Patent ID: 7866260

Claim:
An apparatus for rotary pad printing of an image onto an object, comprising: an ink applicator having a predetermined length and is capable of applying an ink image, a rotary pad with a deformable surface that is capable of assuming a bulged shape, means for rotating said rotary pad so that a portion of said surface of said rotary pad is adjacent said ink applicator at a first time and adjacent said object at a second time, first shaping means for temporarily shaping said portion of said surface of said rotary pad while said portion of said surface of said rotary pad is adjacent said ink applicator so that said portion of said surface of said rotary pad adjacent said ink applicator is substantially parallel to and equidistant from said ink applicator along the length of said ink applicator, means for causing said ink applicator to apply said ink image directly to said portion of said surface of said rotary pad while said portion of said surface of said rotary pad is adjacent said ink applicator, second shaping means for causing said portion of said surface of said rotary pad to assume said bulged shape, means for urging said portion of said surface of said rotary pad against said object while said portion of said surface of said rotary pad has said bulged shape, whereby said ink image can be applied to said portion of said surface of said rotary pad while said portion of said surface of said rotary pad is adjacent said ink applicator and then said portion of said surface of said rotary pad can be brought into contact with said object while said portion of said surface of said rotary pad has said bulged shape, thereby transferring said ink image to said object.