A mug wrapping machine for sublimation transfer printing includes a base plate, above which a clamping frame mounting plate, a pressing plate, an auxiliary plate and a lifting plate are sequentially arranged. A placing plate is arranged above the lifting plate, so that the lower surface of the placement plate is provided with guide posts passing through the lifting plate, the auxiliary plate, the holding plate and the mounting plate of the clamping frame, and the lower end of the guide column is fixed on the upper surface of the base plate. The mounting plate of the clamping frame is installed between the clamping plate and the front and rear ends of the upper surface of the pressing plate, respectively, with ear seats, and a circular center column is arranged between the two ear seats, and the two ends of the circular center column are respectively equipped with rotating plates.

A sublimation device includes a first heater and a second heater. The first heater includes a proximal end, a distal end, and an inner surface. The distal end is disposed opposite the proximal end. The inner surface extends between the proximal end and the distal end and at least partially forms a cavity. The second heater is disposed proximate the distal end of the first heater.

A hot stamping apparatus and a hot stamping method are for collectively decorating a plurality of decoration objects using a decorative sheet. In a hot stamping apparatus, an upper chamber and a lower chamber are partitioned by a partition sheet and pressing bodies, so that decorative sheet pieces can be used instead of a decorative sheet having a large area. Then, by using the decorative sheet pieces, local thermal deformation can be prevented. A usage amount of the decorative sheet can be reduced, and three-dimensional decoration can be implemented as needed on a portion requiring decoration.

Systems and methods for laser assisted deposition of a material includes a printing unit configured to print individual dot-like portions of a material from a donor substrate onto a receiving substrate, and a vacuum shuttle configured to be positionable in two or three dimensions between the printing unit and the donor substrate and to engage the donor substrate upon application of a vacuum to the vacuum shuttle. The printing unit may include a coating system and a laser. The vacuum shuttle includes a vacuum channel about its periphery and an open window through which the laser irradiates the donor substrate. The vacuum channel is fluidly coupled to a vacuum inlet for receiving a vacuum suction, thereby to engage the donor substrate and hold it taught against the bottom of the vacuum shuttle in operation. The vacuum shuttle may also include one or more distance measuring sensors and fiducial markers.

The invention relates to a device for carrying a substrate, for example a drinking cup, and clamping against the substrate, for example against an outer wall of the drinking cup, a clamping sheet, wherein the clamping sheet comprises a flexible and bendable material with a width and a length, said length being measured between longitudinal ends of the clamping sheet, wherein coupling members are provided at longitudinal ends of the clamping sheet, said coupling members comprising rods protruding in the width direction of the clamping sheet. The device is characterized in that the device comprises first recesses for receiving rods of a first width side that are positioned at opposite longitudinal ends of the clamping sheet and comprises second recesses for receiving rods of a second width side that are positioned at opposite longitudinal ends of the clamping sheet, and the device comprises a support member for carrying the device and the substrate.

Apparatuses and methods for applying a transfer material onto the surface of an article are disclosed, including apparatuses and methods of transfer printing on and/or decorating three-dimensional articles, as well as the articles printed and/or decorated thereby. In some cases, the apparatuses and methods involve providing a deposition device, such as a printing device; providing a transfer component; depositing a material onto a portion of the transfer component with the deposition device; modifying the portion of the transfer component with the transfer material thereon to conform the transfer component to at least a portion of the surface of the three-dimensional article; and transferring the transfer material onto the surface of the article.

The present invention relates to a method for decorating a drinking or eating vessel, the method comprising: a. providing: i. a drinking or eating vessel, wherein the vessel comprises an inner surface that defines a volume for receiving a liquid or a solid food and an outer surface comprising a polymeric coating; and ii. a transfer sheet, wherein the transfer sheet comprises a printed decoration; and iii. a supporting means comprising a recess for receiving the vessel; and b. arranging the vessel within the recess of the supporting means thereby defining a lower portion of the outer surface of the vessel occluded from contact with the transfer sheet and an upper portion of the outer surface of the vessel for contacting the transfer sheet; and contacting the upper portion of the outer surface of the vessel and the supporting means with the transfer sheet under at least a partial vacuum, wherein the printed decoration is transferred from the transfer sheet to the upper portion of the outer surface of the vessel, and wherein the supporting means reduces stretching of the transfer sheet from the upper portion of the outer surface of the vessel to the lower portion of the outer surface of the vessel. Also described are associated uses, an apparatus, and drinking or eating vessels obtainable by the methods of the invention.

A transfer medium producing apparatus is equipped with an ink ejection unit 20 that ejects ink onto a peelable sheet, an adhesive solution application unit 30 that applies an adhesive solution onto the peelable sheet onto which the ink has been ejected, and a control unit 2 that controls the ejection of ink and the application of the adhesive solution to be performed by a wet on wet method.

In an attachment device, the atmospheric pressure of a lower space which is formed by a container and an attachment film and the atmospheric pressure of an upper space which is formed by a lid and the attachment film are varied to cause elastic deformation of the attachment film, so that a decorative sheet is attached to a cowl. Disposed inside the container are: a jig that puts the cowl in place; and a restriction plate which is disposed at a location close to the cowl so as to cause at least a part of the cowl to be exposed to the attachment film side, and which has a reception surface that restricts the elastic deformation of the attachment film. In addition, the reception surface is provided with a small through-hole that allows the air inside the lower space to flow therethrough.

The machine (1) comprises: a stationary frame structure (2), wherein support elements (8-12) are provided for supporting an article (A) on which an image (I) is to be printed; a thermal transfer assembly (20) which is vertically movable relative to the frame structure (2), above the support elements (8-12), between a raised rest position and a lowered working position, and includes a transfer pad (21) having an active surface (21a) which is heated in operation; and supply and guide devices (23-36) arranged to advance, along a predetermined path extending in part between the active surface (21a) of the transfer pad (21) and the support elements (8-12), a flexible printing ribbon (N) which on a side thereof carries, at predetermined intervals, images (I) formed of a thermally transferable ink. The machine (1) further comprises a position sensor (80) arranged to provide electrical signals indicative of the vertical position of the transfer pad (21), and a control unit (14) arranged to carry out a learning phase wherein the control unit (14) causes a descent run of the thermal transfer assembly (20), until the transfer pad (21) is brought into engagement with an article (A) of a predetermined type positioned on the support elements (8-12), and through the position sensor (80) detects and then stores reference data characterizing such descent run, and a subsequent printing phase, wherein the control unit (14) causes a subsequent descent run of the thermal transfer assembly (20) towards and up to an article (A) of the same type positioned on the support elements (8-12), detecting and comparing with said reference data the corresponding data that characterize the current descent run, and stopping the printing phase when the comparison between these data is indicative of an anomaly in the current descent run.