US 12,233,638 B2
Systems and methods for an in-line texture apparatus
Jeffrey Humenick, Bloomsburg, PA (US); Jym Kauffman, Bloomsburg, PA (US); and Rebecca Gallup, Bloomsburg, PA (US)
Assigned to Sekisui Kydex, LLC, Bloomsburg, PA (US)
Filed by SEKISUI KYDEX, LLC, Bloomsburg, PA (US)
Filed on Oct. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/972,347.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/272,105, filed on Oct. 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0128103 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. B41F 16/00 (2006.01); B41F 33/00 (2006.01); B41M 5/382 (2006.01)
CPC B41F 16/0006 (2013.01) [B41F 33/00 (2013.01); B41M 5/382 (2013.01); B41M 2205/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dye sublimation apparatus for infusing an image on a printed sheet to a substrate, the dye sublimation apparatus comprising:
a heating section configured to receive the printed sheet, the substrate, and a texture sheet, the texture sheet comprising a pattern;
a membrane configured to cover the printed sheet, the substrate, and the texture sheet, wherein the membrane is coupled to a vacuum pump configured to control a pressure applied by the membrane to the printed sheet, substrate, and texture sheet;
a controller configured to transmit control signals to the vacuum pump to dynamically adjust the pressure applied by the membrane during heating of the printed sheet;
the heating section comprising a heater bank configured to heat the printed sheet to sublimate one or more dyes forming the image, such that the one or more dyes travel into the substrate in a gaseous state and deposit into the substrate in a solid state to infuse the image into the substrate; and
the texture sheet configured to apply the pattern to the substrate.