Granted Patent B2

US 12,467,274 · App. 18/449,293 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Inventors: Yuqing Zhou (Ann Arbor, MI); Masato Tanaka (Nagoya, JP); Yuyang Song (Ann Arbor, MI); Xianfeng David Gu (Plainview, NY); Shikui Chen (Stony Brook, NY); Zhou Zhao (Stony Brook, NY); Lingfeng Gao (East-Setauket, NY)

Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.; The Research Foundation for the State University of New York

E04H15/20E04H2015/202

Abstract

Claims (55)

1 . A system, comprising:

a circularly-packed network of structural elements that form multiple three-dimensional (3D) structures, diameters of the structural elements define a shape of the 3D structures and the circularly-packed network is adaptable to form:

a first 3D structure; and

a second 3D structure with a different shape than the first 3D structure; and

a set of joints that connect adjacent structural elements.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first 3D structure and the second 3D structure are soft shell structures.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first 3D structure and the second 3D structure are rigid shell structures.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the structural elements are rings; and

the set of joints are loosely-connected joints that allow adjacent rings multiple degrees of freedom of movement relative to one another.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein a diameter of a ring is adjustable to morph the first 3D structure into the second 3D structure.

6 . The system of claim 4 , wherein:

in an unstressed state, the circularly-packed network of rings forms a two-dimensional (2D) planar structure; and

in a stressed state, the circularly-packed network of rings forms at least one of the first 3D structure and the second 3D structure.

7 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising an inflatable structure underlying the circularly-packed network, the inflatable structure inflates and transitions the circularly-packed network from the unstressed state to the stressed state.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the rings rest on and move relative to the inflatable structure.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the structural elements are rigid disks; and

the set of joints are rigid joints that rigidly connect adjacent disks to one another.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the structural elements are disks;

the set of joints are rigid joints that rigidly connect adjacent disks to one another;

in a first arrangement, the circularly-packed network comprises a first set of disks; and

in a second arrangement, the circularly-packed network comprises a second set of disks, wherein a diameter of at least a first disk of the first set differs from a diameter of at least a second disk in the second set.

11 . A system, comprising:

a circularly-packed network of structural elements that form multiple three-dimensional (3D) structures, diameters of the structural elements define a shape of the 3D structures:

in a first configuration, the circularly-packed network of structural elements forms a first 3D structure; and

in a second configuration, the circularly-packed network of structural elements forms a second 3D structure having a different shape than the first 3D structure; and

a set of joints that connect adjacent structural elements.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a diameter of at least a first structural element differs from a diameter of a second structural element.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein:

the structural elements are rings;

the set of joints are loosely-connected joints that allow adjacent rings multiple degrees of freedom of movement relative to one another; and

a diameter of a ring is adjustable to morph the first 3D structure into the second 3D structure.

14 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising an inflatable structure to morph the circularly-packed network from an unstressed state wherein the circularly-packed network forms a two-dimensional (2D) planar structure to a stressed state wherein the circularly-packed network forms at least one of the first 3D structure and the second 3D structure.

15 . A method, comprising:

identifying a first three-dimensional (3D) structure for a circularly-packed network of structural elements, diameters of the structural elements define a shape of the first 3D structure;

identifying a second 3D structure for the circularly-packed network of structural elements, the second 3D structure having a different shape than the first 3D structure; and

changing a configuration of the circularly-packed network to morph the first 3D structure into the second 3D structure.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising identifying diameter changes for the structural elements to morph the first 3D structure into the second 3D structure.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the structural elements are loosely-connected rings; and

changing the configuration of the circularly-packed network to morph the first 3D structure into the second 3D structure comprises:

setting the circularly-packed network to an unstressed state by deflating an inflatable structure underlying the circularly-packed network;

adjusting a diameter of at least one ring; and

setting the circularly-packed network to a stressed state by inflating the inflatable structure.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein changing the configuration of the circularly-packed network to morph the first 3D structure into the second 3D structure occurs without disassembling the circularly-packed network.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the structural elements are rigidly-connected disks; and

changing a configuration of the circularly-packed network to morph the first 3D structure into the second 3D structure comprises exchanging at least a first rigidly-connected disk for a second rigidly-connected disk having a different diameter.

20 . The method of claim 15 :

further comprising:

identifying, using conformal mapping, diameters for the structural elements to form the first 3D structure; and

identifying, using conformal mapping, diameters for the structural elements to form the second 3D structure; and

wherein changing the configuration of the structural elements is based on identified diameters.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (31)