Patent Description:
Heat presses were developed as a means to adhere iron-on materials to fabric. For example, to heat print logos or lettering onto t-shirts, hats or blankets. Heat press developments over the years pertain to industrial presses, whereby the presses must be capable of withstanding mass production printing. These presses are large, unwieldy, unsafe, and made with expensive materials. Therefore, there remains a need for a safe and cost effective heat press which is capable of providing uniform, consistent and optimal heat in a home-use setting.

<CIT> describes a steam iron that presses clothes, comprising an iron base, a heater unit, a heat insulating plate, a housing and a handle.

<CIT> describes an acoustical and thermally absorbent chopped strand mat formed of thermoplastic bonding materials and bundles of reinforcing fibres.

<CIT> describes a heat transfer apparatus which includes a dome type enclosure member with a heating element internally mounted within a dome formed within the member.

<CIT> describes an apparatus for thermally bonding indicia to fabric, comprising relatively movable upper and lower platens with a heat source in one of the platens for heating it.

One aspect of the disclosure provides a heat press including a body, a heat plate, a handle, a cover, a control compartment and an insulation portion. The body includes a first end and a second end. The heat plate is located proximate the first end of the body and is configured to engage ironable materials. The handle is located proximate the second end of the body and is configured to withstand forces from a user. The cover covers a portion of the body and the handle. The control compartment includes a first electrical circuit, controls and a display. The control compartment is spaced away from and is communicatively coupled to the heat plate. The handle comprises a second electrical circuit. The insulation portion is positioned between the control compartment and the heat plate. The insulation portion includes a first layer of insulating material.

Implementations of the disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations, the first layer of insulating material comprises glass fibers. In some examples, the insulation portion includes a second layer comprising glass reinforced nylon. The insulation portion may include a third layer of insulating material comprising glass fibers and also a fourth layer of insulating material comprising glass reinforced nylon. The second layer of insulating material thermally isolates the first layer of insulating material from the third layer of insulating material. The third layer of insulating material thermally isolates the second layer of insulating material from the fourth layer of insulating material.

In some configurations, the heat plate has a substantially square shape and includes a copper member at least partially embedded in an aluminum die-cast plate. The copper member has a serpentine geometry that includes a first portion and a second portion that are enantiomorphs. Furthermore, the heat plate includes at least one pressure point that limits the contact between the heat plate and the insulation portion.

In some examples, the cover is made of a thermoplastic and the handle includes a metal substrate at least partially enclosed by a plastic shell. The plastic shell forms a cavity for housing an electrical circuit at least indirectly electrically coupled to the heat plate and the control compartment. In some implementations, all of electrical components and controls are housed within the heat press and the metal substrate is in direct contact with only the fourth layer of insulating material.

Another aspect of the disclosure provides a heat press including a body, a heat plate, a control compartment, an insulation portion, a handle and a cover. The body includes a first end and a second end. The heat plate is located proximate the first end of the body and is configured to engage ironable materials. The control compartment includes an electrical circuit, controls and a display. The control compartment is spaced away from and is at least indirectly electrically coupled to the heat plate. The insulation portion is positioned between the control compartment and the heat plate. The insulation portion includes a first layer of insulating material. The handle includes a metal substrate and an electrical circuit communicatively coupled to the heat plate and the control compartment. The handle is located proximate the second end of the body and is configured to withstand forces from a user. The cover covers a portion of the body and the handle.

This aspect may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations, the first layer of insulating material comprises glass fibers. In some examples, the insulation portion includes a second layer comprising glass reinforced nylon.

In some configurations, the heat plate has a substantially square shape and includes a copper member at least partially embedded in an aluminum die-cast plate. In some examples, the cover is made of a thermoplastic and the handle includes a metal substrate and an electrical circuit communicatively coupled to the heat plate and the control compartment. In some implementations, all of electrical components and controls are housed within the heat press.

Another aspect of the disclosure provides a heat press including a body, a heat plate, a handle, a cover, a control compartment and an insulation portion. The heat plate includes a copper member at least partially embedded in an aluminum die-cast plate and is located proximate the first end of the body. The heat plate is configured to engage ironable materials. The handle is located proximate the second end of the body and is configured to withstand forces from a user. The cover covers a portion of the body and the handle. The control compartment includes an electrical circuit, controls and a display. The control compartment is spaced away from and is at least indirectly electrically coupled to the heat plate. The insulation portion is positioned between the control compartment and the heat plate. The insulation portion includes at least one layer of insulating material.

This aspect may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations, the handle includes a metal substrate and an electrical circuit communicatively coupled to the heat plate and control compartment. In some examples, all of the electrical components and controls are housed within the heat press.

The disclosure will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

Referring to <FIG>, in some implementations, a heat press <NUM> includes a body <NUM>, a cover <NUM>, a handle <NUM>, a control compartment <NUM>, an electrical cord <NUM> and a heat plate <NUM>. The body <NUM> has a first end <NUM> and a second end <NUM>. The heat plate <NUM> is located proximate the first end <NUM> and the handle <NUM> is located proximate the second end <NUM>.

