Heat press suitable for applying a water-based ink print on a stack of fabric layers of different sizes
OwnerEric Solomoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat press includes a screen printing head and a stamp unit. The stamp unit includes a frame, carriages, a support, and a platen or ironer. A horizontal position of the platen relative to the screen printing head can be adjusted by unlocking carriages from guide rails and sliding the carriages while the frame remains attached to the screen printing head. Also, the platen is coupled to the support so that a horizontal position of the platen relative to the support is fixed, and a vertical position of the platen relative to the support is floating. The heat press is suitable for applying a print on a substrate, such as a stack of fabric layers of different sizes.
Claims12
A stamp unit for use in a heat press, comprising:
- a frame, the frame including guide rails;
- carriages, each of the carriages being capable of sliding in a first direction along one of the guide rails and being locked to or unlocked from the one of the guide rails;
- a support attached to all of the carriages;
- and
- a platen, the platen being coupled to the support so that a horizontal position of the platen relative to the support is fixed, and a vertical position of the platen relative to the support is floating, wherein springs apply a biasing force pushing the platen away from the support,
- wherein a horizontal position of the platen relative to a screen printing head of the heat press can be adjusted by unlocking the carriages from the guide rails and sliding the carriages in the first direction while the frame remains attached to the screen printing head.
A method of using a stamp unit in a heat press, the stamp unit including a frame, carriages, a support, and a platen, the method comprising:
- attaching the frame to a screen printing head of the heat press;
- unlocking the carriages from guide rails included in the frame;
- sliding the carriages in a first direction along the guide rails while the frame remains attached;
- adjusting horizontal position of the platen relative to the screen printing head;
- and
- allowing vertical movement of the platen relative to the support while preventing horizontal movement of the platen relative to the support, wherein springs apply a biasing force pushing the platen away from the support.
A heat press including a stamp unit, the heat press comprising:
- a screen printing head;
- and
- a stamp unit, the stamp unit including a frame, carriages, a support, and a platen,
- wherein the frame is attached to the screen printing head,
- wherein the frame includes guide rails;
- wherein each of the carriages is capable of sliding in a first direction along one of the guide rails and being locked to or unlocked from the one of the guide rails;
- wherein the support is attached to all of the carriages,
- wherein the platen is coupled to the support so that a horizontal position of the platen relative to the support is fixed, a vertical position of the platen relative to the support is floating, and springs apply a biasing force pushing the platen away from the support;
- and
- wherein a horizontal position of the platen relative to the screen printing head can be adjusted by unlocking the carriages from the guide rails and sliding the carriages in the first direction while the frame remains attached to the screen printing head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.