Digital Printer Platen Material Holding Apparatus

• US 20150151551A1
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Livingston Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Livingston Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Livingston, Darren
• Granted Patent: US 9,272,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/06 Flat page-size platens or smaller flat platens having a greater size than line-size platens B41J11/0085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4078 Printing on textile

Abstract

The present invention relates improved device is provided for holding down textile the material on the platen of the digital printer. The inventive device includes a textile gripping material formed to define a border band on the periphery of the platen. The border material has a structure that engages/grips the textile and hold the textile in place. In operation, the textile is laid onto the platen surface and the edges are pulled taut to align the textile and remove wrinkles and the textile is next pressed onto the border material to be engaged by the border material. The border material grips and holds the textile in position, to provide a smooth textile surface on which the ink jets are applied. After the printing operation, the textile is lifted off of the border material and removed from the platen.

Claims

3-1. A device as is claim 1 wherein said gripping material includes gripping fibers extending in a unidirection, and said gripping fibers being mounted to extend in a direction away from the center of said platen.

7. A device for holding down a T-shirt on a platen of a digital printing machine for printing thereon comprising

a. a platen having a planar printing surface for;

b. said platen being rectangular in shape with three substantially straight sides and one side formed to have a protruding or neck profile.

c. a flexible textile gripping material;

d. said gripping material being selectively positioned on at least two of said straight sides of said platen to selectively engage said T-shirt in a smooth taut condition; and

e. said neck profile being free of said gripping material;

whereby

f. said neck profile enabling said T-shirt to be smoothly slipped around and encircle said neck profile and a major portion of said platen and to have one layer or side of said T-shirt positioned, arranged and held for printing on said printing surface

8. A device for holding down textile material on a platen of a digital printing machine comprising

a. a platen having a flat planar surface;

b. a flexible textile gripping material having on its surface elongated extending fibers; and

d. said gripping material being selectively positionable on the border of said platen planar surface, that is, the sides and edges of said planar surface;

whereby

e. said textile material may be placed on said platen planar surface and located and positioned to be engaged by said gripping material to thereby hold said textile in position over said planar surface for subsequent printing thereon.

9. A device as in claim 8 wherein said fibers have a multi direction orientation.

10. A device as in claim 8 wherein said textile gripping material may be selectively positioned on said planar surface as needed to enable printing on the textile.