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    • 专利摘要:
    The present invention is directed to a method for inkjet printing an image on a glass container comprising the steps of: a) producing a glass container comprising a CEC layer; b) removing at least a portion of the CEC layer to a level where the remaining CEC layer has a thickness of less than 20 nm by washing the CEC from the glass container with an aqueous solution containing surfactant, rinsing with blowing water and water from the container by means of a stream of air under pressure, c) inkjet printing an image on the glass container.
    公开号:BE1025711B1
    申请号:E2018/5162
    申请日:2018-03-16
    公开日:2019-06-18
    发明作者:Marin Steenackers；Mondt Roel De；De Velde Johan Van；Jonas Vandecruys；Yolanda Justo；Roland Claes
    申请人:Anheuser-Busch Inbev S.A.；Chemstream Bvba；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    Glass container comprising an inkjet printed image and a method for producing it
    FIELD OF THE INVENTION
    The present invention relates to glass containers, more specifically glass bottles, decorated with printed images on the glass surface. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for producing such glass containers.
    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
    It is well known in the art that beverage bottles have a smooth and protective transparent coating, the so-called cold-end coating (CEC), on the outer surface. Such CEC prevents the glass container from being scratched and protects it in an abrasive or corrosive environment. The CEC, typically a polyethylene wax, ensures that the glass surface becomes smooth. The resulting low coefficient of friction reduces the forces during bottle-to-bottle contact on bottle lines and transport. Bottles coated in this way move freely through inspection and filling lines and suffer less damage to the surface. A damaged surface looks bad for the consumer and weakens the glass, which often results in early breaking. In addition, instead of accepting an increase in bursting pressure, the bottle can be made lighter while still retaining its strength.
    Today, when producing glass containers, a coating is applied in two steps to ensure scratch resistance and smoothness of the glasses
    BE2018 / 5162 containers available. In the first step, the so-called hot-end coating (HEC) is applied by means of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of a metal-containing compound on the newly formed, hot and single or double line glass containers. Such an HEC is based on a coating precursor comprising tin, titanium, other heat-decomposable metals or organometallic compounds. This application is done in a so-called coating tunnel or coating hood where the HEC is applied by chemical vapor deposition to form a thin layer of metal oxide, for example tin oxide. The intention is to coat the outside of the glass container with a homogeneous equal layer, except for the so-called final layer. Because this happens in the vapor phase and on glass containers transported in a single line, a relatively homogeneous distribution can easily be obtained. The thin layer of metal oxide, often tin oxide, forms the basis for the second coating, the so-called cold-end coating (CEC). After applying the HEC, the glass containers are usually passed through a special type of oven, also called an annealing oven. The latter is specifically designed for annealing glass and to cool the containers in a controlled manner. The glass is heated to the relaxation temperature and then cooled slowly. This process relieves internal tensions, which makes the glass more durable.
    In a subsequent process step, decorative coatings can be applied, as for example in WO9962645, in which a curable
    BE2018 / 5162 polymerizable coating on the glass surface is sprayed after the CEC has been removed to improve spray coating adhesion on the glass surface. The cured coating can be used as a surface for screen printing.
    Nowadays, images of the logo, ingredients, etc. that correspond to the contents of the bottle are typically printed on the CEC, eg by screen printing.
    An important problem, however, is that in all industries, more specifically the packaging industry, printing continues to move towards digitization with greater speed, quality, flexibility and efficiency. Unfortunately, screen printing is not a digital printing technique, such as inkjet printing is. Offset and flexographic printing systems are also increasingly being replaced by print applications by industrial inkjet printing systems due to their flexibility in use, eg variable data printing, and their improved reliability, which makes their inclusion in production lines possible.
    In inkjet printing, small droplets of ink fluid are projected directly onto an ink-receiving surface without physical contact between the printing device and the ink receiver. The printing apparatus electronically stores the print data and controls a mechanism for image-wise expelling the drops. Printing is accomplished by moving a printhead over the ink receiver or vice versa, or both.
    Upon irradiating the inkjet ink on an ink receiver, the ink typically comprises a liquid carrier and one or more solids, such as dyes
    BE2018 / 5162 or pigments and polymers. Ink compositions can be roughly divided into: water-based, the drying mechanism comprising absorption, penetration and evaporation; on a solvent basis, the drying mainly comprising evaporation; oil-based, the drying comprising absorption and penetration; hot melt or phase change, wherein the ink is liquid at the ejection temperature but solid at room temperature and where drying is replaced by curing; and energy curable, wherein drying is replaced by polymerization induced by exposure of the ink to a radiation or thermal energy source.
