Search

US-20260124830-A1 - AUTO FEED DTF FILM HEAT PRESS MACHINE

US20260124830A1US 20260124830 A1US20260124830 A1US 20260124830A1US-20260124830-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to automatic heat-transfer press machines and systems configured to transfer printed patterns from a carrier film onto garments. Various embodiments are described, including single-station, dual-platen, multi-station, and continuous conveyor configurations. The machines may include automated film feeding, edge and print-edge alignment systems, vacuum garment retention, programmable temperature and pressure control, and selectable hot, warm, or cold peel cycles. Certain embodiments may incorporate vision-based or AI-powered alignment systems that automatically correct garment or film misalignment in real time. Other embodiments include forced-air cooling to accelerate peel readiness and integrated sensors for monitoring actual garment temperature and pressure uniformity. The disclosure describes both the structural configurations and detailed methods of setup and operation that allow for consistent, high-quality transfers with reduced operator error and improved production efficiency across a variety of garment types and transfer films.

Inventors

  • Jimmy Lin
  • Dawei CAO

Assignees

  • Enetshops, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251104
Priority Date
20241106

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . An automatic heat-transfer press machine comprising: a lower platen configured to support a garment thereon; an upper platen defining a heated surface configured to press a sheet carrying a printed pattern against the garment, the upper platen configured to traverse vertically in a linear pathway between an up position and a down position; a roll-feeding mechanism configured to feed a sheet along a sheet path from a supply roll, through a press zone to a take-up roll; and a controller configured to operate the upper platen and the roll-feeding mechanism independently such that, during a press cycle, (a) the upper platen lifts away from the sheet after a dwell period while the sheet remains at an elevation of the garment to permit controlled cooling of the printed pattern on the garment, and (b) the roll-feeding mechanism thereafter lifts or peels the sheet away from the garment following a time delay.
  2. 2 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 1 wherein the delay is selectively programmable between approximately one second and one minute to achieve hot-peel and warm-peel operation modes.
  3. 3 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 2 , wherein the controller includes a user interface configured to allow an operator to program a time period of the delay between lifting of the upper platen and lifting of the roll-feeding mechanism away from the garment.
  4. 4 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 1 , wherein the controller automatically selects the delay based on a detected type of sheet or a stored recipe corresponding to a particular transfer material.
  5. 5 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 1 , further comprising an airflow system configured to direct ambient or cooled air across the garment during the delay to accelerate cooling of the printed pattern.
  6. 6 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 5 , wherein the airflow system includes one or more fan blowers or air nozzles directed between the upper platen and the garment, and wherein the controller regulates a temperature of the air during the delay.
  7. 7 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 1 , wherein the roll-feeding mechanism is configured to tilt about a transverse axis before lifting the sheet, thereby initiating a peel from one side of the printed pattern prior to peeling the remainder of the sheet so that the sheet is peeled off of the printed pattern from the one side to an opposite side.
  8. 8 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 1 , further comprising a non-contact temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of a surface of the garment, wherein the controller regulates a temperature of the upper platen based on a measured garment temperature reaching a target value.
  9. 9 . The heat transfer press machine of claim 1 wherein the sheet is a direct to film (DTF) film or heat transfer paper.
  10. 10 . An automatic press machine comprising: a lower platen configured to receive a garment; a roll-feeding mechanism configured to advance a sheet carrying a series of printed patterns between upper and lower platens; a print-edge detector positioned along the sheet path and configured to detect a leading edge of the printed pattern on the sheet; and a controller programmed to advance the sheet after detection of the leading edge for a calibrated distance or time duration such that the printed pattern is properly positioned relative to a garment on the lower platen.
  11. 11 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 10 wherein the controller stores adjustable calibration parameters corresponding to different printed pattern spacing and printed pattern sizes, enabling repeatable alignment of the printed patterns.
  12. 12 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 10 , wherein a print-edge detector comprises an infrared, optical or infrared sensor configured to detect contrast between the printed pattern and an unprinted region of the sheet for identifying a leading edge of the printed pattern.
  13. 13 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 10 , wherein a calibrated advancement distance is adjustable through a user interface and is storable as part of a job-specific memory preset.
  14. 14 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 10 , wherein a print-edge detector regulates vertical placement of the printed pattern on the garment and cooperates with a front to back edge sensor to regulate a left to right placement of the printed pattern on the garment.
  15. 15 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 10 , further comprising an artificial intelligence (AI) camera positioned above the lower platen and configured to verify printed pattern placement in relation to the garment after sheet advancement and before transfer.
  16. 16 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 15 , wherein the controller adjusts either a sheet position or the lower platen position in response to alignment feedback from the AI camera to correct misalignment before pressing.
