Cloth heating apparatus, cloth heating method, method of applying image to cloth, medium heating apparatus

{
  "publication_number": "US10550514B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Cloth heating apparatus, cloth heating method, method of applying image to cloth, medium heating apparatus",
  "abstract": "A cloth heating apparatus includes a body, a receiver, a cloth holder, and a heater. The receiver is disposed in the body. The cloth holder is removably attached to the receiver, to hold a cloth. The heater is disposed in the body, to heat the cloth. The cloth holder is removably attachable to a printing apparatus to print an image on the cloth, with the cloth held on the cloth holder.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A cloth heating apparatus, comprising: a body; a receiver disposed in the body; a cloth holder removably attached to the receiver, to hold a cloth; and a heater disposed in the body, to heat the cloth, wherein the cloth holder is removable from a printing apparatus to print an image on the cloth, with the cloth held on the cloth holder, and is attachable to the printing apparatus with the cloth held on the cloth holder, and the cloth holder is replaceable with another cloth holder holding another cloth on which another image is formed.",
    "2. The cloth heating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a moving device to relatively move the cloth holder attached to the receiver and the heater.",
    "3. The cloth heating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the moving device is a lift to move the cloth holder attached to the receiver upward and downward relative to the heater.",
    "4. The cloth heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heater is one of a rubber heater and a mica heater.",
    "5. The cloth heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heater includes a plurality of divided heating regions adjustable in heat generation amount.",
    "6. A cloth heating method using the cloth heating apparatus according to claim 1, the method comprising: one of pressing the heater and the cloth held on the cloth holder with a pressure of 50 kPa or less and holding the heater and the cloth held on the cloth holder in non-contact with each other; and heating the cloth holder with the heater at a temperature of 170° C. or less for a time period of one minute or greater and two minutes or less.",
    "7. A cloth heating method using the cloth heating apparatus according to claim 1, the method comprising: heating the cloth before the image is printed on the cloth; and heating the cloth after the image is printed on the cloth with the printing apparatus.",
    "8. The cloth heating method according to claim 7, further comprising one of: heating the cloth with the heater and the cloth held on the cloth holder pressed, when the cloth is heated before the image is printed on the cloth; heating the cloth with the heater and the cloth held on the cloth holder away from each other, when the cloth is heated after the image is printed on the cloth; and heating the cloth with the heater and the cloth held on the cloth holder pressed at a weaker force than when the cloth is heated before the image is printed on the cloth.",
    "9. A method of applying an image to a cloth, the method comprising: holding the cloth on a cloth holder; attaching the cloth holder holding the cloth to a cloth heating apparatus; preheating the cloth with the cloth holder holding the cloth being attached to the cloth heating apparatus; removing the cloth holder from the cloth heating apparatus after the preheating; attaching the cloth holder removed from the cloth heating apparatus to a printing apparatus; printing an image on the cloth with the printing apparatus; removing the cloth holder from the printing apparatus after the printing; attaching the cloth holder removed from the printing apparatus to the cloth heating apparatus; and postheating the cloth having the image, with the cloth holder holding the cloth being attached to the cloth heating apparatus.",
    "10. A medium heating apparatus, comprising: a body; a receiver disposed in the body; a medium holder removably attached to the receiver, to hold a medium; a heater disposed in the body, to heat the medium; and a moving device to relatively move the medium holder attached to the receiver and the heater when the heater heats the medium, wherein the medium holder is removable from a printing apparatus to print an image on the medium, with the medium held on the medium holder, and is attachable to the printing apparatus with the medium held on the medium holder, and the medium holder is replaceable with another medium holder holding another medium on which another image is formed."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Technical Field\n\nAspects of the present disclosure relate to a cloth heating apparatus, a cloth heating method, a method of applying an image to a cloth, and a medium heating apparatus.\n\nRelated Art\n\nAn apparatus is known that includes a support to support a cloth, a head to discharge a liquid onto a medium conveyed on the support, and a drying unit to dry the liquid landed on the medium. The apparatus includes a heating area and a non-heating area. The drying unit is disposed in the heating area, and the support and the head are disposed in the non-heating area.\n\nIn an apparatus, such as a textile printing apparatus, to apply an image on a cloth (including a processed article, such as a T-shirt), for example, when printing is performed using a liquid discharge head, the apparatus not only dries the cloth on which liquid is adhered to print an image, but also fixes the image on the cloth by heating the cloth for a certain period of time at relatively high temperature.\n\nIn an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cloth heating apparatus that includes a body, a receiver, a cloth holder, and a heater. The receiver is disposed in the body. The cloth holder is removably attached to the receiver, to hold a cloth. The heater is disposed in the body to heat the cloth. The cloth holder is removably attachable to a printing apparatus to print an image on the cloth, with the cloth held on the cloth holder.\n\nIn another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cloth heating method using the cloth heating apparatus.",
  "cpc": [
    "D06P 5/2066",
    "B41J 11/002",
    "B41J 3/4078",
    "B41M 7/009",
    "D06P 5/001",
    "D06P 5/003",
    "D06P 5/2072",
    "D06P 5/2077",
    "D06P 5/30",
    "F26B 23/04",
    "F26B 9/003"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B41M 7/00",
    "D06P 5/20",
    "F26B 23/04",
    "F26B 9/00",
    "D06P 5/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Ricoh Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Hiroyoshi Matsumoto"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-10-12",
  "publication_date": "2020-02-04",
  "grant_date": "2020-02-04",
  "priority_date": "2016-10-17",
  "application_number": "US-201715730925-A",
  "family_id": "61902137",
  "cited_by_count": 6,
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}