Printing stencil and a method for preparation thereof

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing stencil and a method for its preparation. There is thus provided, In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a printing stencil comprising a porous stencil carrier layer, preferably of a non-woven tissue, which is impregnated with a solid or liquid radiation curable material. The printing stencil may further comprise a mask laid upon or integral to the stencil layer for defining areas transparent and areas non transparent to curing irradiation. There is thus also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for the preparation of a printing stencil, said printing stencil comprising a stencil carrier layer and a stencil layer, which is impregnated with a radiation curable material. The method comprises the step of selectively irradiating the stencil layer with curing radiation, thereby forming ink permeable and ink impermeable areas, said ink permeable areas consisting of uncured material and said ink impermeable areas consisting of cured material. The method may further comprise the step of creating a mask on the stencil layer prior to irradiating it with curing radiation, for selectively blocking curing radiation by defining, on the printing stencil, areas exposed and areas unexposed to curing radiation. The printing stencil of the present invention may be used in stencil duplicating processes for printing fine details, graphic elements and color printing at a higher quality than existing stencils, approaching offset lithographic standards.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.