Mounts, Holders And Extensions Patents (Class 101/127.1)
  • Publication number: 20040089169
    Abstract: A screen-printing apparatus having pneumatically operated clamping devices for clamping one edge of a print screen frame to the print head of the apparatus. In a screen-printing operation where multiple print screens must be quickly interchanged, efficiency of time and energy may be achieved by a manually activated pneumatic clamping device that quickly secures and releases one edge of the screen frame to the print head. The screen-printing apparatus is not limited to a single print head, and multiple pneumatic clamping devices are envisioned for as many screen print heads as are mounted on the screen-printing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventor: Jerry L. Flatt
  • Patent number: 6732639
    Abstract: A stenciling assembly for connecting and interlocking stencil members together end-to-end. The stenciling assembly includes one or more stencil members each including a piece of material having a distinctive pattern and being used to transpose the pattern onto other objects; and also includes one or more first connector members each being attached to a first end of a respective stencil member for connecting the stencil member to other stencil members; and further includes one or more second connector members being attached to a second end of a respective stencil member for connecting the stencil member to other stencil members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Inventor: Shawn B. Daniels
  • Patent number: 6732640
    Abstract: A frame for supporting the screen of a screen printing machine having elongated frame members coupled together each providing support for an edge of the screen. The frame further includes a reinforcing member supported by the frame to extend in intimate proximity along at least a portion of at least one of the frame members to provide a prestress and/or camber of the frame member. The reinforcing member may include a cable extending within an interior of the frame member. The reinforcing member may also include an elongated secondary member affixed to the frame member while the frame member and secondary member are subjected to an applied condition imposing differential strains on confronting surfaces of the frame member and secondary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Inventors: Don Newman, Thomas A. McKeever, Michael P. A. Chouinard
  • Publication number: 20040079245
    Abstract: A device for supporting the corner of a silkscreen frame during the stretching and attachment of the silkscreen, including a unifying plate to support the various elements. The plate is removably secured to a table and includes a position defining corner support flanked by a pair of spaced torsion absorbing pads and a calibrated tower to capture the stretching tool and assuring proper and constant tension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventor: James D. Larson
  • Publication number: 20040074405
    Abstract: The present invention is to a stand (10) for supporting framed (100) screens (200) during the coating, developing and cleaning processes. The stand (100) includes one or more braces (40) supporting a top portion (30) substantially parallel to a bottom portion (20). The top portion (30) rotates relative to the bottom portion (20) to permit one to remove or insert a frame into the stand (10). The top and bottom portions (20,30) support shafts (52) that are selectively rotated by a controller assembly (60) and an actuator assembly (80). As a result, one can clean, coat or treat the front of the screen and then the back of the screen without touching, lifting or physically moving the screen. This facilitates the coating, exposing, developing and cleaning processes associated with screens used in screen printing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventor: Andrew L. Oleson
  • Patent number: 6722274
    Abstract: A gripper for screen printing applications comprises a gripper body supporting a tensioning assembly comprising a gripping element designed for gripping the edge of a fabric to be tensioned on a frame, and a bottom abutment cam providing a variable lowering stroke based on a withdrawal tensioning stroke of the tensioning assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Inventor: Marco Mietta
  • Publication number: 20040050267
    Abstract: A screen frame (24) is detachably connected to a support frame structure (22,124,134) by locator pins (46, 118) and locator pin sockets (56,112,136). An elongated support arm (26) supports either a light box (34) or a work piece support (36) in a proper position relative to the print frame (24). The light box (34) and the work piece support (36) are interchangeable on the support arm (26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventor: Duke W. Goss
  • Publication number: 20040045459
    Abstract: Disclosed is a top part of a screen printing machine, wherein the bearing elements (4,4a) for the screen printing stencil (2) are respectively and directly guided and held on lateral longitudinal guide elements (10,11) by means of carriages (9), enabling said bearing elements (4, 4a) to be adjusted in relation to each other and to be fixed. Said configuration makes it possible for the screen printing stencil (2) to be held in a stable and exact manner, irrespective of the size thereof. According to the invention, one of the bearing elements (4a) can also be raised in order to lift the screen printing stencil (2) when pressed against the other bearing element (4). The bearing elements (4, 4a) are thus respectively held on the carriers thereof (7,8) by means of pivoting hinges (5, 6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventor: Harry Goetz
