Automatic heat transfer press for tubular structures and containers

An automatic heat transfer press for imprinting sublimation transfers onto mugs and the like by utilizing heat and contact pressure. The press has three vertically stacked, general sections: a heating chamber, a base, and a cooling chamber interconnecting the heater chamber and base. The heating and cooling chambers are enclosed by a casing. The heating chamber contains the press's two heating units, one for heating the external surface of the mug and the other for heating the interior the mug. The press utilizes a stainless steel sheathed, mineral insulated band heater with a multizone, uniplanar heater element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to heat transfer presses, and more particularly to 
an automatic heat transfer press for tubular structures and containers. 
Printed cups, mugs, glasses and other tubular structures (hereinafter 
collectively "mugs") have become increasingly popular over the past few 
years, especially as a marketing and advertising tool. There are three 
basic approaches to printing onto mugs: decal printing, screen printing, 
and heat transfer. 
Decal printing, especially glass decal printing, involves a glass frit 
arranged onto a decal to form the desired print. The decal is then pressed 
against the glass or ceramic surface to be imprinted and both the decal 
and glass placed in an oven. The temperature is gradually increased until 
the temperature reaches 900 to 1900 degrees F. The process to prepare the 
decal takes approximately one day for each color and several hours to 
"fire" the decal onto the mug. Built up color printing is possible, but 
full color printing is not possible. Whereas in full color printing 
primary colors can be mixed to attain the desired color, built color 
printing requires the initial use of the desired end color, the mixing of 
colors cannot be used. 
With screen and pad printing, special glass/ceramic inks can be applied to 
the surface of the ceramic/glass surface to be imprinted, normally in one 
color, although two or three colors are possible where close registration 
is not critical. The printed item is then placed in an oven and the 
temperature is gradually increased to 900 degrees F. The heating process 
takes several hours. Generally "firing" takes place after each color on 
multi-colored designs. 
Heat transfer printing is the printing of sublimation transfers onto mugs 
by heating. The heat transfer process involves transferring sublimation 
transfers by heat and contact pressure. There are many types of 
sublimation transfers that can be imprinted. Copy machines can produce a 
sublimation transfer; video printers can generate a sublimation transfer; 
laser printers, printing presses, etc. The key to all these images is that 
they all use a form of "sublimation" ink. The "sublimation" transfer is 
made up of two basic parts: the transfer release paper and the sublimation 
dyes. The sublimation dyes are printed onto the transfer release paper. 
The heat transfer process heats the transfer paper and sublimation dye to 
a certain temperature. As the temperature of the mug rises during the 
cycle time, the sublimation dyes start to release from the transfer paper 
and are transmitted to the coating on the mug. This transitiveness of 
sublimation dyes from the transfer paper to the coated mug is the key to 
any heat transfer process. The different types of sublimation transfers 
work best at different operating temperatures. For example, video 
processes and films require lower temperatures during the transfer 
process. 
Decal printing is impractical and inflexible for point of sale applications 
in that the decal printing must be done when the mug itself is fired. 
Although screen printing has been the historic method of printing onto 
coffee mugs, the process and equipment required makes it very difficult to 
print a mug at a point of sale. Heat transfer printing overcomes the 
limitations of screen and decal printing in that printing may be done at a 
point of sale, quickly and flexible. Heat transfer printing with 
sublimations can produce inexpensive "one-of-a-kind" items. The market for 
cylindrical shaped glass and ceramic products, such as coffee mugs and 
glasses, lends itself to the one of a kind market. It is also possible to 
produce full color reproductions of full color designs. The time required 
to impart a design using heat transfer sublimation can be a matter of 
seconds and minutes versus hours or days with other technologies. 
With heat transfer printing there are several major factors that determine 
the quality of printing. Among the major variables are: the mug structure, 
the heat transfer process, mug coating, and transfer placement. 
All mugs are different. Each mug has a different wall thickness, ceramic 
composition, coating, thickness of coating, physical dimensions (inside 
and outside diameter), slopes, angles, curves, post-curing time of 
coating, chemical make-up, etc. The differences in mug structures, even 
two that are nominally alike, must be taken into account by any printing 
process. 
