Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US7590466B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-02-17 07:50:56
Document Index: 199928241

Matched Legal Cases: ['application No. 10', 'application No. 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'arts\n2002']

US7590466B2 - Automated quoting of molds and molded parts - Google Patents
Automated quoting of molds and molded parts Download PDF
US7590466B2
US7590466B2 US10/970,130 US97013004A US7590466B2 US 7590466 B2 US7590466 B2 US 7590466B2 US 97013004 A US97013004 A US 97013004A US 7590466 B2 US7590466 B2 US 7590466B2
US10/970,130
US20050096780A1 (en
2001-12-27 Priority to US34418701P priority Critical
2002-01-24 Priority to US10/056,755 priority patent/US6701200B1/en
2002-06-05 Priority to US38665802P priority
2002-12-19 Priority to US10/325,286 priority patent/US6836699B2/en
2004-10-21 Priority to US10/970,130 priority patent/US7590466B2/en
2004-10-21 Application filed by PROTO LABS Inc filed Critical PROTO LABS Inc
2005-01-14 Priority claimed from US11/035,648 external-priority patent/US7496528B2/en
2005-05-05 Publication of US20050096780A1 publication Critical patent/US20050096780A1/en
2006-10-25 Priority claimed from US11/586,379 external-priority patent/US7840443B2/en
2009-09-15 Publication of US7590466B2 publication Critical patent/US7590466B2/en
2015-05-27 First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=34557593&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=US7590466(B2) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
2015-05-27 US case 0:15-cv-02562 filed litigation https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/litigation/Minnesota%20District%20Court/case/0%3A15-cv-02562 Source: District Court Jurisdiction: Minnesota District Court "Unified Patents Litigation Data" by Unified Patents is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Automated, custom mold manufacture for a part begins by creating and storing a collection of information of standard tool geometries and surface profiles machinable by each of the standard tool geometries. A customer sends a CAD file for the part to be molded to the system. The system assesses the CAD file to determine various pieces of mold manufacturing information. One or more acceptability criteria are applied to the part, such as whether the part can be manufactured in a two-piece, straight-pull mold, and whether the mold can by CNC machined out of aluminum. If not, the system sends a file to the customer graphically indicating which portions of the part need modification to be manufacturability. The system provides the customer with a quotation form, that allows the customer to select several parameters, such as number of cavities, surface finish and material, which an independent of the shape of the part.
The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/325,286, filed Dec. 19, 2002 and entitled AUTOMATED QUOTING OF MOLDS AND MOLDED PARTS, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,836,699, incorporated by reference herein, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application No. 10/056,755 of Lawrence J. Lukis et al., filed Jan. 24, 2002, entitled AUTOMATED CUSTOM MOLD MANUFACTURE, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,200, incorporated by reference herein, which claims priority from provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/344,187, filed Dec. 27, 2001, entitled AUTOMATED MANUFACTURE OF STRAIGHT PULL MOLDS FOR CUSTOM PLASTIC PARTS. This application also claims priority (through application No. 10/325,286) from provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/386,658 of Lawrence J. Lukis et al., filed Jun. 5, 2002, entitled IMPROVED PROTOTYPE QUOTING.
In contrast to most moldmaker's operations which involve an initial face-to-face meeting with the customer to discuss drawings, the present invention allows the customer to provide the CAD file 32 without a face-to-face meeting. Such communication could occur through a mailed computer disk or through a dial-up modern site. In particular, however, an address on a global communications network such as the internet 36 is configured to receive customer CAD files 32. While the address could be a simple e-mail address, the preferred address is a website on the world-wide-web, configured to receive a CAD file 32 from a customer for the part to be molded. The “web-centric” customer interface preferably include a part submission page as part of the Customer Data Input module 30, which allows the customer to identify which standard CAD/CAM format is being used for the part drawings. Alternatively, the customer's CAD file 32 may be evaluated with an initial program which determines which type of standard CAD/CAM format is being used by the customer. If the CAD file 32 transmitted by the customer does not conform to a recognized standard CAD file format so as to be readable by the software of the present invention, the customer data input module returns an error message to the customer.