In some examples, the cover <NUM> covers a portion of the body <NUM> and handle <NUM>. The cover <NUM> is made of a thermoplastic with thermal resistance properties such as polycarbonate. The cover <NUM> forms an outer barrier of the heat press <NUM>. The cover <NUM> shields the electrical components of the heat press <NUM>. Additionally, the cover <NUM> protects a user of the heat press <NUM> from heat generated by the heat plate <NUM>, whereby a user can safely touch the cover <NUM> during operation of the heat press <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, in some implementations a heat press <NUM> includes a heat plate <NUM> configured to engage ironable materials <NUM>, such as cotton, nylon, polyester, silk, wool and various other fabrics. A user of the heat press <NUM> desires to adhere, for example, a logo, picture or print onto the ironable materials <NUM>. For example, a user may want to adhere a logo or print onto a t-shirt, whereby the logo or print is on transfer paper and after the transfer paper and t-shirt are heated in unison for a duration of time, the logo will adhere to the t-shirt.

In some examples, once the heat plate <NUM> reaches its desired temperature, a user places the heat press <NUM> on top of a transfer paper logo <NUM> and ironable material <NUM>, whereby the transfer paper logo <NUM> is positioned between the ironable material <NUM> and the heat plate <NUM>. Subsequently, the user applies a downward force <NUM> onto the handle <NUM> which compresses the heat plate <NUM>, transfer paper logo <NUM> and ironable material <NUM>. The force <NUM> is applied for <NUM> to <NUM> seconds. Following, the heat press <NUM> is removed and the user is left with the transfer paper logo <NUM> adhered to the ironable material <NUM>.

In some configurations, the heat press <NUM> includes an insulation portion <NUM> positioned between the heat plate <NUM> and control compartment <NUM>. The heat press <NUM> is configured to be used in a household setting, thereby movability is critical to its design. All of the heat press's <NUM> electrical components and controls <NUM> are housed within the heat press <NUM>. The insulation portion <NUM> provides protection to the user of the heat press <NUM> and also the electrical components and controls <NUM> from the high temperatures generated by the heat plate <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, in some configurations, the heat press <NUM> includes a control compartment <NUM> having a plurality of controls <NUM> and a display <NUM>. The controls <NUM> are at least indirectly electrically coupled to the display <NUM> and heat plate <NUM>. The controls <NUM> allow the user to set the operation settings of the heat press <NUM>, such as the temperature of the heat plate <NUM> and the duration of time the heat plate <NUM> is heated. The display <NUM> shows the operating settings of the heat press <NUM>.

Additionally, the heat press <NUM> includes a user hand clearance area <NUM>. The user hand clearance area <NUM> is located beneath the handle <NUM>. The user hand clearance area <NUM> provides the user with adequate clearance to firmly grab the handle <NUM>.

Now referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the heat press <NUM> is shown without its cover <NUM>. In some implementations, the heat press <NUM> includes at least one electrical circuit <NUM>. The at least one electrical circuit <NUM> is configured to receive electrical power from a power source via an electrical cord <NUM>. The power source may originate from an external permanent source, e.g. wall socket.

In some examples, the heat press <NUM> has an electrical circuit <NUM> located within the control compartment <NUM> and another located with the handle <NUM>. The electrical circuits <NUM> are at least indirectly electrically coupled to one another and also to the heat plate <NUM>, controls <NUM> and display <NUM>. The electrical circuits <NUM> are configured to include an arrangement of capacitors, resistors, inductors, integral signal and power traces and connections.

Moreover, the at least one electrical circuit <NUM> includes a processor, memory and software that effectively operate the heat press <NUM>. In some examples, the at least one electrical circuit <NUM> are configured to include safety features. For example, upon the occurrence of the heat plate <NUM> reaching a temperature set by the user, the electrical circuit <NUM> will adjust the behavior of the heat plate <NUM> to maintain its temperature in order to avoid overheating and damage to the ironable materials <NUM>. Additionally, if the heat plate <NUM> is heated for a duration of time, for example <NUM> minutes, the electrical circuit <NUM> will initiate a safety feature to automatically turn off the heat plate <NUM>.

In some examples, the heat press <NUM> includes a metal substrate <NUM> located within the handle <NUM>. In order to keep the heat press's <NUM> weight at a minimum, a majority of its components are made of plastic or thermoplastic. The metal substrate <NUM> provides the handle <NUM> support in order to withstand forces from the user.

<FIG> shows an example metal substrate <NUM>. The ends of the metal substrate <NUM> are fastened to the body <NUM> of the heat press, more specifically, to the insulation portion <NUM>. The metal substrate <NUM> is made from sheet metal, such as aluminum or steel.

Now referring to <FIG>, an example heat plate <NUM> is shown. The heat plate <NUM> includes copper members <NUM> and a plurality of pressure receiving points <NUM>. The heat plate <NUM> is configured to heat uniformly and at temperatures ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> degrees Fahrenheit. The size of the heat plate <NUM> can vary depending on the application, however the size is larger than a household iron. The shape of the heat plate <NUM> is substantially square or rectangular, however the shape can also vary depending on the application.

