Patent ID: 6192795
Filing Date: 2001-02-27
Classification: B41F,B41P,Y10S

Abstract:
A screen printing apparatus for use with at least one framed screen, said apparatus comprising:a main frame including a front rail and a rear rail;a pallet drive assembly including at least one pallet, and a pallet drive means mounted to said main frame for indexing said pallet, said pallet being indexed in an x-direction while remaining generally in a horizontal orientation; andat least one printing head assembly mounted on said main frame, wherein said printing head assembly is selectively moveable in the x-direction, said printing head assembly including:a carriage adjustably positionable atop said front and rear rails of said main frame; andy-theta positioning means mounted to said carriage for abutting said screen in a generally horizontal x-y plane and for selectively adjusting the orientation of said screen in at least one of a linear displacement in the y-direction and an angular displacement in a theta-direction about a substantially vertical axis passing through said x-y plane, wherein said y-theta positioning means comprises:frame receiving means fixedly disposed on said carriage for releasably registering said screen therewithin;clamping means for releasably locking said screen with respect to said frame receiving means; and biasing means for urging said screen into leftward register within said frame receiving means,wherein said pallet drive means indexes said pallet to said printing head assembly at a desired print location;whereby the linear position of said screen relative to said pallet in the x-direction is adjustable by moving said carriage relative to said main frame in the x-direction;whereby changes in both the linear orientation of said screen in the y-direction and the angular orientation of said screen in the theta-direction, relative to said pallet, are effected by moving said screen relative to said carriage; andwhereby adjustment of said screen relative to said pallet in the x-direction is accomplished independently of adjustment of said screen in both the y-direction and the theta-direction.