Claims
- 1. In a screen printing apparatus comprising (A) a print head including a screen frame mounting a printing screen bearing a screen image to be printed, a screen frame support removably supporting said frame for edgewise adjustment of said frame relative to said print head, and frame securing means for releasably securing said frame in fixed position relative to said print head, (B) work support means including a work support for supporting a work piece to be printed, and (C) means for effecting relative movement of said frame support and said work support to and from a printing position wherein said work support is aligned with said print head and is disposed in printing relation to said screen frame, the improvements comprising:
- registration means for registering said frame directly to said work support at three mutually spaced registration points arranged in a triangular pattern on each of said frame and work support when said frame is released for edgewise adjustment relative to said print head and said work support is located in a registration position wherein the work support is aligned with said print head, and wherein
- said registration means comprises a registration device on said work support, and alignment means directly engagable between said screen frame and said registration device at said registration points, respectively, for aligning said frame in a predetermined registered position relative to said registration device wherein
- said frame occupies a certain position relative to said print head and said frame occupies a predetermined registered position relative to said work support when said work support occupies said printing position, and
- said frame securing means are operative to secure said frame in said certain position relative to said print head.
- 2. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein:
- said frame is rectangular in shape, and
- said registration points are located at three corners of said frame.
- 3. The subject matter of claim 2 wherein:
- said registration points comprise diagonal slots in one of the following: said frame and said work support, and
- said alignment means comprise registration pins insertable through said slots.
- 4. In a screen printing machine comprising (A) a plurality of print heads each including a screen frame mounting a printing screen bearing a screen image to be printed, a screen frame support for removably receiving said screen frame and supporting said frame for edgewise adjustment of said frame relative to the respective print head, and frame securing means for releasably securing said frame in fixed position relative to the respective print head, (B) work support means including a plurality of work supports for supporting work pieces to be printed, and (C) means for relatively moving said print heads and said work supports to align the work supports with the print heads in succession and effect relative movement of the work supports to successive printing positions wherein each work support is aligned with a print head and is disposed in printing relation to the screen frame of the respective print head, the improvements comprising:
- registration means for registering said screen frames to said work supports by registering each screen frame directly to a selected work support at three mutually spaced registration points arranged in a triangular pattern on each frame and said selected work support when the selected work support is aligned with and occupies a certain registration position relative to the corresponding print head, and wherein
- said registration means comprises a registration device on said selected work support, and alignment means directly engagable with each screen frame and said registration device at said three registration points, respectively, when said selected work support occupies said registration position at the corresponding print head for aligning the respective frame in a predetermined registered position relative to said registration device wherein the respective frame occupies a registered position relative to the corresponding print head, and
- said frame securing means of each print head are operative to secure the corresponding screen frame in said registered position at the respective print head relative to said registration device.
- 5. The subject matter of claim 4 wherein:
- each frame is rectangular in shape, and
- said registration points are located at three corners of each frame.
- 6. The subject matter of claim 5 wherein:
- said registration points comprise diagonal slots in one of the following: each frame and each work support, and
- said alignment means comprise registration pins insertable through said slots.
- 7. In a screen printing apparatus comprising (A) a print head including a screen frame mounting a printing screen bearing a screen image to be printed, a screen frame support removably supporting said frame for edgewise adjustment of said frame relative to said print head, and frame securing means for releasably securing said frame in fixed position relative to said print head, (B) work support means including a work support for supporting a work piece to be printed, and (C) means for effecting relative movement of said frame support and said work support to and from a printing position wherein said work support is aligned with said print head and is disposed in printing relation to said screen frame, the improvements comprising:
- registration means for registering said frame directly to said work support when said frame is released for edgewise adjustment relative to said print head and said work support is located in a registration position wherein the work support is aligned with said print head, and wherein
- said registration means comprises a registration device on said work support, and alignment means directly engagable between said screen frame and said registration device for aligning said frame in a predetermined registered position relative to said registration device wherein said frame occupies a certain position relative to said print head and said frame occupies a predetermined registered position relative to said work support when said work support occupies said printing position,
- said frame securing means are operative to secure said frame in said certain position relative to said print head,
- said alignment means comprise three registration pins directly engagable between said screen frame and said registration device and removably engagable in three registration holes, respectively, in one of the following: (a) said screen frame, (b) said registration device, and
- said registration holes comprise elongate slots including at least two non-parallel slots.
