3D-printed glasses with integrated hinge and methods for their production

专利摘要:
A 3D printed spectacle front with an integrated hinge is described. Advantageously, the integrated hinge assembly is a crossed spring hinge. Also provided is methods for the production of a 3D printed spectacle front.
公开号:BE1022610B1
申请号:E2015/5591
申请日:2015-09-24
公开日:2016-06-16
发明作者:Roman Plaghki；Jolien Rasschaert；Philippe Schiettecatte；Willem Jan Verleysen；Dries Vandecruys；Tom ROELS
申请人:Materialise Nv；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

3D-printed glasses with integrated hinge and methods for their production
Background of the Invention Field of application of the invention
The present invention relates specifically to glasses, more in particular to 3D-printed glasses.
Description of the technology involved
Glasses and sunglasses generally include a front face, end pieces attached to the front face, eyeglasses extending from the end pieces over the wearer's ears, and a pair of hinges for attaching the eyeglasses to the end pieces. In general, the front comprises a pair of glass supports in which the lenses are accommodated, connected by a bridge and / or bracket. The glass supports are typically connected to the hinge by means of an end piece. More recently, the front includes an upper component that holds a single unitary lens. Typically, the pair of hinges connect the front face and the eyeglasses together. Each hinge typically includes a central portion, two spaced apart and generally parallel hinge blades, and a pin. The middle part is provided with a through hole for the pin and the hinge blades are provided with a pair of axially aligned through holes for the pin. The hinge blades are placed around the center portion, the through holes are axially aligned and the connecting pin is inserted into the aligned through holes to interconnect the center portion and the hinge blades together. A "hinge" type spectacle hinge is similar, except that it contains various center sections with hinge blades. In general, the hinges are made of a different material than the front.
In recent years, numerous improvements have been made to the design and production of glasses that have resulted in light, comfortable and attractive products. These product improvements, however, have uncovered a number of problems with traditional spectacle designs. First of all, many glasses are very delicate, they have many small components, and require repairs and assembly of sophisticated tools or custom-made parts. Secondly, the delicate components inevitably break after long use and the repairs are time consuming, expensive or uncomfortable for the user. Thirdly, it is often difficult, expensive or impossible for certain fronts to tailor the lenses for a specific user. In addition, repairs to damaged spectacle glasses often cannot be performed by the end user, which requires a visit to an optician, ophthalmologist or optometrist.
A major problem with many spectacle designs is the need for a multitude of fasteners such as screws, pins or small bolts. These fixing means can be arranged at pivot points between the spectacle spring and the hinge block, at different places on the glass supports. In a number of cases, different types of fasteners are used on the same glasses. Moreover, the seller often does not have a stock of these fasteners and special orders have to be placed to make repairs.
Fasteners can be used on both the glass supports and the hinges. When used on glass carriers, the fasteners help to hold a lens in place, attach the glass carriers to another part of the glasses, or hold different parts together. In any case, fasteners, both screws, pins and bolts, are subject to defects after wearing for a longer period of time. If that happens, the fasteners are often lost and the product will be useless until after a repair.
Fasteners are also used for spectacle hinges, for which there is a multitude of designs. Some spectacle designs require fasteners such as screws or small bolts. Other designs work with wireless fasteners such as pins. Some designs also use an adhesive, washers, or press fittings. With all of these designs, the screw, bolt or pin can get out of the hinge or any other part of the front, preventing the glasses from being worn and requiring new parts to be purchased, special tools to be used, and / or an optician to are visited to carry out repairs.
Another problem with glasses hinges is that they are often exposed to high stresses due to accidental or intentional misuse. Glasses are often worn during leisure or sports activities. When purchasing glasses, attention should be paid not only to functionality, but also to appearance, durability and safety. Classic spectacle hinges often break or deform under a certain tension. Broken glasses cannot be worn, and distorted glasses sometimes no longer fit. With most modern designs, the repair can be accompanied by a lot of training, the purchase of spare parts or the use of invisible materials such as tape or glue.
Hinges can be incorporated in the front of glasses in a mounting process as described above, wherein a part of the hinge is made of a material other than the front itself, or, alternatively, the hinge can be an integral part of the front and consequently made with the same production technology as the front. With the advent of 3D printing technology, glasses designs can now be made that can be tailor-made and personalized. The production costs can be reduced by using lesser materials, but that lead to lesser performance due to stress and wear. So there remains a need for glasses and production methods that optimize the design possibilities and at the same time reduce the shortcomings and performance problems of 3D-printed materials.
Summary
The present invention is directed to improved systems and methods for the design and production of 3D-printed glasses fronts with integrated hinges, which overcome the aforementioned disadvantages.
The use of 3D printing technology in the production of spectacle fronts is becoming more popular. The ability of this technology to create custom fronts in a cost-effective way is an important advantage of 3D printing. This application describes spectacle hinges made with, and integrally connected to, the front. Also described are 3D-produced spectacle fronts with a front face, an end piece integrally attached to the front face, an spectacle spring integrally connected to the end piece and at least one crossed spring hinge assembly between the end piece and the spectacle spring, the crossed spring hinge being a first arm and a second arm. Advantageously, the first and the second arm can be arranged in x-form.
Advantageously, a number of embodiments of the present invention describe hinges that are fully integrated without the need for screws, pins, or bolts, for spectacle fronts made with the 3D printing technologies. The hinges display different characteristics and printing instructions, each reflecting the desired performance.
Advantageously, a number of embodiments according to the present invention offer the possibility of repeatedly opening and closing the glasses without damaging the front.
Another advantage of a number of embodiments according to the present invention is the lasting flexibility: the combination of construction orientation, relative position with respect to the spectacles and the presence of spring hinges avoids the build-up of excessive stresses in certain zones. The absence of local tensions leads to an extended lifespan of the glasses.
Another advantage in a number of embodiments according to the present invention is the comfort (good adaptation and stability) when wearing the glasses. In an "open" position, the crossed hinges form a specific angle, for example 45 °, and offer inwardly directed forces, so that the spectacle front is pressed firmly against the wearer's head. The magnitude of this force can also be determined in advance, since the (undesired) lateral flexibility can be controlled by the actual thickness of the elements of the cross hinge. Furthermore, the number of crossed hinges can be determined and the way in which they are connected can be selected prior to production.
Another advantage in a number of embodiments according to the present invention is the ease of collapsing the front and storing it in a housing. A certain angle between the glasses and the front ensures that no excessive force is required to fold the glasses inwards. Since the folded position is not the equilibrium position, some force may be required to keep the glasses folded. An additional lock can help to maintain this position.
Another advantage of a number of embodiments according to the present invention is the economically efficient production of the glasses. Yet another advantage of a number of embodiments according to the present invention is the fact that the spectacle hinges can be made of the same material as the front and by the same production technology, and that they are integrally connected to the front. Producing 3D printed spectacle hinges from the same material as the front is a challenge due to the limited availability of elastic materials.
A spectacle front is described in one embodiment. This spectacle front can be made by means of a 3D printing process, wherein said front comprises: a front face, an end piece integrally attached to said front face, at least one spectacle spring attached to said end piece, and at least one crossed spring hinge arranged between said end piece and said spectacle spring, wherein the crossed spring hinge comprises a first hinge arm and a second hinge arm and the first and the second arm assume an x-shape.
In another embodiment, the front can be made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyamide, polyamide with additives such as glass or metal particles, resorbable materials such as polymer-ceramic composites, aluminum, cobalt chrome, stainless steel, maraging steel, nickel alloy , titanium, alumide and carbonmide.
In another embodiment, the spectacle front further comprises a fastening element.
In another embodiment, the fastening element is selected from the group consisting of an anchor, an incision, and a hook.
In another embodiment, at least one spectacle spring is urged at an angle of less than 90 ° to the front face.
In yet another embodiment, at least one spectacle spring is forced into a rest position with an angle of between 30 ° and about 45 ° with respect to the front face.
In another embodiment, the spectacle front further comprises a range limiter, wherein said range limiter prevents the opening of said spectacle spring with an angle greater than a specific angle with respect to the front.
In yet another embodiment, a different spectacle front is described. This spectacle front is made by means of a 3D printing process, wherein said front comprises: a front face, an end piece integrally attached to said front face, a spectacle spring attached to said end piece, and at least one crossed spring hinge arranged between said end piece and said spectacle spring, wherein the crossed spring hinge comprises a first arm and a second arm and the first and the second arm are parallel to each other.
