US 2023/0151623 A1 · DISCRETE DELIVERY OF MATERIAL

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

Dependent claims

A material delivery system for transferring material from at least one material source to at least one material destination, wherein the at least one material destination is moveable in at least one spatial dimension relative to the at least one material source, the system comprising:

a cable mechanism extending between the at least one material source and the at least one material destination, the cable mechanism comprising:
at least one cable;
a tram coupled to the at least one cable, enabling movement of the tram between the at least one material source and the at least one material destination;
a drive mechanism that controls the position of the tram along the cable mechanism;
and
an accumulator mechanism that maintains tension of the at least one cable within an operational range during movement of the at least one material destination relative to the at least one material source.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Discrete delivery of material

Life of this patent

Discrete delivery of material

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29