Abstract:
In an embodiment of the present invention, a squeegee blade holder is provided. The holder includes a first side member, a second side member, and a pivot portion between the first and second side members. The holder also includes a separator between the first and second side members for maintaining compression of the side members against the squeegee blade. In another embodiment of the present invention, a method of holding a squeegee blade in a holder is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a first holder side, and providing a second holder side. The method further includes compressing the first and second holder sides against the squeegee blade, and maintaining compression of the first and second holder sides against the squeegee blade.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/684,338, filed Aug. 17, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     N/A 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to screen printing machines and in particular to an improved squeegee holder for use with such machines. The holder facilitates changing squeegees in and out of a machine and cleaning. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a squeegee holder for use with screen printing machines. The present invention provides a versatile squeegee holder that is easily assembled and disassembled to accommodate a variety of squeegees of different types, hardnesses, and thicknesses, and to facilitate cleaning. 
     Indicia applied permanently to articles of clothing and other textiles have become very popular. Fanciful indicia, such as logos, slogans, college names, sports team names and sayings, are now commonplace. As a result, screen printing has become very popular. Large, commercial operations screen printing textiles are common today. 
     Indicia can be one or more colors. Typically, a screen printing machine has at least one station for each color employed. For example, a design incorporating two colors will have at least two printing stations, one for each color. A design employing eight colors will have at least eight stations. Each station generally includes a printing head, which supports a single screen, the ink to be used at that particular station and a mechanism for applying the ink to the textile. Each color is carried by a single screen. The textile to be screened travels from printing station to printing station by one of a number of methods, such as a chain or a rigid arm. The textile is usually carried by a metal pallet, pallet support, flat bed, or platen. Common printing machines include turret, oval and linear type machines. In addition to printing stations, there may also be curing stations to heat and set the inks placed on the textile or substrate. 
     In the screen printing process, a stencil screen is typically blocked (called “masked” in the industry) to embody the desired indicia and is then placed over the item to be printed. Ink of one color is then added to the screen surface and flooded onto the indicia by a flood bar of conventional design. The ink may be of any type well-known in the industry for screen printing. After the ink is flooded onto the screen, the ink is squeegeed through the screen interstices onto the item, leaving ink of the desired color where the interstices in the screen are unblocked. The squeegee is contained in a squeegee holder typically attached to a squeegee bar on the print head. 
     After the item is printed on, it is moved to a station where one or more operators transfer the article to a drying rack, conveyor surface leading to a dryer, or the like. This requires quick and deft handling by the operator because the cycling of the printing machine may print a shirt every four to six seconds. Further, as the articles are typically adhered to the platen with an adhesive, the article must be lifted at an angle to break the adhesive seal without smudging the print on the article. 
     Current squeegee holders generally require different holders for each type or hardness of squeegee and for the different types and colors of ink. Alternatively, assembly and disassembly for use with different inks or colors, or to clean the squeegee is a time-consuming task. The present invention provides a versatile squeegee holder that can be used with a variety of squeegees of different types, hardnesses and thicknesses, and provides for quick and easy assembly and attachment to a printing machine. Furthermore, the squeegee holder of the present invention permits quick and efficient disassembly and cleaning of the squeegee and holder to prevent contamination between different types or colors of ink. 
     Current squeegee holders also use screws to clamp the squeegee into its holder. This results in inevitable rippling effect in the squeegee caused by the screws. The present invention eliminates this rippling effect. 