  • Patent number: 6698349
    Abstract: A screen printing machine including a stencil sheet assembly having a frame member having outer peripheral sides for partitioning an outer configuration and inner peripheral sides for partitioning an opening and stencil sheet adhered to one face of the frame member to cover the opening, a tension frame projected to inner sides of the inner peripheral sides of the frame member, having a raised portion toward the stencil sheet and arranged on other face of the frame member for applying tension to the stencil sheet, and holding means for holding the tension frame and the stencil sheet assembly which are put together such that a front face of the tension frame in a direction of raising the raised portion and the outer face of the frame member are brought into contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Komata
  • Patent number: 6698345
    Abstract: An apparatus for, and a method of, printing a precise pattern on the inside radius of a curved substrate by the pivotal movement of a pendulum moving across the surface of a screen capable of receiving and transferring an ink, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignees: Exatec, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Thomas V. Cutcher
  • Publication number: 20040025722
    Abstract: An inner frame (38) is provided with a printing screen that includes a stencil of a numeral. An object to be printed (e.g. a shirt) is placed on a platen (P), in a substantially centered position with respect to an outer frame (10) having an open center (28). The inner frame (38) is positioned within the inner space (28) of the outer frame (10) and is fixed in position relative to the outer frame (10) so as to properly position the stencil with the object to be printed on the platen (P). Locator pins (82,84,86,88,90) and locator pin openings (92,94,96,98,100,102,104) are provided and arranged for establishing five possible positions of the inner frame (38) within the inner space (28) of the outer frame (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventor: Duke W. Goss
  • Patent number: 6675704
    Abstract: A solder paste stenciling apparatus for minimizing residue of solder paste includes a stencil having multiple stencil openings defined therein, a supporting member retaining the stencil, and a vibrator for vibrating the stencil. In operation, a substrate is engaged to a bottom surface of the stencil, and solder paste is applied onto a top surface of the stencil so that the stencil openings are filled with the solder paste. The substrate is then slowly separated from the stencil while the vibrator vibrates the stencil to evacuate the solder paste out of the stencil openings and to further deposit on the substrate. Hence, the amount of residual solder paste adhered to inner surfaces defining the stencil openings is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Compeq Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Cheng-Yuan Lin, Sheng-Long Wu, Te-Chang Huang, Hao-Wei Liang, Pin-Hsuan Chang
  • Patent number: 6676544
    Abstract: A golf ball marking guide has opposing first and second body portions. Each body portion has opposing front and back ends and opposing top and bottom edges. The body portions also have a drawing slot positioned between the opposing top and bottom edges and extending at least partially between the front and back ends. The body portions also have generally spherical concave inner surfaces. A tab extends from the front of the first body portion in a direction generally away from the body portion back. Another tab extends from the front of the second body portion in a direction generally away from the body portion back. A connector is provided at the back of the first body portion. A cooperating connector is also provided at the back of the second body portion. The two connectors are coupled, one with the other, whereby the two body portions are aligned with each other, their inner surfaces face each other and define a spherical frustum, and the two tabs are aligned with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Inventor: Charles R. Tyke
  • Publication number: 20030230204
    Abstract: A screen printing machine including a stencil sheet assembly having a frame member having outer peripheral sides for partitioning an outer configuration and inner peripheral sides for partitioning an opening and stencil sheet adhered to one face of the frame member to cover the opening, a tension frame projected to inner sides of the inner peripheral sides of the frame member, having a raised portion raised toward the stencil sheet and arranged on other face of the frame member for applying tension to the stencil sheet, and holding means for holding the tension frame and the stencil sheet assembly which are put together such that a front face of the tension frame in a direction of raising the raised portion and the other face of the frame member are brought into contact with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Inventor: Satoru Komata
