Single and dual parallel webline assembly
AssigneeCreateMe Technologies LLC
InventorsNicholas CHOPE, Michael William TANGUAY
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods facilitate the automated manufacture of fabric articles. In an example operation, a single web of fabric is unwound and transported to a sequence of stations. At one station, the unwound fabric is cut to create first and second components of the fabric article and a web of remainder fabric. Then the web of remainder fabric is removed from the first and second components of the fabric article. At another station, adhesive is applied to the second component. Then a robot positions the first component onto the second component. At another station, the adhesive is cured. At another station, a design in printed onto the first component.
Claims21
A method of manufacturing a fabric article, comprising:
- moving an unwound fabric continuously along a conveyor including a fabric holding mechanism configured to selectively hold the unwound fabric;
- printing a design onto the unwound fabric;
- cutting the unwound fabric around the design to create a first component and a first web of remainder fabric, wherein the first component includes a first side facing a work surface of the conveyor and a second side opposite the first side;
- cutting the unwound fabric to create a second component and a second web of remainder fabric, wherein the second component includes a first side facing the work surface of the conveyor and a second side opposite the first side;
- removing the first web of remainder fabric from the first component and the second web of remainder fabric from the second component, wherein the fabric holding mechanism is configured to selectively hold the first component and the second component and release the first web of remainder fabric and the second web of remainder fabric;
- applying an adhesive to a first portion the second side of the second component;
- positioning the first component onto the second component such that the second side of the first component faces the second side of the second component;
- and
- bonding the first component to the second component using the adhesive.
-20. (canceled)
An apparatus comprising:
- a conveyor configured to continuously move an unwound fabric, the conveyor including a fabric holding mechanism configured to selectively hold the unwound fabric;
- a printer configured to print a design onto the unwound fabric;
- a cutter configured to cut the unwound fabric to create first and second components of a fabric article and a web of remainder fabric, wherein the first component is created by cutting the unwound fabric around the design, wherein the first component includes a first side facing a work surface of the conveyor and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the fabric holding mechanism is configured to selectively hold the first component and the second component and release the web of remainder fabric;
- an adhesive applicator configured to apply an adhesive to the second side of the second component;
- an actuator configured to position the first component onto the second component such that the second side of the first component faces the second component;
- and
- a bonding station configured to bond the first component to the second component using the adhesive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.