Cloth heating apparatus, cloth heating method, method of applying image to cloth, medium heating apparatus

A cloth heating apparatus includes a body, a receiver, a cloth holder, and a heater. The receiver is disposed in the body. The cloth holder is removably attached to the receiver, to hold a cloth. The heater is disposed in the body, to heat the cloth. The cloth holder is removably attachable to a printing apparatus to print an image on the cloth, with the cloth held on the cloth holder.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is based on and claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2016-203946, filed on Oct. 17, 2016, and 2017-129751, filed on Jun. 30, 2017 in the Japan Patent Office, the entire disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a cloth heating apparatus, a cloth heating method, a method of applying an image to a cloth, and a medium heating apparatus.

Related Art

An apparatus is known that includes a support to support a cloth, a head to discharge a liquid onto a medium conveyed on the support, and a drying unit to dry the liquid landed on the medium. The apparatus includes a heating area and a non-heating area. The drying unit is disposed in the heating area, and the support and the head are disposed in the non-heating area.

In an apparatus, such as a textile printing apparatus, to apply an image on a cloth (including a processed article, such as a T-shirt), for example, when printing is performed using a liquid discharge head, the apparatus not only dries the cloth on which liquid is adhered to print an image, but also fixes the image on the cloth by heating the cloth for a certain period of time at relatively high temperature.

SUMMARY

In an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cloth heating apparatus that includes a body, a receiver, a cloth holder, and a heater. The receiver is disposed in the body. The cloth holder is removably attached to the receiver, to hold a cloth. The heater is disposed in the body to heat the cloth. The cloth holder is removably attachable to a printing apparatus to print an image on the cloth, with the cloth held on the cloth holder.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cloth heating method using the cloth heating apparatus. The method includes one of pressing the heater and the cloth held on the cloth holder with a pressure of 50 kPa or less and holding the heater and the cloth held on the cloth holder in non-contact with each other; and heating the cloth holder with the heater at a temperature of 170° C. or less for a time period of one minute or greater and two minutes or less.

In still another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cloth heating method using the cloth heating apparatus. The method includes heating the cloth before the image is printed on the cloth, and heating the cloth after the image is printed on the cloth with the printing apparatus.

In still yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of applying an image to a cloth. The method includes holding a cloth on a cloth holder; attaching the cloth holder holding the cloth to a cloth heating apparatus; preheating the cloth with the cloth holder holding the cloth being attached to the cloth heating apparatus; removing the cloth holder from the cloth heating apparatus after the preheating; attaching the cloth holder removed from the cloth heating apparatus to a printing apparatus; printing an image on the cloth with the printing apparatus; removing the cloth holder from the printing apparatus after the printing; attaching the cloth holder removed from the printing apparatus to the cloth heating apparatus; and postheating the cloth having the image, with the cloth holder holding the cloth being attached to the cloth heating apparatus.

In still further yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a medium heating apparatus that includes a body, a receiver, a medium holder, and a heater. The receiver is disposed in the body. The medium holder is removably attached to the receiver, to hold a medium. The heater is disposed in the body, to heat the medium. The medium holder is removably attachable to a printing apparatus to print an image on the medium, with the medium held on the medium holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. A heating apparatus to heat a cloth (hereinafter referred to as “heating apparatus”) according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is described with reference toFIG. 1.FIG. 1is a schematic view of the heating apparatus in the present embodiment.

The heating apparatus500includes a receiver503and a heater504in a body501. A cassette200is a tray (hereinafter referred to as “cloth holder”) to hold a cloth400to which an image is to be applied, and is detachably mounted (or may be only “placed”) on the receiver503. The heater504is a heating unit that heat the cloth400in contact or non-contact with the cloth400. The cassette200as the cloth holder can also be used for an apparatus (printing apparatus) that prints an image on the cloth400while holding the cloth400.

The heater504is preferably, for example, a mica heater or a silicon rubber heater. Since the silicon rubber heater heats the cloth400with rubber having a flexible surface, a flat plate, such as a sheet metal, is preferably disposed on the surface to heat the cloth400. Fluorine resin processing or water repellent processing is preferably performed on the cloth-side surface of the flat plate to prevent adhesion of ink.

The receiver503also acts as a moving device to relatively move the cassette200back and forth (in this case, upward and downward) with respect to the heater504as the heating unit, to relatively move the cloth400held by the cassette200and the heater504.

