阅读说明：本技术 增材制造的玩具搭建积木 (Building block is built to toy of vibration material disk ) 是由 L.T.乔汉森 R.施利赫丁 R.哈达尔 R.米凯尔森 于 2018-11-30 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及使用增材制造技术作为制造工艺制造由聚合物材料制成的玩具搭建元件的方法。本发明还涉及通过所述增材制造工艺产生的玩具搭建元件。(The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a toy building element made of a polymer material using additive manufacturing techniques as a manufacturing process. The invention also relates to a toy building element produced by said additive manufacturing process.)

1. Method of manufacturing a toy building element made of a polymer material using an additive manufacturing technique, wherein the element is built in an additive manner, provided that the toy building element is not built using an additive manufacturing technique involving additive manufacturing based on filament extrusion.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the additive manufacturing technique of building the element is photo-polymeric additive manufacturing or thermoplastic additive manufacturing, such as liquid-based additive manufacturing, toner-based additive manufacturing, powder-based additive manufacturing or particle-based additive manufacturing.

3. A method according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the additive manufactured toy building element has a surface roughness defined as: has an arithmetic mean profile height (Ra) of less than 100mm and a root mean square profile height (Rq) of less than 100 μm when measured according to ISO4287: 1997.

4. An additive manufactured toy building element manufactured by a method according to any one of claims 1-3.

5. An additive manufactured toy building element made of a polymer material and having a surface roughness defined as: has an arithmetic mean profile height (Ra) below 100 μm and a root mean square profile height (Rq) below 100 μm when measured according to ISO4287: 1997.

6. A toy building element according to claim 5, manufactured by a method according to any one of claims 1 or 2.

7. A toy building element according to any one of claims 4 or 6, in which the element is made of a polymer material comprising a photopolymer or a thermoplastic polymer.

8. A toy building element according to claim 7, wherein the photopolymer or the thermoplastic polymer is a bio-based polymer, a hybrid bio-based polymer, a petroleum-based polymer, or a mixture of bio-based polymers and/or hybrid bio-based polymers and/or petroleum-based polymers.

9. A toy building element according to any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein the photopolymer is selected from the group consisting of epoxy-based photopolymers and acrylate-based photopolymers, and mixtures thereof.

10. A toy building element according to any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of Polyamide (PA), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), polylactic acid (P L A), Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene furandicarboxylate (PEF), polybutylene furandicarboxylate (PBF), polytrimethylene furandicarboxylate (PTF), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG), polyethylene terephthalate-isophthalic acid copolymer (PET-IPA), polyethylene naphthalate terephthalate (PETN), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU or TPE-U), polyamide-polyether elastomer (TPA), thermoplastic styrene elastomer (TPE-S or TPS), thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPE, TPE-O or TPO), polyolefin Plastomer (POE), olefin block copolymer (EPDM), ethylene propylene-diene monomer (OBC), propylene-ethylene-diene monomer (TPE), propylene-ethylene-diene copolymer (POP-S or TPS), polyethylene terephthalate (POP-5-ethylene carbonate), polyethylene terephthalate (POM-ethylene isophthalate (POP), and polyethylene terephthalate-ethylene-co-olefin (POTS), polyethylene terephthalate (POTS-5, styrene (POM), polyethylene terephthalate (POP-PC), and polyethylene-co-5-co-ethylene-co-styrene (POP).

11. A toy building element according to any one of claims 4-10, wherein the element is made of a polymer material further comprising fillers and/or fibres.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a toy building element (element) made of a polymer material using additive manufacturing techniques as a manufacturing process. The invention also relates to a toy building element manufactured by said additive manufacturing process.

Background

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, refers to a process for building a three-dimensional object as follows: wherein the object is built up in a layer-by-layer manner or by continuously adding material to form the three-dimensional object. The three-dimensional objects can be of a wide variety of forms and geometries and are built using computer-aided design (CAD) software that controls the sequential addition of material on top of newly added material.

Toy building elements have been manufactured and sold for many years. One type of toy building element may be referred to as a conventional box-shaped building block (brick) which is provided with a knob (knob) on the upper side and a complementary tube (tube) on the lower side. Such box building blocks are first disclosed in US 3,005,282 and are nowadays under the trade nameAndmanufacturing and selling.

It is known, for example from YouTube, to build toy building elements using additive manufacturing techniques involving additive manufacturing techniques based on filament extrusion. However, this technique is characterized by its poor dimensional accuracy and low sensitivity, so that three-dimensional objects with complex geometries cannot be produced by additive manufacturing techniques based on filament extrusion. Furthermore, objects made by printers using filament extrusion based additive manufacturing techniques have uneven surfaces and the individual layers are visible to the naked eye.

