Sail Printing Process

• US 20160046359A1
• Filed: 08/17/2015
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel Gohstand
• Original Assignee: Daniel Gohstand
• Inventors: Gohstand, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 10,196,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/00 Printing processes to produce particular kinds of printed work, e.g. patterns printing apparatus or machines of special type or for particular purposes B41F17/00; special designs or pictures per se B44F; manufacturing printed circuits using printing techniques H05K3/12 ; manufacturing organic semiconductor devices using printing techniques H10K71/13
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0047 by ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 9/067 Sails characterised by their construction or manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/005 on resin-treated fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/18 by ships or other floating means

Abstract

A process of printing an image or images on the sails of a watercraft or other wind powered vessel without altering or compromising the efficacy of the sails is described. The process employs a method of printing large-scale, single or multiple panel, continuous, high-resolution photographic and graphic images on sails. The dynamics and curvatures of a sail are integrated into manufacturing process when employed for sails, though the process may be applied to any large-scaled fabric print. The process of the present invention produces printed sails providing for the highest resolution photographic, art, and graphic printing with virtually no weight gain, nor effect on the sail'"'"'s original performance. Modern equipment is employed to achieve printing of realistic, high quality images directly on to the fabric of sails without compromising flexibility or durability, as well as without infringing on the speed and agility of the sailing craft.

Claims

1. A method for printing high-resolution images to sails without compromising the performance of the sail comprising:

identifying the size and shape of the sail;

selecting an image to print to the sail;

using image editing software to size the image to the proportions of the sail;

using image editing software to divide the image into panels for printing;

maximizing the resolution of the image to at least 150 dots per inch (DPI);

exporting a two-dimensional copy of the image to a Cad program;

defining the size of the panels to include overlapping sections and margins for printing;

preparing the panels individually on the cad program for alignment to the sail;

placing key lines on the image;

labeling the panels consecutively;

saving the panels as individual digital image files;

exporting the panels saved as individual digital image files to the printer;

printing the image of the individual digital image files to the sail using a large-format digital printer, forming printed panels;

cutting the printed panels with a plotter;

sewing the panels together with a sailmaker'"'"'s loom; and

coating the panels with an ultraviolet resistant coating.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding saturation to the image;

printing corner reinforcements with a duplicate image; and

printing battens with a duplicate image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

embedding one of the following into the image;

a logo, a brand name, text.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saturating the image by 25 percent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein printing is performed by dye sublimation.

6. A method for printing a high definition image to a functional sail comprising:

identifying the size and shape of the sail;

selecting an image to print to the sail;

using image editing software to divide the image into panels for printing;

maximizing the resolution of the image to at least 150 dots per inch (DPI);

defining the size of the panels to include overlapping sections and margins for printing;

printing the image of the individual digital image files to the sail using a large-format digital printer, forming printed panels;

cutting the printed panels with a plotter; and

sewing the panels together with a sailmaker'"'"'s loom.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein printing is performed by dye sublimation.

8. A method for permanently printing an image to a durable wind-catching fabric comprising:

identifying the size and shape of the wind-catching fabric;

selecting an image to print to the wind-catching fabric;

using image editing software to size the image to the proportions of the wind-catching fabric;

using image editing software to divide the image into panels for printing;

maximizing the resolution of the image to at least 150 dots per inch (DPI);

adding saturation to the image;

embedding one of the following into the image;

a logo, a brand name, text;

exporting a two-dimensional copy of the image to a Cad program;

defining the size of the panels to include overlapping sections and margins for printing;

preparing the panels individually on the cad program for alignment to the wind-catching fabric;

placing key lines on the image;

labeling the panels consecutively;

saving the panels as individual digital image files;

exporting the panels saved as individual digital image files to the printer;

printing the image of the individual digital image files to the wind-catching fabric using a large-format digital printer via dye sublimation, forming printed panels;

printing corner reinforcements with a duplicate image;

printing battens with a duplicate image.

cutting the printed panels with a plotter;

sewing the panels together with a sailmaker'"'"'s loom; and

coating the panels with an ultraviolet resistant coating.