Patent ID: 6135654
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: B41J,B41M,B65B

Abstract:
A method of printing a plurality of digital images of graphic designs on a series of bottles for containing a flowable food product, the method comprising the following steps:providing a series of conveyed, moving bottles having an exterior surface and a flowable food contact surface;generating an electronically storable and retrievable preselected digital image of a two-dimensional graphic design to be printed on each of the series of conveyed, moving bottles, the preselected digital image of the two-dimensional graphic design capable of being substituted for by another of the plurality of digital images of two-dimensional graphic designs, the plurality of digital images of two-dimensional graphic designs generated at a computer site;transferring the preselected digital image of the two-dimensional graphic design to a stationary inkjet printer having a stationary print head at a printing site;passing each of the series of conveyed, moving bottles through the printing site at a predetermined rate; andjetting an ink through an inkjet printhead directly onto the exterior surface of each of the series of conveyed, moving bottles to print the preselected digital image of the two-dimensional graphic design directly onto the exterior surface as each of the series of conveyed, moving bottles passes through the printing site at the predetermined rate thereby creating a series of conveyed, moving bottles printed with the two-dimensional graphic design.