Arrangement for generating and constructing three-dimensional surfaces and bodies

• US 4,001,069 A
• Filed: 08/27/1975
• Issued: 01/04/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dynell Electronics Corp.
• Inventors: DiMatteo, Paul L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Simmons, David A.
• Application Number:
  US05/608,033
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 156/264, 156/512, 156/353, 156/58, 156/59, 29/407, 144/315 R, 144/315 A, 318/575-579
• US Class Current: 156/353
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 33/06 in which the direction of feed is controlled by a copying device, e.g. by a pattern features of copying devices B23Q35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/04 turbine or like blades from several pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 33/00 Methods for copying
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4207 in which a model is traced or scanned and corresponding data recorded
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49011 Machine 2-D slices, build 3-D model, laminated object manufacturing LOM

Abstract

An arrangement for generating and constructing three-dimensional surfaces in which the surface or body to be constructed is subdivided into planar elements. The contours or outlines of the planar elements correspond to respective cross-sections of the surface or body to be constructed. The planar elements are stacked against each other for constructing the surface or body.

Claims

1. An arrangement for constructing a predetermined surface comprising, in combination, means for defining a surface in terms of coordinates in space;

means for defining a plurality of cross-sections of said surface in terms of planar coordinates from said coordinates in space, said cross-section lying in parallel planes;

means for cutting planar elements from planar sheets for each of said cross-sections;

means for directing said cutting means dependent on said planar coordinates, each said element having a cross-section corresponding to the respective cross-section of said defined surface; and

means for stacking the cut elements adjacent one another in predetermined sequence to form said surface, the sequence of the stacked cut elements corresponding to the sequence of said plurality of cross-sections of said defined surface.

2. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 including adhesive means between adjacent contacting surfaces of said planar elements.

3. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 including means for bolting together said planar elements.

4. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 including tapered rod means for mounting said planar elements adjacently in predetermined relationship, each of said planar elements having a tapered opening passing over said tapered rod.

5. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 including projection and notch means on the planar surfaces of said elements for engaging adjacent elements in predetermined relationship to each other.

6. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said planar elements are disc-shaped elements with peripheries corresponding to said respective cross-sections of said surface.

7. The arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said planar elements comprise plate-shaped members having cutouts corresponding to said respective cross-sections of said surface.

8. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, including means for computing the positioning of said cutting means from said coordinates in space and dimensions of said cutting means so that said cutting means is directed along paths displaced substantially from the surface outline of said cross-section, said cutting means comprising a cutting tool having a cutting surface spaced from a predetermined axis of said tool, said axis of said tool being directed along said path displaced from said surface outlines, said paths being non-coincident with said surface outlines, the directing of said tool axis along said path producing contact of said cutting surface with said surface outlines.

9. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein two substantially identical planar elements are cut for each respective cross-section of said defined surface, said two identical planar elements being cut from two planar sheets containing said identical planar elements.

10. The arrangement as defined in claim 9, wherein said two planar sheets are superimposed on each other, the elements of one of said sheets being removed;

and adhesive means covering the entire projected area of the exposed surface of said planar sheets from which the element has been removed, a plurality of sheets with elements adhering to each other by said adhesive means being stacked, at least one parting line being cut through said stacked sheets for separating portions of said stacked sheets along said parting line, said elements adhering to each other by said adhesive means being removable from the interior of said stacked sheets after separating portions of said stack sheets along said parting line.

11. The arrangement as defined in claim 10 wherein said stacked sheets after removal of said stacked elements comprise the negative representation of said surface.

12. An arrangement for constructing a predetermined surface comprising, in combination, means for defining a surface in terms of coordinates in space;

means for defining a plurality of cross-sections of said surface in terms of planar coordinates from said coordinates in space, said cross-sections lying in parallel planes;

means for cutting planar elements from planar sheets for each of said cross-sections;

means for directing said cutting means dependent on said planar coordinates, each said element having a cross-section corresponding to the respective cross-section of said defined surface;

means for stacking the cut elements adjacent one another in predetermined sequence to form said surface, the sequence of the stacked cut elements corresponding to the sequence of said plurality of cross-sections of said defined surface;

means for computing the positioning of said cutting means from said coordinates in space and dimensions of said cutting means so that said cutting means is directed along paths displaced substantially from the outlines of said cross-sections, said cutting means comprising a cutting tool having a cutting surface spaced from a predetermined axis of said tool, said axis of said tool being directed along said paths displaced from said surface outlined, said paths being non-coincident with said surface outlines, the directing of said tool axis along said paths producing contact of said cutting surface with said surface outlines;

adhesive means between adjacent contacting surfaces of said planar elements for attaching said elements to each other, said planar elements being disc-shaped elements with peripheries corresponding to said respective cross-sections of said surface, two identical planar elements being cut for each respective cross-section of said defined surface, said two identical planar elements being cut from two planar sheets containing said identical planar elements, said two planar sheets being superimposed, the element in one of said sheets being removed, said adhesive means covering the entire projected area of the exposed surface of said planar sheet from which the element has been removed, a plurality of sheets with elements adhering to each other by said adhesive means being stacked, at least one parting line being cut through said stacked sheets for separating portions of said stacked sheets along said parting line, said elements adhering to each other by said adhesive means being removable from the interior of said stacked sheets after separating portions of said stacked sheets along said parting line, said stacked sheets after removal of said stacked elements comprising the negative representation of said surface.