There is therefore a need to develop and/or improve additive manufacturing techniques capable of building toy building elements with dimensional accuracy, acceptable surface roughness and acceptable visual appearance.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to a novel method of manufacturing a toy building element using additive manufacturing techniques. The inventors of the present invention have surprisingly found that the following toy building elements can be additively manufactured: it has improved dimensional accuracy, improved surface roughness and improved visual surface appearance, making the separate addition of material invisible to the unaided eye.

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a novel method of manufacturing a toy building element made of a polymer material using additive manufacturing techniques, provided that the toy building element is not built using additive manufacturing processes involving additive manufacturing techniques based on filament extrusion.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to an additive manufactured toy building element made of a polymer material, which is built using a technique that is not based on filament extrusion additive manufacturing techniques.

Drawings

FIG. 1 shows a conventional box shape2 x 4 blocks.

Detailed Description

The present invention relates to a new method of manufacturing a toy building element made of a polymer material using additive manufacturing techniques, provided that the toy building element is not built using additive manufacturing processes involving additive manufacturing techniques based on filament extrusion.

The term "toy building element" as used herein comprises conventional toy building elements in the form of box-shaped building blocks provided with spherical protrusions on the upper side and complementary tubes on the lower side. Said conventional box-shaped toy building blocks are disclosed for the first time in US 3,005,282 and are given the trade nameAndis widely sold. The term alsoIncluding other similar box building bricks produced by companies other than the L EGO Group and sold accordingly under other trademarks than the trademark L EGO.

The term "toy building set" also includes other kinds of toy building sets forming part of a toy building set, which typically comprises a plurality of building elements that are compatible with each other and thus interconnectable with each otherBuilding blocks,Technique andsome of these toy building sets comprise toy building sets with complementary tubes on the underside so that the sets can be connected to other toy building elements in the toy building set.

The toy building element is produced by additive manufacturing. The term "additive manufacturing" or "additively manufactured" as used herein means that the building blocks are additively built (i.e. by adding new material on top of the substrate or on top of newly added material) as follows: by repeatedly solidifying a thin liquid layer or droplet onto the substrate or onto a previously solidified liquid layer or droplet, or by repeatedly printing with thermoplastic polymer material onto the substrate or onto a previously printed plastics material, or by repeated welding of plastics material in an additive manner (for example by using a laser).

In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing technique is photopolymerized additive manufacturing or thermoplastic additive manufacturing. Suitable examples of thermoplastic additive manufacturing include liquid-based additive manufacturing, toner-based additive manufacturing, powder-based additive manufacturing, and particle-based additive manufacturing.

Photopolymerizable additive manufacturing is a process in which a liquid, an energy/radiation curable resin, and/or a photopolymer react to energy. When exposed to energy (light, laser, UV, etc.), a chemical process is initiated and the resin solidifies. The process is then repeated to add material and create a three-dimensional shape. Some additive manufacturing photopolymerization-based techniques are based on liquid-filled containers that are selectively exposed to energy (laser, light, UV, etc.), while some techniques are based on the spraying or deposition of resin and subsequent curing process. The materials used in these processes may also include fillers, fibers, additives, and the like.

Additive manufacturing of thermoplastic materials is a process: wherein the polymer becomes pliable or soft when heated or liquefied by chemicals, pressure, or any other means, such that the material fed to the 3D printer is in the form of a thermoplastic liquid. These techniques may first melt/semi-melt/liquefy the thermoplastic material and then selectively deposit it, or first deposit the material and then selectively melt/semi-melt/sinter it, such that the newly deposited material is incorporated within and between layers. Thereafter, the material hardens as it is cooled or the chemical diffuses/evaporates out of the polymer, or the material is solidified by any other means. The additive manufacturing process is then repeated to add material and create a three-dimensional shape. The materials used in these processes may also include fillers, fibers, additives, and the like.

The term "liquid-based additive manufacturing" as used herein means that a polymer is in a liquid state prior to deposition onto a substrate or onto a previously deposited liquid layer or droplet. The liquid is obtained without the use of heat.

The term "toner-based additive manufacturing" as used herein means that the polymer is in a solid powder state prior to deposition onto a substrate or onto a previously deposited powder. The powder is in the form of very fine particles having a size of up to 30 μm. No chemical additives are required to maintain the powder in this state.

