Device and method for adding information on the outer surface of articles, such as containers in a container filling plant

• US 9,132,664 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2012
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Original Assignee: KHS GmbH (Salzgitter AG)
• Inventors: Schach, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): DO, AN H
• Application Number:
  US13/555,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20130019566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 347/2, 347/4, 534/11, 101/44
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0015 for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing selective coating B41J2/2114
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/002 Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00214 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0024 using conduction means, e.g. by using a heated platen
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0057 where an intermediate transfer member receives the ink before transferring it on the printing material
• 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: B41J 3/40733 Printing on cylindrical or rotationally symmetrical objects, e. g. on bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/543 with multiple inkjet print heads B41J2/17503, B41J2/2103 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/025 for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/26 for marking or coding completed packages

Abstract

A method and device for printing containers in multiple colors on at least one outer surface thereof. The device includes at least one printing group, with at least two ink jet print heads in each printing group. Each of the print heads is designed to be moved out of the printing position after completing a printing task, and then another print head is moved into the printing position to perform a printing task.

Claims

1. A device configured and disposed for printing containers in multiple colors on at least one outer surface thereof, said device comprising:

at least one printing group;

at least two print heads disposed in each said printing group, each said print head being an ink jet printer configured to print a part of an image to be printed on the outer surface of a container;

a transport element configured and disposed to move a container and a printing group in a direction of transport during printing; and

each said print head in each said printing group being switchable on and switchable off, for a print head change or part print change, wherein one of said at least two print heads disposed in a printing position is movable out of the printing position and another one of said at least two print heads is movable into the printing position.

2. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a container support configured and disposed for rotating a container about its longitudinal axis during printing.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein each said print head in each said printing group is configured to print in different colors.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein said transport element has a transport section between a container inlet and a container outlet and is configured to move the containers on the transport section during printing.

5. The device according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of printing groups disposed on said transport element.

6. The device according to claim 1 comprising a dryer associated with each said print group, said dryer being configured for drying printing ink to be applied onto the container'"'"'s surface with a print head.

7. The device according to claim 1 wherein each said print head in each said print group is adjustable or switchable.

8. The device according to claim 7 wherein each said print head in each said print group is adjustable or switchable on said transport element in a direction of transport and opposite a direction of transport.

9. The device according to claim 1 wherein each said print head in each said print group is pivotable.

10. The device according to claim 1 configured to dispose each said print group with a container to be printed and provide centrifugal forces, generated by the movement of said transport element, in a direction from said print group toward the container to be printed.

11. The device according to claim 1 comprising all of the limitations of a)-aa), wherein a)-aa) are:

a) the device further comprising a container support configured and disposed for rotating a container about its longitudinal axis during printing;

b) the device wherein each said print head in each said printing group is configured to print in different colors;

c) the device wherein said transport element has a transport section between a container inlet and a container outlet and is configured to move the containers on the transport section during printing;

d) the device comprising a plurality of printing groups disposed on said transport element;

e) the device comprising at least one container support disposed on said transport element, each said container support being configured for the receiving a container;

f) the device comprising a dryer associated with each said printing group, said dryer being configured for drying printing ink to be applied onto the container'"'"'s surface with a print head;

g) the device wherein each said print head in each said printing group is adjustable or switchable;

h) the device wherein each said print head in each said printing group is adjustable or switchable on said transport element in a direction of transport and opposite a direction of transport;

i) the device wherein each said print head in each said printing group is pivotable about an axis thereof that is offset relative to an axis of its container to be printed;

j) the device wherein said transport element comprises an endlessly rotatingly driveable transport element configured to dispose each said printing group with a container to be printed and provide centrifugal forces, generated by the movement of said transport element, in a direction from said printing group toward the container to be printed;

k) the device wherein each said print head comprises a print nozzle configured to be positioned to print within a path of movement of the containers;

l) the device comprising a plurality of said container supports disposed on said transport element, at least one said printing group is associated with each said container support, said device being configured to move each said printing group in a synchronous manner with the movement of said transport element in a first operating stroke out of an initial position and is movable back into the initial position in a second operating stroke, in opposition to the direction of transport of said transport element so that in each first and second operating stroke a container disposed in a container support is printed with an associated part image;

m) the device wherein a distance between adjacent said printing groups is identical to the distance between two adjacent said container supports disposed on said transport element;

n) the device configured for simultaneous printing at least two containers;

o) the device wherein a distance between two said print heads, each in an adjacent printing group, is identical to a distance between two adjacent said container supports on said transport element;

