Plastic containers with a base coat thereon

• US 20070264454A1
• Filed: 03/09/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plastipak Packaging Incorporated (Plastipak Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Plastipak Packaging Incorporated (Plastipak Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Uptergrove, Ronald L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,522,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/36.800
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2795/007 after shaping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/00 Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/103 of profiled articles, e.g. hollow or tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/40733 Printing on cylindrical or rotationally symmetrical objects, e. g. on bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0011 Pre-treatment or treatment during printing of the recording material, e.g. heating, irradiating after-treatment of prints B41M7/00; printers for treating or overcoating copy materials before, during or after printing B41J11/0015
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0047 by ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0064 on plastics, horn, rubber, or other organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0088 by ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/0807 Coatings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1386 Natural or synthetic rubber or rubber-like compound containing

Abstract

A hollow plastic container having a closed lower supporting base, a sidewall extending upwardly from the closed base, and an upper portion having a dispensing opening therein extending upwardly from the sidewall. The container also includes a digitally printed base coat on the sidewall having a thickness of from 1 to 200 microns, and preferably includes printed areas over at least portions of the base coat to provide a distinctive appearance.

Claims

1. ) A container which comprises:

a hollow plastic container having a closed lower supporting base, a sidewall extending upwardly from the closed base, and an upper portion having a dispensing opening therein extending upwardly from the sidewall; and

a digitally printed base coat on said sidewall, wherein said base coat has a thickness of from 1 to 200 microns.

2. ) A container according to claim 1, including printed areas over at least portions of said base coat

3. ) A container according to claim 1, including portions of said sidewall which are uncoated.

4. ) A container according to claim 1, wherein said sidewall has a curved external surface.

5. ) A container according to claim 1, wherein said container includes an inwardly oriented shoulder portion between said sidewall and upper portion.

6. ) A container according to claim 5, wherein said shoulder portion is free from said base coat.

7. ) A container according to claim 1, wherein the base coat is one of clear and colored.

8. ) A container according to claim 1, wherein the container is a blow molded plastic container.

9. ) A container according to claim 1, wherein the container is pretreated before applying the base coat by one of a heat treatment and corona treatment.

10. ) A container according to claim 1, wherein the digitally printed base coat is cured after application of the base coat.

11. ) A container according to claim 3, wherein the sidewall includes outwardly extending portions which are uncoated.

12. ) A container according to claim 11, wherein the outwardly extending portions have a water drop configuration.

13. ) A container according to claim 1, wherein the base coat is 3 to 100 microns in thickness.

14. ) A container according to claim 1, wherein the base coat at least in part has a raised appearance.

15. ) A container according to claim 1, wherein the specific gravity of the base coat is at least 1.

16. ) A container according to claim 15, wherein the specific gravity of the base coat is 1.25 to 1.5.

17. ) A container according to claim 2, wherein the printed areas over the base coat comprise a printed label.

18. ) A container according to claim 17, wherein the printed areas over the base coat are digitally printed.

19. ) A container according to claim 1, wherein the base coat is provided circumferentially on substantially the entire sidewall.

20. ) A container according to claim 2, wherein the printed areas have a raised print appearance.

21. ) A container according to claim 3, wherein the uncoated, sidewall portions have a three dimensional appearance.

22. ) A container according to claim 1, wherein the sidewall at least in part has a thicker base coat to provide a darker appearance.