Abstract:
A method and system for eliminating storage and transportation of products within a product distribution system is disclosed saving money and time since businesses do not need to have products shipped and stored. The method and system includes an online store through which designers can upload electronic files of printable products and consumers can view the printable products for purchase, download and printing on a 3D printer. The method and system also allows for implementation of protection systems for designers with the option of insuring the final design is not tampered with by anyone other than the designer.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/695,929, filed on Aug. 31, 2012, the entire contents of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to a new method of obtaining products without shipping. 
         [0004]    In the life cycle of a product, the product begins as an idea by a company. The company may engineer the product and outsource manufacturing of the product or manufacture the product themselves. The country of manufacture may be in country or out of country depending on the market conditions, costs to ship and timing requirements. After manufacturing, the product is shipped to the company or a distributor for further storage and shipment when a retailer orders the product. If the manufactured product is imported or crosses jurisdictional boundaries, there may be a tax or tariff. The manufactured products are shipped to one or more distributors until a wholesaler orders the manufactured products. The distributor ships the product to the wholesaler who must also maintain inventor until ordered by a retailer. The retailer orders the manufactured products and displays everything on the retail floor with a small inventory in stock. The consumer purchases the products and stores the product at home, if a consumable product. Throughout the entire distribution process, the product is stored and shipped which takes time, space and work to transport the product from one location to another. Moreover, the shipping of the products from one location to another adds to the carbon footprint of the product. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved product distribution model. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The product distribution model and its various aspects discussed herein address the deficiencies described above, described below and those that are known in the art. 
         [0007]    The product distribution model described herein relate to distributing product electronically for consumers to print with a 3-D printer so as to eliminate most if not all of the shipping and storage costs involved in the prior art distribution model. To this end, the product distribution model discussed herein contemplates a public or private electronic exchange platform through which designers can upload printable products to an online store and consumers can view, select and download electronic files from the online store. The consumer prints the product on one or more 3-D printers capable of printing a variety of materials. This distribution model eliminates storage and transportation of physical products along the chain from the manufacturer to the consumer. The implication of this model is that consumers do not need to wait for product to be shipped and transported to the consumer. The consumer can enjoy the product by printing the product on his/her 3D printer or having a local retail establishment print the product. Businesses do not need to stock items for use but can print products when needed. This reduces cash required for inventory. This reduces shipping costs. This reduces lead time. The business stores only raw materials that can be used to print a variety of products. Machinery can be fixed by printing a broken part. Parts that normally do not break do not need to be manufactured and stored just in case that someone might need the rare part. Rather, the electronic files allow the business to print any one of a plurality of parts for replacement. 
         [0008]    More particularly, a method for facilitating exchange of electronic files of three-dimensional printable products is disclosed. The method may comprise the steps of receiving at least one electronic file from each of a plurality of suppliers of electronic files of three-dimensional printable products; displaying the three-dimensional printable products to consumers of the three-dimensional printable products; receiving selections of the displayed three-dimensional printable products from consumers; and transmitting the corresponding electronic files of the received selection of three-dimensional printable products to the consumers. 
         [0009]    The method may further comprise the step of transmitting instruction sets to the consumers for the received selections of three-dimensional printable products. 
         [0010]    The three-dimensional printable products may be smaller or larger than 1′×1′×1′. 
         [0011]    The transmitting step may comprise the step of transmitting to one of the consumers a plurality of electronic files which after being printed may be assembled to make up the three-dimensional printable products. 
         [0012]    The three-dimensional printable products may be displayed by category to the consumer. 
         [0013]    The method may further comprise the step of displaying a rank of the printable product in relation to at least one of quality of electronic files, past consumer ranking, compatible raw materials, and compatible 3D printers to the consumer. 
         [0014]    In another aspect, a just-in-time inventory control method is disclosed. The method may comprise the steps of tracking inventory for a plurality of three-dimensional printable products; and printing one or more three-dimensional printable products when the tracking step indicates a low quantity of the one or more three-dimensional printable products. 