  • Patent number: 6663712
    Abstract: A dual track stencil system includes a first set of rails and a second set of rails, each of the rails being independently controlled for allowing for independent movement of circuit boards through the stencil system for processing. A stencil, having two patterns, each aligned with a respective working area of each track is suspended above the dual track system. In one embodiment, the solder dispensing unit includes a squeegee arm with a solder gathering head. During operation using the squeegee arm with the solder gathering head, two circuit boards are fed to the working area, and both of the circuit boards are serially processed, with excess solder being removed from the board after the processing of each of the boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Speedline Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis G. Doyle, Steven W. Hall, Gary T. Freeman
  • Patent number: 6644189
    Abstract: A multicolor printing method and system including a master making device having plurality of removable ink drums replaceable with each other and a printing device. The plurality of removable ink drums are fed with respective masters to be used for printing, by fixed master feeding devices smaller in number than the removable ink drums. The removable ink drums fed with respective masters are then used by the printing device for printing onto paper. The method and system provides multicolor printing with lower cost, reduced size and accurate registration between the respective masters, as compared to conventional methods and systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironobu Takasawa, Manabu Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 6644183
    Abstract: A multicolor printing method and system including a master making device having plurality of removable ink drums replaceable with each other and a printing device. The plurality of removable ink drums are fed with respective masters to be used for printing, by fixed master feeding devices smaller in number than the removable ink drums. The removable ink drums fed with respective masters are then used by the printing device for printing onto paper. The method and system provides multicolor printing with lower cost, reduced size and accurate registration between the respective masters, as compared to conventional methods and systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironobu Takasawa, Manabu Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 6619003
    Abstract: A method of assembling a frame assembly for a partition system is disclosed. The frame assembly includes a partition panel, a fabric covering the panel, and a frame component. The frame component automatically and evenly tensions the fabric about the panel. The frame component provided according to this method includes a support element, a lockable element, and an integral hinge defined between the support and lockable elements. The support element defines a cavity for receiving and supporting the panel. The lockable element extends from and is moveable relative to the support element. The panel is inserted into the cavity, and the fabric is mounted to the lockable element. Next, the lockable element is moved about the integral hinge such that the fabric mounted to the lockable element is automatically and evenly tensioned about the panel. A backing strip may be mounted to the frame component to protect the fabric from the integral hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Quanex Corporation
    Inventors: John Paul Von Arx, Charles Joseph Librande
  • Patent number: 6609457
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a stencil for applying make-up to an area of the body, such as the hair or skin. The stencil includes a flexible sheet bearing a pattern that is to be reproduced on a convex surface, and of which one region, located near a peripheral edge, is attached to a rigid frame in the form of an annular element, the flexible sheet being mounted on the rigid frame in such a way as to form a dome inside the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: L'Oreal S.A.
    Inventor: Vincent De Laforcade
  • Publication number: 20030154868
    Abstract: A screen printing apparatus for printing a predeterminable pattern of deposits of printing material onto a workpiece, the screen printing apparatus comprising: at least one print module comprising, as a unitary assembly, a printing screen, a print head movably disposed above the printing screen and a drive mechanism for moving the print head with respect to the printing screen; and a positioning unit for positioning the print module with respect to the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Ian Patrick Mcevoy, John Bruce Knowles
  • Patent number: 6606943
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a stencil for applying make-up to an area of the body, such as the hair or skin. The stencil includes a flexible sheet bearing a pattern that is to be reproduced on a convex surface, and of which one region, located near a peripheral edge, is attached to a rigid frame in the form of an annular element, the flexible sheet being mounted on the rigid frame in such a way as to form a dome inside the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: L'Oreal S.A.