- 8. In a screen printing apparatus comprising (A) a print head including a screen frame mounting a printing screen bearing a screen image to be printed, a screen frame support removably supporting said frame for edgewise adjustment of said frame relative to said print head, and frame securing means for releasably securing said frame in fixed position relative to said print head, (B) work support means including a work support for supporting a work piece to be printed, and (C) means for effecting relative movement of said frame support and said work support to and from a printing position wherein said work support is aligned with said print head and is disposed in printing relation to said screen frame, the improvements comprising:
- registration means for registering said frame directly to said work support when said frame is released for edgewise adjustment relative to said print head and said work support is located in a registration position wherein the work support is aligned with said print head, and wherein
- said registration means comprises a registration device on said work support, and alignment means directly engagable between said screen frame and said registration device for aligning said frame in a predetermined registered position relative to said registration device wherein said frame occupies a certain position relative to said print head and said frame occupies a predetermined registered position relative to said work support when said work support occupies said printing position,
- said frame securing means are operative to secure said frame in said certain position relative to said print head,
- said alignment means comprise three registration pins slidably engagable in three registration holes, respectively, in each of said screen frame and said registration device, and
- said registration holes in one of said frame and said registration device comprise elongate slots including at least two non-parallel slots.
- 9. In a screen printing apparatus comprising (A) a print head including a screen frame mounting a printing screen bearing a screen image to be printed, a screen frame support removably supporting said frame for edgewise adjustment of said frame relative to said print head, and frame securing means for releasably securing said frame in fixed position relative to said print head, (B) work support means including a work support for supporting a work piece to be printed, and (C) means for effecting relative movement of said frame support and said work support to and from a printing position wherein said work support is aligned with said print head and is disposed in printing relation to said screen frame, the improvements comprising:
- registration means for registering said frame directly to said work support when said frame is released for edgewise adjustment relative to said print head and said work support is located in a registration position wherein the work support is aligned with said print head, and wherein
- said registration means comprises a registration device on said work support, and alignment means directly engagable between said screen frame and said registration device for aligning said frame in a predetermined registered position relative to said registration device wherein said frame occupies a certain position relative to said print head and said frame occupies a predetermined registered position relative to said work support when said work support occupies said printing position,
- said frame securing means are operative to secure said frame in said certain position relative to said print head,
- said alignment means comprise three registration pins mounted on one of the following: (a) said screen frame, (b) said registration device,
- said pins are slidably engagable in registration holes, respectively, in the other of said screen frame and said registration device after edgewise adjustment of said frame relative to said registration device to align said registration pins and holes, and
- said registration holes comprise elongate slots including at least two non-parallel slots.
- 10. The subject matter of claim 9 wherein:
- said registration pins are mounted on said registration device.
- 11. In a screen printing machine comprising (A) a plurality of print heads each including a screen frame mounting a printing screen bearing a screen image to be printed, a screen frame support for removably receiving said screen frame and supporting said frame for edgewise adjustment of said frame relative to the respective print head, and frame securing means for releasably securing said frame in fixed position relative to the respective print head, (B) work support means including a plurality of work supports for supporting work pieces to be printed, and (C) means for relatively moving said print heads and said work supports to align the work supports with the print heads in succession and effect relative movement of the work supports to successive printing positions wherein each work support is aligned with a print head and is disposed in printing relation to the screen frame of the respective print head, the improvements comprising:
- registration means for registering said screen frames to said work supports by registering each screen frame directly to a selected work support when the selected work support is aligned with and occupies a certain registration position relative to the corresponding print head, and wherein
- said registration means comprises a registration device on said selected work support, and alignment means directly engagable with each screen frame and said registration device when said selected work support occupies said registration position at the corresponding print head for aligning the respective frame in a predetermined registered position relative to said registration device wherein the respective frame occupies a registered position relative to the corresponding print head,
- said frame securing means of each print head are operative to secure the corresponding screen frame in said registered position at the respective print head,
- said work support means comprises a rotary turret having an axis of rotation and including a work table rotatable with the turret and movable along said axis,
- said work supports are mounted on and spaced circumferentially about said work table,
- said print heads are stationary and located at print stations spaced circumferentially about and located above said work table,
- said means for relatively moving said print heads and said work support comprises means for rotating said turret and worktable stepwise to rotate said work supports to said print stations in succession and for moving said work table along said axis in timed relation to stepwise rotation of the table to elevate said work supports to said printing positions at said print stations and to lower said work supports for rotation between print stations,
- said alignment means comprise three registration pins directly engagable between the screen frame at each print head and said registration device and removably engagable in three registration holes, respectively, in one of the following: (a) the screen frame at the respective print head, (b) said registration device, all while said selected work support occupies said registration position at the respective print head, and
- said registration holes comprise elongate slots including at least two non-parallel slots.
