Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a system for controlling a discrete die, which discrete die comprises a frame and parallel pins which are individually movable in their longitudinal direction with respect to the frame, which pins are arranged in parallel rows for forming a three-dimensional surface with their front ends, which discrete die further comprises means for individually moving the pins and fixing them in a desired position so as to form said surface.

A bed of pins is a device consisting of a bed comprising a multitude of parallel pins arranged in a regular pattern. The pins are movable in their longitudinal direction. In the 80s, such beds were frequently used as objects of art. In their starting position, the ends of the pins in the bed form a three-dimensional surface. However, by pressing a three-dimensional object into the bed of pins, the surface formed by the ends of the pins takes over the three-dimensional shape of the object.

A discrete die is a die based on a bed of pins comprising pins which are individually movable in their longitudinal direction and which can be fixed in a desired position, for example using individual motors for each of the pins. A discrete die can for example be used for pressing sheet material into a desired shape. The shape of the bed of pins can be easily adapted, so that it is readily possible to form complex three-dimensional surfaces by means of the bed of pins.

Globalization of the economy has resulted in large multinational companies establishing specific business units at different locations all over the world. Thus, the research and development activities of a company may take place at a research centre in Europe, whilst the mass production of certain products of the company takes place in Asia. Head office may in turn be in the United States, whilst the largest market for certain products may be in South America. If it is necessary within the framework of the development of a new product to produce a prototype, the research and development department will commission this to a local workshop. The prototype must be shipped to the business unit for which it is intended and where, for example, the production of a trial product or an end product is to take place. If, due to changed views, modifications are made to the prototype (for example as regards the dimensions or specific details), the above procedure is repeated again and a new prototype must be brought over from the workshop. Because of this, the time span between the work at the research department and the sale of the product on the market is not only unnecessarily long, but it also leads to additional costs.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a method by which prototypes conceived at a central location can be transferred to other locations in a simple manner.

In order to accomplish that object, the present invention provides a system for controlling a discrete die, which discrete die comprises a frame and parallel pins which are individually movable in their longitudinal direction with respect to the frame, which pins are arranged in parallel rows for forming a three- dimensional surface with their front ends, which discrete die further comprises means for individually moving the pins and fixing them in a desired position so as to form said surface, as well as a signal input for receiving a setting signal, by means of which setting signal the desired position of each of the pins can be set, wherein the system further comprises input means for supplying the setting signal to the signal input of the discrete die, and means for transferring the setting signal from the input means to the signal input, wherein said input means are formed by a bed of tracer pins.

The system as described above makes it possible to transfer physical three-dimensional shapes directly to a discrete die at any desired location by using means of communication. Using the bed of tracer pins, the desired shape of a surface is set by bringing said bed of tracer pins into contact with the prototype, and at a decentralized location the discrete die sets itself up so that the surface of the prototype can be formed therewith. The system according to the invention makes direct communication of three physical three-dimensional shapes via a telecommunication network possible, similarly to the manner in which this can be realised for two-dimensional images, for example by means of a fax machine. The means for transferring the setting signal can be formed by one or more elements from a group comprising a telecommunication network, a wireless connection for exchanging data, a hardwire connection for exchanging data and a connection for transferring optical signals. The exchange of setting signals between the bed of tracer pins and the discrete die can take place in any desired manner. A very suitable manner in this regard is, for example, the use of the Internet or a similar data link.

In accordance with the system according to the invention, a discrete die can be controlled by means of a remote, readable bed of tracer pins. The invention thus provides a method by means of which shapes can be directly communicated between beds of pins (in particular a bed of tracer pins and a discrete die). The system according to the invention makes it possible to transfer the shape of a prototype directly to a manufacturing process at a decentralized location. Moreover, by unlinking the input via the bed of tracer pins from the discrete die a system is obtained by means of which several steps of the process of producing prototypes and other parts can take place at different decentralized locations. In a multinational enterprise comprising several business units established at different locations spread all over the world, such a system can be used advantageously and the duration of the production process of, for example, prototypes can be considerably reduced. The system furthermore leads to a reduction of the transport costs involved in the shipping of parts to and from establishments all over the world.

According to a preferred embodiment, in which the input means are formed by a bed of tracer pins, the bed of tracer pins comprises a multitude of parallel tracer pins which are individually movable in their longitudinal direction. The tracer pins are designed to bring their front tracer ends into contact with a three- dimensional surface for the purpose of transferring the three-dimensional shape of the surface to the position of the tracer pins. The bed of tracer pins comprises means for sensing the position of the individual tracer pins for the purpose of converting the shape of the three-dimensional surface into data. The bed of tracer pins further comprises means for generating the setting signal. The setting signal thus generated can be transferred to the discrete die for forming the desired surface.

The bed of tracer pins may comprises recovery means for moving the tracer pins to a starting position. In a simple embodiment, spring means may be used for this purpose, for example, which spring means cause the pins to spring back automatically to the starting position after being depressed and released again. Such recovery means are capable of returning the tracer pins to their starting position whenever they are no longer in contact with the three-dimensional surface.

A special synergy is realised if the above-described embodiment is furthermore designed for continuously adapting the setting signal to the changes in the three-dimensional surface being sensed by the bed of tracer pins. If the means for generating the setting signal continuously adapt the setting signal to the changes in the surface, surface changes and surface movements can be communicated to the receiving discrete die. In this way it is possible, for example, to detect the surface changes and surface movements that occur when a user of the discrete die puts his hand on the pins. All kinds of applications not relating to the forming of products can be realised on the basis of this principle, among which tactile communication between two users, for example, with one user writing a message "in the other person's hand". The above principle can also be suitably applied in the communication with blind or visually handicapped persons.

According to further embodiments, the system further comprises a control unit for receiving a setting signal before said signal is received by the discrete die, which control unit comprises means for modifying the setting signal. In this way all kinds of adaptations to the surface can be carried out after scanning of the surface by the bed of the tracer pins and before "receipt" of the scanning results by the beds of pins. Thus it is possible not only to correct minor surface defects of the original surface {as scanned by the bed of tracer pins), but other adaptations are also possible, for example adaptation of the dimensions of the surface, forming details in the surface, combining several surfaces to form an integrated surface for producing complex surface structures, etc. In the latter case, the setting signals for the several surfaces to be combined may have been sensed by one and the same bed of tracer pins, but according to another possibility several beds of tracer pins send setting signals to the control unit, which combines the various surfaces into one surface. The control unit may simply be a personal computer, but it may also be configured as a device specifically designed for this purpose.

Adapting the three-dimensional surfaces or shapes can be carried out manually by reading the setting signal, showing the surface and having the user adapt said surface by means of the control unit. Adapting the three-dimensional shapes of the surface may also take place automatically or semi-automatically (for example by means of a computer-controlled process). In some cases, for example, surface defects can be easily recognized and/or repaired by the control unit by means of suitable software.

According to another embodiment, the system comprises a first and a second discrete die, each of which discrete dies is also suitable for use as a bed of tracer pins. The system makes communication from the first discrete die to the second discrete die, and vice versa, possible in that case. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this principle can be extended and applied to intercommunication between a multitude of discrete dies which can also used as beds of tracer pins.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be explained in more detail by means of a description of non-limitative specific embodiments thereof, in which reference is made to the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a system according to one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a system according to another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 shows a system according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments

In the figures and in the description of the figures, specific parts and aspects of the embodiments are indicated by reference numerals. In the figures, like numerals are used to indicate identical or like parts in the various figures/embodiments.

Figure 1 shows a system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a discrete die 3 is connected to input means 1 1 via a telecommunication network 23. Via the communication network 23, the input means 1 1 provide the discrete die 3 with setting signals (not shown) for setting a desired shape for a sheet of formable material 8.

The discrete die consists of a frame 5 comprising a multitude of parallel pins 6 arranged in a two-dimensional grouping. The skilled person will appreciate that figure 1 is a schematic sectional view of the discrete die 3, and that consequently only one row of pins 6 is shown. It will be understood that the frame 5 comprises a two-dimensional grouping of pins, for example a random two- dimensional surface of pins 6 arranged in rows and columns, for example. Once a suitable three-dimensional surface for the sheet material 8 has been set on the discrete die, the frame 5 with the pins 6 is pressed into the sheet material 8 with sufficient force, with the pressure bed 7 providing sufficient counterpressure for giving the sheet material 8 the desired three-dimensional shape. Depending on the choice of material, the sheet material 8 may be heated so as to make the material 8 sufficiently mouldable during the production process. The discrete die 3 is also provided with means of communication 4 which are capable of receiving a setting signal for setting the pins 6 in the frame 5. Although this is not shown in figure 1 , processing means may be provided in the discrete die 3, which processing means function to process the received setting signal and to set the pins 6 in accordance with the setting signal. Said processing means control the motors or the moving means of each of the pins, such that the pins 6 can be placed in the desired position and be fixed in said position.

