Printing process for plush fabric

Abstract

Images printed and transferred to plush fabric and a method for printing and transferring images to plush fabric are described. Through a dye-sublimation process, dye sublimation agents can be permanently embedded into the fibers of plush fabric. The dye-sublimation process allows for precise images, including images of photo quality or near-photo quality, to be transferred to the plush fabric. Pieces of the plush fabric can be combined and arranged to create, for example, a stuffed animal with an image that extends across the body and appendages of the animal.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A product manufactured by a process comprising: 
 rendering a mirror image of a desired image on a transfer sheet using a dye-sublimation agent;    placing plush fabric adjacent to the transfer sheet; and    treating the dye-sublimation agent to transfer the desired image to the plush fabric.    
     
     
         2 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the dye sublimation agent comprises dye sublimation toner and wherein the step of rendering a mirror image of the desired image on a transfer sheet comprises printing the mirror image onto the transfer sheet with an electrostatic printer.  
     
     
         3 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the dye sublimation agent comprises dye sublimation ink and wherein the step of rendering a mirror image of the desired image on a transfer sheet comprises printing the mirror image onto the transfer sheet with an inkjet printer.  
     
     
         4 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the desired image comprises a plurality of pieces of a pattern corresponding to a plush toy when assembled.  
     
     
         5 . The product of  claim 4 , wherein the process further comprises cutting the plurality of pieces from the plush fabric and assembling the plurality of pieces to form the plush toy.  
     
     
         6 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of desired images are provided on a plurality of pieces of plush fabric, the plurality of pieces forming a pattern corresponding to a plush toy when assembled.  
     
     
         7 . The product of  claim 6 , wherein the plush toy comprises a bear.  
     
     
         8 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises: 
 receiving a digital image in a computer;    creating an image-filled pattern by matching a portion of the digital image to each of a plurality of pieces of a pattern corresponding to a plush toy; and    generating the desired image based on the image-filled pattern.    
     
     
         9 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the portion of the digital image matched to each of the plurality of pieces is non-repeating.  
     
     
         10 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the portion of the digital image matched to each of the plurality of pieces comprises repeating portions.  
     
     
         11 . A method of printing an image on a piece of plush fabric, comprising the steps of: 
 rendering a mirror image of a desired image on a transfer sheet using a dye-sublimation agent;    placing plush fabric adjacent to the transfer sheet; and    treating the dye-sublimation agent to transfer the desired image to the plush fabric.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the dye sublimation agent comprises dye sublimation toner and wherein rendering a mirror image of the desired image on a transfer sheet comprises printing the mirror image onto the transfer sheet with an electrostatic printer.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the dye sublimation agent comprises dye sublimation ink and wherein rendering a mirror image of the desired image on a transfer sheet comprises printing the mirror image onto the transfer sheet with an inkjet printer.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the desired image comprises a plurality of pieces of a pattern corresponding to a plush toy when assembled.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the process further comprises cutting the plurality of pieces from the plush fabric and assembling the plurality of pieces to form the plush toy.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of desired images are provided on a plurality of pieces of plush fabric, the plurality of pieces forming a pattern corresponding to a plush toy when assembled.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plush toy comprises a bear.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the process further comprises: 
 receiving a digital image in a computer;    creating an image-filled pattern by matching a portion of the digital image to each of a plurality of pieces of a pattern corresponding to a plush toy; and    generating the desired image based on the image-filled pattern.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the portion of the digital image matched to each of the plurality of pieces is non-repeating.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the portion of the digital image matched to each of the plurality of pieces comprises repeating portions.  
     
     
         21 . An object formed of a plurality of pieces of plush fabric, wherein a multicolored contiguous image extends across at least two of the plurality of pieces of plush fabric.  
     
     
         22 . The object of  claim 21 , wherein the object is manufactured using a process comprising: 
 rendering a mirror image of a desired image on a transfer sheet using a dye-sublimation agent;    placing one of the plurality of pieces of plush fabric adjacent to the transfer sheet; and    treating the dye-sublimation agent to transfer the desired image to the one piece of plush fabric.    
     
     
         23 . An object formed of a plurality of pieces of plush fabric, wherein: 
 a first piece of the plurality of pieces of plush fabric comprises a first multicolored image; and    a second piece of the plurality of pieces of plush fabric comprises a second multicolored image which is substantially the same as the first multicolored image.    
     
     
         24 . The object of  claim 23 , wherein the object is manufactured using a process comprising: 
 rendering a mirror image of a desired image on a transfer sheet using a dye-sublimation agent;    placing one of the plurality of pieces of plush fabric adjacent to the transfer sheet; and    treating the dye-sublimation agent to transfer the desired image to the one piece of plush fabric.    
     
     
         25 . An object formed of a plurality of pieces of plush fabric, wherein: 
 a first piece of the plurality of pieces of plush fabric comprises a first multicolored image; and    a second piece of the plurality of pieces of plush fabric comprises a second multicolored image which is substantially a mirror image of the first multicolored image.    
     
     
         26 . The object of  claim 25 , wherein the object is manufactured using a process comprising: 
 rendering a mirror image of a desired image on a transfer sheet using a dye-sublimation agent;    placing one of the plurality of pieces of plush fabric adjacent to the transfer sheet; and    treating the dye-sublimation agent to transfer the desired image to the one piece of plush fabric.    
     
     
         27 . A plush fabric comprising an image formed from a plurality of colors of a dye-sublimated agent embedded within the fibers of the plush fabric.  
     
     
         28 . The plush fabric of  claim 26 , wherein the dye is embedded within the fibers through a dye-sublimation process.