In the body501, a heat insulator505is disposed above the heater504. Fans506are disposed on lateral sides of the body501.

Next, a series of flows of a method of heating a cloth using the heating apparatus500and a method of applying an image to the cloth are described below.

First, a cloth400, to which an image is to be applied, is held on the cassette200.

Next, the cassette200holding the cloth400is mounted and set on the receiver503of the heating apparatus500. The receiver503is raised, and the cloth400is pressed against the heater504with a predetermined pressing force.

At this time, the heater504generates heat at a predetermined temperature to heat the cloth400pressed against the heater504. After heating for a predetermined time, the receiver503descends and the cloth400is separated from the heater504(preliminary process). Thus, the cassette200is taken out from the heating apparatus500while holding the cloth400. Note that water is preferably applied to the cloth in a mist form before heating.

Then (after completion of the preliminary process), the cassette200is set in a printing apparatus1, which is described later, to perform desired printing (printing process).

After completion of the printing process, the cassette200holding the cloth400, on which the image has been printed, is taken out of the printing apparatus1and set on the receiver503of the heating apparatus500. Then, the receiver503is raised, and the printed cloth400is brought closer to the heater504and heated. After heating for a predetermined time, the receiver503descends (post process and fixing process).

In the post process, the cloth400and the heater504are not pressed against each other. The heater504heats the cloth400without contacting the cloth400. Such a configuration can reduce contamination on the printed surface and damage to the cloth400. Alternatively, the heater504may heat the cloth400while contacting the cloth400in the post process with a weaker pressing force than in the preliminary process.

Note that the ascending and descending of the cassette200may be performed by automatically or manually moving the receiver503.

In this manner, the cassette200holding the cloth400, on which the image is printed with the printing apparatus1, can be used in the heating apparatus500without being removed from the heating apparatus500. As a result, the cloth can be heated simply by setting the cassette200as the cloth holder holding the cloth in the heating apparatus500, thus enhancing the workability in heating the cloth. Such a configuration can prevent the printed surface of the cloth400from being disturbed by wrinkles or partial overlap even when the cloth400is carried, thus enhancing the workability in applying (printing and heating) an image on the cloth400.

In the above-described example, the heating apparatus500is used before and after the printing process. In some embodiments, for example, the heating apparatus500may be used only in the preliminary process or the post process of the printing process.

Here, an example of the fixing performance when a silicon rubber heater is used as the heating unit is described below.

The fixing performance was evaluated by wet fastness according to Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) L-0849.

Printing was performed on a cloth of 100% cotton with a printing apparatus and ink containing water, ethylene glycol, acetone, etc. was fixed on the cloth at predetermined fixing conditions (pressing force: pressure, temperature, and time: heating time (contact time)). A heavy-weight T-shirt was used as the cloth.

As the fixing conditions, the following four conditions were used and compared. Note that the pressure of 0 kPa indicates a state in which the cloth and the heating portion are not in contact with each other.

The measurements were performed according to JIS L-0849. Ink rubbed and adhered to a test piece was measured with a reflection densitometer. Results of the measurements are presented inFIG. 2.

From the results ofFIG. 2, it can be seen that the fastness in the case of Condition 3 of non-contact, relatively low temperature, and short heating time is lower than the fastness in the case of any of the other Conditions 1, 2, and 4.FIG. 2presents the results of the heavyweight T-shirt. However, similar results are obtained for trainers and lightweight T-shirts.

Next, heating and damage to the cloth were evaluated.

Here, as illustrated inFIGS. 3A to 3C, a heavyweight T-shirt (of a thickness of about 0.9 mm), a trainer, a lightweight T-shirt (of a thickness of about 0.2 mm) are used as the cloths. The heating temperature was set to 160° C. and 170° C. The heating time was set to 0.5 minutes, 1 minute, 2 minutes, and 3 minutes. The cloths were heated with no load (non-contact).

Then, the density of black (Bk) of each heated cloth was measured with a reflection spectral densitometer (of the model name 939 manufactured by X-Rite Inc.).FIGS. 3A to 3Cpresents conversion values obtained when the reflection density prior to heating (at the heating time of 0) is set to “1.00”. For example, in the column of heavyweight T-shirt inFIG. 3A, the value “1.05”, which was obtained by heating the cloth at the temperature of 170° C. for 3 minutes, indicates that the density was 1.05 times of the density prior to heating (at the heating time of 0).

