Apparatus and method for direct rotary screen printing radiation curable compositions onto cylindrical articles
AssigneeDeco Patents, Inc.
InventorsMelvin E. Kamen, Marvin Wells
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for decorating cylindrical articles using direct rotary screen printing of a UV radiation curable composition in various predetermined patterns and registrations. A rotary screen printing assembly is arranged in either a horizontal or vertical orientation to achieve production rates of about at least 250 articles per minute, and up to 1000 articles per minute. The UV radiation curable compositions are at least partially cured between a plurality of screen printing workstations using a UV radiation source.
Claims33
Apparatus for directly printing a layer of radiation curable material onto articles having a cylindrical surface, said apparatus comprising a printing assembly operative for directly printing a layer of said radiation curable material onto the cylindrical surface of said articles, said printing assembly comprising a belt in the shape of a loop having a planar portion for contact with said cylindrical surface of said articles for directly printing said layer of said radiation curable material thereon, a radiation emitting device operative for at least partially curing said layer of radiation curable material applied to said articles, and a turntable for transporting said articles about a path into operative relationship with said planar portion of said belt.
Apparatus for directly printing a layer of radiation curable material onto articles having a cylindrical surface, said apparatus comprising a continuous printing belt having a planar portion for directly printing a layer of said radiation curable material onto the cylindrical surface of said articles from said belt when in contact with said articles, a squeegee arranged for applying said radiation curable from said belt onto the surface of said articles, a radiation emitting device operative for at least partially curing said layer of radiation curable material applied to said articles, a plurality of fixtures for releasing securing said articles thereto, said fixtures operative for rotating said articles when in operative association with said planar portion of said belt, and a turntable for transporting said articles in a vertical orientation about a circular path into operative relationship with said planar portion of said belt, said path having a tangent parallel to said planar portion of said belt.
A process for applying a layer of radiation curable material onto articles having a cylindrical surface, said process comprising providing a belt in the shape of a loop having a planar position for contact with the cylindrical surface of said articles, transporting said articles about a path having a non-linear portion having a tangent parallel to said planar portion of said belt, and applying a layer of radiation curable material onto the cylindrical surface of said articles when in contact with said planar portion of said belt.
A process for applying a layer of radiation curable material onto articles having a cylindrical surface, said process comprising providing a printing screen in the shape of a continuous loop having a planar position for contact with the cylindrical surface of said articles, transporting said articles about a path having a circular portion having a tangent parallel to said planar portion of said printing screen, applying a layer of radiation curable material onto the cylindrical surface of said articles when in contact with said planar portion of said belt while said belt is being rotated, rotating said articles simultaneously with the rotation of said printing screen while applying said layer of radiation curable material, and at least partially curing said layer of radiation curable material by exposure to a radiation source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.