# US 10,766,289 B2 · Cloth holder, fabric printing apparatus, and heating device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,289 B2 - Document ID: US10766289B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/834,189 - Filed: 2017-12-07 - Published: 2018-06-21 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-19 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Takeyuki Kobayashi; Yoshinori Uchino - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766289B2 ## CPC - B41M 7/009: {using thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat} - B41J 3/4078: {Printing on textile} - B41J 11/06: Flat page-size platens {or smaller flat platens having a greater size than line-size platens (B41J11/0085 takes precedence)} - B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P) - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract A cloth holder includes a base and a platen to hold a cloth. The platen is movable and includes a flange. A flange cover sandwiches the cloth together with the flange of the platen. The flange cover includes a supported end in a longitudinal direction of the cloth holder that is pivotally supported by the base. The flange cover is opened and closed relative to the base. A cloth stretcher stretches the cloth placed on the platen while the flange cover is moved. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cloth holder comprising: a base; a platen to hold a cloth, the platen being movable and including a flange; a flange cover to sandwich the cloth together with the flange of the platen, the flange cover including a supported end in a longitudinal direction of the cloth holder that is pivotally supported by the base, the flange cover to be opened and closed relative to the base; and a cloth stretcher to stretch the cloth placed on the platen while the flange cover is moved, wherein the platen tilts relative to the base while the flange cover is opened. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cloth holder according to claim 1, wherein the cloth stretcher includes: a first support to support the platen, the first support having a first height in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cloth holder; and a second support to support the platen, the second support being disposed farther from the supported end of the flange cover in the longitudinal direction of the cloth holder than the first support is, the second support having a second height in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cloth holder. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cloth holder according to claim 2, wherein the first height of the first support is equivalent to the second height of the second support while the flange cover is opened. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The cloth holder according to claim 2, wherein the second height of the second support is greater than the first height of the first support while the flange cover is opened. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The cloth holder according to claim 2, wherein each of the first support and the second support includes: a first hollow column mounted on the base; a second hollow column to contact the platen and movably engage the first hollow column; and a compression spring disposed between the first hollow column and the second hollow column. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A fabric printing apparatus comprising the cloth holder according to claim 1. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A heating device for heating a cloth bearing an image printed by a fabric printing apparatus according to claim 1. ### Claim 8 A cloth holder comprising: a base; a platen to hold a cloth, the platen being movable and including a flange; a flange cover to sandwich the cloth together with the flange of the platen, the flange cover including a supported end in a longitudinal direction of the cloth holder that is pivotally supported by the base, the flange cover to be opened and closed relative to the base; and a cloth stretcher to stretch the cloth placed on the platen while the flange cover is moved, wherein the cloth stretcher includes a presser, mounted on the flange cover, to press the cloth toward a position interposed between the platen and the base when the flange cover is closed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The cloth holder according to claim 8, wherein the flange cover and the flange of the platen sandwich the cloth to keep a print portion of the cloth where an image is to be printed to be planar. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The cloth holder according to claim 9, further comprising: an accommodation chamber defined between the platen and the base, wherein the presser presses a surplus portion of the cloth toward the accommodation chamber, the surplus portion being other than the print portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The cloth holder according to claim 8, wherein the presser is movable relative to the flange cover. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cloth holder according to claim 11, further comprising: a shaft, mounted on the flange cover, to pivotally support the presser. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The cloth holder according to claim 12, further comprising: a roller rotatably mounted on a front end of the presser. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The cloth holder according to claim 13, further comprising: a resilient member, anchored to the presser and the flange cover, to exert resilience to the presser. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The cloth holder according to claim 14, wherein the resilient member includes a compression spring. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The cloth holder according to claim 8, further comprising: a hinge through which the supported end of the cloth holder is pivotally supported by the base. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) A fabric printing apparatus comprising the cloth holder according to claim 8. ### Claim 18 (depends on 8) A heating device for heating a cloth bearing an image printed by a fabric printing apparatus according to claim 8.