    The first three types of ink compositions are more suitable for an absorbent receiving medium, while hot melt inks and energy-curable inks can also be printed on non-absorbent ink receivers. Due to the thermal requirements imposed by hot melt inks on the substrates, radiation-curable inks in particular have aroused the interest of the packaging industry.
    Inkjet printing on glass containers that require a CEC during production to the aforementioned
    reasons, such as bottles demonstrated still difficult to be and too result in bad image quality of the prints. If consequence thereof stays there need it
    optimized inkjet printing methods for glass containers that require a CEC, especially in high-speed processes, such as bottling lines for beverages.
    Summary of the invention
    BE2018 / 5162
    The present invention is directed to a method for inkjet printing an image on a glass container comprising the steps of:
    a) producing a glass container comprising a CEC layer;
    b) removing at least a portion of the CEC layer to a level where the remaining CEC layer has a thickness of less than 20 nm by washing the CEC from the glass container with an aqueous solution containing non-ionic surfactant, rinsing with blowing water and water from the container through a stream of air under pressure,
    c) inkjet printing of an image on the glass container.
    In addition, the present invention is directed to a glass container made by such a method.
    Detailed description of the invention
    It is now recognized that the reason why inkjet prints on glass containers that require a CEC is still difficult and results in poor image quality of the prints is as follows:
    In the first place, it is assumed that, without being bound by theory, the CEC can influence the binding of inkjet inks and the adhesion to the glass surface.
    Secondly, because the containers are positioned in several rows after leaving the cooling oven, the application of CEC by a spray gun or guns that move in parallel between the respective rows of the containers, positioned above
    BE2018 / 5162 or flat between the rows at shoulder height of the containers. Such spray patterns automatically lead to a non-homogeneous distribution of coating material.
    Although WO2013167558 describes an improved method for applying a CEC integrated into the glass container manufacturing process, the method disclosed herein can only be performed in a single line conveyor configuration and not in a traditional and commonly used multi-row conveyor configuration.
    Thirdly, for a good extruding mass power and fast inkjet printing, the viscosity of the inkjet inks is typically much lower than e.g.
    with screen printing inks. Without wishing to be bound by theory, lower viscosity of the inkjet ink exhibits greater printed mobility on a surface to be and greater dependence on the homogeneity of the surface. The poor image quality of the prints can thus be a result of the high mobility of the lower-viscous inkjet inks prior to curing by, e.g., evaporation and / or polymerization, and the non-homogeneous distribution of CEC material as described above. I.e. the lower viscous and mobile inkjet ink drops tend to wet and move to the surface areas with a higher surface energy, resulting in printing defects.
    It was so unexpectedly established that by removing at least a portion of the CEC layer from the glass substrate to a level where the remaining CEC layer has a thickness of 0 to 20 nm, or is substantially completely removed, adhesion as well as print quality
    BE2018 / 5162 of the prints, e.g. color deviations and resolution, has been significantly improved compared to print quality on a glass substrate from which the CEC was not at least partially removed. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the assumed reason for improved print quality is that by removing at least a portion of the CEC layer to a level where the remaining CEC layer has a thickness of 0 to 20 nm, the homogeneity of the surface area has increased and results in a reduced tendency of the mobile and low viscous inkjet inks to move on the surface before being cured.
    In a first embodiment, the present invention provides a glass container with an outer glass surface with an ink-jet printed image applied to said surface, characterized in that the glass container has an internal burst pressure of at least 7 bar, in that no CEC, or a CEC with a thickness of less than 20 nm is present between the outer glass surface and the image printed by inkjet. A thickness of 0 to 20 nm corresponds to a few monolayers or less. Preferably, the thickness of the CEC is between 0 and 10 nm, and more preferably between 0 and 5 nm, and most preferably, the CEC is completely removed.
    As explained above, a CEC provides increased scratch protection and improves durability, appearance, and internal bursting pressure of the glass container. By printing on glass containers that had a CEC during process steps prior to printing and removing that CEC, or a part thereof, just before the
    BE2018 / 5162 printing tap, a glass container is obtained which, after being exposed to the printing tap, still has an internal bursting pressure of at least 7 bar, or at least 8 bar, or at least 9 bar.