In some configurations, the heat plate <NUM> includes two copper members <NUM>. The materials and layout of the copper members <NUM> are critical to the heat plate's <NUM> ability to heat consistently and uniformly. The copper members <NUM> have a serpentine geometry. In some examples, the copper members <NUM> have a mirrored image layout, wherein the copper members <NUM> are separated by a longitudinal axis <NUM> located proximate to the midpoint of the heat plate <NUM>. Moreover, if the copper member <NUM> on the right side of axis <NUM> is folded over the longitudinal axis <NUM> onto the copper member <NUM> on the left side of the axis <NUM>, the layouts of the copper member <NUM> will be the same. Additionally, the copper members <NUM> are at least partially embedded in an aluminum die-cast plate <NUM>. Furthermore, the copper members <NUM> include heating elements <NUM>. The heating elements <NUM> are located at the ends of each copper member <NUM>. The heating elements <NUM> are configured to receive electrical power and to heat the copper members <NUM>.

Now referring to <FIG>, in some implementations, the heat press <NUM> includes an insulation portion <NUM> that has a first layer of insulating material <NUM>. The insulation portion <NUM> provides protection to the user of the heat press <NUM> and also the electrical components and controls from the high temperatures generated by the heat plate <NUM>. The insulation portion <NUM> allows the electrical components and controls to be housed within the heat press <NUM> and not located externally, like in many industrial presses.

In some examples, the insulation portion <NUM> includes multiple layers of insulation with thermal resistance properties. The layers are thermally isolated from one another. For example, the insulation portion <NUM> includes a first layer of insulating material <NUM> comprising a microporous material including glass fibers and a second layer of insulating material <NUM> comprising glass reinforced nylon, such as <NUM>% Nylon, <NUM>% glass fiber. Furthermore, the insulation portion <NUM> may include a third layer of insulating material <NUM> comprising a microporous material including glass fibers and a fourth layer of insulating material <NUM> comprising glass reinforced nylon, such as <NUM>% Nylon, <NUM>% glass fiber. Each of the layers that comprise the insulation portion <NUM> are <NUM> to <NUM> millimeters thick.

Now referring to <FIG>, in some configurations the insulation portion <NUM> allows the heat plate <NUM> to provide uniform pressure to the example transfer paper logo <NUM> and ironable material <NUM>. Uniform pressure aids the adherence of the example transfer paper logo <NUM> to the ironable material <NUM>. For example, the user can grab the handle <NUM> including the metal substrate <NUM> and apply a downward force <NUM>. The force <NUM> will transfer through the layers of the insulation portion <NUM> which include the fourth layer of insulating material <NUM>, the third layer of insulating material <NUM>, the second layer of insulating material <NUM> and the first layer of insulating material <NUM>. In some examples, the metal substrate <NUM> is in direct contact with only the fourth layer of insulating material <NUM>. Subsequently, the force <NUM> transfers from the insulation portion <NUM> through the heat plate pressure points <NUM> to the heat plate <NUM>. The pressure points <NUM> also limit the contact of the heat plate <NUM> and the insulation portion <NUM>, in order to limit heat transfer from the heat plate <NUM>. Ultimately, the force pushes the example transfer paper logo <NUM> onto the ironable material <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, in some implementations, the heat press <NUM> includes an additional safety feature a heat press stand <NUM>. The heat press stand <NUM> further helps prevent the user from getting burned by the high temperatures of the heat plate <NUM>. The heat press stand <NUM> is configured to have minimal touchpoints with the heat plate <NUM>, this allows the heat from the heat plate <NUM> not to transfer to the heat plate stand <NUM> so a user can safely touch the heat plate stand <NUM> while the heat press <NUM> is in use. Moreover, the heat press <NUM> can be safely engaged with the heat press stand <NUM> while the heat plate <NUM> is reaching its set temperature. Additionally, the heat press <NUM> can be placed back into the heat plate stand <NUM>, after its use, to allow the heat plate <NUM> to safely cool down.

Claim 1:
A heat press (<NUM>) comprising:
a heat plate (<NUM>) configured to engage ironable materials (<NUM>);
a control compartment (<NUM>) including a first electrical circuit (<NUM>), controls (<NUM>) and a display (<NUM>), the control compartment (<NUM>) spaced away from and at least indirectly electrically coupled to the heat plate (<NUM>);
a handle (<NUM>) configured to withstand forces (<NUM>) from a user, the handle comprising a second electrical circuit (<NUM>), wherein the controls (<NUM>) and the display (<NUM>) are not located on or beneath the handle (<NUM>);
an insulation portion (<NUM>) positioned between the control compartment (<NUM>) and the heat plate (<NUM>) and including a first layer of insulating material (<NUM>);
a body (<NUM>) including a first end (<NUM>) and a second end (<NUM>) opposite the first end (<NUM>); and
a cover (<NUM>) covering a portion of the body (<NUM>) and the handle (<NUM>),
wherein the heat plate (<NUM>) is located proximate the first end (<NUM>) of the body (<NUM>) and the handle (<NUM>) is located proximate the second end (<NUM>) of the body (<NUM>).