Weave, a utility method for designing and fabricating 3D structural shells, solids and their assemblages, without limitations on shape, scale, strength or material

• US 20070158014A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter Schwenn
• Original Assignee: Peter Schwenn
• Inventors: Schwenn, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/148
• CPC Class Codes: D03C 19/005 Electronic
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 13/00 Woven fabrics characterised by the special disposition of the warp or weft threads, e.g. with curved weft threads, with discontinuous warp threads, with diagonal warp or weft

Abstract

Weave is a process for fabrication of freeform shells, proceeding from a formal definition of desired final shape(s), to an optimized parametric mesh of said shape(s), to physical battens which, once fastened at calculated crossings, realize the final object of use. This initially iso-parametric mesh is triangulated for self-shaping and rigidity, and optionally spiralized for economy, integrity of raw material, and surface smoothness The mesh'"'"'s density and topology is controlled by Weave such that the constructed object automatically takes on, as it is fastened, the shape and dimensions of the designed fabrication without explicit registration, alignment or ambiguity. Essential is the precise adjustment of batten length between intersections to accomodate interweaving. Weave'"'"'s calculations also accomodate all other necessary geometrical and material factors. Weave does not constrain shape type, complexity, scale or material. A single fabrication tool is required, and no special construction skills or building environment are needed.

Claims

1. A method, material and tools, for realizing a woven structural shell or volume or connected or related assemblage of said shells or volumes, a “

Weave”

, given a designed formally defined surface or surfaces that are a priori unrestricted as to scale, to shape, to thickness, nor to solid or semi-solid material, comprising;

a method for transforming a u×

v parametric mesh lying on the given surfaces;

if needed to prevent racking adding one or more diagonal parametric mesh dimensions w, . . . and said dimensions'"'"' corresponding mesh curves, optionally spiralizing the mesh curves wherever possible and desired to make more efficient the provision and fastening of battens “

b”

, increasing as needed the local density of curves of the mesh in way of potentially shape-ambiguous inflections within intervals “

j”

, to eliminate said shape ambiguity or in way of potentially unstiff flat areas, optionally contouring in width and thickness the mesh'"'"'s battens in way of said unstiff flat areas to eliminate the need for fasteners, and comprises;

a formula for determining the girth along Weaving elements between the adjacent crossings of different dimensions of the Weave including weft, warp, whew and optionally others, which crucially, adjusts the length of each interval “

j”

to accomodate the over-under weave, to accomodate the crossing angle of each pair of battens at each intersection “

i”

, to accomodate the local curvature of the design surface at each intersection adjacent to said interval, and finally to accomdate the relation of said local curvature to the particular over-under topology at each intersection, and comprises;

a method of fastening said battens at said crossings, and

a length of weaving battens equal in length to the sum of the intersection girths plus cutting and end edge overhang, and

a crimping tool to reduce the length of one edge of the strips in way of any non-developability,

such that the said Weave, upon said fastening, takes on automatically, unambiguously, rigidly if so specified, and precisely, the designed shape, size, interstitial spaces and structural properties of the source design'"'"'s shells and volumes.

2. A method for realizing a Weave as in claim 1 excepting that the designed shapes may not include any developable domains, and comprises:

all as for claim 1 except that no crimping tool is require,

such that the said Weave has the same properties as for claim 1 other than that said Weave is developabe.

3. A method for realizing a rigid “

Weave”

as in claim 1 excepting that it uses no fasteners, and comprises;

all as for claim 1 except no fasteners or fastening are required, and

the u×

v parametric mesh transformations require contouring in width and thickness of the mesh'"'"'s battens to eliminate the need for fasteners for racking prevention,

such that the said Weave has the same properties as for claim 1.

4. A method for realizing a Weave except with controlled racking and without fasteners, which is as in claim 1 comprising:

all as for claim 1 except no fasteners or fasteners are required, and

only weft and warp are necessary, and

the u×

v parametric mesh transformation may require just such contouring in width and thickness of the mesh'"'"'s battens both to reduce racking to the desired degree and to control crushability and crushing energy to the required extent,

such that the said “

Weave”

has the same properties as for claim 1 except that its rigidity as to racking is limited to that specified in the design stage.

5. A method for realizing a Weave without fasteners but nevertheless non-racking and rigid, as in claim 1, comprising:

all as for claim 1 except no fasteners or fasteners are required, and

the u×

v parametric mesh transformation will require just such contouring in width and thickness of the mesh'"'"'s battens just in way of the intersections, such that said contouring provides an interlocking intersection topology which is rigid as in a solid interlocking puzzle, but at the same time smoothly progressive in its filleting so as to avoid both reduction in strength at the intersection and critical points for fracture,

such that the said “

Weave”

has the same properties as for claim 1.

6. A method for realizing a flexible Weave suitable as a vessel or container, without fasteners, as in claim 1, comprising:

all as for claim 1 except no fasteners or fasteners are required and the material of the battens is quite flexible even stretchable, and

the u×

v parametric mesh transformation will require just such contouring in width and thickness of the mesh'"'"'s battens everytwhere, such that said contouring provides an interlocking intersection topology that fills out and eliminates any interstitial voids, and

suitable sealing (eg. taping, stretchable tape if need be) which bridges orthogonally from the edge of each batten excepting those on the very edge (if any) boundary of the assembled surface(s), to the surface of the immediately adjoining batten,

such that the said “

Weave”

has the same properties as for claim 1 excepting that it is non rigid and will not leak other than at its planned openings.

7. A method for realizing a rigid Weave suitable as a container or vessel, as in claim 6, comprising:

all as for claim 6 except that the batten material is not particularly flexible and is not stretchable,

such that the said “

Weave”

has the same properties as for claim 6 excepting that it is rigid.