regular geometry, with each of the discrete units being reversibly connected to at least one other unit in the set. The reversibly connected set of units forms an exterior structure surface that is larger than the individual discrete units. Digital material skins may be used to construct any shape or interior volume, whether regular or amorphous. The skin surface may be enclosed or open. The skin may rely on an interior digital material structure for support or may be self-supported. The skin may be part of a larger assembly or apparatus, enclosing an interior volume or structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus having a digital material skin, comprising:
an internal volume or structure; and
a digital material skin overlaying the internal volume or structure, the digital material skin comprising:
a set of reversibly connectable discrete units, the set of discrete units being assembled into a substantially flat layer according to a regular geometry, each of the discrete units being connected to at least one other unit in the set, wherein the connected set of units forms a substantially continuous interlocking or layered exterior structure surface that is larger than the individual discrete units.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a pressure vessel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the discrete units in the digital material skin are stacked when arranged according to the regular geometry.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital material skin is self-supporting.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital material skin is supported by an interior digital structure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital material skin fully encloses an interior volume.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the units in the set of discrete units are identical.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the units in the set of discrete units are of at least two types, wherein each type of unit has a different shape or material composition.

Assignees

• Hovsepian Sarah
• Gershenfeld Neil Adam
• Cheung Kenneth
• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Hovsepian Sarah
• Gershenfeld Neil Adam
• Cheung Kenneth

Classifications

• B32B2439/00

  Containers; Receptacles · CPC title

• G05B2219/45067

  Assembly · CPC title

• F17C2203/0685

  flexible · CPC title

• B32B3/06 Primary

  for securing layers together; for attaching the product to another member, e.g. to a support {, or to another product, e.g. groove/tongue, interlocking} · CPC title

• B32B1/08

  Tubular products · CPC title