    Furthermore, an embodiment may be provided in which an HEC may be present between the outer glass surface and the CEC or between the outer glass surface and the inkjet printed image. In the latter case, CEC has been removed and has a thickness of 0 nm or almost 0 nm.
    Without being bound by theory, the excellent print quality on substrates in which an HEC is present between the outer glass surface and the image printed by inkjet can be explained by the homogeneous distribution of the HEC because the HEC is usually applied in vapor phase and on glass containers placed in be transported in one line, as explained above.
    The HEC typically comprises a metal oxide layer, typically a layer of 5 to 20 nm. More specifically, said metal oxide in the metal oxide layer can be selected from the group comprising: tin oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide and / or combinations thereof, as described in US 3952118 and US 489816.
    In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the metal oxide layer of the HEC may be a tin oxide obtained from monobutyl tin chloride (MBTC) as a precursor.
    Typical examples of CECs applied to glass containers can be on polyethylene, on partial
    BE2018 / 5162 are oxidized polyethylene, polyglycols, oleic acid or stearate-based coatings.
    In an embodiment of a glass container of the present invention, the CEC can be at least partially water-soluble between 20 and 90 ° C, preferably at 40 ° C. In addition to advantages in the production of inkjet printed glass containers, as will be explained further in this text, an at least partially water-soluble CEC can be advantageous for recycling disposable glass containers because it can be at least partially removed by rinsing with water between 20 and 90 ° C, preferably at 40 ° C.
    In the context of the present invention, the CEC that is at least partially water-soluble should be interpreted as the CEC that is at least partially removed by technical water, tap water, purified water or distilled water, so that the slip angle of the bottle increases with at least 6 ° after flushing compared to before flushing. Slip angles are determined by placing one bottle on top of two horizontal bottles of the same type, in line contact. The tilt angle is increased at a certain speed and the tilt angle at which the top bottle starts to slip is called the slip angle. A slip angle can have a value of more than 30 ° to less than 10 °.
    More specifically, the at least partially water-soluble CEC may be based on fatty acid, preferably based on stearate. In another specific preferred embodiment, the at least one
    BE2018 / 5162 partially water-soluble CEC based on polyethylene glycol.
    In a preferred embodiment, the CEC may be water-insoluble. Water-insoluble CEC is preferably used for glass containers because it is resistant to working temperatures above 80 ° C. Glass containers that are subject to hot filling and those that have been pasteurized or sterilized require a high-temperature coating performance. Because, moreover, water-insoluble CEC is not removed by rinsing during container rinsing cycles, the productivity of the fill line can be increased by eliminating overcoating.
    In the context of the present invention, a water-insoluble CEC is understood to mean a CEC that cannot be diluted nor removed by technical water, tap water, purified water or distilled water. As a result, the slip angle of the bottle after rinsing will not increase with respect to before rinsing.
    In particular, the water-insoluble CEC may be based on polyethylene, based on oxidized polyethylene, based on polypropylene glycol, or based on oleic acid.
    In another embodiment of a glass container of the present invention, the CEC may be at least partially oxidized by flame, corona, or plasma treatment. It is known in the art that organic screen printing inks do not adhere well to glass containers that have been treated with CEC, and that flame, corona or plasma energy can be applied to the glass containers in order to achieve better adhesion of a
    BE2018 / 5162 organic coating (e.g. an inkjet ink) obtainable thereon.
    Furthermore, a glass container according to the present invention may comprise a silicon-containing layer, preferably a silicon-dioxide-containing layer (e.g. pyrosil), between the CEC and the ink-jet printed image. Such a silicon-containing layer provides improved binding sites for the ink jet printed layer (s). Furthermore, they can result in a rough nanoporous material surface for increased adhesion and a surface with a higher surface energy. It can, for example, be deposited by flame pyrolysis. Precursors can be supplied as a vapor, an atomized liquid, an atomized solution, and / or the like.
    A primer layer may be present between the outer glass surface and the inkjet printed image to improve adhesion of the ink, i.e., on the CEC or on the HEC, or on a silica-containing layer (e.g., pyrosil). Such a primer can be pigmented, white or transparent, and can include an adhesion promoter. Such a primer can also be oxidized by flame, corona, or plasma treatment to improve inkjet ink adhesion. A white pigmented primer, typically containing e.g. titanium dioxide, is preferably used to enhance the contrast and vividness of color inks printed on a primed substrate. This is especially effective when the substrate is transparent. More specifically, the primer may be a radical reactive group moiety such as a thiol group, an amine group,
    BE2018 / 5162 or an ethylenically unsaturated group such as a vinyl ether, a vinyl ester, an acrylamide, a methacrylamide, a styrile, or preferably an allyl, an acrylate, or a methacrylate.