Mug coating plays a major part in the ability to apply a sublimation 
transfer to a ceramic mug. Ceramic mugs have a hardened layer of material 
that resists allowing sublimation dyes to impregnate the surface. Mugs to 
be sublimation printed are coated with a layer of special polymer. These 
polymers are receptive to sublimation dye, aesthetically acceptable, 
adhere permanently, and in the case of containers for holding food and 
beverages, the coating is inert and safe to come in contact with food, 
skin and may be ingested without causing harm. 
Adhering the sublimation transfer to a mug is a critical part of mug 
printing. Care must be taken to ensure that the transfer paper is tight. 
In order to print using sublimation, a properly prepared transfer must be 
held in tight contact with the receptive surface while heat is applied. 
The heat and pressure must continue for a sufficient time to allow the 
sublimation process to complete itself. 
The first historic attempts at producing sublimation transfer devices 
involved the use of cylindrical block heaters. These are heaters which 
have elements forming two approximate 100 degree arcs about the exterior 
of the mug. The elements apply heat and pressure to the sublimation 
transfer to effectuate the imprint transfer. Block heaters have several 
limitations. The radius of the object to be printed is generally limited 
to the radius of the heater block. A smaller or larger circumference item 
does not fit accurately enough into the heat block to produce a uniformly 
printed surface. Natural irregularities in the surface of the cylindrical 
container, especially on glass and ceramic objects, create hot spots 
(places where the pressure is very high) or cold spots (places where the 
pressure contact is too low). To resolve the latter problem, it is common 
to place a flexible silicon rubber pad with silicon on the heater block. 
The rubber pad improves the contact pressure between the heater block and 
the cylindrical glass or ceramic surface. However, the rubber pad also 
acts as a heat insulator thereby making it more difficult to attain the 
needed temperature. 
To overcome the limitations of heater blocks heat transfer printing devices 
for sublimation transfers have been produced using a flexible heater 
coated with silicon rubber. Such devices allow the mug to be printed up to 
300 degrees of the cylinder's circumference. The use of a flexible heater 
also helps to solve the problem of producing acceptable prints in spite of 
the natural irregularities in the surface of the glass or ceramic 
cylindrical surface. The flexible heater also increases the range of 
cylinder diameters that can be printed. 
There are, however, limitations when printing with silicone flexible 
heaters. The flexible heater has to perform two functions, one of heating 
and the other of creating uniform contact pressure. The physical 
properties needed to address the two printing conditions are opposite 
enough to cause problems. The first problem is that the heater portion of 
the flexible heater is a fine mesh of conductive resistors which is needed 
to produce uniform heating over the entire surface. This material is woven 
and therefore its surface, while flexible on one axis as much as a sheet 
of typing paper is flexible in one axis, is made of a material hard enough 
that it imparts its natural weave print onto the printed surface. To 
eliminate this problem, flexible heaters have been produced that bury the 
heating unit inside of a silicone rubber material. This eliminates the 
problem of printing the impression of the woven surface onto the end 
product's surface, but create new problems. Even though the heater and 
rubber are flexible by nature, they are produced in a flat state, again 
much like a sheet of paper, but because of their thickness, which is 
required to resolve the problem of printing on the naturally irregular 
surface of glass or ceramic, they do not bend uniformly. The outside of 
this material sandwich, (which generally measures about 3/8 inch thick), 
must travel further than the inside surface when being wrapped around an 
object. The pressure required to wrap and hold the flexible heater against 
the cylindrical surface to be printed must be applied from the outside, 
and as a result the inside surface has a tendency to buckle in order to 
use up the additional material resulting from wrapping this material 
around a cylinder. This results eventually in wrinkling which is 
impossible to repair or remove. The wrinkles cause uneven contact pressure 
to be applied to the cylindrical surface to be printed, thereby resulting 
in a finished design that reflects the exact shape of the wrinkle. As a 
result, the flexible heater that develops a wrinkle must be replaced. The 
wrinkling problem can occur after as few as twenty uses, although it 
normally lasts for a few hundred uses. 
