Platen and release fluid control system for stencil creation
AssigneeDuralChrome AG
InventorsJohn Cecil Harwell, Shlomo Hermon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A direct to mesh (DtM) screen printer for creating a screen stencil is provided. The DtM screen printer includes a fixture to hold a frame. which holds a pre-stretched mesh in place during application of a jettable emulsion. a platen having a cavity and an array of holes in a top surface of the platen, a non-woven fabric placed on the top surface of the platen and saturated with a release fluid located against one side of the pre-stretched mesh, and a printer carriage supporting a print head for printing the jettable emulsion on a side of the pre-stretched mesh opposite the non-woven fabric.
Claims20
A direct to mesh screen printer for creating a screen stencil onto a pre-stretched mesh, comprising:
- a platen having a cavity and a top surface perforated with an array of holes, the cavity arranged to hold a release fluid to be dispensed through the array of holes;
- a non-woven fabric arranged to be placed on the top surface to receive the release fluid dispensed through the array of holes to form an evenly distributed release fluid layer against one side of the pre-stretched mesh;
- and
- a release fluid control system for dispensing the release fluid into the cavity of the platen and form the release fluid layer.
A process using a direct to mesh screen printer for creating a screen stencil onto a pre-stretched mesh, the process comprising steps of:
- providing a platen having a cavity and a top surface perforated with an array of holes, the cavity arranged to hold a release fluid to be dispensed through the array of holes;
- placing a non-woven fabric on the top surface;
- dispensing the release fluid into the cavity of the platen such that the release fluid passes through the holes and saturates the non-woven fabric to form an evenly distributed release fluid layer on top of the non-woven fabric;
- and
- bringing the platen and the mesh together such that the release fluid in the release fluid layer wets an underside of the pre-stretched mesh.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.