# US 11,026,433 B2 · 3D-printer system with object detection sensors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,433 B2 - Document ID: US11026433B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/247,363 - Filed: 2019-01-14 - Published: 2019-05-16 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-21 - Assignees: BeeHex, LLC - Applicants: BeeHex, LLC - Inventors: Anjan Contractor; Benjamin Feltner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026433B2 ## CPC - A21D 13/41: Pizzas - A21D 13/47: Decorated or decorative products - A23L 33/10: using additives (addition of substantially indigestible substances A23L33/21) - A23L 33/30: {Dietetic or nutritional methods, e.g. for losing weight (A23L33/10 takes precedence)} - A23L 33/40: {Complete food formulations for specific consumer groups or specific purposes, e.g. infant formula} - A23P 20/20: Making of laminated, multi-layered, stuffed or hollow foodstuffs, e.g. by wrapping in preformed edible dough sheets or in edible food containers - B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) - B29C 64/25: Housings, e.g. machine housings - B29C 64/35: Cleaning - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling - B33Y 40/20: Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing - B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - A23P 2020/253: {Coating food items by printing onto them; Printing layers of food products} - A21D: TREATMENT OF FLOUR OR DOUGH FOR BAKING, e.g. BY ADDITION OF MATERIALS; BAKING; BAKERY PRODUCTS (preservation of flour or dough before baking A23B40/00; preservation of bakery products A23B45/00) - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - A23P: SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS - 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 ## Abstract A three-dimensional (3D) printer system is disclosed. The 3D-printer system comprises an extruder, a housing configured to house the extruder, a 3D-printer base including a print bed, the print bed configured to receive material extruded from the extruder, and a first sensor configured to detect a location of an object on the print bed. In some embodiments, the 3D-printer system further comprises a plurality of sensors coupled to the housing or to the extruder, the plurality of sensors including the first sensor, wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to obtain data for detection of the location of the object. In yet some embodiments, the 3D-printer system of claim further comprises a processor and a non-transitory, computer-readable medium having stored thereon logic, the logic when executed performs operations including receiving data from the first sensor and detecting the location of the object on the print bed based on the data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A three-dimensional (3D) printer system, the system comprising: an extruder; a housing configured to house the extruder; a 3D-printer base including a print bed, the print bed configured to receive material extruded from the extruder; and a sensor configured to detect measurements of an object on the print bed; a processor; and non-transitory, computer-readable medium having stored thereon logic, the logic being executable by the processor to perform operations including: receiving data from the sensor pertaining to the detected measurements, determining dimensions of the object based on the data, and generating printing instructions in accordance with the dimensions of the object. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The 3D-printer system of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of sensors coupled to the housing or the extruder, the plurality of sensors including the sensor, wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to obtain data for detection of a location of the object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The 3D-printer system of claim 1, wherein the logic being executable by the processor to perform further operations including: detecting a location of the object on the print bed based on the data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The 3D-printer system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is one of a plurality of sensors coupled to the housing or the extruder, and wherein the data is captured by the plurality of sensors and includes two or three dimensional images, and wherein the logic being executable by the processor to perform further operations including: detecting a physical attribute of the object on the print bed based on the data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The 3D-printer system of claim 1, further comprising: a scale integrated into the print bed, the scale configured to determine a weight of the object. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The 3D-printer system of claim 1, wherein the object is comprised of extruded material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The 3D-printer system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is coupled to the extruder or the housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The 3D-printer system of claim 1, wherein the data received from the sensor is one or more captured images of the object, and wherein determining the dimensions of the object includes comparing the one or more captured images to known images. ### Claim 9 An apparatus for printing, the apparatus comprising: an extruder; a housing configured to house the extruder; a 3D-printer base including a print bed, the print bed configured to receive material extruded from the extruder; and a sensor configured to detect measurements of an object on the print bed; a processor; and non-transitory, computer-readable medium having stored thereon logic, the logic being executable by the processor to perform operations including: receiving data from the sensor pertaining to the detected measurements, determining dimensions of the object based on the data, and generating printing instructions in accordance with the dimensions of the object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: a plurality of sensors coupled to the housing or the extruder, the plurality of sensors including the sensor, wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to obtain data for detection of a location of the object. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the logic being executable by the processor to perform further operations including: detecting a location of the object on the print bed based on the data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sensor is one of a plurality of sensors coupled to the housing or the extruder, and wherein the data is captured by the plurality of sensors and includes two or three dimensional images, and wherein the logic being executable by the processor to perform further operations including: detecting a physical attribute of the object on the print bed based on the data. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: a scale integrated into the print bed, the scale configured to determine a weight of the object. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the object is comprised of extruded material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sensor is coupled to the extruder or the housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the data received from the sensor is one or more captured images of the object, and wherein determining the dimensions of the object includes comparing the one or more captured images to known images. ### Claim 17 A computerized method for printing utilizing a 3D-printer system, the 3D-printer system including an extruder, a housing, a 3D-printer base including a printer bed, and a sensor, the method comprising: receiving data from the sensor pertaining to detected measurements of an object placed on the print bed, the sensor being coupled to the housing or the extruder of the 3D-printer system, wherein the housing is configured to house the extruder; and determining dimensions of the object based on the data, and generating printing instructions in accordance with the dimensions of the object. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computerized method of claim 17, further comprising: detecting a physical attribute of the object on the print bed based on the data, wherein the sensor is one of a plurality of sensors, and wherein the data is captured by the plurality of sensors and includes two or three dimensional images. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The computerized method of claim 17, further comprising: receiving measurements from a scale, the scale integrated into the print bed and configured to determine a weight of the object. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The computerized method of claim 17, wherein the data received from the sensor is one or more captured images of the object, and wherein determining the dimensions of the object includes comparing the one or more captured images to known images.