Another problem associated with the flexible heating unit is that the 
rubber layer and the heating web layer have a tendency to separate after 
repeated use (as few as fifty, but normally a few hundred uses). This 
separation creates an electrical shock hazard and further aggravates the 
problem of surface wrinkles. The heater must be replaced if separation 
occurs. 
A still further problem associated with the prior art flexible heating unit 
has to do with the natural physical difficulty associated with trying to 
apply an even pressure between all points of a cylindrical surface and the 
flexible heating unit. The flexible heating unit wraps around the 
cylindrical object and applies pressure by pulling from the ends. This 
tends to create a contact pressure differential at different points about 
the surface of the cylindrical object. The result is that the print will 
be darker in areas of high pressure and lighter in the area of low 
pressure. 
Flexible silicon heaters are basically lower temperature devices with 
external heating devices operating at less than 500 degrees F 
(Fahrenheit). The temperature limitation is required because silicon 
breaks down and disintegrates at temperatures approaching 500 degrees F. 
The lower temperature usually means a longer "dwell" time, i.e., time to 
transfer the image to the mug. A serious danger with longer dwell times or 
with high temperatures is that the image being imprinted may burn or 
yellow. 
Prior art heat transfer devices also include devices which heat the inside 
of a mug with hot air. This is basically a high temperature process. 
Although effective, these types of devices take from 3 to 4 minutes to 
accomplish the transfer. 
As may be seen in FIG. 9, a conventional ceramic mug 10 has a handle 11, 
bottom 12, exterior surface 14 and inside opening 13. The mug areas about 
the handle 11 and bottom 12 are necessarily structurally thicker for 
support. This results in two "colder" areas on the mug 10 during heat 
transfer printing. Because of this, prior art heat transfer printing 
devices have left larger areas around the handle and bottom unprinted or 
poorly printed. The present invention has a two pronged approach to 
overcoming the prior art limitations on heat transfer printing. 
The press of the present invention allows transfer printing for all 
transfer types, from processed sublimation and litho transfers to thermal 
video prints, onto the entire cup--from the very top lip of the cup right 
to the very bottom and within 1/2 inch of the handle--in less time than of 
current transfer machines. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an 
improved heat transfer press for tubular structures and containers. As 
such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be 
described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved 
automatic heat transfer press for tubular structures and containers which 
will allow transfer printing onto the structure in substantially less time 
than that of current transfer machines. 
To attain this, the present invention provides an enclosed mechanism with a 
one-piece flexible heater assembly that applies heat to the outside 
surface of the tubular structure or container, and additionally a second 
heater for simultaneously applying heat to the inside surface of the 
tubular structure or container. A means of closing and opening, i.e., 
actuating the heater around tubular structures or containers, is provided. 
A means of removing the tubular structure or container from the heated 
area is provided. A means of increasing imprintable area is provided. The 
present invention provides a heater with a longer life, i.e., a nominal 3 
years life versus a nominal 3 month life for existing heat wrap machines. 
The mechanism of the present invention substantially reduces dwell time 
(actual print time). 
The heater assembly of the present invention combines the best features of 
the two piece prior art flexible silicon heaters into a one piece single 
unit. The heater assembly of the present invention is a band heater 
imbedding a heater element within a mineral insulation sandwich enclosed 
within a thin stainless steel sheath. The one piece sheath construction of 
the present invention provides strength and flexibility without the 
limitations of the two piece prior art band heaters. The band heater of 
the present invention provides the high temperatures and watt densities 
needed, with a maximum efficiency and life. The band heater used in the 
present invention provides superior heat transfer, faster heat-up and 
cool-down, and a rugged, contamination-resistant design. It is designed to 
be in the "At Heat" mode when the machine is being operated, to provide a 
reservoir of heated mass to quickly heat the cold mug to process 
temperatures when the mug is inserted to be printed. The band heater 
provides a reservoir of heat and extremely rapid recovery. 
