The present invention relates to a can body printing device, a can body printing system, a can body, and a can body filled with a beverage.
Patent Document 1 discloses a technique related to a component monitoring device that detects use of a component other than regular components and then restricts operations of an operating machine.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2013-101686
With recent advances in printing technology for can bodies, performing printing on can bodies on the user side, which has conventionally been impossible, is under consideration.
Here, the can body is usually subjected to processing of partial deformation, but there are some cases in which printing is desired even on a portion where the deformation processing is applied.
However, it is generally difficult for the user side to perform the processing of deformation of part of the can body. Consequently, in the case in which the user side performs printing on the portion where the deformation processing is applied, the printing is performed after deformation. In such cases, it is sometimes impossible to obtain the intended print quality because part of the print surface of the can body is bent.
An object of the present invention is to provide a can body in which print quality is kept better as compared to the case where printing is only performed after processing of deforming part of a print surface of a can body.
A can body printing device to which the present invention is applied includes: a support unit supporting a can body with a predetermined area having been subjected to first printing and deformation; and a printing unit performing second printing by digital printing on a barrel portion of the supported can body.
From another standpoint, a can body printing system to which the present invention is applied includes: a first printing unit performing first printing on a predetermined area of a can body; a deformation unit deforming the area; and a second printing unit, after the deformation of the area, performing second printing by digital printing on a barrel portion provided contiguous to the area subjected to the first printing and the deformation.
Here, the predetermined area may be a diameter decreased portion of the can body, and the first printing may be performed before the area is deformed.
In addition, the first printing unit may perform printing on the area or a location other than the area to form an image for distinguishing the can body from another can body.
From still another standpoint, a can body to be subjected to digital printing includes: an area subjected to first printing and deformation; and a barrel portion provided contiguous to the area and capable of being subjected to second printing by digital printing.
Here, the can body may further include an identification part to be distinguished from another can body.
In addition, the identification part may be an image formed on the barrel portion.
From another standpoint, a can body filled with a beverage includes: an area subjected to first printing and deformation; and a barrel portion provided contiguous to the area and subjected to second printing by digital printing.
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a can body in which print quality is kept better as compared to the case where printing is only performed after processing of deforming part of a print surface of a can body.
Hereinafter, with reference to attached drawings, a can body printing system, to which an exemplary embodiment is applied, will be described in detail.
The devices on the can body manufacturer side include a host device 10, which is an information processing device forming the basis of the can body printing system 1. In addition, the can body manufacturer includes a manufacturer-side device 20 as a first printing unit that performs printing and processing onto a predetermined location of a can body before being provided to a user. Note that, in the exemplary embodiment, a diameter decreased portion is adopted as the “predetermined location” of a can body. The “diameter decreased portion” is a portion near the opening portion of the can body, to which the so-called necking processing is applied to decrease the diameter of the opening portion.
The devices on the user side include a printing device 30 as a second printing unit that performs printing onto a provided can body for a user who has been provided with the can body from the can body manufacturer. A user PC 40, which is a computer device operated by the user, is also included. The host device 10, the manufacturer-side device 20, the printing device 30, and the user PC 40 are connected via a network 60, such as the Internet.
Note that there is a mode in which the can body manufacturer also serves as a printing device manufacturer who provides the printing device 30 to a user, and a mode in which the can body manufacturer does not serve as the printing device manufacturer.
In the exemplary embodiment, the host device 10 is a computer device provided by a can body manufacturer who provides can bodies to a user. To the host device 10, a database (DB) 50 that stores the various pieces of information used by the can body printing system 1 is connected directly or via the network 60.
The host device 10 includes a control part 11, which is a central processing unit (CPU) controlling the entire device, and a memory 12, such as a random access memory (RAM) used as a working area for computing. In addition, a storage part 13 used for storing programs and various kinds of setting data is also included. As the storage part 13, for example, a storage device, such as a semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive (HDD) is used. Further, a communication part 14 that transmits and receives data via the network 60 is also included.
Moreover, the host device 10 also includes an operation part 15, such as a keyboard, a pointing device, and a touch panel, to accept input operations from an administrator managing the can body printing system 1. In addition, a display part 16 including a liquid crystal display, etc., which displays images and text information necessary for administrative work conducted by the administrator, and a display control part 17 controlling the display part 16 are also included. Note that each piece of hardware does not necessarily have a common housing.
