Heat Press, Components, Apparatuses, Systems, and Methods

Abstract

A heat press docking station base ( 52 ) comprises a nest portion ( 75 ) and one or more legs ( 58 ). The nest portion ( 52 ) includes a body shell ( 60, 62 ) and a perforated floor ( 54 ). The body shell ( 60, 62 ) includes a lower surface ( 63 ). The perforated floor ( 54 ) is connected to the body shell ( 60, 62 ). The one or more legs ( 58 ) extend from a lower surface ( 63 ) of the body shell ( 60, 62 ).

1 . A heat press docking station base ( 52 ) comprising:
 a nest portion ( 75 ) including a body shell ( 60 ,  62 ) and a perforated floor ( 54 ), the body shell ( 60 ,  62 ) having a lower surface ( 63 ), the perforated floor ( 54 ) connected to the body shell ( 60 ,  62 ); and   one or more legs ( 58 ) extending from a lower surface ( 63 ) of the body shell ( 60 ,  62 ).   
     
     
         2 . The heat press docking station base ( 52 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the body shell ( 60 ,  62 ) includes:
 an inner peripheral body shell portion ( 60 ); and   an outer peripheral body shell portion ( 62 ) joined to the inner peripheral body shell portion ( 60 ).   
     
     
         3 . The heat press docking station base ( 52 ) of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more legs ( 58 ) integrally extend from a lower surface ( 63 ) of the outer peripheral body shell portion ( 62 ) joined to the inner peripheral body shell portion ( 60 ). 
     
     
         4 . The heat press docking station base ( 52 ) of  claim 2 , wherein the inner peripheral body shell portion ( 60 ) and the outer peripheral body shell portion ( 62 ) joined to the inner peripheral body shell portion ( 60 ) cooperate to form one or more peripheral interior spaces or gaps ( 67 ,  68 ) that include an insulative gas. 
     
     
         5 . The heat press docking station base ( 52 ) of  claim 4 , wherein the insulative gas is subjected to a vacuum. 
     
     
         6 . The heat press docking station base ( 52 ) of  claim 2  further comprising:
 one or more heat plate support protrusions ( 56 ) extending from the nest portion ( 75 ). 
 
     
     
         7 . The heat press docking station base ( 52 ) of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more heat plate support protrusions ( 56 ) extend from:
 the inner peripheral body shell portion ( 60 ) of the nest portion ( 75 ).   
     
     
         8 . The heat press docking station base ( 52 ) of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more heat plate support protrusions ( 56 ) extend from:
 the perforated floor ( 54 ) of the nest portion ( 75 ).   
     
     
         9 . The heat press docking station base ( 52 ) of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more heat plate support protrusions ( 56 ) extend from:
 the inner peripheral body shell portion ( 60 ) of the nest portion ( 75 ); and   the perforated floor ( 54 ) of the nest portion ( 75 ).   
     
     
         10 . The heat press docking station base ( 52 ) of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more heat plate support protrusions ( 56 ) are not aligned with and are offset from the one or more legs ( 58 ) at a distance (Z). 
     
     
         11 . The heat press docking station base ( 52 ) of  claim 6 , wherein an upper-most surface of the one or more heat plate support protrusions ( 56 ) extend away from an upper surface of the perforated floor ( 54 ) at a first distance (X), wherein the one or more legs ( 58 ) extend away from a lower surface of the perforated floor ( 54 ) at a second distance (Y), and wherein the first distance (X), the second distance (Y) and a thickness of the perforated floor ( 54 ) define a length of each perforated passage extending through the thickness of the perforated floor ( 54 ). 
     
     
         12 . The heat press docking station base ( 52 ) of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a heat resistant material insert ( 66 ) disposed within a cavity formed by the one or more legs ( 58 ). 
 
