Patent ID: 6920822

Claim:
A digital printing apparatus for decorating cans, comprising: a moveable blanket carrier having an exterior on which a printing blanket is disposed, the printing blanket having a plurality of blanket sections along the exterior of the carrier, with each blanket section being so placed along the carrier and being of such length as to transfer ink on the blanket section to a respective can to be printed which moves in contact with the respective blanket section; at least one digitally controlled print head operative to print at least a single color in at least a single pattern and the print head is directed so as to provide non-contact printing of a blanket section moved past the print head by the blanket carrier; can transport device for transporting cans to be printed by contact with respective blanket sections of the blanket carrier after the print head has printed the blanket section, the transport device including a plurality of supports for the cans to be printed, the supports being spaced apart on the transport device, the transport device being so shaped and being so positioned with respect to the blanket carrier as to move each can supported thereon in turn past a respective blanket section and in contact with the blanket sections sufficiently for enabling transfer of an ink image on the respective blanket section to the respective can then in contact with the blanket section, the transport device then transporting each can printed by a respective blanket section away from the blanket carrier for further processing.