Patent ID: 7520217

Claim:
A printing system for printing onto a deformable article, said printing system comprising: a support structure; a pressure platen supported by said support structure that supports thereon a deformable article in preparation for printing thereon; an image transfer medium having an ink image configured to be positioned contiguous with a surface of said article, and to sublimate a printed image onto said surface; an actuatable, deformable pressure applicator supported by said support structure in a position relative to said pressure platen and configured to conform and apply even pressure to a surface of said article, and to force an opposing surface of said article, under heat, against said pressure platen, said pressure applicator also being configured to cause said image transfer medium to conform to said surface such that substantially all of said ink image is caused to be in contact with at least a portion of said surface; and means for heating said pressure platen to effectuate conductive heat transfer to said deformable article to cause at least a portion of said article to undergo inelastic deformation and conform to said pressure platen, and to effectuate said sublimation of said ink image to said surface to form said image, said means for heating providing progressive heating of said deformable article from said opposing surface in contact with said pressure platen to said surface to optimize heat exposure about and prevent damage to said surface.