CA2981189C

CA2981189C - Variable printing process using flexible secondary plates and specialty inks

Info

Publication number: CA2981189C
Application number: CA2981189A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Chris Carreras; Kellie M. Hedberg
Original assignee: Ball Corp
Current assignee: Ball Corp
Priority date: 2015-04-14
Filing date: 2016-04-14
Publication date: 2019-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2036-04-14
Also published as: CA2981189A1; ES2883409T3; WO2016168488A1; EP3283296A4; EP3283296B1; MX2017011874A; CN107428154A; JP2018512301A; BR112017017554B1; CL2017002570A1; PL3283296T3; JP6492191B2; AU2016248085B2; AU2016248085A1; RU2683767C1; EP3283296A1; CN107428154B; CO2017011427A2; BR112017017554A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to using flexible secondary plates and specialty inks in a printing process. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and methods of using flexible secondary plates made of a composition comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene or a photopolymer material to decorate an exterior surface of cylindrical metallic containers with high definition graphics and other indicia.

Description

VARIABLE PRINTING PROCESS USING
FLEXIBLE SECONDARY PLATES AND SPECIALTY INKS
[0001]
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to using flexible secondary plates in a printing process for cylindrical substrates. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus which use flexible secondary plates made of novel materials to decorate the exterior surface of cylindrical metallic containers and provide product differentiation in a printing process.
BACKGROUND

[0003] Metallic containers are frequently decorated with an image or indicia, such as a brand name, logo, product information, or design, using a lithographic printing process.
In lithographic printing, one or more printing plates (or primary plates) with image regions are attached to a plate cylinder (or press cylinder) of a decorator. The decorator may include a plurality of plate cylinders. The image regions of each printing plate can include both ink receiving regions and areas that do not receive ink. An inker applies ink to the printing plates and the ink adheres to the ink receiving regions. Usually the printing plates of each plate cylinder receive a particular color of ink from the inker. The decorator also has a blanket cylinder (also known as an offset cylinder, a printing cylinder, or a segment wheel). Secondary plates (or secondary transfer plates or printing blankets) are attached to the blanket cylinder.

[0004] Decorators used in the metallic container industry typically have from 4 to 12 secondary plates on the blanket cylinder. As the plate cylinder and blanket cylinder are rotated in unison, each of the one or more printing plates contacts a secondary plate and transfers a particular color of ink to the secondary plate. When all of the printing plates have transferred their ink colors and images to the secondary plate, the final lithographic image is formed on the secondary plate. A cylindrical metallic container is then brought into rotational contact with one of the secondary plates of the blanket cylinder and the lithographic image is transferred from the secondary plate to the exterior surface of the cylindrical metallic container.

[0005] Lithographic printing methods are generally described in U.S. Patent No. 3,766,851, U.S.
Patent No. 4,384,518, U.S. Patent No. 6,550,389, and U.S. Patent No.

6,899,998. The methods described in these references generally only allow a single lithographic image to be produced from a single set of printing plates. Thus, the methods described in these patents are only efficient for printing the same image onto a large number of cylindrical metallic containers. In order to print a different image on a plurality of cylindrical metallic containers, a new set of printing plates must be installed on the plate cylinder of the decorator, resulting in downtime and decreased efficiency of a production line. Because only one image can be printed without changing the printing plates, it is economically challenging to produce small batches of decorated cylindrical metallic containers with different images.
[0006] One example of providing multiple different images from a single set of printing plates is provided in U.S. Patent No. 5,181,471 to Sillars. Sillars generally describes a printing system with engraved images formed in flexographic regions of printing plates attached to the blanket cylinder.

[0007] Prior art printing blankets are comprised of several laminated layers that generally include a face portion, a first fabric layers, a compressible layer, and a second fabric layer. The face portion comprises a relatively thin rubber material that is adapted to receive a maximum amount of ink from the printing plates without distorting the ink image transferred from the printing plates.
However, the material of the face portion burns or melts relatively easily when images are formed thereon, for example, by laser engraving, preventing the formation of images with fine dots on prior art printing blankets.
Accordingly, images formed in the face portion of prior art blankets are not effective to transfer high quality ink images to metallic containers.

[0008] Another method of providing multiple distinct images using a single set of printing plates is described in International Patent Publication No. WO 2014/008544 by Treloar.
Treloar generally describes a blanket cylinder with secondary plates that are adapted to have inked regions and non-inked regions. Other methods of providing multiple distinct images in lithographic printing processes are described in International Patent Publication No. WO 2014/006517 by Vilas Boas et al. (Vilas Boas) and International Patent Publication No. WO 2014/128200 by Grahame et al.
(Grahame). However, the lithographic images described by Sillars. Treloar, Vilas Boas, and Grahame using these various techniques do not have sufficient detail to be considered a high quality, high-definition image. Further, none of these patents or patent publications describes the use of specialty inks in the printing process or novel materials used for the secondary plates to create high image quality in a mass production process. The commercial metallic container industry requires high-definition printing in unique applications and requires distinct graphical elements formed by specialty inks that can efficiently be printed with high resolution and detail on the exterior surface of a cylindrical metallic container. These high-definition images and the use of specialty inks are necessary to differentiate products at the point of sale and to attract consumers.
[00091 U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0210201 to Owen et al. (Owen) generally describes the use of thermochromic and photochromic inks to decorate beverage cans. However, Owen teaches the use of ink jet printing to apply the inks to the cans. Inkjet printing has been found to be subject to unwanted placement or positioning of ink. For example, inkjet printing can result in a mist of ink which can interfere with the printing process, cause undesired markings on containers, or cause equipment malfunction. In some cases, the use of an inkjet printing process can result in the loss of up to 20% or more of potential production time due to the need for clean up, maintenance, and/or repair. Additionally, inkjet printing processes have been difficult to provide at high speed and while maintaining print quality without distortion. Thus, inkjet print processes are general non-economical for use in the commercial container industry. In contrast, the commercial container industry requires an apparatus and method capable of decorating beverage containers at significant production speeds of at least several thousand cylindrical metallic containers per minute.
[0010] Accordingly, there is an unmet need for a high-definition lithographic printing process that allows multiple images to be printed on an exterior surface of a cylindrical metallic container from a single set of printing plates and secondary plates that uses specialty inks and/or improved plate materials without sacrificing production efficiency or image quality and detail.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present process uses flexible secondary plates affixed to a blanket cylinder of a decorator to significantly enhance the image quality and detail of lithographic images printed on metallic containers. It is one aspect of the present invention to provide flexible secondary plates comprised of a photopolymer material. In another aspect of the present invention, the flexible secondary plates are comprised of a compound comprising at least in part a saturated chain of polymethylene. In one embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene is an M-class rubber. In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene is an ethylene propylene diene monomer. Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a decorator that uses at least one specialty ink to form a high-definition image on an exterior surface of a metallic container. It is still another aspect of the present invention to provide flexible secondary plates for use in a decorator that is operable to decorate at least 2,200 metallic containers per minute.
[0012] More specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, the flexible secondary plate is comprised of photopolymer material. An image is transferred to, or formed on, a face of the flexible photopolymer plate by exposing the photopolymer material with light. The image can be transferred using a computer to plate process or a conventional plate exposure process. This results in a flexible secondary plate which has relief areas that do not receive ink and hardened areas forming precise and detailed image areas that will receive ink and transfer the ink to an exterior surface of a metallic container.
[0013] In another embodiment of the present invention, the flexible secondary plate is comprised at least in part of a compound of a saturated chain of polymethylene or other related materials with similar physical properties. Alternatively, certain pliable plastic materials may be used for the same purpose. Images are formed in the flexible secondary plate by direct laser engraving or other methods known in the art. Variable types and colors of inks are applied by inkers to one or more different portions of a printing plate to form a first image. The printing plate is then brought into rotational contact with the flexible secondary plates and transfers the various types and colors of inks to the flexible secondary plates. A container body is then moved into rotational contact with the flexible secondary plates and the inks are transferred to the exterior surface of the container body.
In some embodiments of the process, the flexible secondary plates may also be etched or engraved on the face before, during, or after an image is formed thereon to form one or more recessed portions that do not receive ink. In other embodiments, a varnish may also be applied to one or more portions of the exterior surface of the container body by the flexible secondary plates or by a separate varnishing unit. These and other advantages will be apparent from the disclosure of the invention(s) contained herein.
[0014] Another aspect of the present invention is an apparatus, method, and flexible secondary plate for use in dry offset printing of metallic containers. In one embodiment, printing plates with a physical relief transfer multiple colors or types of inks to flexible secondary plates affixed to a blanket cylinder. The physical reliefs of the printing plates create inked and uninked regions on the surfaces of the printing plates that are transferred to the flexible secondary plates. The flexible secondary plates subsequently transfer the ink to an exterior surface of a metallic container in a high speed decorating process. In one embodiment, the flexible secondary plates are comprised of a material comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene. In another embodiment, the flexible secondary plates are comprised of a photopolymer material. Optionally, at least one of the flexible secondary plates includes an image. The image receives at least some ink from one or more of the printing plates and is transferred to a metallic container by contact between the exterior surface of the metallic container and the flexible secondary plate.
In another embodiment, each of the flexible secondary plates include images. In one embodiment, the images on the flexible secondary plates are identical. In another embodiment, the images on the flexible secondary plates are each different.
[0015] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, in dry offset printing, the printing plates are not dampened with water. The images formed on the printing plates receive ink from inkers. The printing plates then transfer their inked images to the flexible secondary plates which subsequently transfer the ink to a metallic container.
In contrast, in wet offset lithographic processes, the printing plates are chemically treated to form image areas that will accept ink but repel water. Water and ink are then applied to the printing plates. Because of the chemical treatment of the printing plates, only the ink adheres to the images and the water is repelled. Additionally, the ink does not adhere to the non-image areas of the printing plates.
[0016] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a novel method of using a flexible secondary plate in a lithographic printing process to decorate an exterior surface of a metallic container is provided. This includes, but is not limited to, a method generally comprising: (1) forming a first image on a predetermined portion of a top or face portion of the flexible secondary plate; (2) removably affixing the flexible secondary plate with the first image onto a blanket cylinder of a decorator; (3) attaching a plurality of printing plates to a plate cylinder of the decorator; (4) applying an ink from an inker to at least one of the plurality of printing plates; (5) transferring at least some of the ink from the at least one of the plurality of printing plates to at least a portion of the flexible secondary plate; and (6) transferring the ink from the flexible secondary plate to the exterior surface of the metallic container, wherein the metallic container is decorated. The flexible secondary plate is comprised of one of a compound of a saturated chain of polymethylene, a photopolymer material, and a pliable plastic material. In one embodiment, the flexible secondary plate is formed of a single homogeneous material.
Said another way, the flexible secondary plate is not comprised of layers of different materials.
[0017] In one embodiment, forming the first image on the flexible secondary plate comprises removing at least some of a material of the face portion of the flexible secondary plate in a direct laser engraving process. In another embodiment, at least some of the material of the face portion of the flexible secondary plate is removed to form the first image in one or more of a direct laser engraving process, a mechanical or chemical etching or engraving process, an ink repelling process, a pressure forming process, or by a combination of one or more processes. In one embodiment, the first image formed on the flexible secondary plate has a depth of from about 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch. In another embodiment, at least some of the material of the face portion is removed to produce a raised first image with a height of from about 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch above the face portion of the flexible secondary plate.
[0018] The flexible secondary plate may be of any shape or size. In one embodiment, the flexible secondary plate is from about 0.04 inch to about 0.1 inch thick.
Optionally, the flexible secondary plate is formed of a non-laminated material. Thus, in one embodiment, the flexible secondary plate is devoid of clothe or fabric layers and intermediate layers including threads.
[0019] In one embodiment, the ink comprises a specialty ink. The specialty ink may comprise one or more of a thermochromic ink, a photochromic ink, a scented thermochromic ink, a fluorescent ink, a UV ink, a black light ink, an infrared ink, a phosphorescent ink, a pressure sensitive ink, a tactile ink, a thermo-tactile ink, a leuco dye, and a matte ink.
[0020] In one embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plate comprises an M-class rubber. In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plate comprises an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) compound. In yet another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plate comprises an ethylene propylene monomer (EPM) compound.
[0021] The blanket cylinder may include any number of flexible secondary plates. In one embodiment, from 8 to 12 flexible secondary plates are removably affixed to the blanket cylinder. In another embodiment, from 6 to 24 flexible secondary plates are removably affixed to the blanket cylinder. Optionally, the method may further comprise removably affixing from about 4 to about 24 flexible secondary plates onto the blanket cylinder. Each of the about 4 to the about 24 flexible secondary plates may have different images. Ink transferred from the about 4 to the about 24 flexible secondary plates produces 4 to 24 decorated metallic containers with different images. In still another embodiment, the flexible secondary plates are operable in a decorator to decorate up to about 2,200 metallic containers per minute.
[0022] In one embodiment, the method may optionally further include removably attaching a plurality of second printing plates to a second plate cylinder of the decorator.
A second ink from a second inker is applied to at least one of the plurality of second printing plates. The second ink is a different type or color of ink than the first ink applied by the inker. At least some of the second ink is transferred from the at least one of the plurality of second printing plates to at least a portion of the flexible secondary plate.
Optionally, at least some of the second ink is transferred from the at least one of the plurality of second printing plates to at least a portion of the first image.
In another embodiment, none of the second ink is transferred to the first image. For example, the second printing plates may optionally include relief areas that align with the first image of the flexible secondary plate. The relief areas do not receive ink from the inkers. The first ink and the second ink are then transferred from the flexible secondary plate to the exterior surface of the metallic container. Accordingly, the metallic container is decorated with at least some of the first ink and at least some of the second ink.
[0023] In one embodiment, the decorator may include from four to eighteen plate cylinders with printing plates attached thereto. In another embodiment, the decorator includes about eight plate cylinders. Each of the plate cylinders is operable to transfer a different type or color of ink to the flexible secondary plates affixed to the blanket cylinder. In one embodiment, the printing plates of each of the one to eight plate cylinders may optionally transfer unique images to the flexible secondary plates.
[0024] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for forming a high-definition lithographic image on an exterior surface of a metallic container is disclosed, the apparatus is operable to create multiple lithographic images from a single set of printing plates. The apparatus generally comprises: (1) at least one plate cylinder with an inker; (2) a blanket cylinder; and (3) a support cylinder. In one embodiment, the apparatus is operable to decorate at least 2,200 metallic containers per minute.
[0025] The inker is operable to transfer an ink to predetermined portions of one or more printing plates attached to a circumference of the at least one plate cylinder. In one embodiment, one or more of the printing plates are comprised of at least one of a compound comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene, a photopolymer material, and a pliable plastic material.
[0026] One or more flexible secondary plates are removably affixed to a circumference of the blanket cylinder. Each of the one or more flexible secondary plates is comprised of one of: a compound comprising at least in part a saturated chain of polymethylene; a photopolymer material; and a pliable plastic material. In one embodiment, at least one of the flexible secondary plates has an image formed thereon.
The blanket cylinder is operable to move the flexible secondary plates into rotational contact with the one or more printing plates attached to the at least one plate cylinder.
When the flexible secondary plates contact the printing plates, ink is transferred from the predetermined portions of the one or more printing plates to at least a portion of the flexible secondary plates. Optionally, the flexible secondary plates are formed of a single homogeneous material. The flexible secondary plates may be affixed to the blanket cylinder with an adhesive. In one embodiment, the adhesive includes a peel-off backing material. In one embodiment, the flexible secondary plate does not include a clothe or fabric layer.
[0027] The support cylinder includes a plurality of stations adapted to receive metallic containers. Each station is operable to receive a metallic container from a conveyor and move the metallic container into contact with a flexible secondary plate affixed to the blanket cylinder. Ink is then transferred from the flexible secondary plate to the metallic container to form the high-definition lithographic image on the exterior surface of the metallic container.
[0028] In one embodiment, the at least one plate cylinder comprises from about 4 to about 18 plate cylinders. Each of the plate cylinders includes an inker operable to transfer a different color of ink or a different type of specialty ink to predetermined portions of one or more printing plates attached to each of the plate cylinders In one embodiment, the specialty ink comprises one or more of a thermochromic ink, a photochromic ink, a scented thermochromic ink, a fluorescent ink, a UV ink, a black light ink, an infrared ink, a phosphorescent ink, a pressure sensitive ink, a tactile ink, a thermo-tactile ink, a leuco dye, and a matte ink. In another embodiment, the printing plates attached to a first of the plate cylinders transfer a first image to the flexible secondary plates that is different than images transferred by the printing plates attached to the other plate cylinders.
[0029] In one embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plates is an M-class rubber compound. In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plates is an ethylene propylene diene monomer compound. In still another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plates is an ethylene propylene monomer compound.
100301 In one embodiment, each of the one or more flexible secondary plates affixed to the blanket cylinder has a distinct image formed thereon. The images are fot tned on the face portion of the flexible secondary plates by one or more of: a direct laser engraving process; a mechanical or chemical etching or engraving process; an ink repelling process;
a pressure forming process; or by a combination of one or more processes. In one embodiment, when the flexible secondary plates are comprised at least partially of a photopolymer material, the images may also be formed using a computer to plate (CTP) process, a conventional plate exposure process, or any other suitable method.
The images formed on the flexible secondary plates may have a depth of from about 0.0009 inch to

