Additive manufacturing of building and other structures

• US 10,272,613 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Branch Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Iv, R. Platt Boyd
• Inventors: Boyd, IV, R. Platt
• Primary Examiner(s): Sample, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flores, Jr., Donald M
• Application Number:
  US15/032,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20160263822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/02 Honeycomb structures
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/045 Hollow panels
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/00 Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/00 Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/001 Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/008 made from two or more materials having different characteristics or properties casting for producing layered articles B28B1/16; feeding several succesive layers, optionally of different materials B28B13/022; coating B28B11/04; applying material to surfaces to form a permanent layer thereon B28B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 11/001 Applying decorations on shaped articles, e.g. by painting
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 17/0081 Process control
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/20 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/209 Heads; Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/00 Shaping techniques not covered by groups B29C39/00 - B29C65/00, B29C70/00 or B29C73/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/001 Producing wall or panel-like structures, e.g. for hulls, fuselages, or buildings articles with hollow walls B29D24/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0014 provided with ridges or ribs, e.g. joined ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0017 with filled hollow ridges
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0021 provided with plain or filled structures, e.g. cores, placed between two or more plates or sheets, e.g. in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0089 Producing honeycomb structures consisting of porous ceramic ware C04B38/0006
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/60 : Multitubular or multicompartmented articles, e.g. honeycomb
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/601 : Multi-tubular articles, i.e. composed of a plurality of tubes hollow-walled B29L2024/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/602 : composed of several elementary tubular elements
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/608 : Honeycomb structures
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/776 : Walls, e.g. building panels
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 1/00 : Layered products having a non-planar shape
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 13/00 : Layered products comprising a a layer of water-setting substance, e.g. concrete, plaster, asbestos cement, or like builders' material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/02 : Synthetic macromolecular fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 : Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/105 : Ceramic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 : Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/304 : Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7265 : Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2419/00 : Buildings or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2607/00 : Walls, panels
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/00 : Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin fibrous or filamentary layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/02; particulate layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/16; foamed layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/18
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/20 : using fillers, pigments, thixotroping agents
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/302 : comprising aromatic vinyl (co)polymers, e.g. styrenic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/38 : comprising epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/12 : characterised by a layer of regularly- arranged cells, e.g. a honeycomb structure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/02 : characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 : characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 : Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 : Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 : for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 : Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 71/00 : Designing vessels; Predicting their performance
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/3505 : characterised by the in situ moulding of large parts of a structure E04B1/3511, E04B1/3516, E04B1/3522, E04B1/3533, E04B1/3544, E04B1/355 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/07 : Reinforcing elements of material other than metal, e.g. of glass, of plastics, or not exclusively made of metal metal elements with non-structural coatings E04C5/01
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/0418 : with distribution hose
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24149 : Honeycomb-like

Abstract

Freeform, additive manufacturing equipment, processes and products, including residential, commercial and other buildings. A movable extruder places extrudate that solidifies in open space to create “scaffolding” or “skeletons” of buildings and other products. Elongated extrudate elements are fused to each other or connected by other means to form a cellular structure. Filler material such as polymeric insulating foam may simultaneously or thereafter be placed within the cellular structure to contribute desired strength, rigidity, insulative, barrier or other properties. Finish materials may also be applied.

Claims

1. An object comprising:

a. a three dimensional cellular matrix structure comprising a framework of a plurality of extrudate members intersecting at joints, wherein at least three of the plurality of extrudate members extend along three different extrudate pathways, the framework further defining interstitial spaces;

b. filler in at least some of the interstitial spaces; and

c. wherein the framework of extrudate members of the cellular matrix defines an arrangement of individual cells, each cell defining a cell geometry, wherein the cell geometries of the individual cells are not all uniform with one another.

2. The object of claim 1, further comprising a different filler in at least some of the other of the interstitial spaces.

3. The object of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a component of a building.

4. The object of claim 3, wherein the framework of the plurality of extrudate members comprises at least one of a thermoplastic or thermoset plastic material.

5. The object of claim 4, wherein the filler comprises insulating foam.

6. The object of claim 3, wherein the filler comprises concrete.

7. The object of claim 3, wherein the filler contributes at least one of structural integrity, thermal insulation, rigidity, strength and a fluid barrier.

8. The object of claim 3, wherein the cellular matrix structure has at least two sides and further comprising a finish material applied to at least one of the cellular matrix structure sides.

9. The object of claim 8, further comprising a different finish material applied to at least another of the cellular matrix structure sides.

10. The object of claim 3, wherein the plurality of extrudate members are reinforced by fibers incorporated in the extrudate members.

11. The object of claim 10, wherein the fibers comprise at least one of fiberglass, carbon, ceramic and polymer.

12. The object of claim 3, wherein the object is an internal wall structure of an air liner.

13. The object of claim 1, wherein at least some of the joints are located in an interior area of the cellular matrix structure.

14. The object of claim 13, wherein at least some of the joints in the interior area are at an intersection of at least three extrudate members.

15. The object of claim 13, wherein at least some of the joints in the interior area are at an intersection of at least four extrudate members.

16. The object of claim 1, wherein the cellular matrix structure defines at least one repeating pattern of cells.

17. The object of claim 1, wherein the cellular matrix structure comprises a scaffold for the filler.

18. The object of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of extrudate members include a plurality of arms in cross-section.

19. The object of claim 1, wherein the cellular matrix includes a first region and a second region, wherein cells in the first region have a different geometry than cells in the second region.

20. The object of claim 19, wherein the first region of the cellular matrix is configured for a higher stress on the cellular matrix than the second region.

21. The object of claim 19, wherein the cellular matrix and the filler comprise a composite structure.

22. The object of claim 1, wherein the filler comprises a first type of filler in a first portion of the cellular matrix and a second type of filler in a second portion of the cellular matrix.

23. An object comprising:

a three dimensional cellular matrix structure comprising a framework of a plurality of extrudate members intersecting at joints, wherein at least three of the plurality of extrudate members are in a non-planar arrangement and extend along three different extrudate pathways, wherein at least some of the extrudate members have a cross-sectional shape defining a plurality of arms, the framework further defining interstitial spaces;

wherein the framework of extrudate members of the cellular matrix defines an arrangement of individual cells, wherein at least some of the cells have a hexahedron geometry.

24. The object of claim 23, wherein the framework of extrudate members is a three dimensional truss.

25. The object of claim 23, wherein the object comprises a curved component of a structure.

26. The object of claim 25, wherein the object comprises a curved wall component for a building.

27. The object of claim 23, wherein at least one side of the hexahedron cell geometry includes an extrudate member extending diagonally between two non-adjacent vertices of the side of the hexahedron.