The manufacturer-side device 20 includes a control part 21 controlling the entire device, and a communication part 22 that transmits and receives various kinds of data via the network 60. The manufacturer-side device 20 also includes a printing part 23 that performs printing on a can body, and a processing part 24 that performs processing on the printed can body. Moreover, a user interface 25 that performs display to an operator of the manufacturer-side device 20 and accepts input operations from the operator, and a storage part 26 that stores print image information or the like, which has been obtained, are also included. The can body as a medium, on which printing is performed by the manufacturer-side device 20, is a straight-shaped can body before the necking processing is applied, for example.
There is a mode in which the host device 10 on the can body manufacturer side is directly connected to the manufacturer-side device 20 via an interface cable, or a mode in which the host device 10 and the manufacturer-side device 20 are connected to each other via a local area network (LAN) such as Ethernet (registered trademark).
The printing device 30 includes a control part 31 controlling the entire device, and a communication part 32 that transmits and receives various kinds of data via the network 60. The printing device 30 also includes a reading part 33 configured by a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor and the like for reading identification information in the case of the mode in which the identification information is printed on the diameter decreased portion on the can body manufacturer side. The printing device 30 also includes a support part 34 as one of support units that support a can body on which printing is to be performed, and a printing part 35 that performs printing on the barrel portion of the can body supported by the support part 34. Moreover, the printing device 30 includes a user interface 36 that performs display to the user who operates the printing device 30 and accepts input operations from the user. In addition, a storage part 37 that stores print image information and so on obtained from the can body manufacturer side or generated on the user side is included.
Here, the can body as a medium on which printing is performed by the printing device 30 is a can body whose diameter decreased portion is subjected to printing and thereafter subjected to necking processing on the can body manufacturer side. Note that the medium on which printing is performed can be the can body before being filled with beer or other beverages, or the can body after being filled with the beverage.
The printing device 30 itself can be grasped as the “can body printing device” in some cases, but it is also possible to inclusively grasp the printing device 30 and the user PC 40 as the “can body printing device.”
For the can body, for example, to be conveyed to the support part 34 for printing by the printing part 35, the reading part 33 rotates the can body, for example, around the axial direction thereof during the conveyance to read the identification information formed on the surface of the can body. Examples of the identification information read by the reading part 33 include various kinds of bar code information, serial numbers, and various kinds of image information that can be identified. Note that there is also a mode in which the reading part 33 adopts a configuration that emits ultraviolet light, which is light rays with predetermined wavelength, and then visualizes and reads the identification information drawn with fluorescent paint, to thereby make a user who bought the can body be not aware of existence of the identification information on the can body.
When the can body that was subjected to printing and processing on the diameter decreased portion thereof is conveyed, the support part 34 supports the can body so that printing by the printing part 35 is available. Specifically, since it is necessary to support the can body with the diameter decreased portion subjected to the necking processing, for example, a cylindrical mandrel is inserted from the opening portion toward the inside of the can body, and the mandrel swells inside the can body to support thereof from the inside. Then, the mandrel is rotated in the circumferential direction, to thereby rotate the can body in the circumferential direction at the nozzle position of the inkjet. In addition, there is also a mode in which, for example, the can body is supported by holding a top and bottom portions of the can body by the mandrel and a pressing part, and the can body is rotated in the circumferential direction at the nozzle position of the inkjet. When printing is performed onto a can body filled with a beverage, the can body cannot be supported from the inside thereof; accordingly, there is a mode in which, for example, the can body is supported by holding the top and bottom portions of the can body by plural pressing parts.
The printing part 35 is capable of performing digital printing on the barrel portion of the can body supported by the support part 34, and is also capable of printing with different print contents for each can body. This is very different from printing on the can body by the normal mechanical printing, increases convenience for the person performing printing on the can body, and reduces the weight of the device. In the printing part 35, the ink is injected as droplets from a nozzle and adheres to an outer circumferential surface of the can body to form an image on the outer circumferential surface of the can body, and further, the paint is applied onto the image to form a protection layer. The printing part 35 uses, for example, inks of four colors: cyan (C); magenta (M); yellow (Y); and black (K) as the basic inks, and special color inks (special-color inks) prepared for each brand as needed. In addition, in this case, the inkjet head is prepared for each color, to thereby perform image formation onto the can body by use of the plural inkjet heads. Moreover, as the ink to be used, an actinic radiation cure ink is desirable. Here, examples of the actinic radiation cure ink include an ultraviolet (UV) cure ink. After the image formation by the inkjet heads, a paint is applied to the outer circumferential surface of the can body to form the protection layer (overcoat layer).