9 about 0.089 inch. In another embodiment, an image formed on the flexible secondary plate may have a height of from about 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch above the face portion of the flexible secondary plate.
[0031] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a flexible secondary plate adapted to form a high-definition lithographic image on an exterior surface of a metallic container in a printing process. The flexible secondary plate generally comprises a plate body of a predetermined size. The plate body has a face portion and a back portion. The back portion is adapted to be removably attached to a blanket cylinder of a decorator. In one embodiment at least the face portion of the flexible secondary plate comprises a compound comprised at least in part of a saturated chain of polymethylene, a photopolymer material, and a pliable plastic material. In one embodiment, the plate body is from about 0.04 inch to about 0.1 inch thick. In another embodiment, the plate body is formed of a single homogeneous layer. Accordingly, the flexible secondary plate is formed of a non-laminated material. In one embodiment, the plate body is comprised at least in part of a compound comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene. In another embodiment, the plate body is formed of a single homogeneous layer of a photopolymer material.
[0032] In one embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene is an M-class rubber.
In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene is an ethylene propylene diene monomer compound. In still another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene is an ethylene propylene monomer compound.
[0033] In one embodiment, an image is formed on the face portion of the flexible secondary plate. The image may be formed by at least one of a direct laser engraving process, a mechanical etching or engraving process, an ink repelling process, and a pressure forming process. The direct laser engraving process may ablate or otherwise remove at least some material from the face portion of the flexible secondary plate. When the flexible secondary plate is comprised at least partially of a photopolymer material, the image may also be formed using a computer to plate process, a conventional plate exposure process, or any other suitable method. The image may have a depth of from about 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch below a plane formed by the face portion. In another embodiment, the image may have a height of from 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch above the plane formed by the face portion.
[0034] Still another aspect of the present invention is a novel method of engraving a flexible transfer plate with a laser to form an image adapted to print on an exterior surface of a metallic container. The method generally includes, but is not limited to:
(1) providing a flexible transfer plate comprised of a saturated chain of polymethylene; and (2) engraving a face portion of the flexible transfer plate with the laser to remove at least some of the face portion to form the image. A back portion of the flexible transfer plate is configured to be affixed to a blanket cylinder of a decorator. Accordingly, when a printing plate attached to a plate cylinder of the decorator transfers ink to the image. An exterior surface of a metallic container is subsequently brought into contact with the face portion of the flexible transfer plate. In this manner, at least some of the ink is transferred to the exterior surface of the metallic container. In one embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible transfer plate is one of an ethylene propylene rubber, an M-class rubber, and an ethylene propylene diene monomer.
[0035] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a novel method of using a flexible secondary plate in a lithographic printing process to decorate an exterior surface of a metallic container is provided. This includes, but is not limited to, a method generally comprising: (1) forming a first image to be printed onto an exterior surface of the metallic container; (2) transferring the first image to a predetermined portion of a face portion of the flexible secondary plate, wherein the flexible secondary plate is comprised of one of a photopolymer material, a compound comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene, and a pliable plastic material; (3) removably affixing the flexible secondary plate with the first image onto a blanket cylinder of a decorator;
(4) attaching a plurality of printing plates to at least one plate cylinder of the decorator;
(5) applying an ink from an inker to at least one of the plurality of the printing plates; (6) transferring at least some of the ink from the at least one of the plurality of printing plates to at least a portion of the flexible secondary plate; and (7) transferring the ink from the flexible secondary plate to the exterior surface of the metallic container, wherein the metallic container is decorated [0036] Additionally or alternatively, the method may further comprise removably affixing from about 4 to about 24 flexible secondary plates onto the blanket cylinder. The about 4 to the about 24 flexible secondary plates may each have different images. Ink transferred from the about 4 to the about 24 flexible secondary plates produces 4 to 24 different images on about 4 to the about 24 metallic containers [0037] In one embodiment, the face portion of the flexible secondary plate may be etched or engraved to form one or more recessed portions. In another embodiment, a second image to be printed onto an exterior surface of the metallic container is founed on the printing plates. The metallic container is then decorated with the first image and the second image.
[0038] In one embodiment in which the flexible secondary plate comprises a photopolymer material, transferring the first image to the predetermined portion of the face portion of the flexible secondary plate generally comprises: (1) creating a film negative of the first image; (2) placing the film negative on the predetermined portion of the face portion of the flexible secondary plate; (3) exposing the flexible secondary plate and the film negative to a light source, wherein the photopolymer material of the flexible secondary plate hardens in predetermined locations where light passes through the film negative, and wherein the photopolymer material of the secondary plate remains unexposed and soft in predetermined locations where the light is blocked by the film negative; (4) removing the film negative from the flexible secondary plate;
and (5) placing the flexible secondary plate in a washing station and cleaning the flexible secondary plate to remove the soft, unexposed photopolymer material of the flexible secondary plate to reveal the transferred first image.
[0039] Additionally or alternatively, transferring the first image to the predetermined portion of the face portion of the flexible secondary plate may generally comprise: (1) creating the first image; (2) ablating portions of an opaque mask coating on the face portion of the flexible secondary plate to form a negative of the first image;
(3) exposing the flexible secondary plate to a light source, wherein a polymer material of the flexible secondary plate hardens in predetermined locations where the masking coating has been ablated, and wherein the polymer material of the flexible secondary plate remains unexposed and soft in predetermined locations where the light is blocked by the mask coating; and (4) removing the soft, unexposed polymer material of the flexible secondary plate to reveal the transferred first image.
[0040] In one embodiment, the light source is an ultraviolet light source.
In another embodiment, the flexible secondary plate and the film negative are exposed to the light source for from about 0.01 minute to about 10 minutes. In one embodiment, the washing station uses a solvent to clean the flexible secondary plate. In another embodiment, the washing station uses water to clean the flexible secondary plate.
[0041] The flexible secondary plate comprised of a photopolymer material may be formed of any mixture of materials that harden or form a different texture after exposure to ultraviolet or visible light. In one embodiment, the flexible secondary plate is comprised of one of elastomers which are cured using a light-catalyzed photopolymerization process, chloroprene crosslinked with trimethylolpropane triacrylate, and styrene-isoprene rubber with a polyacrylate. In one embodiment, before the first image is transferred to the flexible secondary plate, the flexible secondary plate has a hardness of from about 40 Shore A durometers to about 110 Shore A durometers. In another embodiment, the hardness of the flexible secondary plate is from about 67 Shore A durometers to about 90 Shore A durometers. In still another embodiment, the flexible secondary plate has a hardness of from about 69 Shore A durometers to about 81 Shore A durometers before the first image is transferred to the flexible secondary plate. In yet another embodiment, the flexible secondary plate has a hardness of from about 65 Shore A durometers to about 73 Shore A durometers before the first image is transferred to the flexible secondary plate. In still another embodiment, the photopolymer flexible secondary plate has a Shore A
durometer harness of between about 25 and 55. In another embodiment, at least one of the flexible secondary plates may have a Shore A hardness of between about 76 and about 82 durometers. In still another embodiment, at least one of the flexible secondary plates may have a Shore A hardness of between about 68 and about 74 durometers. In yet another embodiment, at least one of the flexible secondary plates optionally has a Shore A
hardness of between about 62 and about 68 durometers.
[0042] In one embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plate is an M-class rubber. In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plate is an ethylene propylene diene monomer compound. In yet another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plate is an ethylene propylene monomer compound.
[0043] In one embodiment, at least some of a material of the face portion of the flexible secondary plate is removed to form the first image in one or more of a direct laser engraving process, a mechanical or chemical etching or engraving process, an ink repelling process, a pressure forming process, or by a combination of one or more processes. In one embodiment, the first image foimed on the flexible secondary plate has a depth of from about 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch compared to a plane formed by the face portion. In another embodiment, the first image has a height of from about 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch above the plane formed by the face portion.