    The inkjet printed image on a glass container according to the present invention can comprise one or more layers of ink, preferably energy-cured ink, ie the ink can be cured in any suitable manner, for example radiation-cured by any suitable type of radiation such as , for example, ultraviolet, electron beam, or the like, or thermally cured in a convection oven, infrared lamps, or the like, or a combination of both radiation and thermal energy.
    A protective layer and / or clear coating can be applied to the glass container printed by inkjet to protect the image and / or obtain a more glossy or matte impression (or other optical effect).
    The image printed by inkjet can have a print resolution of at least 300 dpi.
    After printing, a coefficient of friction-reducing coating can be applied to the entire glass container.
    A glass container according to the present invention can be a glass bottle, preferably a beverage bottle and most preferably a disposable bottle. A reusable glass container that after use is exposed to corrosive rinsing agents would no longer exhibit HEC after a limited number of rinses after recovery.
    BE2018 / 5162
    Furthermore, a glass container according to the present invention can preferably be a cylindrical bottle.
    In a further embodiment of the present invention, a glass container can be provided with an outer glass surface with an inkjet printed image applied to said surface and comprising a CEC with a thickness between 0 and 20 nm present between the outer glass surface and the inkjet printed and wherein at least a portion of the non-printed area comprises a friction-reducing coating.
    In another embodiment of a glass container in which at least a portion of the non-printed area comprises a friction-reducing coating, no CEC can be present between the outer glass surface and the printed image. In this case, CEC is absent or substantially completely removed by washing with an aqueous solution containing non-ionic surfactant and has a thickness of 0 nm or substantially 0 nm.
    A friction-reducing coating provides increased scratch protection and improves the durability, appearance and internal bursting pressure of the glass container. Because, in order to qualitatively print on glass containers that had a CEC during process steps preceding the printing, the CEC has been completely removed, or at least up to a level between 0 and 20 nm, a glass container can be provided with a friction-reducing coating on at least at least a portion of the non-printed area are durability, appearance and an interior
    BE2018 / 5162 burst pressure of at least 7 bar, or at least 8 bar, or at least 9 bar.
    Such a glass container can have a slip angle of 6 to 10, or even up to 20 degrees less compared to glass bottles that do not have a friction-reducing coating on at least a portion of the non-printed area.
    The friction-reducing coating can be applied from a water-based precursor. Preferably a polyethylene based, polyglycol based, oleic acid based or stearate based, fatty acid based, fatty acid ester based, or oleic acid ester based, and most preferably a partially oxidized polyethylene based precursor.
    The friction-reducing coating can also include silicone-based components such as polydimethylsiloxane.
    The friction-reducing coating can also include cross-linkable connections.
    An example of cross-linkable friction-reducing components are surface-active (meth) acrylated silicone.
    Preferred commercially available surfactants include:
    Ebecryl ™ 350, a silicone diacrylate from
    Cytec;
    the polyether-modified acrylated polydimethylsiloxane BYK ™
    UV3500 and BYKT ™ UV3530, the polyester-modified acrylated polydimethylsiloxane BYK ™
    UV3570, all produced by BYK Chemie; Tego ™ Rad
    2100, Tego ™ Rad
    2200N, Tego ™
    Rad 2250N, Tego ™ Rad 2300,
    Tego ™ Rad 2500,
    Tego ™ Rad 2600, and Tego ™ Rad 2700, Tego ™ RC711 from EVONIK;
    BE2018 / 5162
    Silaplane ™ FM7711,
    Silaplane ™ FM7721,
    Silaplane ™ FM7731,
    Silaplane ™ FM0711,
    Silaplane ™ FM0721,
    Silaplane ™ FM0725,
    Silaplane ™ TM0701,
    Silaplane ™ TM0701T all produced by Chisso Corporation; and DMS-R05,
    DMS-R11, DMS-R18,
    DMS-R22, DMS-R31, DMS-U21, DBE-U22, SIB1400, RMS-044, RMS033, RMS-083, UMS-182, UMS-992, UCS-052, RTT-1011 and UTT1012 all produced by Gelest, Inc.
    The friction-reducing coating may alternatively comprise a colorless ink composition that comprises a friction-reducing compound.