     
     
         13 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A heat press ( 10 ) comprising:
 a deflector subassembly including a force deflector ( 36 ) and an insulation base portion ( 30 ), the force deflector ( 36 ) including an upper handle portion ( 36 ′), the insulation base portion ( 30 ) connected to the force deflector ( 36 );   a heating subassembly including electronics ( 38 ,  40 ), a heating coil ( 42 ), and a heat plate ( 16 ), the electronics ( 38 ,  40 ) connected to a power source ( 24 ), wherein the electronics ( 38 ,  40 ) includes at least one actuator ( 26 ) and a controller, the heating coil ( 42 ) connected to the electronics ( 38 ,  40 ), the a heat plate ( 16 ) thermally coupled to the heating coil ( 42 ); and   a housing cover ( 12 ) that is connected to and at least partially encloses one or more components of both of the deflector subassembly and the heating subassembly.   
     
     
         22 . The heat press ( 10 ) of  claim 21 , wherein the force deflector ( 36 ) further comprises:
 a lower bowl-shaped portion ( 36 ″) extending from a distal end of the upper handle portion ( 36 ′), wherein the lower bowl-shaped portion ( 36 ″) includes a downwardly-facing lip ( 37 ).   
     
     
         23 . The heat press ( 10 ) of  claim 22 , wherein the insulation base portion ( 30 ) further comprises:
 a lower bowl-shaped portion ( 30 ″) having:
 a downwardly-facing lip ( 41 ); and 
 a peripheral upwardly-facing ledge surface ( 39 ) that defines a portion of an upper surface of the insulation base portion ( 30 ), wherein the downwardly-facing lip ( 37 ) of the lower bowl-shaped portion ( 36 ″) of the force deflector ( 36 ) is disposed adjacent and mates with the peripheral upwardly-facing ledge surface ( 39 ) of the insulation base portion ( 30 ). 
   
     
     
         24 - 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A compact packaging subassembly of a heat press ( 10 ), the compact packaging subassembly comprising:
 a housing cover ( 12 ) including a proximal end ( 14 ), a distal end ( 18 ), a handle portion ( 20 ), a leading side portion ( 21 ) having a proximal end portion extending from a first end of the handle portion ( 20 ), a trailing side portion ( 23 ) having a proximal end portion extending from a second end of the handle portion ( 20 ), and a heating subassembly-receiving base portion ( 25 ) having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the heating subassembly-receiving base portion ( 25 ) is connected to a distal end portion of the leading side portion ( 21 ), wherein the second end of the heating subassembly-receiving base portion ( 25 ) is connected to a distal end portion of the trailing side portion ( 23 ), wherein the handle portion ( 20 ), the leading side portion ( 21 ), the trailing side portion ( 23 ), and the heating subassembly-receiving base portion ( 25 ) define a passage ( 22 ) extending through the housing cover ( 12 ); and   electronics ( 38 ,  40 ) disposed within the proximal end ( 14 ) of the housing cover ( 12 ) and away from the heating subassembly-receiving base portion ( 25 ) that at least partially defines the distal end ( 18 ) of the housing cover ( 12 ).   
     
     
         39 . The compact packaging subassembly of  claim 38 , wherein the electronics ( 38 ,  40 ) include:
 a first printed circuit board ( 38 ) arranged perpendicular to a horizontal plane defined by the heating subassembly-receiving base portion ( 25 ); and   a second printed circuit board ( 40 ) arranged perpendicular to a horizontal plane defined by the heating subassembly-receiving base portion ( 25 ).   
     
     
         40 . The compact packaging subassembly of  claim 39 , wherein the first printed circuit board ( 38 ) is at least partially disposed within the handle portion ( 20 ) of the housing cover ( 12 ), wherein the second printed circuit board ( 40 ) is at least partially disposed within the leading side portion ( 21 ) of the housing cover ( 12 ). 
     
     
         41 - 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . The compact packaging subassembly of  claim 38 , wherein the electronics ( 38 ,  40 ) includes:
 at least one motion detection sensor ( 59 ) communicatively-coupled to a controller that powers-off the electronics ( 38 ,  40 ) when the housing cover ( 12 ) is not moved for a period of time by a user (U).   
     
     
         46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . The compact packaging subassembly of  claim 38 , wherein the electronics ( 38 ,  40 ) includes:
 one or more tilt sensors ( 61 ) communicatively-coupled to a controller that powers-off the electronics ( 38 ,  40 ) when the housing cover ( 12 ) is not tilted to a horizontal orientation by a user (U).