As a result, the trainer heated at 170° C. for 3 minutes had a density of about 1.16 times higher than before heating, such that the difference in density between before and after the heating can be seen visually. Likewise, the trainer heated for 2 minutes had a slight change in density. The light-weight T-shirt heated at 170° C. for 3 minutes also had a slight change in density. The heavy-weight T-shirt did not have so much visible change in density as the other cloths.

From the results, it can be found that, depending on the type of the cloth, even in no load (non-contact) state, the cloth may be damaged when the cloth is exposed to the heater at high temperature for a long time.

Here, it is considered preferable to treat the cloth at high pressure and high temperature to fix an image on the cloth in a short time. However, to reduce damage to the cloth, it is preferable to set the pressure to about 50 kPa or less, the temperature to 170° C. or less, the time to 1 minute or greater and 2 minutes or less. Such a configuration can maintain high print quality while reducing damage to a wide range of cloths from thin cloth to thick cloth.

Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure is described with reference toFIGS. 4 and 5.FIG. 4is a schematic view of the apparatus (heating apparatus) of heating cloth according to the second embodiment.FIG. 5is a plan view of the heater in the second embodiment.

In the present embodiment, the heating apparatus500includes a table513to receive the cassette200and a lift514constituted of a pantograph jack as a moving device to move the table513upward and downward. The lift514constituted of the pantograph jack can control driving of a motor515disposed outside the body501to adjust the height of the lift514, thus allowing adjustment of the distance between the table513as a receiving member and the heater504.

The table513is provided with a distance sensor516to measure the distance to the heater504so that the height position of the table513can be adjusted according to the thickness of the cloth400.

The heater504as the heating unit includes a plurality of heater portions504A that are a plurality of heating regions (divided heating regions) in which the amount of heat generation can be changed. Each of the heater portions504A can control ON/OFF and heat generation amount.

Next, the apparatus (heating apparatus) of heating cloth according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure is described with reference toFIGS. 6 to 9.FIG. 6is an external perspective view of the heating apparatus according to the third embodiment.FIG. 7is a perspective view of a state in which a front cover (front door) of the heating apparatus ofFIG. 6is opened.FIG. 8is a perspective view of an elevation assembly of the heating apparatus ofFIG. 6.FIG. 9is a perspective view of a cam assembly in the elevation assembly ofFIG. 8.

The heating apparatus500includes a front cover502, which is operable and closable, on a front face of the body501. The heating apparatus500includes a table553and a heating unit in the body501. The table553is a receiving member on which the cassette200to hold cloth400is detachably mounted (placed). The heating unit heats the cloth. Similarly with the above-described embodiments, the cassette200, which is the cloth holder, can also be used for an apparatus (printing apparatus) that prints an image on the cloth400while holding the cloth400.

The table553is held on a table elevation assembly555.

The table elevation assembly555includes a holding table556(seeFIG. 7) to hold the table553and a cam assembly557to move the holding table556upward and downward.

The cam assembly557includes an elevation lever558held in a bottom plate551of the body501so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction. The elevation lever558is provided with a first inclined cam portion561and a second inclined cam portion562that have different heights from each other. Note that the height of the uppermost surface of the first inclined cam portion561is lower than the height of the uppermost surface of the second inclined cam portion562.

Roller holders567and568are secured on the bottom surface of the holding table556. The roller holders567and568rotatably holds a first roller563that follows the first inclined cam portion561and a second roller564that follows the second inclined cam portion562. The holding table556is held on the cam assembly557via the first roller563and the second roller564.

Here, as illustrated inFIG. 8, when the elevation lever558is rotated in a direction indicated by arrow HA from an initial position at which the elevation lever558is centered, the first roller563moves over the first inclined cam portion561. Accordingly, the holding table556is raised to a height H1.

Similarly, when the elevation lever558is rotated in a direction indicated by arrow HB inFIG. 8from the initial position, the second roller564moves over the second inclined cam portion562. Accordingly, the holding table556is raised to a height H2(H2>H1).

As described above, since the holding table556is moved up and down by operating the elevation lever558, the height of the cassette200, which is placed on the table553held by the holding table556, changes, thus allowing adjustment of a gap and a pressing force between the cloth and the heating unit.

