Patent Publication Number: US-11046068-B2

Title: Direct-to-transfer printing system and process, and components and ASR system therefor

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION FOR WHICH A PRIORITY BENEFIT IS CLAIMED UNDER 35 U.S.C. § 119 
     The present patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/635,129, filed Feb. 26, 2018, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of direct-to-transfer printing. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A component  100  comprising a design or embellishment  102  is typically made or an adhesive-backed fabric, vinyl or various kinds of ink placed a carrier sheet  101 . An example of a component  100  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The carrier sheet  101  is typically in the shape of a rectangle and is slightly larger than the component  100 . Generally, the carrier sheet  101  can be any size and shape, and often has nothing but the component  100  on it. Typically the carrier sheet is made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate), resulting in a clear plastic sheet similar to transparency film. 
     Typically a heat press is used to apply heat and pressure to fuse the component and its design or embellishment to a garment. An example of a heat press  104  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The heat press  104  typically has a bottom platen  105  on which the garment can be dressed. A heated top platen  106  (usually of similar size to the bottom platen) can then be moved into placed and engaged with the bottom platen, thereby applying heat and pressure to the component. There are many different types and styles of heat presses, but they typically all have heated plates that can apply heat and pressure for segments of time. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , in a conventional transfer process, a garment  103  is dressed on the bottom platen of the heat press  104 . Carrier sheet  101  is placed on top of the garment  103  with the component  100  and its design or embellishment  102  placed image side down, so it is adjacent to the garment  103 . Heat and pressure are applied by the heat press  104  to the component  100  through the carrier sheet  101 . The component  100 , and thus the design or embellishment  102 , is fused to the garment  103  by the application of heat and pressure for a period of a time. The spent carrier sheet  101  is then removed and discarded. 
     MTO stands for “made-to-order” and refers to garments that are decorated with the design or embellishment after a customer places an order for them. MTO requires a production process that is set up to produce individual garments of a wide variety of designs and embellishments, as opposed to many copies of a garment each having the same design or embellishment thereon. 
     Currently in the market there are digital printing processes in which the designs or embellishments on garments are printed or embroidered directly thereon without the use of components. Typical MTO embellishment processes are direct-to-garment printers and single-head embroidery machines. Direct-to-garment printers (for example, the ones sold under the Kornit Atlas brand) are inkjet printers generally designed for cotton T-shirts and fleece garments. They are slower than bulk manufacturing processes and expensive (for example, a machine that delivers only around 100 embellishments per hour can cost over $500,000), and there are limitations on what type of garments can be printed upon. Usually any fabric other than cotton is difficult to print on, and every fabric must first be checked for compatibility with the printer. Even then, small garment manufacturing changes can lead to inconsistent prints. Embroidery machines are even slower. The simplest designs typically take a two minutes to complete, yielding at best 30 embellishments per hour. Many designs, however, take much longer to complete, with some over an hour. 
     The current digital printing processes are either too slow for printing differing designs on garments (especially MTO garments), or if faster, they do not permit the printing of differing designs. Rather, faster processes typically comprise a production run of printing a multitude of copies—that is, tens or hundreds of garments each having the same design printed thereon. In addition, when traditionally creating a component, a screen or die must be made for each color and design. The creation of the screen or die is a time consuming and expensive process and is not feasible for the creation of a single component with a unique design. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a direct digital printing process that is faster and permits unique and differing designs or embellishments to be printed on garments, especially MTO garments. Moreover, this process ought not to be limited by the need to create a screen or die for each unique design. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One object of the present invention is to provide a system and process for direct-to-transfer printing, including heat presses and corresponding application (heat press) stations through which the heat presses are indexed, and at which garments are (1) dressed upon the heat presses; (2) the garments are pre-pressed; (3) thereafter components are sequentially placed on top of and fused with their corresponding garments by applying heat and pressure; and (4) the finished garments are unloaded from the heat presses. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a component on a carrier sheet for use in such a direct-to-transfer printing system and process, which includes identification and registration symbols (such as barcodes, QR codes or other suitable markings) in addition to a design or embellishment. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ASR system for use with a direct-to-transfer printing system, which includes one or more vertical storage modules, wherein each vertical storage module has multiple storage locations for storing components, and a control system for storing the storage and retrieval of the components to and from their respective storage locations. 
     According to one aspect of the invention, components are delivered manually to the application stations. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, components are delivered automatically to the application stations. Preferably, the components are automatically stored and retrieved prior to delivery. 
     According to yet another aspect of the invention, garments have stickers placed thereon containing identification symbols (such as barcodes, QR codes or other suitable markings), to permit matching them up with corresponding components. 
     Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the novel direct-to-transfer printing system and process, illustrated by way of the following non-limiting examples. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a conventional component applied to a garment on a heat press. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a conventional heat press. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a component including identification and registration barcodes, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a stack of MTO garments in sequence, with each garment having a sticker placed thereon and the stickers including symbols (barcodes) and other information, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  depicts a close up of the symbols and other information on the stickers of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  depicts the front side of components in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the components correspondingly sequenced to the garments of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  depicts the back side of the components of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  depicts an example of an Automated Storage and Retrieval (ASR) system that can be used in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  depicts a configuration of heat presses and other equipment that are configured to perform a direct-to-transfer printing process in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following describes preferred embodiments of systems and processes used to decorate garments through printing and embroidery or the like. The goal is to use component inventory to create high-quality embellishments quickly in an MTO environment. For example, instead of a production run of a multitude of the same design, in accordance with the present invention, each garment can be decorated with a unique and custom design. The direct-to-transfer printing system of the present invention preferably uses a novel configuration of heat presses and other equipment to sequence the components so they properly marry with their corresponding garments. The direct-to-transfer printing process of the present invention include both a manual process and an automated process, the latter using an ASR system for storing and retrieving components. A control system and associated software ensure a sequenced delivery of the components to their corresponding garments. 
     A novel component  200  should preferably have the following features for the direct-to-transfer printing system and process of the present invention to work more easily and efficiently, including identification and registration symbols examples of which are shown in  FIG. 3 . An identification symbol  212  (a barcode as shown, or a QR code or the like) should be printed or otherwise placed on the component  200  to identify it, and one or more separate registration symbols  210  to permit the equipment to properly orient the component during processing. 
     A component should preferably remain consistent as to its location of application on garments. The equipment and control system should know the size of the carrier sheet  201  of each given component, which is preferably standardized, and where the identification symbols  212  and registration symbols  210  may be found thereupon. Preferably, the identification symbols  212  and registration symbols  210  should be in the same location on each component, so that they may be more easily scanned and read. The identification symbol  212  should preferably be unique so that the correct component is identified when it is called upon by the control system. 
     The identification symbol  212  for a component  200  is created with information to identify the component. The identification symbol may also contain a sequence number if the component is being generated by a control system that creates components using a batch of MTO items, and a location number specific to the MTO item being produced. The component may also have printed thereon that sequence number  213  and location number  214 , an indication of Front or Back  215 , and a batch number  216  (corresponding to batch number barcode  211 ). If, however, an ASR system is being used, the sequence is built dynamically by the control system interacting with the ASR system. Accordingly, the sequence number in  213  are not required to be printed on the component, but that is nonetheless preferred by the ASR system for manual exception resolution. 
     As shown in the example of  FIG. 4 , batch  419  is a stack of garments  403  (here, garments  403   a - 403   d ) and provides the starting and ending numbers of a sequence. Barcode  423  (which can alternatively be a QR symbol or the like) is located on the garments stickers  420  (here garment stickers  420   a - 420   b , see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ), and represents the work order to make the associated MTO item. When the barcodes  423  of the garments of the batch are scanned, that batch gets assigned sequence numbers  413  which are then printed on the components  400 . The component also contains a design  402  printed on a carrier sheet  401 , as well as registration symbols  410 , identification symbol  412 , front/back indicator  415 , batch number  416  (and corresponding batch barcode  411 ), and MTO item location number  414 . When manually processing the batch of garments, the garments are sorted in the desired order and the corresponding components for that batch are arranged in the same order, in accordance with the sequence numbers printed on the garments and components respectively. 
     The garment stickers  420  may also contain barcode  421 , which may be the same as barcode  423  or, as shown in  FIG. 5  contain additional information. Barcode  422  represents the finished custom item that is put into a Work Management System (WMS) inventory. It may be required for reusability of returns and for pre-making popular items in advance (like T-shirts with the name of an all-star football player). The garment stickers  420  may further contain other information  424  about the garment. 
     In the case of manual processing, the identification symbol  212  contains a sequence number and simply identifies the design on the component and is used as a check. For example, as the garment is scanned at the beginning of the press cycle for embellishment, the component  200  is automatically scanned shortly thereafter and checked to confirm it is the correct one for the garment. In the event that it is not the correct one, the press will stop and the printed-out sequence numbers on the garments and components will help the operator fix the issue. If, however, the ASR system is being used, the printed-out sequence numbers are not required as they are part of the identification symbol. The garment scan initiates the component retrieval process from the ASR system (discussed in more detail below) and only a missing component, jam or other error will interrupt the process. 