In another embodiment, a method is provided for the production of glasses. the method comprising: defining design properties of said glasses, selecting the type of integrated crossed spring hinge to use in said glasses, defining the construction orientation of said glasses, compiling 3D printing instructions for said glasses glasses, producing and finishing said glasses by means of 3D printing technology.
In another embodiment, the crossed spring hinge is produced in a building orientation in which a plane formed by an x-axis and a y-axis of a 3D printing machine is parallel to a two-dimensional plane formed by two spectacles.
In another embodiment, the spectacle front is made of at least one of the following materials: polyurethane, polyamide, polyamide with additives such as glass or metal particles, resorbable materials such as polymer-ceramic composites, aluminum, cobalt chrome, stainless steel, maraging steel, nickel alloy, titanium , alumide and carbonmide.
In another embodiment, the fastening element is selected from the group consisting of an anchor, an incision, and a hook.
In another embodiment, the method further comprises: defining at least one property of the crossed spring hinge system, determining whether more than one crossed spring hinge is to be used, determining whether a passive connector is to be used.
Brief description of the drawings
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the invention described in this publication are described in what follows with reference to the drawings of preferred embodiments which are intended to be illustrative and which are not intended to limit the invention. Moreover, the same reference numerals were used in the various figures to indicate the same components of an illustrated embodiment. The following is a brief description of each of the drawings.
Figure 1 is a block diagram that provides a high-level illustration of a system that can be used to design and produce three-dimensional (3D) objects.
Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of one example of a computer from Figure 1.
Figure 3A is a high-level example of a process for the production of a three-dimensional object. Figure 3B is a high-level block diagram of various aspects of an additive manufacturing system that can be used to implement various embodiments described in this text.
Figure 3C is a block diagram that provides a more detailed view of the 3D data preparation and STL editing module of Figure 3B.
Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of a three-dimensional printing machine that can be used to perform the techniques described in this text according to one or more embodiments. Figure 5 is a graphic illustration of a basic pair of sunglasses.
Figure 6 is a graphical representation of the hinge system of a basic pair of sunglasses.
FIG. 7A-7C provide a graphical representation of a spectacle-hinge system that can be used in accordance with one or more embodiments.
FIG. 7D-7E provide a graphical representation of a spectacle-hinge system with flexing arms in the form of a crossed leaf spring that can be used in accordance with one or more embodiments.
FIG. 8A-8C provide a graphical representation of another spectacle hinge system that can be used in accordance with one or more embodiments.
FIG. 9A-9C provide a graphical representation of yet another spectacle hinge system that can be used in accordance with one or more embodiments.
FIG. 10A-10C provide a graphical representation of a spectacle-hinge system with a range limiter that can be used in accordance with one or more embodiments.
FIG. 11A-11B provide a graphical representation of a lens construction position that can be used in accordance with one or more embodiments.
Figure 12 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a spectacle design and production method in accordance with one or more embodiments.
Figure 13 is a flowchart of a sub-process illustrating a more detailed view of the selection of a hinge in accordance with one or more embodiments.
Detailed description of certain embodiments of the invention
The following detailed description and the accompanying figures are directed to certain specific embodiments. The embodiments described in any specific context are not intended to limit this publication to the specified embodiment or to any specific use. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the described embodiments, aspects and / or features are not limited to any specific embodiments. The devices, systems and methods described in this text can be designed and optimized for use in a variety of domains.
The reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "some aspects", "an aspect" or "one aspect" means that a specific characteristic, a specific structure or a specific characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or the aspect is contained in at least one of the embodiments of the present invention. The terms "in one embodiment", "in one embodiment", "some aspects", "one aspect" or "one aspect" when occurring at different locations throughout the specification therefore do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment or same aspect, although that may also be the case. In addition, the specific features, structures or properties can be combined in any suitable manner, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and in one or more combinations or aspects. In addition, while some of the embodiments or aspects described herein include some but not all of the features contained in other embodiments or aspects, combinations of features of different embodiments or aspects are intended to be within the scope of the invention, and form, as it will be are recognized by people in the field, different embodiments or aspects. By way of example, in the appended claims, any of the features of the embodiments or aspects described in the claims may be used in any combination.
The invention is based in part on the discovery of a hinge that is particularly suitable for implementation with 3D-printed glasses fronts. As described in more detail in what follows, the hinge and spectacle fronts containing the hinge overcome many of the disadvantages of prior art spectacle designs. The hinge and spectacle fronts containing the described hinge assembly offer the possibility of repeatedly opening and closing the spectacles of the spectacle front without damaging the spectacle front or loading / tensioning the hinge. In addition, the 3D-printed glasses fronts that contain the described hinge assembly offer comfort (improved, good adaptation and stability) when the glasses fronts are worn and removed again. The glasses fronts can be easily folded. Another advantage of the 3D-printed glasses fronts with crossed spring hinges is the possibility to produce cheap fronts using 3D printing technology, while there is the possibility of adjustments and creativity in design.
In one aspect, glasses fronts with a crossed hinge assembly are made using classic 3D printing technology. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the techniques and methods described in this text can be implemented using different systems of additive manufacturing and / or three-dimensional (3D) printing. Similarly, the products formed by the techniques and methods described in this text can be formed by various systems and materials of additive manufacturing and / or three-dimensional printing. In general, techniques of additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing start a digital representation of the three-dimensional object to be formed. The digital representation is usually divided into a series of sectional layers that are superimposed to form the object as a whole. The layers represent the three-dimensional object and can be generated using additive manufacturing modeling software performed by a computer device. The software may, for example, include computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD / CAM) software. Information about the sectional layers of the three-dimensional object can be stored in the form of sectional data. A machine or system of additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing makes use of the cross-sectional data with a view to forming the object layer after layer. In the same way, additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing allows three-dimensional objects to be produced, directly from computer-generated data, for example, computer aided design (CAD) files. Additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing offers the possibility to produce both simple and complex objects without further processing and without the need to assemble different parts.
Examples of additive manufacturing and / or three-dimensional printing include stereolithography, selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling (EDM), drop spraying technologies, foil-based techniques, etc. Stereolithography ("SLA"), for example, uses a container with liquid photopolymer "resin" to form an object one layer at a time. Each layer contains a section of the object to be formed. First a layer of resin is deposited over the entire forming zone. For example, a first layer of resin can be deposited on a base plate of an additive manufacturing system. An electromagnetic beam then scans a specific pattern on the surface of the liquid resin. The electromagnetic beam can be delivered in the form of one or more laser beams that are controlled by the computer. Exposure of the resin to the electromagnetic beam hardens the pattern that is followed by the electromagnetic beam and causes the resin to adhere to the layer below. After a layer of resin has been polymerized, the platform descends with the thickness of a single layer and a subsequent layer of resin is deposited. A pattern is followed on each layer of resin, and the newly followed layer pattern adheres to the previous layer. By repeating this process, a complete three-dimensional object can be formed. The hardened three-dimensional object can be removed from the SLA system and further processed in post-processing.
Selective laser sintering ("SLS") is another additive manufacturing technique that uses a high-power laser or other concentrated energy source to fuse small fusible particles of the curable material. In a number of embodiments, selective laser sintering can also be called "selective laser melting". In a number of embodiments, the high power laser may be a carbon dioxide laser for use in the processing of, for example, polymers. In a number of embodiments, the high-power laser may be a fiber laser for use in the processing of, for example, metal materials. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in a number of embodiments other types of high power laser can also be used based on the specific application. The particles can be fused by sintering or welding the particles together using the high power laser. The small fusible particles of the curable material can be made from plastic powders, polymer powders, metal (direct metal laser sintering) powders, or ceramic powders (e.g. glass powders and the like). The fusion of these particles produces an object that exhibits a desired three-dimensional shape. A first layer of powder material can for example be deposited on a base plate. A laser can be used to selectively fuse the first layer of powder material by scanning the powder material for the purpose of creating and forming a first cross-sectional layer of the three-dimensional object. After each layer has been scanned and each cross-sectional layer of the three-dimensional object has been formed, the powder bed can be lowered by one layer of thickness, a new layer of powder material can be deposited on top of the previous layer, and the process can be repeated until production is completed and the object has been generated. The sectional layers of the three-dimensional object can be generated using a digital three-dimensional description of the desired object. The three-dimensional description can be supplied by a CAD file or by means of scanned data entered into a computer device. The hardened three-dimensional object can be removed from the SLS system and further processed in post-processing.
