Pressurized pad for printing three-dimensional spherical or curved objects

A process for printing a three dimensional surface of an object by means of a deformable pad having a half spherical shape and being supplied with compressed air through an opening, comprising the steps of:

• first pressing the pad in an open circuit against an initially inked surface, whereupon the half spherical surface of the pad, which is in close contact with the inked surface, is flattened so that the figures to be printed are transferred on the surface of the pad, said open circuit comprising an additional separate inlet and outlet of air with a pressure regulating unit to maintain the pressure in the pad at least at a preset level P,
• subsequently removing said pad from the initially inked surface in order to enable it to recover its initial half spherical form again,
• subsequently pressing said pad against the three-dimensional surface in such a way that said pad encompasses at least a spherical or curved part of said object, and
• bringing the pad surface bearing the inked figure into contact with the surface of said object thereby to transfer this inked figure on the desired spherical or curved part of the receiving object.