[0044] In one embodiment, the ink comprises a specialty ink. The specialty ink may comprise one or more of a thermochromic ink, a photochromic ink, a scented thermochromic ink, a fluorescent ink, a UV ink, a black light ink, an infrared ink, a phosphorescent ink, a pressure sensitive ink, a tactile ink, a thermo-tactile ink, a leuco dye, and a matte ink.
[0045] In one embodiment, each of the different images are formed in a same location on each of the flexible secondary plates. In another embodiment, only the printing plates attached to a first one of the at least one plate cylinder transfers ink to the different images formed on each of the flexible secondary plates. Printing plates attached to a second one of the at least one plate cylinder do not transfer ink to the different images formed on each of the flexible secondary plates. Instead, the printing plates attached to the second of the at least one plate cylinder transfer ink to other predetermined portions of each of the flexible secondary plates.
[0046] In one embodiment, the metallic container is generally cylindrical in shape.
The first image is transferred to a curved exterior surface of the metallic container. In another embodiment, the metallic container is generally cylindrical in shape and the first image is transferred to a substantially flat exterior surface of the metallic container. In yet another embodiment, the metallic container is not cylindrical in shape and the first image is transferred to a flat exterior surface of the metallic container.
[0047] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for forming a high-definition lithographic image on an exterior surface of a metallic container is disclosed, the apparatus operable to create multiples lithographic images from a single set of printing plates. The apparatus generally comprises: (1) at least one plate cylinder with an inker to transfer ink to predetermined portions of one or more printing plates attached to a circumference of the at least one plate cylinder; (2) a blanket cylinder having one or more flexible secondary plates affixed to a circumference of the blanket cylinder, the blanket cylinder operable to move the flexible secondary plates into rotational contact with a printing plate attached to the at least one plate cylinder, wherein ink is transferred from the predetermined portions of the printing plate to at least a portion of the flexible secondary plates, and wherein the flexible secondary plates optionally each have an image formed thereon; and (3) a support cylinder including a plurality of stations adapted to receive metallic containers, the support cylinder operable to receive the metallic container from a conveyor and move the metallic container into contact with a flexible secondary plate affixed to the blanket cylinder, wherein ink is transferred from the flexible secondary plate to the metallic container to form the high-definition lithographic image on the exterior surface of the metallic container.
[0048] In one embodiment, the flexible secondary plates are comprised of a compound comprising at least in part a saturated chain of polymethylene. In another embodiment, the flexible secondary plates are comprised of a photopolymer material. In still another embodiment, the flexible secondary plates are comprised at least in part of a pliable plastic material. In another embodiment, one or more of the printing plates are comprised of a compound of one of: a saturated chain of polymethylene; a photopolymer material; and a pliable plastic material. Additionally, the flexible secondary plates may optionally be formed of a single layer of material without an intermediate fabric layer. In another embodiment, the flexible secondary plates are formed without a layer of a different material.
[0049] In one embodiment, the at least one plate cylinder and the support cylinder rotate in a first direction and the blanket cylinder rotates in an opposite second direction.
In another embodiment, from about 4 to about 24 flexible secondary plates are affixed to the circumference of the blanket cylinder.
[0050] In one embodiment, each of the flexible secondary plates has a different image formed thereon. In one embodiment, each of the different images are formed in a same location on each of the flexible secondary plates. In another embodiment, only first printing plates attached to a first plate cylinder of the at least one plate cylinder transfer ink to the different images formed on each of the flexible secondary plates.
Second printing plates attached to a second plate cylinder of the at least one plate cylinder do not transfer ink to the images formed on the flexible secondary plates. The second printing plates may optionally transfer ink to other predetermined portions of each of the flexible secondary plates.
[0051] In one embodiment, a second image is formed on the printing plates Ink is transferred from the second image to the flexible secondary plates and then to the exterior surface of the metallic container. In another embodiment, no image is formed on the printing plates but the printing plates convey ink to the flexible secondary plates. For example, in one embodiment, the face portion of a printing plate receives a continuous coating of ink. The continuous coating of ink is transferred to each portion of the face portion of flexible secondary plate that makes contact with the face portion of the printing plate.
[0052] In one embodiment, the metallic container is generally cylindrical in shape. In yet another embodiment, the metallic container is not cylindrical in shape. In one embodiment, the ink is transferred from the flexible secondary plate to one or more of a generally cylindrical exterior surface and a non-cylindrical exterior surface of the metallic container.
[0053] In one embodiment, when the flexible secondary plate is comprised of a photopolymer material, the images are generally formed on the flexible secondary plates by: (1) creating a film negative of each different image; (2) placing the film negatives on predetermined portions of the flexible secondary plates; (3) exposing the flexible secondary plates and the film negatives to a light source; (4) removing the film negatives from the flexible secondary plates; and (5) washing the flexible secondary plates to remove unexposed soft photopolymer material of the flexible secondary plates to reveal the different images. In another embodiment, the images are generally formed on the flexible secondary plates by at least one of: a direct laser engraving process; a mechanical or chemical etching or engraving process; an ink repelling process; a pressure founing process; and a combination of one or more processes.
[0054] In one embodiment, the ink comprises a specialty ink. The specialty ink may be one or more of a thermochromic ink, a photochromic ink, a scented thermochromic ink, a fluorescent ink, a UV ink, a black light ink, an infrared ink, a phosphorescent ink, a pressure sensitive ink, a tactile ink, a thermo-tactile ink, a leuco dye, and a matte ink.
[0055] In another embodiment, the at least one plate cylinder comprises from about four to about eighteen plate cylinders. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes about 8 plate cylinders. An inker is associated in a predetermined alignment with each of the four to eighteen plate cylinders. In still another embodiment, first printing plates attached to a first of the four to eighteen plate cylinders have an ink receiving area aligning with, and operable to transfer ink to, the different images on each of the flexible secondary plates. Each of the second printing plates attached to the other of the four to eighteen plate cylinders have a relief area aligning with the different images on each of the flexible secondary plates. The relief areas will not transfer ink to the different images of the flexible secondary plates. The ink receiving area of the first printing plates attached to the first of the four to eighteen plate cylinders and the relief areas of the second printing plates attached to the other of the four to eighteen plate cylinders are located in corresponding locations on all of the printing plates and have the same general size and shape. In one embodiment, the ink receiving areas and the relief areas have a shape selected from the group consisting of a parallelogram, a square, a rectangle, a circle, or any combination thereof. In a more preferred embodiment, the ink receiving areas and the relief areas have a generally rectangular shape. In still another embodiment, the ink receiving areas and the relief areas are at least slightly larger than the different images of the flexible secondary plates. In this manner, the position of the flexible secondary plates on the blanket cylinder may vary by a predetermined amount axially and radially of a predetermined position to maintain a predetermined alignment with the ink receiving areas of the first printing plates and with the relief areas of the second printing plates.
[0056] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide flexible secondary plate adapted to form a high-definition lithographic image on an exterior surface of a metallic container in a printing process. In one embodiment, the flexible secondary plate generally comprises a plate body comprised of a photopolymer material of a predetermined size and hardness, the plate body having a face portion and a back portion, wherein the back portion is adapted to be attached to a blanket cylinder of a decorator. In another embodiment, the flexible secondary place is comprised at least partially of a compound comprising saturated chain of polymethylene. In one embodiment, the plate body is from about 0.04 inch to about 0.1 inch thick. Optionally, the flexible secondary plate may be formed of a single material. Accordingly, in one embodiment the flexible secondary plate is devoid of threads and/or intermediate layers of different materials. In one embodiment, the metallic container has a body with a generally cylindrical shape.
[0057] Optionally, an image may be formed on the face portion of the flexible secondary plate by creating a film negative of the image. The film negative is placed on a predetermined portion of the face portion. The face portion and the film negative are exposed to a light source. The film negative is removed from the face portion, and subsequently the flexible secondary plate is cleaned to remove unexposed soft material from the face portion. In one embodiment, before the image is formed on the face portion, the flexible secondary plate has a hardness of from about 40 Shore A
durometers to about 110 Shore A durometers. In addition, images may be formed on the face portion of the flexible secondary plate by one or more of a direct laser engraving process, a mechanical or chemical etching or engraving process, an ink repelling process, a pressure forming process, or by a combination of one or more processes.

[0058] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a method of using a decorator in a printing process to decorate an exterior surface of a plurality of metallic containers with different images. The method generally comprises: (1) providing a first printing plate positioned on a first plate cylinder of the decorator which includes a first ink receiving region and a relief area that will not receive ink; (2) providing a second printing plate positioned on a second plate cylinder of the decorator which includes a second ink receiving region that aligns with the relief area of the first printing plate;
(3) providing a first flexible transfer plate positioned on a blanket cylinder of the decorator, a face portion of the first flexible transfer plate defining a first plane, the first flexible transfer plate including a first image in a first predetermined portion of the face portion;
(4) providing a second flexible transfer plate positioned on the blanket cylinder, a face portion of the second flexible transfer plate defining a second plane, the second flexible transfer plate including a second image in a second predetermined portion of the face portion; (5) applying a first ink to the first ink receiving region of the first printing plate; (6) transferring the first ink from the first printing plate to other predetermined portions of the face portions of each of the first and second flexible transfer plates; (7) applying a second ink to the second ink receiving region of the second printing plate; (8) transferring the second ink from the second ink receiving region of the second printing plate to the first image of the first flexible transfer plate and to the second image of the second flexible transfer plate; (9) transferring the first and second inks from the first flexible transfer plate to an exterior surface of a first metallic container, wherein the first metallic container is decorated with the first ink and with the first image formed of the second ink; and (10) transferring the first and second inks from the second flexible transfer plate to an exterior surface of a second metallic container, wherein the second metallic container is decorated with the first ink and with the second image formed of the second ink. In one embodiment, the first and second flexible transfer plates are comprised of one of a compound comprising at least in part a saturated chain of polymethylene, a photopolymer material, and a pliable plastic material Optionally, the first and second flexible transfer plates are formed of a monolithic layer of material with no intermediate layers of other materials. In one embodiment, an adhesive transfer tape on a back portion of the first and second flexible transfer plates is used to affix the transfer plates to the blanket cylinder.
[0059] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the first image has a depth that is lower than the first plane and no portion of the first image projects above the first plane.

In another embodiment, at least a portion of the second image has a depth that is lower than the second plane and no portion of the second image projects above the second plane.
In still another embodiment, at least a portion of one of the first and second images projects above the first and second planes.
[0060] Optionally, in another embodiment, the first predetermined portion of the first flexible transfer plate and the second predetermined portion of the second flexible transfer plate each align with the relief area of the first printing plate and with the second ink receiving region of the second printing plate during the transfer of ink from the first and second printing plates to the first and second flexible transfer plates. In still another embodiment, the first image of the first flexible transfer plate is surrounded by a relief area that will not receive ink from the first and second printing plates. In this manner the first image formed on the first metallic container is surrounded by a non-inked area. In another embodiment, the second image of the second flexible transfer plate comprises relief areas that will not receive ink from the second printing plate and raised areas that will receive ink from the second printing plate. Accordingly, the second image formed on the second metallic container includes non-inked portions and inked portions.
[0061] Optionally, the second ink receiving region of the second printing plate is surrounded by a non-ink region. Additionally, the relief area of the first printing plate may optionally have a shape that aligns with a shape of the second ink receiving region of the second printing plate. In another embodiment, the depth of at least one of the first image on the first flexible transfer plate and the second image on the second flexible transfer plate is from about 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch. In still another embodiment, the height of at least one of the first image on the first flexible transfer plate and the second image on the second flexible transfer plate is from about 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch above a plane defined by ink receiving surfaces of the flexible transfer plates.
[0062] In one embodiment, the first and second flexible transfer plates are comprised of at least one of an elastomer which is cured using a light-catalyzed photopolymerization process, a chloroprene crosslinked with trimethylolpropane triacrylate, and a styrene-isoprene rubber with a polyacrylate. In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the first and second flexible transfer plates is an M-class rubber. In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the first and second flexible transfer plates is an ethylene propylene diene monomer compound. In yet another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the first and second flexible transfer plates is an ethylene propylene monomer compound.
[0063] In one embodiment, the first ink is a different type or a different color of ink than the second ink. In another embodiment, at least one of the first ink and the second ink comprises a specialty ink. The specialty ink may comprise one or more of a thermochromic ink, a photochromic ink, a scented thermochromic ink, a fluorescent ink, a UV ink, a black light ink, an infrared ink, a phosphorescent ink, a pressure sensitive ink, a tactile ink, a thermo-tactile ink, a leuco dye, and a matte ink.
[0064] Still another aspect of the present invention is a method of using a flexible secondary plate in a printing process to decorate an exterior surface of a generally cylindrical container. The method includes, but is not limited to: (1) providing a first flexible secondary plate with a first image formed thereon, at least a portion of the first image having a depth that is lower than a first plane defined by a face portion of the first flexible secondary plate, wherein no portion of the first image projects above the first plane; (2) affixing the first flexible secondary plate with the first image to a blanket cylinder of a decorator; (3) transferring a first ink from a first printing plate to at least a portion of the first flexible secondary plate, wherein the first printing plate is interconnected to a first plate cylinder of the decorator; and (4) transferring the first ink from the first flexible secondary plate to the exterior surface of a first container to form the first image on the first container. Accordingly, the first image on the first container is of the first ink. In one embodiment, the first image formed on the first flexible secondary plate is three dimensional and includes predetermined portions with different depths.
[0065] Optionally, in another embodiment, the method may further include transferring a second ink from a second image on a second printing plate to at least a portion of the first flexible secondary plate, wherein the second printing plate does not transfer the second ink to the first image, and wherein the second printing plate is interconnected to a second plate cylinder of the decorator. Subsequently, the first and second inks are transferred from the first flexible secondary plate to the exterior surface of a first container to form the first and second images on the first container.
In this manner, the first image on the first container is of the first ink and the second image on the first container is of the second ink. In one embodiment, the first image formed on the first flexible secondary plate is three dimensional and includes predetermined portions with different depths.

[0066] In one embodiment, the first image on the first flexible secondary plate is a negative comprising relief areas that will not receive ink (or that will only receive a very small amount of ink) from the first printing plate. In another embodiment, the first image formed on the first container includes non-inked areas.
[0067] In another embodiment, the first image on the first flexible secondary plate comprises a combination of relief areas that will not receive ink from the first printing plate and raised areas that will receive ink from the first printing plate. In another embodiment, the first image formed on the first container includes non-inked areas and inked areas.
[0068] Optionally, the method may further include: (a) providing a second flexible secondary plate with a third image formed thereon; (b) affixing the second flexible secondary plate to the blanket cylinder; (c) transferring the first ink from the first printing plate to at least a portion of the second flexible secondary plate; (d) transferring the second ink from the second image on the second printing plate to the second flexible secondary plate, wherein the second printing plate does not transfer the second ink to the third image, and (e) transferring the first and second inks from the second flexible secondary plate to the exterior surface of a second container to form the second and third images on the second container. Accordingly, the third image on the second container is comprised at least partially of the first ink and the second image on the second container is comprised at least partially of the second ink.
[0069] In one embodiment, the first and second flexible secondary plates are comprised of one of a composition at least in part comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene, a photopolymer material, and a pliable plastic material. In another embodiment, the first and second flexible secondary plates are comprised of at least one of an elastomer which is cured using a light-catalyzed photopolymerization process, a chloroprene crosslinked with trimethylolpropane triacrylate, and a styrene-isoprene rubber with a polyacrylate. In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene is an M-class rubber. In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene is an ethylene propylene diene monomer compound. In yet another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene is an ethylene propylene monomer compound.
Additionally, the first and second flexible secondary plates may be formed of homogeneous layer of material. In another embodiment, interior portions of the first and second flexible secondary plates are devoid of threads or fabrics.

