3-D printed packaging

• US 10,435,185 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2016
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3GPP LLC
• Original Assignee: 3GPP LLC
• Inventors: Divine, David A., Thompson, David S., Colson, Shay C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Malekzadeh, Seyed Masoud
• Application Number:
  US15/012,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20160152358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/171 specially adapted for manufacturing multiple 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/176 Sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/182 in parallel batches
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/688 the inserts being meshes or lattices B29C70/82, B29C70/683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/70 Completely encapsulating inserts B29C70/86 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/06 PS, i.e. polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/20 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/608 Honeycomb structures
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/712 Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages closures therefor B29L2031/56; ink or toner cartridges B29L2031/7678; squeeze tubes B29L2023/20; suitcases B29L2031/7418
• 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: B64B 1/06 Rigid airships; Semi-rigid airships B64B1/58 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/022 Making containers by moulding of a thermoplastic material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/007 Perforating strips of completed packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/025 for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/182 : by applying tear-strips or tear-tapes
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/26 : for marking or coding completed packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 63/005 : for marking or coding articles prior to packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0206 : Separate rigid or semi-rigid trays or cups joined together, e.g. separate trays connected by single foil closure or crimped together plurality of trays formed in one piece B65D1/30
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 65/38 : Packaging materials of special type or form
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/527 : Tear-lines for separating a package into individual packages B65D1/30, B65D21/0206, B65D75/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 : Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35134 : 3-D cad-cam
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49007 : Making, forming 3-D object, model, surface

Abstract

Items may be packaged for shipping or storage using additive manufacturing techniques, also known as three dimensional (3-D) printing. Packages made by such processes may be referred to as 3-D printed packages and may include packing material printed at least partially around the item(s) and/or an outer cover printed about at least a portion of an exterior of the packing material and/or the item(s). A packaging system may include a 3-D printer and a computing device communicatively coupled to the 3-D printer. The computing device may obtain a packaging model describing a package for one or more items. A print module of the computing device may include instructions to print the package at least partially about the item(s) according to the packaging model.

Claims

1. A three dimensional (3-D) printed package comprising:

an item comprising a first region and a second region, the first region being more fragile than the second region;

packing material printed at least partially around the item, wherein;

the item is disposed off-center relative to the 3-D printed package toward a first edge of the 3-D printed package, such that the first region of the item locates closer to the first edge of the 3-D printed package than to a second edge of the 3-D printed package, the second edge of the 3-D printed package being opposite the first edge of the 3-D printed package, and

a first region of the packing material is disposed between the first region of the item and an outside of the 3-D printed package and a second region of the packing material is disposed between the second region of the item and the outside of the 3-D printed package, wherein the first region of the packing material is larger than the second region of the packing material; and

an outer cover printed around an exterior of the packing material, wherein the outer cover is seamless and completely encapsulates the item and the packing material.

2. The 3-D printed package of claim 1, further comprising retail packaging at least partially surrounding the item and the packing material being printed at least partially around an exterior of the retail packaging.

3. The 3-D printed package of claim 1, made by the process of:

supporting the item in a printing area of a three dimensional (3-D) printer; and

printing the 3-D printed package at least partially around the item in the printing area of the 3-D printer, wherein printing the package comprises;

printing the packing material around the item; and

printing the outer cover about at least the portion of the exterior of the packing material.

4. The 3-D printed package of claim 1, further comprising an identifier of a 3-D printer that printed the 3-D printed package.

5. The 3-D printed package of claim 1, further comprising 3-D printed text printed on an exterior of the outer cover of the package.

6. The 3-D printed package of claim 1, wherein the packing material comprises at least one of a lattice structure, a honeycomb structure, a truss structure, a bubble structure, a web structure, or one or more support ribs.

7. The 3-D printed package of claim 1, wherein a region occupied by the packing material has a lower density than a region occupied by the outer cover.

8. The 3-D printed package of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a desiccant material printed within the outer cover;

a tamper evident feature printed in or on the outer cover;

or

an opening mechanism printed in the outer cover and usable to open the package.

9. The 3-D printed package of claim 1, wherein the packing material and the outer cover are printed of a same material.

10. The 3-D printed package of claim 1, wherein the packing material is printed of a first material and the outer cover is printed of a second material, different than the first material.

11. The 3-D printed package of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional item packaged within the outer cover.

12. A three dimensional (3-D) printed package comprising:

an item comprising a first region and a second region, the first region being more fragile than the second region;

packing material printed at least partially around the item, wherein;

the item is disposed off-center relative to the 3-D printed package toward a first edge of the 3-D printed package, such that the first region of the item locates closer to the first edge of the 3-D printed package than to a second edge of the 3-D printed package, the second edge of the 3-D printed package being opposite the first edge of the 3-D printed package, and

a first region of the packing material is disposed between the first region of the item and an outside of the 3-D printed package and a second region of the packing material is disposed between the second region of the item and the outside of the 3-D printed package, wherein the first region of the packing material is larger than the second region of the packing material; and

an outer cover printed around an exterior of the packing material, the outer cover comprising an opening mechanism in the outer cover usable to open the 3-D printed package, the opening mechanism comprising;

a frangible or weakened region in the outer cover; and

a tear strip aligned with the frangible or weakened region in the outer cover.

13. The 3-D printed package of claim 12, wherein the tear strip is:

disposed around at least a portion of a perimeter of the 3-D printed package;

outside the packing material;

within the outer cover; and

made of a material having strength greater than the frangible or weakened region of the outer cover.

14. The 3-D printed package of claim 12, wherein the packing material comprises:

a first portion made of a first material; and

a second portion made of a second material different than the first material.

15. A three dimensional (3-D) printed package comprising:

an item;

packing material printed at least partially around the item; and

an outer cover printed around an exterior of the packing material, the outer cover comprising;

an inner shell made of a first material; and

an outer shell disposed about an exterior of the inner shell, the outer shell made of a second material different than the first material,

wherein the first material is more flexible and has a greater damping ability than the second material, thereby isolating the item from vibrations or impacts imparted to an exterior of the 3-D printed package, and wherein the second material is harder or more rigid than the first material.

16. The 3-D printed package of claim 15, wherein the packing material comprises:

a first portion made of a first packing material; and

a second portion made of a second packing material different than the first packing material.

17. The 3-D printed package of claim 15, wherein the outer cover comprises an opening mechanism in the outer cover usable to open the package, the opening mechanism comprising:

a frangible or weakened region in the outer cover; and

a tear strip aligned with the frangible or weakened region of the outer cover.

18. The 3-D printed package of claim 17, wherein the tear strip is:

disposed around at least a portion of a perimeter of the 3-D printed package;

outside the packing material;

within the outer cover; and

made of a material having strength greater than the frangible or weakened region of the outer cover.

19. The 3-D printed package of claim 15, wherein:

the packing material is made of a different material than

the outer cover.