Lattice structure and method of manufacture
AssigneeUnknown Behaviors Ltd.
InventorJessica Lee Croll
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lattice structure includes a first layer and a second layer disposed on and overlaying the first layer. The first layer includes a plurality of interior cells, and adjacent interior cells along both a first axis and a second axis are interconnected. The second layer includes a plurality of exterior cells, and adjacent exterior cells are connected along the second axis but not the first axis. A channel is formed between unconnected adjacent exterior cells above interconnected adjacent interior cells. The lattice structure may be formed during a method of manufacturing a protective pad that further includes folding the lattice structure according to a pattern to form an articulated protective structure.
Claims25
A lattice structure comprising:
- a first layer including a plurality of interior cells arranged along a first axis and a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, adjacent interior cells along the first axis being interconnected and adjacent interior cells along the second axis being interconnected;
- a second layer disposed on and overlaying the first layer and located above the first layer, the second layer including a plurality of exterior cells arranged along the first axis and the second axis, adjacent exterior cells along the first axis being unconnected, the second layer forming a top of the lattice structure;
- and
- a channel formed between unconnected adjacent exterior cells above interconnected adjacent interior cells,
- wherein each interior cell has a plurality of compound connections, each compound connection directly connected by a base tubular extension to a base eye, by a base segment to a base tubular frame, and by a joining tubular extension to a lower eye of an exterior cell, the compound connection defining a bottom of the channel.
A lattice structure comprising:
- a first layer including a plurality of cells arranged along a first axis and a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, adjacent cells of the first layer along the first axis being interconnected and adjacent cells of the first layer along the second axis being interconnected;
- a second layer disposed on and overlaying the first layer, the second layer including a plurality of cells arranged along the first axis and the second axis, adjacent cells of the second layer along the first axis being unconnected, the second layer forming a top of the lattice structure;
- and
- a channel formed between unconnected adjacent cells of the second layer and interconnected adjacent cells of the first layer,
- wherein each cell of the second layer has an upper tubular frame and a lower tubular frame, a portion of the upper tubular frame and the lower tubular frame that is not oriented along the first axis defining a side of the channel.
A method of manufacturing a protective pad including an lattice structure, the method comprising:
- identifying a pattern for a lattice structure to facilitate folding the lattice structure to form an articulated protective structure;
- forming the lattice structure by additive manufacturing according to the pattern, the lattice structure including a first layer including a plurality of interior cells, a second layer disposed on and overlaying the first layer and including a plurality of exterior cells, the second layer forming a top of the lattice structure, and a plurality of channels formed between unconnected adjacent exterior cells above interconnected adjacent interior cells, each of the plurality of channels having a zig-zag pattern to allow freedom of movement along two axes;
- and
- folding the lattice structure according to the pattern to form the articulated protective structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.