Patent ID: 7267737

Claim:
A method of simultaneously applying preselected dye images to several surfaces of at least one three dimensional object comprising: providing at least one three dimensional object having an outer plastic surface to receive an image, said three dimensional object having a top surface and a plurality of side surfaces adjacent to and not co-planar with said top surface; placing a flexible image carrier sheet in registration over said three dimensional object, said image carrier sheet having at least one dye image printed thereon, wherein said dye image is the mirror image of said preselected dye image; lowering a resilient flexible membrane over said three dimensional object and said image carrier sheet; establishing a vacuum under said membrane to cause said flexible image carrier sheet to conform into pressurized communication with said top surface and said side surfaces of said three dimensional objects; providing an array of radiation emitters wherein said array is configured in substantially a U-shape to direct radiation toward said top and said side surfaces of the three dimensional object; and heating said membrane, said image carrier sheet and said three dimensional object in a uniform fashion with said array of radiation emitters to cause said preselected dye image to transfer from said image carrier sheet onto said top surface and said side surfaces of said three dimensional object in a uniform manner.