KR20220166959A - Continuous DTG Printing System and Printing Manufacturing Method of T-Shirt - Google Patents

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a production method through an automated system that supplies a half-finished T-shirt to a track-shaped running line so that it is automatically transported to a printer unit, and transfers the printed T-shirt to a T-shirt supply unit to be taken out. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a continuous direct to garment (DTG) printing system may be provided, which comprises: a conveyor device unit supplying semi-finished T-shirts to a track-shaped running line so that the T-shirts are automatically transferred to a printer unit, and transporting the printed T-shirts back to the position of a T-shirt supply unit to be taken out; a printing device unit for printing the T-shirt transported by the conveyor device unit; and a control unit controlling operations of the conveyor device unit and the printing device unit.

Description

Continuous DTG printing printing system and t-shirt printing manufacturing method using the same {Continuous DTG Printing System and Printing Manufacturing Method of T-Shirt}

The present invention relates to a continuous DTG (Direct To Garment) printing printing system and a T-shirt printing manufacturing method using the same. It relates to a continuous DTG printing printing system and a T-shirt printing manufacturing method using the same to provide a mass production method through an automated system that transfers printed T-shirts to the T-shirt supply unit and carries them out.

Screen printing is thousands of years old and involves depositing ink onto a screen with a pattern and squeezing the ink so that it passes through the screen and onto the item to be screened. Screen printing is commonly used to decorate clothing such as T-shirts, pants, and other items such as handbags and totes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Boutiques that specialize in printing whimsical insignia such as embellishments, slogans, university names, or sports team names onto T-shirts and other apparel are commonly seen in shopping malls. The labels available in these boutiques can be pre-printed on a substrate so that boutique operators can use a heat press to apply them to items of clothing purchased by consumers, or they can be applied directly to items of clothing. Covers can include simple monochromatic text or elaborate multicolor illustrations.

The silk screening industry includes multi-station turret type (US Patent Publication No. 2011/0290127) and elliptical (US Patent Publication No. 2010/0000429) printers (both of these patent applications are incorporated herein by reference and are made a part of this application). ) is commonly used. These presses have a plurality of platens or platens spaced along their periphery, one for each color. The number of stations employed depends on the number of colors to be printed on the object. A label may consist of no more than 10 or more colors.

One major challenge in screen printing is the time required to prepare each screen. The general process for setting up screens for printing is as follows:

First, the artwork is set up. Artwork in the form of positive film is fixed on a layout board. Next, a transfer sheet (optionally transparent polyester film) is placed on the layout board. The individual divides the colors by hand transferring the artwork to one or more transfer sheets. In this separation/transfer process, each transfer sheet represents a respective color to be used in the final screened fabric. Accordingly, when six colors are screened, six transfer sheets (piece separation) will be complete.

Second, stencil screens are made (one for each color or print head). A sign or design is formed on the screen by a conventional process. The mesh of the screen is generally covered with an emulsion sensitive to ultraviolet light and is basically represented by a vacuum exposure unit having a light source, a vacuum, a cover, and a table disposed between them. Each transfer sheet is aligned with a pre-stretched screen covered with emulsion so that the transfer sheet is placed between the light source and the screen. The cover is closed and the screen/transfer sheet combination is vacuum treated and UV light treated to bring them into contact with each other. The exposed screen is then chemically treated to become a printing screen. According to state-of-the-art technologies and chemistries, processing may be performed by applying a high power water spray to the exposed screen.

When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light and treated (usually by electric power water spray), the mesh or such portions of the screen covered (such as by a stencil) remain open (interstices are formed) and the light, paint, or Let the ink pass through the mesh.

Portions of the screen mesh not covered by the stencil become opaque when exposed and treated, preventing light, paint, or ink from passing through the mesh.

Specifically, portions of the mesh that are not exposed to UV light (unexposed stencil/[0011] design) are removed and create openings or interstices in it to allow ink to pass through the mesh during the printing process. Gaps in the screen represent locations where ink of a particular color will settle onto a fabric or other substrate.

Thirdly, each printing screen is fixed to the printing head. Then one color of ink is placed on each print head.

Fabrics are loaded onto moving pallets one at a time and the pallets travel to each of the printing stations where each station has a different color of ink. Ink is applied to each fabric through a screen at each station. Each fabric is cured and the ink set.

An attempt to speed up the screen preparation process is a direct to screen (DTS) machine disclosed in commonly assigned US Patent Publication No. 2014/0261029, incorporated herein by reference and making a part of this application. Even with DTS (direct to screen) machines, it can take 10 to 20 minutes to prepare each screen.

One alternative to screen printing is direct to garment (DTG) digital printers with piezo heads.

