Installation for decorating hollow glass objects, including a conveyor for passing the objects in front of at least one digital printing station.

Abstract

Installation for decorating hollow glass objects comprising a conveyor for moving the objects past at least one digital printing station. Installation (10) for decorating a plurality of hollow glass, metal, or plastic objects (12), in particular perfume bottles or packaging, comprising: - a frame (20), - a conveyor (22) adapted to move the objects successively along a path (T) relative to the frame, - at least one printing station (24A) adapted to perform digital printing of at least a portion of the decoration on each of the objects. The conveyor is further adapted to move each of the objects successively past the printing station during the digital printing. Figure for the abbreviation: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Installation for decorating hollow glass objects comprising a conveyor for passing the objects in front of at least one digital printing station

[0001] The present invention relates to a decoration installation for a plurality of hollow glass objects, in particular perfume bottles, comprising:

[0002] - a chassis

[0003] - a conveyor adapted for moving objects relative to the chassis,

[0004] - at least one printing station fixed to the chassis and adapted to perform an im pressure of at least a portion of the decoration on each of the objects.

[0005] The invention also relates to a corresponding decoration method.

[0006] In the field of decorating hollow glass objects, it is known to print one or more decorative sections, corresponding for example to primary colors, using screen printing or pad printing equipment. These techniques allow one or more layers of ink to be deposited on the flat or curved surface of each object.

[0007] A conveyor is used to successively bring the objects close to the printing station(s). Then, to ensure sufficiently precise positioning of the decoration on the objects, each object is transferred to a model holder, generally a base-point system, which allows the object to be presented and precisely oriented relative to a printing station. After the printing(s), each object is generally transferred again onto a conveyor that takes it away from the printing station(s).

[0008] This way of decorating objects gives satisfaction from the point of view of the quality of the decoration, but requires a rather large, and therefore expensive, decoration installation.

[0009] An object of the invention is to propose a decoration installation for hollow glass objects that is less bulky and less expensive than current installations, while maintaining an unchanged quality of decoration for a user of the decorated object.

[0010] To this end, the invention relates to a decorative installation for a plurality of hollow objects made of glass, metal or plastic, in particular perfume bottles or packaging, comprising:

[0011] - a chassis,

[0012] - a conveyor adapted for moving objects successively along a track jector in relation to the chassis,

[0013] - at least one printing station adapted to perform digital printing of minus a portion of the decoration on each of the objects,

[0014] in which the conveyor is further adapted to pass each of the objects successively in front of the printing station during digital printing.

[0015] According to particular embodiments, the installation comprises one or more of the following features, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations:

[0016] - the installation includes a plurality of printing stations adapted to produce digital printing of decorative portions on each of the objects, the conveyor being adapted to pass the objects in front of each of the printing stations during the digital printing;

[0017] - the installation includes: at least one presence detector suitable for detecting the objects, the conveyor being adapted to pass the objects successively in front of the presence detector before passing them in front of the printing station, the presence detector being adapted to generate a detection signal; and a control system adapted to receive the detection signal and to send a synchronization signal to the printing station;

[0018] - the installation includes at least one pretreatment station adapted to carry out a pre-processing of objects, the conveyor being further adapted to pass the objects successively in front of the pre-processing station before passing them in front of the printing station;

[0019] - the installation includes at least one post-processing station adapted to carry out a final or intermediate drying of each of the objects, the conveyor also being adapted to pass the objects successively in front of the post-treatment station;

[0020] - the conveyor is configured to move each of the objects in rectilinear translation and uniform with respect to the chassis, at least during digital printing;

[0021] - the conveyor is configured so that each of the objects is at a distance from the station printing during digital printing, the distance being between 0.1 and 3.0 mm;

[0022] - the distance is between 0.5 and 1.5 mm; and

[0023] - the printing station includes a print head comprising one or more rows of nozzles having ejection orifices located in a vertical plane, the row or rows being vertical.