         [0015]    The method may further comprise the step of accessing an online store of electronic files of three-dimensional printable products. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a new product distribution model; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a process for printing a three dimensional printable product. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Referring now to the drawings, a method for receiving products immediately without having to wait for shipping and transit of product is disclosed. The method connects the designer and the end user or consumer so that the consumer can use products designed by the designer quickly without having to go through the traditional shipping and storing at the various levels of the distribution chain. The method utilizes an electronic exchange platform  10  through which designers  12  can upload electronic files of three-dimensional printable products for purchase and consumers  14  can download the electronic files for printing. This bypasses the manufacturing step, importing step, the distributing step, the wholesaling step and the retailing step. For example, a consumer  14  of a product may view an online store  10  of products (e.g. cups, spoons, forks, paperclips, tape dispenser, etc.) on an online store  10 . The consumer  14  may select a product from the online store  10 . Instead of having the product manufactured, imported to a distributor and shipped from the distribution source to the consumer  14 , the consumer  14  may download one or more electronic files of the product which are used to print the product on a three-dimensional printer  16 . In this manner, the consumer  14  does not need to wait for the product to be shipped to his or her place of business or home but may immediately acquire the selected product. Moreover, the product supplier need not warehouse or stock the item. Accordingly, the exchange platform  10  (e.g., online store, private electronic communication system) provides an efficient means of delivering products to end-users without the cost of manufacturing, stocking and delivering the product to the consumer  14  resulting in a lower cost to the consumer, higher profit margin for the designer, less working capital requirement and less risk. 
         [0020]    Other uses and benefits are also contemplated in relation to the various aspects discussed here. By way of example and not limitation, the electronic exchange platform  10  may provide the basis for a just-in-time inventory control method for a business. Instead of stocking a plurality of parts in inventory, the business may three-dimensionally print the product when inventory is low. Accordingly, the business may stock the raw materials instead of the finished products thereby saving space, delivery costs and other costs associated with stocking a number of products which would be more expensive than stocking only the raw materials. 
         [0021]    The electronic exchange platform  10  can also be used to supply replacement parts for equipment. Designers  12  may upload electronic files related to common wear parts or parts that are prone to break to the electronic exchange platform  10 . Consumers  14  may download the electronic files of the parts and print the part on a 3-D printer. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the exchange platform  10  is shown. The exchange platform  10  may be an online store accessible via the World Wide Web or the Internet. Alternatively, the exchange platform  10  may be a private communication system accessible by designers  12  and consumers  14 . For example, the private communication system may be a program downloaded onto the consumer&#39;s computer or a computer integrated into the 3D printer that establishes a communication link to the online store&#39;s electronic portal. For the purpose of simplicity, the exchange platform  10  will be discussed in relation to an online store that can be accessed by designers  12  and consumers  14 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . However, the various aspects discussed in relation to the online store may also be applied to the private communication system. 
         [0023]    Designers  12  provide electronic files that are uploaded to the online store  10 . The electronic files may be downloaded by the consumers  14  and used to drive a 3-D printer  16 . The 3-D printer  16  is a machine that may utilize a manufacturing process which makes a three-dimensional solid object from a digital model comprised of the electronic files. By way of example and not limitation, the manufacturing process may be an additive manufacturing process in which layers are added on top of each other until the three-dimensional solid object is obtained. The additive manufacturing process may include but is not limited to the selective laser sintering, direct metal laser sintering, fused deposition modeling, stereolithography, laminated object manufacturing, electron beam melting, powdered bed and inkjet head 3-D printing. Other processes are also contemplated that are known in the art or developed in the future. Moreover, the manufacturing process may utilize other technologies that are known in the art or developed in the future for making a three-dimensional solid object from the digital model. It is also contemplated that the manufacturing processes may be a subtractive manufacturing process such as machining and milling. 
         [0024]    The designers  12  provide the digital model in the form of one or more electronic files. These electronic files are uploaded to the online store  10  for subsequent viewing, purchasing and downloading by consumers  14 . The electronic files may be compatible with the manufacturing process for making a three-dimensional solid object from the digital model. For example, the electronic files may be compatible with a 3-D printer  16 . In addition to the electronic files corresponding to the digital model, the designer  12  may also upload an instruction set (e.g. document, assembly manual, photographs, illustrations, etc.) that the consumer  14  may print to paper for later reference when 3-D printing and assembling two or more component parts, if necessary. 