     The components should be made in a certain way so as to meet one or more of the above preferences. In particular, to fulfil an MTO request and to more easily add a unique identification symbol to each component, the component should preferably be produced digitally. With a digital production processor, no screen or die is required and every component can be unique. For example, the color portions of the design  402  (which includes black and white) are applied to the carrier sheet with a digital offset press (see  FIG. 6 , the front of the component, which contains the color portions of the design  402 ). White ink is added to the adhesive, and the mixture is used to coat the back of the design to provide opacity, so that the garment color isn&#39;t visible through the component once it is applied (see  FIG. 7 , a view looking through the translucent carrier sheet to see the back of the component, which depicts the white adhesive layer of the design  402 ). The adhesive permits the design to adhere to the garment under heat and pressure. If necessary, excess white ink and adhesive can be cut away and removed, and the component is ready to be heat pressed to a garment. (See FIG.  7 , which correctly shows the batch number  416  and the sequence numbers 1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc., because the back side of the component  400  will be placed up on the garment by the operator). 
     When processing manually, as stated above, the components and garments are processed and married up manually. For example, the order of the garments is first defined. The requisite number of garments are then stacked in that order, scanning each garment as it is being stacked to create a sequenced list. The sequenced list is then fed to a digital press which prints the color portion of the component and adds a batch number and a sequence number (1 of 4, for example). The garments and components are then arranged to be in the same order (the top component is applied on the top garment, etc.). This is important; if the garments and components are not in the same order, the wrong components will be applied to the wrong garments. When manually processing typically a single station heat press is used, and the operator puts a component on the front, back or sleeves. To guide the operator, “Front” or “Back” is printed on the component (the operator also has a picture of the finished product on a screen in front of him or her). 
     In automated processing, the operator is advised how to dress the garment on the heat presses and preferably batches only fronts together, backs together, or sleeves together, so that everything in a batch is dressed the same way and the garments and components match up at station  909 . The control system displays information on dressing and tracks operator productivity through the interface  901 . The components and garments are thus automatically processed pairwise and sequentially (e.g., a component and corresponding garment for each transacted order). The unique MTO item information in the identification symbol allows for detecting out-of-order components and the sequence numbers also permits the operator to manually fix the sequence of components, so the components can be correctly matched up to their intended garments. 
     An ASR system similar to the collator  800  depicted in  FIG. 8  can be used to automate the sequencing of components. One purpose of the ASR is to insure the sequence of blank garments marries with the sequence of the corresponding components when the components arrive at one or more application stations. 
     In the ASR  800 , there are a number of vertical storage modules  801  (here,  801   a - 801   f ), each module with 50 to 100 storage locations  802  each. Each storage location  802  is sized to the specific carrier sheet size being used and preferably holds only one sheet. Though it is realistic that many of the same component designs will be stored in the system, limiting each storage location to one carrier sheet keeps the transportation mechanism simpler and reduces jams and other issues. The entire system is managed by a control system  803  that manages the contents of each location and determines the most efficient way or ways to load and unload the components, as well as provide a user interface for inventory and error handling functions. 
     After the components are created, preferably by the digital production processor, they should be delivered to the ASR system  800  one at a time. That is, they can be conveyed one at a time directly from the digital production processor into the ASR system, or they can be stacked in bulk into a sheet feeder that will introduce the components into the ASR system one at a time. Additionally, the components should all be orientated the same way so that the identification symbol is in the same location as each sheet is added to the ASR system. 
     For example, the carrier sheet of the component is delivered to, or placed on, an input registration conveyor  804 . This lines up the component in the precise location for the system and minimizes paper jams. Because the starting location of the component (either conveyed from the end of the creation process or delivered via a sheet-feeder) is already fairly precise, only about an 18″ input registration conveyor section should be required. 
     After each sheet is registered (immediately after placement on the input registration conveyor is preferable) per the registration (orientation) codes, the identification symbol (e.g., barcode) on the leading edge is scanned by a camera (not shown) mounted at the far end of the registration conveyor. The control system that manages the ASR system  800  registers the identification number scanned by the camera and determines where the item will be stored. It is preferable to register the identification number or utilize a check-digit to ensure the camera doesn&#39;t mis-scan the barcode. The system should preferably stop processing or reject the scanned component (ejecting it from the ASR system  800 ) in the event of an error, mis-scan or lack of available locations. 
