Method and device for printing on hollow bodies
First Claim
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1. A method for printing on an injection molded preform having a 3-dimensional hollow body which is brought by stretching into a final form during production, the method comprising:
- calculating, using an imaging specification for a finished pattern which is desired on the hollow body in the final form after the stretching, a distorted pattern to be printed on the preform; and
before the preform is stretched, printing the distorted pattern on the preform with at least one ink, such that presentation of the finished pattern appears upon the preform being stretched,wherein the hollow body of the preform has a smaller diameter than the hollow body in the final form after the stretching, and wherein, during the printing, a gap between the preform and the print head is kept smaller than a minimum gap size which would be required by tolerances of the hollow body in the final form in a case in which the printing would be performed on the hollow body in the final form.
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Abstract
A method for printing on a hollow body which is brought by stretching into a final form during production from a perform includes, before the preform is stretched, printing on preform with at least one ink. The print is applied in a distorted manner such that presentation of a pattern which is required on the hollow body after the stretching of the preform appears upon the preform being stretched.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for printing on an injection molded preform having a 3-dimensional hollow body which is brought by stretching into a final form during production, the method comprising:
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calculating, using an imaging specification for a finished pattern which is desired on the hollow body in the final form after the stretching, a distorted pattern to be printed on the preform; and before the preform is stretched, printing the distorted pattern on the preform with at least one ink, such that presentation of the finished pattern appears upon the preform being stretched, wherein the hollow body of the preform has a smaller diameter than the hollow body in the final form after the stretching, and wherein, during the printing, a gap between the preform and the print head is kept smaller than a minimum gap size which would be required by tolerances of the hollow body in the final form in a case in which the printing would be performed on the hollow body in the final form. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A device for printing on an injection molded preform having a 3-dimensional hollow body which is brought into a final form by stretching, the hollow body of the preform having a smaller diameter than the hollow body in the final form after the stretching, the device comprising:
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at least one printing station configured to print on the preform with at least one ink, the at least one printing station having at least one print head and being configured to respectively rotate the preform in front of the at least one print head and, in so doing, to print thereon; a transportation device configured to cyclically move the preform to the at least one printing station; and a controller configured to control the printing on the preform, the controller being configured to; calculate, using an imaging specification for a finished pattern which is desired on the hollow body in the final form after the stretching, a distorted pattern to be printed on the preform, and before the preform is stretched, cause the at least one printing station to print the distorted pattern on the preform with the at least one ink with a gap between the preform and the print head being kept smaller than a minimum gap size which would be required by tolerances of the hollow body in the final form in a case in which the printing would be performed on the hollow body in the final form, the distorted pattern being applied such that presentation of the finished pattern which is desired on the hollow body after the stretching of the preform appears upon the preform being stretched. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification