Showa Aluminum Can Corporation

Altemira Co., Ltd.

Asumi Suwa

Kazunori Ikeda

Shinichi Ojima

Tetsuo Kashiwazaki

Kenyu Muraoka

Yasushi Tashiro

Kazuhisa Masuda

Nobuhiko Kimura

Hiroyuki Okada

Kenji Fujinuma

A can body that has been subjected to outer surface painting (OV), inner surface painting (INS), and a neck process (SDN) but that has not been subjected to image formation is manufactured in a canning factory. The can body that has not been subjected to image formation is shipped to a beverage can manufacturing factory. At the beverage can manufacturing factory, an image formation process using a printer (PR) is performed. Specifically, ink is ejected from an inkjet head toward the can body, to thereby form an image on the outer circumferential surface of the can body. Thereafter, the can body is filled with beverage in a filler (FL), and then a can lid is attached to the can body in a seamer (SM).

Method for manufacturing cans for beverage, and beverage can manufacturing method

A printing apparatus () is provided with a moving unit () used to convey a can body (). In addition, the printing apparatus () is provided with a first linear unit () in a linear shape which the moving unit () travels to move in one direction. Moreover, the printing apparatus () is provided with a second linear unit () which the moving unit () travels to move in a direction opposite to the one direction, the second linear unit () being arranged in parallel with the first linear unit () and formed linearly. Further, the printing apparatus () is provided with a printing unit () that performs printing on the can body () held by the moving unit (). By these units, the miniaturization of a printing apparatus and a can body manufacturing system is attained.

Printing apparatus and can body manufacturing system

An image is formed on a can body by use of plural image formation units. A printing device () is provided with a moving unit () that moves while supporting can bodies (). Additionally, the printing device () is provided with a printing unit () that includes plural inkjet heads (W), (C), (M), (Y), (K) and that performs printing on the can bodies () supported by the moving unit (). Further, the printing device () is provided with a moving mechanism () that causes the moving unit () to move by using a linear mechanism.

Printing device

A first score line () is curled inward at one end section () and the other end section () of the first score line () so as to go into a region enclosed by the first score line (), and the first score line () approaches a center line (CL) of a tab as going to the trailing ends thereof. In addition, a curvature at which the first scored line () is brought closer to the other end section () side is applied to the one end section () of the first score line (), and a curvature at which the first score line () is brought closer to the one end section () side is also applied to the other end section () of the first score line ().

Can lid and beverage can

A UV-curable inkjet ink composition is curable by irradiation with ultraviolet light and includes a monofunctional monomer (A), a polyfunctional monomer (B), a photopolymerization initiator (C), and a colorant (D), wherein the composition has a hydroxyl value within the range of not less than 1 mgKOH/g and not more than 100 mgKOH/g, and is for forming, by inkjet printing, an ink layerprovided between a curved outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical can basemade of a metal material, and a coating layermade of an aqueous coating material.

UV-curable inkjet ink composition

The printing device, first, as shown in FIG.A, forms white layers () by a first white inkjet head on the surface of the can body (). Next, as shown in FIG.B, irradiation of ultraviolet rays by a first irradiation lamp () is performed and the white layers () are cured. Then, the can body () is moved to a second white inkjet head and, as shown in FIG.C, more white ink is loaded on some of the white layers () formed by the first white inkjet head. As a result, the thickness of some of the white layers () is increased. Next, the can body () passes successively under multiple color inkjet heads. As a result, color ink layers () are formed on the surface of the can body () and the white layers (), as shown in FIG.D.

Can body manufacturing method, printing device, and beverage can

In ejecting ink from unused ink ejection ports or ink ejection ports not used frequently onto a can body to suppress ink clogging, the ink clogging is suppressed while degradation in the quality of an image to be formed on the can body is suppressed. On the surface of a can main body, a main image MG, which is a main image, and a strip-shaped image OG, which is a sub-image, are formed. The strip-shaped image OG is formed using ink ejection ports not used at forming the main image MG or low-frequency ink ejection ports not ejecting ink frequently. Thus, ink clogging hardly occurs in an ink jet head.

Printing apparatus for forming strip-shaped image to suppress ink clogging and can body printed thereby

A printing apparatus including a can body conveyance unit, an image forming unit, a light irradiation unit and one or more other can body stop locations. Light for curing an image on a can body is inhibited from reaching the image forming unit. An upstream side restricting wall () is positioned on the upstream side, namely, the side on which an ink jet head () is provided, of a can body () when the can body () is stopped at a mandrel stop location () or light irradiation stop location (). The upstream side restricting wall () is thereby positioned between the can body () and the ink jet head (), and ultraviolet light is restricted from heading toward the ink jet head ().

Printing apparatus

The printing apparatus is provided with two inkjet heads that eject ink of the same color as in a first cyan inkjet head (C) and a second cyan inkjet head (C). The first cyan inkjet head (C) and the second cyan inkjet head (C) are disposed so that the respective positions in the conveyance direction of the can () differ from each other and are disposed so that the positions in the axial direction of the can () differ from each other. A first magenta inkjet head (M) for ejecting magenta ink is provided at a position adjacent to the second cyan inkjet head (C) in the axial direction of the can ().

Printing apparatus and method for manufacturing can on which image is formed

A tab main body section () is provided with first to third main body section slits (-) which penetrate through the tab main body section (). The first to third main body section slits (-) are formed in a circular arc shape so as to extend along the outer peripheral edge of an insertion hole () formed in a circular shape. The first main body section slit () is provided between the insertion opening () and a first edge section () of a tab (). The second main body section slit () and the third main body section slit () each have one end section () and the other end section (). The one end section () is located closer to a second edge section () of the tab () than the insertion hole ().

A first score line () is provided with a modified groove width portion () in which the groove width differs from the groove width of other portions. This modified groove width portion () is formed by imparting curvature to a point of a first side surface (B) and this portion of a second side surface (C) are respectively distended in an outward direction. To describe further, the modified groove width portion () is formed by forming respective recessed portions in the first side surface (B) and the second side surface (C). In so doing, rupture of a panel can take place in satisfactory fashion along a score line having a branched portion.

A printing device () is provided with: a can body conveying mechanism () for sequentially conveying can bodies (); and a can body moving mechanism () for moving the can body () while forming an image onto the outer circumferential surface of the can body () conveyed by the can body conveying mechanism (). The can body moving mechanism () is provided with a rotating member () formed in a disc shape and rotating in a clockwise direction in the drawing. The can body moving mechanism () is also provided with plural image forming units () provided on the rotating member () and forming an image onto the outer circumferential surface of the can body () while moving the can body (). The image forming units () are each provided with plural ink ejection devices for ejecting ink onto the outer circumferential surface of the can body (). This provides an image forming device capable of increasing the number of can bodies on each of which an image can be formed per unit time.

Image forming device and method for manufacturing can body on which image is formed

In a panel (), a protrusion (nipple) () is formed, which is flattened when a tab is secured to the panel () and functions as a rivet. The protrusion () is provided at a section of the panel () which is surrounded by a first score line () and which is located on a top part (A) side relative to one end () or the other end () of the first score line (). A second score line () connected to a curved part () of the first score line () is provided in the panel (). Consequently, a decrease in the outflow performance of the drink is suppressed and a decrease in operability of the tab is suppressed, even if the tab or the opening is increased in size or the panel is reduced in size.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Asumi Suwa