Digital can decorating apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A digital printing apparatus for printing on objects, comprising:
- a moveable blanket carrier having an exterior on which a printing blanket is disposed, the printing blanket having a plurality of blanket sections along the exterior of the carrier, with each blanket section being so placed along the carrier and being of such length as to transfer ink on the blanket section to a respective object to be printed which moves in contact with the respective blanket section;
at least one digitally controlled print head operative to print at least a single color in at least a single pattern and the print head is directed so as to provide non-contact printing of a blanket section moved past the print head by the blanket carrier;
an object transport device for transporting objects to be printed by contact with respective blanket sections of the blanket carrier after the print head has printed the blanket section, the transport device including a plurality of supports for the objects to be printed, the supports being spaced apart on the transport device, the transport device being so shaped and being so positioned with respect to the blanket carrier as to move each object supported thereon in turn past a respective blanket section and in contact with the blanket sections sufficiently for enabling transfer of an ink image on the respective blanket section to the respective object then in contact with the blanket section, the transport device then transporting each object printed by a respective blanket section away from the blanket carrier for further processing.
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Abstract
A digitally controlled can decorating apparatus including digitally controlled print heads arrayed around the blanket cylinder of an offset type decorating apparatus for delivering ink in a selected pattern from each print head to each blanket section of the blanket cylinder, and the blanket cylinder sections thereafter transferring the ink to the cans being decorated.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A digital printing apparatus for printing on objects, comprising:
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a moveable blanket carrier having an exterior on which a printing blanket is disposed, the printing blanket having a plurality of blanket sections along the exterior of the carrier, with each blanket section being so placed along the carrier and being of such length as to transfer ink on the blanket section to a respective object to be printed which moves in contact with the respective blanket section;
at least one digitally controlled print head operative to print at least a single color in at least a single pattern and the print head is directed so as to provide non-contact printing of a blanket section moved past the print head by the blanket carrier;
an object transport device for transporting objects to be printed by contact with respective blanket sections of the blanket carrier after the print head has printed the blanket section, the transport device including a plurality of supports for the objects to be printed, the supports being spaced apart on the transport device, the transport device being so shaped and being so positioned with respect to the blanket carrier as to move each object supported thereon in turn past a respective blanket section and in contact with the blanket sections sufficiently for enabling transfer of an ink image on the respective blanket section to the respective object then in contact with the blanket section, the transport device then transporting each object printed by a respective blanket section away from the blanket carrier for further processing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16-20. -20. (Canceled)
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21. A can decorating apparatus comprising:
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a moveable blanket carrier having an exterior on which a printing blanket is disposed, the printing blanket having a plurality of blanket sections along the exterior of the carrier, with each blanket section being so placed along the carrier and being of such length as to transfer ink on the blanket section to a respective can to be decorated when it moves in contact with the respective blanket section;
at least one digitally controlled print head operative to print at least a single color in at least a single pattern, the print head being configured and positioned to provide non-contact printing of a blanket section moved past the print head by the blanket carrier;
a can transport device for transporting cans to be printed by contact with respective blanket sections of the blanket carrier after the print head has printed the blanket section, the transport device including a plurality of can supports, the can supports being spaced apart on the transport device, the transport device being so shaped and being so positioned with respect to the blanket carrier as to move each object supported thereon in turn past a respective blanket section and in contact with the blanket sections sufficiently for enabling transfer of an ink image on the respective blanket section to the respective can then in contact with the blanket section, the transport device then transporting each can printed by a respective blanket section away from the blanket carrier for further processing. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification