DIGITAL DECORATION ON NON-ABSORBENT SURFACES WITH THERMALLY ASSISTED CURING

Abstract

A container component decorating apparatus (10) delivers one or more art graphics to a plurality of container components in a manufacturing queue. A container component handling module (200) has one or more holders (204) which retain the container components to the apparatus (10). The apparatus (10) has a supply of one or more fluids which are to be deposited onto the container components; A source of thermal energy (240) is thermally couplable to the container component. A thermal energy is transferred from the source to the container component prior to one or more fluid droplets from the source fluid being deposited on a non-absorbent surface of the container component.

Claims

1-57. (canceled)

58. A container component decorating apparatus, the decorating apparatus delivering one or more art graphics to a plurality of container components in a manufacturing queue, the decorating apparatus comprising: a container component handling module comprising one or more holders which retain the container components to the apparatus; a supply of one or more fluids to be deposited onto the container components; a source of thermal energy thermally couplable to the container component, wherein a thermal energy is transferred from the source of thermal energy to the container component prior to one or more fluid droplets from the source of one or more fluids being deposited on a non-absorbent surface of the container component.

59. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 58, wherein the thermal energy from the source of thermal energy maintains a temperature above an ambient temperature.

60. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 59 wherein the temperature maintained is between 25° to 125° C.

61. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 59 wherein the temperature maintained is between 30° to 100° C.

62. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 59 wherein the temperature maintained is between 35° to 95° C.

63. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 59 wherein the temperature maintained is between 40° to 90° C.

64. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 58 wherein the source of thermal energy is thermally couplable to the container component via the one or more holders.

65. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 64 wherein thermal energy is transferred via conduction.

66. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 64 wherein the thermal energy is transferred via radiation.

67. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 64 wherein the thermal energy is carried by a medium.

68. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 67 wherein the medium is a solid surface of the one or more holders.

69. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 67 wherein the medium is a fluid.

70. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 67 wherein the medium is gas.

71. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 67 wherein the medium is a liquid.

72. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 58 further comprising a plurality of inkjet print heads one or more inkjet printheads comprising one or more nozzles through which the one or more colored inks are delivered.

73. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 58 wherein the thermal energy is transferred to the container component simultaneously with a deposit of the fluid on the non-absorbent of the container component.

74. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 58 wherein the one or more fluid droplets are pinned.

75. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 74 wherein one or more droplets produces a tack-free surface on the non-absorbent surface of the container component.

76. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 74 wherein a cure of the one or more droplets is accelerated as a result of thermal energy transfer.

77. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 58 wherein deposit of the one or more fluid droplets onto the non-absorbent surface of the container component is performed in a non-contact fashion, wherein one or more droplets travel from a source to the container through a fluid-based medium.

78. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 58 further comprising a print site, wherein the container component handling module sequentially delivers container components to the print site, wherein the one or more droplets of fluid are deposited onto the container component at the print site.

79. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 58 wherein the source of thermal energy is selected from the group consisting of a source of an electron beam, a source of ultraviolet radiation, a source of near infrared radiation, and a source of infrared radiation.

80. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 58 wherein the one or more holders comprise a mandrel having one or more conduits within a sidewall.

81. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 80 wherein the one or more conduits have a heating element therein.

82. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 81 wherein the heating element is at least one of an electrical element, a liquid, an inductor, and a gas.

83. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 82 wherein a thermal energy within the mandrel is transferred to the container component.

84. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 80 wherein the mandrel has a chamber having the source of thermal energy therein.

85. The container component decorating apparatus of claim 58 wherein the source of thermal energy is coupled to an interior volume of the container component wherein the thermal energy is transferred from the source of thermal energy to an inner surface of the container component wherein the one or more fluid droplets from the source of one or more fluids deposited on the non-absorbent surface of the container component is pinned to an outer surface of the container component.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] To understand the present disclosure, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method of the disclosure in which a temperature of a container component is maintained above ambient temperature or increased prior to droplets of pigmented fluid for decorating the container component are deposited onto the container component;

[0025] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method of the disclosure in which a basecoat/primer layer may optionally be applied to a container component prior to a temperature of a container component being increased or maintained above ambient temperature prior to droplets of pigmented fluid for decorating the container component being deposited onto a warmed container component;