[0024] The invention also relates to a method for decorating a plurality of hollow glass objects, in particular perfume bottles, comprising the following steps

[0025] - obtaining an installation as described above,

[0026] - displacement of objects relative to the chassis successively along the track ejection via the conveyor, and

[0027] - digital printing by the printing station on each of the objects to obtain at minus a portion of decoration on each of the objects, the conveyor successively passing each of the objects in front of the printing station during digital printing.

[0028] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] is a side view of an installation according to the invention, and

[0030] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a top view of the installation shown in [Fig.1].

[0031] With reference to figures 1 and 2, an installation 10 according to the invention is described.

[0032] The installation 10 is adapted to decorate a plurality of hollow glass objects 12, for example bottles intended for perfumery.

[0033] According to variants not shown, the objects 12 are, for example, made of metal or plastic. The objects 12 are, for example, packaging intended to contain bottles.

[0034] The objects 12 are advantageously analogous to one another. The objects 12 comprise, for example, a body 14 surmounted by a ring 16.

[0035] The body 14 defines at least one surface 18 to be printed, for example flat or curved.

[0036] In the example, the surface 18 to be printed is a lateral surface with respect to an X axis of each of the objects 12, the X axis passing through the ring 16 and being intended to be vertical in a storage position of the objects on a horizontal surface.

[0037] The installation 10 includes a chassis 20, and a conveyor 22 adapted to move the objects 12 successively along a trajectory T relative to the chassis.

[0038] In the example, the installation 10 comprises a plurality of printing stations 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D, for example fixed to the frame 20, and adapted to produce digital prints of decorative portions on each of the objects 12, advantageously in four-color process, for example by depositing cyan, magenta, yellow and white and / or black inks. The number of printing stations is four in the example.

[0039] According to variants not shown, the installation 10 comprises a different number of printing stations, for example one, two, three, or more than four.

[0040] According to a particular embodiment (not shown), the installation 10 comprises six printing stations, for depositing an adhesion primer, and the colors white, cyan, magenta, yellow and black, all these inks being sensitive to UV.

[0041] The installation 10 includes, for example, a pretreatment station 26, for example fixed to the frame 20, and adapted to perform pretreatment of the objects 12, i.e., before the digital printing(s). The pretreatment uses, for example, a rotary plasma, Pyrosil® flame treatment, a near-infrared (NIR) lamp, and / or indirect effluvium Corona® treatment.

[0042] In an alternative (not shown), the installation 10 comprises several pre-stations treatment.

[0043] The installation 10 advantageously includes at least one post-treatment station 28, for example a UV drying station adapted to carry out a final drying of each of the objects 12.

[0044] As an alternative or in addition, the installation 10 advantageously includes one or more UV drying stations adapted to carry out one or more intermediate drying stages after each or some of the digital prints.

[0045] According to other variants, one or more of the drying processes are carried out by radiant stations (not shown).

[0046] The installation 10 advantageously includes at least one presence detector 30 fixed on the chassis 20 to detect the passage of objects 12, and a control system 32 adapted to receive a detection signal S1 generated by the presence detector, and to send synchronization signals S2 at least to the printing stations 24A...24D, and possibly to the other stations 26, 28.

[0047] Advantageously, the installation 10 includes an adjustable guidance system 34 suitable for guiding and orienting objects 12.

[0048] Optionally, the installation 10 includes protective elements (not shown) intended to prevent the intrusion of unintended objects or persons into the installation 10.

[0049] The conveyor 22 is adapted to move discrete and three-dimensional objects (having a minimum thickness, for example of at least 2 cm), and not continuous or elongated objects along the trajectory T.

[0050] The conveyor 22 includes for example a horizontal conveyor belt 36 on which the objects 12 are placed, the axis X being substantially vertical.

[0051] In an alternative (not shown), the conveyor 22 includes for example buckets in which the objects 12 are placed.

[0052] The conveyor 22 is adapted to move each of the objects 12 successively past the printing stations 24A ... 24D during digital printing. In other words, the conveyor 22 brings the objects 12 close to the printing stations 24A ... 24D, and the objects remain on the conveyor during the digital printing operation(s). The objects 12 are not transferred onto object holders that would present them to the printing stations 24A ... 24D.