Suitable additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing systems for use in this application include, but are not limited to, various implementations of SLA and SLS technology. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to, high-quality polymers such as polypropylene, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyurethane, polyethylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), PC-ABS, polyamide, polyamide with additives such as glass or metal particles, including block copolymers, resorbable materials such as polymer-ceramic composites, and polyacrylamide, polystyrene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyvinyl chloride, polyesters.
Examples of commercially available materials include: the materials of the DSM Somos® series 7100, 8100, 9100, 9420, 10100, 11100, 12110, 14120 and 15100 from DSM Somos; Accura plastics and / or resins, DuraForm, CastForm, Laserform and VisiJet from 3-Systems; aluminum, cobalt chrome and stainless steel materials; maraging steel; nickel alloy; titanium; the PA materials line, PrimeCast and PrimePart materials and Alumide and CarbonMide from EOS GmbH; the PA product line materials from Arkema, including Orgasol® Invent Smooth, Rilsan® Invent Natural, Rilsan® Invent Black; Tusk Somos® SolidGrey3000, TuskXC2700T, Tusk2700W, Poly1500, Xtreme, NanoTool, Protogen White, WaterClear; polyethylene, (with) acrylates and epoxies.
While many 3D printing machines print objects in one material, some 3D printing technologies enable printing in more than one material (multi-material). These technologies are typically those based on the selective deposition of material, as opposed to those based on selective polymerization or melting in a bed / vessel. Among the many examples of this technology are: FDM, Polyjet, Arburg Freefrom technology, binderjetting technologies such as Voxeljet and Z-corp, where a binder is sprayed on a powder bed, Stratasys product line: Dimension 1200es, Dimension Elite, Fortus 250mc, Objet24, Objet30 Pro, Objet Eden260V, Objet Eden350 / 350V, Objet Eden500V, Objet260 Connex, Objet350 Connex, Objet500 Connex, Objet500 Connex3; 3DSytems product line: ProJet® 3510 SD, ProJet® 3510 HD, ProJet® 3510 HDPlus, ProJet® 3500 HDMax, ProJet® 5000, ProJet® 5500X, ProJet® 6000 SD, ProJet® 7000 SD, ProJet® 6000 HD, ProJet® 7000 HD, iPro ™ 8000, iPro ™ 8000 MP, ProJet® 6000 HD, ProJet® 7000 HD, ProX ™ 950, ProX ™ 500, sPro ™ 140, sPro ™ 230, sPro ™ 60 HD, ProX ™ 100, ProX ™ 100 Dental , ProX ™ 200, ProX ™ 200 Dental, ProX ™ 300, VX 1000 3D Printer for Casting Patterns, VX 500 3D Printer for Casting Patterns. Technologies capable of printing multi-material make enhanced use of the embodiments of this invention by the fact that they exhibit a hinge in a flexible material and the front in a stiffer material.
Various aspects will now be described with reference to specific forms or embodiments selected for illustrative purposes. It will be appreciated that the spirit and scope of the objects described in this text is not limited to the selected embodiments. In addition, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings are not drawn in any specific ratio or on any scale, and that numerous modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments. In the following, brief introductions are described with respect to some of the features that may be common to the embodiments described in this text.
Figures 1-4 provide an example of general systems and methods that can be used for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects including spectacle fronts. Initially with reference to Figure 1, an example of a system 100 is provided for designing and producing three-dimensional objects and / or products. The system 100 can be configured to support the techniques described in this text. The system 100 can be configured, for example, with a view to designing and producing a three-dimensional object such as glasses or such as any of the objects described in more detail below. In a number of embodiments, the system 100 may include one or more computers 102a-102d. The computers 102a-102d can take various forms, such as, for example, any workstation, any server or any other computer device that can process information. The computers 102a-102d can be connected through a computer network 105. The computer network 105 can be the internet or a LAN (local area network), a WAN (wide area network), or any other type of network. The computers can communicate with each other over the computer network 105 by any suitable communication technology or any suitable communication protocol. The computers 102a-102d can exchange data by sending and receiving information, for example, software, digital representations of three-dimensional objects, commands and / or instructions to operate an additive manufacturing device, etc.
The system 100 may further comprise one or more devices of additive manufacturing 106a and 106b. These additive manufacturing devices can take the form of 3D printers or any other production devices as known in the art. In the example illustrated in Figure 1, the device of additive manufacturing 106a is connected to the computer 102a. The device of additive manufacturing 106a is also connected to the computers 102a-102c through the network 105 that connects the computers 102a-102d. The device of additive manufacturing 106b is also connected by means of the network 105 to the computers 102a-102d. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that an additive manufacturing device such as devices 106a and 106b can be directly connected to a computer 102, can be connected to a computer 102 through a network 105, and / or can be connected to a computer 102 be connected via another computer 102 and through the network 105.
Although a specific computer and network configuration is described in Figure 1, those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the techniques of additive manufacturing described in this text can be implemented using a single-computer configuration that incorporates the additive manufacturing device 106 checks and / or supports, without the need for a computer network.
With reference to Figure 2, a more detailed illustration of the computer 102a of Figure 1 is provided. The computer 102a contains a processor 210. The processor 210 is in data communication with various computer components. These components may include a memory 220 as well as an input device 230 and an output device 240. In some embodiments, the processor may also communicate with a network interface card 260. Although described as a separate component, it should be understood that the functional blocks described are no different structural elements with respect to computer 102a. For example, the processor 210 and the network interface card 260 may be included in a single chip or a single board.
The processor 210 can be a universal processor or a digital signal processor (digital signal processor, DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (application specific integrated circuit, ASIC), a field programmable gate array (field programmable gate array, FPGA) or a another programmable logic unit, a separate port or transistor, separate hardware components, or any combination thereof, to perform the functions described in this text. A processor can also be implemented as a combination of computer equipment, for example a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in combination with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.
The processor 210 can be coupled, via one or more buses, to read information from, or write to, the memory 220. The processor can additionally, or as another possibility, contain memory, e.g. processor registers. The memory 220 may contain processor cache, including a multi-level hierarchical cache in which different levels have different options and different access speeds. This memory 220 may further comprise a random access memory (RAM), as well as other devices with a volatile memory or devices with a non-volatile memory. The data storage can consist of hard disks, optical disks such as compact dises (CDs) or digital video discs (DVDs), flash memory, diskettes, magnetic tape, and Zip drives.
The processor 210 can also be coupled to an input device 230 and an output device 240 for resp. get input from, and deliver output to, a user of computer 102a. Suitable input devices include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a rollerball, buttons, keys, switches, pointing devices, a mouse, a joystick, a remote control device, an infrared detector, a voice recognition system, a barcode reader, a scanner, a video camera ( possibly coupled to image processing software to detect, for example, hand or face movements), a motion detector, a microphone (possibly coupled to sound processing software to detect, for example, voice commands), or any other device capable of transmitting data from a user to a computer. The input device may also take the form of a touchscreen associated with the display, in which case a user responds to information displayed on the display by touching the screen. The user can enter information in the form of text by means of an input device such as a keyboard or the touchscreen. Suitable output devices include, but are not limited to, visual output devices, including screens and printers, audio output devices, including speakers, headphones, earphones and alarms, additive manufacturing devices, and haptic output devices.
The processor 210 may further be coupled to a network interface card 260. The network interface card 260 prepares data generated by the processor 210 for transmission via a network in accordance with one or more data transmission protocols. The network interface card 260 can also be configured for decoding data received by the network. In a number of embodiments, the network interface card 260 may include a transmitter, a receiver, or both a transmitter and a receiver. Based on the specific embodiment, the transmitter and the receiver may consist of a single integrated component or may be two separate components. The network interface card 260 can be in the form of a universal processor or a digital signal processor (digital signal processor, DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (application-specific integrated circuit, ASIC), a field-programmable gate array ( field programmable gate array (FPGA) or another programmable logic unit, a separate gate or transistor, separate hardware components, or any combination thereof to perform the functions described in this text.
