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US 10,307,958 B2Granted
Method and system for forming masks
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsRobert Charles Jonietz, Jr., Thomas Wayne Vandiver
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for protecting a structure. The method comprises identifying an exterior shape of the structure; generating a model of a mask based on the exterior shape of the structure; and forming the mask using a three dimensional printer based on the model.
Claims17
A mask forming system for generating a mask to protect a structure, the mask forming system comprising:
- a computer system including a computer-aided design software programmed to access a three dimensional model of the structure, the computer-aided design software further programmed to generate a three dimensional model of the mask based on the three dimensional model of the structure, the three dimensional model of the mask comprising:
- a hollow body configured to surround an exterior shape of the structure;
- a mask interior cavity defined by the hollow body, the mask interior cavity having dimensions based on a desired clearance between the mask and the structure;
- a controller communicably coupled to the computer system, the controller programmed to receive the three dimensional model of the mask from the computer system and generate a set of instructions to form the mask based on the three dimensional model of the mask;
- and
- a three dimensional printer communicably coupled to the controller, wherein the three dimensional printer receives the set of instructions from the controller and the three dimensional printer executes the instructions to form the mask.
3 more elements
A mask including an interior surface based off a three dimensional model of a structure the mask is designed to protect, the mask comprising:
- a hollow body configured to surround an exterior shape of the structure;
- a mask interior cavity defined by the hollow body, the mask interior cavity having dimensions based on a desired clearance between the mask and the structure;
- an integral base defined at an end of the hollow body configured to mate with a portion of the structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.