The term "powder-based additive manufacturing" as used herein means that the polymer is in a solid powder state prior to deposition onto a substrate or onto a previously deposited powder. The powder is in the form of fine particles having a size greater than 30 μm. No chemical additives are required to maintain the powder in this state.

The term "particle-based additive manufacturing" as used herein means that the polymer is in a solid pellet (pellet) state prior to being melted and then deposited on a substrate or on a previously deposited particle. Such solid pellet state is also used in injection molding. No chemical additives are required to maintain the powder in this state.

In the additive manufacturing process, a first layer or droplet of material is added to a substrate. In typical embodiments, the substrate is a build platform that is separated from the final three-dimensional object when the three-dimensional object has been obtained. In further embodiments, the substrate may be a component that forms part of the final three-dimensional object. Suitable examples of such components may be plates or tubes or boxes or injection moulded toy building elements. The components may be made of a polymer material, or the components may be made of a metal material, wood, or ceramic.

To fabricate components with overhangs or other complex geometries, a support structure may be required. The structure may be made of the same material as the toy building element, or it may be made of a supporting material. The additive manufacturing process is the same as described above for the build material. The only difference is that the structural or support material needs to be removed later. The removal process may be performed manually, semi-automatically in a liquid or chamber, or even in a fully automated process.

The overall additive manufacturing process can be divided into 4 steps:

a pre-printing step, which includes all processes prior to the actual printing of the toy building element and covers all processes with respect to material handling (such as controlling temperature, moisture level, etc.), machine preparation (such as cleaning, calibration, heating, etc.) and document preparation (such as slicing and digital positioning in the build chamber of the printer),

a printing step, which is the process of actually building the toy building element using any of the mentioned techniques of generating toy building elements,

-optionally, a structure or support material removal step, which is a process of removing support material or structure from the toy building element geometry, and

optionally, a post-treatment step, which refers to any process that covers a surface treatment to affect and/or improve the surface quality, such as surface roughness.

In one embodiment, the toy building element is built using photo-polymeric additive manufacturing. In another embodiment, the toy building element is built using additive manufacturing of a thermoplastic material. In a further embodiment, the toy building element is built using liquid based additive manufacturing. In a further embodiment, the toy building element is built using toner-based additive manufacturing. In another embodiment, the toy building element is built using powder based additive manufacturing. In a further embodiment, the toy building element is built using particle-based additive manufacturing.

The invention also relates to a toy building element manufactured by a method according to the invention.

An important advantageous feature of the toy building element according to the invention is that the surface roughness is significantly reduced compared to the prior art toy building elements shown on YouTube. Thus, the toy building element of the invention has a significantly improved surface appearance, since the individual additions of material are not visible to the eye. This improved surface appearance is obtained without any kind of post-treatment with surface roughness influence of the additive manufactured toy building element.

The surface roughness of the toy building element of the invention is measured using the method described in ISO4287: 1997. It is important to note that: "surface roughness" refers to the roughness of the surface as determined after the printing step and optional support removal step, but before subjecting the printed element to an optional post-treatment step that can affect or improve the surface roughness.

In some embodiments, the surface roughness of the additive manufactured toy building element is defined as having an arithmetic mean profile height (Ra) below 100 μm and a root mean square profile height (Rq) below 100 μm when measured according to ISO4287: 1997. In a further embodiment, the surface roughness of the toy building element is defined as having an arithmetic mean profile height (Ra) below 75 μm and a root mean square profile height (Rq) below 75 μm, when measured according to ISO4287: 1997. In a further embodiment, the surface roughness of the toy building element is defined as having an arithmetic mean profile height (Ra) below 50 μm and a root mean square profile height (Rq) below 50 μm when measured according to ISO4287: 1997. In a still further embodiment, the surface roughness of the toy building element is defined as having an arithmetic mean profile height (Ra) below 25 μm and a root mean square profile height (Rq) below 30 μm when measured according to ISO4287: 1997.

The toy building element of the invention is made of a polymer material, which comprises a photopolymer or thermoplastic polymer, depending on the additive manufacturing technique by which the element is built.

In some embodiments, the toy building element is made of a polymer material comprising a photopolymer, wherein the photopolymer is a bio-based polymer, a hybrid bio-based polymer or a petroleum-based polymer. In a further embodiment, the toy building element is made of a polymer material comprising two or more photopolymers, wherein the photopolymers may be bio-based polymers, hybrid bio-based polymers, petroleum-based polymers, or a mixture of bio-based polymers and/or hybrid bio-based polymers and/or petroleum-based polymers.

