Method of customizing an article and apparatus

1. A method of applying a graphic to an article, comprising the steps of:

disposing the article onto a last configured to fit the article;

associating the graphic with a curved surface of the article;

attaching the last including the article to a last assembly of a graphic transfer assembly, the last assembly being disposed between a first moveable portion of the graphic transfer assembly and a second moveable portion of the graphic transfer assembly;

pressing a first deformable membrane associated with the first moveable portion and a second deformable membrane associated with the second moveable portion against a portion of the article so that at least one of the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane conforms to the curved surface;

applying a vacuum between the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane;

heating at least one of the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane; and

thereby transferring the graphic to the curved surface.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the graphic is associated with the curved surface using an adhesive.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane comprise a fabric material.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane comprise a heat conducting material.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of pressing the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane against the portion of the article includes a step of closing the first moveable portion and the second moveable portion around the last assembly including the article.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane are disposed between an outer portion and an inner portion of the graphic transfer assembly.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the outer portion and the inner portion are made of a material including silicone.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the graphic transfer assembly further comprises:

a housing portion including the first moveable portion and the second moveable portion;

a set of heating elements; and

a plenum filled with a heat conducting fluid, the plenum being disposed between each of the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane and the set of heating elements.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane comprise a high temperature rubber bladder.

10. A method of using a graphic transfer assembly, comprising the steps of:

selecting an article from a set of articles, the set of articles comprising at least two different types of articles;

selecting a last from a set of lasts according to the size and shape of the article;

associating the article with the last;

associating at least one graphic with a curved surface of the article;

attaching the last including the article to a last assembly of the graphic transfer assembly, the last assembly being disposed between a first moveable portion of the graphic transfer assembly and a second moveable portion of the graphic transfer assembly;

pressing a first deformable membrane associated with the first moveable portion and a second deformable membrane associated with the second moveable portion against a portion of the article so that at least one of the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane conforms to the curved surface;

applying a vacuum between the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane; and

transferring the at least one graphic to the curved portion of the article using the graphic transfer assembly.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the step of pressing the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane against the portion of the article includes moving the first moveable portion and the second movable portion from an open position to a closed position.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the graphic transfer assembly further comprises a first actuator assembly associated with the first moveable portion and a second actuator assembly associated with the second moveable portion; and

wherein the first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly move the first moveable portion and the second movable portion between the open position and the closed position.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane are configured to conform to opposing sides of the article and thereby conform to the shape of the entire article.

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the step of applying the vacuum between the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane includes evacuating air from the space between the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane using an air valve disposed between the first moveable portion and the second movable portion.

15. A method of using a graphic transfer assembly to apply graphics to a plurality of articles, comprising the steps of:

selecting a first article from a set of articles, the set of articles comprising at least two articles;

selecting a first last from a set of lasts according to the size and shape of the first article;

associating the first article with the first last;

associating a first graphic with a curved surface of the first article;

attaching the first last including the first article to the last assembly of the graphic transfer assembly, the last assembly being disposed between a first moveable portion of the graphic transfer assembly and a second moveable portion of the graphic transfer assembly;

closing the first moveable portion and the second moveable portion around the first last including the first article;

applying a vacuum between a first deformable membrane associated with the first moveable portion and a second deformable membrane associated with the second moveable portion so that at least one of the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane conforms to the curved surface;

transferring the first graphic to the curved portion of the first article using the graphic transfer assembly; and

opening the first movable portion and the second moveable portion to remove the first article including the first graphic from the graphic transfer assembly.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:

selecting a second article from the set of articles;

selecting a second last from the set of lasts according to the size and shape of the second article;

associating the second article with the second last;

associating a second graphic with a curved surface of the second article;

attaching the second last including the second article to the last assembly of the graphic transfer assembly and closing the first moveable portion and the second moveable portion around the second last including the second article;

applying a vacuum between the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane so that at least one of the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane conforms to the curved surface; and

transferring the second graphic to the curved portion of the second article using the graphic transfer assembly.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the first article is a different type of article than the second article.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the first last has a different shape than the second last.

19. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising the step of heating at least one of the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane to transfer the first graphic to the first article.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the step of heating at least one of the first deformable membrane and the second deformable membrane includes applying heat from at least one heating element disposed adjacent to the first deformable membrane or the second deformable membrane.