# US 11,897,163 B2 · Methods and apparatus for additively manufactured endoskeleton-based transport structures

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- Number: US 11,897,163 B2
- Document ID: US11897163B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/171,867
- Filed: 2021-02-09
- Published: 2021-06-24
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-25
- Assignees: Divergent Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Divergent Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Kevin Robert Czinger; Broc William TenHouten; Stuart Paul Macey; David Charles O'Connell; Jon Paul Gunner; Antonio Bernerd Martinez; Narender Shankar Lakshman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897163B2

## CPC

- B28B 1/001: {Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material (selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00)}
- B22F 3/002: {Manufacture of articles essentially made from metallic fibres}
- B22F 5/10: of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups
- B22F 10/00: Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder (apparatus or devices therefor B22F12/00)
- B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
- B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
- B23K 26/0006: {taking account of the properties of the material involved (B23K26/32, B23K26/40 take precedence)}
- B23K 26/03: Observing, e.g. monitoring, the workpiece
- B23K 26/342: Build-up welding
- B23K 26/38: by boring or cutting
- B23K 26/40: taking account of the properties of the material involved
- B29C 64/124: using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified
- B29C 64/153: using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- B62D 27/023: {Assembly of structural joints}
- G06F 30/15: Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design
- B22F 3/115: by spraying molten metal, i.e. spray sintering, spray casting
- B22F 10/18: by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF]
- B22F 10/80: Data acquisition or data processing
- B22F 12/22: {Driving means}
- B22F 12/46: with translatory movement
- B22F 12/53: Nozzles
- B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
- B23K 26/21: by welding
- B23K 2101/006: {Vehicles}
- B23K 2101/28: Beams
- B23K 2103/04: Steel {or steel} alloys
- B23K 2103/10: Aluminium or alloys thereof
- B23K 2103/14: Titanium or alloys thereof
- B23K 2103/15: {Magnesium or alloys thereof}
- B29C 64/10: Processes of additive manufacturing
- 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
- B60G 3/22: a rigid arm forming the axle housing
- B62D 25/00: Superstructure {or monocoque structure} sub-units; Parts or details thereof not otherwise provided for {(having impact absorbing means B62D21/15; running-boards, steps, or the like as superstructure sub-unit B60R3/00)}
- B62D 65/02: Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- B28B: SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER (foundry moulding B22C; working stone or stone-like material B28D; shaping of substances in a plastic state, in general B29C; making layered products not composed wholly of these substances B32B)
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- 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
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00})
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an additively manufactured transport structure. The transport structure includes cavities into which components that use an external interface are inserted. A plurality of components are assembled and integrated into the vehicle. In an embodiment, the components and frame are modular, enabling reparability and replacement of single parts in the event of isolated failures.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A transport structure, comprising:
a 3-D printed frame comprising a structure configured to accept loads and to protect an occupant in an impact event;
a plurality of components assembled onto the 3-D printed frame; and
a separate body assembled over an exterior surface of the 3-D printed frame.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The transport structure of claim 1, further comprising a suspension system coupled to the 3-D printed frame.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The transport structure of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the suspension system is 3-D printed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The transport structure of claim 2, wherein the suspension system includes at least a front suspension system or a rear suspension system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The transport structure of claim 1, further comprising a dashboard structure coupled to the 3-D printed frame, wherein at least a portion of the dashboard structure is 3-D printed, or the dashboard structure is co-printed with the 3-D printed frame.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The transport structure of claim 1, wherein the loads include at least structural loads or road loads.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The transport structure of claim 1, wherein the body is a 3-D printed body.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The transport structure of claim 1, wherein the 3-D printed frame is 3-D printed in modules or in a single rendering.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The transport structure of claim 1, further comprising a safety feature, wherein the safety feature is 3-D printed.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The transport structure of claim 9, wherein the safety feature includes a nosecone.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The transport structure of claim 9, wherein the safety feature includes a safety cell.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The transport structure of claim 9, wherein the safety feature includes a crumple zone.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The transport structure of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises 3-D printed metal.

### Claim 14

A method for producing a transport structure, comprising:
3-D printing a frame, the 3-D printed frame comprising a structure configured to accept loads and to protect an occupant in an impact event;
assembling a separate body over an exterior surface of the 3-D printed frame; and
assembling a plurality of components onto the 3-D printed frame.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising 3-D printing the body.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising 3-D printing the frame in modules or in a single rendering.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising 3-D printing a safety feature of the transport structure.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the safety feature includes a nosecone.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the safety feature includes a safety cell.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the safety feature includes a crumple zone.

### Claim 21 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising coupling a suspension system to the 3-D printed frame.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, further comprising 3-D printing at least a portion of the suspension system.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the suspension system includes at least a front suspension system or a rear suspension system.

### Claim 24 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the frame comprises 3-D printed metal.

### Claim 25 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising 3-D printing at least a portion of a dashboard structure for assembly within the frame.

### Claim 26 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the loads include at least structural loads or road loads.