Using the devices described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2, a process of additive manufacturing can be applied to produce a three-dimensional object or a three-dimensional device. Figure 3A is an illustration of one such process. In particular, Figure 3A depicts a general process 300 for the production of a three-dimensional object, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 3B-13 below.
The process starts at step 305, where a digital representation of the three-dimensional object to be produced is designed using a computer, for example, the computer 102a. In a number of embodiments, a two-dimensional representation of the object can be used to create the three-dimensional model of the device. Alternatively, three-dimensional data may be entered into computer 1102a to aid in designing the digital representation of the three-dimensional object. The process continues until step 310, where information is sent from the computer 102a to an additive manufacturing device, e.g., the additive manufacturing device 106. Next, at step 315, the additive manufacturing device 106 begins to produce the three-dimensional object by carrying out a process of additive manufacturing with the use of suitable materials. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to, polypropylene, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyurethane, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), PC-ABS, polyamide, polyamide with additives such as glass or metal particles, methyl methacrylate -acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, resorbable materials such as polymer-ceramic composites, and other similar suitable materials. Commercially available materials can be used in a number of embodiments. These materials can be, for example: the materials of the DSM Somos® series 7100, 8100, 9100, 9420, 10100, 11100, 12110, 14120 and 15100 from DSM Somos; Stratasys materials ABSplus-P430, ABSi, ABS-ESD7, ABS-M30, ABSM30i, PC-ABS, PC-ISO, PC, ULTEM 9085, PPSF and PPSU; the line materials Accura Plastic, DuraForm, CastForm, Laserform and VisiJet from 3D Systems; aluminum, cobalt chrome and stainless steel materials; maraging steel; nickel alloy; titanium; the PA materials line, PrimeCast and PrimePart materials and Alumide and CarbonMide from EOS GmbH. Using the appropriate materials, the additive manufacturing device then ends the process at step 320 where the three-dimensional object is generated.
With reference to Figure 3B, a block diagram is illustrated with various functional components of a system 325 of additive manufacturing, suitable for providing 3D-printed glasses fronts with integrated hinges in the production process. The 325 system of additive manufacturing can contain various modules that offer 3D printing functionality. In the example illustrated in Figure 3B, the 3D production system 325 includes a 3D design module 330. The 3D design module 330 generally takes the form of a collection of computer software and hardware that helps in the creation, adaptation, analysis or optimization of a three-dimensional printed design. The 3D design module 330 can contain computer aided design (CAD) software with 3D design and modeling capabilities.
The 3D production system 325 may also include a 3D data preparation and STL editing module 335. The 3D data preparation and STL editing module 504 typically bridges the design and production process. The 3D data preparation and STL editing module 504 can take various forms. In a number of embodiments, it may consist of specialized software configured for running on a special or general computer device. In a number of embodiments, the 3D data preparation and STL editing module can be a software package, for example Magics from Materialize from Leuven (Belgium).
The additive manufacturing system 325 may further include a 3D production and training module 340. The 3D production and training module 340 generally takes the form of a collection of computer software and hardware that controls the forming process of a three-dimensional printed object. In a number of embodiments, the 3D production and training module 340 may be a training processor that is configured for controlling an additive printing device. In other embodiments, the 3D production and training module may include a software solution such as AutoFab from Materialize nv (Leuven, Belgium). The 3D production and training module may be configured for transferring general shape data to an additive manufacturing (AM) machine, e.g., disk-ready disk data or, alternatively, STL (STereoLithography) data, depending on the interface of the machine control software. The machine control software, which can be part of the training module 340 or provided separately, can translate the shape data for the beam checking program for the training process. The additive manufacturing device can then produce the designed product layer after layer in the selected material.
Referring to Figure 3C, the 3D data preparation and STL editing module 335 of Figure 3B is shown with more details. The 3D data preparation and STL editing module 335 may include various sub-modules that are configured for performing various functions within the 3D data preparation and STL editing module 335. The 3D data preparation and STL editing module 335 may, for example, include a 3D design input module 345. The 3D design input module 345 can include various processes and functions, configured to input data from a CAD system to a three-dimensional printable format such as STL. Although the specific examples in this text are generally directed to STL formatted 3D models, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other 3D print file formats may also be used to implement one or more embodiments described in this text. These formats can be, but are not limited to, 3dmlw (3D Markup Language for Web), ACP (VA Software), VA (Virtual Architecture CAD file), Ashlar-Vellum Argon (3D Modeling), CCM (CopyCAD Model), CATProcess (CATIA V5 Manufacturing document), DWG (AutoCAD and Open Design Alliance applications, Autodesk Inventor Drawing file), EASM (SolidWorks eDrawings assembly file), GLM (KernelCAD model), IPN (Autodesk Inventor Presentation file), PRT - (NX, now known as Unigraphics, Pro / ENGINEER Part, CADKEY Part), SCAD (OpenSCAD 3D part model), SCDOC (SpaceClaim 3D Part / Assembly), SLDASM (SolidWorks Assembly drawing), SLDPRT (SolidWorks 3D part model), TCW (TurboCAD for Windows 2D and 3D drawings), USA (Ashlar-Vellum Vellum Solids).
The 3D data preparation and STL editing module 335 may also include an STL editing and enhancement module 350. The STL editing and enhancement module 350 can be configured with a view to improving a three-dimensional model before additional costs are caused by faulty production. The STL editing and enhancement module 350 may be configured by way of example to allow a user to repair defects such as mirrored triangles, bad edges, holds, etc. The editing and enhancement module may also be configured with a view to enabling a user to improve the design file by adding properties such as hollow parts, logos, etc. Furthermore, a user can also add texture through this module. In addition, the editing and improvement module can offer functionality in the area of generating support.
The 3D data preparation and STL editing module 335 may further include a platform generation module 605. The platform generation module 355 can provide functionality that allows a user to prepare the platform for the production process by optimally orienting the parts through nesting and other platform optimization techniques.
Using a process 300 described with reference to the systems and modules described in Figs. 3A-3C, a three-dimensional object can be produced by means of a three-dimensional printing machine that implements one or more additive manufacturing techniques. Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of one example of a three-dimensional printing machine 400 that can be used to perform the processes and / or techniques described in this text. In a number of embodiments, the three-dimensional printing machine 400 corresponds to one of the devices of additive manufacturing 106a or 106b as illustrated in Figure 1. The three-dimensional printing machine 400 can be configured for performing selective laser sintering to perform a three-dimensional object. to generate. The three-dimensional printing machine 400 may include a container 405 with curable material, for example, a powder material 407. The powder material 407 contains a plurality of powder particles that are at least partially fused together when struck by an energy source 410, e.g. multiple laser beams controlled by a computer. The particles can be made of plastic powders, polymer powders, metal powders (direct metal laser sintering), ceramic powders, glass powders, etc. The energy source 410 can be a programmable energy source that can be configured with a view to applying different amounts of energy at different speeds and at different speeds. a different pitch on the powder material 407. The energy source 410 may, for example, be a high-power laser or a carbon dioxide laser. A controller 420 can control the energy source 410. In a number of embodiments, the controller 420 corresponds to one of the computers 102a-102d illustrated in Figure 1 and / or the processor 210 illustrated in Figure 2. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in a number of embodiments, the three-dimensional printing machine 400 also can be configured for performing stereolithography or any other additive manufacturing technique to generate a three-dimensional object and that the container 405 can contain another type of the curable material, for example a liquid resin.
In a number of embodiments, a digital representation of the three-dimensional object to be formed is input to the three-dimensional printing machine 400. The digital representation of the three-dimensional object to be formed can be automatically generated by the controller 420 and / or other hardware or software. The digital representations of the three-dimensional object to be formed are subdivided into a series of sectional layers that can be superimposed to form the object. Data representing the sectional layers can be stored in one or more computer files. The controller 405 can use this data to form the object layer after layer. The data of the sectional layers of the three-dimensional object can be generated using a computer system and computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD / CAM) software.
