Methods and apparatus for mobile additive manufacturing of advanced structures and roadways

• US 9,988,772 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2017
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frederick A. Flitsch, Robert A. Flitsch
• Original Assignee: Frederick A. Flitsch, Robert A. Flitsch
• Inventors: Flitsch, Robert A., Flitsch, Frederick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sultana, Nahida
• Application Number:
  US15/639,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20170298580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/80 Data acquisition or data processing
• 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 64/188 involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/20 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/776 Walls, e.g. building panels
• 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 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/005 Methods or materials for repairing pavings E01C7/35 takes precedence; for concrete coverings E01C7/147; for bituminous coverings E01C7/187; devices for repair works E01C23/06; repairing bridge floorings E01D22/00
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/16 Reinforcements as anchoring elements between layers E01C7/145, E01C7/185, E01C7/325 ; for building in general E04C
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/01 Devices or auxiliary means for setting-out or checking the configuration of new surfacing, e.g. templates, screed or reference line supports form rails E01C19/50; Applications of apparatus for measuring, indicating, or recording the surface configuration of existing surfacing, e.g. profilographs E01C23/07 takes precedence; measuring roughness or irregularity in general G01B
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/06 Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface working freshly laid paving E01C19/42 - E01C19/44, E01C23/02; mining picks E21C35/18; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/065 Recycling in place or on the road, i.e. hot or cold reprocessing of paving in situ or on the traffic surface, with or without adding virgin material or lifting of salvaged material; Repairs or resurfacing involving at least partial reprocessing of the existing paving in situ mixing of hydraulic cement concrete E01C19/025; apparatus for in-plant recycling E01C19/1004, E01C19/1036
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/07 Apparatus combining measurement of the surface configuration of paving with application of material in proportion to the measured irregularities measuring means only E01C23/01 G01B
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/0906 for forming, opening-out, cleaning, drying or heating cuts, grooves, recesses or, excluding forming, cracks, e.g. cleaning by sand-blasting or air-jet E01C23/096, E01C23/0993 take precedence, save for E01C23/0946; for trimming paving edges
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/096 for forming, opening-out, cleaning, drying or heating and filling E01C23/0993 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/0966 for filling or priming, with or without working the surface of the filling or applying particulate material thereto, e.g. for filling the joints of stone-sett paving E01C23/096, E01C23/0993 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/0973 with liquid or semi-liquid materials, e.g. crack sealants
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/098 and working the surface of the filling or applying particulate material thereto, e.g. smoothing, gritting
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 : associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

The present disclosure provides various aspects for mobile and automated processing utilizing additive manufacturing and the methods for their utilization. In some examples, the mobile additive manufacturing apparatus may perform surface treatments that support the building of walls. Other examples may involve the support of creating and repairing advanced roadways.

Claims

1. A method for forming and repairing a roadway comprising:

transmitting a control signal to an apparatus, wherein the apparatus is a mobile additive manufacturing apparatus comprising;

a controller capable of executing algorithms and providing control signals,

an additive manufacturing system to deposit a material or combination of materials in prescribed locations across a surface of the roadway according to a first digital model processed by the controller,

a vision system, wherein the vision system scans the surface and measures a topography of the surface while the mobile additive manufacturing apparatus passes thereover,

a drive system operative to transport the additive manufacturing system along the surface,

a navigation system to determine a location of the additive manufacturing system and guide the drive system, and

a power system capable of providing power to operate at least the drive system, navigation system, controller and additive manufacturing system;

performing a metrology process to measure a topography of a region of the surface and locating defects of the region of the surface with the measured topography;

forming a first deposit of a first material on the surface;

moving the apparatus to a different location; and

forming a second deposit of a second material on the different location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second material is conductive.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein a channel is formed within the first deposit.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein a wire or fiber is located within the channel.

5. The method of claim 4 additionally comprising:

adding a roadway bed upon the surface and the first deposit; and

transporting an internet connected signal through the wire or fiber.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a molten material with one or more of embedded fibers, nanofibers, or nanotubes.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a composite mixture of a filler and an adhesive.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the apparatus establishes a wireless communication link with a wireless system embedded within the roadway.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming of a first deposit utilizes a feeding apparatus, wherein the feeding apparatus feeds extrusion material into a heated extrusion head.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the additive manufacturing system deposits multiple locations of the first material in a parallel fashion.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the additive manufacturing system further comprises a source of UV light.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the additive manufacturing system further comprises an array of UV light sources.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the array of UV light sources comprises at least a first row and a first column.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the first deposit is sensitive to UV light.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising irradiating the first deposit with the source of UV light.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the additive manufacturing system further comprises a source of energetic light to cause the first deposit to polymerize.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein additive manufacturing system further comprises an array of energetic light sources.

7. A method for forming and repairing a roadway comprising:

transmitting a control signal to an apparatus, wherein the apparatus is a mobile additive manufacturing apparatus comprising;

a controller capable of executing algorithms and providing control signals,

an additive manufacturing system to deposit a material or combination of materials in prescribed locations across a surface of the roadway according to a first digital model processed by the controller,

a vision system, wherein the vision system scans the surface and measures a topography of the surface while the mobile additive manufacturing apparatus passes thereover,

a drive system operative to transport the additive manufacturing system along the surface,

a navigation system to determine a location of the additive manufacturing system and guide the drive system, and

a power system capable of providing power to operate at least the drive system, navigation system, controller and additive manufacturing system;

forming a first deposit of a first material on the surface;

moving the apparatus to a different location;

forming a second deposit of a second material on the different location;

wherein the first material comprises a molten material with one or more of embedded fibers, nanofibers, or nanotubes; and

wherein a roadway bed is deposited upon the first material.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first material partially melts into the roadway bed.