Screen printing apparatus and screen painting method

A screen printing method of printing a pattern of paste on the surface of a printing medium which is positioned with respect to a mask having predetermined pattern holes therein, the screen printing method comprising the steps in the order of:

• holding the printing medium on a top surface of a holding means comprising a carrier formed of a porous material disposed on top of the holding means;
• sucking through the porous material of the carrier the printing medium on the top surface of the carrier by vacuuming the carrier;
• lifting at least two mask supporting means, the at least two mask supporting means being disposed horizontally at the same height, a side surface of each of the at least two mask supporting means being horizontally facing each other across the holding means;
• supporting the mask by the at least two mask supporting means from the rear surface of the mask;
• ensuring a posture of the printing medium is parallel to the mask;
• lifting a holding means in a state that the parallel posture of the printing medium to the mask is maintained, the holding means holding the printing medium;
• bringing whole surface of the printing medium into contact with the rear surface of the mask between the at least two mask supporting means in the posture parallel to the mask;
• printing a pattern on the surface of the printing medium;
• changing the posture of the printing medium into a posture tilted relative to the mask so as to separate a part of the printing medium from the mask;
• and
• separating the printing medium completely from the mask by lowering the holding means such that lowering speed is set to be slower when the holding means starts lowering than when the holding means is on its way down.

A screen printing method of printing a pattern of paste on the surface of a printing medium which is positioned with respect to a mask having predetermined pattern holes therein, the screen printing method comprising the steps in the order of:

• holding the printing medium on a top surface of a holding means comprising a carrier formed of a porous material disposed on top of the holding means;
• sucking through the porous material of the carrier the printing medium on the top surface of the carrier by vacuuming the carrier;
• lifting a holding means in a state that a horizontal posture of the printing medium is maintained, the holding means holding the printing medium;
• bringing whole surface of the printing medium into contact with the rear surface of the mask in the posture parallel to the mask;
• printing a pattern on the surface of the printing medium;
• lowering a cam follower having a roller by rotating a ball screw having a cam groove so that the roller fitted to the cam groove of the ball screw is advanced down the cam groove, wherein the cam follower is disposed on the bottom surface of one end of the holding means, the ball screw does not move upward or downward while lowering the cam follower, and the holding means is disposed on a top surface of a first table;
• changing the posture of the printing medium into a posture tilted relative to the mask so as to separate a part of the printing medium from the mask;
• and
• separating the printing medium completely from the mask by lowering the holding means such that lowering speed is set to be slower when the holding means starts lowering than when the holding means is on its way down.