METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DECORATING A METAL CONTAINER BY DIGITAL PRINTING ON AN OFFSET BLANKET Russian patent published in 2021 - IPC B41F17/00 

FIELD: printing.

SUBSTANCE: proposed are an apparatus and methods for decorating a metal container with an image or signs on a predetermined area of the outer surface of the body of the container. The decorator includes at least one digital printing unit, an offset blanket, and a support element. The digital printing unit transfers the decorating material to the offset blanket to form a decorative design on the offset blanket. The support element then moves the metal container in contact with the offset blanket in order to transfer the decorating material to a part of the outer surface of the metal container for decoration of the metal container. In one variant of implementation of the invention, the digital printing unit constitutes an electrophotographic system transferring the toner material to the offset blanket. In another variant of implementation, the digital printing unit includes an inkjet printing head transferring the printing ink to the offset blanket. If necessary, the decorator can include two or more support elements.

EFFECT: decoration of the outer surface of a metal container.

25 cl, 16 dwg