US 12,312,796 B2
Topologically adaptive toolpath generation system and method for additively constructing a building structure
Evan M. Jensen, Austin, TX (US)
Assigned to ICON Technology, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed by Icon Technology, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Nov. 19, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/952,802.
Prior Publication US 2022/0154443 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B28B 1/00 (2006.01); B29C 64/106 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); E04B 1/16 (2006.01)
CPC E04B 1/16 (2013.01) [B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for constructing a building structure, comprising:
a printing assembly moveably disposed on a gantry above a foundation surface;
a profilometer mounted on the printing assembly for measuring a three dimensional (3D) topology of the foundation surface to generate a point cloud of data;
a processor coupled to the profilometer to receive the measured topology and the point cloud of data, and to determine and store an x and a y coordinate having a high point in a z axis coinciding with a high point of the foundation surface, and to generate a sublayer from the measured topology and from the determined x and y coordinates having the high point in the z axis, the high point establishing a zero level reference point against which other z dimensions are compared to, the sublayer being one or multiple splined thresholds below the high point in the z axis, and to also generate a sub toolpath configured to be followed by the printing assembly, the printing assembly being configured to 3D print an extruded cementitious mix along the sub tool path and extending across at least a portion of the sublayer; and
a nozzle mounted on the printing assembly to extrude a sublayer bead along only the sub toolpath and below a subsequently extruded layer zero bead placed along the high point of the foundation surface,
wherein a top surface of the sublayer bead is extruded to be substantially coplanar with the high point of the foundation surface as the zero level reference point.