In some embodiments, the toy building element is made of a polymer material comprising one thermoplastic polymer, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a bio-based polymer, a hybrid bio-based polymer or a petroleum-based polymer. In a further embodiment, the toy building element is made of a polymer material comprising two or more thermoplastic polymers, wherein the thermoplastic polymers may be bio-based polymers, hybrid bio-based polymers, petroleum-based polymers, or a mixture of bio-based polymers and/or hybrid bio-based polymers and/or petroleum-based polymers.

In some embodiments, the blend of bio-based polymer and petroleum-based polymer includes at least 25% bio-based polymer and at most 75% petroleum-based polymer, such as at least 50% bio-based polymer and at most 50% petroleum-based polymer, for example at least 60% bio-based polymer and at most 40% petroleum-based polymer. In further embodiments, the blend of bio-based polymer and petroleum-based polymer includes at least 70% bio-based polymer and up to 30% petroleum-based polymer, such as at least 80% bio-based polymer and up to 20% petroleum-based polymer, for example at least 90% bio-based polymer and up to 10% petroleum-based polymer. In yet further embodiments, the blend of bio-based polymer and petroleum-based polymer includes at least 95% bio-based polymer and at most 5% petroleum-based polymer, such as at least 97% bio-based polymer and at most 3% petroleum-based polymer, for example at least 99% bio-based polymer and at most 1% petroleum-based polymer.

In some embodiments, the mixture of bio-based polymers and hybrid bio-based polymers includes at least 25% bio-based polymers and at most 75% hybrid bio-based polymers, such as at least 50% bio-based polymers and at most 50% hybrid bio-based polymers, for example at least 60% bio-based polymers and at most 40% hybrid bio-based polymers. In further embodiments, the mixture of bio-based polymers and hybrid bio-based polymers comprises at least 70% bio-based polymers and at most 30% hybrid bio-based polymers, such as at least 80% bio-based polymers and at most 20% hybrid bio-based polymers, for example at least 90% bio-based polymers and at most 10% hybrid bio-based polymers. In yet further embodiments, the mixture of bio-based polymers and hybrid bio-based polymers comprises at least 95% bio-based polymers and at most 5% hybrid bio-based polymers, such as at least 97% bio-based polymers and at most 3% hybrid bio-based polymers, for example at least 99% bio-based polymers and at most 1% hybrid bio-based polymers.

In some embodiments, the blend of hybrid bio-based polymer and petroleum-based polymer includes at least 25% hybrid bio-based polymer and at most 75% petroleum-based polymer, such as at least 50% hybrid bio-based polymer and at most 50% petroleum-based polymer, for example at least 60% hybrid bio-based polymer and at most 40% petroleum-based polymer. In further embodiments, the blend of hybrid bio-based polymer and petroleum-based polymer includes at least 70% hybrid bio-based polymer and at most 30% petroleum-based polymer, such as at least 80% hybrid bio-based polymer and at most 20% petroleum-based polymer, for example at least 90% hybrid bio-based polymer and at most 10% petroleum-based polymer. In yet further embodiments, the blend of hybrid bio-based polymer and petroleum-based polymer includes at least 95% hybrid bio-based polymer and at most 5% petroleum-based polymer, such as at least 97% hybrid bio-based polymer and at most 3% petroleum-based polymer, for example at least 99% hybrid bio-based polymer and at most 1% petroleum-based polymer.

The term "bio-based polymer" as used herein means a polymer produced by chemical or biochemical polymerization of biomass-derived monomers. Bio-based polymers include polymers produced by polymerization of one type of monomer derived from biomass, as well as polymers produced by polymerization of at least two different monomers derived from biomass.

In a preferred embodiment, the bio-based polymer is produced by chemical or biochemical polymerization of monomers that are all derived from biomass.

Bio-based polymers can be divided into three groups:

1. polymers produced by biochemical polymerization, i.e. for example by using microorganisms. Monomers are produced using biomass as a substrate. Examples of such polymers include polyhydroxyalkanoates, such as polyhydroxyvalerate and poly (hydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate).

2. Polymers produced by chemical polymerization, i.e. by chemical synthesis. Monomers are produced using biomass as a substrate. Examples of such polymers include polylactic acid.

3. Polymers derived from plants. The polymers are produced by biochemical processes inside the plant that are typical during growth. The polymer is isolated and optionally subsequently modified. Examples of such polymers include modified celluloses such as, for example, cellulose acetate.

In some embodiments, the bio-based polymer is produced by biochemical polymerization. In further embodiments, the bio-based polymer is produced by chemical polymerization. In yet further embodiments, the bio-based polymer is produced by biochemical or chemical polymerization. In still further embodiments, the bio-based polymer is derived from a plant.