     The path to the appointed location  802  in the ASR system  800  is then opened up and the component is then delivered to that location. The carrier sheets are preferably transported by a system of mechanically adjustable vertical and horizontal conveyors. The vertical storage modules  802  preferably move up and down to precisely line up with the input registration conveyor. The vertical storage modules  801  may also rotate to increase the number of locations  802  on each module. 
     Each location  802  of the ASR system  800  is understood by the control system, and a location should be understood to be empty (available) before a component can be stored therein. When the component is stored the unique component identification number is paired with the location&#39;s identification number, so when the control system calls for the unique component identification number, it is pulled from the correct location. The ASR system  800  is preferably sized to store as many components as possible without slowing down the delivery to or from a given location. 
     For example, in a large, complex system, it may take 10 seconds to align the correct vertical storage module with the input registration conveyor path, 2 seconds to deliver the scanned and registered component to the location and another 12 seconds to align the path and retrieve a component (as described below). In this scenario, there may be 24 seconds in between each component storage process, where the ideal time should be closer to 3 seconds. These design and timing issues may be accounted for in three ways. 
     First different conveyance systems are created for storage and retrieval of components that intersect as little as possible. A component can be retrieved from one module at the same time another component is stored in another module. Second, the number of storage locations in one ASR system (or in a network of two or more ASR systems) to reach the required storage capacity is limited. A process for defining which system to route a component should preferably be established, as well as a process for keeping components delivered from different ASR systems sequenced correctly. Third, the number of conveyor paths are increased within an ASR system. After a component is scanned and registered, the ASR system can deliver the carrier sheet to one of three different horizontal conveyors to get the carrier sheet to its storage location. By rotating through these conveyors the original delivery time will be sped up accordingly. 
     Retrieval of the component from the ASR system  800  works almost the same way as storage. A symbol (e.g., barcode) on a garment is scanned and this initiates the retrieval process. The path from the storage location to an output conveyor (which could be the same device as the component delivery conveyor  902  discussed in more detail below) is opened up in a manner similar to when the component was stored. The retrieved components are transported to the output conveyor that delivers them—in the same sequence the scans to initiate their retrieval occurs in—to the application stations of the direct-to-transfer printing system, preferably via a registration conveyor  903  (see  FIG. 9 ). 
     As shown in the example shown in  FIG. 9 , the application stations of the direct-to-transfer printing system preferably include (1) a garment loading station  904  at which garments are loaded onto heat press pallets (e.g., the garments are dressed on the lower heat press platens); (2) a pre-press engage station  905  at which the pre-press process begins; (3) one or more pre-press stations  906  at which the garments are pre-pressed by the heat presses; (4) a pre-press disengage station  907  at which the pre-press process ends; (5) a component placement station  909  at which sequenced components are correspondingly placed on top of their intended garments via a component placement robot  908 ; (6) a press engage station  910  at which the heat press process begins; (7) one or more press stations  911  at which heat and pressure are applied to the components by the heat presses, thereby fusing the components (and their designs and embellishments) to the garments; (8) a press disengage station  912  at which the heat press process ends; and (9) a garment unloading station  913  at which the garments are unloaded from the heat press pallets. The configuration of the application station equipment is preferably circular (as shown in the example of  FIG. 9 ) or ovular, and preferably of sufficient diameter to include the many heat presses (1)-(9) as they index (e.g., rotate) from station to station. 
     At the garment loading station  904 , the heat pallet (e.g., the upper platen of the heat press) is disengaged and out of the way of the operator, providing easy access to dress a garment onto the bottom platen of the heat press, as well as scan a barcode affixed in a particular location on the garment (for example, on the sticker  420 ) that identifies the corresponding component. 
     When the identification symbol on the garment is scanned, the control system insures the corresponding component is next component in the sequence. If the sequence is manually processed via sequence numbers printed on the components, the scan triggers the component to be loaded onto the component delivery conveyor and the sequence is validated against the sequence of the garment. If the component and garment sequences are misaligned, the press does not index until the proper alignment of the component and garment sequences is re-established. A display panel for the operator can help clear the issue. 
     If the ASR  800  is used to sequence the components, the garment scan will trigger the ASR to retrieve the appropriate component and deliver it (via robotic arm, conveyor or other device) to the application station equipment. In a preferred embodiment, the system has a minimum of 30 seconds to retrieve a component and deliver it to the application station equipment. 
     The application station equipment automatically indexes at a desired rate (for example, the application stations rotate every 5 seconds). At the second application station, the pre-press engage station  905 , the heat press is engaged into a pressing position to “pre-press” the garment. This flattens the garment and removes any moisture. The heat press stays engaged for a set number of seconds as the press indexes at the desired rate, thus the system should have enough pre-press stations  906  to index through to reach the total pre-press time. At the pre-press disengage station  907 , the heat press preferably disengages automatically after the pre-press time has passed. 
