Patent ID: 11897188
Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 11:
12. A method of printing on fabric, the method comprising:
loading a thermoplastic material into a nozzle of an extruder of a three dimensional (3D) printer;
positioning on a support structure in a print area of the 3D printer a fabric having fibers, wherein the support structure holds the fabric in a stretched condition;
heating the thermoplastic material to a temperature that is equal to or greater than a melting point temperature of the fabric;
heating the fabric to a temperature that is above ambient temperature and below the melting point temperature of the fabric; and
extruding the heated thermoplastic material from the nozzle as a filament onto the fabric in the print area to at least partially melt at least some of the fibers in the fabric to provide a secure bond between the heated thermoplastic material and the fabric and yield a printed pattern on the fabric.