Bio-based polymers also include polymers that have the same molecular structure as petroleum-based polymers, but are produced by chemical or biochemical polymerization of biomass-derived monomers.

The term "petroleum-based polymer" as used herein means a polymer produced by the chemical polymerization of monomers derived from petroleum, petroleum by-products, or petroleum-derived feedstocks. Examples include polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate and polymethyl methacrylate.

The term "hybrid bio-based polymer" as used herein means a polymer produced by the polymerization of at least two different monomers, wherein at least one monomer is derived from biomass and at least one monomer is derived from petroleum, petroleum by-products, or petroleum-derived feedstocks. The polymerization process is typically a chemical polymerization process.

The terms "bio-based polymer", "hybrid bio-based polymer" and "petroleum-based polymer" also include recycled polymers. The term "recycled polymer" as used herein means a polymer obtained by recycling scrap or waste plastic and reprocessing it into a useful polymer material.

The hybrid bio-based polymers can also be characterized by their content of bio-based carbon relative to the total carbon content. In some embodiments, the content of biobased carbon in the hybrid biobased polymer is at least 25%, such as at least 30% or at least 40%, based on the total carbon content. In further embodiments, the content of biobased carbon in the hybrid biobased polymer is at least 50%, such as at least 60%, for example at least 70%, such as at least 80% based on the total carbon content.

The term "biobased carbon" as used herein refers to a carbon atom derived from biomass used as a substrate in the production of monomers forming part of the biobased polymer and/or the hybrid biobased polymer. The content of biobased carbon in the hybrid biobased polymer can be determined, for example, by the carbon-14 isotope content, as detailed in ASTM D6866 or CEN/TS16137 or equivalent protocols.

In addition, the resin comprising the bio-based polymer and/or hybrid bio-based polymer and/or petroleum-based polymer may be characterized by its content of bio-based carbon relative to the total carbon content. In some embodiments, the content of biobased carbon in the resin is at least 25%, such as, for example, at least 30% or at least 40%, based on the total carbon content in the resin. In further embodiments, the content of biobased carbon in the resin is at least 50%, such as at least 60%, for example at least 70%, such as at least 80%, preferably at least 90% or at least 95% based on the total carbon content in the resin.

In some embodiments, the toy building element is made of a polymer material comprising at least one bio-based polymer and one or more fillers. In a further embodiment, the toy building element is made of a polymer material comprising at least one hybrid bio-based polymer and one or more fillers. In yet a further embodiment, the toy building element is made of a polymer material comprising at least one petroleum based polymer and one or more fillers. Suitable examples of fillers include natural fillers, mineral fillers and metal fillers.

In some embodiments, the toy building element is built using photo-polymeric additive manufacturing techniques. In such an embodiment, the toy building element is made of a photopolymer material comprising a photopolymer selected from the group consisting of: epoxy-based photopolymers and acrylate-based photopolymers, and mixtures thereof. Optionally, the photopolymer material may also include fillers and/or fibers. Suitable examples of fillers include natural fillers, mineral fillers and metal fillers.

In some embodiments, the toy building element is constructed using thermoplastic additive manufacturing techniques, in such embodiments the toy building element is made of a thermoplastic material comprising a thermoplastic polymer selected from the group consisting of Polyamide (PA), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), polylactic acid (P L A), Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene furandicarboxylate (PEF), polybutylene furandicarboxylate (PBF), polytrimethylene furan dicarboxylate (PTF), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PETG), glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG), polyethylene terephthalate-isophthalate copolymer (PET-IPA), polyethylene naphthalate terephthalate (PETN), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU or TPE-U), polyamide-polyether elastomer (TPA), thermoplastic styrene elastomer (TPE-S or TPS), Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPE), polyolefin-O or TPO), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), polyolefin-ethylene-propylene-co-polymer (POP), polyethylene terephthalate (POE-ethylene-propylene-co-olefin (POP), polypropylene (TPE), polyethylene Terephthalate (TPE), polypropylene-ethylene-co-propylene-co-ethylene-co-terephthalate (POP), polypropylene-co-ethylene-co-propylene-co-ethylene-co-ethylene-propylene-co-carbonate (POP), polypropylene-ethylene-propylene-co-propylene-co-ethylene-co-ethylene-propylene-co-ethylene-propylene-carbonate (POP), polypropylene-co-ethylene-propylene-co-ethylene-co-propylene-ethylene-propylene-co.