Flexible structures
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsLluis HIERRO DOMENECH, Cristina DOMINGUEZ MANCHADO, Bernat POLL CRESPO, Davinia FONT CALAFELL, Jordi CASELLAS LOPEZ, Jordi ARCAS MANRIQUE
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Abstract
In an example, a flexible structure comprises a plurality of interlinked spring units. Each spring unit may comprise at least three coaxial coiled springs, and each spring of a spring unit may comprise a first end and second end. In some examples, an end of one spring adjoins an end of a spring of an adjacent spring unit.
Claims15
A flexible structure comprising a plurality of interlinked spring units, each spring unit comprising at least three coaxial coiled springs, wherein each spring of a spring unit comprises a first end and second end, and wherein an end of one spring adjoins an end of a spring of an adjacent spring unit.
A flexible fabric formed by additive manufacturing, the fabric comprising a plurality of adjoining spring units,
- each spring unit comprising at least three spiral spring elements extending from a lower end to an upper end around a central axis,
- wherein the upper end of a first spring element of a first spring unit is continuously formed with the upper end of a spring element of a second spring unit, and the lower end of the first spring element is continuously formed with the lower end of a spring element of a third spring unit.
A method comprising:
- determining, by processing circuitry, an intended property for a flexible structure to be formed by additive manufacturing, the flexible structure comprising a plurality of interlinked spring units, each spring unit comprising at least three coaxial coiled springs formed of spring filaments and the intended property comprising at least one of a volume of the structure and a flexibility of the structure;
- determining, by processing circuitry, a geometry of the structure,
- determining, by processing circuitry, a physical attribute for the structure based on the intended property, the physical attribute comprising at least one of a size of the spring unit and the diameter of a spring filament;
- and
- determining, by processing circuitry, a flexible structure data model for use in generating the flexible structure having the geometry and the physical attribute in additive manufacturing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.