         [0025]    By way of example and not limitation, the designer  12  may upload electronic files for a rubber stamp. The rubberstamp may have two components, namely, a rubber component with a design on its bottom surface and a rigid handle that is attached to the top side of the rubber component. In this example, the designer  12  may upload two different electronic files. The first electronic file may be for the rubber component. The underside surface of the rubber component may have a stock message (e.g. DRAFT) or customized message (e.g. personal name). The consumer  14  may select the appropriate first electronic file or program the customized message through the online store  10  to generate the first electronic file with the customized message. Alternatively, the instruction set may provide information on how to customize the message after download. The second electronic file may be for the rigid handle. The designer  12  may provide an instruction set which specifies the type of material to feed through the 3-D printer  16  for the rubber component and the rigid handle. The instruction set may also provide assembly instructions for the rubber component and the rigid handle. 
         [0026]    The online store  10  receives the electronic files and instruction set for a plurality of three-dimensional printable products. The online store  10  displays these products to consumer  14  who can select, print and assemble the products, if necessary at the consumer&#39;s location. No physical delivery to the consumer  14  of the product is required. Rather, the consumer  14  downloads and prints the desired product(s) on a 3-D printer  16  and, if necessary, assembles the component printed parts. The online store  10  may display product reviews from past consumers  14  regarding quality, product review and other factors that might be relevant to consumers  14 . 
         [0027]    The consumer  14  after selecting the product from the online store  10 , downloads the electronic files, and if any, an instruction set to the consumer&#39;s computer  18 . The consumer  14  prints the three-dimensional objects from the electronic files on his/her 3-D printer  16 . If the product requires one or more different types of materials, then the consumer  14  must change out the raw material for the 3-D printer  16  or utilize two or more 3-D printers  16  that can accommodate the specific types of materials dictated by the designer  12 . The consumer  14  may print out the electronic files in three-dimensional form on the 3-D printers  16 . If more than one component part is printed and needs assembly, the consumer  14  may follow the instruction set to assemble the component parts together. 
         [0028]    In the event that the consumer  14  does not have a 3-D printer  16 , the consumer  14  may order the 3-D printable product from a retail establishment that has the necessary equipment (e.g. 3-D printer, raw materials, etc.) to print the three-dimensional printable product. Such retail establishment may be at a local retail outlet so that the product does not have to be shipped to the consumer  14 . Rather, the consumer  14  may order the product(s) online for pick up at the local retail establishment. 
         [0029]    The local retail establishment may download, print, and if needed, assemble the component parts of the printable product for the consumer  14  or the consumer  14  may merely pick up the loose component parts and assemble the product at home. 
         [0030]    The exchange platform  10  also supports a just-in-time inventory control methodology. A business may stock a plurality of items needed to run the business. When inventory is low on one or more of the items, the business may simply print a sufficient quantity of items to restock the items for use. 
         [0031]    More particularly, the business may stock various items in inventory. These items may generically be referred to as item number 1, 2, 3-n. The business may maintain a certain number of items 1, 2, 3-n for use by employees in the business day-to-day operation. Similarly, a home may stock various items in inventory. These items may also generically be referred to as items A, B, C-n. The home may maintain a certain number of items A, B, C-n for use by the household in the daily operation of the household. Moreover, the business or home may also maintain a certain level of raw materials for use in one or more 3-D printers  16 . The raw materials may include but are not limited to plastic, rubber, metal, alloy metal, thermoplastics, eutectic metals, paper, foil, plastic film, titanium alloys, plaster and/or colored plaster. These raw materials will be used to replenish inventory supplies when low by printing the required items 1, 2, 3-n or A, B, C-n. The home or business may also have one or more 3-D printers  16  or additive manufacturing machines that utilize one or more of the raw materials listed above or for which an additive manufacturing machine is developed. 
         [0032]    In the daily operation of a home or business, inventory items are constantly being depleted. When the inventory items are low, the home or business may print additional items with the 3-D printer  16  or additive manufacturing machines utilizing the appropriate raw material to restock inventory of the home or business. By printing the items low on inventory to restock inventory, the business or home can resupply its inventory just-in-time without having to allow for transit time of products when determining whether a particular product is low in inventory. For example, if a certain product typically held in inventory takes approximately two (2) weeks to obtain after placing an order, the business or home must have at least two (2) weeks&#39; worth of supply of that product, if not more before placing the order. Otherwise, the business or home will deplete its stock of inventory for that product before the new shipment arrives. By eliminating the transportation time, the inventory for such product can be renewed or increased just before running out of such product by printing these products into inventory. In this manner, the working capital to maintain the inventory is greatly reduced. Also, if suppliers are low on inventory or out of stock of a particular item, the business or home may need to look for alternatives for use in lieu of the original desired product. With the just in time method described herein, inventory can be replenished without being dependent on the stock of the supplier. 
