# US 11,992,999 B2 · Coextruded, multilayer and multicomponent 3D printing inputs > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,992,999 B2 - Document ID: US11992999B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/935,517 - Filed: 2020-07-22 - Published: 2020-11-05 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-19 - Assignees: Guill Tool & Engineering Co., Inc. - Applicants: Guill Tool & Engineering Co., Inc. - Inventors: Richard Guillemette; Robert Peters - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992999B2 ## CPC - B29C 64/118: using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] - B29C 64/106: using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material - B29C 69/001: {a shaping technique combined with cutting, e.g. in parts or slices combined with rearranging and joining the cut parts (for reinforced material B29C70/545; B29C49/4278, B29C51/268 take precedence)} - B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing - C08J 5/121: {by heating} - B29K 2101/12: Thermoplastic materials - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - 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 - C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29) - 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 The present disclosure relates to 3D printer inputs including filaments comprising separated layers or sections. These inputs particularly including filaments may be prepared by coextrusion, microlayer coextrusion or multicomponent/fractal coextrusion. These inputs and specifically filaments enable layering or combining different materials simultaneously through one or more nozzles during the so-called 3D printing process. These techniques facilitate smaller layer sizes (milli, micro, and nano) different layer configurations as well as the potential to incorporate materials that would otherwise not be usable in standard 3D printer methods. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of producing a multi-material meltable 3D printer product filament having a length, comprising: obtaining a section of a first solid 3D printer meltable filament which is aligned in-line or perpendicular to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament and having a first chopped end including a first shape comprising at least one planar surface that is angled relative to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament; obtaining a section of a second solid 3D printer meltable filament which is aligned in-line or perpendicular to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament and having a second chopped end including a second shape comprising at least one planar surface that is angled relative to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament, stacking and welding the first chopped end of the section of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament and the second chopped end of the section of the second solid 3D printer meltable filament wherein the first shape of the first chopped end of the section of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament and the second shape of the second chopped end of the section of the second solid 3D printer meltable filament are complementary to one another and define a transition between the section of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament and the section of the second solid 3D printer meltable filament; and stacking and welding additional sections of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament having a first chopped end and the second solid 3D printer meltable filament having a second chopped end that are aligned in-line or perpendicular to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament to form a 1-5 mm thick filament across a central axis of the filament. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein said section of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament is aligned in-line to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament to form the 1-5 mm thick filament across the central axis of the filament. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein said section of the second solid 3D printer meltable filament is aligned in-line to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising stacking and welding multiple sections of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament aligned in-line to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising stacking and welding multiple sections of the second solid 3D printer meltable filament aligned perpendicular to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament. ### Claim 6 A method of producing a multi-material meltable 3D printer product filament having a length, comprising: obtaining a section of a first solid 3D printer meltable filament which is aligned in-line or perpendicular to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament and having a first chopped end including a first shape comprising at least one planar surface that is angled relative to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament; obtaining a section of a second solid 3D printer meltable filament which is aligned in-line or perpendicular to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament and having a second chopped end including a second shape comprising at least one planar surface that is angled relative to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament, stacking and welding the first chopped end of the section of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament and the second chopped end of the section of the second solid 3D printer meltable filament wherein the first shape of the first chopped end of the section of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament and the second shape of the second chopped end of the section of the second solid 3D printer meltable filament are complementary to one another and define a transition between the section of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament and the section of the second solid 3D printer meltable filament; and stacking and welding multiple sections of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament aligned in-line to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament. ### Claim 7 A method of producing a multi-material meltable 3D printer product filament having a length, comprising: obtaining a section of a first solid 3D printer meltable filament which is aligned in-line or perpendicular to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament and having a first chopped end including a first shape comprising at least one planar surface that is angled relative to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament; obtaining a section of a second solid 3D printer meltable filament which is aligned in-line or perpendicular to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament and having a second chopped end including a second shape comprising at least one planar surface that is angled relative to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament, stacking and welding the first chopped end of the section of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament and the second chopped end of the section of the second solid 3D printer meltable filament wherein the first shape of the first chopped end of the section of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament and the second shape of the second chopped end of the section of the second solid 3D printer meltable filament are complementary to one another and define a transition between the section of the first solid 3D printer meltable filament and the section of the second solid 3D printer meltable filament; and stacking and welding multiple sections of the second solid 3D printer meltable filament aligned perpendicular to the length of the meltable 3D printer product filament.