Garment packaging for direct-to-garment personalization kiosk
A direct-to-garment personalization system for personalizing an article having a direct-to-garment printer configured to print a graphic onto the article and a packaged article. The packaged article including the article to be printed; a hanger having a first arm coupled to a second arm, the first and second arms disposed in the article; and a container for receiving the hanger and the article in a rolled configuration. The system also includes a storage area containing the packaged article and a transfer system. The transfer system is configured to retrieve the packaged article from the storage area; remove the article from the container; and move the article to the direct-to-garment printer.
1. A method of personalizing an article using a personalization vending machine, comprising:
storing a packaged article in the personalization vending machine, the packaged article including a container housing the article and a hanger in a rolled configuration;
retrieving the container using a transfer system;
removing the article and the hanger from the container;
unrolling the article to a flat configuration;
positioning a printable area of the article in a direct-to-garment printer in the personalization vending machine; and
printing a graphic on the article.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transfer system is used to unroll the article to a flat configuration.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein positioning the printable area comprises gripping the article and the hanger to position the article and the hanger in the direct-to-garment printer.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising pretreating the printable area.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein prior to retrieving the container, the method further comprises:
disposing the hanger in the article, the hanger having a first arm coupled to a second arm;
rolling the article and the hanger into a cylindrical configuration; and
disposing the article and the hanger into the container.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising disposing a bottom support member in the article.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising rolling the bottom support member with the article into the cylindrical configuration.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising pretreating the printable area.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to retrieving the container, the method further comprises:
disposing the hanger in the article, the hanger having a first arm coupled to a second arm;
rolling the article and the hanger into a cylindrical configuration; and
disposing the article and the hanger into the container.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising disposing a bottom support member in the article.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising rolling the bottom support member with the article into the cylindrical configuration.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the printable area comprises gripping the article and the hanger to position the article and the hanger in the direct-to-garment printer.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein prior to retrieving the container, the method further comprises:
disposing the hanger in the article, the hanger having a first arm coupled to a second arm;
rolling the article and the hanger into a cylindrical configuration; and
disposing the article and the hanger into the container.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising disposing a bottom support member in the article.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising rolling the bottom support member with the article into the cylindrical configuration.