Discrete macroscopic metamaterial systems
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorBenjamin Jenett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A construction system for mechanical metamaterials based on discrete assembly of a finite set of modular, mass-produced parts. A modular construction scheme enables a range of mechanical metamaterial properties to be achieved, including rigid, compliant, auxetic and chiral, all of which are assembled with a consistent process across part types, thereby expanding the functionality and accessibility of this approach. The incremental nature of discrete assembly enables mechanical metamaterials to be produced efficiently and at low cost, beyond the scale of the 3D printer. Additionally, a lattice structure constructed of two or more rigid, compliant, auxetic and chiral part types enable the creation of heterogenous macroscopic metamaterial structures.
Claims6
A cuboctahedron cell voxel of a discrete macroscopic lattice structure, the cuboctahedron cell voxel comprising:
- at least one cell face comprising:
- four beams that form a substantially square shape, each beam having a beam portion with a thickness;
- and
- at least one beam having a spring-beam portion with a spring-beam geometric parameter comprising an amplitude greater than the thickness of the beam portion prior to external loading of the cuboctahedron cell voxel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.