[0026] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method of the disclosure in which a basecoat/primer layer may optionally be applied to a warmed container component prior to droplets of pigmented fluid for decorating the container component being deposited onto a warmed container component; and

[0027] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method of the disclosure in which a basecoat/primer layer may optionally be applied, either at a separate basecoater and/or at the printing apparatus, to either a warmed container component or an ambient temperature container component, prior to droplets of pigmented fluid for decorating the container component being deposited onto a warmed container component;

[0028] FIG. 5 is a side view of a digital container component decorator;

[0029] FIG. 6 is a side view of a container component and a holder prior to the holder being inserted into an interior thereof;

[0030] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a container component with a holder inserted into the interior thereof; and

[0031] FIG. 8 is an alternative holder retaining a container component thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] While this disclosure is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the disclosure with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the disclosure and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the disclosure to the embodiments illustrated.

[0033] The present disclosure utilizes a temperature control of a non-absorbent surface of a container as a surface treatment in a digital container decorating system. Surfaces of these containers are typically metallic, the containers themselves, including the decorated surfaces, are primarily produced from alloys of iron or aluminum. The temperature of the non-absorbent surface is controlled in at least one of before, during, and immediately after transfer of a pigmented fluid, for example ink, to the non-absorbent surface of the container.

[0034] The temperature control described herein is particularly applicable in non-contact ink applications where thermal energy is not as translated to an ink supply as in other types of printing. One type of non-contact container decorating is inkjet-type printing, for example digital, direct-to-shape jetting of stable fluid, applicable to both water-based fluids as well as solvent-based fluids. In the case of solvent-based fluids, the temperature control discussed herein may accelerate the process of digitally printed non-absorbent surfaces.

[0035] It is believed that the present disclosure will enable easier application and better quality with digitally applied pigmented fluids, including water-based and solvent-based inks and materials. The process described herein creates a natural pinning of an ink droplet of a first color on the non-absorbent surface, maintaining the ink droplet in a substantially fixed position on the non-absorbent surface and less likely to migrate or bleed into adjacent or nearby droplets of a second color.

[0036] Methods of the present disclosure are depicted in FIGS. 1-4. Generally, according to the methods of the disclosure, a container body, including a non-absorbent surface, is pre-heated prior to decorating. This heating can be performed in an oven, such as a primer/basecoat cure oven. The pre-heated container is loaded onto a printing apparatus and onto a thermally treated holder of the printing apparatus. A temperature of the non-absorbent surface of the container is maintained or elevated by thermal conductivity as the container is thermally coupled to the holder. The holder is moved to a print site on a printing apparatus. One or more pigmented fluid droplets are deposited onto the thermally treated, non-absorbent surface of the container at the print site as the container is supported by the holder. The one or more droplets are pinned. One or more additional pigmented fluid droplets are subsequently deposited onto the thermally treated, non-absorbent surface of the container near or on top of the previously deposited one or more droplets of pigmented fluid.

[0037] The disclosure can be further practiced on a container to deposit a basecoat or primer coat deposited onto the non-absorbent surface. The container is subjected to a source of thermal energy to establish a temperature of a non-absorbent surface of the container. The container is then loaded onto a thermally treated holder of a basecoat applicator. A temperature of the non-absorbent surface of the container is maintained or elevated by thermal conductivity as the container is thermally coupled to the holder. The holder is moved to a print site on the basecoat applicator. Here, a basecoat is applied to the non-absorbent surface of the container. One or more basecoat fluid droplets are deposited onto the thermally treated, non-absorbent surface of the container at the print site as the container is supported by the holder. The one or more droplets are pinned. One or more additional basecoat fluid droplets are subsequently deposited onto the thermally treated, non-absorbent surface of the container near or on top of the previously deposited one or more droplets of basecoat fluid. The basecoated container can then be transferred to a decorating apparatus, decorated on the same apparatus (i.e. the basecoat applicator), or subsequently processed in-line or off-line in a secondary operation.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 1, the disclosure can be practiced without pre-heating the container prior to loading the container onto printing apparatus. Here, the container may be loaded onto a thermally treated holder. The holder is thermally coupled to the container to transfer thermal energy to the container and increase the temperature of the container. The holder is moved to a print site on a printing apparatus. One or more pigmented fluid droplets are deposited onto the thermally treated, non-absorbent surface of the container at the print site as the container is supported by the holder. The one or more droplets are pinned. One or more additional pigmented fluid droplets are subsequently deposited onto the thermally treated, non-absorbent surface of the container near or on top of the previously deposited one or more droplets of pigmented fluid.

