US 11,999,178 B2
Closed-loop feedback printing system
Michael W. Miller, Erie, CO (US); and Adam P. S. Stowitts, Arvada (CO)
Assigned to BALL COPORATION, Westminster (CO)
Appl. No. 17/421,625
Filed by BALL CORPORATION, Westminster (CO)
PCT Filed Jan. 10, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/013048
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 8, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/146713, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 16, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/791,129, filed on Jan. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0126599 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. B41J 29/38 (2006.01); B41J 3/407 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 3/40733 (2020.08) [B41J 29/38 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for decorating multiple containers in a single manufacturing run, the system comprising:
a decorator, the decorator comprising:
a source of ink; and
a print site,
wherein an ink graphic is deposited to each container in a plurality of containers that make up a manufacturing queue at the print site;
an inspection station upstream from the decorator, the inspection station performing an evaluation of at least one manufacturing variable associated with at least one process upstream from the decorator on at least one container in the plurality of containers that make up the manufacturing queue;
a closed-loop feedback responsive to the evaluation performed at the inspection station wherein an automatic adjustment to the decorator to at least one decorator parameter is made in response to the evaluation performed at the inspection station; and
one or more processors in communication with the inspection station and the decorator, the one or more processors controlling an analysis of the evaluation against a pre-determined manufacturing tolerance and a response to the evaluation by the decorator.