A device (100) for providing a tube arranged or arrangeable in a circumferentially closed manner around a prolate object (102), preferably around a conductor, as a marking (101) of the object (102) is described. The device (100) comprises a printer (200) for outputting a printed tube (214) in longitudinal direction (210) or a material interface (156) for receiving a printed tube (214) output from a printer (200) in longitudinal direction (210). Further, the device (100) comprises a cutting unit (120) configured to cut through the printed tube (214) at a cutting position of the tube (214) in a transverse direction (121) transverse, preferably perpendicular, to the longitudinal direction (210) of the tube. At least at the intersection, an upper half of the tube and a lower half of the tube, terminally or insidely, abut on each other or are connected to each other. Further, the device (100) comprises an opening unit (122) for opening the upper and lower halves of the tube. The opening unit comprises at least two opening rollers (123), each rotatable about a rotational axis (123A). The respective rotational axis (123A) is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (210) and the transverse direction (121). The at least two opening rollers (123) abut against the cut and printed tube on opposite sides in the transverse direction (121).

A can body printing system includes: a status detection section 305 configured to, when printing is performed on a can body by a user, detect satisfaction of a condition for the printing set by a third party that is not the user; and a print stopping section 306 configured to control a stoppage of the printing on the can body in response to detection of the satisfaction of the condition for the printing set by the third party that is not the user.

A method of operating a direct-to-object printer adjusts a pixel density of a portion of contone image data for an image to be printed on a surface of a tapered object. The contone image data is also filtered with a stochastic halftone filer to produce binary image data for the image to be printed on the tapered object. The adjustment in the pixel density for the portion of the image to be printed on the portion of the object having a circumference that is different than another portion of the surface at the uppermost portion of the image produces a more uniform appearance in the resulting printed image.

Provided are pre-coat formulations, ink formulations, ink systems and printing methods for patterning a surface with a desired pattern.

A mounting device for holding a hollow cylindrical object, particularly a screw cap, in a printing system, comprises a support member, and a mandrel for receiving a hollow cylindrical object arranged at the support member, and a heating device for heating the hollow cylindrical object mounted at the mandrel. A printing system for printing on hollow cylindrical objects, preferably screw caps, comprises at least one mounting device, and at least one printhead configured to print on surfaces of cylindrical objects, preferably screw caps.

A universal object holding mechanism for holding three-dimensional objects for printing thereon uses multiple conformable balls mounted within a pattern of holes in a two part back plate. The multiple conformable balls are pressed into an object, which in turn, is pressed against a datum surface that represents desired spacing away from print heads. Vacuum is applied to the multiple conformable balls which grip the object. The multiple conformable balls are filled with particulates that cause the multiple conformable balls to become rigid when the vacuum is applied. This contributes to keeping the object from moving when it is being moved past a print head.

An apparatus is disclosed for printing images on generally cylindrical objects. The apparatus comprises an impression station that includes a movable imaging surface for bearing an ink image; and a transport mechanism for advancing the objects through the impression station, comprising a drive member rotatably connected to a plurality of rotatable mandrels, each for mounting a respective one of the objects, the transport mechanism being configured to cause each object to rotate during passage through the impression station such that, within a nip region of the impression station, the surface of the object makes rolling contact with the imaging surface, thereby causing the ink image to be impressed on the object. An impression platen is provided opposite the imaging surface within the nip region, the impression platen being configured to apply a force, directly or indirectly, to the objects to ensure rolling contact between the objects and the imaging surface.

A first aspect of the present invention provides a can container including: a can body of a cylindrical shape, and at least a surface coating layer, in which the surface coating layer is formed on at least a part of an outer peripheral surface of the can body, the surface coating layer has a resin component, and surface free energy of a surface of the surface coating layer is 30 mJ/m.sup.2 or more and 50 mJ/m.sup.2 or less at a temperature of 25° C.

A can body printing system includes: an identification information storage part 302 that stores identification information of a can body; an identification information reading part 303 that reads the identification information attached to the can body; a matching part 304 that matches the read identification information to the identification information stored in the identification information storage part 302; and a print processing part 308 that, upon receiving a matching result, reads print image information from a print image information storage part 307 to perform processing for printing onto the can body by inkjet printing.

Provided is a cap of a container. The cap has an image formed thereon and includes a first part and a second part. When the cap is opened, the first part is separated from a container body of the container, and the second part remains on the container body of the container. The image is formed on a region straddling both a side surface of the first part and a side surface of the second part.