Method of Screen Printing on 3D Glass Articles

Abstract

A method of screen printing on 3D glass articles includes providing a 3D glass article having a first 3D surface with a first surface profile and a second 3D surface with a second surface profile, the first 3D surface and the second 3D surface being separated by a thickness of glass. The method includes providing a fixture having a 3D fixture surface with a fixture surface profile matching the second surface profile. The method includes providing a screen having a design, a squeegee, and an ink. The 3D glass article is supported on the fixture by mating the second 3D surface with the 3D fixture surface. The screen is positioned at a plane a distance above the first 3D surface. The ink is deposited on the screen. The squeegee is positioned at a selected orientation relative to the plane. The ink is pushed through the screen onto the first 3D surface by simultaneously contacting the squeegee with the screen, traversing the squeegee in a linear direction, maintaining the orientation of the squeegee relative to the plane, locally deflecting the screen from the plane to the first 3D surface, and locally conforming the screen to the first surface profile.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.