These DTG machines have the advantage of being able to separate the colors from a digital file that is loaded into the machine's computer controller and then simply spray the colors onto the garment via piezo heads. A limitation is that piezo heads can be very slow compared to screen printing, so it is difficult to use DTG printing machines for large run garment jobs, as well as coordinating digital printers with screen printing machines. There was a problem that was not economical because it slowed down the speed by about 1/2 to 2/3 times.

In the method using such a DTG printing equipment, one person inserts a T-shirt into the equipment, prints it, and then repeats the same operation, which is not only inefficient but also has a problem of uneven work quality.

Publication No. 10-2018-0051535 "Hybrid silk screen and direct to garment printing machine and method"

An object of the present invention is to supply a T-shirt in a semi-finished state to a track-shaped running track so that it is automatically transported to the printer unit, and to provide a production method through an automated system that transports the printed T-shirt back to the T-shirt supply unit position and takes it out. there is.

According to one embodiment of the present invention for achieving the object of the present invention, a T-shirt in a semi-finished state is supplied to a track-shaped driving line so that it is automatically transported to the printer unit, and the printed T-shirt is transported back to the T-shirt supply unit position. Conveyor unit to be carried out; a printing device unit for printing the T-shirt transported by the conveyor device unit; and a controller for controlling the operation of the conveyor unit and the printing unit. A continuous DTG printing printing system may be provided.

At this time, the conveyor device unit forms a circular running track having a track-shaped transport path in which straight sections and curved sections are continuous, and a plurality of rotational print beds for loading and transporting T-shirts are installed on the running track. It is characterized by having a track direction changing device for changing the traveling direction of the rotation print bed at the point where the direction of the running line is changed.

In addition, the printing device unit is composed of a main body installed across the running track and a print head unit mounted on the main body to perform a printing operation on a T-shirt. and connects the upper end of the support unit to form a print head holder, a unit transport device is installed in the longitudinal direction on the print head holder, and a print head unit is coupled to the unit transport device to perform a printing operation on a T-shirt while reciprocating. characterized by carrying out

At this time, the unit transfer device is characterized in that a linear actuator is used.

In addition, the print head unit is characterized in that an 8-array print head unit capable of simultaneously outputting white color and colored color is used.

In addition, the control unit sets and controls the moving speed of the rotation print bed differently for each work step, and controls an automatic calibration operation that automatically corrects accumulated tolerances due to repetitive work.

According to another embodiment of the present invention,

preparing the work target T-shirt by inserting it into a jig in advance;

A step of mounting a jig covered with a T-shirt in the T-shirt supply unit of the conveyor device unit on a rotational print bed that is coupled to a running track and travels;

Entering the rotation print bed loaded with the jig into the print device unit;

performing a printing job on the T-shirt entered into the printing device unit;

Returning the T-shirt on which the printing job is completed to the T-shirt supply unit by means of a rotation print bed;

A step of turning the mounting table of the rotation print bed on which the T-shirt is mounted to face the T-shirt supply unit by 90 degrees so that the operator takes out the T-shirt and the jig; and

A T-shirt printing manufacturing method using a continuous DTG printing printing system may be provided, comprising the steps of mounting a jig covered with a new work target T-shirt on a rotational print bed from which the jig was taken out.

Here, a means is provided to fix the jig mounted on the rotation print bed so that it does not escape during driving, and when the mounting table on which the jig is mounted faces the direction of the running track while traveling, rotates 90 degrees when located in the T-shirt supply unit It is characterized in that it operates in the direction of the T-shirt supply unit.

In the present invention, mass production is possible because it is possible to continuously print the existing T-shirt printing work one by one using the continuous conveyor belt system, and also uniformity and stabilization of quality because it is a production method through an automated system. has the effect of simultaneously improving productivity and quality.

In addition, the present invention provides automation equipment that can reduce the existing 6 processes to 3 processes, so that manpower can be reduced by 1/3, work time can be shortened, and work according to the automated production method can be reduced. There is an effect of improving uniformity and quality.

In addition, the present invention has an effect of remarkably improving production speed by using an 8-array printhead unit capable of simultaneously outputting white color and colored color.

In addition, the present invention also sets and controls the progress speed of the rotation print bed for each work step differently through the control unit, as well as performs an automatic calibration function that automatically corrects the accumulated tolerance due to repetitive work, thereby improving productivity and improving quality. have a contributing effect.

