Patent ID: 9096073
Filing Date: 2015-08-04
Classification: B41J,B65G

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for printing containers in several colors on an outer container surface with an imprint formed by a print image, wherein said apparatus comprises a plurality of printing head units, wherein said apparatus further comprises a first transport system, wherein said apparatus further comprises a plurality of container receptacles, and wherein said apparatus further comprises a second transport system, wherein each printing head unit from said plurality of printing head units comprises a printing unit, wherein said printing unit comprises at least two printing heads for producing said print image, wherein said first transport system moves said printing head units along a first transport direction on a first closed motion path, wherein said second transport system moves said container receptacles along a second transport direction on a second closed motion path, wherein said second closed motion path extends between a container feed, which receives a container to be printed, and a container discharge, which discharges a printed container, wherein said first transport system and said second transport system form a printing section between said container feed and said container discharge within which occurs printing of each container received in a container receptacle by a printing head unit allocated to said container receptacle or a printing unit thereof, wherein said first transport system is configured for synchronously carrying said printing head units with respective allocated container receptacles of said second transport system along said printing section, wherein at least one of said first and second transport systems is configured for causing controlled motion of at least one of said printing head units and said container receptacles along a motion path thereof, wherein said controlled motion, relative to a respective main motion direction, is independent, in at least one of motion type and speed, of at least one of other printing head units of said at least one of the transport systems and container receptacles of said at least one of the transport systems, wherein a selected transporter is a member of a set that consists of said first transport system and said second transport system, wherein, in a first case, said selected transporter is said first transport system, wherein, in a second case, said selected transporter is said second transport system, wherein, in said first case, said first and second moved articles are printing head units from said plurality of printing head units, wherein, in said second case, said first and second moved articles are container receptacles from said plurality of container receptacles, wherein said selected transporter is configured to cause said first moved article to undergo a first motion along a motion path that is associated with said selected transporter, wherein said selected transporter is configured to cause said second moved article to undergo a second motion along said motion path that is associated with said selected transporter, wherein said first motion is characterized by at least one of motion type and speed, wherein said second motion is characterized by at least one of motion type and speed, wherein, for at least a part of said motion path that is associated with said selected transporter, said first motion, which is undergone by said first article, differs from said second motion, which is undergone by said second article, and wherein at least one of said printing head units and carriages thereof and container receptacles and carriages thereof comprises a drive-related coupling of container receptacles with allocated printing head units on said printing section.