    Inventor: Vincent De Laforcade
  • Publication number: 20030131742
    Abstract: The present invention aims to improve the printing accuracy. Further, the invention aims to reduce the size of the screen compared with the conventional processing pattern, and to reduce the cost of the screen. Further, it is also an object of the invention to lengthen the life of the screen. According to the invention, the screen printer for performing the screen printing using the screen plate includes: the table placed facing the screen plate; and the screen sealing unit which nearly seals the space between the screen plate and the table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventor: Shinji Kanda
  • Patent number: 6588334
    Abstract: An improved screen printing frame connector is presented, the connector possessing flanges for easy insertion of frame side members and also providing large drainage holes to permit easy drying of the frame after washing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Inventor: Ronald Salisbury
  • Patent number: 6571840
    Abstract: A furniture surface includes a new solid wood substrate, a two-color silk screened image on the substrate, and a CNC-carved and embossed indentation in the substrate that provides a relief effect located in reference to the printed image so as to make a composite ornamentation on the substrate that makes the substrate look antique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: The Lane Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Atkins, John T. Sexton
  • Patent number: 6561089
    Abstract: Improved methods and apparatuses for mounting screens on frames. Border strips with improved structural designs enable screens to be mounted so as to achieve higher tension more quickly and easily. Improved method permits screens to be mounted on frames with fewer steps. Also, improved bonding of border strips to screen fabric is taught.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Inventor: Eugene F. Newman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6554901
    Abstract: The machine comprises: a mobile rest plane for tiles on which the tiles transit in a predetermined advancement direction; a decorating apparatus which comprises a plurality of cylinders, located above the mobile rest plane; means for setting the plurality of cylinders in rotation each about an axis thereof, and with a predetermined stagger of one of the plurality of cylinders with respect to others of the plurality of cylinders. The means for setting the plurality of cylinders in rotation employ a mechanical transmission of drive to the plurality of cylinders which comprises a driven gear coaxially and solidly associated to each of the plurality of cylinders. The driven gears are drawn in rotation, with couplings allowing no relative dragging, by a chain and have diameters which are different from diameters of the plurality of cylinders to which they are solidly constrained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Syfal S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Stefani
  • Patent number: 6553904
    Abstract: An improved silk screen frame for tensioning a panel of screen material via the rotation of a pair of screen-tensioning members adapted to grip a flexible strip secured to the edge of the screen material in an off-center position with respect to the axis of rotation of the tensioning member. Rotation of the screen-tensioning members imparts a force which thereby stretches the screen panel material to a taut condition, and places each tensioning member in position to be engaged by a pair of adjacent rotatable finger locks which maintain the screen-tensioning members in their rotated state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Namco, Inc.
