Patent ID: 6494133
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: B41F,H05K

Abstract:
A printing apparatus, comprising:a supporting device having a support surface which supports an object; a mask holder which holds a print mask having a plurality of holes, such that the print mask is near, and substantially parallel, to the object supported by the support surface of the supporting device; a squeegee having a press surface which locally presses the print mask held by the mask holder against the object supported by the support surface; a moving device which moves, while the squeegee locally presses the print mask against the object supported by the support surface, at least one of the squeegee and a first combination of the supporting device and the mask holder relative to the other of the squeegee and the first combination, in a print direction along the support surface, so that the squeegee presses a print material placed on a surface of the print mask, along the surface of the print mask, and forces a portion of the print material into the holes of the print mask; a press roller which rolls on the surface of the print mask and which locally presses the print mask against the object, at a position distant from the press surface of the squeegee by a first predetermined distance which assures that the press roller does not contact the print material being pressed by the squeegee; a pressing-force adjusting device which adjusts a pressing force with which the press roller presses the print mask against the object; and a distance maintaining device which maintains, when the moving device moves, in the print direction, at least one of a second combination of the squeegee and the press roller and the first combination of the supporting device and the mask holder relative to the other of the second combination and the first combination, the first predetermined distance by which the press roller precedes the squeegee in the print direction.