US 6,634,289 B2 · Screen printing stencil production

Abstract

Screen printing stencils are produced by a positive-working method which involves no light-sensitive materials and does not require the use of safe lights. A coated receptor film having a coating layer and a support layer is imaged using an ink-jet printer or plotter in areas corresponding to the open stencil areas. The film is then applied to a mesh and an emulsion applied. Chemical hardening of the emulsion takes place in the non-imaged areas. The stencil is then produced by removing the support layer of the film and washing away the unhardened emulsion. The receptor film may include a layer which is incorporated into the stencil layer to form a profile. In addition to screen production methods, coated films, coating compositions and compositions for imagewise application are disclosed.

Claims127

Dependent claims

A method of producing a screen-printing stencil having open areas and blocked areas for, respectively, passage and blocking of a printing medium, the method comprising:

providing a receptor element comprising an image-receiving layer comprising a first substance,
applying imagewise to the image-receiving layer a second substance in areas corresponding to the open areas of the stencil to be produced,
bringing the image-receiving layer into contact with a third substance applied in a layer to a screen-printing screen,
causing or allowing chemical reaction to take place to form on the screen a stencil-forming layer having areas of relatively higher and relatively lower solubility corresponding to the open and the blocked stencil areas respectively, and
washing away the stencil-forming layer in the higher solubility areas, thereby to produce the screen-printing stencil,
the first, second and third substances being such that the said chemical reaction takes place as stated.

3 more elements

A method of producing a screen-printing stencil having open areas and blocked areas for respectively passage and blocking of a printing medium, the method comprising:

providing a receptor element comprising an image-receiving layer,
applying imagewise to the image-receiving layer a reaction inhibitor,
the areas to which the inhibitor is applied corresponding to the open areas of the stencil to be produced,
applying to a screen-printing screen a composition comprising a stencil-forming chemical agent, a chemical agent reactive therewith and a temporary inhibitor for the reaction therebetween, the said reaction being inhibited by the reaction inhibitor,
bringing the image-receiving layer of the receptor element into contact with the composition applied to the screen-printing screen,
causing or allowing the temporary inhibitor to leave the composition applied to the screen and thereby allow the stencil-forming chemical agent and the chemical agent reactive therewith to react where not inhibited by the reaction inhibitor and thereby produce on the screen a stencil-forming layer having areas of lower solubility corresponding to the said blocked areas and areas of higher solubility corresponding to the open stencil areas,
removing any unreacted part of the receptor element, and washing away unreacted composition from the higher solubility areas, thereby to produce the screen-printing stencil.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Screen printing stencil production

Life of this patent

Screen printing stencil production

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims127