Can body manufacturing method, printing device, and beverage can

• US 10,442,564 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2014
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altemira Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Showa Aluminum Can Corporation (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ojima, Shinichi, Suwa, Asumi, Ikeda, Kazunori, Kashiwazaki, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sellman, Cachet I
• Application Number:
  US14/917,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20160221708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4073 Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/40733 Printing on cylindrical or rotationally symmetrical objects, e. g. on bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/008 Sequential or multiple printing, e.g. on previously printed background; Mirror printing; Recto-verso printing; using a combination of different printing techniques; Printing of patterns visible in reflection and by transparency; by superposing printed artifacts
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0088 by ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/0081 using electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/165 Cylindrical cans
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/34 Coverings or external coatings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/62; for bottles or jars B65D23/08; wrappers B65D65/00

Abstract

The printing device, first, as shown in FIG. 2A, forms white layers (90) by a first white inkjet head on the surface of the can body (10). Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, irradiation of ultraviolet rays by a first irradiation lamp (261) is performed and the white layers (90) are cured. Then, the can body (10) is moved to a second white inkjet head and, as shown in FIG. 2C, more white ink is loaded on some of the white layers (90) formed by the first white inkjet head. As a result, the thickness of some of the white layers (90) is increased. Next, the can body (10) passes successively under multiple color inkjet heads. As a result, color ink layers (91) are formed on the surface of the can body (10) and the white layers (90), as shown in FIG. 2D.

Claims

1. A can body manufacturing method, the can body being used for a beverage can, the can body manufacturing method comprising:

forming a first ink layer on an outer circumferential surface of the can body which is formed cylindrically with a metal material and on the outer circumferential surface of which a metal base appears, the first ink layer covering the metal base;

forming a second ink layer by attaching ink to a part of the first ink layer covering the metal base to increase a thickness of the part of the first ink layer covering the metal base; and

after forming the first ink layer covering the metal base and the second ink layer on the first ink layer covering the metal base, forming an image on the outer circumferential surface of the can body,

wherein the ink of the second ink layer formed on the part of the first ink layer covering the metal base has the same color as the layer covering the metal base, and

the image is formed on both a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the can body where the thickness is increased by the second ink layer on the first ink layer covering the metal base and a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the can body where the thickness is not increased by the second ink layer on the first ink layer covering the metal base.

2. The can body manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein

the first ink layer covering the metal base is formed on part of the outer circumferential surface of the can body, and

the first ink layer covering the metal base is formed to allow a portion where the first ink layer covering the metal base is formed and a portion where the first ink layer covering the metal base is not formed to be adjacent each other in a circumferential direction of the can body.

3. The can body manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein

the first ink layer covering the metal base is formed on part of the outer circumferential surface of the can body, and

formation of the image is performed on both of a portion where the first ink layer covering the metal base is formed and a portion where the first ink layer covering the metal base is not formed.

4. The can body manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein,

the second ink layer is formed after at least a surface of the first ink layer covering the metal base is cured.

5. The can body manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein formation of the first ink layer covering the metal base is performed by an inkjet head having a plurality of ink ejection ports and capable of controlling whether or not an ink is ejected for each of the plurality of ink ejection ports.

6. The can body manufacturing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

forming the image on a portion where the metal base appears.

7. A can body manufacturing method, the can body being used for a beverage can, the can body manufacturing method comprising:

forming a layer on an outer circumferential surface of the can body which is formed cylindrically with a metal material and on the outer circumferential surface of which a metal base appears, the layer covering the metal base; and

after forming the layer covering the metal base, forming an image on the outer circumferential surface of the can body,

wherein formation of the layer covering the metal base is performed by an inkjet head having a plurality of ink ejection ports and capable of controlling whether or not an ink is ejected for each of the plurality of ink ejection ports,

the layer covering the metal base is formed on part of the outer circumferential surface of the can body, and

the layer covering the metal base is formed to allow a portion where the layer covering the metal base is formed and a portion where the layer covering the metal base is not formed to be adjacent each other in a circumferential direction of the can body.

8. A printing device that performs printing on a can body cylindrically formed with a metal material to be used for a beverage can, the printing device comprising:

a layer forming unit for forming a first ink layer on an outer circumferential surface of the can body by use of an inkjet head having a plurality of ink ejection ports and capable of controlling whether or not an ink is ejected for each of the plurality of ink ejection ports, the first ink layer covering a metal base appearing on the outer circumferential surface; and

an image forming unit for forming an image on the outer circumferential surface of the can body after the first ink layer covering the metal base has been formed by the layer forming unit,

wherein the layer forming unit is configured to form a second ink layer of an ink of the same color as the first ink layer covering the metal base by attaching the ink to a part of the first ink layer covering the metal base after the first ink layer covering the metal base has been formed to increase a thickness of the part of the first ink layer covering the metal base, and

the image forming unit is configured to form an image onto both the portion where the thickness is increased by the second ink layer on the first ink layer covering the metal base and the portion where the thickness is not increased by the second ink layer on the first ink layer covering the metal base.

9. The printing device according to claim 8, wherein the layer forming unit forms the first ink layer covering the metal base by use of an ultraviolet curable ink.

10. The printing device according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of inkjet heads for forming the first ink layer covering the metal base are provided.

11. A beverage can comprising:

a can main body portion cylindrically formed with a metal material;

a layer formed on part of an outer circumferential surface of the can main body portion to cover a metal base appearing on the outer circumferential surface of the can main body portion; and

an image layer formed on the outer circumferential surface of the can main body portion,

wherein the layer covering the metal base is formed to allow a portion where the layer covering the metal base is formed and a portion where the layer covering the metal base is not formed to be adjacent each other in a circumferential direction of the can main body portion.

12. The beverage can according to claim 11, wherein an ink layer of an ink of the same color as the layer covering the metal base is attached is formed onto a part of the layer covering the metal base to increase a thickness of the part of the layer covering the metal base, and

an image is formed onto both of a portion where the thickness is increased by the ink layer on the layer covering the metal base and a portion where the thickness is not increased by the ink layer of the layer covering the metal base.