Apparatus and method for printing on conical objects

A method of retrofitting a conical object printing system, the method comprising:

• providing a transport drum for transporting objects, wherein the transport drum has an axis of rotation that is parallel to the axes of rotation of individual objects being transported by the transport drum;
• and
• inclining an impression surface relative to the axis of rotation of the transport drum,
• wherein the retrofitted conical object printing system includes:
• (i) an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt with an inner surface and an outer release surface,
• (ii) an imaging station for depositing at least one ink composition on the release surface to form an ink image,
• (iii) a drying station at which the ink image is substantially dried or at least partially cured, by evaporation or by exposure to radiation, so as to form on the release surface a substantially dried ink image,
• (iv) an impression station having a nip at which the ITM is compressed between a conical object and the impression surface, to cause the dried ink image to be transferred from the release surface of the ITM to an outer surface of the conical object, and
• (v) an object transport system, including the transport drum, for transporting the conical object to the impression station and rotating the conical object about its own longitudinal axis during passage through the impression station such that, at the nip, the outer surface of the conical object makes rolling contact with the release surface of the ITM,
• wherein in the retrofitted conical object printing system:
• (vi) the ITM is elastically deformable at least in the direction of movement of the ITM, and
• (vii) the ITM is guided in such a manner as to be elongated during passage through the impression station, the extent of elongation varying across the width of the ITM so as to match the surface velocity of the ITM to that of the conical object over the entire line of contact between the ITM and the conical object at the nip.

A method of printing on an outer surface of a conical object having a longitudinal axis, the method comprising:

• depositing on a release surface of an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt at least one ink composition to form an ink image, wherein the ITM is elastically deformable at least in the direction of movement of the ITM;
• substantially drying or at least partially curing the ink image, by evaporation or by exposure to radiation, so as to form on the release surface a substantially dried ink image;
• and
• compressing, at a nip of an impression station, the ITM between a conical object and an impression surface, to cause the dried image to be transferred from the release surface of the ITM to an outer surface of the conical object, wherein the conical object is rotated about its own longitudinal axis during passage through the impression station, and wherein the outer surface of the conical object makes rolling contact with the release surface of the ITM at the nip, and wherein the ITM is guided in such a manner as to be elongated during passage through the impression station, the extent of elongation varying across the width of the ITM so as to match the surface velocity of the ITM to that of the conical object over the entire line of contact between the ITM and the conical object at the nip.