p) the device wherein each said printing group is pivotable by a stroke that corresponds to a machine spacing out of an initial position into an end position and out of the end position back into the initial position, the machine spacing is identical to a distance between axes of two adjacent said container supports on said transport element multiplied by the number of said print heads in each said printing group;

q) the device comprising a dryer for each said print head;

r) the device wherein each said dryer is switchable on and switchable off;

s) the device wherein said transport element is a rotatably driveable transport element and said at least one printing group is disposed inside or outside said transport element;

t) the device comprising a plurality of container supports disposed with said transport element, at least said printing group is provided each said container support, each said print head in each said printing group being configured for generating different part printed images and, during printing, each said print head being configured and disposed to be entrained in the same direction and in a synchronous manner with the movement of said transport element such that at least one said print head in each said printing group is disposed in a printing position at a container, and in that for the print head change, the movement of said printing group or said print heads can be slowed down or accelerated in such a manner and after the print head change can be synchronized again in such a manner with the movement of said transport element that after the print head change one said print head in each said printing group is once again situated in a printing position with its respective container;

u) the device wherein said transport element is a rotor;

v) the device said print heads one said printing group are moveable in a circulating manner on a movement path that is closed per se;

w) the device said print heads are disposed on a rotatably driveable print head support;

x) the device wherein a distance between print heads in adjacent printing groups corresponds to a distance between adjacent said container supports in such a manner that during printing, one said print head in adjacent printing groups is disposed in a printing position with reference to a container;

y) the device wherein the number of said printing groups is identical to the number of said container supports;

z) the device wherein the number of printing groups is an integer multiple of the number of said container supports on said transport element; and

aa) the device wherein the number of said container supports on said transport element is an integer multiple of a number of said print heads in one said printing group.

12. A device configured and disposed for printing containers in multiple colors on at least one outer surface thereof, said device comprising:

at least one printing group;

at least two print heads disposed in each said printing group, each said print head being an ink jet printer and configured to print a part of an image on a transfer pad;

said transfer pad configured and disposed to move past said printing group and transfer the image to a container; and

a transport element configured and disposed to move the container and said at least one printing group in a direction of transport during printing.

13. A method for printing containers in multiple colors on their container outer surface comprising the steps of:

moving a container with a transport element;

moving a printing group with the transport element;

printing with a first print head in the printing group;

moving the first print head out of a printing position; and

moving a second print head in the printing group into the printing position.

14. The method for printing containers of claim 13 further comprising the step of rotating the containers 360 degrees about their axes during printing.

15. The method for printing containers of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

printing with the second print head in the printing group; and

wherein said step of printing with a first print head and said step of printing with a second print comprise printing with different colors or materials.

16. The method for printing containers of claim 13 wherein said step of printing with a first print head in the printing group is performed at a printing station on the transport element and the transport element disposes and moves a plurality of printing stations, each printing station comprises a printing group, each printing group has a plurality of print heads, said steps of moving the first print head out of a printing position and moving a second print head in the printing group into the printing position comprises at least one of a)-c), wherein a)-c) are:

a) moving the first and second print heads relative to the printing station in the direction of the direction of transport of the printing station with the transport element;

b) moving the first and second print heads relative to the printing station in the direction opposite the direction of transport of the printing station with the transport element; and

c) pivoting or rotating the first and second print heads about an axis.

17. The method for printing containers of claim 13 comprising at least one of the limitations of a)-c), wherein a)-c) are:

a) said steps of moving a container with a transport element and moving a printing group with the transport element cause said step of printing with a first print head to be supported by centrifugal forces that are generated by the movement of the transport element;

b) the method further comprises a step of drying a printed material; and

c) the method further comprises a step of moving the printing group out of an initial position in one operating stroke and in one return stroke is moved back into the initial position in opposition to the direction of transport of the transport element.

18. The method for printing containers of claim 13 wherein said printing step comprises printing onto a transfer pad and the method further comprises transferring a printed image from the transfer pad to an outer surface of a container.

19. The method for printing containers of claim 18 wherein containers are moved on the container transport element and the transfer pads are moved with an auxiliary conveyor, during said step of transferring a printed image from the transfer pad to an outer surface of a container.

20. A device configured to perform the method for printing containers of claim 13, said device comprising:

a transport element configured and disposed for moving a container;

a printing group configured and disposed to move with said transport element;

a first print head disposed in said printing group and configured for printing and moving out of a printing position; and

a second print head in the printing group being configured to move into the printing position.