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:
Sep. 16, 2014
Filed:
May. 31, 2012
Todd Skakal, Lancaster, NY (US);
William Elliott, Alden, NY (US);
Daniel Destino, North Tonawanda, NY (US);
Doug Samuel, North Reading, MA (US);
Todd Skakal, Lancaster, NY (US);
William Elliott, Alden, NY (US);
Daniel Destino, North Tonawanda, NY (US);
Doug Samuel, North Reading, MA (US);
Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, IL (US);
Abstract
A support assembly includes a lid, a plug body, and a conduit. The lid engages a target object having an exterior surface on which an image is to be printed. The plug body is disposed in an interior volume of the target object when the lid is engaged with the target object. The plug body engages an interior surface of the target object to form a sealed chamber inside the target object. The conduit extends through the lid to an orifice disposed between the lid and the plug body. The conduit delivers a pressurizing fluid into the sealed chamber in order to increase a pressure inside the sealed chamber in the target object. The pressure inside the sealed chamber provides a resistive force that prevents the exterior surface of the target object from changing shape when the image is printed on the exterior surface of the target object.