    Inventor: Duke Goss
  • Publication number: 20030066442
    Abstract: An improved screen printing frame connector is presented, the connector possessing flanges for easy insertion of frame side members and also providing large drainage holes to permit easy drying of the frame after washing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventor: Ronald Salisbury
  • Publication number: 20030056665
    Abstract: A printing screen transferring a printing material to a printed surface of a printing object which is capable of suppressing printing defects due to distortion of the screen occurring when pulling the printed surface and the screen apart from each other and which is capable of printing a predetermined pattern of the printing material with a high precision, including a sheet-like screen provided with a mask formed with a predetermined pattern of openings in which a printing material is to be filled, a frame arranged away from the outside of the screen, and a support which connects the frame and the screen and supports the screen moveably with respect to the frame and printing the printing material supplied to one surface of the screen on to the printed surface of the printing object contacting the other surface through a mask, wherein contour shapes of connection portions of the screen and the frame to which the support is connected are circular.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventor: Toru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6505552
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for placing a predetermined tension on a silk screen, including a workstation where more than one screen may be stretched without the necessity of removing the previous screen or necessitating a physical movement of the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Inventor: James D. Larson
  • Patent number: 6505553
    Abstract: A screen-printing method, including the steps of filling, in a state in which a screen having through-holes is contacted with a print surface of a substrate, the through-holes with a print material, and thereby applying the print material to the print surface of the substrate, moving, after the filling step, one of the screen and the substrate relative to the other of the screen and the substrate, in one or more cycles, on a plane parallel to the print surface of the substrate, in one or more directions parallel to one or more straight lines, and separating, after the moving step, the screen and the substrate from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Nobumichi Ishida, Toshinori Shimizu, Manabu Mizuno
  • Patent number: 6494134
    Abstract: A stencil foil assembly includes a stencil foil, having a stencil pattern thereon, of a planar configuration secured to a rigid frame with an upstanding wall and a support flange emanating inwardly from the upstanding wall. The stencil foil resides on the support flange with the bottom surface of the periphery of the stencil foil being in communication with the top surface of said support flange. The outer edge of the stencil foil is positioned adjacent to the inner surface of said upstanding wall. The periphery of the stencil foil is secured to the rigid frame. The stencil foil assembly protects a user from injury by preventing contact with the sharp outer edges of the stencil foil. The assembly protects the stencil foil portion from damage and greatly facilitates handling thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Inventor: Gunter Erdmann
  • Patent number: 6490971
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for framing a printing screen comprising a clamping element having a shape to conform to the mug frame with four threaded posts for attaching to a steel baseplate by fasteners. The screen is attached to the mug frame by adhesive and trimmed for screen printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Inventors: Steven S. Rosenberg, Steven J. Lambert, Dana A. Papworth
  • Publication number: 20020178942
    Abstract: A circuit board with high quality is provided by preventing the falling of paste which comes around to the squeegee complementary angle side during the pattern printing or paste filling by the squeegeeing method. While lowering, the squeegee is passed through the inclined portion of a paste removing section (3) provided on a mask (2 ) before pattern printing or paste filling, whereby the paste on the non-printing side (complementary angle) of the squeegee can be removed; thus, a circuit board superior in quality is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventors: Toshiaki Takenaka, Toshikazu Kondo, Mitsunori Maeda, Hiroshi Tahara, Shinji Nakamura, Yuichiro Sugita
  • Publication number: 20020148370
    Abstract: A stencil foil assembly includes a stencil foil, having a stencil pattern thereon, of a planar configuration secured to a rigid frame with an upstanding wall and a support flange emanating inwardly from the upstanding wall. The stencil foil resides on the support flange with the bottom surface of the periphery of the stencil foil being in communication with the top surface of said support flange. The outer edge of the stencil foil is positioned adjacent to the inner surface of said upstanding wall. The periphery of the stencil foil is secured to the rigid frame. The stencil foil assembly protects a user from injury by preventing contact with the sharp outer edges of the stencil foil. The assembly protects the stencil foil portion from damage and greatly facilitates handling thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2001
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventor: Gunter Erdmann
  • Publication number: 20020139258
    Abstract: A proofing attachment for registration of screen frames relative to radial arms of a printing machine has a plurality of clamps to urge successive screen frames into abutment with stops to register the screen frames with the arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventor: Alan J. Hamu
  • Patent number: 6450091
    Abstract: A stencil (8) with a tension part combined with an operational device allowing deposition of solder paste to replace constituents on an electronic board. The stencil consists of a flat sheet (1), of rectangular shape, made of synthetic flexible material or metal and outfitted with transfer openings (2) for transferring and distributing a product. Two of the parallel sides of the sheet are connected to rigid and mobile vertical tabs (3) in an affixed position on a tension unit of the sheet. The other two parallel sides of the sheet, orthogonal to the former ones, are extended with flexible walls (6), orthogonal to the sheet. Bead folds (7) separate the perforated sheet and each of the flaps and delimit the sheet. The flaps freely rotate around the folds. The invention also has an operational device consisting of arm (20) with several jointed strands outfitted with a sole means of locking (22) its joints. The stencil may be configured and moved in accordance with 6 degrees of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Societe Novatec S.A.
