Anyway, to answer your question OP, I just looked on both my iPhone (4s) and iPad (3) and the images seem to be the same. You should be able to use them interchangeably.
Your own explanation indicates what they meant was not icon badges but the icon badges IMAGE file, presumably so they can copy the file between devices.
People need to be able to compose an understandable English sentence if they want help.
Anyway, to answer your question OP, I just looked on both my iPhone (4s) and iPad (3) and the images seem to be the same. You should be able to use them interchangeably.
I agree. It is clearly my fault that people, who have both devices and who could have answered their own question, start threads with a post that doesn't even qualify as a text message.