Next, an example of the printing apparatus is described with reference toFIGS. 10 to 12.FIG. 10is an outer perspective view of an example of the printing apparatus.FIG. 11is a perspective view of the entire configuration of the printing apparatus ofFIG. 10.FIG. 12is a perspective view of the printing apparatus ofFIG. 10seen from a direction different fromFIG. 11.

The printing apparatus1includes a stage111and a printing device112in a body100. The stage111is a receiving member to move back and forth and hold the cassette200, which is to hold the cloth400, so that the cassette200is detachably mounted in the body100. The printing device112performs printing on the cloth400held by the cassette200, which is held by the stage111.

Here, examples of the cloth400include not only a cloth made of a single piece of cloth, such as a handkerchief or a towel, but also a cloth processed as a clothing, such as a T-shirt or a trainer, a cloth constituting part of a product, such as a tote bag, and so forth.

The stage111is disposed on a conveyance structure113that is held so as to be movable in a direction (feed direction) indicated by arrow Y (hereinafter, Y direction) with respect to the body100. Here, conveyance guides115are arranged along the Y direction in a bottom casing114of the body100. Slider portions116of the conveyance structure113are movably held by the conveyance guides115. The stage111is disposed so as to be movable upward and downward in a direction indicated by arrow Z (hereinafter Z direction) with respect to the slider portions116, thus allowing adjustment of a gap between the stage111and a head122of the printing device112.

The printing device112includes a carriage121and the head122. The carriage121is movable in a direction (main scanning direction) indicated by arrow X (hereinafter, X direction) with respect to the stage111. The head122is mounted on the carriage121. The carriage121is movably held with a guide123disposed along the X direction. A driving motor124moves the carriage121back and forth the X direction via a scanning assembly, such as a timing belt125. In this example, the head122is a liquid discharge head to discharge ink onto a surface of a cloth to form an image. However, examples of the head are not limited to the liquid discharge head but may be any other suitable type of head.

In the printing apparatus1, with the cloth400set on the cassette200, the cassette200is held and mounted on the stage111in the body100. By repeating the reciprocal movement of the stage111along the Y direction and the reciprocal movement of the head122in the X direction, a desired image is printed on the cloth400.

Next, an example of the cassette is described with reference toFIGS. 13 to 15.FIG. 13is a perspective view of an example of the cassette.FIG. 14is a perspective view of a state in which a peripheral cover of the cassette ofFIG. 13is opened.FIG. 15is a cross-sectional view of the cassette ofFIG. 13cut along the short direction of the cassette.

The cassette200has a cassette base201being a base member, and a platen300. The platen300is a cloth holder to hold a print target portion of the cloth400in a flat state.

The platen300includes a platen structure302and a heat insulator301. The heat insulator301constitutes a surface to hold the cloth400in a flat state. The heat insulator301has heat resistance against heating by the heating apparatus500.

A platen peripheral cover202, which is an outer peripheral cover, is provided on the cassette base201so as to be openable and closable in a direction indicated by arrow by a hinge203. The platen peripheral cover202has an opening202ain a portion corresponding to the platen300and presses the cloth400between the platen peripheral cover202and a flange portion300athat is an outer peripheral portion of the platen300.

The platen300is supported by supports311with respect to the cassette base201and an accommodation space312is formed between the platen300and the cassette base201, to accommodate a surplus portion400aof the cloth400. Examples of the surplus portion400aare sleeves, collar mouth, skirt, etc. when printing is performed on the front side of, e.g., a T-shirt.

Here, the platen300is attachable to and detachable from the cassette base201and is exchangeable. Accordingly, a plurality of platens300can be prepared so that, during printing operation on a cloth on one platen300, another cloth can be wound around another platen300. By simply replacing the platen300after printing and fixing, printing of the next cloth can be promptly started.

When the cloth400is set in the cassette200, as illustrated inFIG. 14, the platen peripheral cover202is opened and the cloth400is set (held) on the platen300. At this time, as illustrated inFIG. 13, the platen peripheral cover202is closed in a state illustrated inFIG. 15where the surplus portion (extra portion)400aof the cloth400is accommodated in the accommodation space312.

When an image is printed on the cloth400, the cassette200is mounted (set) on the stage111of the body100of the printing apparatus1.

As described above, the cloth400to be printed can be placed on the platen300in a state where the entire cassette200is taken out of the body100, thus facilitating the work of setting the cloth400on the platen300.

After completion of printing with the printing apparatus1, the cassette200can be set and heated on the receiver503, the table513, or the table553of the heating apparatus500while holding the cloth400, thus enhancing the workability of heating.