The setting signal for the discrete die 3 is provided by the input means 11. In the embodiment shown in figure 1 , the input means 1 1 consist of a bed of tracer pins 11. A bed of tracer pins according to this embodiment is comparable to a discrete die, with this difference that the bed of tracer pins is not necessarily suitable for use as a die (in an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which two beds of pins exchange signals by two-way communication, this might optionally be the case, and the discrete die might conversely be suitable for use as a bed of tracer pins). The bed 11 of tracer pins shown in figure 1 also consists of a frame 13 provided with pins 14, but it is not necessarily provided with moving means for moving each of the tracer pins 14 to a desired position. The position of the tracer pins 14 is determined by the three-dimensional shape 16 pressed into the tracer pins 14. The tracer pins may be freely movable in the frame, for example, in which frame means are present capable of sensing the exact position of each of the pins. The bed of tracer pins may furthermore be provided with processing means for converting the sensed positions of the tracer pins into a setting signal intended for the discrete die 3. Using means of commnication 15, said setting signal can be communicated to the discrete die 3 via the telecommunication network 23. The telecommunication network 23 consists of a multitude of nodes 19, which may or may not be interconnected for forming a telecommunication network. Think of the Internet in this connection, for example, but also of other types of telecommunication network may be used, for example wireless (mobile) telecommunication networks or hardwire telecommunication networks, or telecommunication networks based on communication via power lines ("powerline communication" - PLC).

Figure 2 shows an example of a discrete die 3 which is linked to a telecommunication network 23 via means of communication 4. For a description of the telecommunication network 23 and the discrete die 3, reference is made to the above description of figure 1. In the embodiment shown in figure 2, the input means consist of a three-dimensional scanner 26 for scanning a given three-dimensional surface. The three-dimensional scanner 26 consists of a laser device 28 provided with optical means 29. The laser 28 provided with the optical means 29 forms an optical curtain 33 from the laser light for making a line scan of the surface 39 to be scanned. A camera 30 makes pictures of the line scan scanning the object 39. Suitable software in the processing means 35 provides a precise representation of the three-dimensional surface and composes the setting signal for the discrete die 3. The three-dimensional scanner 36 is furthermore provided with means of communication 36 for communicating the setting signal to the telecommunication network 23, from where it is forwarded to the discrete die 3.

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the invention, in which three input means 45, 46 and 47 are connected to the telecommunication network 23. Using said input means 45, 46 and 47, any surface can be scanned, whilst the scanning results can be transmitted to one or more of the discrete dies 40, 41 and 42. The discrete die 41 is also provided with a control unit 43, by means of which the received setting signals can be modified. It is in particular possible to correct defects in the received three-dimensional surfaces either manually or automatically, for example, but it is also possible to compose surfaces which may or may not have been received from different input means, such as the input means 45 and 46, in the control unit 43, which surfaces can subsequently be set as a composite surface in the discrete die 41.

The input means may also comprise a further discrete die rather than of the bed 1 1 of tracer pins shown in figure 1. In figure 3, for example, the unit 45 may be a discrete die comprising an integrated bed of tracer pins. The discrete die 42 may also comprise a bed of tracer pins integrated therein, so that two-way communication between the units 42 and 45 is possible. Thus, shapes scanned in the bed of tracer pins/discrete die 42 can be produced in the bed of tracer pins/discrete die 45, and conversely.

According to another embodiment, the setting signal may be a live-stream continuously varying signal, which is capable of following the changes in a surface being scanned. The scanning beds may for example be designed such that the tracer pins will automatically return to a starting position when they do not make contact with the surface to be scanned. When a three-dimensional surface is moved through the bed of tracer pins, said surface changes can be visualised on the receiving side, for example in the discrete die 40. This opens a new range of applications for the invention regarding the communication of tactile experiences, in particular suitable, for example, for communication between blind or visually handicapped persons.

In the foregoing the invention has been explained on the basis of non-limiting specific embodiments thereof, as shown in the appended figures. Those skilled in the art should realise, however, that the scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.