     Next there is a component placement station  909 , at which components are placed on top of their corresponding garments dressed on the heat presses. As a disengaged heat press pallet with a garment with a certain barcode indexes into the component placement station  909 , the robotic arm of a component placement robot  908  moves the component corresponding to that garment off the component queue and places it on top of the garment. 
     At the next station, the press engage station  910 , the press is engaged again to apply heat and pressure to the component. The press stays engaged for a desired amount of time through as many press stations  911  as necessary to fuse the component to the garment, and disengages at the press disengage station  912 . 
     At the garment unloading station  913  (the final station right before the press indexes back into the garment loading station  904 ), the garment with the heat pressed component is removed from the press by an unloading operator. The component&#39;s carrier sheet is removed and discarded. 
     The total number of stations on the press are set to provide maximum throughput. The speed of the direct-to-transfer printing system should preferably be directly related to the speed of the loading and unloading operators, and not related to any limitations of the application station equipment. 
     For example: Assume that the fastest an operator can load a garment onto a pallet is 5 seconds. Further assume the slowest pressing garment requires 20 seconds for pre-pressing the garment and 25 seconds to press the component onto the garment.  FIG. 9  and the following describes the mechanical operations and the quantity and function of the press stations of the direct-to-transfer printing system and process.
         1. Computer Interface  901 —The computer interface  901  at which the loading operator scans the barcode on each garment before loading. This interface also allows the operator to adjust various machine parameters and alert the operator of any issues.   2. Component Delivery Conveyor  902 —The component delivery conveyer  902  delivers the components to the application station equipment in the desired sequence. Either the scan at the computer interface initiates the retrieval of the component from the ASR system  800  or the garment scan coincides with a check scan at this conveyor; if the scans do not align the press should not index until the sequence is fixed.   3. Registration Conveyor  903 —A registration conveyer preferably follows the component delivery conveyor to ensure the component is perfectly lined up for the component placement robot  908 .   4. Garment Loading Station  904 —The lower pallet is fully disengaged from the heated pallet and easily accessible to the loading operator.   5. P 1 —Pre-press Engage Station  905 —The heat press has 5 seconds to retract the lower pallet and engage the upper pallet with the lower pallet to begin the pre-press process.   6. P 2  through P 5 —Pre-Press Stations  906 —The heat press stays engaged to pre-press the garment. Depending on the desired pre-press time, it may disengage any time before pre-press disengage station P 6 .   7. P 6 —Pre-Press Disengage Station  907 —Provides time for press to be fully open to receive the component.   8. Component Placement Robot  908 —The component placement robot is preferably lined up with the component placement station  909 . At one end of the component placement robot  908 , the information on the component is scanned. This allows for a final scan to ensure the component is correct as well as to capture the exact picking point of the robotic arm. The robotic arm has suction cups and grippers that will pick up the front edge of the component and move it across the gap to the precise position on the pallet. There is preferably an additional camera or set of cameras at the far end of the robot to ensure precise placement of the component (and to ensure it did not slip out of place). The camera or cameras use the registration barcodes  410  to adjust the orientation of the component.   9. P 7 —Component Placement Station  909 —The lower pallet is fully disengaged and the component is placed on the pallet in the correct location.   10. P 8 —Press Engage Station  910 —The heat press retracts the lower pallet and engages the upper pallet with the lower pallet to begin the pressing process.   11. P 9  through P 13 —Press Stations  911 —The heat press stays engaged to fuse the component to the garment. Depending on the desired press time, it may disengage any time before press disengage station P 14 .   12. P 14 —Press Disengage Station  912 —Provides time for the heat press to be fully open to unload the garment   13. Garment Unloading Station  913 —The lower pallet is fully disengaged from the heated pallet and easily accessible to the unloading operator, who removes the garment with the fused component.       

     In this example, the system has 16 stations and there is a minimum of 30 seconds between when the garment barcode is scanned and when the component should be delivered to the heat press. Once the equipment has been operated continuously for about 80 seconds, a pressed garment will preferably be unloaded every 5 seconds (or 720 heat press impressions per hour)—and importantly, each MTO garment may have a different design. This rate far exceeds anything that presently exists for making MTO garments, potentially each with differing designs. 
     While preferred embodiments have been described, it is evident that many additional modifications, variations or alternatives are apparent to the skilled artisan. The present application intends to embrace all of such modifications, variations or alternatives which fall within the scope of the invention.