     Of particular importance is that laws, rules and/or regulations require the thorough cleaning of squeegees. Contamination of inks is strictly prohibited. As such, there is a real need to ensure that squeegees and thoroughly and completely clean. The use of screws and other similar fasteners or clamping mechanisms have proven to difficult or extremely time consuming to clean. The present invention makes the squeegee and all of the parts associated with the holder very easy to separate and clean in standard cleaning assemblies. All parts are readily disassembled, exposed for thorough, complete cleaning, and assembled after cleaning. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, a squeegee blade holder is provided. The holder includes a first side member, a second side member, and a pivot portion between the first and second side members. The holder also includes a separator or compression maintenance member between the first and second side members for maintaining a uniform compression of the side members against the squeegee sides of the blade. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a squeegee holder system is provided that includes a squeegee blade holder having a first side member and a second side member, and a pivot portion between the first and second members. The system also includes a pair of opposing clamps for compressing the side members against the squeegee blades, and a separator insertable between the first and second side members for maintaining uniform compression of the side members against the squeegee blade to hold the blade thereinbetween. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a method of holding a squeegee blade in a holder is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a first holder side, and providing a second holder side. The method further includes compressing the first and second holder sides against the squeegee blade, and maintaining compression of the first and second holder sides against the squeegee blade so as to support the blade thereinbetween. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a squeegee holder made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side sectional view of the squeegee holder of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a vice used with a squeegee holder of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a side sectional view of another embodiment of the squeegee holder of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a side sectional view of a further embodiment of the squeegee holder of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a side sectional view of a further embodiment of the squeegee holder of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a side sectional view of an additional embodiment of the squeegee holder of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a side sectional view of a further embodiment of the squeegee holder of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 9 a  and 9 b    show a side sectional view of a further embodiment of the squeegee holder of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a cutaway view of an embodiment of a clamping device used with a squeegee holder of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a clamping device used with a squeegee holder of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
     Shown in  FIG. 1  is an improved squeegee holder  100  in accord with an embodiment of the present invention. The squeegee holder  100  includes a squeegee blade  102  and a blade holder  104 . The holder  104  includes an elongated first side member  106  and an elongated second side member  108 . The blade  102  is held between the first side member  106  and second side member  108 . A separator or compression maintenance member  110  is used in conjunction with the first and second side members  106 , 108  to securely hold the blade  102  therebetween by compression. The blade  102  is preferably made from a rubber or plastic material, but can be any suitable material. As is well known in the industry, squeegees come in different durometer hardnesses and even different materials, all of which can be handled by the present holder. The blade holder  104  and separator  110  are preferably made from an extruded aluminum, but can be made from any suitable strong and rigid material. In a more preferred embodiment, the separator  110  is a magnetic stainless steel rod. While the separator is shown as a cylindrical rod, it is recognized that it can have different shapes, such as triangular, tubular, rectangular, trapezoidal, etc. It is also shown as a solid piece, but can be constructed as tubular or hollow. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the holder  104  includes a pivot portion  112 . The pivot portion  112  permits the first member  106  and second member  108  to rotate relative to each other. The pivot portion  112  is also configured so that the first member  106  and second member  108  interlock or mate when they are engaged with one another while permitting them to be separated from one another. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , when engaged, the first elongated member  106  and second elongated member  108  can be rotated about the pivot portion  112  in the direction of Arrows W, X, Y, and Z. When the first member and/or the second member are moved in the direction of Arrows W and X, the holder clamps the blade. When the first member and/or second member are moved in the direction of Arrows Y and Z, the holder releases the blade. By moving the first member and/or second member longitudinally relative to one another in the direction of Arrows A and B while one of the members is moved in the other direction or held stationary, the members can be separated from one another. The separator  110  is inserted into a channel  212  or  214  as described below and used to hold the members  106 , 108  in a locked position relative to one another, clamping the blade  102  therebetween. 
     Several configurations in accord with different embodiments of the present invention are shown in  FIGS. 2, 4-8 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the first side member  106  and second side member  108  pivot at pivot portion  112 . Pivot portion  112  is formed by a lower ridge  114  and an upper ridge  116  on inside surface of the first side  106 . The lower ridge  114  includes a lip  118 . The ridges  114 , 116  extend along the length of the holder  104 . The second side member  108  includes a lower ridge  120  and an upper ridge  122  on its inside surface. The lower ridge  120  is identical and complementary to the upper ridge  116 , and upper ridge  122  is identical and complementary to lower ridge  114 . The ridges  114 , 116 , 120 , 122  engage to form pivot portion  112  formed by the elongated (insertable and removable) separator  110 . This separator  110  is placed between the lower ridge  114  of the first side  106  and the upper ridge  122  of second side  108 . The first and second sides  106 , 108  thus pivot about the separator  110 . 
