Can decorator apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a can body conveying mechanism for conveying can bodies to a printing zone;
a blanket wheel comprising;
a plurality of blanket segments and,a plurality of blankets, each blanket affixed to a corresponding blanket segment, each blanket having a printing surface, the blanket wheel being configured to bring each blanket printing surface into contact with a can body within said printing zone; and
an ink station comprising a printing plate configured to contact the printing surfaces of passing blankets in order to impart a primary ink image to the printing surfaces of the plurality of blankets, the primary ink image including a composite ink image and a primary unprinted region that is unprinted onto the blanket, the primary ink image is adapted to be formed on at least one blanket printing surface and is adapted to be printed onto a can body upon contact of the at least one blanket printing surface and the can body within the printing zone,wherein, each blanket printing surface comprises a secondary image surrounded by a secondary unprinted region having a lower or reduced height with respect to the blanket printing surface such that the secondary image is adapted to be printed on a can body as a positive image, and wherein the printing plate and the at least one blanket are configured such that said secondary unprinted region lies wholly within the primary unprinted region of the primary ink image that is unprinted onto the blanket.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for decorating a can body. The apparatus comprises a can body conveying mechanism (1) for conveying can bodies (2) to a printing zone (3), a blanket wheel (4) comprising a plurality of blanket segments (6) and, affixed to each blanket segment, a blanket (7) having a printing surface, the blanket wheel being configured to bring blanket printing surfaces into contact with can bodies within said printing zone, and a plurality of ink stations (5) each comprising a printing plate (31) configured to contact the printing surfaces of passing blankets in order to impart an ink image to the printing surfaces, such that a composite ink image is formed on each blanket printing surface and is printed onto a can body upon contact of the blanket printing surface and the can body within the printing zone. The apparatus is configured such that at least one of the blankets has a surface height variation across its printing surface representing a secondary image to be transferred to can bodies with which the blanket comes into contact. A drive mechanism (32) is provided for causing the printing plates to rotate and a drive mechanism controller for varying the rotational speed of the printing plates to synchronize the positions of the printing plates with blankets onto which ink images are to be transferred.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a can body conveying mechanism for conveying can bodies to a printing zone; a blanket wheel comprising; a plurality of blanket segments and, a plurality of blankets, each blanket affixed to a corresponding blanket segment, each blanket having a printing surface, the blanket wheel being configured to bring each blanket printing surface into contact with a can body within said printing zone; and an ink station comprising a printing plate configured to contact the printing surfaces of passing blankets in order to impart a primary ink image to the printing surfaces of the plurality of blankets, the primary ink image including a composite ink image and a primary unprinted region that is unprinted onto the blanket, the primary ink image is adapted to be formed on at least one blanket printing surface and is adapted to be printed onto a can body upon contact of the at least one blanket printing surface and the can body within the printing zone, wherein, each blanket printing surface comprises a secondary image surrounded by a secondary unprinted region having a lower or reduced height with respect to the blanket printing surface such that the secondary image is adapted to be printed on a can body as a positive image, and wherein the printing plate and the at least one blanket are configured such that said secondary unprinted region lies wholly within the primary unprinted region of the primary ink image that is unprinted onto the blanket. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus comprising:
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a can body conveying mechanism for conveying can bodies to a printing zone; a blanket wheel comprising; a plurality of blanket segments and, a plurality of blankets, each blanket affixed to a corresponding blanket segment, each blanket having a printing surface, the blanket wheel being configured to bring each blanket printing surface into contact with a can body within said printing zone; and an ink station comprising a printing plate configured to contact the printing surfaces of passing blankets in order to impart a primary ink image to the printing surfaces of the plurality of blankets, the primary ink image including a composite ink image and a primary unprinted region that is unprinted onto the blanket, the primary ink image is adapted to be formed on at least one blanket printing surface and is adapted to be printed onto a can body upon contact of the at least one blanket printing surface and the can body within the printing zone, wherein each blanket printing surface comprises a secondary image, the secondary image including a positive image within a surrounding area of lower or reduced height with respect to the blanket printing surface such that the positive image is adapted to be printed on a can body as a positive image, wherein a surface area of the secondary image is substantially the same for each of the plurality of blankets, and wherein the printing plate and each of the plurality of blankets are configured such that said surrounding area lies wholly within the unprinted region of the primary ink image. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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Specification