The present invention can be used to imprint indicia on any shaped tubular 
structure or container. Preferably the tubular structure has a bottom and 
is opened at the other end (top end). The tubular structure or container 
can be made of metal, glass, ceramic, plastic or any other material which 
will not melt at process temperatures. The container can ultimately be 
used as a drinking or food container or a vessel such as, for example, a 
mug,, glass, cup, or can be used as a vase, jar, coffee or tea pot, pencil 
holder, bottle, mail box, mailing tube, test tube, bowl, urn, thermos and 
flower pot, just to name a few items. 
It is, therefore an object of the invention to provide a system to 
substantially, permanently affix indicia on tubular structures and 
containers, e.g., drinking containers such as mugs, cups, glasses, cans 
and the like, using sublimation dyes and other heat applied graphics 
and/or objects. 
It is another object of the invention to provide heating systems to imprint 
indicia on tubular structures and containers, e.g., mugs, cups, and 
glasses of different sizes using sublimation dyes and other heat applied 
graphics and/or objects wherein such heating systems can be used many 
times without having to be replaced. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicated by 
like numerals, there is shown in FIG. 1 an embodiment of the invention 1 
incorporating an automatic heat transfer press for mugs. The invention 1 
has a front 4, back 5, left side 6, right side 7, top 8 and bottom 9. For 
purposes of exposition all components of the invention will be referred 
positionally with respect to these directions. The press I may be divided 
into three, vertically stacked, general sections: heating chamber 50, base 
30, and a cooling chamber 20 interconnecting the heater chamber 50 and 
base 30, of which the heating chamber 50 and cooling chamber 20 are 
enclosed by an external casing 3. The base 30 provides the ground support 
for the other two sections and contains the controls, electronics and 
indicators for the press 1. The heating chamber 50 contains the press's 
heating units, electromechanicals and pressure adjustments. The cooling 
chamber 20 is hollow and contains a mug "landing" pad 25, comprised of an 
energy absorbing foam, at the bottom 23 of the chamber 20. 
FIGS. 2-4 illustrate the heating chamber 50 and cooling chamber 20 with the 
external casing 3 removed. The cooling chamber 20 is hollow, has a 
plurality of inner sides 21, a vertical longitudinal axis, and a generally 
octagonal radial cross sectional shape. The chamber 20 in this embodiment 
has only five of the normal eight sides of an octagonal shape, the three 
front most sides having been removed to form a front opening 22 in the 
cooling chamber 20. Other embodiments could have seven of the normal eight 
sides of the octagonal shape, the front side having been removed and the 
adjacent sides spread apart to form a front opening 22 in the cooling 
chamber 20. The cooling chamber sides 21 provide support for the heating 
chamber 50 and form a cavity 24 providing a place for a mug 10 to rest and 
cool after processing. 
The heating chamber 50 is comprised of a mineral insulated, steel band 
heater 60, clamping mechanism 70 and high intensity halogen bulb 80. The 
band heater 60 is located directly over the cooling chamber 20, has a 
generally cylindrical shape, and a vertical, central longitudinal axis 
coincident with the vertical, central longitudinal axis of the cooling 
chamber 20. The band heater 60 has two positions, normally open and 
closed, formed by the cylindrical wall 62 of the band heater 60. In the 
normally open position, the band heater wall 62 has a front, vertical 
opening 61 formed therein. The clamping mechanism 70 is formed in a 
general radial plane about the band heater 60 and functions to "close" the 
band heater 60 about a mug 10 positioned within the band heater wall 62 
and to "open" when processing is complete. After the band heater 60 opens, 
the mug 10 drops down into the cooling cavity 24 where a landing pad 25 
cushions the drop. The mug handle 11 protrudes from the band heater 
vertical front opening 61 even when the band heater 60 is in the "closed" 
position. 