Next, an information storage of the cassette is described with reference toFIG. 16.FIG. 16is a perspective view of an example of the information storage of the cassette.

An information storage290to hold information is provided at a part of the cassette200. The information storage290is preferably provided at a position at which the information storage290is inserted into the body100of the printing apparatus1or the body501of the heating apparatus500.

On the other hand, a writing-and-reading unit590to write and read information to and from the information storage290is disposed on the table553(or the table513in the second embodiment) of the heating apparatus500. Likewise, another writing-and-reading unit590to write and read information to and from the information storage290is disposed on the stage111of the printing apparatus1.

The information storage290and the writing-and-reading unit590may be either contact type or non-contact type. Here, the information storage290of the cassette200can hold information (fixing data) relating to, e.g., heating temperature and heating time (for each region in case of performing divided heating) and information on printing.

Accordingly, by attaching the cassette200to the heating apparatus500, the heating temperature and heating time can be read on the heating apparatus500side to perform heating control according to the read heating temperature and heating time.

Next, an image applying system is described with reference toFIG. 17.FIG. 17is a block diagram of an image applying system1000including the heating apparatus500according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In the present embodiment, the image applying system1000includes the printing apparatus1, the heating apparatus500, and the cassette200to be shared by the printing apparatus1and the heating apparatus500. The heating apparatus500according to the present embodiment has the same configuration as the configuration of the heating apparatus500according to the second embodiment. However, the configuration of the heating apparatus500is not limited to the configuration in the second embodiment but may be the configuration of, for example, the first embodiment or the third embodiments. The printing apparatus1is connected to, e.g., an information processing apparatus800via a network infrastructure or a cable.

Next, image applying control in the image applying system1000is described with reference toFIGS. 18 to 20.FIG. 18is a flowchart of a process on the information processing apparatus800.FIG. 19is a flowchart of control in the printing apparatus1.FIG. 20is a flowchart of control in the heating apparatus500.

As illustrated inFIG. 18, at S1, the information processing apparatus800receives a print command and performs processing, such as color development of input image data into Bk, C, M, and Y, to convert the input image data into data for printing apparatus (print data) (S2).

At S3, the information processing apparatus800collects fixing data used for heating of the heating apparatus500. As for the contents of the collected data, the information processing apparatus800, for example, expands the print data to A4-size data, checks whether there is print data in each heater portion504A in the above-described second embodiment, and generates fixing data, such as heating temperature, heating time, and region data, to partially control heating so that one heater portion504A having print data is heated and another heater portion504A having no print data is not heated. Then, the information processing apparatus800performs processing of matching with the positions of the heater portions504A, as needed.

At S5, the information processing apparatus800outputs the collected fixing data to the printing apparatus1. The cassette200, on which a cloth400is set, is mounted on the printing apparatus1. The printing apparatus1writes the fixing data received from the information processing apparatus800onto the information storage290of the cassette200through the writing-and-reading unit590.

At S6, the information processing apparatus800performs print ON/OFF processing and transfers the print data to the printing apparatus1.

As illustrated inFIG. 19, when the printing apparatus1receives the print command from information processing apparatus800(S101), at S102the printing apparatus1moves the stage111, on which the cassette200is mounted, from a cassette removal position (cassette attachment-and-detachment position) toward a print initial position and temporarily stops the stage111at a height adjustment position.

The printing apparatus1raises the stage111to adjust the height of the cassette200, and detects the cassette200with a cassette height sensor to determine whether the height adjustment has successfully been done (S103).

When the cassette200is raised to a predetermined height and the height adjustment has been successfully done (YES at S103), the printing apparatus1further moves the cassette200toward the print initial position and stops the cassette200at the print initial position (S105). When the height adjustment of the cassette200has not been successfully done (NO at S103), the process shifts to error processing (S104).

While the stage111is moved from the print initial position toward the cassette removal position, the printing device112performs printing on the cloth400held by the cassette200according to the print data received from the information processing apparatus800(S106).

When printing is completed, the stage111, on which the cassette200is mounted, moves to and stops at the cassette removal position (S107).

At S108, the printing apparatus1determines whether the cassette200has been removed from the stage111, using, for example, a cassette mount sensor. When the cassette200has been removed from the stage111(YES at S108), at S109the printing apparatus1temporarily moves the stage111to an accommodated position, at which the stage111is accommodated in the body100, and terminates the process.