    In a further embodiment, in addition to a friction-reducing coating on at least a portion of the non-printed area, the inkjet ink of the printed image can also comprise a friction-reducing connection.
    In an additional aspect of the present invention, an embodiment is provided by a method for inkjet printing an image on a glass container comprising the steps of:
    a) producing a glass container comprising a CEC layer;
    b) removing at least a portion of the CEC layer to a level where the remaining CEC layer has a thickness of less than 20 nm by washing the CEC from the glass container with an aqueous solution containing non-ionic surfactant, rinsing blowing with water and water from the container by means of a stream of air under pressure,
    c) inkjet printing of an image on the glass container.
    BE2018 / 5162
    The CEC can be water soluble, or at least partially water soluble. However, as explained earlier in this text, the CEC layer may, preferably, be a water-insoluble CEC.
    Removing the CEC to a level where the remaining CEC has a thickness of 0 to 20 nm CEC is equivalent to a few monolayers or less. Preferably, the thickness of the remaining CEC is between 0 and 10 nm, and more preferably between 0 and 5 nm and even more preferably substantially 0 nm
    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the CEC can be at least partially removed by washing with an aqueous solution containing a detergent, said detergent comprising a non-ionic surfactant or a mixture of non-ionic surfactants. Depending on the duration and temperature of washing, the level of residual CEC can then be varied or optimized from less than 20 nm to two or a monolayers, or to a level where only individual traces are left on the surface, or until complete removal .
    The aqueous solution may further comprise an antifoaming agent.
    In a specific embodiment of a method of the present invention, washing of the CEC for at least partial removal from the glass container can be carried out at a temperature of at least 70 ° C, preferably at least 80 ° C. The duration and temperature of the washing can
    BE2018 / 5162 vary depending on the removal level of the CEC.
    After washing and rinsing with water, the rinsed glass container can be dried by removing water in a substantially liquid phase, for example by blowing away the water droplets or by centrifuging the bottles. It was unexpectedly found that by actively removing water in the liquid state (ie, avoiding drying), the adhesion as well as the print quality of the prints, e.g. color deviations and resolution, has been significantly improved compared to print quality on a glass substrate of which the CEC was at least partially removed by washing and rinsing, and then dried. Without being bound by theory, the presumed reason is that water stains that remain after drying can increase the tendency of the mobile and lower viscous inkjet inks to move on the surface prior to solidification.
    Preferably, water is blown out of the surface of the container by means of a pressurized air stream, most preferably a laminar flow of compressed air.
    For blowing water (drops) from a flushed glass container, air manifolds can be used that consist of a closed pipe part that is connected to an air supply. Small openings are provided along the length of the pipe. Air flows through the openings and is directed at the bottles or cans in an attempt to blow off the rinsing liquid. Flat air nozzles can also be used
    BE2018 / 5162 can in fact also be a closed pipe part, but the small openings have been replaced by a number of flat nozzles.
    For reasons of increased efficiency, noise reduction, and reduced air and energy consumption, air knives (also referred to as air blades) can preferably be used, or an air knife assembly consisting of at least one and preferably two or more air knives.
    An industrial air knife is a compressed air plenum with a series of openings or continuous slots through which air under pressure comes out in a thin line in a laminar flow pattern. The air discharge speed then creates a collision air speed on the surface of the bottle. The thin overhead line can be accurately positioned with respect to pitch, roll and yaw angles to accurately touch the bottles as they pass in front of the knife to dehydrate an area where printing is to take place.
    The air knives can be positioned directly next to the inkjet printhead.
    Preferably, the air knife (s) can be positioned upstream from the position at which they are located, and the air ejected therefrom hits the bottles before the bottles reach the air knife.
    Further, the air knife may be positioned such that the linear air flow hits the upper area to be dehydrated and forces the water down. While a bottle moves towards the air knives,
    BE2018 / 5162, the increasing air pressure continues to push the liquid down and out of the bottle.
    In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the CEC is removed to a level that increases the slip angle of the glass bottle by at least 6 °, or at least 10 °, or even at least 20 °. Slip angles are determined by placing one bottle on top of two horizontal bottles of the same type, in line contact. The tilt angle is increased at a certain speed and the tilt angle at which the top bottle starts to slip is called the slip angle. A slip angle can have a value of more than 30 ° to less than 10 °.
    When the CEC is completely removed, the HEC can be the surface on which the image is printed by inkjet.
