Printing blanket

A printing blanket comprising:

• a printing surface configured for pressing against a printing plate on which an ink is placed and against a printing-applied surface that is a target of printing, wherein the printing surface is deformed from an un-deformed configuration to a deformed configuration when the printing surface is pressed against the printing-applied surface;
• an inner layer to which a pressing force is applied when the printing surface is pressed against the printing plate or the printing-applied surface;
• and
• an outer layer disposed, on a side on which the printing surface is disposed, in contact with the inner layer,
• the outer layer having a lower Asker C hardness than the inner layer, wherein, with the printing surface in the un-deformed configuration, the inner layer has, on a side thereof in contact with the outer layer, a mold surface in contact with the outer layer having a concavity to facilitate printing on a protrusion that protrudes from a flat portion of the printing-applied surface, the printing blanket being configured and arranged such that, with the printing surface pressed against the printing applied surface in the deformed configuration, a distance from an upper surface of the protrusion to an upper surface of the cavity in the mold surface directly above the upper surface of the protrusion is substantially the same as a distance from the flat portion of the printing-applied surface to a flat portion of the mold surface directly above the flat portion of the printing-applied surface whereas, with the printing surface in the undeformed configuration and not pressed against the printing applied surface, a distance from the printing surface to the upper surface of the concavity in the mold surface is greater than a distance from the printing surface to the flat portion of the mold surface.