A platen is often used for direct to garment textile printing (e.g., to print lettering and/or design on t-shirts and other garments). The garment may be placed on the platen for a variety of printing operations. Depending on the printing operation, an operator may need to use more than one different platen during the printing operation. For example, the operator may first need to use a pretreatment platen for pretreating the garment fabric. The operator may then need to use a heat press platen for heat pressing the garment. Then the operator may need to use a printing platen for printing on the garment, followed by a final curing heat press operation.
Not only does the operator have to use multiple different types of platens, but the operator also has to handle the garment and platen during each of the various printing stages. For example, a garment may need to be placed on and aligned on each of the different platens during the printing process. Having to load, stretch, and then repeat this process for each of the various platens increases the time required for the printing operations.
Direct to garment printing can be used to print lettering and/or design on a garment, such as but not limited to a t-shirt or other shirt. In an example, the garment is positioned on a platen, the garment is sprayed with a pretreatment solution and then placed onto a heat press to cure the pretreatment (e.g., for about 30 seconds at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit, at pressures of about 500-800 lbf). The garment is then removed and placed on a direct to garment printer for printing, and then the garment is placed on a heat press to cure the ink (e.g., for about 60 seconds at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit at about 500-800 lbf). This process involves moving the shirt from station to station.
Previously, the technique required placing the garment on a platen, then removing the garment from the platen and placing the garment on another platen for each station. In addition to needing to have multiple platens, one for each station, which also requires more handling time, the shirt may move and become misaligned for printing, and the artwork may become smeared by contact with the operator.
A heat pressable platen is described herein which eliminates the need to transfer the garment from the platen at any point during the printing process. That is, the same platen is used for each station, thereby reducing the number of platens needed for a print operation, reducing operator handling and total print time, decreasing the risk of damage to the shirt during the printing operation, and reducing or altogether eliminating the risk of misalignment of the area of the shirt which was pre-treated and the area of the shirt to be printed on.
In an example, the heat pressable platen “wears” the garment so that only one layer of material is above the printing surface. The platen is sufficiently thin to fit into most standard heat press units. The garment is held in place during transfer from each station (e.g., from pretreatment to heat press to print and back to the heat press), without having to remove the shirt from the platen. The platen is configured to withstand the extreme force applied during the heat pressing process. The platen also enables the user to load a shirt onto a single platen that follows the shirt through the entire process, thereby eliminating excess handling and the risk of misalignment. The heat pressable platen may be used with, but is not limited to implementation with, the TucLoc™, T Grip™, and Tag Along™ systems.
Before continuing, it should be noted that the examples described above are provided for purposes of illustration, and are not intended to be limiting. Other devices and/or device configurations may be utilized to carry out the operations described herein.
It is further noted that as used herein, the terms “includes” and “including” mean, but is not limited to, “includes” or “including” and “includes at least” or “including at least.” The term “based on” means “based on” and “based at least in part on.” Although the term “shirt” and “shirtboard” are used herein, the platen is not limited to use with shirts, and may be used with any substrate. In addition, the platen is not limited to use with heat pressing, and may also be implemented for other applications.
In an example, backing 14 may be rotatably coupled to the shirtboard 12. For example, the backing 14 may be hinged to the shirtboard 12. In
When the shirtboard 12 is closed against the cushioned surface 16 (not shown), the shirtboard 12 is substantially parallel to the backing 14 and lays flat against the cushioned surface 16. As such, when the platen 10 is placed in a heat press with the garment 1, the shirt is supported even as the platen 10 is compressed by the heat press during a printing operation.
In an example, a latching mechanism 20 selectively retains the shirtboard 12 against the backing 14 in a closed position. The latching mechanism 20 may include a catch 22. The catch 22 may be slanted to enable the shirtboard 12 to bias the latching mechanism 20 outward as the shirtboard 12 is pressed closed against the backing 14. The latching mechanism 20 may also include a support lip 24 against which the shirtboard 12 is pressed between the catch and support lip 24 when in a closed position. The latching mechanism 20 may also include a release handle 26. The release handle may be pulled outward to release the latching mechanism 20 so that the shirtboard 12 can be moved to an open position.
