Discrete delivery of material
AssigneeContour Crafting Corporation
InventorBehrokh Khoshnevis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Construction 3D printing, although a technology that is expected to provide cost, speed and environmental benefits as compared to the traditional construction practices, suffers from inefficient and often troublesome material delivery by pumping cementitious material through hoses or pipes. The present application addresses the need for a consistent and discrete payload delivery between a source and a moving destination. The invention describes an aerial tram delivery system that provides real-time, on-demand, and discrete transportation of material from a material source to the moving destination printheads of the construction 3D printer. Such discrete delivery of material is applicable and beneficial to other applications as described.
Claims29
A material delivery system for delivering material from a material source to a material destination, wherein the material destination is moveable relative to the material source, the system comprising:
- a cable system extending between the material source and the material destination, the cable system comprising:
- a cable,
- a tram coupled to the cable that can be moved between the material source and the material destination by the cable,
- a drive mechanism configured to control a position of the tram along the cable system, and
- an accumulator mechanism configured to maintain tension of the cable within an operational range when the material destination moves relative to the material source by accumulating and dispensing lengths of the cable,
- wherein the tension of the cable is measured by at least one of a standalone cable tension sensor or a sensor that detects power consumption of the drive mechanism, and
- wherein a computer correlates changes or rates of change of the cable tension or a relative tension with known events, including one of:
- start of tram return, addition or dropping of payload material, or emergency failure of the material delivery system.
A material delivery system for delivering material from a material source to a material destination, wherein the material destination is moveable relative to the material source, the system comprising:
- a cable system extending between the material source and the material destination, the cable system comprising:
- a cable,
- a tram coupled to the cable that can be moved between the material source and the material destination by the cable,
- a drive mechanism configured to control a position of the tram along the cable system, and
- an accumulator mechanism configured to maintain tension of the cable within an operational range when the material destination moves relative to the material source;
- a tower located between the material source and the material destination, the tower including a top that the tram is configured to traverse, the top of the tower being located at a height that ensures the tram will not encounter interference from any obstacles located along the path between the material source and the material destination;
- and
- a swivel mechanism provided at the top of the tower that is configured to account for movement of the material destination and enable the tram to reach the material destination.
A material delivery system for delivering material from a material source to a material destination, wherein the material destination is moveable relative to the material source, the system comprising:
- a cable system extending between the material source and the material destination, the cable system comprising:
- a cable,
- a tram coupled to the cable that can be moved between the material source and the material destination by the cable, the tram including an outlet through which material carried by the tram can be delivered to the material destination,
- a drive mechanism configured to control a position of the tram along the cable system, and
- an accumulator mechanism configured to maintain tension of the cable within an operational range when the material destination moves relative to the material source;
- a pivot mechanism associated with the material destination configured to receive and align the tram with the material destination to enable the tram to park at the material destination;
- and
- an opening mechanism associated with the material destination configured to open the tram outlet when the tram parks at the material destination to deliver the material carried by the tram to the material destination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.