[0001] The present finding refers to a press used for personalising products by applying
heat transferable material, according to the general part of claim 1.
[0002] As it is known, it is very common to personalise clothing items, from T-shirts, to
caps, to shoes, through the use of heat transferable films, which have drawings/writing
to be transferred with a hot press onto the object to be personalised. Of the various
machines used in the operation of "transferring" heat fix materials on fabrics or
other supports, manual or automatic heat presses are widespread substantially made
up of a fixed base plate, on which the garment and the heat transferable film are
spread out, an upper heated plate and means for pressure clamping the two plates.
[0003] At the state of the art such types of presses (as an example see that described in
patent document n. VI1996O000049, by the same applicant) are used in an optimal manner
for transferring on flat garments, such as T-shirts, or also slightly curved ones,
like the bill of caps. On the other hand, the personalisation of packed shoes is more
difficult, since on said machines it is not possible to obtain a suitable arrangement
of the shoe so as to apply the materials for the personalisation on the sides of the
upper and on the heel.
[0004] Currently, in order to decorate shoes, the parts of the shoe (the upper spread out
flat) with the heat transferable materials are firstly personalised, then the shoe
itself is manufactured (sewing of the upper to the sole).
[0005] The main purpose of the present finding is to make a press for applying heat transferable
materials, which makes it possible to personalise, in addition to clothing items,
also finished shoes, in a rapid and simple manner and without jeopardising the decoration
quality and the resistance of the adhesive over time.
[0006] A further purpose of the finding is that of making a press for personalising finished
shoes of different types, sizes and materials (for recreational activities, made from
canvas, sports shoes, made from rigid technical materials, made from leather, made
from artificial leather) even simultaneously and on a wide surface of the upper and
of the heel.
[0007] Such purposes are obtained by making a press, which is
characterised in that it has the lower plate that is shaped so as to allow the positioning of two or more
finished shoes arranged with the lateral side of the upper in the horizontal position,
in opposition to the upper heated plate.
[0008] The finding shall become clearer with the description of a possible embodiment thereof,
given purely as an example and not for limiting purposes, with the aid of the attached
tables with figures, in which:
- figs. 1-2 (table I-II) represent the press according to the finding, which is equipped
for the personalisation of the sides of the upper of the finished shoes, in the resting
and usage conditions, respectively;
- figs. 3-4 (table III-IV) represent the press according to the finding equipped for
the personalisation of the heel of the finished shoe, in the resting and usage conditions,
respectively.
[0009] As visible in fig. 1, the press comprises a base plate 1, on which the object to
be personalised is arranged and an upper heated counter-plate 2, both supported through
a frame 3 and compressed through an elastic member 4, which is manoeuvred by the handle
5, all as
per se known.
[0010] As visible in fig.2 the new characteristic of the finding consists of the fact that
the base plate 1, instead of having a quadrilateral shape, like in machines in use,
is shaped so as to allow at least two finished shoes to be held.
[0011] Specifically, the plate 1 has at least two opposite protuberances 10, on which the
two shoes are fitted so as to have the lateral part "P" of the upper that is arranged
horizontally (see fig.2).
[0012] Again specifically, the plate 1 can be equipped with other two protuberances 11,
which are opposite to the previous ones and have sizes and shapes that are the same
as or different from the previous ones, so as to be able to simultaneously "personalise",
with the same heated plate 2, same or different finished shoes. Moreover, the plate
1 is advantageously applied onto the frame 3 in a removable manner, so as to be an
"accessory" of the machine that is replaceable and interchangeable in relation to
the different types of shoes to be personalised.
[0013] As visible in figs. 3 and 4, the machine described above is also equipped with a
lower shaped support 20 and with a heated pressure blade 30, which replace the two
previous plates 1 and 2 so as to complete the personalisation of the shoe at the heel
"T", through the same heat process.
[0014] Analogously to the base plate 1, also the shaped surface 20 is applied onto the frame
3 in a removable manner, so as to be an "accessory" of the machine that is replaceable
or interchangeable in relation to the different types of shoes to be personalised.
[0015] From what has been described above, the operative advantages of the finding are clear,
allowing anybody from the craftsman to the final user to personalise finished shoes,
even with very limited runs, with the application of very precise decorations and
in a rapid and cost-effective manner.
[0016] The finding thus conceived can undergo variants and its details can be replaced by
technically equivalent elements, all covered by the inventive concept defined by the
following claims.
1. PRESS FOR APPLYING HEAT TRANSFERABLE MATERIALS FOR PERSONALISING PRODUCTS, of the
type comprising a lower plate (1), on which the object to be personalised is arranged
and an upper heated counter-plate (2), both supported by means of a frame (3) and
compressed through an elastic member (4), manoeuvred by a handle (5), said press being
characterised in that it makes it possible to personalise two or more finished shoes simultaneously.
2. PRESS, according to claim 1, characterised in that the lower plate (1) has a shape such as to allow at least two finished shoes to be
held, so as to carry out the personalisation of the upper of two or more shoes simultaneously.
3. PRESS, according to claim 2, characterised in that the base plate (1) has at least two opposite protuberances (10), on which the two
shoes are fitted, so as to have the lateral part (P) of the upper arranged horizontally.
4. PRESS, according to claim 3, characterised in that the base plate (1) is equipped with a plurality of protuberances (10, 11), having
dimensions and shapes that are the same as or different from one another, so as to
be able to personalise, with the same heated plate (2), same or different finished
shoes, simultaneously.
5. PRESS, according to one or more of the previous claims, characterised in that the base plate (1) is applied onto the frame (3) in a removable manner, so as to
be an accessory of the machine, that is replaceable and interchangeable in relation
to the different types of shoes to be personalised.
6. PRESS, according to claim 1, equipped with a lower shaped surface (20) and a heated
pressure blade (30), for personalising the heel (T) of a finished shoe, characterised in that it foresees a shaped surface (20) applied onto the frame (3) in a removable manner,
so as to be an accessory of the machine that is replaceable or interchangeable in
relation to the different types of shoes to be personalised.
7. BASE PLATE (1), to be mounted on presses for applying heat transferable materials
on finished shoes, characterised in that it is made according to the characteristics described in one or more of claims 1
to 5.