Hat Pallet with Bill Support for Digital Image Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pallets for printing on apparel are inadequate for 3-dimensional items like baseball caps, as they fail to securely support the hat's bill and keep the cap fabric flat for effective printing.
Innovation Solution
A pallet design with a bottom plate, a movable top plate, and a bill support that allows the cap to be mounted with the bill supported, enabling the cap fabric to be held flat and taut for printing, and optionally shaping the bill during the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional flat pallet is used for printing, then flat apparel like t-shirts can be easily positioned and printed, but 3-dimensional items like baseball caps cannot be properly supported or positioned for printing
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet is divided into distinct functional segments: a bottom plate for support, a bill support structure specifically for hat bills, a printing plate for the cap surface, and a top plate for securing. Each segment is optimized for its specific function, allowing the pallet to handle 3-dimensional hat structures effectively while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The pallet design transitions from traditional 2-dimensional flat support to a 3-dimensional structure with vertical components (bill support extending upward, top plate closing over the top). This dimensional expansion enables the pallet to accommodate and support the 3-dimensional form of baseball caps, including the protruding bill, while maintaining proper positioning for flat printing on the cap surface
2Manufacturing precision
If a traditional pallet is used, then the structure remains simple, but it cannot hold the bill of the hat or keep the cap fabric flat and taut for printing
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the pallet are designed with different properties optimized for local functions: the bill support provides upward support and shaping capability for the bill, the printing plate area provides flat, taut support for the cap front, and the top plate provides compression. This localized optimization ensures the cap fabric is held flat and taut precisely where printing occurs, while other areas handle specific structural support needs
Solution Approach 2:
The bill support structure incorporates curved surfaces that match the natural curvature of a hat bill, allowing it to properly support and potentially shape the bill during printing. This curvature design enables the pallet to adapt to the 3-dimensional form of the hat while maintaining printing precision on the cap surface
3Reliability
If the bill of the hat is not supported, then the pallet structure remains simple, but the fabric cannot be held flat and the printing process fails
Solution Approach 1:
The bill support structure is pre-configured in the pallet before the hat is placed, creating a ready-made support framework that automatically positions and secures the bill when the hat is mounted. This preliminary preparation ensures the fabric is properly tensioned and the bill is secured before the printing process begins, increasing reliability without requiring complex real-time adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The bill support acts as an intermediary element between the bottom plate and the hat bill, providing a specialized interface that specifically addresses the support needs of the bill structure. This intermediary component translates the general support function into specific bill-oriented support, ensuring proper positioning and fabric tensioning for successful printing
Data Source
AI summary
A hat pallet for use in a printer which prints an image onto a hat of the type having a cap and a bill attached thereto includes a bottom plate and a top plate mountable in a closed position over the bottom plate. The bottom plate includes a printing plate and a bill support fixedly mounted thereon. The top plate has an opening exposing at least a portion of the printing plate when the top plate is in the closed position. The bill support is positioned relative to the printing plate such that when the hat is mounted in the pallet with the top plate in the closed position, a portion of the cap on which the image is to be printed is supported on the printing plate and exposed through the opening of the top plate and the underside of the bill of the hat is supported by the bill support.