Referring also to FIGS. 5-9, the band heater 60 is comprised of a uniplanar 
heater element 43, sandwiched between two layers 41, 42 of mineral 
insulation, which are in turn enclosed within a thin, stainless steel 
sheath 44. The band heater 60 uses compacted mineral insulation which 
provides much higher thermal conductivity than the mica and hard ceramics 
used in conventional heaters. During construction, a thin layer 41 of 
higher thermal conductivity mineral insulation material separates the 
heater element 43 from the inside diameter stainless steel sheath 63. A 
thicker, lower thermal conductivity layer 42 backs up the element 43 to 
direct heat inward towards the radial center internal cavity 64, i.e., 
central vertical, longitudinal axis. This construction promotes longer 
heater life because the heater 60 can operate at high temperatures with 
lower internal wire temperatures. The uniplanar winding, thin profile and 
metal fold design contribute to the ability to flex the heater. Applying 
the heater in a flexing application is novel. Most prior art band heaters 
are articulated with heating blocks which pivot. In tests, the band heater 
60 of the present invention has been flexed over 60,000 times without 
metal fatigue. 
As may be seen particularly in FIGS. 5 and 6, the heater element wire and 
thereby the watt density of the band heater 60 is distributed into a 
biwattage pattern, two zones 45, 46, that results in a more uniform 
temperature on the mug's higher mass areas, i.e., handle 11 and bottom 12. 
The uniplanar heating element 43 is more heavily concentrated in that 
portion of the band heater 46 which would be adjacent the mug handle area 
11 and bottom area 12. The wrap around band heater 60 of the present 
invention thereby allows extreme top to bottom mug printing. 
The band heater 60 has an inner, superconductive, synthetic heater pad 66 
located in and along the band heater wall's inner side 67 and held in 
place by clamps 55. The heater pad 66 is made of a special blend of 
synthetic rubber, heat tolerant and heat conductive, of low enough 
durometer to conform to the surface irregularities of the mug or 
cylindrical object being processed. Prior art pads generally lose 
approximately 100 degrees F. between heater band and work surface. The pad 
66 of the present invention only loses approximately 25 degrees F between 
heater band inner side 67 and the mug external surface 14. The heat 
conductive nature of this pad 66 permits the use of higher work surface 
temperatures than prior art devices. 
The clamping mechanism 70 for closing and opening the band heater 60 may be 
best viewed in FIGS. 2-4. A generally planar, metal brace plate 71 is 
fixedly positioned in a horizontal plane about the band heater 60. The 
plate 71 is attached to the band heater wall 62 on the right side 68 near 
to the front opening 61. A generally planar, closing jaw 72 is pivotally 
attached in a horizontal plane to the plate's left side 73. Two connecting 
members 79 interconnect the closing jaw's forward portion 74 with the band 
heater wall 62 on its left side 69 near to the front opening 61. The 
closing jaw rearward portion 75 is connected to the drive piston 91 of a 
linear actuator 90. The actuator 90 is mounted on the plate underside 76 
adjacent and parallel to the back side 5 of the press 1. The drive piston 
91 extends leftward out of the actuator 90. Activation of the linear 
actuator 90 causes the actuator's drive piston 91 to extend leftward. This 
causes the closing jaw rearward portion 75 to also move leftward. The 
effect of this is to cause the closing jaw 72 to pivot about the pivotal 
jaw-plate connection (pivot) 77. This in turn causes the closing jaw 
forward portion 74 to move rightward. This in turn exerts rightward 
pressure on the two connecting members 79 interconnect the closing jaw's 
forward portion 74 with the band heater wall 62 on the heater left side 69 
near to the heater front opening 61. The heater wall 62 is thereby closed 
about a mug (not shown) within the heater internal cavity 64. After full 
closure around the mug 10, an internal timer shuts off power to the 
actuator 90. Activation of the actuator 90 also activates the heater 80. 
After the desired period of time has passed, the heater 80 is shut off and 
the action of the closing jaw 72 is reversed. This will cause the mug (not 
shown) held within the band heater internal cavity 64 to fall by gravity 
into the cooling chamber 20, the mug's fall being cushioned by the landing 
pad 25. 