     Squeegee blade holding portion or jaws  124  located between the first and second sides  106 , 108  may include serrations  126  to better grip the blade  102  therebetween and prevent any slipping. Squeegee bar attachment portion  128  is located opposite the squeegee holding portion  124 . Attachment portion  128  has lips  130 , 132  between which the squeegee bar is located for attachment to a print head. The holder  104  may be attached to the squeegee bar through clamps, set screws, or any suitable means. 
     To attach the blade  102  to the holder  104 , a vise  300  can be used ( FIG. 3 ). The vise  300  has first and second clamp elements  302 , 304 . The first and second side members  106 , 108  of the holder  104  are placed in a fixture  305  between first and second clamp elements  302 , 304  of the vise  300 . A blade  102  is inserted between the first and second side members  106 , 108  of the holder  104 . The first and second clamp elements  302 , 304  are brought together using crank  306  until they contact the first and second side members  106 , 108  of the holder  104  and squeeze them to compress the blade  102  therebetween. The separator or compression maintenance member  110  is then inserted and slid longitudinally into the channel  212  or  214  between first and second side members  106 , 108 . The separator  110  is of sufficient diameter for first and second side members  106 , 108  to create a squeezing pressure on the blade  102  to frictionally engage and hold the blade  102  securely. Pressure on the vise  300  is then released, and the blade  102  is held between first and second side members  106 , 108  by compression maintained by the separator  110 . 
     In another embodiment, the holder  100  is assembled and disassembled using a clamping device  600  shown in  FIG. 10 . The clamping device  600  includes a housing  602  and a fixture  604 . The housing  600  contains pneumatic cylinders  606  and cylinder actuating switch  608 . The device  600  also includes opposing clamps  610 . The clamps  610  are pneumatically actuated to close and open using the switch  612  and cylinders  606 . A set of two switches  608  can be used to prevent a user&#39;s hands or other objects from getting caught when actuating the cylinders  606  and clamps  610 . 
     The first and second side members  106 , 108  are inserted into the fixture  604  such that the blade holding portion or jaws  124  are facing upward. A blade  102  is then inserted between the first and second side members  106 , 108 . The switch  612  is activated, which causes pressure to be applied to the top portions of the first and second side members  106 , 108  by clamps  610 . The pressure also compresses the blade  102 . The separator or compression maintenance member  110  is inserted in the channel  212  or  214  between the first and second side members  106 , 108 . The separator  110  is of sufficient diameter or thickness to maintain compression of the first and second side members  106 , 108  on blade  104 , thus securing the blade  102  between them. 
     The squeegee holder  104  is easily disassembled using the same device  600 . To disassemble, the holder  104  is placed in the fixture  604 . The clamps  610  are activated to apply compression to the upper portions of the first and second side members  106 , 108  sufficient to relieve pressure on the separator  110 . The separator  110  is removed from the holder  104  and the holder  104  is disassembled. The separator  110  can be removed from the holder  104  by applying a magnet to one end of the separator  110  and pulling. 
     In a further embodiment, the clamping device  600  includes a blade pressuring device  613 . In the embodiment shown, blade pressuring device  613  includes a weighted swing arm  614  as shown in  FIG. 11 . The swing arm  614  is rotatably attached to a base  616  at a first end of push arms  618 . The push arms  618  are attached at second ends to a push bar  620 . The push bar  620  extends between the push arms  618 . A cover  622  extends between the push arms  618  atop the push bar  620 . The weighted swing arm  614  is used to push uniformly in a downward direction on the squeegee blade  102 . This downward uniform pressure ensures the blade  102  is properly seated in the holder  104  during assembly. Before clamping, the swing arm  614  is swung into position such that the push bar  620  contacts the blade  102  holding it in place during the clamping operating described above. After assembly of the holder  104 , the swing arm  614  is swung out of position to permit removal of the holder  104  from the fixture  604 . 