- 12. In a screen printing machine comprising (A) a plurality of print heads each including a screen frame mounting a printing screen bearing a screen image to be printed, a screen frame support for removably receiving said screen frame and supporting said frame for edgewise adjustment of said frame relative to the respective print head, and frame securing means for releasably securing said frame in fixed position relative to the respective print head, (B) work support means including a plurality of work supports for supporting work pieces to be printed, and (C) means for relatively moving said print heads and said work supports to align the work supports with the print heads in succession and effect relative movement of the work supports to successive printing positions wherein each work support is aligned with a print head and is disposed in printing relation to the screen frame of the respective print head, the improvements comprising:
- registration means for registering said screen frames to said work supports by registering each screen frame directly to a selected work support when the selected work support is aligned with and occupies a certain registration position relative to the corresponding print head, and wherein
- said registration means comprises a registration device on said selected work support, and alignment means directly engagable with each screen frame and said registration device when said selected work support occupies said registration position at the corresponding print head for aligning the respective frame in a predetermined registered position relative to said registration device wherein the respective frame occupies a registered position relative to the corresponding print head,
- said frame securing means of each print head are operative to secure the corresponding screen frame in said registered position at the respective print head,
- said work support means comprises a rotary turret having an axis of rotation and including a work table rotatable with the turret and movable along said axis,
- said work supports are mounted on and spaced circumferentially about said work table,
- said print heads are stationary and located at print stations spaced circumferentially about and located above said work table,
- said means for relatively moving said print heads and said work supports comprises means for rotating said turret and worktable stepwise to rotate said work supports to said print stations in succession and for moving said work table along said axis in timed relation to stepwise rotation of the table to elevate said work supports to said printing positions at said print stations and to lower said work supports for rotation between print stations,
- said alignment means comprise three registration pins slidably engagable in three registration holes, respectively, in the screen frame at each print head and in said registration device while said selected work support occupies said registration position at the respective print head, and
- said registration holes comprise one of the following hole combinations (A), (B): (A) circular holes in the frame at each print head and elongate slots including at least two non-parallel slots in said registration device, (B) circular holes in said registration device and elongate slots including at least two non-parallel slots in the frame at each print head.
- 13. In a screen printing machine comprising (A) a plurality of print heads each including a screen frame mounting a printing screen bearing a screen image to be printed, a screen frame support for removably receiving said screen frame and supporting said frame for edgewise adjustment of said frame relative to the respective print head, and frame securing means for releasably securing said frame in fixed position relative to the respective print head, (B) work support means including a plurality of work supports for supporting work pieces to be printed, and (C) means for relatively moving said print heads and said work supports to align the work supports with the print heads in succession and effect relative movement of the work supports to successive printing positions wherein each work support is aligned with a print head and is disposed in printing relation to the screen frame of the respective print head, the improvements comprising:
- registration means for registering said screen frames to said work supports by registering each screen frame directly to a selected work support when the selected work support is aligned with and occupies a certain registration position relative to the corresponding print head, and wherein
- said registration means comprises a registration device on said selected work support, and alignment means directly engagable with each screen frame and said registration device when said selected work support occupies said registration position at the corresponding print head for aligning the respective frame in a predetermined registered position relative to said registration device wherein the respective frame occupies a registered position relative to the corresponding print head,
- said frame securing means of each print head are operative to secure the corresponding screen frame in said registered position at the respective print head,
- said work support means comprises a rotary turret having an axis of rotation and including a work table rotatable with the turret and movable alone said axis,
- said work supports are mounted on and spaced circumferentially about said work table,
- said print heads are stationary and located at print stations spaced circumferentially about and located above said work table,
- said means for relatively moving said print heads and said work supports comprises means for rotating said turret and worktable stepwise to rotate said work supports to said print stations in succession and for moving said work table along said axis in timed relation to stepwise rotation of the table to elevate said work supports to said printing positions at said print stations and to lower said work supports for rotation between print stations,
- said alignment means comprise three registration pins mounted on one of the following: (a) the screen frame at each print head, (b) said registration device,
- said pins are slidably engagable in registration holes, respectively, in the other of said screen frame at each print head and said registration device after edgewise adjustment of said frame relative to said registration device to align said registration pins and holes, and
- said registration holes comprise elongate slots including at least two non-parallel slots.
