Offset printing method and offset printing machine for the same

An offset printing apparatus for printing a thick film fine pattern having a width of 50 .mu.m or smaller and a thickness larger than several .mu.m on a substrate comprising:

• (a) a screen stencil on which a fine pattern to be printed is formed;
• (b) a stencil moving means for moving said screen stencil in a horizontal direction;
• (c) a squeegee disposed above said screen stencil;
• (d) a squeegee support means for supporting said squeegee in contact with said screen stencil and so that said squeegee applies pressure to said screen stencil while allowing movement of said screen stencil;
• (e) a cylindrical transfer roller disposed under said screen stencil, said cylindrical roller having a transfer sheet wound thereon via a compressive layer, said transfer sheet comprised of a silicone rubber layer laminated on a resin sheet;
• (f) a roller support means for supporting said cylindrical transfer roller rotatably about a center axis thereof so as to enable said cylindrical transfer roller to be positioned at up, neutral or down positions in a vertical direction while keeping said center axis of said cylindrical transfer roller in parallel to said screen stencil;
• (g) a positioning means for positioning said cylindrical transfer roller to its original rotation position when said cylindrical transfer roller is placed at said neutral position in the vertical direction;
• (h) a distance restriction means for maintaining a distance between said screen stencil and said center axis of said cylindrical transfer roller at a predetermined constant value during transfer operation of said thick film fine pattern onto said transfer sheet;
• (i) a substrate support table disposed under said cylindrical transfer roller for supporting the substrate onto which said thick film fine pattern is to be printed;
• and
• (j) a table feed means for moving said substrate support table in a horizontal direction while keeping said table in parallel with said center axis of said cylindrical transfer roller and at a predetermined constant distance during transfer operation of said thick film fine pattern onto said substrate;
• wherein said thick film fine pattern is transferred from said screen stencil to said transfer sheet by pressing said screen stencil by said squeegee against said cylindrical transfer roller positioned at said up position, while moving said screen stencil, then said cylindrical transfer roller is positioned at said down position via said neutral position, and said substrate support table is moved so that said thick film fine pattern is transferred from said transfer sheet to said substrate supported by said substrate support table.