As illustrated inFIG. 20, when the cassette200holding the cloth400is set on the table513and the start of heating is instructed (S201), the heating apparatus500drives the motor515to raise the lift514to a predetermined height. The heating apparatus500detects with the distance sensor516whether the table513has been raised to the predetermined height, and determines whether the height adjustment has been successfully done (S202).

When the height adjustment of the table513has not been successfully done (NO at S202), the process shifts to error processing (S204). When the height adjustment of the table513has been successfully done (YES at S202) and the heating has been started (YES at S203), the heating apparatus500reads out the fixing data stored in the information storage290of the cassette200(S205).

At S206, the heating apparatus500heats (raises the temperature of) the heater portions504A according to the read fixing data while controlling the heat generation temperature by turning on and off the heater portions504A (S207). Such a configuration can heat only a region to be heated, thus reducing the power consumption.

The cassette200is removed from the heating apparatus500after cooling (S209).

When the heating apparatus500performs preliminary processing (pre-pressing), in the process ofFIG. 20, the heating apparatus500performs loading operation between the reading of the fixing data and the heating (temperature increase) or between the heating (temperature increase) and the turning ON/OFF of the fixing. Similarly, the heating apparatus500performs separating operation between the turning ON/OFF of the fixing and the cooling (temperature lowering) or between the cooling (temperature lowering) and the stopping.

Note that the shape of the cloth holder is not limited to the box shape of the cassette in the above-described embodiments, but may be any other suitable shape as long as the cloth holder can be attached to and detached from the printing apparatus and the heating apparatus. For example, the cloth holder may be a single plate-shaped platen member that is insertable into the printing apparatus and the heating apparatus.

Further, as a way of enhancing the workability of printing operation, for example, a cloth holder with a cloth, such as T-shirt, being already set can be used to eliminate the process in which an operator sets the cloth on the cloth holder every time printing is performed. In such a case, the used cloth holder is collected and supplied in a state in which a cloth is set on the cloth holder again. As described above, the cloth set on the cloth holder can be commercialized and distributed for commercial transaction as a cloth holder with a cloth that holds a print surface of the cloth flat.

Further, to achieve the same effect, a platen member with a cloth (e.g., T-shirt) can be used in which the cloth has been already set on the platen member detachably attachable to the cloth holder. In the case of using, the platen member with the already-set cloth is directly mounted on the cloth holder. After completion of printing and fixing, the platen member is removed from the cloth holder. Then, the next platen member with an already-set cloth is mounted on the cloth holder, and printing and fixing are performed on the already-set cloth. In such a case, the used platen member is collected and supplied in a state in which a cloth is set on the platen member again. Similarly with the above-described example, the cloth set on the platen member can be commercialized and distributed for commercial transaction as a platen member with a cloth that holds a print surface of the cloth flat.

Such a configuration can obviate an operator's setting of a cloth (e.g., T-shirt) every time, facilitate continuous processing of a plurality of sheets, and automate continuous processing of a plurality of sheets.

In an apparatus, such as a textile printing apparatus, to apply an image on a cloth (including a processed article, such as a T-shirt), for example, when printing is performed using a liquid discharge head, the apparatus not only dries the cloth on which liquid is adhered to print an image, but also fixes the image on the cloth by heating the cloth for a certain period of time at relatively high temperature.

However, when such a configuration in which a heating area and a non-heating area are provided in one apparatus is used for an apparatus that applies an image to a cloth, the required temperature and heating time increase and the size of the apparatus is likely to increase due to the necessity of a stricter structure for cooling and heat insulation.

Accordingly, an apparatus of printing an image on a cloth (hereinafter, printing apparatus) and a heating apparatus used as a device of fixing the image (hereinafter, fixing device) are disposed separately from each other. An operator sets and print a cloth in the printing apparatus, removes the printed cloth, and sets the printed cloth again in the heating apparatus separately provided from the printing apparatus, thus causing less workability.

As described above, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the workability in heating a cloth can be enhanced.

In the above-described embodiments, the example in which the cloth is a T-shirt or the like is described. However, the embodiments of the present disclosure is similarly applicable to a case in which the print target or the heating target is not only the cloth but also a medium (media). In such a case, the cloth in the above-described embodiments corresponds to the medium, and the cloth holder corresponds to a medium holder.