Method and apparatus for printing digital images on plastic bottles
First Claim
1. A method of printing a plurality of digital images of graphic designs on a series of bottles for containing a flowable food product, the method comprising the following steps:
- providing a series of conveyed, moving bottles having an exterior surface and a flowable food contact surface;
generating an electronically storable and retrievable preselected digital image of a two-dimensional graphic design to be printed on each of the series of conveyed, moving bottles, the preselected digital image of the two-dimensional graphic design capable of being substituted for by another of the plurality of digital images of two-dimensional graphic designs, the plurality of digital images of two-dimensional graphic designs generated at a computer site;
transferring the preselected digital image of the two-dimensional graphic design to a stationary inkjet printer having a stationary print head at a printing site;
passing each of the series of conveyed, moving bottles through the printing site at a predetermined rate; and
jetting an ink through an inkjet printhead directly onto the exterior surface of each of the series of conveyed, moving bottles to print the preselected digital image of the two-dimensional graphic design directly onto the exterior surface as each of the series of conveyed, moving bottles passes through the printing site at the predetermined rate thereby creating a series of conveyed, moving bottles printed with the two-dimensional graphic design.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for printing digital graphic images directly onto a bottle. First, an electronically storable and retrievable digital image is generated. Next, the digital image is transferred to a printing site. Finally, the digital image is digitally printed directly onto bottle at the printing site. The step of digitally printing the digital image directly onto packaging material can include digitally printing the digital image directly onto a preformed bottle, such as a PET bottle. The ink can be provided as a UV-reactive ink, in which instance the UV-reactive ink, after the step of printing, can be cured by exposure to UV light. The present invention allows for full color digital graphic images to be printed directly onto the surface of a bottle.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of printing a plurality of digital images of graphic designs on a series of bottles for containing a flowable food product, the method comprising the following steps:
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providing a series of conveyed, moving bottles having an exterior surface and a flowable food contact surface; generating an electronically storable and retrievable preselected digital image of a two-dimensional graphic design to be printed on each of the series of conveyed, moving bottles, the preselected digital image of the two-dimensional graphic design capable of being substituted for by another of the plurality of digital images of two-dimensional graphic designs, the plurality of digital images of two-dimensional graphic designs generated at a computer site; transferring the preselected digital image of the two-dimensional graphic design to a stationary inkjet printer having a stationary print head at a printing site; passing each of the series of conveyed, moving bottles through the printing site at a predetermined rate; and jetting an ink through an inkjet printhead directly onto the exterior surface of each of the series of conveyed, moving bottles to print the preselected digital image of the two-dimensional graphic design directly onto the exterior surface as each of the series of conveyed, moving bottles passes through the printing site at the predetermined rate thereby creating a series of conveyed, moving bottles printed with the two-dimensional graphic design. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for printing a plurality of digital images of graphic designs on a series of conveyed, moving bottles, each having an outer surface, the bottles configured for storing a flowable material, the apparatus comprising:
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a computer for generating an electronically storable and retrievable preselected digital image of a two-dimensional graphic design to be printed on the packaging, the preselected digital image of the two-dimensional graphic design capable of being substituted for by another of the plurality of digital images of two-dimensional graphic designs, the plurality of digital images of two-dimensional graphic designs generated at a computer site; means for transferring the digital image of a graphic design from the computer site to a stationary printing site; a conveyor for moving the series of conveyed, moving bottles for a flowable material through the printing site at a predetermined rate; a stationary inkjet printer having a stationary printhead for jetting an UV-reactive ink onto a surface of each of the conveyed, moving bottles for a flowable material to print the digital image of the two-dimensional graphic design onto the surface of each of the conveyed, moving bottles as each of the bottles moves through the stationary printing site at the predetermined rate creating bottle for a flowable material with an indelible two-dimensional graphic design thereon; and means for curing the UV-reactive ink through exposing the UV reactive ink to UV light, wherein the digital image of a two-dimensional graphic design is transferred to the printing site substantially contemporaneously with the jetting an ink through the inkjet printhead to print the preselected digital image of a graphic design directly onto the surface of each of the bottles for storing a flowable material, and wherein the preselected digital image of the two-dimensional dimensional graphic design is substituted with another of the plurality of digital images of two-dimensional graphic designs at the same rate as the predetermined rate of moving of each of the bottle through the printing site. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for printing a digital color image of a two-dimensional graphic design on a series of conveyed, moving bottles for a flowable material, the apparatus comprising:
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a supply of bottles; means for conveying each of the bottles at a predetermined rate; a stationary printing site; at least a first stationary inkjet printhead for printing a first color UV reactive ink directly onto the surface of each of the bottles; at least a second stationary inkjet printhead for printing a second color UV reactive ink directly onto the surface of each of the bottles; and a curing device for curing the first and second UV reactive inks through exposure to UV radiation, wherein the digital color image of the two-dimensional graphic design is transferred to the printing site substantially contemporaneously with the jetting of the inks through the first and second inkjet printheads to print the preselected digital color image of the graphic design directly onto the surface of each of the bottles for storing a flowable material, and wherein the preselected digital color image of the two-dimensional graphic design is substituted with another of the plurality of digital color images of two-dimensional graphic designs at the same rate as the predetermined rate of moving of each of the bottle through the printing site. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification