Apparatus and method for screen printing radiation curable compositions

In an apparatus for screen printing a glass plastic, or ceramic article with a layer of actinic radiation curable material, said apparatus including a plurality of screen printing workstations each having a screen printing assembly for applying said radiation curable material to said article, wherein the improvement comprises actinic radiation emitting means positioned underlying the screen printing assemblies for at least partially curing the radiation curable material applied to said article such that the article to be decorated is positioned between the radiation emitting means and the screen printing assembly.

Apparatus for applying a layer of actinic radiation curable material onto the surface of a glass, plastic, or ceramic article, said apparatus comprising a frame assembly having at least first and second material applying stations, applying means for applying said layer of radiation curable material onto the surface of said article at said first and second stations, actinic radiation emitting means for at least partially curing said layer of material positioned at a remote location from said applying means, conducting means for conducting radiation emitted from said actinic radiation emitting means to said stations adjacent said applying means, and means for conveying said article into operative relationship with said applying means and said radiation emitted from said actinic radiation emitting means at said first and second stations.

Apparatus for screen printing multiple layers of a UV curable composition onto the surface of a glass, plastic, or ceramic article, said apparatus comprising a frame assembly having a plurality of screen printing workstations, a screen printing assembly located at each of said workstations for applying a layer of said composition to the surface of said article, at least one layer of said composition applied at least partially overlying another layer of said composition, UV radiation emitting means positioned underlying each of said screen printing assembly for exposing said layer of said composition to sufficient UV radiation for at least partially curing said composition such that the article to be decorated is positioned between the UV radiation emitting means and the screen printing assembly, and means for conveying said article into operative association with the screen printing assemblies and said UV radiation.

Apparatus for applying a layer of actinic radiation curable material onto the surface of a glass, plastic, or ceramic article, said apparatus comprising a frame assembly having at least first and second material applying stations, applying means for applying a layer of said radiation curable material onto the surface of said article at said first and second stations, actinic, radiation emitting means positioned adjacent said applying means at said stations for at least partially curing said layer of material thereat and insufficient to cure said radiation curable material within said applying means, and means for conveying said article into operative relationship with said applying means and said radiation emitting means at said first and second stations.

Method of applying a layer of actinic, radiation curable material onto the surface of a glass, plastic, or ceramic article, said method comprising conveying said article through a plurality of printing workstations, applying said layer of radiation curable material onto the surface of said article at each of said workstations, and exposing said applied layer to actinic, radiation sufficient to at least partially cure said applied layer at a location underlying said printing workstation.

Method of printing multiple layers of a UV curable composition onto the surface of a glass, plastic, or ceramic article said method comprising conveying said article through a plurality of printing workstations, applying a layer of said composition onto the surface of said article at each of said workstations, at least one layer being applied partially overlapping a previously applied layer, exposing at least said previously applied layer at a location underlying its corresponding printing workstation to sufficient UV radiation to at least partially curing said previously applied layer and insufficient to cure said UV curable composition within said workstations.