The press 1 applies pressure to the mug by closing the band heater 60 
around it. The press 1 is preset for "standard" mugs. The band heater 60 
will continue to close until the mug has been fully wrapped. Pressure may 
be adjusted if the mugs used are larger than the inside diameter (internal 
cavity 64) of the band heater 60. The inside opening 64 can be adjusted by 
adjustment means 78 provided to move the pivot point 77 leftward or 
rightward. In this particular embodiment of the invention adjustment means 
(not shown) are inserted into the slot marked pressure 78 and turned to 
"open" up the band heater wall 62. The adjustment is made until the mug 
can be inserted "freely". If the mug will not stay up in the press or if 
additional pressure is desired, the adjustment means is used to "close" up 
the band heater 60. Adjustment is made so the mug is just able to be 
inserted without "binding up". This adjustment allows for a variety of 
different diameter mugs to be used in this machine 1. 
The press 1 has a solid state timer (not shown) which is activated when the 
mug has been "inserted" fully into the band heater internal cavity 64 and 
the inside of the mug bottom 12 contacts and actuates the switching 
mechanism 100. The mug 10 normally is held in position until the band 
heater 60 has fully wrapped. The timer will automatically open the heater 
band wall 62 once the cycle is completed. To adjust the cycle time a "Time 
Knob" 31 on the base 30 is slid to the appropriate setting. 
The switching mechanism 100 has a hollow, vertical switch cylinder 101 
extending downward into the band heater central cavity 64 near to the 
cavity's front opening 61. The switch cylinder 101 has an elongated 
activator switch 102 concentrically and slidably located within and having 
one end 106 extending below the switch cylinder 101. The switch cylinder 
101 is fixedly attached to a horizontal holding plate 103 mounted on the 
top 51 of the heating chamber 50. Said holding plate 103 has an opening 
(not shown) formed therein corresponding to the interior opening of the 
switch cylinder 101. Pivotally attached above and to said holding plate 
103 is a horizontal switch plate 104. One end 105 of the activator switch 
102 extends upwardly from the switch cylinder 101 through said holding 
plate opening to said switch plate 104 where it is fixedly attached. The 
switch plate 104 is pivotally attached to said holding plate 103 along its 
left side 107. The switch plate right side 108 has a downwardly extending 
element 109. The element 109 protrudes through a second opening (not 
shown) in the holding plate 103 and terminates in a radial flange fastener 
110. A spring element 111 is positioned about the element 109 between the 
flange fastener 110 and holding plate 103 thereby exerting a downward 
pressure on the switch plate right side 108. A vertical switch trigger 112 
is fastened at one end 113 to the switch plate 104 and positioned so that 
is extends downwardly through a third opening (not shown) in the holding 
plate 103. The vertical switch trigger 112 opposite end 114 terminates in 
a horizontal arm 115 mechanically connected to a double pole switch 116. 
The double pole switch 116 provides power when activated to the machine I 
and to the inside heater 80. To activate the switch 116 a mug 10 is 
inserted into the band heater cavity 64 wherein the mug's inside bottom 12 
forces the activator switch end 106 upward. This action pushed and holds 
the activator switch 102 up within the switch cylinder 101 thereby causing 
the switch plate right side 108 to move upwardly. The pivoting action of 
the switch plate 104 pulls the vertical switch trigger 112 upward thereby 
causing the trigger arm 115 to activate the switch 116. The compression 
pressure on the spring element 111 ensures that the switch plate right 
side 108 will come down after upward pressure on the activator switch 102 
is released. 
When the mug has been inserted into the band heater internal cavity 64, the 
timer will activate. A timer activate light 38 located directly above the 
time knob 31 lights up to let the operator know that the timer has been 
activated. This light 38 will shut off when the timer has released. 
The press 1 is also provided with a digital temperature control 32 on the 
base 30 which is used to regulate the temperature of the band heater 60. 
The band heater 60 can be easily set for process temperature. 
The press 1 is also provided with a release button 33. The release button 
33 is located in the center of the bottom base 30 and is designed to allow 
the operator to release the mug anytime during the cycle time. To release 
the mug, the release button 33 is pushed "IN" and held in that position 
until the band heater 60 has fully opened and the "Timer Activated" light 
is out. The release button 33 will only release after 3-4 seconds have 
passed. This will reset the Timer automatically. 