[0070] In one embodiment, the first ink is a different type or a different color of ink than the second ink. In another embodiment, at least one of the first ink and the second ink comprises a specialty ink. The specialty ink may comprise one or more of a thermochromic ink, a photochromic ink, a scented thermochromic ink, a fluorescent ink, a UV ink, a black light ink, an infrared ink, a phosphorescent ink, a pressure sensitive ink, a tactile ink, a thermo-tactile ink, a leuco dye, and a matte ink.
[0071] Another aspect of the present invention is a method of decorating an exterior surface of a plurality of cylindrical metal containers in a continuous decorating process.
The method comprises: (I) affixing a plurality of flexible secondary plates to a blanket cylinder of a decorator; (2) attaching a first printing plate with a first ink receiving region to a first plate cylinder of the decorator, the first ink receiving region aligning with a predetermined portion of each of the plurality of flexible secondary plates;
(3) attaching a second printing plate with second ink receiving region and a relief area to a second plate cylinder of the decorator, the relief area aligning with the predetermined portion of each of the plurality of flexible secondary plates; (4) applying a first ink to the first ink receiving region of the first printing plate; (5) applying a second ink to the second ink receiving region of the second printing plate; (6) transferring at least some of the first ink and the second ink from the first and second printing plates to at least a portion of each of the plurality of flexible secondary plates; and (7) transferring the first ink and the second ink from the plurality of flexible secondary plates to an exterior surface of the each of the plurality of cylindrical metal containers, wherein each of the plurality of cylindrical metal containers is decorated with the first ink and the second ink.
[0072] In one optional embodiment, each of the flexible secondary plates has a different image formed within at least a portion of the predetermined portion of each of the plurality of flexible secondary plates. In one embodiment, at least a portion of each different image formed on the flexible secondary plates has a depth that is lower than a plane defined by a face portion of each flexible secondary plate. In another embodiment, no portion of each different images formed on the flexible secondary plates projects above the plane of the face portion of each flexible secondary plate.
[0073] In one embodiment, the second printing plate transfers an image with the second ink to each of the plurality of flexible secondary plates. The image is then transferred from the flexible secondary plates to each of the plurality of cylindrical metal containers. In this manner, each of the plurality of cylindrical metal containers is decorated with the image from the second printing plate in the second ink and with one of the different images of the flexible secondary plates in the first ink.
[0074] In one embodiment, the flexible secondary plates are comprised of a homogeneous layer. The homogeneous layer may be one of a composition comprising at least in part a saturated chain of polymethylene, a photopolymer material, and a pliable plastic material. In one embodiment, at least one of the flexible secondary plates is comprised of at least one of an elastomer which is cured using a light-catalyzed photopolymerization process, a chloroprene crosslinked with trimethylolpropane triacrylate, and a styrene-isoprene rubber with a polyacrylate. In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene is an M-class rubber. In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene is an ethylene propylene diene monomer compound. In yet another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene is an ethylene propylene monomer compound. In still another embodiment, the flexible secondary plates are devoid of threads.
[0075] In another embodiment, a first inker applies the first ink to the first printing plate and a second inker applies the second ink to the second printing plate.
In one embodiment, the first ink is a different type or a different color of ink than the second ink.
In another embodiment, at least one of the first ink and the second ink comprises a specialty ink. The specialty ink may comprise one or more of a thermochromic ink, a photochromic ink, a scented thermochromic ink, a fluorescent ink, a UV ink, a black light ink, an infrared ink, a phosphorescent ink, a pressure sensitive ink, a tactile ink, a thermo-tactile ink, a leuco dye, and a matte ink.
[0076] In yet another embodiment, the decorator comprises additional printing plates attached to additional plate cylinders. In one embodiment, the additional plate cylinders comprises from four to eighteen plate cylinders. Each of the four to eighteen plate cylinders operable to apply additional colors or types of ink to the plurality of flexible secondary plates affixed to the blanket cylinder.
[0077] One aspect of the present invention is a decorator to decorate an exterior surface of a plurality of metallic containers with different images. The decorator includes, but is not limited to: (1) a first plate cylinder which includes a first printing plate with a first ink receiving region; (2) a first inker arranged in a predetermined position with respect to the first plate cylinder, the first inker to apply a first ink to the first ink receiving region of the first printing plate; (3) a second plate cylinder which includes a second printing plate with a second ink receiving region; (4) a second inker arranged in a predetermined position with respect to the second plate cylinder, the second inker to apply a second ink to the second ink receiving region of the second printing plate;
(5) a blanket cylinder with a first flexible transfer plate comprised at least in part of a compound including a saturated chain of polymethylene, the blanket cylinder aligned in a predetermined position with respect to the first and second plate cylinders such that the first flexible transfer plate receives the first ink from the first printing plate and the first flexible transfer plate receives the second ink from the second printing plate; (6) a support cylinder aligned in a predetermined position with respect to the blanket cylinder, the support cylinder including a plurality of stations to receive metallic containers and hold the metallic containers in a predetermined position with respect to the first transfer plate of the blanket cylinder, the support cylinder operable to move the metallic containers into contact with the first flexible transfer plate to transfer the first and second inks from the first flexible transfer plate to the metallic containers. In one embodiment, the first flexible transfer plate is a homogeneous material. In another embodiment, the first flexible transfer plate is devoid of a fabric layer. In yet another embodiment, the first flexible transfer plate is devoid of threads.
[0078] In one embodiment, the first flexible transfer plate further comprises a face portion defining a first plane. A first image is formed in a first predetermined portion of the face portion. At least a portion of the first image has a depth that is lower than the first plane. In one embodiment, no portion of the first image projects above the first plane.
Optionally, in another embodiment, the first flexible transfer plate is formed of a single layer of material.
[0079] In another embodiment the blanket cylinder further includes a second flexible transfer plate comprised at least in part of a compound including a saturated chain of polymethylene. In one embodiment, the second flexible transfer plate further comprises a face portion defining a second plane. Optionally, a second image is formed in a second predetermined portion of the face portion. At least a portion of the optional second image has a depth that is lower than the second plane. In one embodiment, no portion of the second image projects above the second plane. In one embodiment, each of the first image of the first flexible transfer plate and the second image of the second flexible transfer plate have a depth that is from about 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch below the first and second planes. Alternatively, at least one of first image of the first flexible transfer plate and the second image of the second flexible transfer plate may have a height that is from about 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch above the first and second planes.
[0080] In another embodiment, the first printing plate further comprises a relief area that will not receive the first ink from the first inker. The relief area aligns with the first image of the first flexible transfer plate and with the second image of the second flexible transfer plate. The second ink receiving region of the second printing plate also aligns with the first and second images of the first and second flexible transfer plates.
Optionally, the second ink receiving region of the second printing plate may be surrounded by a non-ink region. In one embodiment, the first predetermined portion of the first flexible transfer plate and the second predetermined portion of the second flexible transfer plate each align with the relief area of the first printing plate and the second ink receiving region of the second printing plate. In this manner, during the transfer of ink from the first and second printing plates to the first and second flexible transfer plates, the first ink is not transferred to the first and second images formed on the first and second flexible transfer plates.
[0081] In one embodiment, an adhesive transfer tape on a back portion of the first and second flexible transfer plates is used to affix the first and second transfer plates to the blanket cylinder.
[0082] In another embodiment, the first image of the first flexible transfer plate is surrounded by a relief area that will not receive ink from the first and second printing plates. Accordingly, the first image formed on the metallic containers is surrounded by a non-inked area.
[0083] Optionally, in another embodiment, the second image of the second flexible transfer plate comprises relief areas that will not receive the second ink from the second printing plate and raised areas that will receive the second ink from the second printing plate. Accordingly, the second image formed on the metallic containers includes non-inked portions and inked portions.
[0084] In one embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of at least one of the first and second flexible transfer plates is an M-class rubber. In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of at least one of the first and second flexible transfer plates is an ethylene propylene diene monomer compound. In yet another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of at least one of the first and second flexible transfer plates is an ethylene propylene monomer compound.

[0085] In one embodiment, the first ink is a different type or a different color of ink than the second ink. In another embodiment, at least one of the first ink and the second ink comprises a specialty ink. The specialty ink may comprise one or more of a thermochromic ink, a photochromic ink, a scented thermochromic ink, a fluorescent ink, a UV ink, a black light ink, an infrared ink, a phosphorescent ink, a pressure sensitive ink, a tactile ink, a thermo-tactile ink, a leuco dye, and a matte ink.
10085A1 In another embodiment, a method of using a flexible secondary plate in a printing process to decorate an exterior surface of a metallic container is provided, comprising:
forming a first image on a predetermined portion of a face portion of the flexible secondary plate by removing at least some of the face portion in a laser engraving process, wherein the face portion is comprised of a saturated chain of polymethylene;
removably affixing the flexible secondary plate with the first image onto a blanket cylinder of a decorator;
attaching a printing plate to a plate cylinder of the decorator;
applying an ink from an inker to the printing plate;
transferring at least some of the ink from the printing plate to at least a portion of the flexible secondary plate; and transferring the ink from the flexible secondary plate to the exterior surface of the metallic container, wherein the metallic container is decorated.
[0085131 In another embodiment, an apparatus for forming a high-definition lithographic image on an exterior surface of a metallic container is provided, comprising:
a plate cylinder;
a printing plate attached to a circumference of the plate cylinder;
an inker operable to transfer an ink to the printing plate;
a blanket cylinder;
a flexible secondary plate affixed to the blanket cylinder, the flexible secondary plate having a face portion comprised of a saturated chain of polymethylene that includes an image formed by a laser engraving process, wherein the blanket cylinder is operable to move the flexible secondary plate into contact with the printing plate such that the ink is transferred from the printing plate to the image of the flexible secondary plate; and a support cylinder, operable to move the metallic container into contact with the flexible secondary plate affixed to the blanket cylinder, wherein the ink is transferred from the flexible secondary plate to the metallic container to form the high-definition lithographic image on the exterior surface.
[0085C] In another embodiment, a flexible secondary plate adapted to form a high-definition lithographic image on an exterior surface of a metallic container in a printing process is provided, the flexible secondary plate comprising:
a plate body of a predetermined size, the plate body formed of a single layer of material comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene and having a face portion and a back portion, wherein the back portion is adapted to be removably attached to a blanket cylinder of a decorator, and wherein an image is formed on the face portion by removing some of the material comprising the saturated chain of polymethylene.
[0086] The Summary of the Invention is neither intended nor should it be construed as being representative of the full extent and scope of the present invention.
Moreover, references made herein to "the present invention" or aspects thereof should be understood to mean certain embodiments of the present invention and should not necessarily be construed as limiting all embodiments to a particular description. The present invention is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary of the Invention as well as in the attached drawings and the Detailed Description of the Invention and no limitation as to the scope of the present invention is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary of the Invention. Additional aspects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the Detail Description, particularly when taken together with the drawings.
[0087] These and other advantages will be apparent from the disclosure of the invention(s) contained herein. The above-described embodiments, objectives, and configurations are neither complete nor exhaustive. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the invention are possible using, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described below.
Further, the Summary of the Invention is neither intended nor should it be construed as representing the full extent and scope of the present invention. The present invention is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary of the Invention, and, in the attached drawings and the 26a Detailed Description of the invention and no limitation as to the scope of the present invention is intended to either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary of the Invention. Additional aspects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the detailed description, particularly when taken with the drawings.
[0088] Although generally referred to herein as "metallic can," "metallic containers,'' and/or "cylindrical metallic containers," it should be appreciated that the current process may be used to decorate any variety or shape of containers or other articles of 26b manufacture, including generally cylindrical surfaces and non-cylindrical surfaces (including flat substrates) whether made of metal or other materials.
[0089] As used herein, the phrase "specialty inks" may include, but is not limited to, one or more colors or types of thermochromic ink, photochromic ink, scented thermochromic ink, fluorescent ink, UV ink, black light ink, infrared ink, phosphorescent ink, pressure sensitive ink, tactile ink, thermo-tactile ink, leuco dye, matte ink, and any other type of ink, dye, or varnish that changes appearance, color, phase, and/or texture in response to temperature changes or exposure to light or pressure.
[0090] A "thermochromic ink," as used herein, may include, but is not limited to, any ink of a first predetermined color that can undergo reversible or irreversible change to a second and/or third predetermined color in response to temperature changes.
[0091] As used in the present application, a "photochromic ink" may comprise, but is not limited to, any ink of a first predetermined color that can undergo reversible or irreversible change to a second and/or third predetermined color in response to the exposure of light of various wavelengths.
[0092] A "scented thermochromic ink," by way of illustration only, includes, but is not limited to, any ink of any color that releases a predetermined scent in response to temperature changes.
[0093] A "fluorescent ink," as used in the present application, may include, but is not limited to, any ink that absorbs ultraviolet energy (light) of various wavelengths and, in response, transmits longer waves in a visible spectrum producing light (or "glow") in a predetermined color. Fluorescent inks glow under black light and provide a "day glow."
[0094] As used herein, a "phosphorescent ink" includes, but is not limited to, any ink that absorbs light of various wavelengths and produces light of a predetermined color in response. Phosphorescent inks produce light in a manner similar to fluorescent inks;
however, phosphorescent inks continue to produce light, or "glow," once charged by light source even if the light source is removed Phosphorescent inks may also be known as "glow in the dark ink."
[0095] As used herein, a "black light ink" includes, but is not limited to, any ink that includes a phosphor that absorbs energy from UV radiation and, in response, emits visible light.
[0096] A "pressure sensitive ink" as used in the present application may include, but is not limited to, any ink of a first predetermined color that can change to a second and/or third predetermined color upon receiving a predetermined amount of pressure.
The pressure sensitive ink may include capsules containing inks of different colors. When a pre-determined amount of pressure is applied to the pressure sensitive ink, the capsules rupture and the different colors released from the capsules mix, changing the color of the pressure sensitive ink.
[0097] As used in the present application. a "matt ink" may include, but is not limited to, any ink of any predetermined color that has a finish that scatters rays of light more (or has less "gloss") when applied to a substrate than other non-matt inks (or "glossy" inks) that reflect more light as parallel rays.
[0098] References made herein to ''lithographic printing" or aspects thereof should not necessarily be construed as limiting the present invention to a particular method or type of printing. It will be recognized by one skilled in the art that the present invention may be used in other printing processes such as offset printing, dry offset printing, gravure printing, intaglio printing, screen printing, and inkjet printing.
[0099] As used herein, a flexible secondary plate may be comprised of photopolymer material, a composition comprising at least in part a saturated chain of polymethylene, various forms of pliable plastic materials, or any other related materials with similar physical properties. The flexible secondary plate may be or any size or shape and may be round or a sleeve adapted to fit around a circumference of a blanket cylinder.
[0100] The phrases "photopolymer plates," "flexible photopolymer plates,"
"flexible photopolymer material," and "flexible photopolymer blankets" may be used interchangeably and generally refer to plates or blankets including a photopolymer material. Thus, the flexible photopolymer plate may be a photopolymer printing plate that is a digital plate, a conventional analog plate, or a cylinder coated with a photopolymer.
[0101] The term "a" or "an" entity, as used herein, refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms "a" (or "an"). "one or more," and "at least one" can be used interchangeably herein.
[0102] The use of "including," "comprising," or "having" and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
Accordingly, the terms "including," "comprising," or "having" and variations thereof can be used interchangeably herein.
[0103]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0104] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the Summary of the Invention given above and the Detailed Description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of these embodiments. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the disclosure or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein. Additionally, it should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale.
[0105] Fig. 1 A is a top plan view of a printing plate with an engraved or etched area according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0106] Fig. TB is a cross-sectional elevation view of the printing plate of Fig. 1 A taken along line IB;
[0107] Fig. 2A is a top plan view of a printing plate with a relief area according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0108] Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional elevation view of the printing plate of Fig. 2A taken along line 2B;
[0109] Fig. 3 A is a top plan view of a flexible secondary plate before an image is formed thereon;
[0110] Fig. 38 is a side elevation view of the flexible secondary plate of Fig. 3 A;
[0111] Fig. 4A is a top plan view of a flexible secondary plate with an image formed thereon according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0112] Fig. 4B is a top plan view of a flexible secondary plate with a second image formed thereon according to another embodiment of the present invention;
[0113] Fig. 4C is a cross-sectional elevation view of the flexible secondary plate of Fig. 4B taken along line 4C;
[0114] Fig. 5 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a decorator of the present invention using flexible secondary plates to decorate metallic containers;

