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US 8,465,143 B1Granted
System and method for printing on textiles
AssigneeCafePress Inc.
InventorsRobert Marino, Fred Edward Durham, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods and apparatuses are described for a continuous line process of printing a digital continuously variable image on a textile. The systems and methods provide for accomplishing all tasks associated with printing a textile simultaneously for multiple textiles at varying stages of the printing process without interruption.
Claims20
A method for printing an image on a textile comprising:
- mounting a textile on a platen;
- placing the textile mounted on the platen at a first location on an automatic conveying means;
- conveying the textile mounted on the platen to a print pretreatment mechanism pretreating the textile mounted on the platen;
- conveying the pretreated textile mounted on the platen to a curing mechanism;
- conveying the pretreated textile mounted on the platen to a printing mechanism;
- printing, with a single pass printing system, an image on the textile mounted on the platen, the single pass printing system including at least two print heads, each print head including multiple nozzles, the at least two print heads moving relative to the textile only along a single axis and printing the entire image on the textile in no more than a single pass over the textile;
- conveying the textile mounted on the platen with a printed image to a curing mechanism;
- curing the printed image on the textile mounted on the platen;
- conveying the textile mounted on the platen with a printed image to an offloading area;
- and
- offloading the textile from the platen.
8 more elements
A system for direct to garment printing comprising:
- a platen for mounting a textile undergoing a printing process;
- a means for conveying the platen mounted with the textile through the printing process;
- a mechanism for pretreating an area of the textile, the mechanism for pretreating being located along the conveying means;
- a mechanism for curing the area of the textile after pretreating the area of the textile, the mechanism for curing being located along the conveying means;
- a single pass printing system for printing an image on the pretreated area of the textile the mechanism for printing an image being located along the means for conveying, the single pass printing system including at least two print heads, each print head including multiple nozzles, the at least two print heads moving relative to the textile only along a single axis and printing the entire image on the textile in no more than a single pass over the textile;
- a mechanism for curing the image on textile the mechanism for curing the image being located along the means for conveying;
- and
- a mechanism for offloading the platen mounted with a textile from the means for conveying.
5 more elements
An apparatus for printing on a textile comprising:
- a platen for holding a textile;
- a conveying means for positioning the platen holding the textile;
- a mechanism for pretreating the textile, wherein the mechanism for pretreating the textile moveably located above the conveying means;
- a first curing unit to cure the pretreated textile, wherein the first curing unit is moveably located above the conveying means;
- a single pass printing system for printing an image on the textile, wherein the single pass printing system is located above the conveying means, and the single pass printing system includes at least two print heads, each print head including multiple nozzles, the at least two print heads moving relative to the textile only along a single axis and printing the entire image on the textile in no more than a single pass over the textile;
- a second curing unit to cure the printed image, wherein the second curing unit is moveably located above the conveying means;
- and
- a controller wherein the controller manipulates the conveying means for positioning the platen holding the textile, the mechanism for pretreating the textile, the first and the second curing units and the at least two print heads.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.