The present invention relates to a marking machine for marking articles, this machine comprising: a marking head including a support and at least one punch fitted with a flat pattern plate; and a positioning system configured to position the article with respect to the punch. The marking machine is characterized in that the punch has rotational mobility about an axis of rotation that is fixed with respect to the support. The invention also relates to a method of operating such a marking machine.

A pad printing machine (1) to print an object (8) in at least two stages, said machine comprising at least one printing pad (6) to print said object and at least two printing plate zones (10) within each of which a printing plate (14) may be moved into the desired position, the pad printing machine furthermore comprising an image recorder (44) generating an image of at least a partial area of at least one printing plate zone (10), and a comparator (46) to compare the image generated by said recorder (44) with reference data.

A printing pad machine that can print a 360 degree image on a cylindrical object. That objective is achieved by modifying a conventional printing pad machine having a support member—interconnected to an overhead gantry—and an adjustable and moveable actuator system and power source.

A printing pad machine that can print a 360 degree image on a cylindrical object. That objective is achieved by modifying a conventional printing pad machine having a support member—interconnected to an overhead gantry—and an adjustable and moveable actuator system and power source. The modifications include using a single angled print pad having a contact wall having a first height, a lower wall having a second height that is less than the first height, an angled surface interconnecting the contact wall's distal end and the lower wall's distal end, and a base wall (a) interconnecting the contact wall's proximal end and the lower wall's proximal end and (b) connectable to a base. Another modification includes a flexion-extension hinge positioned between (a) the support member and the base or (b) the support member and the overhead gantry and controlled by the adjustable and moveable actuator system and power source. That objective can be accomplished with the conventional printing pad machine using the single angled print pad. Both objectives can also be accomplished by adding ridges to the single angled print pad.

The invention relates to a pad printing instrument comprising an ink supply system capable of control the temperature, viscosity and colorant concentration of an ink in an ink cup. Such controls are achieved by continuously adding and mixing a cold ink having a composition identical to the ink in the ink cup but having a lower temperature. The continuous addition of a small amount of a cold ink into the ink cup could compensate heat generated by the friction between the ink cup and a cliché and could minimize the evaporation of a diluent in the ink and change in the concentration of colorants in the ink and ink viscosity. The invention also relates to use of a pad printing instrument comprising an ink supply system of the invention for producing colored hydrogel or silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

A method of marking a fiber-based product includes providing a heat stamp apparatus including a heating element thermally coupled to a stamping block and a temperature sensor thermally coupled to the stamping block. The system further includes a platen bearing an embossed pattern. Marking is accomplished by heating the stamping element to a predetermined temperature via the heating element and information acquired from the temperature sensor, then bringing the embossed pattern in relation to the surface of the fiber-based product (e.g., via direct contact and compression or simply very close to the surface) to form at least one of a corresponding three-dimensional contour and charred surface region.

A stamp tool holding device capable of holding a stamp tool while keeping a stamp surface of the stamp tool clean, a stamp tool positioning device that easily positions a stamp tool with respect to a transport head, a multi-element transfer device for efficiently transferring a transport object element such as an element using a stamp tool, and a method of manufacturing an element array using the same, wherein the stamp tool holding device has an installation stage on which a stamp tool is detachably installed. The installation stage has an installation surface on which a housing recess for accommodating a stamp layer of the stamp tool is formed, and a suction hole capable of detachably adsorbing a part of the stamp tool located around the stamp layer is formed on the installation surface.

An apparatus for printing on spherically symmetrical objects configured to secure a plurality of spherically symmetrical objects between detents at once comprising a driving assembly, followed by a baseplate driving end, followed by a spherically symmetrical object, followed by several ball-cup assemblies enclosing the spherically symmetrical objects, followed by a ball-release assembly, enclosed by a baseplate holder end, mounted to a baseplate with a quick release system supporting. The apparatus is developed to interface with a rotary rack to allow for the rotation of the spherically symmetrical objects by way of converting the linear motion of a flatbed printer to rotational motion in the detents to which the spherically symmetrical objects are held. Additionally, a spring of appropriate stiffness is used to form a rigid rod of the respective spherically symmetrical objects within the confines of the cupping assemblies allowing for incremental printing, and release, of enclosed objects.

A printing pad (2) having a double structure comprising a roughly quadrangular pyramid-shaped elastic body (2a) and a coating layer (2d) which covers a definite range of a side face (2b) including an apex (2c) of the elastic body (2a), wherein said elastic body (2a) and the coating layer (2d) contain a silicone oil to ensure ink transfer (receiving and delivering) and impart elasticity (flexibility), and the coating layer (2d) is made harder (i.e., containing the silicone oil in a smaller amount) than the elastic body (2a).

A method for fabricating a composite timepiece or jewellery component: a base is made in a substrate with an apparent surface remaining visible; each visible apparent surface is mirror polished; each polished apparent surface is coated with a first transparent or coloured semi-transparent layer of a first material in a dry process, or PVD or CVD or ALD process, or lacquering or zapon varnish process; a decorative element is affixed and bonded to an external surface of the first layer; the first layer and each decorative element is coated with a second layer of a transparent treatment material in a dry process, or PVD or CVD or ALD process, or lacquering or zapon varnish process.