The user PC 40 includes a control part 41 controlling the entire device, and a memory 42, such as a RAM used as a working area for computing. In addition, a storage part 43 used for storing programs and various kinds of setting data is also included, the storage part 43 including a storage device, such as a semiconductor memory or an HDD. Further, a communication part 44 that transmits and receives data via the network 60 or transmits and receives data by connecting to the printing device 30 is included. Moreover, an operation part 45, such as a keyboard, a pointing device, and a touch panel, to accept input operations from a user who operates the printing device 30 is also included. In addition, a display part 46 configured with a liquid crystal display, etc., that displays images and text information necessary for print work conducted by the user by use of the printing device 30, and a display control part 47 controlling the display part 46 are also included.
The user PC 40 obtains various kinds of information from the host device 10. For this reason, in addition to the mode of communicating directly with the host device 10, the communication part 32 of the printing device 30 has a mode to communicate with the host device 10 via the user PC 40. Moreover, there is also a mode to selectively use the above modes in accordance with information.
There is a mode in which the printing device 30 on the user side is directly connected to the user PC 40 via an interface cable, or a mode in which the printing device 30 and the user PC 40 are connected to each other via a LAN such as Ethernet (registered trademark).
Next, a description will be given of the functions in the exemplary embodiment performed by the host device 10.
Other than the case where the printing device information and the identification information are obtained via the network 60 and the communication part 14, there is a mode in which, for example, the printing device information and the identification information are inputted through the operation part 15 by an administrator of the host device 10.
The host device 10 also includes an obtaining request acceptance part 104 that accepts an obtaining request when the printing device 30 issues the obtaining request for the identification information. In addition, the host device 10 includes an obtaining request confirmation part 105 that, based on the printing device information stored in the identification information storage part 103, confirms whether or not the accepted obtaining request is made by the printing device 30 that has been registered. Further, an identification information reading part 106 that reads the identification information out of the identification information storage part 103, and an identification information output part 107 that outputs the read identification information to the printing device 30 side (the printing device 30, or the printing device 30 and the user PC 40) are also included.
In addition, a printing result obtaining part 108 that obtains the printing result from the printing device 30, and an output identification information processing part 109 that recognizes the identification information in the case where the identification information is used for printing processing onto the can body are also included.
Note that examples of the identification information, which is stored in the identification information storage part 103, to be adopted, include a serial number made up of plural digits, such as more than ten digits, as well as a two-dimensional code and a one-dimensional bar code. In addition, it is also possible to regard an unnumbered dot image as the identification information. A Different piece of identification information can be printed onto each can body, and the piece of identification information can be treated as information capable of uniquely identifying a can body.
The printing device information stored in the identification information storage part 103 is information that can uniquely identify the printing device 30 provided to the user. Examples of the printing device information include the serial number of the printing device 30. For example, a user ID, which is the information that uniquely identifies a user using the printing device 30, can be used.
Note that, instead of printing the different piece of identification information onto each can body, it is also possible to add the same pieces of identification information to the plural can bodies. In other words, this is a mode in which a single piece of identification information includes a predetermined quantity of can bodies. For example, the same identification information is printed for each unit of lot manufactured by the can body manufacturer. It is also possible to use the information such as the manufacturing date as the identification information.
In addition, here, the identification information of the can body is associated with the printing device information to be stored; however, there is also a mode in which the identification information of the can body is stored without being associated with the printing device information. For example, only the identification information that can uniquely identify a can body is stored without administrating the printing device information in some modes.
Next, a description will be given of the functions in the exemplary embodiment performed by the manufacturer-side device 20. The exemplary embodiment is characterized by the point that the manufacturer-side device 20 performs first printing and processing on the diameter decreased portion of the can body before being provided to the user.