    Alternatively, in an embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for inkjet printing an image on a glass container, wherein a primer layer is applied to the glass container after at least partial removal of the CEC and before inkjet printing an image on the glass container. Such a primer can be pigmented, white or transparent, and can include an adhesion promoter. Such a primer can also be curable by energy so that the ink-jet ink can be irradiated on the wet primer, the ink-jet ink having a viscosity lower than the primer viscosity, and wherein the primer and the ink-jet ink can be cured simultaneously by means of energy. Such a primer can be
    BE2018 / 5162 pigmented, white or transparent, and may include an adhesion promoter. Such a primer can also be oxidized by flame, corona, or plasma treatment to improve inkjet ink adhesion. A white pigmented primer, typically containing e.g. titanium dioxide, is preferably used to enhance the contrast and vividness of color inks printed on a primed substrate. This is especially effective when the substrate is transparent. More specifically, the primer may have a radically reactive group moiety such as a thiol group, an amine group, or an ethylenically unsaturated group such as a vinyl ether, a vinyl ester, an acrylamide, a methacrylamide, a styrile, or preferably an allyl, an acrylate, or a methacrylate .
    The remaining CEC or, in the case of complete removal of CEC, the HEC from the primer layer can be at least partially oxidized by flame, corona, or plasma treatment to enhance the adhesion of the inkjet ink to it.
    In a further embodiment of the present invention, after the flame, corona, or plasma treatment, a silicon-based, preferably silicon-based (e.g. pyrosil) layer may be applied to the glass container. This silicon-based layer can thus be applied to at least partially oxidized residual CEC, to at least partially oxidized HEC, or to an at least partially oxidized primer prior to inkjet printing of the image. Such a silicon-containing layer provides improved binding sites for the
    BE2018 / 5162 ink jet layer (s). Furthermore, they can result in a rough nanoporous material surface for increased adhesion and a surface with a higher surface energy. It can, for example, be deposited by flame pyrolysis. Precursors can be supplied as a vapor, an atomized liquid, an atomized solution, and / or the like.
    Thus, glass containers produced according to the method of the present invention are filled after inkjet printing of the image thereon to prevent damage to the inkjet printer by accidentally bursting the filled glass container.
    In the inkjet printing step, the inkjet printhead can scan back and forth in a longitudinal direction over the moving glass container, and the inkjet printhead cannot print on the way back. However, bidirectional printing can be used and may be preferred for obtaining a high area throughput on large glass containers. Another preferred printing method can also print in multiple passes but in a transverse direction (circularly around the bottle). In this method, the relative position of the bottle relative to the printhead can be changed after each pass to print images larger than the size of one printhead. This requires fixation of the printed artwork. Another variation on this method uses the relative movement of the bottles with respect to the print head while the different feedthroughs are printed: spiral printing is obtained over the bottle. In the latter case, sticking defects
    BE2018 / 5162 less pronounced. Another preferred printing method can be a single-pass printing process that can be performed using wide inkjet printheads or multiple inkjet printheads that cover the full width of the image to be printed (stacked or connected to each other). In a single pass printing process, the inkjet printheads usually remain stationary and the substrate surface is transported under the inkjet printheads.
    Inkjet printing techniques as used in the present invention can be piezoelectric inkjet printing, continuous type inkjet printing, and thermal, electrostatic, and acoustic drop-on-demand type.
    A preferred blasting temperature is between 10 and 70 ° C, more preferably between 20 and 60 ° C, and most preferably between 25 and 45 ° C.
    Non-curing solvent or water-based inkjet inks can be used, but preferably energy-cured inkjet ink is used. Radiation curable inkjet ink can be cured by exposure to actinic irradiation and / or by electron beam curing. The radiation curing is preferably carried out by a general exposure to actinic radiation or by a general electron beam curing.
    Thermally curable inkjet ink can be cured by a convection oven, infrared lamps, or the like.
    The curing means can be arranged in combination with the printhead of the inkjet printer and itself
    BE2018 / 5162 move together so that the inkjet ink is exposed to hardening energy very shortly after ejection. In such an arrangement, it may be difficult to provide an energy source that is small enough to be connected to and move together with the printhead. Therefore, a statically fixed energy source can be used, e.g. a source of curing UV light, connected to the radiation source by means of flexible radiation-conducting means such as an optical fiber bundle or an internally reflective flexible tube. Alternatively, the actinic irradiation can be applied from a fixed source to the printhead by an arrangement of mirrors including a mirror on the printhead.