In addition, the present invention directs the mounting table of the rotation print bed in the direction of the running track when it is running, and rotates 90 degrees when it is located in the T-shirt supply unit to face the direction of the T-shirt supply unit, so that the operator can quickly move the jig to the rotation print bed It has the effect of having fast work speed and accuracy by minimizing the movement line so that it can be put in.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing a continuous DTG printing printing system according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view schematically showing a continuous DTG printing printing system according to the present invention.
Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a conveyor device of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the line direction changing device of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the installation structure of the rotation print bed of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the rotation print bed of Figure 3;
Figure 7 is a front view showing a printing device of the present invention.
Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the unit transfer device of Figure 7;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the printhead unit of Fig. 7;
Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the printhead unit of Fig. 7;

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and the spirit of the present invention may be proposed differently by adding, changing, and deleting components constituting the embodiments, but this is also included in the spirit of the present invention. It will be.

1 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing a continuous DTG printing printing system according to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the present invention is largely composed of a conveyor unit 100, a printing unit 200, and a control unit 300.

Here, the conveyor device unit 100 supplies the T-shirt 400 in a semi-finished state to a track-shaped running track so that it is automatically transported to the printing device unit 200, and the printed T-shirt 400 is returned to the T-shirt supply unit ( 111) It is a device unit that transports to the position and takes it out.

And, the printing device unit 200 is a device that prints the T-shirt transported by the conveyor device unit 100 .

First, the conveyor device unit 100 will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the conveyor unit 100 forms a circular travel line 110 having a track-shaped transfer path in which a straight section and a curved section are continuous.

In addition, a rotation print bed 120 for loading and transporting a T-shirt is installed on the running track 110.

A plurality of such rotation print beds 120 are installed to circulate through the travel line 110 .

At this time, there is a point where the direction of the running line 110 is changed, and at this point, a track direction changing device 130 for changing the direction of rotation of the rotation print bed 120 is provided.

Next, the printing device unit 200 will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a printing device according to the present invention, FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the unit transfer device of FIG. 7 , and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the print head unit of FIG. 7 .

7 to 9, the printing device unit 200 of the present invention is mounted on the main body unit 210 installed across the running track 110 and the main body unit 210 to perform printing on T-shirts. It consists of a printhead unit 220 that performs

At this time, the body part 210 is a structure for installing the print head unit 220 in a suspended state, and is erected vertically on both sides of the traveling line 110 to form a holding part 211, and the holding part ( 211) is connected to form the print head holder 212.

At this time, a unit transport device 213 is installed in the longitudinal direction of the print head holder 212, and the print head unit 220 is coupled to the unit transport device 213 to reciprocate to perform printing on a T-shirt. do.

A linear actuator as shown in FIG. 8 may be used as the unit transfer device 213 described above. At this time, the linear actuator is a transfer device driven by magnetic force, and provides an advantage of minimizing accumulation tolerance as well as excellent vibration suppression performance corresponding to the heavy print head unit 220 .

Such a linear actuator not only has excellent durability of parts, but also has an advantage of being able to precisely control, such as being able to determine an appropriate output speed suitable for a T-shirt fabric to be printed and a transport speed of the print head unit 220 optimized therefor.

At this time, the ink supply device 230 for supplying ink to the print head unit 220 may be formed on either the right or left support portion 211 .

At this time, the ink supply device 230 is characterized by supplying ink in a vertical mixing method rather than a horizontal mixing method, and a filter for preventing nozzle clogging may be further installed at the distal end of the ink supply device 230.

Also, as the printhead unit 220, an 8-array printhead unit capable of simultaneously outputting white color and colored color as shown in FIG. 9 may be used.

9 is a perspective view of the printhead unit of FIG. 7, and FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the printhead unit of FIG. 7. The printhead units shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 are 8-array printhead units. it did

As described above, the 8-array printhead unit of the present invention has an effect of significantly increasing the production speed compared to the prior art method of outputting white ink and then outputting color ink.

At this time, the eight nozzle arrangement method of the print head unit 220 may be selectively used as a cross arrangement method or a line arrangement method.

In addition, the control unit 300 of the present invention uses a PLC control device, and sets and controls the moving speed of the rotation print bed 120 differently for each work step.

For example, in the front and rear of the printing device unit 200 requiring precise work and stability, the moving speed of the rotation print bed 120 is reduced as much as possible so that it runs at a low speed, and in other sections, the moving speed of the rotation print bed 120 is fast It can be controlled so that high-speed driving is achieved.

In addition, the control unit 300 controls an automatic calibration operation for automatically correcting the cumulative tolerance due to repetitive work.

Hereinafter, a T-shirt printing manufacturing method using the continuous DTG printing printing system of the present invention will be described.

First, prepare the T-shirt to be worked by inserting it into the jig in advance.

At this time, the jig (not shown) is a plate-shaped member that is inserted into the T-shirt to keep the T-shirt in a flat unfolded state.

Such a jig insertion operation is performed as a pre-processing process separate from the printing operation, so that a sufficient quantity is prepared.

Thereafter, in the T-shirt supply unit of the conveyor unit 100, the jig covered with the T-shirt is coupled to the running track 110 and mounted on the rotating print bed 120 running.