    Inventors: Francis Bourrieres, Clement Kaiser
  • Patent number: 6446550
    Abstract: A screen printing machine including a stencil sheet assembly having a frame member having outer peripheral sides for partitioning an outer configuration and inner peripheral sides for partitioning an opening and stencil sheet adhered to one face of the frame member to cover the opening, a tension frame projected to inner sides of the inner peripheral sides of the frame member, having a raised portion raised toward the stencil sheet and arranged on other face of the frame member for applying tension to the stencil sheet, and holding means for holding the tension frame and the stencil sheet assembly which are put together such that a front face of the tension frame in a direction of raising the raised portion and the other face of the frame member are brought into contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Komata
  • Publication number: 20020112622
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for framing a printing screen comprising a clamping element having a shape to conform to the mug frame with four threaded posts for attaching to a steel baseplate by fasteners. The screen is attached to the mug frame by adhesive and trimmed for screen printing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Inventors: Steven S. Rosenberg, Steven J. Lambert, Dana A. Papworth
  • Patent number: 6435085
    Abstract: A print screen frame assembly used in the textile screen print industry. The frame assembly is formed of electrical conduit comprised of a rigid metallic conduit material which is coated to resist solvents, dyes and other chemicals commonly used in the print screen industry. The frame member is comprised of bendable, durable conduit material formed into a desired shape and secured at a seam to form a unitary frame member. On the top side of the frame member, a taut fabric print screen is attached by an adhesive. At least one spacer with a flat bottom edge is placed on the bottom of the tubular frame member allowing print screens to be easily used in printing presses and to permit frames to be stacked on top of one another for storage purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Inventor: James A. York
  • Patent number: 6427588
    Abstract: A frame assembly for use in supporting a silk screen. The assembly uses four corner brackets in forming the frame. The corner brackets each contain two perpendicular arms. The corner brackets engage four framing elements, thereby forming the rectangular structure of the frame. Each of the framing elements has two ends, wherein each end of a framing element receives one of the corner bracket arms. As such, each of the four corner brackets engages two of the framing elements and orients those elements at a perpendicular. An adjustment mechanism is disposed between each end of the framing elements and each of the corner brackets. The adjustment mechanism adjusts how deep an arm from a corner bracket is received within an end of a framing element. By utilizing the adjustment mechanism, the effective length of each of the sides of the frame can be selectively adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Inventor: Christopher Kline
  • Patent number: 6422139
    Abstract: A screen printing system has multiple screen cassettes stored in a magazine and a first screen cassette is transferred from the magazine into a printing station. The preferred cassette have an inner and outer frame with the inner frame carrying a printing screen and have off-contact and traversing members for positioning the screen at a correct off-contact distance and for engagement with a track. The preferred off-contact and traversing members comprise four wheels for rolling along the track to and from a magazine. The wheels are movable relative to the frames by an adjusting shaft and nut to change the off-contact distance. A motorized pallet conveyor conveys a plurality of substrates, each of which is loaded one of a series of pallets of the conveyor, into and from the printing station and about an endless path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Inventor: Rudolf R. DeCruz
  • Patent number: 6412408
    Abstract: A simplified screen printing machine includes a base member having a print base with an elastic member for mounting an object to be pressed; a framed stencil sheet assembly including a stencil sheet formed of a porous support and a resin film laminated to the support and a frame member laminated with the stencil sheet; and a pressing device attachably and detachably assembled with the framed stencil sheet assembly for pressing the framed stencil sheet assembly to the base member. The pressing device has an opening for receiving at least a part of the print base therein. When the pressing device with the stencil sheet assembly is disposed on the print base with the object, the print base is at least partly located in the opening to thereby stretch the framed stencil sheet assembly with tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Toshio Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6360659