[0115] Fig. 6A is a photograph of a flexible secondary plate comprised of a photopolymer material with an image formed thereon according to various embodiments of the present invention;
[0116] Fig. 6B is an enlarged photograph of the image formed on the flexible secondary plate of Fig. 6A;
[0117] Fig. 7A is a photograph of a metallic container decorated according to various embodiments of the present invention using the flexible secondary plate of Fig. 6A;
[0118] Fig. 7B is an enlarged photograph of the metallic can of Fig. 7A;
[0119] Fig. 8 is a photograph of another flexible secondary plate comprised of a photopolymer material with images formed thereon according to various embodiments of the present invention;
[0120] Fig. 9 is a photograph of a metallic container decorated according to various embodiments of the present invention using the flexible secondary plate of Fig. 8;
[0121] Fig. 10A is an enlarged photograph of a first image formed on the metallic container of Fig. 9 using the flexible secondary plate of Fig. 8;
[0122] Fig. 10B is a second enlarged photograph of a second image formed on the metallic container of Fig. 9 using the flexible secondary plate of Fig. 8;
[0123] Fig. 11 is a photograph of another flexible secondary plate comprised of a photopolymer material with images formed thereon according to various embodiments of the present invention;
[0124] Fig. 12 is a photograph of a metallic container decorated according to various embodiments of the present invention using the flexible secondary plate of Fig. 11;
[0125] Fig. 13 is yet another photograph of a flexible secondary plate comprised of a photopolymer material with images formed thereon according to various embodiments of the present invention;
[0126] Figs. 14A-14B are photographs of a metallic container decorated according to various embodiments of the present invention using the flexible secondary plate of Fig.
13;
[0127] Figs. 15A-15B are photographs of a flexible secondary plate comprising a composition including a saturated chain of polymethylene with images founed thereon according to various embodiments of the present invention;
[0128] Figs. 16A-16C are photographs of a metallic container decorated using the flexible secondary plate of Fig. 15 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0129] Fig. 17A is a photograph of a face portion of a prior art printing blanket with images formed thereon;
[0130] Fig. 17B is a photograph of an edge of the prior art printing blanket of Fig. 17A
showing layers of the prior art printing blanket;
[0131] Fig. 17C is a schematic side elevation view showing the layers of a prior art printing blanket;
[0132] Figs. 18A-18B are photographs of a metallic container decorated using the prior art printing blanket of Fig. 17; and [0133] Figs. 19A-19B are photographs of another metallic container decorated using another prior art printing blanket.
[0134] To assist in the understanding of one embodiment of the present invention the following list of components and associated numbering found in the drawings is provided herein:
Number Component 2 Printing plate 4 Face portion 6 Back portion 8 Ink receiving region Non-ink region 12 Relief area 14 Flexible secondary plate 16 Ink receiving region 18 Image Relief area 22 Screened area 24 Decorator 26 Plate cylinder 28 Inker Rollers 32 Blanket cylinder 33 Common image 34 Metallic container 36 Conveyor 38 Support cylinder 40 Station for metallic container 42 Storage facility 44 Container surface 46 Non-inked portion 48 Varnish unit 50 Curing unit 52 Flexible secondary plate of photopolymer material 54 Image on flexible secondary plate 56 Image on flexible secondary plate 58 Ink receiving region 60 First portion of ink receiving region 62 Second portion of ink receiving region 64 Third portion of ink receiving region 65 Fourth portion of ink receiving region 66 Decorated metallic container 68 Image 70 Flexible secondary plate of photopolymer material 72 Black sheet 74 Image of dog 76 Image of feline 78 Decorated metallic container 80 Flexible secondary plate of photopolymer material 82 Backing material 84 Image of building 88 Decorated metallic container 90 Flexible secondary plate comprised of a composition of a saturated chain of polymethlene 94 First image 96 Second image 98 Depth scale 100 Decorated metallic container 102 Base coat 106 Printing blanket comprised of known materials 108 Image formed on face portion of a prior art printing blanket 110 Face portion 112 First fabric layer 114 Compressible layer 116 Second fabric layer 118 Paper backing 120 Decorated metallic container 122 Decorated metallic container 124 Image transferred to a container from a prior art printing blanket DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0135] The present invention has significant benefits across a broad spectrum of endeavors. It is the Applicant's intent that this specification and the claims appended hereto be accorded a breadth in keeping with the scope and spirit of the invention being disclosed despite what might appear to be limiting language imposed by the requirements of referring to the specific examples disclosed. To acquaint persons skilled in the pertinent arts most closely related to the present invention, a preferred embodiment that illustrates the best mode now contemplated for putting the invention into practice is described herein by, and with reference to, the annexed drawings that form a part of the specification. The exemplary embodiment is described in detail without attempting to describe all of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied. As such, the embodiments described herein are illustrative, and as will become apparent to those skilled in the arts, may be modified in numerous ways within the scope and spirit of the invention.
[0136] Although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible.
Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims. To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such claim term by limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning.
101371 Referring now to Figs. lA and 1B, a printing plate 2A is illustrated.
The printing plate 2A has a face portion 4 and a back portion 6. One or more ink receiving regions 8 adapted to receive ink are formed in the face portion 4 by any means known to those of skill in the art. The ink receiving regions 8 are adapted to transfer ink to a flexible secondary plate 14 (illustrated in Figs. 3-4). The ink receiving regions 8 of the printing plate 2A transfer a single tone, image, type of ink, or text to the flexible secondary plate 14 during a printing process.
101381 One or more non-ink regions 10 may be formed in the printing plate 2A.
The non-ink regions 10 may be formed by engraving, cutting, etching, and/or removing selected portions from the face portion 4 of the printing plate 2A to form depressions in the face portion. Additionally or alternatively, non-ink regions 10 may be treated to be hydrophilic to prevent ink from adhering to the printing plate 2A as is known by those of skill in the art. The non-ink regions 10 will not receive or transfer ink to the flexible secondary plate 14. Although the non-ink region 10 illustrated in Fig. lA is rectangular, one skilled in the art will recognize that any shape of non-ink region 10 can be formed on the printing plate 2A, such as a circle, square, or star, an irregular shape and/or combinations thereof. The size and the location of the non-ink region 10 may also be varied. The printing plate 2A may have a common content with the other printing plates 2 used in the printing process to form a final image that will be transferred first to the flexible secondary plate and then to a metallic container 34. Additionally, in one embodiment, the size, location, and shape of the ink receiving region 8A
within the non-ink region 10 aligns with the size, location, and shape of images 18 formed on the flexible secondary plates 14. Accordingly, the ink receiving region 8A will transfer ink to the images 18 formed on the flexible secondary plates 14. In one embodiment, the ink receiving region 8A is up to about 0.5 inches larger in all dimensions than the images 18 formed on the flexible secondary plates 14.
101391 Printing plates 2B may also be formed with a relief area 12, as illustrated in Figs.
2A and 2B. The relief area 12 can be formed by removing a portion of the face portion 4 of the plate 2B. Additionally or alternatively, the relief area 12 can be formed or treated to be hydrophilic to prevent ink from adhering to the printing plate 2B. The relief area 12 will not accept ink and therefore will not transfer ink to the flexible secondary plates 14.
The size, location, and shape of the relief area 12 may align with the size, location, and shape of the non-ink region 10 of the printing plate 2A illustrated in Figs.
1A and 1B. In one embodiment, the size, location, and shape of the relief area 12 aligns with the size, location, and shape of the ink receiving region 8A of the printing plate 2A.
Said another way, the relief area 12 is formed in substantially the same location of printing plate 2B as the ink receiving region 8A of printing plate 2A. However, in operation, printing plate 2A
does not contact printing plate 2B as they are affixed to different plate cylinders 26B, 26A
of decorator 24. Further, in another embodiment, the size, location, and shape of the relief area 12 aligns with the size, location, and shape of images 18 formed on the flexible secondary plates 14. Accordingly, the relief area 12 will not transfer ink to the images 18 formed on the flexible secondary plates 14. In one embodiment, the relief area 12 is up to about 0.5 inches larger in all dimensions than the images 18 formed on the flexible secondary plates 14.
[0140] More than one relief 12 area may be formed in each printing plate 2.
Additionally or alternatively, printing plates 2 may include both relief areas 12 and non-ink regions 10. In one embodiment, one or more of the printing plates 2 include a face portion 4 comprising a photopolymer material. Images, non-ink regions 10, and relief areas 12 may be formed on the face portion 4 of a printing plate 2 comprising the photopolymer material as described below in conjunction with Figs. 3 and 4.
[0141] After one or more of the ink receiving regions 8, non-ink regions 10, and/or relief areas 12 are formed on a printing plate 2, the plate 2 is attached to a plate cylinder 26 of a decorator 24, discussed below in conjunction with Fig. 5. Optionally, more than one color of ink and one or more specialty inks may be used in conjunction with a corresponding inker 28 in the printing process to form the final image. Each individual color of ink and type of specialty ink is applied by different plate cylinders 26. The printing plates 2 of each plate cylinder 26 will only receive one color or type of ink from an inker 28 associated with each plate cylinder 26. As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the decorator 24 may include from about four plate cylinders 26 to about eighteen plate cylinders 26. Each plate cylinder 26 of the decorator 24 is operable to transfer an image comprising a different color or type of ink to the flexible secondary plates 14 of the blanket cylinder 32.

[0142] Figs. 3A and 3B illustrate a flexible secondary plate 14 before an image has been formed on the face portion 4 of the plate. In one embodiment, the flexible secondary plate 14 is comprised of a single material. Said another way, the flexible secondary plate is a homogeneous structure that is not formed of a laminate (or layers) of different materials.
In one embodiment, the flexible secondary plate 14 is devoid of fabrics. In another embodiment, the flexible secondary plate is devoid of threads within the single material of the flexible secondary plate 14. In contrast, prior art printing blankets (shown in Figs.
17A-17C) are a composite comprised of several layers, each layer comprising different materials. Although the flexible secondary plate 14 illustrated in Figs. 3A
and 3B has a generally rectangular shape, flexible secondary plates may be supplied in a variety of sizes and shapes that are suitable for use with the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, the flexible secondary plate 14 has a thickness of about 0.04 inch to about 0.1 inch. In another embodiment, the thickness of the flexible secondary plate is from about 0.060 inch to about 0.090 inch. In another embodiment, the flexible secondary plate is about 0.05 inch thick. In still another embodiment, the flexible secondary plate is about 0.0725 inch thick. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, flexible secondary plates of any other suitable thicknesses may also be used with the present invention. Optionally, the flexible secondary plates may include a Mylar backing.
However, one of skill in the art will appreciate that backings of other materials, or no backing, may be used with the flexible secondary plates 14. Further, an adhesive transfer tape or adhesive stickyback may be added to the back portion 6 of the flexible secondary plate 14.
[0143] In one aspect of the present invention, the flexible secondary plate 14 may be comprised at least in part of a composition of a saturated chain of polymethylene or other similar materials with similar physical properties. The flexible secondary plate 14 comprised of the composition of a saturated chain of polymethylene has a hardness of between about 67 Shore A durometers and about 90 Shore A durometers. In another embodiment, the flexible secondary plate 14 comprised of the composition of a saturated chain of polymethylene has a hardness of between about 70 Shore A durometers and about 74 Shore A durometers, and in a more preferred embodiment, about 72 Shore A
durometers.
[0144] In one embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plate 14 comprises at least in part an M-class rubber. It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that an M-class rubber refers to rubbers in American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard D-1418. In another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plate 14 comprises at least in part an ethylene propylene diene monomer compound, known to those of skill in the art as EPDM rubber. EPDM rubber is a durable, synthetic rubber. In yet another embodiment, the saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plate 14 comprises at least in part an ethylene propylene monomer compound and is known to those of skill in the art as EPR and/or EPM rubber. In another aspect of the present invention, at least the face portion 4 of the flexible secondary plate 14 may be comprised of pliable plastic materials.
[0145] In another aspect of the present invention, the flexible secondary plate 14 may be comprised of a photopolymer material. Suitable flexible photopolymer plates are commercially available from a variety of sources as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art.
Examples of flexible photopolymer plates used for high quality printing on flexible packaging are the Cyrelt NOWS
and the Cyrelt DPR plates made by DuPontTm .
[0146] In one embodiment, the flexible photopolymer plates have a hardness of from about 40 Shore A durometers to about 110 Shore A durometers. In a preferred embodiment, the hardness of the flexible photopolymer plates is from about 60 Shore A durometers to about 100 Shore A
durometers. In another preferred embodiment, the hardness of the flexible photopolymer plates is from about 50 Shore A
durometers to about 90 Shore A durometers. Optionally, the hardness may be between about 67 Shore A
durometers and about 90 shore A durometers. One more preferred flexible photopolymer plate has a hardness of between about 71 Shore A durometers and about 81 Shore a durometers. Another preferred flexible photopolymer plate has a hardness of between about 64 Shore A durometers and about 74 Shore A durometers. In still another embodiment, the photopolymer flexible secondary plate has a Shore A durometer harness of between about 25 and 55. Optionally, at least one flexible secondary plate comprised of a photopolymer material may have a Shore A hardness of between about 76 and about 82 durometers. In another embodiment, at least one flexible secondary plate comprised of a photopolymer material may have a Shore A hardness of between about 68 and about 74 durometers. In still another embodiment, at least one flexible secondary plate comprised of a photopolymer material may have a Shore A hardness of between about 62 and about 68 durometers. However, flexible secondary plates comprised of a photopolymer material that are harder or softer may be used with the method of the present invention. In one embodiment, the hardness of the flexible photopolymer plates is measured after the plates have been cured and an image formed thereon as described below.
[0147] The flexible photopolymer plate may be made of any photo-curable material, whether made of a polymer or not. One example is a UV-curable material.
Another example is made of a material cured by light of a different wavelength, not necessarily UV
light. Although many such plates are made of polymer compositions today, the current invention is applicable to plates made of any material and composition that are curable by light of a desired wavelength. In one embodiment, the photopolymer plate is comprised of elastomers which are cured using a light-catalyzed photopolymerization process. In another embodiment, the photopolymer plate is comprised of chloroprene cross-linked with trimethylolpropane triacrylate. In still another embodiment, the photopolymer plate is comprised of styrene-isoprene rubber with a polyacrylate. Still other embodiments may use flexible photopolymer plates comprised of other suitable light-curable materials known to those skilled in the art or developed in the future.
[0148] Flexible photopolymer plates have primarily been used for creating high resolution graphics on flexible plastic packaging (such as soft plastic vegetable and produce bags), tags, labels, folding cartons, and tissue wrappers. Flexible photopolymer plates are not known to have been used in the metallic container industry due to the significant challenges of high speed printing on an exterior surface of a metallic substrate.
More specifically, metallic container manufacturing facilities operate some of the fastest, if not the fastest, production lines in the container industry. Because of the high speeds of the production lines, decorating techniques or processes that may work in other industries or with containers formed of other materials do not necessarily work at the high speeds required for metallic container production lines.
[0149] Referring now to Figs. 4A - 4C, flexible secondary plates 14 are illustrated with images 18 formed thereon. The face portions 4 of the flexible secondary plates 14A, 14B
include ink receiving regions 16. In one embodiment, the ink receiving regions 16 define a plane. Ink receiving regions 8 of printing plates 2 that contact the ink receiving regions 16 will transfer at least some ink to the ink receiving regions of the flexible secondary plates 14. An image 18A of the word "BALL" is formed on the flexible secondary plate 14A. An image 18B of a sports jersey is formed on the other flexible secondary plate 14B.
In one embodiment, at least a portion of the images 18A, 18B has a depth that is lower than the plane of the ink receiving region 16. Said another way, in one embodiment, no portion of the images 18A, 18B projects above the plane defined by the ink receiving regions 16.
[0150] The process of forming the image 18 to be printed onto the exterior surface of the metallic container on the flexible secondary plates 14 depends on the material of the flexible secondary plate. When the flexible secondary plates 14 are comprised at least partially of a composition of a saturated chain of polymethylene, the image 18 is formed on (or transferred to) the flexible secondary plate 14 by any process known to one of skill in the art (or developed in the future) including, without limitation, a direct laser engraving (DLE) process, a mechanical or chemical etching or engraving process, an ink repelling process, a pressure forming process, or by a combination of processes.
[0151] In the DLE process, a portion of the material comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plate 14 is ablated, or otherwise removed, by a laser. The time required to form the image 18 on the flexible secondary plate 14 varies based on the size and complexity of the image, the depth and shading of the image, and also upon the composition of the flexible secondary plate. In one embodiment, the processing time required to form the image 18 in the composition comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene using the DLE process is from approximately 10 minutes to approximately 3 hours.