The rotation print bed 120 may be provided with a means for fixing the mounted jig so that it does not escape while driving. At this time, as a fixing means, a magnet may be installed on the rotation print bed 120 so that the jig is magnetically attached and fixed.

At this time, the rotation print bed 120 is designed so that the mounting table 121 on which the jig is mounted rotates. When the mounting table 121 is running, it faces the direction of the running track 110, but the T-shirt supply part When positioned, it rotates 90 degrees to face the T-shirt supply section.

This method has the advantage of having fast work speed and accuracy by minimizing the movement line so that the operator can quickly put the jig into the rotation print bed 120.

The rotation print bed 120 on which the jig is mounted moves to the next step along the running track 110, and the operator continuously mounts the jig on the rotation print bed 120 that arrives next and sends it to the next step.

The rotation print bed 120, which is moved by mounting the jig in the above manner, is located in the printing device unit 200.

The jig that has entered the printing device unit 200 is covered with a T-shirt, and printing is performed on the T-shirt.

At this time, the print head unit 220, which is designed to simultaneously output white color and colored color, performs a T-shirt printing job while moving back and forth by the unit transfer device 213.

The T-shirt, after which the printing operation has been completed in the above manner, is returned to the T-shirt supply unit 111 by the rotation print bed 120.

At this time, when the rotation print bed 120 on which the T-shirt is mounted is located in the T-shirt supply unit 111, the mounting table 121 of the rotation print bed 120 is rotated by 90 degrees to face the T-shirt supply unit 111, The worker takes out the T-shirt and the jig, and mounts the jig covered with the new work target T-shirt in its place.

The present invention using such a conveyor system has the advantage of improving productivity as well as greatly reducing labor costs because it can be operated with a minimum number of people.

Claims (8)

a conveyor device unit for supplying semi-finished T-shirts to a track-shaped running track so that they are automatically transported to the printer unit, and transporting the printed T-shirts back to the T-shirt supply unit location so that they can be taken out;
a printing device unit for printing the T-shirt transported by the conveyor device unit; and
A continuous DTG printing printing system comprising a control unit for controlling the operation of the conveyor unit and the printing unit.
According to claim 1,
The conveyor unit,
A circular driving track having a track-shaped transport path in which straight sections and curved sections are continuous is formed, and a plurality of rotational print beds are installed on the running track to load and transport T-shirts, and the direction of the running track is changed Continuous DTG printing printing system, characterized in that the point is provided with a line direction changing device for changing the moving direction of the rotation print bed.
According to claim 1,
The printing device unit is composed of a main body part installed across the running track and a print head unit mounted on the main body part and performing a printing operation on a T-shirt, the main body part being erected vertically on both sides of the running track to form a holding part, A print head holder is formed by connecting an upper end of the support unit, a unit transport device is installed in the print head holder in a longitudinal direction, and a print head unit is coupled to the unit transport device to perform a printing operation on a T-shirt while reciprocating. Continuous DTG printing printing system, characterized in that.
According to claim 3,
The unit transfer device is a continuous DTG printing printing system, characterized in that a linear actuator is used.
According to claim 3,
The print head unit is a continuous DTG printing printing system, characterized in that an 8-array print head unit capable of simultaneously outputting white color and color color is used.
According to claim 1,
The control unit sets and controls the progress speed of the rotation print bed for each work step differently, and controls an automatic calibration operation that automatically corrects it when an accumulated tolerance occurs due to repetitive work Continuous DTG printing printing system, characterized in that .
preparing the work target T-shirt by inserting it into a jig in advance;
A step of mounting a jig covered with a T-shirt in the T-shirt supply unit of the conveyor device unit on a rotational print bed that is coupled to a running track and travels;
Entering the rotation print bed loaded with the jig into the print device unit;
performing a printing job on the T-shirt entered into the printing device unit;
Returning the T-shirt on which the printing job is completed to the T-shirt supply unit by means of a rotation print bed;
A step of turning the mounting table of the rotation print bed on which the T-shirt is mounted to face the T-shirt supply unit by 90 degrees so that the operator takes out the T-shirt and the jig;
A T-shirt printing manufacturing method using a continuous DTG printing printing system comprising the steps of: mounting a jig covered with a new work target T-shirt on a rotational print bed from which the jig was taken out.
According to claim 7,
A means is provided to fix the jig mounted on the rotation print bed so that it does not escape during driving, and when the mounting table on which the jig is mounted faces the direction of the running track while driving, and is located in the T-shirt supply unit, it is rotated 90 degrees to produce a T-shirt T-shirt printing manufacturing method using a continuous DTG printing printing system, characterized in that it operates in the direction of the supply unit.

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