Interactive digital drawing and physical realization
First Claim
1. A method for interactively producing a 3D object from a vector graphic, comprising:
- providing said vector graphic comprising a plurality of endpoints connected by vector segments to form an open curve having no thickness;
providing a 3D printer;
providing a digital computing device;
providing a software module comprising computer readable and executable instructions stored on a memory functionally linked to said digital computing device that enable said digital computing device to perform the functions of;
for each of said endpoints of said vector graphic, generating a separate n-sided polygon by the addition of at least n−
1 newly created endpoints joined by vector segments;
for each pair of said generated n-sided polygons, generating a plurality of vertex connecting lines thereby joining each of said polygon vertex endpoints of said polygons to a corresponding vertex endpoint of a next adjacent polygon, and to an adjacent vertex endpoint of said next adjacent polygon, thereby creating a volume containing triangular mesh corresponding in shape to said vector graphic;
converting said triangular mesh into instructions readable by a 3D printer; and
printing said triangular mesh using said 3D printer, thereby creating a realized 3D object corresponding in shape to said vector graphic.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for interactively producing a 3D representation of a vector graphic is disclosed. A vector graphic representing a 2D graphic having a number of endpoints joined by vector segments is automatically or interactively converted into a triangulated mesh in a form readable by a 3D printer. The conversion from vector graphic to a triangulated mesh is accomplished by generating an n-sided polygon in the vicinity of each endpoint of the vector graphic. Each of the vertices of the polygon are then be joined by a line to a corresponding vertex on the next adjacent polygon. Each vertex is also joined to an adjacent vertex on the next adjacent polygon. The process is continued until all polygons are joined, resulting in a triangulated mesh, which is then converted into a format readable by a 3D printer and sent to a 3D printer to produce the 3D representation.
29 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for interactively producing a 3D object from a vector graphic, comprising:
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providing said vector graphic comprising a plurality of endpoints connected by vector segments to form an open curve having no thickness; providing a 3D printer; providing a digital computing device; providing a software module comprising computer readable and executable instructions stored on a memory functionally linked to said digital computing device that enable said digital computing device to perform the functions of; for each of said endpoints of said vector graphic, generating a separate n-sided polygon by the addition of at least n−
1 newly created endpoints joined by vector segments;for each pair of said generated n-sided polygons, generating a plurality of vertex connecting lines thereby joining each of said polygon vertex endpoints of said polygons to a corresponding vertex endpoint of a next adjacent polygon, and to an adjacent vertex endpoint of said next adjacent polygon, thereby creating a volume containing triangular mesh corresponding in shape to said vector graphic; converting said triangular mesh into instructions readable by a 3D printer; and printing said triangular mesh using said 3D printer, thereby creating a realized 3D object corresponding in shape to said vector graphic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for interactively producing a 3D printed object from a vector graphic, comprising:
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a vector graphic comprising a plurality of endpoints connected by vector segments to form an open curve having no thickness; a digital computing device; a 3D printer; a software module comprising computer readable instructions stored on a memory functionally connected to said digital computing device and executable by said digital computing device that enable said digital computing device to perform the functions of; for each endpoint of said vector graphic, generating an n-sided polygon by the addition of at least n−
1 newly created endpoints joined by vector segments; andfor each of pair said generated n-sided polygon, generating a plurality of lines connecting each vertex endpoint of said polygon to a corresponding vertex endpoint of a next adjacent polygon, and to an adjacent vertex endpoint of said next adjacent polygon, thereby creating a triangular mesh corresponding in shape to said vector graphic; and converting said triangular mesh into instructions readable by a 3D printer; and printing said triangular mesh using said 3D printer, thereby creating a 3D realized object.
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Specification