Variable printing process using soft secondary plates and specialty inks
AssigneeBall Corporation
InventorsChris Carreras, Kellie M. Hedberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to using soft secondary plates and specialty inks in a printing process. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and methods of using soft secondary plates made of a rubber comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene or a photopolymer material to decorate an exterior surface of cylindrical metallic containers with high definition graphics and other indicia.
Claims20
A method of using a soft secondary plate in a printing process to decorate an exterior surface of a metallic container, comprising:
- forming a first image on a predetermined portion of a face portion of the soft secondary plate, wherein the soft secondary plate comprises a rubber comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene;
- removably affixing the soft secondary plate with the first image onto a blanket cylinder of a decorator;
- attaching a plurality of printing plates to a plate cylinder of the decorator;
- applying an ink from an inker to at least one of the plurality of printing plates;
- transferring at least some of the ink from the at least one of the plurality of printing plates to at least a portion of the soft secondary plate;
- and
- transferring the ink from the soft secondary plate to the exterior surface of the metallic container, wherein the metallic container is decorated.
An apparatus for forming a high-definition lithographic image on an exterior surface of a metallic container, comprising:
- at least one plate cylinder with an inker, the inker operable to transfer an ink to predetermined portions of one or more printing plates attached to a circumference of the at least one plate cylinder;
- a blanket cylinder, the blanket cylinder having one or more soft secondary plates affixed to a circumference of the blanket cylinder, the blanket cylinder operable to move the soft secondary plates into rotational contact with the one or more printing plates attached to the at least one plate cylinder, wherein the ink is transferred from the predetermined portions of the one or more printing plates to at least a portion of the soft secondary plates, wherein the soft secondary plates are comprised of a rubber comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene, and wherein the soft secondary plates each have an image formed thereon;
- and
- a support cylinder, the support cylinder including a plurality of stations adapted to receive metallic containers, the support cylinder operable to receive the metallic container from a conveyor and move the metallic container into contact with a soft secondary plate affixed to the blanket cylinder, wherein the ink is transferred from the soft secondary plate to the metallic container to form the high-definition lithographic image on the exterior surface of the metallic container.
A soft secondary plate adapted to form a high-definition lithographic image on an exterior surface of a metallic container in a printing process, the soft secondary plate comprising:
- a plate body of a predetermined size, the plate body having a face portion and a back portion, wherein the back portion is adapted to be removably attached to a blanket cylinder of a decorator, and wherein at least the face portion comprises a rubber comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.