    The radiation source arranged not to move with the printhead may also be an elongated radiation source that extends across the ink layer (s) to be cured and borders on the transverse route of the printhead so that the following rows of images formed by the printhead are fed stepwise or continuously under that radiation source. The radiation source is preferably an ultraviolet radiation source, such as a high or low pressure mercury lamp that optionally contains ramp elements, a cold cathode tube, a black light, an ultraviolet LED, an ultraviolet laser or a flashing light.
    Furthermore, it is possible to cure the image printed by inkjet by, successively or simultaneously, two light sources of different wavelength or light intensity. For example, the first UV source may be chosen to be rich in UV-A, e.g.
    BE2018 / 5162 gallium-dipped lamp, or another lamp that is rich in both UV-A and UV-B. The second UV source can then be rich in UV-C, more specifically in the range of 260 nm -200 nm. The use of two UV sources has been found to provide advantages, e.g., a fast cure speed.
    To facilitate curing, the inkjet printer often comprises one or more oxygen depletion units. The oxygen depletion units place a blanket of nitrogen or other relatively inert gas (e.g., CO2), with controllable position and controllable inert gas concentration, to reduce the oxygen concentration in the curing environment. Oxygen indeed serves as a radical scavenger and removes all available radicals from the polymerization reaction. Residual oxygen levels are usually maintained at 200 ppm, but are generally in the range of 200 ppm to 1200 ppm.
    In the context of the present invention, the image to be printed by inkjet can include any type of photo, logo, text, graphic art, coding (QR code, barcode) and the like.
    After printing, a coefficient of friction-reducing coating can be applied to the entire glass container.
    Alternatively and preferably, a method for inkjet printing an image on a glass container can be provided comprising the steps of:
    a) providing a glass container with a CEC at least partially removed by washing with an aqueous solution containing non-ionic surfactant to a content between 0 and 20 nm,
    BE2018 / 5162
    b) inkjet printing of an image on a glass container, releasing an unprinted area
    c) depositing a friction-reducing coating on at least a portion of the non-printed area.
    A friction-reducing coating provides increased scratch protection and improves the durability, appearance and internal bursting pressure of the glass container. Because, in order to qualitatively print on glass containers that had a water-insoluble CEC during process steps prior to printing, the CEC is completely removed, or at least up to a level between 0 and 20 nm, it is possible to apply a friction-reducing coating on at least a portion of the non-printed area, the durability, appearance and internal bursting pressure of the glass container are retained.
    Because the non-printed area can typically be wetted by water-based solutions, the friction-reducing coating can preferably be applied from a water-based precursor. In addition, typically more hydrophobic inks than hydrophilic inks are typically used. As a result, a water-based precursor does not wet the inkjet printed imaging surface, but instead wet the HEC, or primer, or remaining CEC on at least a portion of the non-printed area.
    The friction-reducing coating precursor can be based on polyethylene, on polyglycol, on
    BE2018 / 5162 oleic acid or on stearate, on fatty acid, on fatty acid ester, or on oleic acid ester, and preferably based on partially oxidized polyethylene.
    The depositing step can use any conventionally used technique for depositing a friction-reducing coating on the surface of a glass container, such as, for example, by immersion or spraying.
    The depositing step may alternatively include printing the unprinted area with a clear ink composition that includes a friction-reducing coating.
    In a further embodiment of the present invention, the image can be printed with an ink composition comprising a friction-reducing connection. In that case, almost the entire outer surface is covered with a friction-reducing coating.
    EXAMPLE:
    Bottle samples:
    Unprinted one-time 33 Cl Adriaan brown bottles were purchased from Ardagh. These bottles were produced with a water-insoluble CEC based on RP 40 that is commercially available from Arkema.
    Washing bottles:
    The bottles were washed by placing them in a water bath at 97 ° C on which a surfactant or detergent was dissolved. The bottles were removed after 10 minutes and rinsed with hot water. The bottles were successively dried with compressed air.
    BE2018 / 5162
    3 different solutions with surfactants or detergents were used:
    - Solution A (based on a non-ionic surfactant): 20 g / l poly (ethylene glycol) (8) tridecyl ether in water.
    - Solution B (based on an anionic surfactant): 20 g / l in water
    - Solution C (based on a non-ionic surfactant): 50 g / l Super Degreaser, commercially available from Lamont Products NV (Belgium) in water.
    Print:
    The inkjet printing of the bottles was performed on a "Laboratory Unit" which is commercially available from CURVINK bv (the Netherlands) and is equipped with a flame lab module and a primer application lab module.
