US 2025/0115001 A1Published application

Method for making an internally illuminable 3d printed model of a building based on a multi-material 3d digital model of the building and an internally illuminable 3d printed model of a building so made

OwnerAndrew C. Riederinventor

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Abstract

A building model having lit windows that looks more realistic and visually pleasing than known building models. The building model includes a central lighting source that provides light substantially evenly along the entire height of the building model. For example, an LED strip is wrapped around a support structure that extends centrally upward within the building. The building model can include a translucent diffuser placed up against or close to the window holes of the building model that diffuses the light, preventing the problems when one can see the inside the model though the window holes. The diffuser prevents shimmering and blinking effects, and keeps the light level substantially even over the entire outer surface of the building model, which is more pleasing to the eye, and more closely resembles buildings in the real world. The building and the diffuser can be printed sequentially, or can be printed simultaneously.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method for making an internally illuminable 3D printed model of a building based on a 3D model of the building, the method comprising:

acquiring a 3D model of a building;
using 3D software, hollowing out the 3D model of the building, so as to provide a 3D model of the building having a cavity with a downward opening;
using 3D software, cutting a plurality of window holes through at least one side of the 3D model of the building having a cavity so as to provide a 3D model of the building having a cavity and a plurality of window holes;
using 3D software, creating a diffuser insert array 3D model by including a diffuser insert for each location of a window hole so as to provide an array of diffuser inserts, each diffuser insert being located so as to reside within each window hole of the plurality of window holes;
using 3D software, combining the building 3D model with the diffuser insert array 3D model by registering the building 3D model with respect to the diffuser insert array 3D model so as to produce a multi-material 3D model of the building, the building 3D model to be printed with at least one building material, and the diffuser insert array 3D model to be printed with at least one diffuser material;
using a 3D printer, 3D printing the multi-material 3D model of the building using the at least one building material, and the at least one diffuser material;
providing an inner support structure for supporting a vertically distributed lighting arrangement;
applying the vertically distributed lighting arrangement to the inner support structure;
and
inserting the inner support structure with the vertically distributed lighting arrangement applied thereto into the 3D printed multi-material 3D model of the building to provide the internally illuminable 3D printed model of the building.

7 more elements

An internally illuminable 3D printed model of a building based on a 3D model of the building, the internally illuminable 3D printed model made according to a method comprising:

acquiring a 3D model of a building;
using 3D software, hollowing out the 3D model of the building, so as to provide a 3D model of the building having a cavity with a downward opening;
using 3D software, cutting a plurality of window holes through at least one side of the 3D model of the building having a cavity so as to provide a 3D model of the building having a cavity and a plurality of window holes;
using 3D software, creating a diffuser insert array 3D model by including a diffuser insert for each location of a window hole so as to provide an array of diffuser inserts, each diffuser insert being located so as to reside within each window hole of the plurality of window holes;
using 3D software, combining the building 3D model with the diffuser insert array 3D model by registering the building 3D model with respect to the diffuser insert array 3D model so as to produce a multi-material 3D model of the building, the building 3D model to be printed with at least one building material, and the diffuser insert array 3D model to be printed with at least one diffuser material;
using a 3D printer, 3D printing the multi-material 3D model of the building using the at least one building material, and the at least one diffuser material;
providing an inner support structure for supporting a vertically distributed lighting arrangement;
applying the vertically distributed lighting arrangement to the inner support structure;
and
inserting the inner support structure with the vertically distributed lighting arrangement applied thereto into the 3D printed multi-material 3D model of the building to provide the internally illuminable 3D printed model of the building.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/484,406Filed 10 Oct 2023
Published: 10 Apr 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

B29C 64/386
Auxiliary operations or equipment: data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
B29C 64/336
Feeding: of two or more materials
G06F 30/13
Geometric CAD: architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes,…
G09B 25/04
Models for purposes not provided for in G09B23/00, e.g. full-sized devices for demonstration purposes: of buildings

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