  17. 17 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 10 , wherein a print-edge detector detects each printed pattern automatically during continuous operation so that successive garments receive identical pattern positioning without manual adjustment.
  18. 18 . An automatic heat-transfer press machine comprising: a roll-feeding mechanism configured to advance a sheet carrying printed patterns toward a press zone; a guide disposed along a sheet path and rotatable about an axis to shift the sheet's location relative to a front to back direction of the machine for adjusting a vertical placement of the printed pattern relative to a lower platen; an edge sensor configured to monitor a side edge of the sheet and generate a positional feedback signal; and a controller configured to command movement of the guide in response to the feedback signal to adjust a vertical position of each printed pattern relative to a garment supported on the lower platen, wherein the guide maintains consistent pattern landing height on the garment despite lateral drift during repeated cycles.
  19. 19 . The heat transfer press machine of claim 18 wherein the movement is a rotational movement in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction or lateral in and out directional movement.
  20. 20 . The heat-transfer press machine of claim 18 , wherein the guide comprises a pair of rollers mounted on a pivot frame rotated by an actuator under command of the controller.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to patent application serial number 202422700205.2, filed on Nov. 6, 2024 with the CNIPA, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable. BACKGROUND The various aspects and embodiments described herein relate to a heat press machine (DTF Film and heat transfer press). In the prior art, garment printing systems typically performed heat transfer operations one at a time. Each transfer required manual positioning and sequential pressing of individual garments, resulting in slow production speeds and limited throughput. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a heat transfer system that can improve throughput by automating or continuously performing transfer operations. BRIEF SUMMARY The disclosed invention provides a family of automated heat-transfer press machines designed to increase production efficiency and improve the accuracy and consistency of direct-to-film (DTF) garment transfers. The machines achieve these benefits by combining precise film-handling mechanisms, adjustable lower platen movement, and integrated sensors and cameras that continuously monitor and adjust alignment during operation. By automating critical steps such as film positioning, garment centering, peel timing, and cooling, the system reduces manual intervention and ensures that every transfer is applied under optimal temperature and pressure conditions. Unlike traditional heat presses that rely on operator skill for placement and timing, the embodiments described herein use feedback-driven control and optional AI vision correction to ensure uniform results from cycle to cycle. The modular design allows features such as vacuum garment retention, roll-to-roll film peeling, and programmable peel delays to be implemented selectively across single or multi-platen configurations, offering scalable automation for both small and industrial production environments. More particularly, an automatic heat-transfer press machine is disclosed. The machine may comprises a lower platen configured to support a garment. It includes an upper platen defining a heated surface that presses a sheet carrying a printed pattern against the garment. The upper platen moves vertically in a linear path between an up position and a down position. The machine also includes a roll-feeding mechanism that feeds the sheet along a sheet path from a supply roll, through a press zone, and to a take-up roll. A controller operates the upper platen and roll-feeding mechanism independently. During a press cycle, the upper platen lifts away from the sheet after a dwell period while the sheet remains at the garment's elevation to allow controlled cooling of the printed pattern. After a time delay, the roll-feeding mechanism lifts or peels the sheet away from the garment. The delay is programmable between about one second and one minute to provide hot-peel, warm-peel, or cold-peel modes. The controller includes a user interface that allows an operator to set the time delay between lifting of the upper platen and lifting of the roll-feeding mechanism. The controller may automatically select the delay based on a detected type of sheet or a stored recipe for a particular transfer material. The machine may include an airflow system that directs ambient or cooled air across the garment during the delay to speed up cooling of the printed pattern. The airflow system can include one or more fan blowers or air nozzles directed between the upper platen and the garment, and the controller may regulate air temperature during the delay. The roll-feeding mechanism can tilt about a transverse axis before lifting the sheet to start peeling from one side of the printed pattern before peeling the rest, so the sheet peels off from one side to the opposite side. The machine can include a non-contact temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the garment surface, and the controller regulates the upper platen temperature based on when the measured temperature reaches a target value. The sheet may be a direct-to-film (DTF) film or a heat transfer paper. In another aspect, an automatic press machine is disclosed. The machine may include a lower platen for receiving a garment and a roll-feeding mechanism for advancing a sheet carrying printed patterns between the upper and lower platens. A print-edge detector is positioned along the sheet path to detect a leading edge of each printed pattern. A controller advances the sheet after detection of the leading edge for a calibrated distance or duration so that the printed pattern is properly aligned with the garment on the lower platen. The controller stores adjustable calibration parameters that match different printed pattern spacing and sizes for repeatable alignment. The print-edge detector can be an optical or infrared sensor that detects contrast between printed and unpr