Ink deflector for squeegee on printing machine

An ink deflector for use in a screen printing operation having a flood bar for applying ink to a screen, a generally parallel squeegee, having opposing ends, for pressing ink through the screen, and an ink reservoir defined as an area between the flood bar and squeegee, the ink deflector comprising:

• a deflector body having:
• a first ink deflecting surface;
• a second ink deflecting surface;
• and,
• an ink retaining surface between the two ink deflecting surfaces;
• and,
• a flange attached to the deflector body adapted to connect the deflector body to a position proximate an end of the squeegee.

A detachable ink deflector for connection to a squeegee used in a printing process, the ink deflector comprising:

• a pivotable unitary deflector body having:
• a first ink deflecting surface for directing ink toward a front face of the squeegee;
• a second ink deflecting surface for directing ink toward a second face of the squeegee;
• an ink retaining surface between the two ink deflecting surfaces, wherein the first ink deflecting surface and the second ink deflecting surface each forms an angle with the ink retaining surface;
• and,
• a splatter surface extending from the second ink deflecting surface at an angle;
• a positioning mechanism, detachably connected to the deflector body, for allowing a pivoting position of the deflector body to change relative to the squeegee;
• and
• a flange attached to the positioning mechanism and adapted to connect the positioning mechanism to a position proximate an end of the squeegee.