Internet-enabled apparatus, system and methods for physically and virtually rendering three-dimensional objects

• US 9,902,109 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2013
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tripetals LLC
• Original Assignee: Tripetals LLC
• Inventors: Kaltenbach, Christopher, Nihlen, Luke, Ortiz, Luis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shechtman, Sean
• Application Number:
  US13/961,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20150045934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/00 Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/357 Recycling
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes

Abstract

Three-dimensional object bridge between virtual and physical worlds. A method, system, apparatus and/or computer-usable medium includes steps of selecting a three-dimensional item in a first state for subsequent rendering into a second state and rendering the three-dimensional item in the second state via the three-dimensional rendering apparatus. An additional step of locating a three-dimensional rendering apparatus for rendering the three-dimensional item in a second state can be included. The three-dimensional rendering apparatus can be configured as a kiosk (manned or unmanned), Internet-enabled vending machine, and the like. The first state can comprise a virtual state and the second state can comprise a physical state. Likewise, the first state can comprise a physical state and the second state can comprise a virtual state. Additionally, the three-dimensional item/object can be mapped in the first state for rendering in the second state.

Claims

1. An apparatus for rendering a three-dimensional item, said apparatus comprising:

a vending machine comprising a housing, said housing including a manufacturing area, a material storage area, a computer, a user interface, data storage, and wireless data network communications, wherein the housing further includes;

a three-dimensional manufacturing system contained in the manufacturing area for automatically manufacturing a three-dimensional item based on a data file received from a remote client over the wireless data network communications and via a social network application and stored in and retrievable from the data storage, the data file is indicative of the three-dimensional item;

3-D printing materials stored in the material storage area wherein the 3-D printing materials are accessible by the three-dimensional manufacturing system for use by the three-dimensional manufacturing system in manufacturing the three-dimensional item in the manufacturing area, and wherein the materials are automatically supplied to the three-dimensional manufacturing system from the material storage area as needed by the three-dimensional manufacturing system;

wherein said vending machine is locatable by a smartphone via a GPS position of said vending machine as ascertained by the vending machine'"'"'s wireless data network communications.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless data network communications further comprises a cellular communications network and wherein said smartphone communicates with said cellular communications network and wherein said smartphone comprises said remote client.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a three-dimensional scanner contained in the manufacturing area for scanning three-dimensional items to create the data file for storage and subsequent use for rendering three-dimensional items scanned by the scanner.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the materials stored in the material storage area for manufacturing the three-dimensional item comprises at least one A.I.M./Reconfigurable Chip that is capable of being embedded in the three-dimensional item during manufacturing of the three-dimensional item in the manufacturing area.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the materials stored in the material storage area for manufacturing the three-dimensional item comprises at least one RFID tag that is capable of being embedded in the three-dimensional item during manufacturing of the three-dimensional item in said manufacturing area.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the materials stored in the material storage area for manufacturing the three-dimensional item comprises at least one of the following types of materials:

a thermoplastic, a metal powder, a eutectic metal, and a photopolymer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional item is manufacturable in the manufacturing area by at least one of:

selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling, stereo-lithography, laminated object manufacturing.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dispensing area for dispensing said three-dimensional item after said three-dimensional item is manufactured in said manufacturing area, wherein the three-dimensional item is dispensed in the dispensing area.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a payment mechanism, wherein said three-dimensional item is rendered in the manufacturing area after receiving payment at the payment mechanism.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein control of the three-dimensional manufacturing system for rendering of the three-dimensional item in the manufacturing area is initiated remotely by a wireless hand held device via the data network communications.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising product return area for verifying recycling compatibility of items and accepting return of the items.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a three-dimensional scanner contained in the manufacturing area for scanning three-dimensional items to create a data file for storage and subsequent use to render three-dimensional items scanned by the three-dimensional scanner.

13. A system for rendering a three-dimensional items, comprising:

a vending machine comprising a housing including a manufacturing area, a material storage area, a computer, a user interface, data storage, and wireless data network communications, the housing further including;

a three-dimensional scanner contained in the manufacturing area for scanning three-dimensional items to create a data file for storage and subsequent use to render three-dimensional items scanned by the three-dimensional scanner;

a three-dimensional manufacturing system contained in the manufacturing area for manufacturing a three-dimensional item based on data files received from a remote client over the wireless data network communications and stored in and retrievable from the file storage, wherein the data file is indicative of the three-dimensional item, and wherein said data network including a social network; and

3-D printing materials stored in the material storage area for access and use by the three-dimensional manufacturing system for manufacturing three-dimensional items in the manufacturing area, wherein the 3-D printing materials are automatically supplied to the three-dimensional manufacturing system from the material storage area as needed by the three-dimensional manufacturing system, and wherein said vending machine is locatable by a smartphone via a GPS position of said vending machine as ascertained by the vending machine'"'"'s wireless data network communications.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said data file is received from a remote client via the wireless data network communications through a wireless cellular communications network.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a data storage area for storing the data file received through said communications network, said data storage area associated with said data storage.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the materials stored in the material storage area for manufacturing the three-dimensional item comprises at least one A.I.M./Reconfigurable Chip that is capable of being embedded in the three-dimensional item during manufacturing of the three-dimensional item in the manufacturing area.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the materials stored in the material storage area for manufacturing the three-dimensional item comprises at least one RFID tag that is capable of being embedded in the three-dimensional item during manufacturing of the three-dimensional item in said manufacturing area.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the materials stored in the material storage area for manufacturing the three-dimensional item comprises at least one of the following types of materials:

a thermoplastic, a metal powder, a eutectic metal, and a photopolymer.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the three-dimensional item is rendered in the manufacturing area with the three-dimensional manufacturing system by at least one of:

selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling, stereo-lithography, laminated object manufacturing.

20. A system for rendering a three-dimensional items, comprising:

a vending machine comprising a housing including a manufacturing area, a material storage area, a computer, a user interface, data storage, and data network communications, the housing further including;

a three-dimensional manufacturing system contained in the manufacturing area for manufacturing a three-dimensional item based on data files received from a remote client over the wireless data network communications and stored in and retrievable from the file storage, wherein the data file is indicative of the three-dimensional item, and wherein said data network including a social network;

3-D printing materials stored in the material storage area for access and use by the three-dimensional manufacturing system for manufacturing three-dimensional items in the manufacturing area, wherein the 3-D printing materials are automatically supplied to the three-dimensional manufacturing system from the material storage area as needed by the three-dimensional manufacturing system; and

a product return area for verifying and accepting returned of three-dimensional manufactured items, wherein verification is via at least one of a RFID or a A.I.M./Reconfigurable Chip embedded in the items three-dimensional manufactured;

wherein said vending machine is locatable by a smartphone via a GPS position of said vending machine as ascertained by the vending machine'"'"'s wireless data network communications.