[0039] The pinning is a thermal pinning of the pigmented fluid or basecoat fluid droplets and may produce a “tack-free” surface via the thermally treated container having a sufficient temperature to accelerate a cure of the pigmented fluid or basecoat fluid.

[0040] Thermal energy is pre-determined to cause enough evaporation of the pigmented fluid or basecoat fluid to pin droplets of the pigmented fluid or basecoat fluid prior to further droplets of pigmented fluid or basecoat fluid being deposited onto the container. The temperature of the container sufficient to accomplish this is above ambient temperature, between 25° to 125° C., preferably between 30° to 100° C., more preferably between 35° to 95° C., and most preferably between 40° to 90° C., or and range or combination of ranges therein.

[0041] The pigmented fluid and the basecoat fluid may be a water-based fluid, a semi-water-based fluid, or a solvent-based.

[0042] The thermal coupling between the holder and the container may be accomplished by direct physical contact, liquid, gas, induction, radiation, etc.

[0043] The holder may be a vacuum chuck, mandrel, magnet, etc.

[0044] The depositing of the pigmented fluid droplets and basecoat fluid droplets onto the container is performed in a non-contact fashion. That is, the droplets travel from a source to the container through a fluid-based medium, such as air, to the container.

[0045] The present disclosure is applicable for every combination of with and without pre-heat for pinning between digital ink colors, multi-pass laydowns of coatings and primers, single machine/oven applications of basecoat, ink, and other coatings, pigmented and no-pigmented.

[0046] Now, referring to the FIGS. 5-8, the present disclosure is generally directed to the decoration of container components. As best illustrated in FIG. 6, an example of a container component is a container body 14. The container bodies 14 have a cylindrical sidewall 18 enclosed by an integral bottom 22 opposite an open end 26. While the embodiments described relate to metallic container bodies, one of ordinary skill in the art would readily understand that the principles of the disclosure can be practiced in the decoration of other container components, e.g., lids and ends.

[0047] FIG. 5 is a digital container component decorator 10. The decorator 10 has a printing module 100 and a container handling module 200.

[0048] The printing module 100 has a supply of fluid such as an inker unit 104 comprising a plurality of printing heads 108a,b,c,d,e, preferably inkjet print heads, each having a nozzle 110 through which primer or basecoat 111 or colored ink 112 is delivered. In the embodiment illustrated, a first print head 108a delivers the basecoat or primer 111, and the remaining 4 print heads 108 b,c,d,e deliver colored inks 112. The print heads 108a-e deposit or deliver a volume of basecoat 111 or ink 112 n a desired pattern directly onto a non-absorbent surface of the container body 14, typically the sidewall 18. This depositing of fluid droplets onto the non-absorbent surface of the container body 14 is performed in a non-contact fashion, wherein one or more droplets travel from the nozzle 110 to the container body 14 through a fluid-based medium, typically a gas, such as air. Thus, the ink-jet printing heads 108b-e deliver a quantity of ink 112 to the container body 14 to produce a desired pattern of ink 112 in a desired color, preferably an art graphic in multiple colors.

[0049] The digital decorator 10 incorporates a container handling module 200. This container handling module 200 is capable of continuously delivering container bodies 14 to a printing site 124 without interruption.

[0050] The container handling module 200 comprises at a plurality of holders 204. The holders 204 retain the container bodies 14 to the decorator 10. The holders 204 are inserted within the open ends 26 of the container bodies 14 and provide a support during transport of the container bodies 14 is a print site 124 on the digital decorator 10.

[0051] The decorator 10 allows for a temperature control of the container bodies 14 before, during and after depositing fluid droplets onto the container bodies 14, typically a pigmented fluid, such as a colored ink 112. Generally, a source of thermal energy 216 is thermally couplable to the container body 14 prior to the container body 14 reaching the print site 124. The thermal energy 220 is transferred from the source 216 onto the container body 14 prior to one or more fluid droplets 112 from the printing head 108 being deposited onto the sidewall 18 of the container body 14.

