# US 10,307,976 B2 · Automotive repair systems including three-dimensional (3D) printed attachment parts and methods of use

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,307,976 B2
- Document ID: US10307976B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/630,749
- Filed: 2017-06-22
- Published: 2017-12-28
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-22
- Assignees: Service King Paint & Body, LLC
- Applicants: Service King Paint & Body, LLC
- Inventors: Dustin Harrier; Jason Milazzo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307976B2

## CPC

- B29C 73/12: Apparatus therefor, e.g. for applying (B29C73/30 takes precedence)
- B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B29C 73/04: using preformed elements
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- B05C 17/0053: {the driving means for the material being manual, mechanical or electrical}
- B05C 17/00546: {Details of the heating means}
- B29C 64/10: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B29C 65/18: using heated tools
- B29C 65/4815: {Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives}
- B29C 65/525: {by extrusion coating}
- B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)}
- B29C 66/861: {Hand-held tools}
- B29C 66/9121: {by measuring the temperature}
- B29C 66/9141: {by controlling or regulating the temperature}
- B29C 73/025: {fed under pressure}
- B29K 2101/12: Thermoplastic materials
- B29L 2031/30: Vehicles, e.g. ships or aircraft, or body parts thereof {(vanes or blades B29L2031/08, air bags B29L2022/027)}
- B29L 2031/3055: {Cars}
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B33Y: 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
- B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A method of repairing a first automotive part that includes providing a connector tab and applying a fluidic thermoplastic material to the connector tab and/or the first automotive part to attach the connector tab to the first automotive part. The connector tab comprises: a retainer portion sized to attach to the first automotive part, wherein the retainer portion has a plurality of holes formed therethrough, and wherein the plurality of holes is configured to receive the fluidic thermoplastic material to secure the retainer portion to the first automotive part; and a coupler portion defining a shape corresponding to a portion of the first automotive part, the coupler portion forming a coupler, which is configured to operably engage another coupler of a second automotive part.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of printing an attachment part customized for a damaged automotive part, the method comprising:
accessing, using a computer system, an electronic model of the damaged automotive part;
identifying a restorable portion of the electronic model of the damaged automotive part;
isolating, using the computer system, the restorable portion of the electronic model for printing;
adding, using the computer system, a retainer portion model to the restorable portion of the electronic model thereby creating a model of the attachment part customized for the damaged automotive part; and
printing the attachment part based on the model of the attachment part, the printed attachment part comprising a printed restorable portion and a printed retainer portion connected thereto.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the printed retainer portion of the printed attachment part is sized to attach to the damaged automotive part, wherein the printed retainer portion of the printed attachment part has a plurality of holes formed therethrough, and wherein the plurality of holes is configured to receive a fluidic thermoplastic material to secure the printed retainer portion to the damaged automotive part.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the restorable portion of the electronic model of the damaged automotive part satisfies one or more business rules.