Importance

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Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for depositing a substance onto an article are disclosed, including apparatuses and methods of directly printing on and/or decorating three-dimensional articles, as well as the articles printed and/or decorated thereby. The apparatuses include a conveyor having at least a first station and a second station thereon or adjacent thereto. There is a first substance deposition device located at the first station and a second device, such as a functional device, located at the second station. The apparatus and method are such that at least at the first station where the first substance deposition device is located, a cycle of at least two intra-station movements occur between the article and the deposition device. The relative motion between the article and deposition device may be substantially in translation. The substance deposition device may deposit a substance on the article in an array during the intra-station movements to form different portions of a predetermined pattern.

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First Claim