    The following procedure was followed for printing the bottles:
    The bottles were coated with the primer application lab module using an alkoxysilane-based primer in a
    1 rotation mode. The bottles were dried under ambient conditions for 8 minutes. The bottles were successively placed in the inkjet module and the bottle body was inkjet printed with an UV-curable acrylic white ink. The white ink was sprayed with a GS12
    XAAR 1001 header in single pass mode with grayscale level 5. A uniform full white design and text were printed. The pinning level was set at 1% and was performed with an 8W LED bar from Hoenle. Finally, the bottles were taken from the
    BE2018 / 5162 inkjet module met and fully cured with an UV lamp in an 8-rotation mode.
    Pasteurization simulator:
    To simulate a pasteurization process, the bottles were placed in a water bath. The following temperature program was followed: 10 minutes at 45 ° C, 20 minutes at 62 ° C and 10 minutes at 30 ° C. The bottles were removed from the water bath and dried under ambient conditions.
    Adhesion test:
    To evaluate the adhesion of the prints, a knife was used to scratch through the printed artwork. 5 horizontal and 5 vertical scratches were made to make 16 squares. The distance between each scratch is 2 mm. Adhesion tape (Tesa krepp 4304) was firmly attached to the scratched area and removed in one movement. The surface was visually inspected during this procedure and the amount of coating removed was compared.
    Results:
    The print area on bottles cleaned with solution A or C showed much less damage than bottles cleaned with solution B. These results show that non-ionic surfactants are preferable to other types of surfactants to remove the CEC and to achieve strong adhesion.
    权利要求:
    Claims (8)
    [1]
    CONCLUSIONS
    A method for inkjet printing an image on a glass container comprising the steps of:
    a) manufacturing a glass container comprising a CEC layer;
    b) removing at least a portion of the CEC layer to a level where the remaining CEC layer has a thickness of less than 20 nm by washing the CEC from the glass container with an aqueous solution containing non-ionic surfactant, rinsing blowing water and water from the container by means of a stream of air under pressure.
    c) inkjet printing an image on the glass container; and
    d) depositing a friction-reducing coating on at least a portion of the non-printed area.
    [2]
    The method of claim 1, wherein the CEC is water-insoluble.
    [3]
    The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the step of applying a primer to the glass container after at least partial removal of the CEC and prior to inkjet printing of an image on the glass container.
    [4]
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising the step of flame or plasma treatment of the glass container after at least partial removal of the CEC.
    [5]
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising the step of applying a
    BE2018 / 5162 silica layer on the glass container after the flame or plasma treatment.
    [6]
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the CEC is washed out of the glass container at a temperature of at least 70 ° C.
    [7]
    A method according to any of claims 1 to 6, comprising the steps of filling the container with a liquid, preferably a beverage after inkjet printing of the image thereon.
    [8]
    A glass container made according to any one of the preceding claims.
    类似技术:
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    KR20150039556A|2015-04-10|Recording method
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    JP2010525295A|2010-07-22|Method and apparatus for drying and curing coatings on containers, and containers made therefrom
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    BE1025819B1|2019-09-03|Glass container comprising an ink-jet printed image and a method for producing it
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    JP2018510760A|2018-04-19|Method and apparatus for manufacturing coated articles
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    AR111528A1|2019-07-24|
    WO2018167257A1|2018-09-20|
    EP3375762A1|2018-09-19|
    BE1025711A1|2019-06-12|
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    EP0081914A1|1981-12-16|1983-06-22|The D.L.Auld Company|Glass container selected base coating process and glass container for use therein|
    WO1999062645A1|1998-06-03|1999-12-09|Bottle Magic Pty. Ltd.|Vitreous surface and coating process therefor|
    US489816A|1893-01-10|Straightening-mach in e |
    US3952118A|1972-08-14|1976-04-20|Dart Industries Inc.|Method for hot-end coating of glass containers|
    EP2662148A1|2012-05-09|2013-11-13|Arkema Vlissingen B.V.|Improved method for applying a cold-end coating integrated in glass container manufacturing process|US10752538B1|2019-03-06|2020-08-25|Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.|Three-dimensional printing on glass containers|
    法律状态:
    2019-07-03| FG| Patent granted|Effective date: 20190618 |
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    EP17161618.8|2017-03-17|
    EP17161618.8A|EP3375762A1|2017-03-17|2017-03-17|A glass container having an inkjet printed image and a method for the manufacturing thereof|
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