# US 2019/0315048 A1 · System and method for forming three-dimensional structures

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- Number: US 2019/0315048 A1
- Document ID: US20190315048A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/453,790
- Filed: 2019-06-26
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2014-05-09
- Assignees: NIKE, Inc.
- Applicants: NIKE, Inc.
- Inventors: Yoav Sterman; Todd A. Waatti
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190315048A1

## CPC

- B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B29C 41/36: Feeding the material on to the mould, core or other substrate
- B29C 64/106: using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
- B29C 64/118: using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- A43C 3/00: Hooks for laces (making from sheet metal B21D53/46); Guards for hooks
- A43C 15/16: Studs {or cleats} for football or like boots
- A43D 2200/60: Computer aided manufacture of footwear, e.g. CAD or CAM
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by 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
- A43C: FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- A43D: MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT OR METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING OR REPAIRING FOOTWEAR

## Abstract

A system and method for forming 3D printed structures on a base component includes extruding material through a nozzle while moving the nozzle vertically. Extruded material flows from the nozzle and spreads outwardly upon contact with an underlying portion of material. The outward spread of material is controlled to form a desired geometry for the 3D printed structure. An optical sensing device may provide feedback for controlling the outward spread of material. Using a molding component, structures with anchored portions extending through openings in the base component can be formed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a structure, comprising:
providing a nozzle in a position near a first portion of the structure, the nozzle being configured to extrude material in a first direction;
extruding a first portion of material through the nozzle onto the first portion of the structure, wherein the first portion of material spreads outwardly in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction when the first portion of material contacts the first portion of the structure;
receiving optical information about the first portion of material from an optical sensing device;
determining a sensed outward spreading value from the optical information, the sensed outward spreading value being related to the outward spreading of the first portion of material in the second direction;
retrieving a predicted outward spreading value; and
adjusting at least one extrusion control parameter in response to the sensed outward spreading value when the sensed outward spreading value is substantially different from the predicted outward spreading value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the extrusion control parameter is a flow rate of the extruded material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the extrusion control parameter is an extrusion temperature.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the extrusion control parameter is a nozzle withdrawal rate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the optical sensing device is a digital image sensor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes retrieving a predetermined tolerance and wherein the at least one extrusion control parameter is adjusted in response to the sensed outward spreading value when the difference between the sensed outward spreading value and the predicted outward spreading value is greater than the predetermined tolerance.