Ink jet printing on a metal can substrate

• Main Authors: Buy, Matthew, Ramsey, Christopher Paul
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.10.2019
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; COLOUR PRINTING; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; LINING MACHINES; MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVINGMATERIAL; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PRINTING; PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; PUNCHING METAL; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS; STAMPS; STORING; TRANSPORTING; TYPEWRITERS; WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS ORPROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL

A method for forming a beverage can end (34a) having ink jet markings (50a) on its tab (36a) comprises a step of applying ink via an ink jet to a surface of tab stock, wherein the tab stock surface is unlubricated and substantially free of factory lubricant. The method further includes a step of lubricating the tab stock after the step of applying ink, a step of forming the tab stock into tabs, and a step of combining the tabs with an end shell to from the beverage can end.