Garment personalization with autonomous robots

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11472211-B1
Application number	US-202217676518-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 21, 2022
Priority date	Jun 30, 2021
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments herein describe a DTG printing environment that uses autonomous robots to move garments between DTG processing stages (e.g., retrieval stages, pretreatment stages, printing stages, drying stages, etc.). Doing so removes the dependency of DTG printing process on the stage that consumes the most time. In one embodiment, the DTG processing stages or the autonomous robot include an actuator for moving the garment and the DTG processing stage closer together. In one embodiment, the processing stage includes a lift (e.g., an actuator) that lifts a detachable carrier from the robot on which the garment is mounted. The lift can level and rotate the detachable carrier to provide a fine alignment between the garment and the DTG processing stage. While a lift is specifically disclosed, in other embodiments, the actuator could be disposed on the robot to lift up the garment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
an autonomous robot comprising:
a drive system configured to move the autonomous robot in an environment, and
first supporting features disposed on a top side of the autonomous robot; and

a detachable carrier configured to hold an article for digital printing, the detachable carrier comprising second supporting features configured to mate with the first supporting features to mechanically interface the detachable carrier with the autonomous robot; wherein:
the second supporting features comprise a first cylindrical bar and a second cylindrical bar; and
the first cylindrical bar is orthogonal to the second cylindrical bar.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first supporting features are configured to align the detachable carrier to a plane that is parallel to a ground surface when the first supporting features mate with the second supporting features.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first supporting features comprise V-shaped, U-shaped, or semi-circle guides that mate with the second supporting features.

4. A system for aligning a detachable carrier to an autonomous robot, the system comprising:
the autonomous robot, comprising a first plurality of alignment features, wherein each alignment feature of the first plurality of alignment features comprises a guide having sloped walls; and
the detachable carrier, comprising a second plurality of alignment features, wherein each alignment feature of the second plurality of alignment features is configured to mate with the first plurality of alignment features to align the detachable carrier to the autonomous robot; wherein:
the second plurality of alignment features comprises a first cylindrical bar and a second cylindrical bar; and
the first cylindrical bar is orthogonal to the second cylindrical bar.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein each guides of the first plurality of alignment features is V-shaped, U-shaped, or a semi-circle.

Assignees

• CreateMe Technologies LLC

Inventors

• Thammasouk Khamvong
• Myers Thomas C K
• Jung Jinhwa
• Waller Iv Benjamin R
• Lemke David B

Classifications

• B65G1/1375

  the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck · CPC title

• B41J29/38 Primary

  Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism · CPC title

• B41J11/20

  Platen adjustments for varying the strength of impression, for a varying number of papers, for wear or for alignment {, or for print gap adjustment} · CPC title

• B41J3/4078 Primary

  Printing on textile · CPC title

• B41J11/0015

  for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing (selective coating B41J2/2114) · CPC title