The data files for the three-dimensional object can be programmed or entered into the three-dimensional printing machine 400. A first layer of the powder material 407 can be deposited on a base plate 430. Based on the input data files, the three-dimensional printing machine 400 can guide the computer-controlled energy source 410 over the surface of the first layer of the powder material 407 to provide a first cross-sectional layer generating the three-dimensional object. For example, a high power laser can be used for selectively fusing the particles of the layer by sintering or welding the particles to create the first cross-sectional shape of the three-dimensional object. The base plate 430 and the object can then be lowered to a depth corresponding to the desired thickness of the next sectional layer of the object. A roller or other transport mechanism may cause a subsequent layer of powder material 407 to be deposited from a reservoir (not in the drawing) in the container 405 over the previous cross-sectional layer. The controller 420 can then direct the energy source 410 to the next layer of powder material 407 for the purpose of generating the next cross-sectional layer of the three-dimensional object. The process can be repeated until the formation is complete and the object has been generated.
Glasses formed by the general techniques of additive manufacturing as described above, generally uses a pair of hinges to connect the front face to the glasses. Typically, the pair of hinges connect the front face and the eyeglasses together. Each hinge typically includes a central portion, two spaced apart and generally parallel hinge blades, and a pin. The middle part is provided with a through hole for the pin and the hinge blades are provided with a pair of axially aligned through holes for the pin. The hinge blades are placed around the center portion, the through holes are axially aligned and the connecting pin is inserted into the aligned through holes to interconnect the center portion and the hinge blades together. In general, the hinges are made of a different material than the front.
Referring to Figure 5, glasses 501 are shown to represent the classical elements associated with glasses fronts. Note that the spectacle front of figure 5 is not made with 3D printing technology and therefore contains a number of different parts, often made of different materials, to assemble to obtain a finished spectacle front. A front face 502 is connected to two eyeglasses 504 by means of a hinge assembly 518. The hinge assembly 518 includes a screw 520 which serves as a pin. The hinge assembly 518 is directly connected to the end piece 522, which is directly connected to the glass support. The left glass carrier 508A contains the left lens 510A. The left glass carrier 508A is connected to the right glass carrier 508B by means of an optional sweatbar 516 and a bridge 514. The sweatbar 516 helps to prevent sweat from entering a user's eyes. Together, sweatbar 516 and bridge 514 ensure that the left and right glass carriers 508A, 508B remain in a fixed position during use. Also attached to the glass support 508A and the glass support 508B is a nose pad that is attached to the glass supports by a nose pad arm 512. Much contact and friction of the glass supports on the user's face and nose can cause discomfort. The nose pad 524 offers a larger surface area which reduces the pressure on the user's face: pressure = force / surface area. The pressure is therefore inversely proportional to the surface. That is, the larger the area of the contact point, the lower the pressure on the user's face. In addition, the nose pad 524 may be made of a different material than the glass carriers. The glasses are furthermore designed for comfort and usefulness in that the glasses have ear tips 506 which can be made of a material other than that of the glasses spring. To improve comfort, that material can be softer. Classic spectacle fronts contain a multitude of parts made from a variety of materials, which limits design options and increases production costs.
With reference to Figure 5, the hinge 518 of Figure 5 is shown in more detail. The hinge 518 connects the spectacle spring 504 with the end piece 522. The hinge includes the center portions 605A and 605B intertwined between the hinge blades 603A-C, parallel to each other, axially aligned and provided with through holes (not in the drawing). The connecting screw 520 is inserted into the aligned through holes to pivotally connect the middle portion 605 and the hinge blades 603 to each other. Hinge 518 is of the "paumelle" type because it contains different middle parts, interwoven with hinge blades. Thanks to the hinge 518, the spectacle spring can be opened and closed with respect to the front face 502.
As described above, these hinges are susceptible to breaking off due to persistent wear due to the opening and closing of the spectacles. For example, fasteners, such as screws, pins and bolts, are subject to defects after prolonged wearing. If that happens, the fasteners are often lost and the product will be useless until after a repair. Moreover, the production of spectacle fronts with such hinges is expensive due to the large number of materials used in the construction.
The spectacle fronts of this invention overcome numerous drawbacks associated with fronts of the prior art. By using 3D printing technology, production costs are greatly reduced and design options improved. However, there are a number of disadvantages associated with the materials used for 3D printing. For example, the plastic used in 3D printing can be quite brittle. A classical hinge as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 would break after being repeatedly removed and replaced on a user's head. An advantage of the 3D-printed glasses fronts with a crossed hinge assembly, as described in more detail in the following, is therefore the ability to fold the glasses front without breaking it. The crossed hinge assembly provides performances that until now were not achievable with the production material such as polyacrylamide.
Against the background of the aforementioned drawbacks, the inventors have recognized the need for 3D-printed glasses fronts with integrated crossed spring hinges. As described in more detail in the following, the integrated crossed spring hinge assemblies facilitate folding of a 3D-printed spectacle front without stretching the front more than 90 °, greatly reducing wear and strain of the plastic. In addition, the crossed spring hinge assemblies press the orientation of the spectacle spring to an angle of less than 90 ° so that the 3D-printed spectacle front fits well on the user and does not stretch, deform, or become excessively stressed so that the hinge would break.
With this in mind, new and inventive systems and methods are proposed in this text. Using the systems and methods, a user can also choose the type of integrated hinge to be incorporated in spectacles in accordance with one or more embodiments.
This feature is particularly useful in 3D printing as the user can tailor a certain pair of glasses by incorporating the ideal hinge that is optimal for those particular glasses in terms of durability, performance and size.
Referring now to Figures 7A-7C, a single crossed spring hinge 702 is illustrated. Figure 7A illustrates a top view of the crossed spring hinge 702. The hinge 702 integrally connects the end piece 704 of a 3D-printed spectacle front with a spectacle spring 706 and allows flexibility about the spectacle spring 706. The end piece 704 has a proximal end 703 and a distal end 705. The end piece 704 is integrally connected to the front of the spectacle front (not in the drawing) on the proximal end 703. The distal end of the end has a rear flange 716 and a front flange 714. The spectacle spring 706 similarly illustrates a proximal end 707 and a distal end (not in the drawing). On the proximal end 707 of the spectacle spring 706 there is a second front flange 718 and a second rear flange 720. Arranged between and integrally connected to the end piece 704 and the spectacle spring 706, the cross-hinge with a first hinge arm 710 is integrally connected to the front flange 714 of the end piece 704 and diagonally connected to the rear flange 720 of the spectacle spring 706. The hinge assembly further comprises a second hinge arm 708 integrally connected to the front flange 716 of the end piece 704 and connected diagonally to the front flange 718 of the spectacle spring 706.
Figures 7B and 7C illustrate a hinge assembly with a third hinge arm. Figure 7B is a side view of a hinge assembly and illustrates a third hinge arm 712. Figure 7C illustrates the third hinge arm 712 connected diagonally from the first front flange 714 to the second rear flange 720. The diagonal arrangement of the hinge arms 708, 710, 712 leads to a geometry in X form. Those skilled in the art understand that the crossed spring hinge can be connected in a non-X shape, for example in parallel, in addition to the fact that more or less than three arms can be used. The hinge may, for example, have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 arms. The arms 708, 710, 712 can be connected to each other or can be independent and move independently of each other.
Referring now to Figures 7D-7E, a system with flexing arms in the form of a crossed leaf spring 722 is illustrated. The system with bending arms in the form of a crossed leaf spring comprises two or more bending arms mounted at right angles to each other. The arms may appear to have an X shape from a number of angles. However, the two or more arms do not need to intersect or connect at any point. A system with bending arms in the form of a crossed leaf spring can include a bending point and allow frictionless rotation, shaft stiffness and resistance to parasite movements. Bending points or hinges are often used to multiply or divide movements or forces. The fact that it is really about multiplication and division, and not just addition or subtraction, is significant because large accurate changes of movements or forces can be carried out economically. This multiplication and division takes place through a fundamental leverage action with bending bearings as pivot points or supports. Great, highly accurate ratios can be achieved by joining multiple sections together with a series of frictionless hysteresisless bending points. The system 702 with bending arms in the form of a crossed leaf spring can provide for a gentle rotation and strong resistance to any attempt to wring it even a little off its axis of rotation.
A bending sheet is a thin, flat, parallel plate that is very flexible compared to the rest of the structure. Bending sheets are used in mounted bending systems. When using bending sheets, care must be taken that no major losses are incurred due to the poor coupling between the bending sheets and the body of the bending sheet assembly. This poor coupling results from geometric deformations and burrs due to mechanical production or 3D printing. In the past, the quality of these usually thin, rigid structures was limited by bending and burrs caused by mechanical production, 3D printing, or metal punching of the bending sheets. In modern mechanical production methods, these thin parts can be made by means of Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), whereby virtually no physical contact occurs between the machine and the bending blade. Modern 3D printing technologies also make production possible without any physical contact between the machine and the bending blade. This method produces bending sheets with an almost perfect geometry, without any burrs or geometric deformations that would prevent a perfect coupling.
