Direct printing to fabric
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsDavid P. Jones, Ryan R. Larson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed for three-dimensional printing directly onto an article of apparel. Disclosed is a method and system for direct three-dimensional printing onto an article of apparel, including positioning at least a portion of the article on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray, printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the article using a three-dimensional pattern, curing the printed material, and removing the article from the three-dimensional printing system.
Claims20
A method of direct three-dimensional printing onto an article of apparel, comprising:
- positioning a fabric portion of the article of apparel on a flat tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the fabric portion being positioned substantially flat on the flat tray to provide a fabric printing substrate;
- printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the fabric portion in a pattern such that the fabric portion is exposed between portions of the three-dimensional material, wherein the three-dimensional material is a different material than the fabric portion;
- and
- curing the three-dimensional material such that the three-dimensional material is adhered to the fabric portion.
A method of fabricating an article of apparel, comprising:
- providing a print pattern to a print server;
- positioning a fabric portion of the article of apparel on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system to provide a fabric printing substrate, wherein the fabric portion has at least one irregular surface having an irregular surface topology;
- printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the fabric portion using the three-dimensional printing system according to the print pattern, wherein printing the three-dimensional material comprises compensating for irregularities in the at least one irregular surface by adjusting one or more printing properties of the three-dimensional printing system, wherein the three-dimensional material is a different material than the fabric portion;
- curing the three-dimensional material;
- and
- assembling the article of apparel using the fabric portion.
A method of fabricating an article of apparel, comprising:
- providing at least a first print pattern and a second print pattern to a print server;
- positioning at least a first fabric portion of the article of apparel on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system to provide a first fabric printing substrate, wherein the first fabric portion corresponds to a first region of the article of apparel;
- printing at least one layer of a first three-dimensional material directly onto the first fabric portion using the first print pattern, wherein the first three-dimensional material is a different material than the first fabric portion;
- allowing the at least one layer of the first three-dimensional material to at least partially absorb into the first fabric portion;
- curing the at least one layer of the first three-dimensional material;
- positioning at least a second fabric portion of the article of apparel on the tray to provide a second fabric printing substrate;
- printing at least one layer of a second three-dimensional material directly onto the second fabric portion using the second printing pattern, wherein the second three-dimensional material is a different material than the second fabric portion;
- allowing the at least one layer of the second three-dimensional material to at least partially absorb into the second fabric portion;
- curing the at least one layer of the second three-dimensional material;
- and
- assembling the article of apparel using the first and second fabric portions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.