         [0033]    A designer  12  may upload one or more electronic files and an instruction set. By way of example and not limitation, the designer  12  may upload a first electronic file, a second file and the third electronic file and one instruction set. The first electronic file may be for a first 3-D printer  16  that prints a first object with a first raw material. The second electronic file may be for a second 3-D printer  16  that prints a second object with a second raw material. The third electronic file may be for a third 3-D printer  16  that prints a third object with the third raw material. The instruction set may be an electronic document that provides a manual or instruction set for assembling or using the first object, the second object and the third object together. The designer  12  may also upload an assembled view of the first, second and third objects representing the end product to be printed. This information may be uploaded to the online store  10  for later viewing and downloading by the consumer  14 . 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the consumer  14  or a local retail establishment can download the electronic files from the online store  10  to a computer  18  which drives one or more 3-D printers  16 . The computer  18  may be integrated into the 3D printer. In this instance, the electronic files may be downloaded directly onto the computer of the 3D printer. Raw materials  20  may be loaded into the corresponding 3-D printers. The 3-D printer  16  can print the component part(s) of the printable product. If necessary, the printed component parts  22  can be assembled  24  so as to produce the printed product  26 . 
         [0035]    A plurality of designers  12  may upload a plurality of one or more electronic files and corresponding instruction sets to the online store  10 . The online store  10  displays the assembled view to the consumer  14 . By way of example and not limitation, the online store  10  may organize the various products uploaded by the designers  12  by category. For example, a stapler may be categorized under staplers or paper fasteners, then under the generic term office supplies. When the consumer  14  clicks through various links to arrive at one particular printable stapler, the online store  10  may present other competing printable staplers to the consumer  14 . The list of printable staplers may be ranked by price, ease of assembly, quality, necessary 3-D printers and raw materials, customer feedback, and other factors relevant to a consumer&#39;s  14  decision. 
         [0036]    The consumer  14  may view the online store  10  through the Internet or a web browser. The online store  10  presents a search means (i.e. searchable text field or clickable categories) so that the consumer  14  may find relevant printable products for purchase. Once the consumer  14  finds a product for purchase, the consumer  14  may purchase the electronic files and the instruction set through the online store  10 . The consumer  14  may print the various component parts with the corresponding 3-D printers  16  utilizing the appropriate raw material. Once all parts are printed, the consumer  14  may assemble the printed parts together utilizing the instruction set. In this manner, the consumer  14  need not wait until an Internet retailer ships the product and a transportation company delivers the product to the consumer  14 . Rather, the consumer  14  may enjoy the printed product upon completion of printing, and if necessary, assembly. 
         [0037]    If the consumer  14  does not have all of the necessary 3-D printers  16  and corresponding raw materials or the ability to assemble the component parts that make up the printable product, then the consumer  14  may ask the local retail establishment to print and assemble the printable product for later pickup by the consumer  14 . 
         [0038]    The above process of selling printable products on an online store  10  can be useful for selling a variety of printable products. By way of example and not limitation, the printable product may be an electronic circuit board. The first component part of the electronic circuit board may be an underlying rigid or flexible flat sheet which supports the electronic circuit. The first component part may be printed on a first 3-D printer  16  that prints the underlying rigid or flexible flat sheet. The flat sheet may have a plurality of holes which will later be used to mount electrical components such as capacitors, resistors, etc. This flexible or rigid flat sheet may be inserted into a second 3-D printer  16  which adheres and prints an electrically conductive material on one or both sides of the flat sheet. The electrically conductive material may be formed in thin strips and begin from one hole of the rigid or flexible flat sheet and terminate at a second hole thereof. The consumer  14  may solder the electrical components to the electronic circuit board during the assembly stage. 