[0053] In the example, the conveyor 22 is also adapted to successively pass the objects 12 past the presence detector 30 and the pretreatment station 26 before passing them past the printing stations. The conveyor 22 is advantageously adapted to successively pass the objects 12 past the UV post-treatment station 28 (or, alternatively, past intermediate drying stations).

[0054] The conveyor 22 is advantageously configured to move each of the objects 12 in rectilinear and uniform translation relative to frame 20, at least during digital printing.

[0055] Advantageously, the conveyor 22 is configured so that each of the objects 12 is at a distance DI from the printing stations 24A ... 24D during digital printing, the distance DI being, for example, between 0.1 and 3.0 mm, preferably between 0.5 and 1.5 mm. Depending on the shape of the surface 18 to be printed, the distance DI can nevertheless vary during digital printing, advantageously within the aforementioned ranges.

[0056] Each of the printing stations 24A ... 24D includes a print head 38 comprising one or more rows 40 of nozzles 42 having ink ejection orifices 44 located in a plane P, advantageously vertical, the rows being for example vertical.

[0057] According to unshown variations, adapted to objects 12 of different shapes (not shown) than that shown in Figures 1 and 2, and / or to objects 12 having different orientations (not shown) with respect to the frame 20, the plane P is not vertical. For example, the plane P may be substantially horizontal for printing objects 12 on shoulders 46 or a base 48 (opposite the ring 16 along the X-axis). According to another example, the plane P is inclined for printing objects 12 on an inclined surface (not shown).

[0058] The print heads 38 are, for example, models from the Ricoh company, adapted to print predefined images with a native resolution of 600 DPI (in English Dot Per Inch), allowing printing up to 1200 DPI.

[0059] The printing stations 24A ... 24D are for example arranged on a common plate (not shown) fixed on the chassis 20.

[0060] The pre-processing station 26 and the post-processing station 28 advantageously have a vertical configuration, adapted to process the surface 18 to be printed, which in the example is substantially vertical.

[0061] According to a particular embodiment, the or at least one of the post-processing stations is adapted to deposit a protective or finishing layer (not shown) on the objects 12. For example, the deposition is carried out using a print head or by spraying.

[0062] The operation of the installation 10 follows from its structure and will now be briefly described. This operation illustrates a method according to the invention.

[0063] The objects 12 are moved relative to the chassis 20 successively along the trajectory T by the conveyor 22. In the example, thanks to the conveyor 22, the objects 12 pass successively in front of the pre-treatment station 26, the presence detector 30, the printing stations 24A ... 24D and the post-treatment station 28.

[0064] Pretreatment is advantageously carried out by the pretreatment station 26.

[0065] In the example, digital prints are produced by printing stations 24A ... 24D.

[0066] Post-processing is advantageously carried out by the post-processing station 28.

[0067] In the example, the presence detector 30 advantageously detects the passage of each of the objects 12 in front of it on the conveyor 22 and generates the detection signal SI representative of the passage of an object 12.

[0068] The detection signal SI is received by the control system 32, which sends the synchronization signals S2 at least to the printing stations 24A ... 24D.

[0069] The printing stations 24A ... 24D receive the synchronization signals S2 and start, for example, digital printing at times corresponding to the start of the passage of one of the objects 12 in front of them, and for a duration taking into account the speed of movement of the object relative to the chassis 20 and the dimensions of the decoration to be printed (not shown).

[0070] Thanks to the above features, particularly the conveyor 22 that moves the objects 12 past the printing station(s) 24A ... 24D, the installation 10 does not require object holders and is less bulky and less expensive than current installations. Surprisingly, despite printing on a moving object, whose surface is not necessarily flat, the quality of the decoration, both in terms of its durability and its aesthetic appeal, is maintained for a user of the decorated object. Example

[0071] Objects 12 are glass bottles.

[0072] The objects 12 were advantageously degreased with isopropanol and were flamed with Pyrosil®.

[0073] The bonding primer was, for example, a sprayed primer with silane.

