# US 10,766,191 B2 · Additive manufacturing system having in-head fiber weaving > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,191 B2 - Document ID: US10766191B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/608,017 - Filed: 2017-05-30 - Published: 2018-03-08 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-06 - Assignees: Continuous Composites Inc. - Applicants: Cc3D LLC - Inventors: Kenneth Lyle Tyler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766191B2 ## CPC - B29C 35/0805: {using electromagnetic radiation} - B25J 9/026: {Gantry-type} - B25J 9/046: {Revolute coordinate type} - B29C 48/05: Filamentary, e.g. strands - B29C 48/08: flexible, e.g. films - B29C 48/12: Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles - B29C 48/154: Coating solid articles, i.e. non-hollow articles - B29C 48/2556: {provided in or in the proximity of dies (B29C48/302, B29C48/31, B29C48/325 take precedence)} - B29C 48/266: {Means for allowing relative movements between the apparatus parts, e.g. for twisting the extruded article or for moving the die along a surface to be coated} - B29C 48/301: {having reciprocating, oscillating or rotating parts} - B29C 64/106: using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material - B29C 64/209: Heads; Nozzles - B29C 64/264: Arrangements for irradiation - B29C 70/384: {Fiber placement heads, e.g. component parts, details or accessories} - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B33Y 70/10: Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials - B05D 1/26: performed by applying the liquid or other fluent material from an outlet device in contact with, or almost in contact with, the surface - B29C 48/30: Extrusion nozzles or dies (extrusion characterised by the shape or cross-section of the extruded article B29C48/03) - B29C 48/304: {specially adapted for bringing together components, e.g. melts within the die} - 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) - B29C 2035/0827: {using UV radiation} - B29K 2105/0058: {Liquid or visquous} - B29K 2105/08: of continuous length, e.g. cords, rovings, mats, fabrics, strands or yarns - 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) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - 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 - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - 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 ## Abstract A system is disclosed for use in additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a head configured to discharge a composite material including a matrix and a plurality of continuous reinforcements. The system may also include a weave mechanism configured to selectively adjust a pattern of weaving of the plurality of continuous reinforcements occurring inside of the head. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An additive manufacturing system, comprising: a head configured to discharge a composite material including a matrix and a plurality of continuous reinforcements; and a weave mechanism configured to selectively adjust a pattern of weaving of the plurality of continuous reinforcements occurring inside of the head. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The additive manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the weave mechanism is configured to adjust at least one of a density and overlap amount of the plurality of continuous reinforcements. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The additive manufacturing system of claim 2, wherein the weave mechanism is configured to dynamically adjust the at least one of the density and overlap amount of the plurality of continuous reinforcements as the plurality of continuous reinforcements are discharging from the head. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The additive manufacturing system of claim 3, wherein the weave mechanism is configured to dynamically adjust the at least one of the density and overlap amount of the plurality of continuous reinforcements as the plurality of continuous reinforcements are being pulled from the head due to movement of the head. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The additive manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the weave mechanism is configured to correlate a change in the pattern of weaving of the plurality of continuous reinforcements with a specification change of an associated structure manufactured with the composite material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The additive manufacturing system of claim 1, further including a controller configured to: receive information regarding a structure to be manufactured; and coordinate operation of the weave mechanism with movement of the head based on the information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The additive manufacturing system of claim 1, further including an external cure enhancer configured to enhance curing of the matrix after discharge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The additive manufacturing system of claim 1, further including a support configured to move the head in multiple dimensions during discharging. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The additive manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the weave mechanism includes: a first fiber guide having at least one guide hole configured to receive at least a first of the plurality of continuous reinforcements; a second fiber guide having at least one guide hole configured to receive at least a second of the plurality of continuous reinforcements; and an actuator configured to cause relative movement between the first and second fiber guides during discharge of the at least the first and the at least the second of the plurality of continuous reinforcements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The additive manufacturing system of claim 9, wherein the actuator includes: at least one permanent magnet associated with at least one of the first and second fiber guides; and an electro-magnet configured to selectively generate a temporary magnetic field that interacts with the at least one permanent magnet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The additive manufacturing system of claim 10, further including at least one resilient member configured to bias at least one of the first and second fiber guides. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The additive manufacturing system of claim 9, wherein the actuator includes a motor configured to rotate a pivoting member on which at least one of the first and second fiber guides are mounted. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The additive manufacturing system of claim 9, further including a nozzle tip configured to coalesce the at least the first and the at least the second of the plurality of continuous reinforcements. ### Claim 14 An additive manufacturing system, comprising: a head configured to discharge a composite material including a matrix and a plurality of continuous reinforcements; a support configured to move the head in multiple dimensions during discharging by the head; a weave mechanism configured to selectively adjust a pattern of weaving of the plurality of continuous reinforcements occurring inside of the head; and a controller configured to: receive information regarding a structure to be manufactured with the composite material; and coordinate operation of the weave mechanism with movement of the head based on the information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The additive manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the head is configured to wet the plurality of continuous reinforcements before the weave mechanism adjusts the pattern of weaving of the plurality of continuous reinforcements. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The additive manufacturing system of claim 14, wherein the head is configured to wet the plurality of continuous reinforcements with the matrix before the weave mechanism adjusts the pattern of weaving of the plurality of continuous reinforcements. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The additive manufacturing system of claim 16, wherein: the weave mechanism includes: a first fiber guide having at least one guide hole configured to receive at least a first of the plurality of continuous reinforcements; a second fiber guide having at least one guide hole configured to receive at least a second of the plurality of continuous reinforcements; and an actuator configured to selectively cause the first and second fiber guides to translate relative to each other; and the head includes: a housing having a supply end configured to receive the plurality of continuous reinforcements, and a discharge end configured to discharge the plurality of continuous reinforcements after being wetted with the matrix; an outlet located at the discharge end of the housing and configured to receive the at least the first and the at least the second of the plurality of reinforcements; and an external cure enhancer configured to enhance curing of matrix-coated reinforcements discharging from the outlet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The additive manufacturing system of claim 17, wherein the support is configured to move the head away from an anchor point to cause the plurality of reinforcements to be pulled from the head at the same time that the actuator dynamically varies translation of the first and second fiber guides relative to each other. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The additive manufacturing system of claim 18, wherein the actuator includes: at least one permanent magnet associated with at least one of the first and second fiber guides; and an electro-magnet configured to selectively generate a temporary magnetic field that interacts with the at least one permanent magnet. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The additive manufacturing system of claim 18, wherein the actuator includes a motor configured to rotate a pivoting member on which at least one of the first and second fiber guides are mounted.