Main power can be shut on and off by a switch 34 located on the left hand 
side of the base 30 front. The switch 34 is in the "ON" position when the 
"Red" pilot light 35 is on. 
As stated above a conventional ceramic mug 10 has a handle 11 and bottom 
12. The mug areas about the handle 11 and bottom 12 are necessarily 
structurally thicker for support. This results in two "colder" areas on 
the mug 10 during heat transfer printing. The present invention 1 
overcomes a portion of this problem by providing supplemental heater, 
i.e., a halogen bulb 80 in this embodiment, to provide additional heat to 
the mug's handle area 11 from the mug's interior opening 13. Other forms 
of generated heat may be used such as a quartz bulb, or an open wound 
radiant heater cartridge, and the like. As may be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, 
the bulb heater 80 extends vertically downward from the top 51 of the 
heating chamber 50 and extends into the internal central, vertical cavity 
64 formed by the band heater walls 62. As may be seen especially from FIG. 
3, the bulb 80 is vertically positioned toward the band heater front 
opening 61 directly behind and slightly to the right of the switch 
cylinder 101. When a mug 10 is brought up into the band heater central 
cavity 64 from the lower cooling chamber 20, the resultant position of the 
bulb heater 80 is inside the mug central opening 13 near to the mug handle 
area 11. The unique thermal bulb heating system 80 provides a powerful 
source of heat from inside 13 the mug 10. As a result, ceramic mugs can be 
printed in less than one minute, half the time of prior art systems. 
The halogen heater bulb 80 has a separate switch 36 and pilot light 37. 
This allows the inside heater bulb 80 to be activated. This switch 36 only 
controls the heater bulb 80 function. A separate pilot light 37 indicates 
that the heater bulb 80 function is activated. 
OPERATION 
The press 1 is turned "ON" with the toggle power switch 34. Dwell time and 
heater temperature can be adjusted by manipulation of the time knob 31 and 
digital temperature control 32 to accommodate transfer manufacturer's 
specifications. When starting up the machine 1 several minutes are 
required to allow the band heater 60 and inner pad 66 to stabilize their 
temperatures. If inside heat is required (ceramic mugs), the halogen bulb 
switch 36 is activated. 
Intended graphics are positioned on the mug and attached thereto using high 
temperature adhesive or the like. It is important to eliminate any 
wrinkles. 
The mug is positioned within the cooling chamber 20 and lifted up by its 
handle up into the band heater internal cavity 64 until the mug bottom 12 
activates the switch mechanism 100 and held in that position until the 
band heater wall 62 has fully wrapped around the mug (not shown). The mug 
handle 11 can then be released by the operator. 
At this time heat is being applied to the outside of the mug and (when 
applicable) to the inside as well. 
At the end of the preset time, the mug is automatically released and drops 
into the cooling chamber 20. 
The automatic operation makes the press 1 of the present invention even 
more operator efficient. Once the mug has been inserted into the heating 
chamber 50, the band heater 60 closes automatically to hold the mug during 
the heating process. At the end of the cycle, the press 1 delivers the mug 
to the cooling area (chamber) 20. This hands-free operation allows the 
operator to prepare the next transfer or perform other tasks. The mug 
handle remains cool to the touch throughout the procedure so that the mug 
can be removed immediately to be peeled or plunged into water for rapid 
cooling. 
The adjustable solid state digital temperature control 32 is easy to read 
with a large bright and accurate read out. 
The linear timer knob 31 allows the operator to set the time required for 
processing. The easy-to-read graphics provide accurate and consistent 
settings. 
Applied pressure adjustments are fast and simple to accommodate the 
different circumferences of mugs. 
The transfer cycle can be interrupted at any time by pushing the red 
release button 33 located in the middle of base front. 
It is understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative 
of the application. In another embodiment of the invention, the band 
heater pad 66 may have a heat conductive, medium density sponge rubber 
sheet 57 laminated to the internal cavity 64 side of the pad 66. This 
provides physical protection to the pad 66 during use. Other embodiments 
may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the 
principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.