An apparatus and methods of decorating a metallic container are provided. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods used to provide a decoration on a predetermined portion of a metallic container body. The decorator includes a sensor that senses decorations on metallic containers. A control system receives information related to the sensed decorations from the sensor and then determines if the decorations at least meet predetermined color, density, thickness, orientation, and consistency targets. The control system can automatically adjust elements of the decorator to correct a deficient decoration. In one embodiment, the control system can automatically adjust ink blades associated with a plurality of inking assemblies of the decorator to adjust the color, density, orientation, positioning, and consistency of decorations transferred to the metallic containers. In another embodiment, the control system can adjust a position of an inking assembly, an ink roller, a plate cylinder, a printing plate, a blanket cylinder, and a transfer blanket of the decorator.

Disclosed is a printing apparatus carriage for a container having a circular cross section. The present invention is directed to perform stable transport and mass printing therethrough without using a groove formed on a middle part of the container when the container is transported.

Disclosed is a printing apparatus carriage for a container having a circular cross section. The present invention is directed to perform stable transport and mass printing therethrough without using a groove formed on a middle part of the container when the container is transported.

The present invention relates to a device for printing on hollow bodies and comprising a segmented wheel and a system for sequentially supplying the hollow bodes to the periphery of the segmented wheel. That system includes at least one conveyor wheel and one mandrel wheel, First, the conveyor wheel, then the mandrel wheel, and then the segmented wheel are arranged in the transport direction of the hollow bodies. A plurality of driving elements are arranged on the periphery of the conveyor wheel, and a plurality of holding elements are arranged on the periphery of the mandrel wheel. Each holding element receives a respective hollow body to be printed in cooperation with the segmented wheel. The mandrel wheel and the conveying wheel each have their own drive, each of which drive is separate from a drive of the segmented wheel.

The present invention relates to a device for printing on hollow bodies and comprising a segmented wheel and a system for sequentially supplying the hollow bodes to the periphery of the segmented wheel. That system includes at least one conveyor wheel and one mandrel wheel, First, the conveyor wheel, then the mandrel wheel, and then the segmented wheel are arranged in the transport direction of the hollow bodies. A plurality of driving elements are arranged on the periphery of the conveyor wheel, and a plurality of holding elements are arranged on the periphery of the mandrel wheel. Each holding element receives a respective hollow body to be printed in cooperation with the segmented wheel. The mandrel wheel and the conveying wheel each have their own drive, each of which drive is separate from a drive of the segmented wheel.

A device for printing on hollow bodies comprises a mandrel wheel and a segment wheel. The mandrel wheel has its own motor separate from a motor of the segment wheel. In association with the segment wheel, along a circumferential line thereof, a plurality of plate cylinders are positioned or at least are positionable radially against this segment wheel. An inking unit is associated with each plate cylinder. Each plate cylinder, and a roller arranged in the associated inking unit, are each driven in rotation independently by a motor. The motor of the mandrel wheel and the motor of the segment wheel and the motor of the relevant plate cylinder and the motor of the roller arranged in the associated inking unit are connected to one another for data exchange by a common data bus. The relevant motors each have their own drive controller and their own power part connected to the data bus. Control data for the relevant motors, transported via the data bus, form a virtual guide axis.

A device for printing on hollow bodies comprises a mandrel wheel and a segment wheel. The mandrel wheel has its own motor separate from a motor of the segment wheel. In association with the segment wheel, along a circumferential line thereof, a plurality of plate cylinders are positioned or at least are positionable radially against this segment wheel. An inking unit is associated with each plate cylinder. Each plate cylinder, and a roller arranged in the associated inking unit, are each driven in rotation independently by a motor. The motor of the mandrel wheel and the motor of the segment wheel and the motor of the relevant plate cylinder and the motor of the roller arranged in the associated inking unit are connected to one another for data exchange by a common data bus. The relevant motors each have their own drive controller and their own power part connected to the data bus. Control data for the relevant motors, transported via the data bus, form a virtual guide axis.

A turret styled container decorator machine is disclosed having a rotatable turret and a number of circumferentially spaced container holding assemblies for holding a variety of pieces of media, such as a drink container, the surface of which is to be printed upon with an image. A plurality of workstations are positioned around the perimeter of the turret through which each media holder passes as the turret rotates. Each workstation includes an ink printing assembly and a curing assembly so that ink may be applied and cured as each piece of media is indexed into each workstation location. Each printing workstation may be removed and replaced with a different arrangement or configuration of ink heads to suit different types of media sizes and shapes, and the turret holds a plurality of media holding means assigned to a pie-shaped section of the turret adjustable to accommodate various types of media geometries.

A turret styled container decorator machine is disclosed having a rotatable turret and a number of circumferentially spaced container holding assemblies for holding a variety of pieces of media, such as a drink container, the surface of which is to be printed upon with an image. A plurality of workstations are positioned around the perimeter of the turret through which each media holder passes as the turret rotates. Each workstation includes an ink printing assembly and a curing assembly so that ink may be applied and cured as each piece of media is indexed into each workstation location. Each printing workstation may be removed and replaced with a different arrangement or configuration of ink heads to suit different types of media sizes and shapes, and the turret holds a plurality of media holding means assigned to a pie-shaped section of the turret adjustable to accommodate various types of media geometries.

A method of applying a pattern to a nonplanar surface. A stamp has a major surface with pattern elements having a lateral dimension of greater than 0 and less than about 5 microns. The major surface of the stamp has a functionalizing molecule with a functional group selected to chemically bind to the nonplanar surface. The stamp is positioned to initiate rolling contact with the nonplanar surface, and contacts the nonplanar surface to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of the functionalizing material thereon and impart the arrangement of pattern elements thereto. The major surface of the stamp is translated with respect to the nonplanar surface such that: a contact force is controlled at an interface between the stamping surfaces and the nonplanar surface, and the contact pressure at the interface is allowed to vary while the stamping surfaces and the nonplanar surface are in contact with each other.