A printing technique is presented for efficiently printing (i.e. with production lines rates at high resolution and high accuracy) on outer surfaces of a plurality of objects passing in an optimized stream through a printing route/zone. According to this technique, at least one array of printing head units is provided being configured to define at least one printing route along a printing axis, where the at least one printing route is a substantially linear segment of a closed loop lane along which the objects are progressing.

An apparatus and methods of decorating exterior surfaces of metallic containers are provided. More specifically, the present disclosure provides a novel metering roller for an inking assembly of a decorator. An adjustment mechanism is operable to move the metering roller to a first ink transfer position during a decoration run. In the first ink transfer position, the metering roller receives ink from an ink roller without contacting the ink roller. In one embodiment, during the production run, the metering roller is in contact with and transfers ink to a transfer roller. When the decoration run stops, the adjustment mechanism can move the metering roller to a second dwell position such that the metering roller does not receive ink from the ink roller.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for printing and drying inks on substrates. Printing systems may include a metering device positioned between a printing station and a light source. During operation, the printing station deposits ink onto a substrate to define a printed region. And the light source directs infrared light onto the substrate to define an illumination zone. The printed region is advanced from the printing station to the metering device and from the metering device through the illumination zone, wherein the ink is dried with infrared light traveling from the light source, which also heats the substrate and changes the modulus of elasticity of the substrate. In turn, the metering device isolates the printing station from the change in the modulus of elasticity to help reduce phase shifts caused by changes in the modulus of elasticity resulting from heat in the substrate.

A printing technique is presented for efficiently printing (i.e. with production lines rates at high resolution and high accuracy) on outer surfaces of a plurality of objects passing in an optimized stream through a printing route/zone. According to this technique, at least one array of printing head units is provided being configured to define at least one printing route along a printing axis, where the at least one printing route is a substantially linear segment of a closed loop lane along which the objects are progressing.

A beverage container printing device including a frame, a container speed regulator mounted to said frame, a motor on said frame and drivingly engaged with said container speed regulator, an entry sensor disposed in an entry chute, an exit sensor disposed proximate an exit chute, and a control system for selectively operating said motor to drive said container speed regulator. The entry and exit sensors are each operable to determine the presence of a beverage container. In one embodiment, the container speed regulator may be in the form of a spiral device or star wheel. Beverage containers are fed by gravity to the printing device, the speed is controlled to ensure a quality print of text or symbols, and the speed regulator device in concert with a stop sensor stop the beverage containers at a position to ensure a quality print during a shutdown or startup condition of the machine.

An ink transfer roller with a hollow-core elastomer roller body is carried on a reusable hanger shaft. Bearings reduce friction while the steel shaft dissipates heat more readily than the aluminum shaft used in conventional transfer rollers. The hollow-core elastomer roller body reduces heat transfer from the shaft to the roller body. A lock collar on one end and a snap ring on the other end of the roller body hold the roller body in place on the shaft. A set screw can be tightened to secure the lock collar to the shaft to hold the roller in place. These features allow the roller body to be easily removed and replaced on the shaft, which reduces maintenance costs. The hangers on the ends of the shaft allow a fully assembled ink transfer roller to be easily removed and replaced in the printing machine, which further reduces maintenance costs.

The present invention relates to a method for providing a multi-layered, hollow, chocolate figure with a print in edible colour preparation, comprising providing one half of a hollow, chocolate figure with one or more types of edible colour preparation by means of an elastic pad, characterised in that the printing takes place at a pressure of between 8 and 12 bar and wherein the figure is situated in a mould-half during printing.

A processing machine has a plurality of processing stations for the processing of articles. A plurality of the processing stations are each configured in the form of a printing unit. The processing stations, which are provided for processing the articles, are each arranged at different positions. At least one handling device is provided for transporting at least one of the articles which is to be processed. The handling device has a drive which is controlled by a control device and, which handling device, by the use of this drive, can be displaced from one processing station, in which the respective article is processed, to at least one next processing station for processing this article. The processing machine has a learning phase and a production phase. Provision is made for a memory device, which is connected to the control device, to store, in the learning phase, position-related values of the relevant handling system, those position-related values being determined by the use of a calibration travel executed by the relevant handling system for a certain processing procedure. Following the changeover of the processing machine from its learning phase to its production phase, the drive of the relevant handling device is controlled by the control device such that the relevant handling device assumes, one after the other, the positions previously stored for it in the memory device in the learning phase.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for printing and drying inks on substrates. Printing systems may include a metering device positioned between a printing station and a light source. During operation, the printing station deposits ink onto a substrate to define a printed region. And the light source directs infrared light onto the substrate to define an illumination zone. The printed region is advanced from the printing station to the metering device and from the metering device through the illumination zone, wherein the ink is dried with infrared light traveling from the light source, which also heats the substrate and changes the modulus of elasticity of the substrate. In turn, the metering device isolates the printing station from the change in the modulus of elasticity to help reduce phase shifts caused by changes in the modulus of elasticity resulting from heat in the substrate.

The present invention relates to a method of forming a printed layer on a glass including a curved surface area, the method including: a printing step of printing with a thermally-curable first ink on the curved surface area to form a first printed layer; and a drying step of drying the first printed layer.