[0152] The flexible secondary plate 14 may be affixed to a cylindrical surface (not illustrated) while the image 18 is formed using the DLE process. The cylindrical surface has a radius of curvature approximately equal to the radius of curvature of the blanket cylinder 32 of the decorator 24 (illustrated in Fig. 5). Forming the image 18 in the material comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene using the DLE process is similar to using a laser engraving and cutting system, such as an Epilog laser to burn an image in a substrate. However, the DLE process offers higher image resolutions and the ability to control the height of screened dots that compose the image 18 (known as the "dot deck height"). In contrast, prior art printing blankets, such as the blankets shown in Fig. 17, melt easily. Because of this, prior art printing blankets do not allow fine dot images to be formed thereon such as those formed by use of a flexible secondary blanket 14 comprising at least in part a saturated chain of polymethylene.
[0153] In the etching or engraving process, predetermined portions of the material comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plate 14 are removed to form the image 18. In a mechanical etching or engraving process, a tool is used to remove the predetermined portions of the material of the flexible secondary plate 14. The tool may include a cutting tool, a rotating bit, an abrasive tool, a fluid tool, or any other type of tool operable to remove a predetermined amount of material from the face portion 4 of the flexible secondary plate 14. The fluid tool may direct a high pressure stream into the face portion 4 of the flexible secondary plate 14. The high pressure stream of the fluid tool can include at least one of a gas, a liquid, and a solid selected to remove the rubber from the face portion 4 of the flexible secondary plate 14.
Optionally, the tool may be heated to a predetermined temperature as the image 18 is formed on the flexible secondary plate 14.
[0154] In a chemical etching or engraving process, a chemical is used to remove the predetermined portions of the material of the flexible secondary plate 14 A
masking material may be applied to the material of the flexible secondary plate 14 to ensure that the chemical only contacts and removes the predetermined portions of the material comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene to form the image 18. The masking material is selected to adhere to the material and is inert with respect to the chemical to protect non-image areas of the material comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene. In one embodiment, the masking material may be applied to the entire face portion 4 of the flexible secondary plate 14. The masking material is then selectively removed from the areas forming the image 18. In another embodiment, the masking material is only applied to non-image areas on the face portion 4 of the flexible secondary plate 14.
The chemical is then applied to the face portion 4 and contacts the image areas not protected by the masking material. After a predetermined amount of time, the chemical is removed or neutralized and the masking material is removed from the flexible secondary plate 14.
Optionally, the flexible secondary plate 14 may be at least partially immersed in a bath of the chemical. In another embodiment, no masking material is used and the chemical is selectively applied to the predetermined portions of the material comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene of the flexible secondary plate 14.
[0155] When the image 18 is formed using the ink repelling process, predetermined portions of the flexible secondary plate 14 are adapted to be receptive or repellant to ink.
In one embodiment, a chemical or a material that repels or attracts ink is applied to predetermined portions of the flexible secondary plate 14 to form the image 18. In another embodiment, before the image 18 is formed on the flexible secondary plate 14, the face portion 4 of the plate includes a coating that repels or attracts ink.
Predetermined portions of the coating are selectively removed from the flexible secondary plate 14 to form the image 18. The image formed using the ink repelling process is comprised of areas that attract ink and other areas that repel ink. In one embodiment, the image 18 may include areas that attract (or repel) at least one type of ink and repel (or attract) at least one other type of ink.
[0156] In the pressure forming process, the image 18 is first formed on a surface of a master material. The master material may comprise a metal, a plastic, a photopolymer material, or any other suitable material. The material comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene of the face portion 4 of the flexible secondary plate 14 is pressed against the image on the master material for a predetermined amount of time to transfer the image from the master material to the flexible secondary plate 14. The flexible secondary plate 14 with the image 18 is then removed from the master material The rubber of the flexible secondary plate 14 and/or the master material may be heated before the flexible secondary plate 14 is pressed against master material. In one embodiment, the flexible secondary plate 14 and the master material are heated to a temperature of approximately 310 F. In another embodiment, the flexible secondary plate 14 and the master material are pressed together at a pressure of approximately 1,000 psi.

[0157] After the image 18 is formed on the flexible secondary plate 14, the flexible secondary plate 14 may be cleaned by any suitable method to remove debris from the face portion 4. In one embodiment, a pressurized gas is used to remove the debris from the flexible secondary plate 14. In another embodiment, the debris is removed from the flexible secondary plate 14 with a liquid, such as water or a solvent.
[0158] When the image 18 is formed on the face portion 4 of the flexible secondary plate 14, the face portion 4 may have relief areas 20 that will not receive ink and images 18 that can receive ink. The image 18 formed on the flexible secondary plate 14 can be three dimensional and have different depths in the face portion 4. As described above, in one embodiment, the ink receiving regions 16 of the face portion 4 define a plane. At least a portion of the image 18 has a depth that is lower than the plane defined by the ink receiving region 16. Said another way, in one embodiment, no portion of the image 18 projects above the plane defined by the ink receiving region 16. In one embodiment, the image 18, or portions of the image, may have a depth of about 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch in relation to the plane of the face portion 4. In a more preferred embodiment, the depth of the image 18, or within portions of an image 18, is from approximately 0.001 inch to approximately 0.084 inch deep.
[0159] When the flexible secondary plates 14 are comprised at least partially of a photopolymer material, the images 18A, 18B are formed of exposed and hardened material of the flexible photopolymer plates with a computer to plate (CTP) process, a conventional plate exposure process, or any other suitable method. A piece of Mylar is generally used as a backing for the flexible photopolymer plate 14, although other materials commonly known by one skilled in the art may also be employed as a backing.
An image 18 to be printed onto an exterior surface of the metallic container is formed.
[0160] In the conventional plate exposure process, a film negative of the image 18 is created. The film negative is placed on a predetermined portion of the face portion 4 of the flexible photopolymer plate 14. The flexible photopolymer plate 14 with the film negative is then placed into an exposure device that exposes the flexible photopolymer plate and the film negative to a light source. The film negative acts as a negative mask that blocks and prevents some of the light from reaching the face portion 4 of the flexible photopolymer plate 14. The light shines through the clear sections of the film negative and hardens the material of the flexible photopolymer plate 14. Exposure time to an ultraviolet light source may range from approximately 0.01 minute to approximately 10 minutes.
[0161] The material on the face portion 4 of the flexible photopolymer plate 14 hardens where light passes through the film negative and strikes the face portion 4. Portions of the flexible photopolymer plate 14 that are not covered by the film negative are also exposed to the light and harden. The material on the face portion 4 of the flexible photopolymer plate 14 under the areas of the film negative that block the light, or some of the light, remain unexposed and soft.
[0162] Using the CTP process, the image 18 is transferred directly to the flexible photopolymer plate 14 in a digital imager apparatus. The digital imager apparatus ablates, or otherwise removes, portions of an opaque mask coating on the face portion 4 of the flexible photopolymer plate 14 to form a negative of the image 18. The flexible photopolymer plate 14 is then placed into an exposure device that exposes the flexible photopolymer plate 14 to a light source. The exposure device may be the same as, or similar to, the exposure device used in the conventional plate exposure process described above. Portions of the mask coating that were not ablated at least partially block light and prevent the light from reaching (or decrease the amount of the light reaching) the face portion 4 of the flexible photopolymer plate 14. The polymer material of the flexible photopolymer plate 14 under remaining portions of the mask coating remains unexposed and soft. Light from the exposure device contacts the polymer material of the flexible photopolymer plate 14 in the image areas where the mask coating has been removed and hardens the material of the flexible photopolymer plate 14. Exposure time to an ultraviolet light source may range from approximately 0.01 minute to approximately 10 minutes. An example of the CTP
process is described in "Advancing Flexography, The Technical Path Forward" by Ray Bodwell and Jan Scharfenberg.
[0163] Once the image 18 is transferred to the flexible photopolymer plate 14 using either the CTP
process or the conventional plate exposure process, the soft, unexposed polymer material on the face portion 4 of the exposed flexible photopolymer plate 14 is removed. In one embodiment, the exposed flexible photopolymer plate 14 is placed in a washing station. The unexposed, soft polymer material on unexposed areas of the face portion 4 of the flexible photopolymer plate 14 is removed by washing and scrubbing the face portion 4. The washing station may include either water or a solvent, such as Cyrel Nutre-Clean. As will be appreciated, other solutions and solvents may be used in the washing station. In another embodiment, the unexposed polymer material is removed from the face portion 4 by a post processing apparatus that does not use solvents and/or other liquids. The post processing apparatus may use thermal energy and a developer roll to remove the unexposed polymer material. After the soft, unexposed polymer material is removed, the flexible photopolymer plate 14 may be exposed to light a second time to complete polymerization and ensure all areas of the flexible photopolymer plate 14 have been hardened and to attain maximum durability.
[0164] When the unexposed soft material on areas of the face portion 4 of the flexible photopolymer plate 14 have been removed, the face portion 4 will have relief areas 20 that will not receive ink and hardened areas forming images 18 that can receive ink. The image 18 formed on the flexible photopolymer plate can be three dimensional and have different depths in the face portion 4 depending on the amount of light that passed through the film negative or the masking coating. The image 18, or portions of the image 18, have a depth of about 0.0009 inch to about 0.089 inch. In a more preferred embodiment, the depth of the image 18, or within portions of an image 18, is from approximately 0.001 inch to approximately 0.084 inch deep.
[0165] In some embodiments, the flexible photopolymer plates 14 may also be etched or engraved on the face portion 4 before, during, or after the curing process to form one or more additional recessed portions. The etched or engraved areas may be formed using a laser or any other means known by those of skill in the art.
[0166] For both soft secondary plates 14 comprised a saturated chain of polymethylene or comprised of a photopolymer material, the images 18 have a maximum thickness equal to the original thickness of the flexible secondary plate 14. For example, as illustrated in the cross-sectional side elevation view of Fig. 4C, in one embodiment, the flexible secondary plate 14B is comprised of a single material from the face portion 4 to the back portion 6. In contrast, in prior art printing blankets 106, illustrated in Figs. 17A - 17C, the image depth is limited to only an exterior layer of the laminate material of the blanket.

Thus, flexible secondary plates 14 comprised of a composition comprising at least in part a saturated chain of polymethylene or comprised of a photopolymer material offer more options for forming images than prior art printing blankets.
[0167] The images 18 can be surrounded by relief areas 20. When the flexible secondary plate 14 is comprised at least partially of a photopolymer material, the relief areas 20 comprise portions of the photopolymer material that were not exposed and therefore remained soft. The unexposed, soft material of the flexible photopolymer plates is subsequently removed to form the relief areas 20. The size, location, and shape of the relief area 20 formed in the flexible secondary plates 14 may align with the size, location, and shape of the non-ink region 10 of the printing plate 2A illustrated in Fig. lA and the relief area 12 of the printing plate 2B illustrated in Fig. 2A.
[0168] In one embodiment, the size, location, and shape of the image 18 formed on the flexible secondary plates 14 aligns with the size, location, and shape of the ink receiving region 8A of the printing plate 2A illustrated in Fig. 1. Said another way, when the flexible secondary plates 14 are affixed to a blanket cylinder 32 of a decorator 24 and the printing plate 2A is affixed to plate cylinder 26A, the ink receiving region 8A will contact, and transfer at least some ink to, an image 18 on one of the flexible secondary plates 14.
[0169] Additionally, the size, location, and shape of the image 18 formed on the flexible secondary plates 14 may optionally align with the size, location, and shape of the relief region 12 of the printing plate 2B illustrated in Fig. 2. Accordingly, when the printing plate 2B is affixed to a plate cylinder 26B of the decorator 24, the relief region 12 will not contact, and will not transfer ink to, the images 18 on the flexible secondary plates 14.
[0170] The relief areas 20 of the flexible secondary plates 14 will not accept ink from the printing plates 4 and may be used to create unique, undecorated areas (or non-inked areas) on the metallic container. The image 18 can include a relief area 20C
that will not receive ink and can also include screened areas 22 that receive less ink than other portions of the image as illustrated in Fig. 4B. Although Figs. 4A, 4B, and 4C
illustrate images 18 surrounded by relief areas 20, it should be understood that an image 18 may be formed on the flexible secondary plate 14 with no relief area surrounding the image 18, as shown in Figs 6A and 6B. Further, it will be understood by one of skill in the art that a relief area 20 can be of any desired size or shape and more than one relief area 20 may be formed on the flexible secondary plate 14.

