Patent ID: 6531018
Filing Date: 2003-03-11
Classification: B41F,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of decorating containers, comprising:feeding containers onto a moving transport path, the containers being stationary relative to said transport path and in a predetermined angular orientation; transporting decals at a constant velocity on a carrier conveyor in a direction opposite said moving transport path and tangentially to a transfer location; rotating the containers upon reaching said transfer location at a circumferential velocity equal to the constant velocity of the carrier conveyor; and transferring the decals sequentially to the containers at said transfer location by applying pressure and heat; wherein the transferring step is performed by establishing a line of contact between the carrier conveyor and a rotating container via a freely rotating transfer roll of a pressure head, the transfer roll traveling alongside the rotating container and being movable transversely of said transport path during transfer of a decal to said rotating container, wherein said predetermined angular orientation of said containers is achieved by rotating and orienting the containers via a separate drive, and stopping rotation of said containers at said predetermined angular orientation prior to said feeding step, wherein said rotating and orienting comprises rolling a cylindrical portion of a rotating container on a stationary friction element over a predetermined rotation angle, wherein said rotating and orienting comprises securing containers on a feed star disposed upstream of a carousel defining the moving transport path, and transferring the oriented containers to rotatable receiving devices of the carousel, and wherein the containers are secured on the carousel by a friction force and wherein each receiving device is driven by the carrier conveyor against the friction force at said transfer location.