DIGITAL PRINTING PLASTIC CONTAINERS WITH IMPROVED ADHESION AND RECYCLABILITY

• US 20100096386A1
• Filed: 10/20/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Plastipak Packaging Incorporated (Plastipak Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Plastipak Packaging Incorporated (Plastipak Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Uptergrove, Ronald L., Morgan, Edward V.
• Application Number:
  US12/581,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20100096386A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/62.11
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0017 Application of ink-fixing material, e.g. mordant, precipitating agent, on the substrate prior to printing, e.g. by ink-jet printing, coating or spraying
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0082 Digital printing on bodies of particular shapes sublimation or volatilisation of pre-printed design B41M5/035
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/0009 Obliterating the printed matter; Non-destructive removal of the ink pattern, e.g. for repetitive use of the support
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/0081 using electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/00 Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/0814 characterised by the composition of the material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2565/385 especially suited for or with means facilitating recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/80 Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging bio-packaging Y02W90/10

Abstract

A container having an external surface with a digital image printed thereon by droplets of ink is provided. The digital image includes a base coat and a secondary coat that is applied to the base coat. In an embodiment, the digital image adheres to the container with an acceptable or sufficient adhesion score and the image is removable using conventional recycling processes. Methods for digitally printing containers and facilitating recycling are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A recyclable plastic container comprising:

an external surface with a digital image printed thereon by droplets of ink, the digital image having an adhesion score of at least 6.0.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the digital image includes:

a base coat including a plurality of cured base coat ink droplets, and

a secondary coat including a plurality of cured secondary coat ink droplets, the secondary coat being applied to at least a portion of the base coat.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the printed digital image is configured to be substantially separated from the remainder of the container during a recycling process.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the digital image is configured to, at a minimum, pass a tape test and a simulated shipment test.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein the tape test includes a modified 3M #610 tape test.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein the digital image has an adhesion score of 6.0 or 7.0.

7. The container of claim 2, wherein, at the time the secondary coat is applied to the base coat, the temperature differential between the base coat and the secondary coat is less than about 10°

F.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the container includes a base portion, a sidewall portion, a shoulder portion, and a neck portion, and the neck portion includes a dispensing opening.

9. The container of claim 2, wherein the base coat includes white or colorless portions.

10. The container of claim 2, wherein one or more adjacent secondary coat ink droplets overlap or are intermixed.

11. The container of claim 2, wherein the secondary coat ink droplets are colored.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the colors include one or more of the following colors:

cyan, magenta, and yellow.

13. The container of claim 2, wherein the secondary coat ink droplets vary in diameter.

14. The container of claim 13, wherein the diameters of the secondary coat ink droplets are within the range of about 10 microns to about 200 microns.

15. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is comprised of one or more of the following materials:

polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, high density polyethylene, and polypropylene.

16. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is a multi-layer container.

17. The container of claim 1, wherein the container includes recycled plastic material.

18. The container of claim 17, wherein the outermost layer of the container has a recycled content, the recycled content being 20% or less.

19. The container of claim 2, wherein the base coat and secondary coat ink droplets are UV cured.

20. A recyclable plastic container comprising:

an external surface with a digital image printed thereon by droplets of ink, the digital image including;

a base coat including a plurality of cured base coat ink droplets, and

a secondary coat including a plurality of cured secondary coat ink droplets, the secondary coat being applied to at least a portion of the base coat;

wherein the digital image is configured to pass a modified 3M #610 tape test and is configured to be substantially separated from the remainder of the container during a recycling process.

21. The container of claim 21, wherein the digital image is configured to fail a standard 3M #810 tape test.