Three-dimensional object substructures

• US 10,434,716 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Morovic, Peter, Morovic, Jan, De Pena, Alejandro Manuel, Garcia Reyero Vinas, Juan Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Ryan A
• Application Number:
  US15/547,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20180009168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49023 3-D printing, layer of powder, add drops of binder in layer, new powder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/405 Halftoning, i.e. converting the picture signal of a continuous-tone original into a corresponding signal showing only two levels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/52 Circuits or arrangements for halftone screening
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/40 Minimising material used in manufacturing processes

Abstract

Methods and apparatus relating to substructures for three-dimensional objects are described. In an example, a method comprises receiving a lattice model having a consistent dimensionality and determining a substructure model representing a three-dimensional material structure, the substructure model being based on the lattice model and specifying a variable material distribution. The substructure model may be populated with halftone threshold data to provide a three-dimensional halftone threshold matrix.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a lattice model having consistent dimensionality;

determining a substructure model representing a three-dimensional material structure, the substructure model being based on the lattice model and specifying a variable material distribution; and

populating the substructure model with halftone threshold data to provide a three-dimensional halftone threshold matrix.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the lattice model comprises an open cell structure, and determining the substructure model comprises specifying at least one closed cell within the substructure model.

3. A method according to claim 1 in which the lattice model comprises an open cell structure, in which determining the substructure model comprises specifying at least one closed cell within the substructure model which is filled with a material.

4. A method according to claim 3, in which determining the substructure model comprises specifying that at least one closed cell within the substructure model is filled with untreated build material.

5. A method according to claim 1 in which the lattice model is formed of structural elements, and determining the substructure model comprises specifying structural elements of varying thickness within the substructure model.

6. A method according to claim 1 in which the lattice model comprises an open cell structure, and determining the substructure model comprises specifying at least one partially enclosed cell within the substructure model.