Digital printing plastic containers

• US 8,579,402 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2009
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plastipak Packaging Incorporated (Plastipak Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Plastipak Packaging Incorporated (Plastipak Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Uptergrove, Ronald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THINH H
• Application Number:
  US12/604,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20100038339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 347/16, 347 95-101, 347104-105
• US Class Current: 347/16
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 Whilst mounted in the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/377 Cooling or ventilating arrangements
• 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: B41M 5/0088 by ink-jet printing

Abstract

A hollow plastic container having a curved external surface and a digital image printed thereon by ink droplets is provided. The ink droplets may vary in diameter from about 10 to about 200 microns and the droplets may range from about 200 to about 1200 drops per inch. Methods for digital printing plastic containers are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A plastic container comprising:

a hollow container having a curved external surface with a digital image printed thereon by digitally printed droplets of ink, wherein the ink droplets vary in diameter from 10 to 200 microns, the droplets of ink range from 200 to 1200 drops per inch, wherein the container includes a base coat comprised of droplets of ink that are directly printed on the curved external surface of the container, and wherein the digital image is printed as a discrete outer layer provided on at least a portion of the base coat.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the droplets of ink vary in diameter from 30 to 90 microns.

3. A container according to claim 1, wherein the droplets of ink range from 300 to 1200 drops per inch.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein the droplets of ink are spread out on the container surface and portions of droplets overlap with adjoining droplets.

5. A container according to claim 1, wherein the droplets of ink are provided in a grid pattern.

6. A container according to claim 5, wherein the grid pattern is defined by a calculated or anticipated droplet disbursement.

7. A container according to claim 1, wherein the angle of the edges of the droplets of ink is from about 5 degrees to about 25 degrees.

8. A container according to claim 1, wherein the angle of the edges of the droplets of ink is from about 12 degrees to about 15 degrees.

9. A container according to claim 1, wherein the digital images have multiple colors.

10. A container according to claim 1, wherein portions of adjacent droplets of ink overlap to provide one or more process colors.

11. A container according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the droplets of ink are UV curable.

12. A container according to claim 1, wherein the droplets of ink define a pre-determined image on the container surface.

13. A container according to claim 1, wherein individual droplets of ink have varying diameters.

14. A container according to claim 1, wherein the base coat is separately cured prior to printing of the digital image.

15. A container according to claim 14, wherein the base coat is a digitally printed base coat.

16. A container according to claim 1, wherein the entire digital image is printed on the base coat.

17. A container according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the base coat forms a portion of the digital image.

18. A container according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the surface of the container provides a portion of the color forming part of the digital image.

19. A container according to claim 1, wherein the digital images are cured between 0.5 seconds and 5 seconds after the ink droplets contact the container surface.

20. A container according to claim 19, wherein the container is pre-treated by a flame, corona, or plasma treatment.

21. A container according to claim 1, wherein the container is pre-treated to raise the surface temperature of the container prior to bonding with the digitally printed droplets of ink.

22. A plastic container comprising:

a hollow container having a curved external surface with a digital image comprised of multiple colors printed on a portion of the external surface by digitally printed droplets of ink, wherein the ink droplets vary in diameter from 10 to 200 microns, the droplets of ink range from 200 to 1200 drops per inch, the droplets of ink are spread out on the container surface and portions of droplets overlap with adjoining droplets, the angle of the edges of the droplets of ink is from about 5 degrees to about 25 degrees, wherein the container includes a base coat and wherein the digital image is printed at least on at least a portion of the base coat.