3-D printed packaging

• US 9,994,339 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2016
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3GPP LLC
• Original Assignee: 3GPP LLC
• Inventors: Colson, Shay C., Thompson, David S., Divine, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B
• Application Number:
  US15/173,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20160280403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 738 Days
• Field of Search: 264 401, 264259, 264279, 2642791, 264308, 53452, 53484
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/171 specially adapted for manufacturing multiple 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/176 Sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/182 in parallel batches
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/688 the inserts being meshes or lattices B29C70/82, B29C70/683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/70 Completely encapsulating inserts B29C70/86 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/06 PS, i.e. polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/20 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/608 Honeycomb structures
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/712 Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages closures therefor B29L2031/56; ink or toner cartridges B29L2031/7678; squeeze tubes B29L2023/20; suitcases B29L2031/7418
• 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: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/06 Rigid airships; Semi-rigid airships B64B1/58 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/022 Making containers by moulding of a thermoplastic material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/007 Perforating strips of completed packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/025 for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/182 : by applying tear-strips or tear-tapes
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/26 : for marking or coding completed packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 63/005 : for marking or coding articles prior to packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0206 : Separate rigid or semi-rigid trays or cups joined together, e.g. separate trays connected by single foil closure or crimped together plurality of trays formed in one piece B65D1/30
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 65/38 : Packaging materials of special type or form
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/527 : Tear-lines for separating a package into individual packages B65D1/30, B65D21/0206, B65D75/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 : Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35134 : 3-D cad-cam
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49007 : Making, forming 3-D object, model, surface

Abstract

Items may be packaged for shipping or storage using additive manufacturing techniques, also known as three dimensional (3-D) printing. Packages made by such processes may be referred to as 3-D printed packages. A packaging system may include a 3-D printer and a computing device communicatively coupled to the 3-D printer. The computing device may obtain a packaging model describing a package for one or more items. A print module of the computing device may include instructions to print the package at least partially about the item(s) according to the packaging model. The configuration of a 3-D printed package may be based at least in part on one or more other packages. A 3-D printed package may include multiple separable compartments. A unit of 3-D printed packages may include multiple separable packages.

Claims

1. A method of packaging multiple items, the method comprising:

printing, using a three dimensional (3-D) printer, a 3-D printed package including multiple compartments, at least one item of the multiple items being disposed in each compartment; and

printing, using the 3-D printer, one or more separation features into the 3-D printed package to allow separation of each of the multiple compartments from a remainder of the package.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing the one or more separation features into the 3-D package comprises printing a skin of material and one or more tear strips between the multiple compartments to separate the multiple compartments, wherein each compartment of the multiple compartments is separable from the remainder of the package by pulling on a respective tear strip to separate the respective compartment into a separate package.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing the one or more separation features into the 3-D package comprises printing a single tear strip separating a first region of compartments from a second region of compartments, such that the first region of compartments is separable from the second region of compartments by pulling the tear strip.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more separation features comprise at least one of:

one or more tear strips;

one or more perforations;

one or more notches;

one or more thinned sections of the 3-D printed package;

one or more weakened sections of the 3-D printed package.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each compartment includes a single item or multiple items designated for a same destination.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing the 3-D printed package comprises printing the 3-D printed package around the multiple items.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple items are inserted into the multiple compartments after the 3-D printed package is at least partially printed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing the 3-D printed package comprises:

printing packing material at least partially around the multiple items; and

printing an outer cover about at least a portion of an exterior of the packing material.

9. A method of packaging multiple items using one or more three dimensional (3-D) printers, the method comprising:

determining a size and/or shape of a particular 3-D printed package to be printed for an item based at least in part on a size and/or shape of one or more other packages of multiple packages to be 3-D printed; and

printing the particular 3-D printed package having the determined size and/or shape.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the multiple packages are to be placed on a pallet or other support surface; and

the size and/or shape of the particular 3-D printed package is chosen at least in part to result in a uniform, well-packed unit of packages on the pallet or other support structure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the uniform, well-packed unit of packages is substantially free of voids, gaps, and open spaces between packages.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the uniform, well-packed unit of packages includes one or more voids, gaps, and/or open spaces between the multiple packages.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the uniform, well-packed unit of packages is substantially cube shaped or rectangular prism shaped.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

adding a new package to a queue of packages to be 3-D printed; and

modifying or adjusting a size and/or shape of one or more other packages in the queue of packages to be 3-D printed in order to create a uniform, well-packed unit of packages.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

printing a remainder of the multiple packages; and

printing one or more bands and/or straps directly around the multiple packages.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

printing a remainder of the multiple packages; and

printing one or more spacers or empty packages to fill gaps or voids between the multiple packages to form a uniform unit of packages.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein printing the particular 3-D printed package further comprises printing one or more interlocking features configured to interlock with one or more other packages of the multiple packages to form a unit of packages.

18. A method of packaging multiple items using one or more three dimensional (3-D) printers, the method comprising:

determining a size, shape, and/or configuration for a particular 3-D printed package to be printed for an item based at least in part on size, shape, and/or configuration of one or more other packages of multiple packages; and

printing the particular 3-D printed package having one or more interlocking features configured to interlock with one or more other packages of the multiple packages.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the multiple packages are to be placed on a pallet or other support surface; and

the size and/or shape of the particular 3-D printed package is chosen at least in part to result in a uniform, well-packed unit of packages on the pallet or other support structure.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

printing a remainder of the multiple packages; and

printing one or more spacers or empty packages to fill gaps or voids between the multiple packages to form a uniform unit of packages.