[0074] The cyan, magenta, yellow, white and black inks used are inks known in themselves for digital printing.

[0075] The digital prints were produced at an object speed of 20 cm / s. The print was produced vertically (vertical plane P), with a standard Ricoh waveform.

[0076] The sizes of the drops ejected by the printing stations were 7 pl, 14 pl, or 21 pl, depending on the coverage of the desired decoration, which determined its thickness.

[0077] The UV drying station emitted at a wavelength of 365 nm, at a power of 10 W and over a width (in the example a height) of 75 mm.

[0078] A 5.4 kW NIR lamp was used after printing and after UV drying.

[0079] The ambient temperature was between 26.2 and 27.6°C, and the humidity level relative air temperature between 64 and 67%. Ambient humidity was between 13 and 15 g of water per kg of air.

[0080] Test images were printed on surface 18 in their conventional orientation, as well as rotated 90° on the surface to be printed relative to the classic orientation.

[0081] The quality of the rendering was little impacted by the direction of printing.

[0082] By increasing the size of the drops, the color rendering was more contrasted, while preserving the sharpness of the patterns.

[0083] Up to a distance DI of 3 mm, the print quality was close to the optimal quality obtained for a DI of approximately 1 mm. Beyond 3 mm, the quality of the patterns was degraded, but might be suitable for certain designs.

Claims

Claims

1. Installation (10) for decorating a plurality of hollow objects (12) made of glass, metal or plastic, in particular perfume bottles or packaging, comprising: - a frame (20), - a conveyor (22) adapted to move the objects (12) successively along a trajectory (T) relative to the frame (20), - at least one printing station (24A) adapted to carry out digital printing of at least a portion of decoration on each of the objects (12), the printing station (24A) comprising a printing head (38) comprising one or more rows (40) of nozzles (42) having ejection orifices (44) located in a plane (P), characterized in that the conveyor (22) is further adapted to cause each of the objects (12) to pass successively in front of the printing station (24A) during digital printing, the conveyor (22) being configured to move each of the objects (12) in rectilinear and uniform translation relative to the chassis (20),at least during digital printing, the conveyor (22) being configured so that each of the objects (12) is at a distance (Dl) from the printing station (24A) during digital printing, the distance (Dl) being between 0.1 and 3.0 mm.,

2. Installation (10) according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of printing stations (24A, 24B, 24C, 24D) adapted to carry out digital printing of portions of decoration on each of the objects (12), the conveyor (22) being adapted to scroll the objects (12) in front of each of the printing stations (24A, 24B, 24C, 24D) during the digital printing.

3. Installation (10) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: - at least one presence detector (30) adapted to detect the objects (12), the conveyor (22) being adapted to scroll the objects (12) successively in front of the presence detector (30) before scrolling them in front of the printing station (24A), the presence detector (30) being adapted to generate a detection signal (SI), and - a control system (32) adapted to receive the detection signal (SI) and to send a synchronization signal (S2) to the printing station (24A).

4. Installation (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising at least one pre-treatment station (26) adapted to carry out pre-treatment of the objects (12), the conveyor (22) being further adapted to scroll the objects (12) successively in front of the pre-treatment station (26) before scrolling them in front of the printing station (24A).

5. Installation (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising at least one post-treatment station (28) adapted to carry out a final or intermediate drying of each of the objects (12), the conveyor (22) being further adapted to pass the objects (12) successively in front of the post-treatment station (28).

6. Installation (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the distance (Dl) is between 0.5 and 1.5 mm.

7. Installation (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the plane (P) is vertical, the row(s) (40) being vertical.

8. Method for decorating a plurality of hollow glass objects (12), in particular perfume bottles, comprising: - obtaining an installation (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, - moving the objects (12) relative to the frame (20) successively along the trajectory (T) by the conveyor (22), - digital printing by the printing station (24A) on each of the objects (12) to obtain at least a portion of decoration on each of the objects (12), the conveyor (22) successively scrolling each of the objects (12) in front of the printing station (24A) during the digital printing.

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