    Abstract: A frame for supporting the screen of a screen printing machine including elongated frame members retaining the edges of a tensioned screen and rigid connectors coupling the frame members together. The connectors have a pair of edges each defining a connecting surface for connection to an end surface of one of the frame members also defining a connecting surface. Either the connecting surfaces of the connectors or the connecting surfaces of the frame members are adapted to create an initial angular misalignment between confronting connecting surfaces during the coupling of the frame members resulting in pre-cambering of the frame members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Inventor: Don Newman
  • Publication number: 20020023555
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a stencil for applying make-up to an area of the body, such as the hair or skin. The stencil includes a flexible sheet bearing a pattern that is to be reproduced on a convex surface, and of which one region, located near a peripheral edge, is attached to a rigid frame in the form of an annular element, the flexible sheet being mounted on the rigid frame in such a way as to form a dome inside the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Applicant: L'OREAL
    Inventor: Vincent De Laforcade
  • Patent number: 6338297
    Abstract: A precise and rapid positioning mechanism for stencil printing comprising a stencil, a carrier, a plurality of pins, and a plurality of positioning pins. There are a plurality of same sized pin eyes formed on both the stencil and the carrier respectively at positions facing against each other for interposing the pins therebetween to set the stencil and the carrier. Next, raising the positioning pins by air cylinder supplied from the carrier so as to fit setting holes on the substrate into the corresponding positioning pins thereby firmly securing the substrate. Then afterwards, by imbibing the substrate with vacuum evacuation force from the carrier so as to put down the positioning pins thereby attaching the stencil together with the substrate and trans-printing a desired pattern on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Hwai-Yi Wang, Chan-Chung Du, Meng-Chun Chen
  • Publication number: 20010042458
    Abstract: A printing stencil for a screen-printing machine is proposed, having a frame (1) which holds a screen element and being distinguished by the fact that the screen element is substantially curved in a U shape, and by the fact that its concave side is assigned to a pressure squeegee and its convex side is assigned to the surface to be printed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventor: Mircea Iliescu
  • Patent number: 6318255
    Abstract: A method of locking a precut silkscreen fabric to splines which are then inserted into retensionable roller frames, wherein the fabric is scored where it contacts the spline, permitting the adhesive to lock the sections of the spline together through the scores in the fabric, mechanically locking the fabric in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Inventor: James D. Larson
  • Patent number: 6289804
    Abstract: A support and tensioning frame for a stencil to enable solder paste to be applied to printed circuit boards and other electronic substrates includes a support frame engaged with at least two opposed mounting members. Each mounting member includes at least one projection for engaging an aperture in a stencil to mount the stencil under tension. A permanent-biasing mechanism engages one or more of the mounting members to place the stencil under tension. A second biasing mechanism engages the mounting member to provide a bias opposite that of the permanent-biasing mechanism to facilitate release of a mounted stencil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Inventor: David Godfrey Williams
  • Patent number: 6253675
    Abstract: A solder paste stencil printing apparatus and method for applying a controlled pattern and volume of solder paste onto a single area array component site on a populated printed circuit board (PCB). The stencil is a disposable, adhesive-backed, flexible, polymer membrane. The stencil has a plurality of holes in a pattern corresponding to a component site pad pattern on a printed circuit board. A periphery area of the stencil can be folded or shaped to fit into the available space to be stenciled. The method of applying the solder paste to the PCB includes shaping the stencil to fit available space, removing protective adhesive backer layer, aligning stencil with mating pad pattern on the PCB, and adhering stencil to PCB surface. The secure stencil insures efficient, accurate alignment and secure gasketing of stencil apertures to PCB pad pattern. Solder paste is then dispensed onto stencil surface, squeegeed across stencil surface until all apertures are filled level with top surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Inventor: Carl P. Mayer