# US 6,021,270 A · System for generating geometry of object associated with one of similar products, based on geometrical characteristic of this one product > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,021,270 A - Document ID: US6021270A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/866,349 - Filed: 1997-05-30 - Granted: 2000-02-01 - Earliest claimed: 1996-05-30 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yasuhito Hanaki; Kazuhiro Sadamura; Toru Kato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6021270A ## CPC - G05B 19/4097: characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM (G05B19/4093 takes precedence) - B29C 33/3835: {Designing moulds, e.g. using CAD-CAM} - G06T 17/00: Three-dimensional [3D] modelling for computer graphics - G05B 2219/35031: Redesign, use former design - G05B 2219/35044: Tool, design of tool, mold, die tooling - Y02P 90/02: Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - 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) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A product designing system performing a preliminary process for generating a geometry of one of products which have similar portions, and a subsequent process for generating a geometry of an object associated with that one product, the system including an input device for entering, in the subsequent process, at least one geometrical characteristic of the similar portion of the above-indicated one product, and a designing device for automatically generating the geometry of the object on the basis of a predetermined relationship between the geometrical characteristic and the geometry of the object, which relationship is stored in a memory. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A product designing system performing a plurality of designing processes including a preliminary process in which a geometry relating to one of a plurality of products having similar geometries is generated, and a subsequent process in which a geometry relating to a manufacturing device having a predetermined relationship in shape with said one of said plurality of products is generated on the basis of the geometry of said one product generated in said preliminary process, said manufacturing device being manufactured such that said manufacturing device has the zeometry generated in said subsequent process so that said one product is manufactured by using said manufactured manufacturing device, said product designing system comprising: input means for entering, in said subsequent process, at least one geometrical characteristic of at least one selected portion of said one product whose geometry is similar to corresponding portions of the other of said plurality of products; a memory storing data associated with a predetermined relationship between said at least one geometrical characteristic of said one product and said geometry relating to said manufacturing device, which geometry is to be generated in said subsequent process; a designing device for generating the geometry relating to said manufacturing device in said subsequent process, on the basis of said at least one geometrical characteristic and according to said predetermined relationship data stored in said memory; and an output device for providing an output representative of said geometry relating to said manufacturing device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A product designing system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one selected portion of said one product includes at least one of a peripheral portion, a reinforced portion and a perforated portion of said one product. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A product designing system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one selected portion of said one product includes a portion whose geometry is determined depending upon at least one of a required property of said portion, a function of said one product, and a geometry of any member with respect to which said one product is positioned during use. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A product designing system according to claim 1, wherein said manufacturing device comprises a plurality of members whose geometries relate to each other, and said designing device generates, in said subsequent process, the geometries of said plurality of members in relation to each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A product designing system according to claim 4, wherein said manufacturing device consists of a die set including an upper die and a lower die as said plurality of members, and said one product whose geometry is generated in said preliminary process is manufactured using said die set, said designing device automatically generating the geometries of said upper and lower dies in relation to each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A product designing system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one geometrical characteristic of said at least one selected portion of said one product includes at least one characteristic point defining at least one of a configuration, a size and a position of said at least one selected portion, each of said at least one characteristic point being defined by coordinate values in a coordinate system in which said object is defined. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A product designing system according to claim 1, wherein said one product whose geometry is generated in said preliminary process is manufactured by using one of a die set and a mold, and said manufacturing device consists of said one of said die set and said mold, whose geometry is generated in said subsequent process. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A product designing system according to claim 7, wherein said one product consists of a part of a body of a motor vehicle, and is manufactured by pressing using said die set, said die set including an upper die and a lower die. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A product designing system according to claim 7, wherein said at least one geometrical characteristic of said at least one selected portion of said one product includes at least one product characteristic point indicative of a position of each of at least one characteristic portion of said one product as said at least one selected portion, said designing device determining a reference position on the basis of the position of said each characteristic portion indicated by said at least one characteristic point, and generating a geometry of said one of said die set and said mold, on the basis of the determined reference position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A product designing system according to claim 9, wherein said one of said die set and said mold includes at least one basic component which contributes to defining the geometry of said one product, and at least one auxiliary function component which relates to an operation of said one of said die set and said mold, said designing device receiving at least one functional characteristic point indicative of a position relating to a positional arrangement of said at least one auxiliary function component with respect to said at least one basic component, said designing device determining the position of each of said at least one auxiliary function component, on the basis of the position indicated by said at least one functional characteristic point. ### Claim 11 A recording medium to be used for a product designing system adapted to perform a plurality of designing processes including a preliminary process in which a geometry relating to one of a plurality of products having similar geometries is generated, and a subsequent process in which a geometry relating to a manufacturing device having a predetermined relationship in shape with said one of said plurality of products is generated on the basis of the geometry of said one product generated in said preliminary process, said manufacturing device being manufactured such that said manufacturing device has the geometry generated in said subsequent process so that said one product is manufactured by using said manufacturing device manufactured, said recording medium storing a program such that said program is readable by a computer and is executed by said computer, in said subsequent process, for generating the geometry relating to said manufacturing device, on the basis of at least one geometrical characteristic of at least one selected portion of said one product whose geometry is similar to corresponding portion of the other of said plurality of products and is to be generated in said subsequent process, and according to a predetermined relationship between said at least one geometrical characteristic of said one product and said geometry relating to said. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A product designing system according to claim 1, wherein each of said at least one selected portion of said one product is selected as a portion of said one product which has the geometry to be generated at an initial stage of said preliminary process in which said geometry relating to said one product is generated, and said designing device initiates said subsequent process after the generation of the geometry of each of said at least one selected portion of said one product at said initial stage of said preliminary process, and before the completion of said preliminary process. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A product designing system according to claim 11, wherein each of said at least one selected portion of said one product is selected as a portion of said one product which has the geometry to be generated at an initial stage of said preliminary process in which said geometry relating to said one product is generated, and said program is executed by said computer to initiate said subsequent process after the generation of the geometry of each of said at least one selected portion of said one product at said initial stage of said preliminary process, and before the completion of said preliminary process. ### Claim 14 A product designing system performing a plurality of designing processes including a preliminary process in which a geometry relating to one of a plurality of products having similar geometries is generated, and a subsequent process in which a geometry relating to a die set used for manufacturing said one of said plurality of products is generated on the basis of the geometry of said one product generated in said preliminary process, said die set including an upper die and a lower die whose geometries relate to each other, said product designing system comprising: input means for entering, in said subsequent process, at least one geometrical characteristic of at least one selected portion of said one product whose geometry is similar to corresponding portions of the other of said plurality of products; a memory storing data associated with a predetermined relationship between said at least one geometrical characteristic of said one product and said geometries of said upper and lower dies of said die set, which geometry is to be generated in said subsequent process; a designing device for generating the geometries of said upper and lower dies of said die set in said subsequent process, in relation to each other, on the basis of said at least one geometrical characteristic and according to said predetermined relationship data; and an output device for providing an output representative of said geometries of said upper and lower dies. ### Claim 15 A product designing system performing a plurality of designing processes including a preliminary process in which a geometry relating to one of a plurality of products having similar geometries is generated, and a subsequent process in which a geometry relating to an object associated with said one of said plurality of products is generated on the basis of the geometry of said one product generated in said preliminary process, said product designing system comprising: input means for entering, in said subsequent process, at least one geometrical characteristic of at least one selected portion of said one product whose geometry is similar to corresponding portions of the other of said plurality of products, said at least one geometrical characteristic including at least one characteristic point defining at least one of a configuration, a size and a position of said at least one selected portion, each