In use, systems with bending arms in the form of a crossed leaf spring are sometimes subject to parasite movements. A parasite movement is an unwanted, unwanted movement, often away from the axis, of a bending blade assembly. Often it is a rotating movement of the axis away that transmits a movement to the output of a bending tray assembly that did not exist in the original state. These parasite movements can take the form of a first-order or a harmonic movement. The introduction of a double axis bend between the excitation and the bending tray assembly will mitigate or eliminate this problem. By adding a double axis or toroidal bending blade to the input and / or output, the operating force can be applied to the central axis of the bending blade assembly, so that virtually perfect energy transfer is guaranteed without parasite movements.
A double bending sheet can be much more compact than a standard four-fold bending sheet. The two parallel blades limit the rotational movement with right angles on the blade, characteristic of the bending arms with one blade. The double bending blade can be much more subject to parasite movements and axis movements away than a quadruple bending blade but can be much better than mechanical pins or hinges and is compact, simple and inexpensive. As a true bending blade it has no friction, static friction or play. This device does not have to be lubricated, has no hysteresis and has an unlimited service life if it is installed properly and is not overloaded.
As another possibility, the flexural sheet system 722 may take the form of a flexural four-arm assembly. The bend-leaf assembly with four arms is one of the most used for simple linear bends. It consists of a fixed and mobile platform, linked by means of four or two double cross-linked bending sheets. The transient platform of the four-arm bending tray assembly will collapse slightly as it is operated. For the most accurate operation, control and output must be made at the centerline of the platforms, at a position halfway between the two platforms. In order to minimize the parasite movements and movements of the axis, the operation and output of the four-arm bending blade assembly can be performed by a disengaging mechanism such as a wobble pin or a multi-axis bending blade.
The bending sheet system 722 can also be a composite linear bending sheet. In a composite linear bending blade, the elevation of the moving platform of a standard four-arm bending blade assembly may drop slightly as the platform is operated. To correct this fall, a second platform with bending blades of the same length is installed under the first platform. When this second platform is operated, it can rise to the same extent as the first platform drops, so that the net result is a perfectly linear movement. For a truly linear movement of the second platform, it may be necessary to operate at the center distance between the two platforms, by a disengaging mechanism such as a wobble pin, a cross-linked bending blade with two axes or a toroidal bending blade.
Referring now to Figure 7D, a side view of the system with flexing arms in the form of a crossed leaf spring 722 is illustrated. The end piece 732 is connected to the spectacle spring 734 by means of the system with bending arms in the form of a crossed leaf spring 722. The system with bending arms in the form of a crossed leaf spring 732 allows a soft and friction-free operation 724 of the spectacle springs relative to the end piece 732. The hinge 722 connects the end piece 732 of a 3D-printed glasses front to a glasses spring 734 and allows flexibility around the glasses spring 734. The end piece 732 has a proximal end 736 and a distal end 738. The end piece 732 is integrally connected to the front of the spectacle front (not in the drawing) at the proximal end 736. The distal end 738 of the end piece 732 has a front recess 740 and a rear recess 742. The spectacle spring 734 similarly includes a proximal end 744 and a distal end (not in the drawing). Located at the proximal end 744 of the spectacle spring 734 is a second front recess 746 and a second rear recess 748. Arranged between and integrally connected to the end piece 704 and the spectacle spring 734, the cross-spring hinge 722 with a first hinge arm 752 is integrally connected to the rear recess 742 of the end piece 732 and connected to the rear recess 748 of the spectacle spring 734. The hinge assembly 72 further comprises a second hinge arm 756 integrally connected to the front recess 740 of the end piece 732 and connected to the front recess 746 of the spectacle spring 734. The hinge arms 752, 756 can be connected to the recesses at the connection points 750A-D. The connection points 750A-D can be thicker than the hinge arms 752, 756, to ensure a stable connection and to avoid parasite movements as unwanted, undesired movements, often away from the axis, of the bending blade assembly. The image of the hinge arms 752, 756 shows an X-shaped geometry. Those skilled in the art understand that the crossed spring hinge can be connected in a non-X shape, for example in parallel, in addition to the fact that more than two arms can be used. The hinge may, for example, have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 arms. The arms 752, 756 can be connected to each other or can be independent and move independently of each other.
Referring now to Figure 7E, a top view of the system with flexing arms in the form of a crossed leaf spring 722 is illustrated. In this image, the contact point 750B is hidden under the rear recess 742 of the end piece, and the contact point 750A is hidden under the front recess 746 of the spectacle spring.
Referring now to Figures 8A-8C, a hinge assembly with a plurality of crossed spring hinges is illustrated in the 801 series. However, those skilled in the art understand that the crossed spring hinges can also be oriented in such a way that the crossed spring hinges are not in series but, for example, parallel. In Figure 8A, an end piece 803 is connected to the spectacle spring 805 by means of a first crossed hinge spring 837, a passive connector 807 and a second crossed hinge spring 839. The hinge assembly 518 is arranged between the end piece 803 and the spectacle spring 805. The end piece 803 has a front end flange 821 and a rear end flange 823. The spectacle spring 805 has a front spectacle spring flange 833 and a rear spectacle spring flange 835. The passive connector 807 has a first front connector flange 825, a first rear connector flange 827, a second front connector flange 829, and a second rear connector flange 831. A first hinge arm 809 is diagonally connected from the rear flange 823 to the first front connector flange 825. A second hinge arm 811 is diagonally connected from the rear end flange 812 to the first rear connector flange 827. On the other side of the passive connector 807, a third hinge arm 815 is connected diagonally from d the second rear connector flange 831 to the front spectacle spring flange 833. A fourth hinge arm 817 is diagonally connected from the second front connector flange 829 to the rear spectacle spring flange 835. In Figure 8B, a fifth hinge arm 813 and a sixth hinge arm 819 are illustrated. In Figure 8C, the fifth hinge arm 811 is illustrated, diagonally connected from the rear end flange 823 to the first front connector flange 825. A sixth hinge arm 819 is additionally diagonally connected from the second rear connector flange 831 to the front spectacle spring flange 833. In this embodiment, the passive bears connector 825 contributes to the flexibility of the hinge.
Referring now to Figure 9, another system of crossed spring hinges 902 is illustrated in series. In this system the crossed spring hinges adjoin each other, without a separate connector. The end piece 904 is connected to the glasses spring 906 by means of the system with two crossed spring hinges in the series 902. The end piece 904 has a front end piece flange 926 and a rear end piece flange 928. The glasses spring 906 also has a front glasses spring flange 930 and a rear glasses spring flange 932 A first spring arm 910 is diagonally connected from the rear end piece flange 928 to the front of an upper center bar 920B. The rear of the upper center bar 920A is connected to the front spectacle spring flange 930 by means of a second spring arm 914. A third spring arm 908 is diagonally connected from the front end flange 926 to the rear of a middle center bar 922A. The front of the middle center bar 922B is connected to the rear spectacle spring flange 932 by means of a fourth spring arm 916. Figure 9B illustrates a cross-section of the lower part of this spring system 902, in particular the fifth spring arm 912, the front of the lower center bar 924 and the sixth spring arm 918. Figure 9C illustrates yet another view of the lower portion of this spring system, in particular the sixth spring arm 912, diagonally connected from the rear end flange 928 to the front of a bottom center bar 924. A rear of the bottom center bar (not shown in the drawing) is connected to the front spectacle spring flange 930 by means of the sixth spring arm 918.
In another aspect, the 3D-printed glasses fronts with an integrated crossed spring hinge assembly may optionally have a locking device. The locking device comprises a fastening element that locks the spectacles of the glasses in the closed position. Examples of fasteners include an incision at the distal end of at least one spectacle spring, the incision defining an opening through which the opposing spectacle spring can be inserted into the incision / opening to secure the spectacles in a closed position. In another embodiment, the securing element consists of an anchor on the distal end of a spectacle spring, the distal end of the opposite spectacle spring being able to interact with the anchor to secure the spectacles in a closed or locked position. In yet another example, the securing element may include a hook on the distal end of a spectacle spring, wherein the opposite spectacle spring may be attached.
Referring to Figures 10A-10C, a hinge system 1001 with a mobility range limiter 1007 is illustrated. This range limiter 1007 can serve to prevent overstressing and the resulting damage. Figure 10A illustrates an end piece 1003 connected to a spectacle spring 1005 with immediately adjacent crossed spring hinges 1013, in contrast to the hinge assembly of Figures 8A-8C. The difference between Figures 10A-10C and Figures 8A-8C is that there is no separate connector between the hinges. The mobility range limiter 1007 functions using the front flange of the end piece 1009 and the front flange of the end piece 1011. When the spectacle spring is opened, relative to the end piece, beyond a certain distance, the front flange of the end piece 1009 meets the front flange of the end piece 1011 each other, thereby preventing any further movement in that direction. At this point the user can feel the resistance of the arms, indicating that the glasses should not be forced. Typically, the mobility range limiter 1007 prevents the glasses from extending at an angle greater than about 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, or more degrees with respect to the integrated front face. In a number of aspects, the mobility range limiter 1007 prevents the glasses from extending at an angle of 110 ° with respect to the integrated front face. Figure 10B is a side view of the hinge system 1001. Figure 10C is a clear view of the hinge system 1001 that illustrates how the flanges are flattened to ensure optimum fitting.