[0171] After the image 18 has been founed on the face portion 4 of the flexible secondary plate 14, an adhesive transfer tape or adhesive stickyback may be added to the Mylar portion or other backing on the back portion 6 of the flexible secondary plate 14.
Suitable adhesive stickyback is available from a variety of commercial suppliers. In one embodiment, the adhesive stickyback is about 2.0 mil (or about 0.002 inch) thick. In another embodiment, the adhesive stickyback is about 15 mil (or about 0.015 inch) thick.
The flexible secondary plate 14 with the stickyback on the back portion 6 is then attached to the blanket cylinder 32 of the decorator 24.
[0172] Although not illustrated in Figs. 1-4, it will be appreciated by one of skill in the art that one or more of the printing plates 2 and/or the flexible secondary plates 14 may have print registration areas that are used to monitor the registration of different colors or specialty inks printed by different plates 2, 14 to form an image on the metallic container.
For example, print registration areas may be provided on the printing plates 2 and/or the flexible secondary plates 14 to monitor the location and alignment of print content on metallic containers.
[0173] Referring now to Fig. 5, a decorator 24 using flexible secondary plates 14 and specialty inks to form multiple images 18 on metallic containers 34 is illustrated. The decorator 24 includes at least one plate cylinder 26. It will be appreciated that the decorator 24 may have any number of plate cylinders 26. In one embodiment, the decorator 24 includes from about four plate cylinders 26 to about eighteen plate cylinders 26.
[0174] One or more printing plates 2 are attached to each of the plate cylinders 26.
Additionally or alternatively, the printing plate 2 can be a sleeve or cylinder that wraps around a circumference of the plate cylinder 26. The plate cylinders 26 are operable to rotate in a first direction. Inkers 28 with rollers 30 are associated with each plate cylinder 26. The rollers 30 of each inker 28 transfer one color of ink or type of specialty ink to the ink receiving regions 8 of the printing plates 2.
[0175] As discussed herein, specialty inks include, but are not limited to, a thermochromic ink, a photochromic ink, a scented thermochromic ink, a fluorescent ink, a UV ink, a glow-in-the-dark ink, a black light ink, an infrared ink, a phosphorescent ink, a pressure sensitive ink, a tactile ink, a tactile thermochromic ink, a leuco dye, a matte ink, and any other type of ink, dye, or varnish that changes appearance, color, and/or texture in response to temperature changes or exposure to light or pressure. Specialty inks and methods of using them are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,889,560, U.S. Patent No. 5,502,476, U.S.
Patent No. 5,591,255, U.S. Patent No. 5,919,839, U.S. Patent No. 6, 139,779, U.S. Patent No. 6, 174,937, U.S. Patent No. 6, 196,675, U.S. Patent No. 6,309,453, U.S. Patent No. 6,494,950, U.S.
Patent No. 7,810,922, U.S. Patent No. 8,409,698, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2012/0238675, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0075675, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0105743, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0231242, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2012/0315412, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0340885, U.S.
Patent Application Publication 2014/0039091, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0072442, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0187668, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0210201, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0212654, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0272161, and International Publication No. WO 2014/096088.
[0176] A first color of ink or type of specialty ink may be applied to the printing plates 2A of the first plate cylinder 26A and a second color of ink or type of specialty ink may be applied to the printing plates 2B of the second plate cylinder 26B. More colors of ink and types of specialty ink may be used if additional plate cylinders 26 are provided. In one embodiment, the decorator 24 includes from 4 to 18 plate cylinders 26 and from 4 to 18 inkers 28 each operable to apply a different color of ink or type of specialty ink to a predetermined portion of a printing plate 2. In a more preferred embodiment, the decorator 24 includes from 6 to 18 plate cylinders and from 6 to 18 inkers each operable to apply a different color of ink or type of specialty ink to a predetermined portion of a printing plate 2.
[0177] In the example illustrated in Fig. 5, the printing plates 2B of the second plate cylinder 26B
include common content, an image 33 in the form of the letters "Please Recycle,'' in ink receiving regions 8 that will be transferred to all of the flexible secondary plates 14.
However, as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the printing plates 2B do not have to include an image. For example, the printing plates 2B can transfer ink to the flexible secondary plates 14 without transferring an image to the flexible secondary plates 14. Said another way, printing plates 2 may transfer ink without words or other indicia to the flexible secondary plates 14. The first and second plate cylinder 26A, 26B can include printing plates 2 with one or more relief areas 12 and non-ink regions 10.

[0178] In one embodiment, a relief area 12 may be folined in the same location of all of the printing plates 2B affixed to the second plate cylinder 26B. Another portion of the printing plates 2B forms an ink receiving region 8 that may include the image 33. In one embodiment, the image 33 formed on the ink receiving region 8 of printing plates 2B may include text. For example, as illustrated in Fig. 5, an image 33 comprising the letters "Please Recycle" is formed on the ink receiving region 8 of printing plates 2B. It will be appreciated by one of skill in the art that other text or images may be formed on the ink receiving region 8 of printing plates 2B.
[0179] The relief areas 12 formed in the printing plates 2B do not receive ink from the inkers 28B and will not transfer ink to the flexible secondary plates 14. The ink receiving region 8 of the printing plates 2B will receive and may transfer ink to the flexible secondary plates 14. Continuing this example, printing plates 2A affixed to the first plate cylinder 26A may include an ink receiving region 8A. Ink receiving region 8A
may be formed on a predetermined position of the printing plates 2A such that ink placed on region 8A will be transferred to all images 18 of the flexible secondary plates 14 that contact the ink receiving region 8A of the face portion 4 of the printing plates 2A.
[0180] In one embodiment, the ink receiving region 8A of printing plates 2A
aligns with the relief area 12 of printing plates 2B. However, as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, during operation of the decorator 24, the printing plates 2A affixed to plate cylinder 26A do not contact the printing plates 2B affixed to plate cylinder 26B. In another embodiment, the ink receiving region 8A of printing plates 2A aligns with images 18 formed on the flexible secondary plates 14. Accordingly, during operation of the decorator 24, portions of the ink receiving region 8A of printing plates 2A
that contact the flexible secondary plates 14 will transfer at least some ink to the flexible secondary plates 14. Optionally, the ink receiving region 8A of printing plates 2A and the relief area 12 of printing plates 2B may be larger than the images 18 of the flexible secondary plates 14 by a predetermined amount.
[0181] Additionally or alternatively, one or more printing plates 2 can transfer different colors of ink and types of specialty ink to the same location of the flexible secondary plates 14. Thus, different colors of ink and types of specialty ink may be transferred from one or more printing plates 2 to the same location of the flexible secondary plates 14 in overlapping layers.

[0182] The decorator 24 also includes a blanket cylinder 32 to which one or more flexible secondary plates 14 are attached. Optionally, in one embodiment, the position of the flexible secondary plates 14 on the blanket cylinder 32 may be varied by up to a predetermined amount both axially and radially and still align with the ink receiving region 8A of printing plate 2A. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more flexible secondary plates 14 can be a sleeve or cylinder of a photopolymer material or a sleeve of a composition of a saturated chain of polymethylene that wraps around the circumference of the blanket cylinder 32.
[0183] The blanket cylinder 32 rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction of the plate cylinders 26. Each flexible secondary plate 14 may have a different image 18 formed thereon. For example, the flexible secondary plates 14 illustrated in Fig.
include an image 18B of a sports jersey, an image 18C of a star, an image 18D
of an "X," and an image 18E of a lightning bolt formed thereon [0184] The images 18 on the flexible secondary plates 14 can be formed in locations corresponding to, or aligning with, the relief areas 12 of the printing plates 2B and the ink receiving regions 8A of the printing plates 2A. The images 18 of the flexible secondary plates 18 may be negatives (formed by relief areas 20 that will not receive ink) that leave non-inked areas on the decorated metallic container 34. Alternatively, the images 18 may be positives that will receive ink when the images 18 contact one or more ink receiving regions 8 of the printing plates 2 that have received ink from an inker 28.
Examples of a positive image 94 and a negative of the same image 96 transferred to a metallic container 100 using a flexible secondary plate 90 comprised at least in part of a composition including a saturated chain of polymethylene are provided in Figs. 16A - 16C.
[0185] For a flexible secondary plate 14 formed at least partially of a photopolymer material, a positive portion of an image is formed by exposed, hardened areas of the flexible photopolymer plates 14. The positive portions of an image formed on a flexible secondary plate 14 formed at least partially of a composition comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene comprise the portions of the face 4 of a flexible secondary plate 14 that are not removed during the image forming process or areas adapted to attract ink. The images 18 can also include combinations of negative and positive areas. It will be understood by those of skill in the art that a positive image will apply ink to a metallic container 34 and a negative image means an absence of ink in a printed or positive part of an image.

[0186] The plate cylinders 26 rotate in the first direction and the blanket cylinder 32 rotates in the second opposite direction in unison to bring the printing plates 2 into contact with the flexible secondary plates 14. Ink is transferred to the ink receiving regions 16 and images 18 of the flexible secondary plates 14 that contact the inked ink receiving regions 8, 8A of the printing plates 2. The main image exposure occurs on the inked printing plates 2 and a secondary image is produced by the flexible secondary plates 14. The flexible secondary plates 14 may have ink receiving regions 16 that are common for all of the flexible secondary plates 14. The areas where images 18 are formed on the flexible secondary plates, such as the images 18A, 18B illustrated in Figs. 4A and 4B, will create unique inked areas for each flexible secondary plate 14. The process is similar to a stamp ink pad and rubber stamp where only the raised portion of the rubber stamp collects ink from the ink pad and transfers the ink to a substrate as an image Relief areas 20, if present, of the flexible secondary plates 14 will not receive ink from the printing plates 2.
Only the images 18 and/or the ink receiving regions 16 of the flexible secondary plates 14 will receive ink from the printing plates 2 and transfer the ink onto the surface of the metallic containers 34. By using flexible secondary plates 14 with different images 18 formed thereon a completely different image 18 will be printed on each metallic container 34. This results in multiple lithographic images being produced from a single set of printing plates 2 on the plate cylinders 26 of the decorator 24. The process uses high-definition solid and screened images 18 formed on the flexible secondary plates 14 resulting in unique ink transfer to metallic containers 34.
[0187] In operation, a metallic container 34 is fed to a support cylinder 38 by a conveyor 36 or other means from a storage location or facility 42. The support cylinder 38 has a plurality of stations 40 adapted to receive and hold a metallic container 34 in a predetermined position aligned with the flexible secondary plates 14. The stations 40 can hold the metallic containers 34 in a stationary position and can also rotate the metallic containers 34 about each container's longitudinal axis. As the blanket cylinder 32 rotates in the second direction, the flexible secondary plates 14 rotate into a predetermined alignment with respect to the printing plates 2 affixed to the plate cylinders 26. The flexible secondary plates 14 receive at least some ink by contacting printing plates 2A, 2B
of each plate cylinder 26A, 26B.
[0188] The blanket cylinder 32 continues to rotate in the second direction and the support cylinder 38 rotates in unison in the first direction to bring an exterior surface 44 of the metallic container 34 into rotational contact with an inked flexible secondary plate 14 attached to the blanket cylinder 32. The ink is then transferred from the flexible secondary plate 14 to the exterior surface 44 of the metallic container 34. Although a support cylinder 38 is illustrated in Fig. 5, it should be understood that other means of supporting the metallic containers 34 and bringing the exterior surface 44 of them into contact with the flexible secondary plates 14 may be used, such as a mandrel wheel or a conveyor belt.
[0189] After the ink is transferred to the metallic container 34, a varnish unit 48 may optionally apply an over varnish to the metallic container 34. The over varnish may comprise a specialty ink. If necessary, the ink and/or the over varnish may be cured by a curing unit 50 by any method known to those of skill in the art. In one embodiment, the curing unit 50 may use one or more of thermal energy, ultraviolet energy, and an electron beam to cure the ink and/or the over varnish on the metallic container 34.
[0190] Two decorated metallic containers 34A, 34B are also illustrated in Fig.
5. The decorated metallic containers 34 each include a common image 33 of "Please Recycle"
which is transferred from the printing plate 2B. Container 34A includes unique content, the image 18B of a sports jersey, and container 34B includes a unique image 18C of a star.
In one embodiment, the images 18B, 18C are each formed of a first ink received from the ink receiving area 8A of printing plates 2A affixed to the first plate cylinder 26A. The common image 33 on each container 34A, 34B is formed of a second ink received from the printing plates 2B affixed to the second plate cylinder 26B. It will be appreciated by one of skill in the art that at least one of the first ink and the second ink may comprise a specialty ink as described herein.
[0191] Decorators 24 used in the commercial metallic container industry generally have blanket cylinders 32 with between about 4 to 12 individual flexible secondary plates 14 attached. When each of the 4 to 12 individual flexible secondary plates 14 has a unique image 18 formed thereon, the decorator 24 can produce from 4 to 12 different lithographic images without changing the printing plates 2. The present invention will work with a blanket cylinder 32 with any number of flexible secondary plates 14 attached to its circumference. For example, in one embodiment the blanket cylinder 32 includes from about 4 to 24 different flexible secondary plates 14. In addition, although the flexible secondary plates 14 are illustrated in Fig. 5 as individual secondary plates, in some embodiments the blanket cylinder 32 may have one continuous blanket of a photopolymer material or a composition comprising at least in part a saturated chain of polymethylene affixed to its circumference, the continuous blanket having multiple unique images 18 formed thereon. In another embodiment, one or more flexible secondary plates comprised at least partially of a saturated chain of polymethylene and one or more flexible secondary plates 14 comprised at least partially of a photopolymer material may be attached to the blanket cylinder 32 at the same time. Each of the flexible secondary plates 14 may have one or more different images 18 formed thereon. In another embodiment, printing plates 2 formed of composition including a saturated chain of polymethylene or a soft photopolymer material may be attached to one or more of the plate cylinders 26. Each of the printing plates 2 comprised of a saturated chain of polymethylene or the photopolymer printing plates 2 may have one or more ink receiving regions 8, non-ink regions 10, and relief areas 12 that form an image 33.
[0192] Referring now to Fig. 6A, a photograph of a flexible secondary plate comprised of a photopolymer material is provided. The flexible secondary plate includes an image 18 of a sports jersey with the number "92" formed thereon according to various embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 6B is an enlarged photograph of the image 18 of Fig. 6A. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs 6A and 6B, the image 18 is not surrounded by a relief area.
[0193] Referring now to Fig. 7A, a photograph of a generally cylindrical metallic container 34F decorated according to various embodiments of the present invention with the flexible secondary plate 14F shown in Fig. 6A is provided. Fig. 7B is an enlarged portion of the photograph of Fig. 7A. The photographs show a generally cylindrical metallic container 34F decorated with an image 18 of a sports jersey which includes the number "92" formed in a non-inked portion 46 (or negative) of the decoration.
Other numbers, shapes, words, or designs could be formed to decorate a substrate using the present invention.
[0194] Referring now to Fig. 8, a photograph of another flexible secondary plate 52 with two images 54, 55 formed thereon according to various embodiments of the present invention is provided. The flexible secondary plate 52 is comprised of a photopolymer material. More specifically, the flexible secondary plate 52 includes an image 54 of a face of a child and an image 56 of a portion of a woman's face. The flexible secondary plate 52 was photographed after receiving at least two different inks from printing plates 2. The inks were subsequently transferred to a metallic container 34. Accordingly, the ink receiving region 58 of the flexible secondary plate 52 includes portions 60, 62, 64, and 65 that include dried ink received from printing plates 2 of a decorator 24. The first portion 60 includes dried blue ink comprising inverted letters and a blue recycle symbol. The second portion 62 includes blue ink comprising inverted letters and numbers comprising "16oz". The third portion 64 includes a square filled with blue ink and white ink of inverted letters comprising "Ball". The fourth portion 65 includes white ink of inverted letters comprising "eat. drink. imagine."
[0195] Referring now to Fig. 9, a photograph of a generally cylindrical metallic container 66 decorated according to various embodiments of the present invention using the flexible secondary plate 52 of Fig. 8 is shown. More specifically, the metallic container 66 includes images 54, 56 of the face of the child and the portion of the woman's face transferred from the flexible secondary plate 52. The metallic container 34G also includes a negative image 68 comprising in part the text "TEST IMAGE