         [0039]    The above process of selling printable products on an online store  10  can also be useful for repairing machinery or repairing one of the component parts of the printable products. By way of example and not limitation, if the printable product contains two or more printable parts and one of the printable parts breaks, the consumer  14  only needs to print the broken printable part and replace the same on the product. The consumer  14  does not need to purchase the entire product or print all of the component parts of the printable product. Also, for equipment, businesses that utilize machinery can replace high wear parts and parts prone to breaking with the exchange platform. Instead of having to order a replacement part from a supplier, the business can purchase corresponding electronic files, download and print the replacement part when needed. Accordingly, the various aspects disclosed herein save the consumer  14  money by having to purchase less than the entire product to fix the product or machinery. Also, the various aspects disclosed herein save time and money in that machinery can stay running for a longer period of time since the replacement part can be printed immediately without having to find the part or have the manufacturer manufacture a replacement part. The replacement part is immediately printed for use in the machinery. 
         [0040]    The online store  10  may also feature printable products that exceed the size requirement (i.e., build envelope) of current 3-D printers  16 . By way of example and not limitation, if current build envelope of 3-D printers  16  is 1′×1′×1′, the online store  10  may feature printable products that are greater than the 1′×1′×1′ cubic size. To do so, multiple smaller part components may be printed and connected to each other with dowels. By way of example and not limitation, a first part may define a first surface which mates with a mating first surface of a second part. The mating first surfaces of the first and second parts may have matching holes in both size and position. To connect the first and second parts together a plurality of dowels may be printed. The dowel may have an outer diameter which is slightly larger than an inner diameter of the matching holes. The dowels are inserted into respective holes in the first surfaces of the first and second parts and used to attach the two parts together by a friction fit. An adhesive may also be used to adhere the dowel in the holes. This allows one to create a substantially larger product than which is allowed through a small format 3-D printer  16 . 
         [0041]    The three dimensional solid object discussed herein are solid objects having three dimensions and not directed to stereoscopic 3D imaging or 2 dimensional pieces that might have a three dimensional optical illusion. A few examples of the three dimensional products were discussed herein. The electronic files for the types of three dimensional products are not limited to the specific examples provided herein but are discussed for the purposes of example and not limitation. Other types of product include any type of injection molded part, toys such as LEGO, electrical outlet wall plates, and other products. Moreover, the printed products may contain a number of parts that are later assembly. However, it is also contemplated that the printed product may contain a plurality of moving parts that are printed together in a single print operation. 
         [0042]    The electronic files uploaded by the designer and downloaded by the consumer to print  3  dimensional objects and/or the 3D printer may have a digital rights management system (“DRMS”) incorporated into the electronic files and/or the 3D printers that limit use of the electronic files for a limited period of time and/or for a limited number of uses. By way of example and not limitation, the DRMS may enable use of the electronic files for one day, one week, one month, one year or any other time period. Alternatively or additionally, the DRMS may enable use of the electronic files for a specific number of uses. By way of example, the DRMS may enable use of the electronic files for a single use. The consumer can print only one printed product. The DRMS may enable use of the electronic files for 5 uses, 10 uses, etc. The consumer can also print out unlimited rights so that the consumer may utilize the electronic files for a limited duration of time but for an unlimited or limited number of uses or a limited number of uses but for a limited or unlimited duration of time. 
         [0043]    The unique and novel DRM scheme could be implemented, by way of example and not limitation, so that the transmitted instructions are not a 3D model, but instead the raw tool path instructions for the printer itself. In this instance, the transmitted file would be unreadable by conventional 3D rendering software. The transmitted file provides coordinate instructions for the printer&#39;s toolhead. In other words, the transmitted file would contain instructions only for the 3D printer itself and would not be backwards viewable on a computer. By this method and system, the designer&#39;s copyright in the transmitted file, instruction set or 3D model would be given a level of protection so that the end user could not or it would make it significantly more difficult or impossible to modify the transmitted file in a usable form. Another advantage with the DRM scheme is that the unique tool path identifiers can be placed within the tool path instructions for reasons of tracking any given digital file back to the source. By way of example and not limitation, an insignificant marker (e.g., squiggly line) could be placed somewhere in the tool path instructions. The marker is insignificant in that it does not affect the function of the printed part. This squiggly line would be hard or impossible to detect. The tool path instructions can be used to track any given digital file back to its originator or source. 
         [0044]    The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein, including various ways of three-dimensionally printing the desired products. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.