GB2087593A - Printing Cloth for the Screen Printing Process - Google Patents

Abstract

A printing cloth for the screen printing process, said cloth being made from a soft-set mixture of an elastomer without textile or other insert layers or superposed layers and being provided, on one side (1), with a smooth surface but, on the other side (2), with a surface which is finely profiled in the form of interconnecting recesses. This allows the removal of air between the cloth and the contact glass screen by vacuum. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Printing Cloth for the Screen Printing Process The invention relates to a printing cloth for the screen printing process, and its object is to improve the durability of such a printing cloth to such an extent that satisfactory copying results are ensured with complete, total-surface contact on the prototype pattern.

To achieve this object, the printing cloth according to the invention is made from a soft-set mixture of an elastomer preferably of a natural rubber, without any textile or other insert layers or superposed layers and is provided, on one side, with a smooth surface but, on the other side, with a surface which is finely profiled in the form of interconnecting recesses.

In a preferred embodiment the finely profiled surface has a fabric-like structure with intersecting, continuous recesses. The material hardness of the elastomer is advantageously set to a value of from 400 to 480 Shore (A), preferably in an order of magnitude of approximately 450 Shore (A). According to a further preferred feature of the invention the layer thickness of the printing cloth may vary in an order of magnitude of from 0.5 to 2mm.

Because of its particular design, ori the one hand, the printing cloth according to the invention has an excellent expanding capacity and, on the other hand, it permits almost complete discharge of the air between the printing cloth and the associated contact glass screen by the influence ofthe conventional effect of vacuum. Thus, however, important conditions are fulfilled for an accurate fitting of the printing cloth to the shape of the screen printing frame used, whilst at the same time the risk of tears forming is excluded, such a risk always having been present otherwise.

The present invention will be further illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which the single Figure is a highly schematic perspective view of a portion of a printing cloth according to the invention.

The printing cloth illustrated is made as a uniform, homogeneous web from a light-and temperature-resistant mixture of a natural rubber of approximately 450 Shore hardness (A) with a layer thickness of approximately 1 .05mm without any strengthening or reinforcing insert layers or superposed layers. The underside of the printing cloth, denoted by 1, is of an entirely flat and smooth design, whilst the upper side 2 is provided with a fabric profiling which is fine in comparison with the layer thickness.

Claims

1. A printing cloth for the screen printing process, said cloth being made from a soft-set mixture of an elastomer without textile or other insert layers or superposed layers and being provided, on one side with a smooth surface but, on the other side, with a surface which is finely profiled in the form of interconnecting recesses.

2. A printing cloth as claimed in claim 1, in which the finely profiled surface has a fabric-like structure with intersecting, continuous recesses.

3. A printing cloth as claimed in claim 1 or 2, said cloth being set to a material hardness of the elastomer of from 400 to 480 Shore (A).

4. A printing cloth as claimed in claim 3, said cloth having a hardness in an order of magnitude of approximately 450 Shore (A).

5. A printing cloth as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, said cloth being provided with a layer thickness in an order of magnitude of from 0.5 to 2mm.

6. A printing cloth as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, said cloth being made from a mixture based on natural rubber.

7. A printing cloth for the screen printing process, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Printing Cloth for the Screen Printing Process The invention relates to a printing cloth for the screen printing process, and its object is to improve the durability of such a printing cloth to such an extent that satisfactory copying results are ensured with complete, total-surface contact on the prototype pattern. To achieve this object, the printing cloth according to the invention is made from a soft-set mixture of an elastomer preferably of a natural rubber, without any textile or other insert layers or superposed layers and is provided, on one side, with a smooth surface but, on the other side, with a surface which is finely profiled in the form of interconnecting recesses. In a preferred embodiment the finely profiled surface has a fabric-like structure with intersecting, continuous recesses. The material hardness of the elastomer is advantageously set to a value of from 400 to 480 Shore (A), preferably in an order of magnitude of approximately 450 Shore (A). According to a further preferred feature of the invention the layer thickness of the printing cloth may vary in an order of magnitude of from 0.5 to 2mm. Because of its particular design, ori the one hand, the printing cloth according to the invention has an excellent expanding capacity and, on the other hand, it permits almost complete discharge of the air between the printing cloth and the associated contact glass screen by the influence ofthe conventional effect of vacuum. Thus, however, important conditions are fulfilled for an accurate fitting of the printing cloth to the shape of the screen printing frame used, whilst at the same time the risk of tears forming is excluded, such a risk always having been present otherwise. The present invention will be further illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which the single Figure is a highly schematic perspective view of a portion of a printing cloth according to the invention. The printing cloth illustrated is made as a uniform, homogeneous web from a light-and temperature-resistant mixture of a natural rubber of approximately 450 Shore hardness (A) with a layer thickness of approximately 1 .05mm without any strengthening or reinforcing insert layers or superposed layers. The underside of the printing cloth, denoted by 1, is of an entirely flat and smooth design, whilst the upper side 2 is provided with a fabric profiling which is fine in comparison with the layer thickness. Claims

1. A printing cloth for the screen printing process, said cloth being made from a soft-set mixture of an elastomer without textile or other insert layers or superposed layers and being provided, on one side with a smooth surface but, on the other side, with a surface which is finely profiled in the form of interconnecting recesses.

2. A printing cloth as claimed in claim 1, in which the finely profiled surface has a fabric-like structure with intersecting, continuous recesses.

3. A printing cloth as claimed in claim 1 or 2, said cloth being set to a material hardness of the elastomer of from 400 to 480 Shore (A).

4. A printing cloth as claimed in claim 3, said cloth having a hardness in an order of magnitude of approximately 450 Shore (A).

5. A printing cloth as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, said cloth being provided with a layer thickness in an order of magnitude of from 0.5 to 2mm.

6. A printing cloth as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, said cloth being made from a mixture based on natural rubber.

7. A printing cloth for the screen printing process, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.