FACES." The negative image 68 is formed on the metallic container 66 by letters comprising a relief area in a portion of blanket 52. The relief area do not receive ink from any printing plates 2. However, the relief area that formed image 66 is not visible in the photograph of flexible secondary plate 52 photographed in Fig. 8.
[0196] Figs. 10A, 10B provide enlarged photographs of the first image 54 of the child's face and the second image 56 of the portion of the woman's face formed on the metallic container 66 shown in Fig. 9. In addition, a portion of the recycle symbol comprised of blue ink transferred from the first portion 60 of the ink receiving 58 of flexible secondary plate 52 is visible in Fig. 10A.
[0197] Referring now to Fig. 11, another photograph of a flexible secondary plate 70 comprised of a photopolymer material is provided. The flexible secondary plate 70 is devoid of a backing or adhesive layer. More specifically, the photograph of Fig. 11 was taken from the back through the back portion 6 of the flexible secondary plate 70. This illustrates that the flexible secondary plates of the present invention may be formed of a monolithic material in contrast to prior art printing blankets (illustrated in Figs. 17A, 17B) A black sheet 72 was placed under the flexible secondary plate 70 (against the face portion of the flexible secondary plate) to provide contrast for the photograph. The black sheet 72 forms no part of the present invention and is not used with the flexible secondary plate 70 during the decoration of containers.
[0198] Two images 74, 76 have been formed on the face portion of the flexible secondary plate 70. The first image 74 is of a dog and the second image 76 is of a feline.

The images 74, 76 are reversed in the photograph of Fig. 11 because, as mentioned above, the photograph is taken from the back portion 6 of the flexible secondary plate 70.
[0199] Referring now to Fig. 12, a photograph of a metallic container 78 decorated using the flexible secondary plate 70 of Fig. 11 is provided. The metallic container 78 includes images 74, 76 formed by ink received from the images 74, 76 of flexible secondary plate 70.
[0200] Referring now to Fig. 13, still another photograph of a flexible secondary plate 80 comprised of a photopolymer material is provided. A variety of images have been formed on a face portion 4 of the flexible secondary plate 80. A backing material 82 has been affixed to the back portion of the flexible secondary plate 80 for contrast. The backing material 82 is not part of the present invention and is not used with the flexible secondary plate 80 during decoration of metallic containers. One image 84 of a building and city skyline are formed in three different sizes.
[0201] Referring now to Figs. 14A, 14B, photographs of a metallic container 88 decorated using the flexible secondary plate 80 of Fig. 13 are provided. More specifically, the images 84A, 84B, 84C are shown formed on the exterior surface of the metallic container by ink received from flexible secondary plate 80.
[0202] Referring now to Figs. 15A, 15B, two different photographs of a flexible secondary plate 90 comprised of a composition including at least in part a saturated chain of polymethylene are provided. Two images 94, 96 of the same woman have been formed on a face portion 4 of the flexible secondary plate 90. Image 94 is a negative of image 96.
[0203] A depth scale 98 has also been formed in the face portion 4 of the flexible secondary plate 90. The depth scale 98 shows a relative depth of rubber material that has been removed from the face portion 4. The amount of rubber material removed from the face portion 4 increases from very little material removed proximate to portion 98A of depth scale 98 to a large amount of material removed proximate to portion 98B
of depth scale 98. Accordingly, portion 98A (which is difficult to distinguish in the photographs of Figs. 15A, 15B) is about parallel to a plane formed by the face portion 4 and will receive and transfer a larger amount of ink than portion 98B of depth scale 98.
[0204] Referring now to Figs. 16A - 16C photographs of a metallic container decorated using the flexible secondary plate 90 of Fig. 15 are provided. The metallic container 100 includes a base coat 102 of white ink which is most visible on the portion of the metallic container 100 shown in Fig. 16C associated with depth scale portion 98B.

Said another way, the white ink of the base coat 102 is most visible on portions of the metallic container 100 that received little or no ink from the flexible secondary plate 90. The metallic container 100 has been decorated by black ink received from ink receiving regions 16 and images 94, 96 of the flexible secondary plate 90 that contacted the exterior surface of the metallic container 100.
[0205] Referring now to Figs. 17A and 17B, photographs of a prior art printing blanket 106 comprised of known materials are shown. Fig. 17A is a top plan view of the printing blanket 106.
Images, including an image 108 of a woman, have been formed in the face portion of the printing blanket 106. As shown in Fig. 17B, which is an angled side elevation view of the printing blanket 106, printing blanket 106 is comprised of several layers of different materials in contrast to the flexible secondary plates of the current invention, shown, for example, in the cross-sectional side elevation view of Fig. 4C. Some prior art printing blankets are formed of four or more layers.
[0206] The printing blanket 106 generally comprises a face portion 110, a first fabric layer 112, a compressible layer 114, and a second fabric layer 116. A paper backing 118 covering an adhesive material is also shown pulled away from the second fabric layer 116 for clarity. A schematic side elevation view of the layers 110, 112, 114, and 116 of the printing blanket 106 is provided in Fig.
17C.
[0207] The face portion 110 comprises a relatively thin rubber material that is different than the material of the flexible secondary plates comprising a saturated chain of polymethlene of the present invention. In one prior art printing blanket 106, the face portion 110 comprises Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR). As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, NBR
is a family of unsaturated copolymers of 2-propenenitrile and various butadiene monomers (1,2-butadiene and 1,3 -butadiene). NBR is also known as Buna-N, Perbunan acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, Nipol 0, Krynac and Europrene t.
[0208] More significantly, the material of the face portion 110 melts relatively easily and does not enable the formation of fine dot images requires to produce a high-definition lithographic image on a metallic container. In addition, compared to the homogeneous of the flexible secondary plates 14, 52, 70, 80, and 90 of the present invention, the prior art printing blanket 106 of Fig. 17 is comprised of several different materials arranged in discrete layers 110 -116. As the face portion 110 is relatively thin, the depth of an image that may be formed in the printing blanket 106 is limited compared to the homogeneous flexible secondary plates of the present invention. Said another way, the comparative thinness of the face portion 110 limits the depth of material that may be removed from the printing blanket 106 to form images.
[0209] The layers of a prior art printing blanket are described in a document entitled "Blanket for Offset Printing," (hereinafter "Offset Printing"). According to Offset Printing, "The offset blanket surface structure, profile, and hardness are extremely important and contribute significantly to the printing performance of an offset blanket. . . . It is not an easy task to develop a suitable rubber compound for the printing surface of an offset blanket utilized for high quality offset printing. The difficulty is due to the conflicting chemical and mechanical requirements which can be found during the printing operation."
[0210] Referring now to Fig. 18, photographs of a metallic container 120 decorated using the printing blanket 106 of Fig. 17 are provided. The image 108 in Fig. 18B
includes notable dots and less detail compared to the high resolution and detail of images 54, 56 of Fig. 10 and images 94, 96 of Fig. 16 produced used flexible secondary plates of the present invention.
[0211] Photographs of another metallic container 122 decorated with a prior art printing blanket are provided in Fig. 19. Images 124 formed on the container 122 also do not have the amount of detail and clarity of images produced using flexible secondary plates of the present invention.
[0212] The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the invention to the form disclosed.
Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiments described and shown in the figures were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention.
[0213] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention, as set forth in the following claims. Further, the invention(s) described herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of "including,"
"comprising,"
or "having" and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of using a flexible secondary plate in a printing process to decorate an exterior surface of a metallic container, comprising:
forming a first image on a predetermined portion of a face portion of the flexible secondary plate by removing at least some of the face portion in a laser engraving process, wherein the face portion is comprised of a saturated chain of polymethylene;
removably affixing the flexible secondary plate with the first image onto a blanket cylinder of a decorator;
attaching a printing plate to a plate cylinder of the decorator;
applying an ink from an inker to the printing plate;
transferring at least some of the ink from the printing plate to at least a portion of the flexible secondary plate; and transferring the ink from the flexible secondary plate to the exterior surface of the metallic container, wherein the metallic container is decorated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible secondary plate is formed of a non-laminated material.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein flexible secondary plate is comprised of a single layer of a material comprising the saturated chain of polymethylene.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ink comprises one of a thermochromic ink, a photochromic ink, a scented thermochromic ink, a fluorescent ink, a UV ink, a black light ink, an infrared ink, a phosphorescent ink, a pressure sensitive ink, a tactile ink, a thermo-tactile ink, a leuco dye, and a matte ink.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the saturated chain of polymethylene is an M-class rubber.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the saturated chain of polymethylene is one of an ethylene propylene diene monomer and an ethylene propylene rubber.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image formed on the flexible secondary plate has a depth of from 0.0009 inch to 0.089 inch.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible secondary plate is affixed to a cylindrical surface when the first image is formed.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
attaching a second printing plate to a second plate cylinder of the decorator, the second printing plate including a relief area that aligns with the first image of the flexible secondary plate;
applying a second ink from a second inker to the second printing plate, wherein the second ink is a different type or color of ink than the ink applied by the inker;
transferring at least some of the second ink from the second printing plate to a second portion of the flexible secondary plate, and wherein the second printing plate does not transfer the second ink to the first image of the flexible secondary plate;
and transferring the ink and the second ink from the flexible secondary plate to the exterior surface of the metallic container, wherein the first image includes at least some of the ink.

10. An apparatus for forming a high-definition lithographic image on an exterior surface of a metallic container, comprising:
a plate cylinder;
a printing plate attached to a circumference of the plate cylinder;
an inker operable to transfer an ink to the printing plate;
a blanket cylinder;
a flexible secondary plate affixed to the blanket cylinder, the flexible secondary plate having a face portion comprised of a saturated chain of polymethylene that includes an image formed by a laser engraving process, wherein the blanket cylinder is operable to move the flexible secondary plate into contact with the printing plate such that the ink is transferred from the printing plate to the image of the flexible secondary plate; and a support cylinder, operable to move the metallic container into contact with the flexible secondary plate affixed to the blanket cylinder, wherein the ink is transferred from the flexible secondary plate to the metallic container to form the high-definition lithographic image on the exterior surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the flexible secondary plate is formed of a non-laminated material.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein flexible secondary plate is comprised of a single layer of a material comprising the saturated chain of polymethylene.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the flexible secondary plate is affixed to a cylindrical surface when the image is formed.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is a dry offset lithographic decorator.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the saturated chain of polymethylene is one of: (i) an M-class rubber; (ii) an ethylene propylene diene monomer; and (iii) an ethylene propylene rubber.

16. A flexible secondary plate adapted to form a high-definition lithographic image on an exterior surface of a metallic container in a printing process, the flexible secondary plate comprising:
a plate body of a predetermined size, the plate body formed of a single layer of material comprising a saturated chain of polymethylene and having a face portion and a back portion, wherein the back portion is adapted to be removably attached to a blanket cylinder of a decorator, and wherein an image is formed on the face portion by removing some of the material comprising the saturated chain of polymethylene.

17. The flexible secondary plate of claim 16, wherein the saturated chain of polymethylene is one of an M-class rubber, an ethylene propylene diene monomer, and an ethylene propylene rubber.

18. The flexible secondary plate of claim 16, wherein the flexible secondary plate is formed of a non-laminated material.

19. The flexible secondary plate of claim 16, wherein an image is formed on the face portion of the flexible secondary plate by a direct laser engraving process.

20. The flexible secondary plate of claim 19, wherein the flexible secondary plate is affixed to a cylindrical surface when the image is formed.

21. The flexible secondary plate of claim 17, wherein the flexible secondary plate consists of the ethylene propylene diene monomer.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible secondary plate consists of a single layer of an ethylene propylene diene monomer.

23. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flexible secondary plate consists of a single layer of an ethylene propylene diene monomer.