Screen-printing frame
OwnerJohn O. H. Niswongerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for attaching mesh to a frame and applying tension to the mesh is described. The system includes a locking strip slot in a movable frame member that permits mesh and an attached locking strip to be inserted into the slot from the top. The locking strip may be asymmetric. The system further includes a rigid frame that can hold the movable frame member under tension. The system also includes gripping the movable frame member at the locking strip slot to apply tension to the mesh. A simple hand tool may be used for engaging the locking strip slot and leveraging against the rigid portion of the frame to apply the tension. A simple hand tool may be used for separating the movable frame member from the rigid frame to remove the mesh.
Claims20
A frame for stretching screen fabric, the frame comprising:
- a rigid frame including a step and a side groove on an external side of the step;
- a movable frame member including an asymmetric locking strip slot and a projection configured to engage the side groove;
- and
- a ridge on the rigid frame between the step and the center of the frame, the ridge configured to support the stretched screen fabric.
A system for tensioning a screen-printing panel on a frame, the system comprising:
- a movable frame member including an asymmetric locking strip slot configured to receive a locking strip from the top of the slot and hold the screen-printing panel using the locking strip;
- and
- a rigid frame configured to hold the movable frame member in a loading position and a stretched position under tension.
A method for tensioning a screen fabric on a frame, the method comprising:
- inserting a locking strip attached to the screen fabric into a locking strip slot in a movable frame member;
- applying a force to the locking strip slot for stretching the screen fabric and translating the movable frame member from an insertion position to a stretched position;
- and
- holding the movable frame member at the stretched position using a rigid frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.