Rotating Drum Printing Machine for Seamless Textile Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional textile printers are unable to print continuous images or patterns around seamless textiles in tube form, as they are designed for flat surfaces and cannot accommodate the curvature of tube-shaped fabrics effectively.
Innovation Solution
A rotating drum printing machine with a print head equipped with multiple nozzles aligned along the circumference of the drum, allowing the fabric to be fitted onto the drum for continuous printing, and utilizing a virtual 3D cylindrical image to ensure seamless, continuous patterns around the tube.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional textile printers are used for flat surfaces, then printing is simple and straightforward, but they cannot print continuous images around tube-shaped seamless textiles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing the flat printing surface with a cylindrical drum that rotates to accommodate tube-shaped seamless textiles. The drum's curved surface matches the geometry of the textile tube, enabling continuous printing around the entire circumference while maintaining consistent nozzle-to-fabric distance through proper nozzle alignment along the drum's curvature.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by introducing rotation of the cylindrical drum during the printing process. The drum rotates to allow the print head to access all areas of the tube-shaped textile continuously, transforming the static printing process into a dynamic one that can handle three-dimensional curved surfaces and produce seamless continuous patterns.
2Manufacturing precision
If the fabric is placed on a flat printing tray, then printing setup is simple, but it is not possible to print all around the tube or provide an image continuous around the tube
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical drum provides the necessary curvature to match the tube-shaped textile, enabling the print head to maintain a constant distance from the fabric surface while printing continuously around the entire tube. This curved geometry ensures that patterns wrap seamlessly around the textile without discontinuities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional flat surface printing to three-dimensional curved surface printing by using a rotating cylindrical drum. This adds the dimension of rotation and allows the print head to access all areas of the tube-shaped textile, creating continuous three-dimensional patterns that wrap around the entire object.
3Adaptability or versatility
If interchangeable drums of different circumferences are used, then the machine can accommodate various fabric sizes, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing interchangeable drums that can be swapped to accommodate different fabric sizes and tube circumferences. Each drum is designed to work with the same print head system, allowing a single printing machine to handle multiple product specifications and customer requirements through simple drum replacement rather than requiring entirely different printing systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing machine and method for using the same, for printing seamless fabrics provided in tube form, the printing machine comprising a drum on which a tube of the fabric is fitted; and a print head placed in proximity to said drum to print onto the tube fabric as it rotates on the drum. The print head moves axially on the drum to advance the printing.