[0052] The thermal energy generally maintains and/or warms the container body 14 to at least slightly evaporate, cure or pin one or more droplets delivered from a print heads 108a-e prior to an additional one or more droplets of fluid are delivered from a printing head 108a-e to the container body 14. Pinning is a thermal pinning of the basecoat 111 or ink 112 fluid droplets which may produce a “tack-free” surface via the thermally treated container body 14 having a sufficient temperature to accelerate a cure of the basecoat 111 or ink 112 fluid. Generally, a temperature of the container body 14 sufficient to accomplish this is above ambient temperature, between 25° to 125° C., preferably between 30° to 100° C., more preferably between 35° to 95° C., and most preferably between 40° to 90° C., or and range or combination of ranges therein.

[0053] In one embodiment, the source of thermal energy 240 is thermally coupled to an interior volume of the container body 14 wherein the thermal energy 220 is transferred from the source of thermal energy 240 to an inner surface of the sidewall 18 of the container body 14. The fluid droplets on the non-absorbent surface outer surface of the container body sidewall 18 are pinned to the outer surface.

[0054] A tack-free surface is not always necessary. When the droplets delivered from the print heads 108a-e are an ink solution, there is a high likelihood that the method and apparatus will require a pin of the ink only to keep it in position as the container component spins and has over varnish (OV) applied when the curing would really happen in the oven as it is today. Under those conditions, a tack-free surface may be more than actually needed at the point of printing. However, when a basecoat is applied, a tack-free would likely be needed or preferred.

[0055] The thermal coupling can be accomplished using the holder 204, e.g. a mandrel 224 as illustrated on FIGS. 6 and 7. The mandrel 224 itself can be thermally treated in several different ways. For example, the mandrel 224 can be equipped with thermal conduits 228. These conduits 228 can carry heating elements such as electrical elements, liquids, inductors, and/or gasses. Thus, a thermal energy within the mandrel 224 can be carried by a medium to heat the mandrel 224, which heat can then be transferred to the container body 14. The medium can also include a solid wall 232 of the mandrel 224 which is in direct contact with the container body 14. As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, a plurality of conduits 228 are embedded in the solid wall 232 of the mandrel 224.

[0056] Alternatively, or additionally, the mandrel 224 can be equipped with a chamber 236 and an additional source of thermal energy 240, such as a liquid or gas, can be provided to heat the sidewall 232 of the mandrel 224.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 8, the holder 204 can also take the form a vacuum chuck or magnet 244 which retains the container body 14 to the decorator 10. Here, a hot fluid 248, such as liquid or gas, from a source 252 can be delivered to the container body 14 prior to the container body reaching the pint site 124.

[0058] Alternatively, the thermal energy can be provided from a source of an electron beam, a source of ultraviolet radiation, a source of near infrared radiation, and/or a source of infrared radiation. ISO 20473 defines near-infrared radiation as electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from 780 nm to 3.0 μm (ISO 2007).

[0059] The present disclosure provides many potential advantages. It can reduce the use of in-line ovens, provide more flexibility to layer more coating materials (e.g. double-coat), allow use of lower cost inkjet inks making digital decorating more cost effective, open up decorating to more OV materials because it eliminates wet-on-wet application (see spot matte), provide potential use of a wider selection of basecoat fluid, and lower cost. The methods described herein increase a process window of direct to shape (DTS) printing (aqueous or solvent) without the use of UV cure materials. This is an advantage because UV cure materials (with photo initiators) are expensive and may carry safety concerns. With a spinning non-absorptive container component surface, such as a container body, thermal surface control as described herein keeps ink droplets in position on the spinning container component surface at spin speed and conversely open the operating process window. DTS indexing printer platforms could all handle support of this technology with retrofit, for example, such technology marketed by Hinterkopf, ToneJet, Velox, SLAC, Martinenghi, etc.

[0060] The methods of the present disclosure can be used in conjunction with certain hybrid inks, for example, that include low levels of UV photo initiators. These hybrid inks with low levels of UV photo initiators could be used to pin the ink droplets in place color-by-color, but a final cure could be on a thermally treated or heated container component. Similarly, water and solvent, solvent evaporates off from hitting heated can surface, remaining water is evaporated off in more standard means in a pin oven following OV.

[0061] While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the disclosure, and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.