However, in the preferred embodiment, the program automatically identifies whether the part can be manufactured in a straight pull mold. Automatic “straight pull” manufacturability identification 40 involves selecting an orientation of the part in the customer's CAD file 32. Customers typically draw parts oriented with an x-, y- or z-axis which coincides with the most likely straight pull direction. FIGS. 3 and 4 represent an example of this. First, the cam 10 is solid modeled in the y-direction as a plurality of parallel line segments extending in the y-direction as shown in FIG. 3. The geometry analyzer module 38 then considers each line in the solid modeling, to determine whether the line is continuous and intersects the part surface profile only at a single beginning and a single ending. As shown here, line 48 is a first line which fails this test, as it intersects the cam 10 three times: once through the part outline flange 12 and twice on the sides of the 60° corner hole 24. The y-direction orientation of this part 10 thus fails to permit straight pull mold manufacturability 40. The cam 10 is next solid modeled in the z-direction as a plurality of parallel line segments extending in the z-direction as shown in FIG. 4. The geometry analyzer module 38 again considers each line in the solid modeling, to determine whether the line is continuous and intersects the part surface profile only at a single beginning and a single ending. As shown here in FIG. 4, all the line segments meet this test 40. Because the cam 10 passed the test 40 in the z-direction, it is thus determined that the part 10 can be oriented such that the z-direction is the straight pull direction. Thus, the cam 10 can be formed with a straight pull mold with the straight pull direction coinciding with the z-direction as drawn.
A third preferred cost-affecting parameter unassociated with part surface profile which is menu selectable is material of the part. The customer is provided with a drop-down menu 108 of offered materials. The material or resin used for the part 10 is an integral consideration in the design process, affecting many material properties of the part 10 such as strength, flexibility, hardness, corrosion resistance, flammability, etc. Further, cost of each plastic material or resin is subject to change due to market conditions. Accordingly, the preferred material menu 108 provides numerous alternatives. For example, the customer may be provided with a drop-down menu 108 which allows the customer to select between the following seventy values: “Customer supplied”, “ABS, Natural (LUSTRAN 433-1050)”, “ABS, Black (CYCOLAC T-4500)”, “ABS, Black (LUSTRAN 433-4000)”, “ABS, White (LUSTRAN 248-2005)”, “ABS, Black (POLYLAC PA-765)”, “ABS Platable, Light Grey (LUSTRAN PG298)”, “ABS Platable, Gray (CYCOLAC MG37EP)”, “ABS/PC, Black (BAYBLEND FR 110-1510)”, “ABS, White (LUSTRAN 248-2005)”, “ABS/PC, Light Gray (BAYBLEND T85 2095)”, “ABS/PC, Black (CYCOLOY C2950-701)”, “ABS/PC, Natural (BAYBLEND T 45-1000)”, “ABS/PC, Black (BAYBLEND T 85-1510)”, “ABS/PC, Black (BAYBLEND T85 2D95)”, “Acetal Copolymer, Black (CELCON M90)”, “Acetal Homopolymer, Black (DELRIN 500 P BK602)”, “Acetal Homopolymer, Natural (DELRIN 500P NC010)”, “Acetal Homopolymer, 20% GF, Black (DELRIN 577-BK000)”, “Acetal Homopolymer, Black (DELRIN 500 CL BK601)”, “HDPE, Natural (HiD 9006)”, “LDPE, Natural (DOW LDPE 722)”, “Nylon 46, Natural (STANYL TW341)”, “Nylon 6, Natural (ZYTEL 7331F NC010)”, “Nylon 6, Black (ZYTEL 7331F dyed)”, “Nylon 6, Black (RTP 200A FR)”, “Nylon 66, Black (ZYTEL 101L BKB009)”, “Nylon 66, 13% GF, Black (ZYTEL 70G13 HSIL)”, “Nylon 66, 14% GF, Black (ZYTEL 8018 HS)”, “Nylon 66, 43% GF, Black (ZYTEL 74G43W BK196)”, “Nylon 66 33% GF, Natural (ZYTEL 70G33HSIL)”, “Nylon 66, 33% GF, Black (ZYTEL 70G33 HSIL BK031)”, “Nylon 66, Natural (ZYTEL 103 HSL)”, “Nylon 66, Natural (RTP 202 FR)”, “PBT 30% GF, Black (VALOX 420 SEO)”, “PBT 15% GF, Black (CRASTIN SK 652 FR)”, “PBT, Black (VALOX 357-1066)”, “PC, Opaque/White (MAKROLON 2558-3336)”, “PC, Black (LEXAN 940)”, “PC, Clear (MAKROLON 2405-1112)”, “PC, Clear (MAKROLON 2458-1112)”, “PC, Black (MAKROLON 2405-1510)”, “PC, 10% Glass, Black (MAKROLON 9415-1510)”, “PC 20% GF, Natural (MAKROLON 8325-1000)”, “PC 20% Glass, Black (MAKROLON 8325-1510)”, “PC, clear (MAKROLON 6455-1045)”, “PC, Infrared (LEXAN 121-S80362)”, “PEI, Black (ULTEM 1000-7101)”, “PEI, 20% GF, Black (ULTEM 2200-7301)”, “PEI 30% GF, Black (ULTEM 2300-7301)”, “PEI, 40% GF, Black (ULTEM 2400-7301)”, “PET 30% Glass, Black (RYNITE 530-BK503)”, “PET 45% Glass Mineral Flame Retardant, Black (RYNITE FR 945 BK507)”, “PET 35% Glass Mica Low Warp, Black (RYNITE 935 BK505)”, “PETG, Clear (EASTAR 6763)”, “PMMA Clear (PLEXIGLAS V052-100)”, “PP 20% Talc Filled, Natural (MAXXAM NR 218.G001-1000)”, “PP, Black (MAXXAM FR 301)”, “PP Copolymer, Natural (PROFAX 7531)”, “PP Copolymer, Natural (PROFAX SR 857M)”, “PP Homopolymer, Natural (PROFAX 6323)”, “PP Homopolymer, Natural (PROFAX 6523)”, “PS (GPPS), Clear (STYRON 666 Dwl)”, “PS (HIPS), Black (RC 3502B)”, “PS (HIPS), Natural (STYRON 498)”, “PUR, Natural (ISOPLAST 202EZ)”, “TPE, Natural (SANTOPRENE 211-45)”, “TPE, Black (SANTOPRENE 101-73)”, “TPU-Polyester, Black (TEXIN 285-1500)” and “TPU-Polyether, Natural (TEXIN 985-1000)”.
US10/970,130 2001-12-27 2004-10-21 Automated quoting of molds and molded parts Active 2023-06-10 US7590466B2 (en)
US34418701P true 2001-12-27 2001-12-27
US10/056,755 US6701200B1 (en) 2001-12-27 2002-01-24 Automated custom mold manufacture
US38665802P true 2002-06-05 2002-06-05
US10/325,286 US6836699B2 (en) 2001-12-27 2002-12-19 Automated quoting of molds and molded parts
US10/970,130 US7590466B2 (en) 2001-12-27 2004-10-21 Automated quoting of molds and molded parts
US11/035,648 US7496528B2 (en) 2001-12-27 2005-01-14 Automated quoting of molds and molded parts
US11/586,379 US7840443B2 (en) 2001-12-27 2006-10-25 Automated quoting of CNC machined custom molds and/or custom parts
US12/354,546 US8140401B2 (en) 2001-12-27 2009-01-15 Automated quoting of molds and parts from customer CAD file part data
US10/325,286 Continuation US6836699B2 (en) 2001-12-27 2002-12-19 Automated quoting of molds and molded parts
US11/035,648 Continuation-In-Part US7496528B2 (en) 2001-12-27 2005-01-14 Automated quoting of molds and molded parts
US20050096780A1 US20050096780A1 (en) 2005-05-05
US7590466B2 true US7590466B2 (en) 2009-09-15
ID=34557593
US10/325,286 Active 2022-04-04 US6836699B2 (en) 2001-12-27 2002-12-19 Automated quoting of molds and molded parts
US10/970,130 Active 2023-06-10 US7590466B2 (en) 2001-12-27 2004-10-21 Automated quoting of molds and molded parts
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