A method for the production of a spectacle front with a crossed spring hinge assembly is also provided. With reference to Figure 11A, the construction orientation of the glasses 1102 is illustrated. An x-axis 1106, a y-axis 1108 and a z-axis 1110 are also illustrated. The hinge 1116 can be produced in a building orientation in which the plane formed by the x-axis and the y-axis, the XY plane 1104, of a 3D printing machine is parallel to a two-dimensional plane formed by two spectacles 1112 and 1114. This construction position can also make an optimum construction of the spectacle front possible. Because of the gravity exerted on glasses during production, it is important that the glasses are built in a position where they cannot be distorted. The platform generation module can offer functionality with which a user can prepare the platform for the production process by optimally orienting the glasses by means of nesting and other platform optimization techniques.
In Figure 11B, a constructional orientation of the spectacles 1112, 1114 is illustrated. The angle 1120 formed by the intersection of spectacle spring 1112 and spectacle spring 1114 is approx. 90 °. In other words, the angle is formed by the parallel lines 1116 and 1118 with respect to the arms 1112 and 1114, respectively. 45 °. Those skilled in the art understand that this angle can vary from 5 °, 10 °, 15 °, 20 °, 25 °, 30 °, 35 °, 40 °, 50 °, 55 °, 60 °, 65 °, 70 ° , 75 °, 80 °, 85 °, to 90 °. The construction angle determines the initial orientation, or resting position, of the glasses. When the eyeglasses form an angle of 45 °, they exert a force to the outside when they are closed, and a force to the inside when they are worn. This inward force can be exerted on the side of a user's head, due to the fact that the glasses need to be opened further than 45 ° to put on the glasses. This extra power can help to hold the glasses on the user's head. Holding the glasses can help prevent them from shaking, falling, and / or breaking. This feature is particularly useful for sports, recreation or fast-moving activities.
In a number of embodiments, systems and modules as described above can be configured with a view to carrying out a method for designing and producing 3D-printed glasses fronts with integrated hinges. Referring now to Figure 12, a high-level illustration of such a process is shown. In a number of embodiments, the method can be performed with a support module or computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD / CAM) software. As another possibility and depending on the specific implementation environment, the process can be executed by any other module in an additive manufacturing system. For example, the process can be performed on an application server that is accessed by a client application (such as an application running through a web browser) to obtain data input and complete the design of the 3D-printed glasses based on data received through a computer network.
The process starts at block 1201, where the design characteristics of the glasses are defined. This can be achieved in various ways. In a number of embodiments, a specific spectacle design can be generated. This design can be set as standard by a 3D design module, the 3D data preparation and STL editing module, the 3D production and training module, or can be customized by the user. The standard can be based on the physical properties of the materials used and the applied additive manufacturing process. As another possibility, the design can be manually defined by the user and entered via a graphical user interface.
Then the process may proceed to block 1203 where the type of integrated hinge to be used in the glasses is selected. In a number of embodiments, the spectacle hinge can be selected automatically. However, the user may be offered the option to adjust the selected design through a graphical user interface. In another embodiment, the right-hand hinge of the glasses may be of a different type than the left-hand hinge. In yet another embodiment, the glasses may contain more than two hinges. The glasses can have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 hinges. The people in the field understand that not all hinges must be of the same type. The hinges can be selected from the group consisting of (1) at least one crossed spring hinge with one or more arms; (2) at least two crossed spring hinges in parallel; (3) at least two crossed spring hinges connected in series by or separated by a connecting element or passive connector; and (4) at least two crossed spring hinges immediately adjacent in series.
The process then proceeds to block 1205, where the construction orientation of the glasses is defined. In a number of embodiments, a standard building orientation can be provided by a 3D design module, a 3D data preparation and STL editing module, or a 3D production and training module. In other embodiments, the construction orientation can be identified and selected by the user through a graphical user interface. The process then proceeds to block 1207, where the 3D printing instructions of the glasses are compiled. In a number of embodiments, the 3D printing instructions of the glasses can be compiled by the 3D production and training module.
Once the instructions have been compiled, the process can proceed to block 1209 where, using 3D printing, the glasses can be produced and finished. Various embodiments can provide for a more efficient and inexpensive removal in the finishing process. The finishing is accompanied by a wide range of processes that are carried out by most sectors that produce metal and non-metal parts. Typically, producers perform the finishing after a part has been formed. The finish may consist of any machining or industrial process that changes the surface of a workpiece to obtain a certain property. General finishes are accompanied by paint, varnish, ceramic coatings and other surface treatments. Finishing processes can be used to improve appearance, adhesion, wettability, solderability, corrosion resistance, etching resistance, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, hardness, adjustment of electrical conductivity, removal of burrs and other surface defects, and to control frictional resistance. At this stage, the optional finishing operations can be performed to produce a final produced device.
Figure 13 is a more detailed flow chart of the type of integrated hinge to be used in the spectacles 1203 of Figure 12. The parameters and properties of the hinge are defined in this process. The process starts at block 1302, where the characteristics of the crossed spring hinge system are defined. In a number of embodiments, the parameters are predetermined by a 3D design module. In other embodiments, the parameters are defined by the user through a graphical user interface provided by the 3D design module. The parameters may include properties such as aesthetic characteristics, flexibility, durability, safety, tensile strength, compression / compression strength, shear strength, elongation, stretchability, creep, permeability, magnetism, diamagnetism, paramagnetism, reflectivity, thermal conductivity, flammability, acoustic absorption, hardness, friction coefficient , coefficient of return to the original state, and surface hardness. The process then proceeds to decision block 1304, where it is determined whether the hinge system will have more than one crossed spring hinge. If the hinge system will have only one crossed spring hinge, the process goes to block 1306, where the use of a single crossed spring hinge is confirmed (e.g., the hinge in Figures 7A-7C).
Returning to block 1304, if the hinge system has more than one crossed spring hinge, the process proceeds to decision block 1308. There, it can be decided whether or not the hinge system will contain a passive connector. If no passive connector is selected, the process goes to block 1310, where adjacent crossed spring hinges are attached without a separate connector. Returning to block 1308, if a passive connector is selected, the process goes to block 1312, where crossed spring hinges are connected in series separated by a passive connector.
Embodiments of the present invention provide various solutions for designing and producing 3D-printed glasses. These different configurations offer advantages such as the provision of hinges, fully integrated without the need for screws, pins or bolts, for glasses fronts. Moreover, the present invention offers the possibility of repeatedly opening and closing the glasses without damaging the front. The present invention offers a lasting flexibility: the combination of construction orientation, relative position with respect to the spectacles and the presence of spring hinges avoids the build-up of excessive stresses in certain zones. The absence of local tensions leads to a longer lifespan of the glasses. Another advantage of the present invention is the comfort (good adaptation and stability) when wearing the glasses. In an "open" position, the crossed hinges form a specific angle, for example 45 °, and offer inwardly directed forces, so that the spectacle front is pressed firmly against the wearer's head.
Another advantage of this invention is the ease of collapsing the front and storing it in a housing. A certain angle guarantees that no excessive force is required to fold the glasses inwards. Since the folded position is not the equilibrium position, some force may be required to keep the arms folded. An additional lock can help to maintain this position. Another advantage of this invention is the economically efficient production of the glasses. Yet another advantage of this invention is the fact that the spectacle hinges can be made of the same material as the front and by the same production technology, and that they are integrally connected to the front. Producing 3D printed spectacle hinges from the same material as the front is a challenge due to the limited availability of elastic materials.
The invention described in this text can be implemented in the form of a method, a device, a produced article, using standard techniques of programming or engineering to produce software, firmware, hardware or any combination thereof. The term "produced article" as used herein refers to code or logic implemented in hardware or permanent computer readable media such as optical disks, and volatile or non-volatile memory devices or temporary computer readable media such as signals, carriers, etc. Such hardware may include, but is not limited to, FPGAs, ASICs, complex programmable logic devices (complex programmable logic devices, CPLDs), programmable logic arrays (programmable logic arrays, PLAs), microprocessors, or other similar processing devices .
It should be understood that any feature with respect to any embodiment may be used alone or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the embodiments, or any combination of any other of the embodiments. In addition, equivalents and modifications not previously described can also be implemented without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims. in the drawings:

权利要求:
Claims (13)
[1]
CONCLUSIONS
A spectacle front made by means of a 3D printing process, wherein said front comprises: - a front front; - an end piece integrally attached to said front face; - at least one spectacle spring attached to said end piece; and - at least one crossed spring hinge arranged between said end piece and said spectacle spring, the crossed spring hinge including a first hinge arm and a second hinge arm and the first and the second arm forming a system with bending arms in the form of a crossed leaf spring .
[2]
The spectacles according to claim 1, wherein the front is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyamide, polyamide with additives such as glass or metal particles, block copolymers, resorbable materials such as polymer-ceramic composites, aluminum, cobalt chrome, stainless steel, maraging steel, nickel alloy, titanium, alumide, carbonmide, polyethylene, polyethylene block amides, polyesters, polyvinyl chloride, polylactic acids, epoxies, (meth) acrylates, polypropylene, thermoplastic polyurethane, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polycarbonate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, butadiene styrene methyl methacrylate-acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polyacrylamide, polystyrene, polyoxymethylene (POM).
[3]
The glasses of claim 1, wherein the glasses front further comprises a mounting element.
[4]
The spectacles of claim 3, wherein the attachment element is selected from the group consisting of an anchor, an incision, and a hook.
[5]
The spectacles of claim 1, wherein at least one spectacle spring is urged at an angle of less than 90 ° to the front face.
[6]
The spectacles of claim 1, wherein at least one spectacle spring is urged into a rest position with an angle of between 30 ° and about 45 ° with respect to the front face.
[7]
The spectacles of claim 1, wherein the spectacle front further comprises a range limiter, wherein said range limiter prevents the opening of said spectacle spring with an angle greater than a predetermined angle with respect to the front face.
[8]
8. A spectacle front made by means of a 3D printing process, wherein said front comprises: - a front front; - an end piece integrally attached to said front face; - a spectacle spring attached to said end piece; and - at least one crossed spring hinge arranged between said end piece and said spectacle spring, wherein the crossed spring hinge comprises a first arm and a second arm and the first and the second arm are parallel to each other.
[9]
A method for producing glasses, said method comprising: - defining design characteristics of said glasses; - selecting the type of integrated crossed spring hinge for use in said glasses; - defining the construction orientation of said glasses; - compiling 3D printing instructions for the said glasses; - producing and finishing said glasses by means of 3D printing technology.
[10]
The method of claim 9, wherein the crossed spring hinge is produced in a building orientation in which a plane formed by an x-axis and a y-axis of a 3D printing machine is parallel to a two-dimensional plane formed by two spectacles.
[11]
The method according to claim 9, wherein the spectacle front is made of at least one of the following materials: polyurethane, polyamide, polyamide with additives such as glass or metal particles, resorbable materials such as polymer-ceramic composites, aluminum, cobalt chrome, stainless steel, maraging steel, nickel alloy, titanium, alumide and carbonmide.
[12]
The method of claim 9, wherein the attachment element is selected from the group consisting of an anchor, an incision, and a hook.
[13]
The method of claim 9, wherein said method further comprises: - defining at least one property of the crossed spring hinge system; - determining whether more than one crossed spring hinge should be used; - determining whether a passive connector should be used.

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同族专利:

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公开号 | 公开日

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BE1022610A9|2016-12-14|

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US10394050B2|2019-08-27|

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EP3198331B1|2021-11-10|

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WO2016049226A1|2016-03-31|

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US20170248802A1|2017-08-31|

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BE1022610A1|2016-06-16|

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EP3198331A1|2017-08-02|

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法律状态:

优先权:

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US201462054756P| true| 2014-09-24|2014-09-24|

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US62/054,756|2014-09-24|

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