Patent ID: 6467413
Filing Date: 2002-10-22
Classification: A44C,B41F

Abstract:
A method for pad-printing a substantially cylindrical chip having opposing faces and a side, said method comprising:forming a first decoration, including a section for at least a portion of said side of said chip; radially deforming said section to form a second decoration; providing an ink plate with said second decoration; moving a pad coaxially into contact with said ink plate such that said second decoration transfers to said pad; and moving said pad coaxially into contact with said chip such that said second decoration transfers to said side to print said section on said side; wherein a contraction coefficient of said radially deforming is determined, for a given straight-sided chip and a given pad, by marking a chip model using a positioning ink plate centered on an axis of the chip, the positioning ink plate bearing a pattern comprising closely-spaced concentric circles.