Methods and apparatuses for additively manufacturing rubber

• US 10,456,978 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2015
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Costlow, Douglas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khare, Atul P.
• Application Number:
  US14/939,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20160185040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2071/022 Annealing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/475 using pistons, accumulators or press rams
• 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 64/188 involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/209 Heads; Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/245 Platforms or substrates support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/295 Heating elements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/30 Auxiliary operations or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/321 Feeding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 69/001 a shaping technique combined with cutting, e.g. in parts or slices combined with rearranging and joining the cut parts for reinforced material B29C70/545; B29C49/4278, B29C51/268 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 71/02 Thermal after-treatment B29C71/0063 and B29C71/0072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2021/00 Use of unspecified rubbers as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for disposing green rubber, via 3D Printing or additive manufacturing, are provided. The apparatus includes at least a housing, a nozzle, and a heating element. Green rubber is forced through the nozzle and deposited in an iterative build process. The apparatus may be used in a variety of applications, including tire applications.

Claims

1. An apparatus for disposing green rubber, the apparatus comprising:

a housing comprising a base and a support structure;

an external source of green rubber;

an inlet for receiving the green rubber from the external source;

a nozzle mounted to the support structure and positioned to receive the green rubber from the inlet via a barrel connecting the inlet to the nozzle;

a ram mounted to the support structure separate and spaced apart from the inlet and barrel and configured to translate linearly along an extrusion axis of the nozzle and toward the inlet to apply a force to the green rubber so as to eject the green rubber from the nozzle;

temperature control elements configured to control temperature of the green rubber in the barrel;

a build surface upon which disposing of the ejected green rubber takes place;

a cutting instrument mounted between the nozzle and the build surface and configured to separate the green rubber from the nozzle;

a first vibration transducer that vibrates the cutting instrument; and

an actuator capable of moving at least one of the nozzle and the build surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cutting instrument is a metal blade.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second vibration transducer that vibrates the nozzle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the temperature control elements heat the barrel through conductive, convective, or resistive heating.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ram pressurizes the green rubber in the apparatus between 200 and 3,200 psi.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support structure is a robotic arm.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a second nozzle for disposing viscous material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the external source is a hopper.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a feeder connected to the hopper.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a line connecting the hopper to the inlet.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a motion control assembly configured to control operation of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a software system including:

at least one software module that receives user input selecting specifications for a three-dimensional object;

at least one software module that retrieves the specifications for the three-dimensional object;

least one software module that creates control commands based on the received user input and the retrieved specifications; and

at least one software module that executes the control commands so as to effectuate motion in the motion control assembly.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the software system further includes at least one software module that retrieves properties of the green rubber from a database of green rubber properties.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the software system further includes at least one software module that generates identification information configured to be imparted to the disposed rubber.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one software module that retrieves specifications for a three-dimensional object retrieves the specifications from a database of tire tread designs.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the build surface is a tire carcass, and wherein the disposed rubber forms a tire tread on the tire carcass.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the temperature control elements are selected from resistive heating coils, liquid heating baths, and heat lamps that surround the barrel.