Methods and apparatus for actuated fabricator

• US 9,764,378 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2013
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Peters, Benjamin, Oxman, Neri
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Vishal I
• Application Number:
  US13/856,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20130292039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/01 without moulds, e.g. on molten surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/1206 for plastic shaping of strands rolling mills B21B1/46
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/14 Plants for continuous casting
• 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 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/141 using only solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/147 using sheet material, e.g. laminated object manufacturing [LOM] or laminating sheet material precut to local cross sections of the 3D object
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/52 Pultrusion, i.e. forming and compressing by continuously pulling through a die
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/04 Devices for both conveying and distributing concrete pumps F04

Abstract

In exemplary implementations of this invention, an actuated fabricator deposits structural elements (e.g., tensile structural elements) in a 3D pattern over large displacements. The fabricator is supported by at least three elongated support members. It includes onboard actuators that translate the fabricator relative to the ends of the support members. The fabricator is configured, by actuating different translations along different support members, to translate itself throughout a 3D volume. In some implementations, each of the actuators use fusible material to fuse metal tapes together, edge-to-edge, to form a hollow structure that can be shortened or lengthened.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) one or more actuators, each of the one or more actuators being configured for actuating linear motion of at least one tape out of a plurality of tapes;

(b) one or more heat sources for melting fusible material; and

(c) one or more guidance mechanisms for guiding the tapes, as the tapes undergo the linear motion, into a configuration in which edges of neighboring tapes are adjacent to each other during a time in which the fusible material cools and hardens to join neighboring tapes at the edges;

wherein

(i) the tapes, when joined by the fusible material, form or lengthen a hollow structure,

(ii) the walls of the hollow structure comprise the tapes and the fusible material, and

(iii) the apparatus is further configured for shortening or dismantling the hollow structure by

(A)melting fusible material adjacent to the edges, and

(B)moving the edges apart from each other.

2. Apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) one or more actuators, each of the one or more actuators being configured for actuating linear motion of at least one tape out of a plurality of tapes;

(b) one or more heat sources for melting fusible material; and

(c) one or more guidance mechanisms for guiding the tapes, as the tapes undergo the linear motion, into a configuration in which edges of neighboring tapes are adjacent to each other during a time in which the fusible material cools and hardens to join neighboring tapes at the edges;

wherein

(i) the tapes, when joined by the fusible material, form or lengthen a hollow structure,

(ii) the walls of the hollow structure comprise the tapes and the fusible material, and

(iii) at least one of the one or more heat sources comprises a thermoelectric heat pump.