Digital Printing Apparatus for Container Closure Bodies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses for container closure bodies are inflexible, require caps to be fully solidified before printing, and involve high pressure and heating that degrades the caps' mechanical characteristics, making them inefficient and of poor quality.
Innovation Solution
A digital printing apparatus with a transfer device having seats with abutment portions for precise positioning and non-contact inkjet printing, allowing for rapid image changes and printing on partially solidified caps without heating, using UV LED lamps for ink reticulation and multiple print heads for high-speed, high-resolution printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional printing rollers or pads are used to print on closure bodies, then printing can be performed on the caps, but the caps must be fully solidified first requiring cooling and storage warehouses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical printing methods (rollers or pads requiring high pressure) with a digital printing system that uses non-contact inkjet technology. This substitution eliminates the need for high pressure during printing, allowing printing to be performed on partially solidified caps immediately after formation, thus eliminating the cooling and storage warehouse requirement while maintaining printing quality
2Reliability
If traditional printing methods with high pressure are used, then printing can be performed on closure bodies, but the mechanical characteristics of the caps are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pressure-based printing system with a digital inkjet printing system that deposits ink without applying high pressure to the cap. This substitution preserves the mechanical characteristics and structural integrity of the cap while achieving reliable ink adhesion through the digital printing process
3Reliability
If printing rollers or pads are used, then printing can be performed on closure bodies, but the apparatus is not flexible for format or image changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical printing system with a digital printing system where printing parameters, formats, and images can be changed through digital control without physical reconfiguration. This substitution provides exceptional flexibility and rapid adaptability for different printing requirements while maintaining reliable printing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic printing system where printing parameters can be adjusted in real-time through digital control. The system can rapidly switch between different formats, images, and printing conditions without requiring physical changes to the apparatus, enabling adaptive printing for diverse container closure applications
4Reliability
If flaming heating is used to make inks adhere better, then ink adhesion is improved, but the chemical/physical characteristics of the closure bodies are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal flaming process with a digital inkjet printing system that deposits ink without applying heat that would degrade the closure body. The system achieves reliable ink adhesion through the ink formulation and deposition process itself, eliminating the harmful thermal effects while maintaining printing quality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid image changes, allows printing on partially solidified caps without degrading their mechanical characteristics, and provides high-precision, high-speed printing without the need for cooling and storage warehouses, improving flexibility and quality.
Implementation Method 1
there can be, respectively, a first and a second device 22, 23 for irradiating the deposited ink... it has been found that lamps of the UV LED type produce an immediate reticulation of the inks
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
An apparatus (1) for printing closure bodies of containers, which comprises a transfer device (2) that is associated in input with a feeder (3) of closure bodies to be printed (4a) and in output with an unloader (5) of printed closure bodies (4b); the transfer device (2) defines a plurality of seats (11) for a respective closure body to be printed (4a) which are provided with at least one resting region (12) for at least one abutment portion (13) that is defined on the outer lateral surface (14) of the respective closure body (4a, 4b), the seats (11) being mutually spaced at preset distances and being movable along a transfer trajectory (200); the apparatus (1) comprises a device (20) for digital printing of the closure bodies to be printed (4a) which is arranged along the transfer trajectory (200).