Moreover, the manufacturer-side device 20 has a mode to print the identification information onto the diameter decreased portion or the other parts of the can body. For this reason, the manufacturer-side device 20 includes: an identification information obtaining part 204 that obtains the identification information; and an identification information storage part 205 that stores the obtained identification information in the storage part 26. In addition, an identification information reading part 206 that reads the stored identification information is also included.
Moreover, the manufacturer-side device 20 includes a print processing part 207 that prints an image based on the read print image information onto the diameter decreased portion before diameter decreasing processing is applied. The print processing part 207 prints the identification information onto the diameter decreased portion or the other parts of the can body. The print processing part 207 prints the image or the identification information onto the diameter decreased portion before being subjected to the diameter decreasing processing by the digital printing using inkjet, relief offset printing, or the like. In addition, a processing part 208 applies the necking processing to the diameter decreased portion subjected to printing.
Next, a description will be given of the functions in the exemplary embodiment performed on the printing device 30 side (the printing device 30, or the printing device 30 and the user PC 40). The exemplary embodiment is characterized by the point that the printing device 30 performs second printing on the barrel portion of the can body in which the first printing and the processing was performed on the diameter decreased portion by the can body manufacturer side.
Further, in the case where the identification information is printed on the diameter decreased portion or other parts of the can body, the printing device 30 includes: an identification information obtaining part 303 that obtains the identification information from the host device 10 via the network 60; and an identification information storage part 304 that stores the obtained identification information in the storage part 43 of the user PC 40 or the storage part 37 of the printing device 30. In addition, an identification information reading part 305 that reads the identification information attached to the can body by the reading part 33 is also included. Moreover, the printing device 30 side also includes a matching part 306 that matches the identification information read by the identification information reading part 305 against the identification information stored in the identification information storage part 304. Also, a matching result output part 307 that outputs the matching result to the display part 46 of the user PC 40 or an external device, such as the host device 10, via the network 60 is included.
In addition, the printing device 30 side includes a print processing part 308 that reads the print image information out of the print image information storage part 302, and performs processing for causing the printing part 35 to perform printing onto the barrel portion of the can body. Moreover, in the case where matching by the matching part 306 is performed, upon the matching result, the print processing part 308 performs processing for causing the printing part 35 to perform printing onto the barrel portion of the can body. In addition, the printing device 30 includes a printing result output part 309 for outputting the printing results by the print processing part 308 to the host device 10, the display part 46 of the user PC 40, or the like.
Next, a description will be given of the processing performed by the host device 10 with reference to
Here, the flowcharts shown in
Under these assumptions, first, as shown in
When the can bodies are provided from the can body manufacturer to the user, as shown in
When the printing onto the barrel portion of the can body on the user side is finished, as shown in
Next, a description will be given of the processing performed by the manufacturer-side device 20 with reference to
Moreover, in this example, as the identification information, code information configured with bar codes is printed on the barrel portion of the can body. Consequently, the identification information obtaining part 204 of the manufacturer-side device 20 obtains the identification information from the host device 10 via the network 60 (step 204). Then, the identification information storage part 205 stores the obtained identification information in the storage part 26 (step 205). Thereafter, the identification information reading part 206 reads the identification information that has been stored (step 206). The print processing part 207 prints the image by the read print image information on the diameter decreased portion of the can body, and prints the read identification information on the barrel portion of the can body (step 207). Then, the processing part 208 applies the necking processing to the diameter decreased portion of the can body (step 208), and the processing is finished.
Next, a description will be given of the processing performed by the printing device 30 side using
Next, the can body used in the exemplary embodiment, and the can body after the printing is performed will be described based on the above-described example.
As shown in
In the can body shown in
The can body shown in
The can body as the product shown in
In the can body as the product of the beverage can shown in
Note that, in the example shown in
The example of the can body shown in
Note that, in the examples shown in
As described in detail above, according to the exemplary embodiment, the can body that has already been subjected to the first printing and the necking processing onto the diameter decreased portion with the print surface that has already been bent is to be subjected to the second printing by the printing device 30. This makes it possible to obtain the intended print quality even if the printing onto the can body is performed by the user.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2020-037433 | Mar 2020 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2020/045406 | 12/7/2020 | WO |