The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 12, 2010
Filed:
Nov. 11, 2006
Lloyd Douglas Clark, San Francisco, CA (US);
Brian a Brown, San Francisco, CA (US);
Lloyd Douglas Clark, San Francisco, CA (US);
Brian A Brown, San Francisco, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A pad printing system comprises, in one aspect, a flexible pad () with a front surface (). One or more applicator heads () applies one or more substances, including inks, paints, coatings, decals, water, varnish, solvents, catalysts, adhesives, and the like, to the front surface of the pad. The various substances can be applied in layers in any order. During or after application of the substance, applicator heads () optionally apply treatments, such as radiative energy, gas, humidity, and the like, to the substance being applied. All components of the system are under the control of a controller () that derives information about the image to be printed from an image source (). After an image and any overlying or underlying coatings are applied, the surface of the pad is urged into contact with a receiving object, whereupon the image and coatings are transferred from the pad to the receiving object. The pad is flat during application of substances to the pad. It is optionally bulged prior to transfer of the substances to the receiving surface.