- 14. The subject matter of claim 13 wherein:
- said registration pins are mounted on said registration device.
- 15. In combination:
- a screen frame,
- a screen frame support,
- a registration device to be located in a screen frame registration position adjacent said screen support,
- registration means directly engagable between said frame and registration device at three mutually spaced registration points arranged in a triangular pattern on said frame and said registration device when said registration device is located in said screen frame registration position for aligning said frame in a certain position relative to said registration device and said frame support, and
- means for releasably securing said frame in said certain position relative to said frame support.
- 16. The combination of claim 15 wherein:
- said registration means comprise three registration pins directly engagable between said frame and said registration device at said registration points, respectively, and removably engagable in registration holes in one of said frame and registration device.
- 17. In combination:
- a screen frame,
- a registration device,
- registration means directly engagable between said frame and registration device for aligning said frame in a fixed position relative to said registration device, and wherein
- said registration means comprise at least two registration pins directly engagable between said frame and said registration device and removably engagable in registration holes in one of said frame and registration device,
- said registration pins are three in number, and
- said registration holes comprise three elongate slots including at least two non-parallel slots.
- 18. The combination of claim 17 wherein:
- said frame is rectangular in shape, and
- said slots are located at the corners of the frame.
- 19. The combination of claim 18 wherein:
- each slot is disposed at approximately a 45 degree angle relative to the adjacent sides of the frame.
- 20. A method of registering a screen frame located at a print head of a screen printing machine relative to a work support of the machine, wherein said frame mounts a printing screen bearing a screen image to be printed, said work support receives a work piece to be imprinted in a printing position on the support, and the work support is movable to and from a registration position close to the frame, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing said frame with three frame registration points precisely located in a triangular pattern relative to the screen image on the frame,
- providing said work support with support registration points equal in number to and arranged in the same triangular pattern as said frame registration points and located in precise predetermined positions relative to said work support, whereby said frame and work support have corresponding registration points,
- relatively moving said frame and work support to locate the work support in a certain registration position adjacent one side of said frame wherein the corresponding registration points of said frame and work support are aligned,
- engaging alignment means with said corresponding registration points to positively retain said frame and work support in said certain registration position, and
- securing said frame in said certain registration position relative to said print head.
- 21. A method of registering a screen frame located at a print head of a screen printing machine relatives to a work support of the machine, wherein said frame mounts a printing screen bearing a screen image to be printed, each work support receives a work piece to be imprinted in a printing position on the support, and the work support is movable to and from a registration position close to the frame, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing said frame with at least two frame registration points precisely located relative to the screen image on the frame,
- providing said work support with support registration points equal in number to and arranged in the same relative positions as said frame registration points and located in a precise predetermined position relative to said work support,
- relatively moving said frame and work support to locate the work support in a certain registration position adjacent one side of said frame,
- moving the screen frame edgewise to align said frame and support registration points,
- securing said frame in a fixed position relative to said print head, and wherein
- said frame and support registration points are each three in number,
- the registration points on one of said frame and support comprise elongate registration slots including at least two non-parallel slots corresponding to two registration points on the other of said frame and support, and
- said step of moving said frame edgewise to align said frame and support registration points comprises extending two registration pins from said two registration points of said other one of said frame and support through said two non-parallel slots, rotating said frame edgewise about said two pins to align the third registration point on said other of said frame and support, and extending a third registration pin from said third registration point through the third slot to retain said frame in fixed position while said frame is being secured in said fixed position.
- 22. The method of registering a printing screen frame member relative to another member comprising one of the following: (A) a vacuum table for supporting an image to be printed, (B) a work support for supporting a workpiece to be imprinted with said image, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing one of said members with three elongate slots including at least two non-parallel slots,
- providing the other member with three registration points corresponding to the three slots, respectively, and having the same relative positions as said slots at certain positions along the slots,
- extending two registration pins from two of said registration points of said other member through the corresponding slots of said one member,
- relatively moving said members about said two registration pins to align the third registration point of said other member with the third slot in said one member, and
- extending a third registration pin from said third registration point through said third slot to retain said members in fixed relative positions.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 08/316,229, filed Sep. 30, 1994.
US Referenced Citations (19)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
316229 |
Sep 1994 |
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