1. An apparatus for simultaneously transferring preselected dye images to a three dimensional object with a plastic outer surface and having a top surface and a first side surface adjacent to said top surface, by utilizing a flexible sheet bearing said dye images in the mirror images of said preselected images, said dye being of the type requiring heat for the application thereof, comprising:
a base;
a bed mounted on said base, said bed having a support surface for receiving said three dimensional object and said flexible sheet thereon with said sheet overlying said top surface of said three dimensional object so that said dye images face said three dimensional object in a predetermined orientation;
a continuous resilient, flexible membrane attached to said apparatus and positionable in overlying relation on said three dimensional object, said flexible sheet and on the portion of said bed surface adjacent thereto;
means for establishing a pressure differential between opposite sides of said membrane to urge the membrane overlying said bed surface portion into engagement therewith and to urge said membrane overlying said three dimensional object into pressurized communication with said flexible sheet to conform said sheet to said top and first side surface of said three dimensional object, registering said dye images on said flexible sheet with said top and first side surface of said three dimensional object to thereby effect the pressurized engagement of said dye images with said top and first side surface; and
radiant heating means for uniformly heating said membrane from a plurality of angles relative to said membrane and thereby heating said sheet to apply said preselected images to said top and first side surface of said three dimensional object; said radiant heating means including a first radiant heating means arranged at a first angle to direct radiation toward the top surface of the three dimensional object; said radiant heating means including a second radiant heating means arranged at a second angle to direct radiation toward the first side surface of the three dimensional object; the first angle and the second angle being different from one another and the first radiant heating means being approximately the same distance away from the top surface as the second radiant heating means is from the first side surface.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said radiant heating means is an infrared radiant heating means.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said membrane is a silicone rubber membrane.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said membrane and said heating means are matched so that said membrane is specifically absorptive to radiation emitted by said heating means.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
at least one die mounted to said bed for frictionally receiving and retaining said three dimensional object in a predetermined orientation.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said top and first side surface of said three dimensional object are substantially non-planar, said sheet, having a continuous dye mirror image thereon, being conformed to said top and first side surface of said three dimensional object by said flexible membrane, so that said continuous image is transferred uniformly to said top and first side surface of said three dimensional object.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third radiant heating means arranged at a third angle to direct radiation toward a second side surface of the three dimensional object a positioned from the second side surface approximately the same distance as the second radiant heating means from the first side surface; the first angle, the second angle and the third angle being different from each other; the first radiant heating means, the second radiant heating means and the third radiant heating means being arranged substantially in a U-shape thereby uniformly directing radiation therefrom toward said top surface, first side surface and second side surface of said three dimensional object.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:
a first reflector positioned proximal to the first side surface of the three dimensional object;
a second reflector positioned proximal to the second side surface of the three dimensional object
the first reflector and the second reflector being arranged and configured to, respectively, facilitate direction of radiation to the first side surface of said three dimensional object and said second side surface of the three dimensional object.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for establishing a pressure differential includes vacuum means.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A pressure sprayer comprising:
a tank configured to retain a volume of liquid, the tank including a base portion and an upper portion;
a pump secured to the tank and configured to advance air into the tank;
a first footstand extending outward from one side of the base portion of the tank;
a second footstand extending outward from an opposite side of the base portion from the first footstand;
a first concave foothold positioned between the first footstand and the second footstand; and
a second concave foothold positioned on an opposite side of the base portion from the first concave foothold between the first footstand and the second footstand.
2. The pressure sprayer of claim 1 wherein the first concave foothold defines a first recess, wherein the size of the first recess is sufficient to receive a man’s foot.
3. The pressure sprayer of claim 2 wherein the width of the first recess is about 4 to 6 inches.
4. The pressure sprayer of claim 3 wherein the first recess has a depth of about 2 to 3 inches.
5. The pressure sprayer of claim 1 wherein the first footstand has a height of about 1 to 2 inches.
6. The pressure sprayer of claim 1 wherein the first footstand is a first convex footstand and the second footstand is a second convex footstand.
7. The pressure sprayer of claim 4 wherein the first convex footstand includes an upper surface including a plurality of gripping members provided on the upper surface.
8. The pressure sprayer of claim 1 further comprising a removable cap covering an opening in the upper portion of the tank, wherein the cap is threadedly secured to the tank and wherein the pump is secured to the tank via the cap.
9. The pressure sprayer of claim 8 further comprising at least one handle extending outward from the cap.
10. The pressure sprayer of claim 1 wherein the pump is a double acting pump configured to pressurize the tank on both an upstroke and a downstroke.
11. A tank sprayer comprising:
a tank including a base portion and an upper portion with an opening in the upper portion, the tank configured to receive fluid through the opening;
a removable cap covering the opening in the tank;
at least one handle positioned on the cap;
a removable pump positioned on the cap, the pump configured to advance air into the tank to pressurize the tank on both an upstroke and a downstroke; and
a footstand extending outward from the base portion of the tank, the footstand including an upper surface designed and dimensioned to receive a portion of a user’s foot.
12. The tank sprayer of claim 1 wherein the footstand comprises a first convex footstand, the tank sprayer further comprising a second convex footstand on an opposite side of the base portion from the first footstand.
13. The tank sprayer of claim 12 further comprising a first concave foothold positioned on between the first convex footstand and the second convex footstand, and a second concave foothold formed opposite the first concave foothold between the first convex footstand and the second convex footstand.
14. The tank sprayer of claim 13 wherein the first concave foothold defines a first recess and the second concave foothold defines a second recess, wherein the width of the first recess and the width of the second recess are both sufficient to receive a man’s foot.
15. The tank sprayer of claim 11 wherein the at least one handle comprises a first handle extending laterally outward from one side of the cap and a second handle extending laterally outward from an opposite side of the cap.
16. A pressure sprayer, comprising:
a tank adapted to hold pressurized fluid, the tank including an opening adapted to receive fluid;
a cap removably attached to the tank such that it covers the opening in the tank, the cap at least one handle and a passage leading to the opening in the tank;
a double acting hand pump removably attached to the passage in the cap, the double acting hand pump including a compression chamber and a piston movable between a first position and a second position in the compression chamber, wherein at least a portion of the compression chamber is located external of the tank when the cap is attached to the tank, and wherein the hand pump is operable to deliver air to the tank when the piston member is moved from the first position to the second position and when the piston member is moved from the second position to the first position; and
a base secured to the tank, the base including a first foot contact member and a second foot contact member opposite the first foot contact member, the base defining a first foot receiving space between the first foot contact member and the second foot contact member and a second foot receiving space opposite the first foot receiving space.
17. The pressure sprayer of claim 16, wherein the first and second foot contact portions are laterally located upon the base and project outwardly from the base.
18. The pressure sprayer of claim 17 wherein the first foot contact portion comprises a first convex footstand and the second foot contact portion comprises a second convex footstand.
19. The pressure sprayer of claim 18 wherein the first foot receiving space is defined within a first concave foothold positioned on between the first convex footstand and the second convex footstand, and the second foot receiving space is defined within a second concave foothold formed opposite the first concave foothold between the first convex footstand and the second convex footstand.
20. The pressure sprayer of claim 15 wherein the at least one handle comprises a first handle extending laterally outward from one side of the cap and a second handle extending laterally outward from an opposite side of the cap