of said at least one characteristic point being defined by coordinate values in a coordinate system in which said object is defined; a memory storing data associated with a predetermined relationship between said at least one geometrical characteristic of said one product and said geometry relating to said object, which geometry is to be generated in said subsequent process; a designing device for generating the geometry relating to said object in said subsequent process, on the basis of said at least one geometrical characteristic and according to said predetermined relationship data; and an output device for providing an output representative of said geometry relating to said object. ### Claim 16 A product designing system performing a plurality of designing processes including a preliminary process in which a geometry relating to one of corresponding parts of a plurality of motor vehicle bodies which parts have similar geometries is generated, and a subsequent process in which a geometry relating to a die set including an upper die and a lower die used for manufacturing by pressing said one of the corresponding parts of said plurality of motor vehicles bodies is generated on the basis of the geometry of said one part generated in said preliminary process, said product designing system comprising: input means for entering, in said subsequent process, at least one geometrical characteristic of at least one selected portion of said one part of the motor vehicle bodies whose geometry is similar to corresponding portions of the other of said corresponding parts of the motor vehicle bodies; a memory storing data associated with a predetermined relationship between said at least one geometrical characteristic of said one part and said geometry relating to said die set, which geometry is to be generated in said subsequent process; a designing device for generating the geometry relating to said die set in said subsequent process, on the basis of said at least one geometrical characteristic and according to said predetermined relationship data; and an output device for providing an output representative of said geometry relating to said die set. ### Claim 17 A product designing system performing a plurality of designing processes including a preliminary process in which a geometry relating to one of a plurality of products having similar geometries is generated, and a subsequent process in which a geometry relating to one of a die set and a mold used for manufacturing said one of said plurality of products is generated on the basis of the geometry of said one product generated in said preliminary process, said product designing system comprising: input means for entering, in said subsequent process, at least one geometrical characteristic of at least one selected portion of said one product whose geometry is similar to corresponding portions of the other of said plurality of products, said at least one geometrical characteristic including at least one product characteristic point indicative of a position of each of at least one characteristic portion of said one product as said at least one selected portion; a memory storing data associated with a predetermined relationship between said at least one geometrical characteristic of said one product and said geometry relating to said object, which geometry is to be generated in said subsequent process; a designing device for generating the geometry relating to said object in said subsequent process, on the basis of said at least one geometrical characteristic and according to said predetermined relationship data, said designing device determining a reference position on the basis of the position of said each characteristic portion indicated by said at least one characteristic point, and generating a geometry of said one of said die set and said mold, on the basis of the determined reference position; and an output device for providing an output representative of said geometry relating to said object. ### Claim 18 A product designing system performing a plurality of designing processes including a preliminary process in which a geometry relating to one of a plurality of products having similar geometries is generated, and a subsequent process in which a geometry relating to a manufacturing device having a predetermined relationship in shape with said one of said plurality of products is generated on the basis of the geometry of said one product generated in said preliminary process, said manufacturing device being manufactured such that said manufacturing device has the geometry generated in said subsequent process so that said one product is manufactured by using said manufacturing device manufactured, said product designing system comprising: input means for entering, in said subsequent process, at least one geometrical characteristic of at least one selected portion of said one product whose geometry is similar to corresponding portions of the other of said plurality of products, each of said at least one selected portion of said one product is selected as a portion of said one product which has the geometry to be generated at an initial stage of said preliminary process in which said geometry relating to said one product is generated; a memory storing data associated with a predetermined relationship between said at least one geometrical characteristic of said one product and said geometry relating to said manufacturing device, which geometry is to be generated in said subsequent process; and a designing device for generating the geometry relating to said manufacturing device in said subsequent process, on the basis of said at least one geometrical characteristic and according to said predetermined relationship data stored in said memory, said designing device initiating said subsequent process after the generation of the geometry of each of said at least one selected portion of said one product at said initial stage of said preliminary process, and before the completion of said preliminary process. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A product designing system according to claim 18, further comprising an output device for providing an output representative of said geometry relating to said manufacturing device.