     It should be noted that the separator  110  is firmly held in the holder  104 . It does not slip out. In the absence of a vise  300  or clamping device  600 , the separator  110  may be removed manually using a tap and hammer. By placing one end of the tap on the end of the separator  110  and hitting the other end of the tap, the separator  110  will slide out of the end of the holder  104 . Thereafter it can be gripped and pulled totally out of the channel  212  or  214  between the two members  106 , 108 . 
     Separators  110  of different diameters can further be placed in either the upper or lower separator channels  212 , 214 . The upper and lower channels  212 , 214  can be of any desired diameter to allow for a range of squeegee blades  102  to be placed and held in the holder  104 . For example, blades are made with different materials, in different thicknesses, and in different durometer hardnesses. The below embodiment configurations allow this. 
     An additional embodiment of the holder  104  is shown in  FIG. 4 . In  FIG. 4 , the pivot portion  112  is formed from a downwardly extending pivot member  200  extending from the inside surface of the first side member  106 , and an upwardly extending pivot member  202  extending from the inside surface of the second side member  108 . The pivot members  200 , 202  extend along the length of the first and second sides members  106 , 108 , respectively. 
     The member  200  includes a horizontal portion  204  and a downwardly extending vertical portion  206 . The vertical portion  206  has at its distal end a rounded portion  208 . The member  202  includes an upwardly extending curled lip  210 . The rounded portion  208  cooperates with the lip  210  to create a pivot. The second side  108  also includes a ridge  211  which limits the depth into the holder  104  which the blade  102  can sit. 
     In  FIG. 4 , the holder  104  includes channels  212 ,  214  proximate the portion supported by the squeegee bar attachment portion  128 . The channels  212 , 214  are formed by grooves  216  in each of the first and second side members  106 , 108 . The channels  212 , 214  are adapted to accept the separator  110 . It should be noted the aligned channels  212 , 214  each support the separator  110 . The separator  110  is inserted in the channel appropriate for the blade. For example if a blade having a first thickness or first durometer hardness is held when the separator  110  is in the first channel  214 , a blade having a second thickness, which is less than the first thickness or a second durometer hardness which is softer/less than the first hardness can be held when the separator  110  is in the second channel  212 . 
     Profile or side views of an additional embodiment of the holder  104  are shown in  FIGS. 5 through 7 , and  FIGS. 9 a  and 9 b   . This embodiment works on a principle similar to that of  FIG. 4 , but with a differently styled pivot portion  112 . In this embodiment, the pivot portion  112  is formed from a downwardly extending curled lip  400  extending from the inside surface of the first side member  106  and an upwardly extending curled lip  402  extending from the inside surface of the second side member  108  of the holder  104 . The upwardly and downwardly extending curled lips  400  and  402  engage to form a pivot  404 . The embodiment of  FIGS. 9 a  and 9 b    are similar to that of  FIGS. 5 through 7 , but have a thicker upper portion of the holder sides  106 , 108 . 
     Another embodiment of the holder is shown in  FIG. 8 . In FIG., the pivot portion  112  includes a bushing  500  extending from the inside surface of each of the first and second side members  106 , 108 . When the first and second side members  106 , 108  are arranged as in  FIG. 8 , a journal  502  is inserted therebetween to create a pivot about the journal  502 . Each of the embodiments of  FIGS. 2 and 4 through 9  includes a squeegee blade holding portion  124  and a squeegee bar attachment portion  128 . The squeegee bar attachment portion  128  attaches to a squeegee bar of a print head. 
     One of the significant advantages of the above designs is that the holder and blades can be easily separated and assembled to permit the cleaning and set-up of the components. Once separated, cleaning can be easy and thorough as there are no crevices or blind components. Everything is exposed for cleaning. Additionally, for other applicants such as graphics or larger scale printing, multiple squeegees and holders  104  can be used. 
     While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention, and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.