Patent ID: 8356552
Filing Date: 2013-01-22
Classification: B41F,B41J

Abstract:
1. A surface-tracking, rotary pad printing system for printing onto a surface of an object, comprising: a controller for operating said surface-tracking, rotary pad printing system, an image source for providing an image, a pad, said pad being rotatably mounted, a motive source responsive to said controller that causes said pad to rotate, a load cell connected to said pad and arranged to sense horizontal and vertical force components against said pad and arranged to supply a signal representative of said horizontal and vertical force components to said controller, a source of ink, an ink applicator connected to said source of ink and said controller and said image source, said ink applicator being arranged to apply ink from said source of ink in the form of a representation of said image directly onto said pad, an actuator connected to said controller and arranged to urge said pad against said surface of said object with a constant normal force and thereby causing said pad to remain in contact with said surface of said object as said pad rotates, said controller arranged to receive said signal representative of said horizontal and vertical force components from said load cell, said controller containing instructions that cause said force components to actuate said motive source and said actuator in a predetermined fashion so that said pad remains in constant contact with said surface of said object while said pad rotates, said ink being arranged to adhere preferentially to said surface of said object rather than said pad, so that said ink transfers from said pad to said surface of said object at the region of contact between said pad and said surface of said object and adheres to said object, whereby said ink applicator applies said image to said pad while said pad rotates in contact with said surface, and said image is transferred from said pad to said surface of said object as said pad rotates in contact with said surface of said object in a single transfer step, thereby printing said image onto said surface of said object without multiple transfers.