Cellular fabrication and apparatus for additive manufacturing

• US 10,618,217 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2017
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Branch Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Branch Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Boyd, IV, Robert Platt, Weller, Christopher, DiSanto, Anthony, Rees, Melody, Hilbert, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazorcik, Jason L
• Application Number:
  US15/488,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20170217088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• 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 64/209 Heads; Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/10 Building elements, e.g. bricks, blocks, tiles, panels, posts, beams frameless domes B29L2025/00, doors B29L2031/724
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

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 apparatus for constructing a cellular matrix structure, the apparatus comprising:

a. an extruder for extruding cellular matrix structure components, the extruder further comprising a nozzle body comprising an extrudate pathway extending to an extrudate orifice in the nozzle body, the extruder configured to extrude a multi-arm cross sectional shape comprising at least two arms extending away from a central portion of the multi-arm cross sectional shape

wherein the nozzle body further comprises a coolant pathway located at least partially between at least two of the arms of the multi-arm cross sectional shape and extending at least partially through the nozzle body;

b. a multi-axis movement device for moving the extruder along multiple predetermined paths while the extruder is extruding structural components to place the structural components in desired positions and connected to selected ones of other components as the components are produced, and

c. a controller for moving the extruder and controlling operation of the extruder.

2. The apparatus claim 1, wherein the multi-arm cross sectional shape comprises a cross shape.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of the arms of the multi-arm cross sectional shape include branches, the branches each comprising a split in a portion of the arm extending away from the central portion of the multi-arm cross sectional shape.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least some of the branches are spaced apart from the central portion of the multi-arm cross sectional shape.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the multi-arm cross sectional shape shapes an extrudate such that the extrudate includes anchor portions for strengthening a mechanical bond between the extrudate and an infill material.

6. An apparatus for constructing a cellular matrix structure, the apparatus comprising:

a. an extruder for extruding cellular matrix structure components, the extruder further comprising a nozzle body comprising;

(i) an extrudate pathway extending to an extrudate orifice in the nozzle body, the extruder configured to extrude a multi-arm cross sectional shape comprising at least two arms extending away from a central portion of the multi-arm cross sectional shape; and

(ii) a coolant pathway extending at least partially through the nozzle body wherein the coolant pathway is located at least partially between at least two of the arms of the multi-arm cross sectional shape;

b. a multi-axis movement device for moving the extruder along multiple predetermined paths while the extruder is extruding the extruded structural components to place the extruded structural components in desired positions and connected to selected ones of other extruded structural components as the extruded structural components are produced, and

c. a controller for moving the extruder and controlling operation of the extruder.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the coolant pathway is configured to carry a coolant and wherein the extrudate pathway is configured to carry an extrudate, wherein the coolant pathway is configured to at least partially cool the extrudate while the extrudate is in the extrudate pathway.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the coolant pathway is configured to carry a coolant and wherein the extrudate pathway is configured to carry an extrudate, wherein the coolant pathway is configured to at least partially cool the extrudate after the extrudate is extruded from the extrudate orifice.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the coolant pathway is configured to carry a coolant and wherein the extrudate pathway is configured to carry an extrudate, wherein the coolant pathway is configured to at least partially cool the extrudate while the extrudate is in the extrudate pathway and after the extrudate is extruded from the extrudate orifice.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the coolant pathway extends to a coolant orifice such that coolant will contact an extrudate at the extrudate orifice.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the coolant pathway extends to a coolant orifice such that coolant will contact an extrudate downstream of the extrudate orifice.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the coolant pathway includes at least a portion with a cross sectional shape that extends at least partially around a portion of the extrudate pathway.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus further comprises a heating fluid pathway.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the heating fluid pathway extends to a heating fluid orifice in the nozzle body such that a heating fluid will contact extrudate outside of the nozzle body in a heating zone.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the heating zone is located at a connection point between the extrudate and a second structure.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second structure is a second segment of extruded material.

17. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus further comprises a marking medium pathway configured to direct a marking medium onto a discrete portion of an extrudate extruded by the extruder.

18. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the multi-axis movement device comprises a robotic arm movable in at least three degrees of freedom.

19. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the extruder comprises an extrusion screw.

20. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is configured to extrude extrudate onto a non-horizontal, a vertical, or a ceiling-located build platform.

21. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is configured to extrude extrudate onto a non-planar build platform or non-planar object.

22. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is configured to extrude an extrudate into areas where the extrudate is not directly supported underneath.

23. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus further comprises a sensor configured to sense a change in at least one of position and orientation of extruded material after extrusion.

24. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a coolant flow of the apparatus.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein adjusting the coolant flow comprises adjusting a flow rate or a flow location of a coolant.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein adjusting the coolant flow comprises adjusting a solidification speed of an extrudate.

27. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the extrudate orifice comprising a multi-arm cross sectional shape, wherein the coolant pathway comprises a plurality of coolant pathways, and wherein at least one of the coolant pathways is at least partially located between two arms of the multi-arm cross sectional shape.

28. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the extruder is configured to co-extrude structural components comprising a first material and a second material.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first material comprises a first stiffening rate and the second material comprises a second stiffening rate, the second stiffening rate being faster than the first stiffening rate.