While an example latching mechanism 20 is shown herein, it is noted that the platen 10 may be implemented with any suitable latching mechanism and is not limited to the example shown in
In an example, the platen may include a cut-out 28 (e.g., an opening formed through the shirtboard). The cut-out 28 may be provided to enable printing on the inside portion of the garment 1. For example, the cut-out 28 may be provided in the collar area of a shirt such that the cut-out enables printing a tag or label on the inside shirt collar of the shirt. A tag printing cut-out enables separate printing of a label (e.g., a t-shirt tag) so that the label can be printed directly on the inside of the back collar or shirt neck without having to remove the shirt from the platen for a separate printing operation.
The separator 38 may be positioned between the shirtboard 32 and the springboard 36, such that the shirtboard 32 is substantially parallel to the backing 34 and is separated from the spring board 36 to enable mounting of a garment therebetween, as illustrated in
The spring board 36 may be mounted to the backing 34 by at least one support. In the example, the supports may be configured between the backing 34 and the spring board 36 as an array (e.g., 4 rows of 4 supports are shown in each row in
In an example, the supports may be spring loaded pins. The spring loaded pins may include springs 52a-d over pins 53a-d, as shown in
During operation, the springs 52a-d bias the spring board 36 in a raised position away from the backing 34. As such, the pins 53a-d do not interfere with loading a garment on the shirtboard 32. During a heat press operation (i.e., when the platen 30 is loaded into a heat press, and the heat press is lowered onto the platen 30), the pressure on the shirtboard 32 (e.g., as illustrated in
While an example of supports is shown herein for purposes of illustration, it is noted that the platen 30 may be implemented with any suitable supports and is not limited to the example spring loaded pins shown in the Figures. Other types and/or arrangement of supports may be provided, as will be readily understood by those having ordinary skill in the art after becoming familiar with the teachings herein.
In an example, the platen 30 may include a cut-out 48 (e.g., an opening formed through the shirtboard). The cut-out 48 may be provided to enable printing on the inside portion of the garment 1. For example, the cut-out 48 may be provided in the collar area of a shirt such that the cut-out enables printing a tag or label on the inside shirt collar of the shirt. A tag printing cut-out enables separate printing of a label (e.g., a t-shirt tag) so that the label can be printed directly on the inside of the back collar or shirt neck without having to remove the shirt from the platen for a separate printing operation,
Before continuing, it should be noted that the examples described above are provided for purposes of illustration, and are not intended to be limiting. Other devices and/or device configurations may be utilized to carry out the operations described herein.
A method of printing on a garment includes threading the garment 1 onto a board (e.g., a shirtboard) so that the board is wearing the garment. In an example operation the shirtboard is cantilevered to temporarily move and enable unobstructed threading of a garment on the shirtboard. In this example, the platen includes a swing away shirtboard that enables unimpeded loading of a garment, and rotates into a locked position to support the shirtboard under compression during a heat pressing operation.
In another example, the shirtboard is supported by spring loaded pins that drop away for loading, and support compression for heat pressing.
In an example, the printing operation includes first pre-treating a fabric of the garment on the board, then heat-pressing the fabric of the garment on the board, and then printing on the garment. Pre-treating, heat-pressing, and printing is all performed without removing the garment from the board.
In an example, the method may also include printing a label or “tag” on the inside of a back portion of the garment (e.g., inside the shirt collar 2) via a tag printing cut-out of the platen. The tag printing cut-out enables separate printing of a label (e.g., a t-shirt tag) so that the label can be printed directly on the inside of the back collar or shirt neck without having to remove the shirt from the platen for separate printing.
The operations shown and described herein are provided to illustrate example implementations. It is noted that the operations are not limited to the ordering shown. Still other operations may also be implemented. In addition, the operations are illustrated in
It is noted that the examples shown and described are provided for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting. Still other examples are also contemplated.
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/088,123 titled “Heat Pressable Platen” of Darren Livingston filed on Dec. 5, 2014, hereby incorporated by reference for all that is disclosed as though fully set forth herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62088123 | Dec 2014 | US |