Improved screen printing plate and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The printing screen comprises a screen frame and screen cloth. The screen cloth is arranged in the screen frame, and the screen cloth is composed of a plurality of first direction yarn and a plurality of second direction yarn. The screen cloth is provided with a non-yarn-drawing area and a yarn-drawing area. The first direction yarn and the second direction yarn located in the non-draw-off area are interwoven with each other. The second direction yarn located in the yarn drawing area is removed through yarn removing treatment, and after the screen cloth is subjected to rolling compaction treatment, the line segment, located in the yarn drawing area, of each first direction yarn does not have rolling indentations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing screen, and more particularly to an improved printing screen and a manufacturing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] See also Figure 1A , Figure 1A Schematic diagram of the structure of the existing printing screen 100. In the manufacturing of the existing printing screen 100, the mesh 120 is laid on the screen frame 110, and then the mesh 120 is subjected to a rolling process. The mesh 120 is formed by interweaving a plurality of first direction yarns 122 and a plurality of second direction yarns 124 of a metal material, for example, with an original wire diameter of 11μm (with an error within plus or minus 1μm), and is formed into a winding shape due to the pushing of each other, and then is pressed tightly together by rolling. Please refer to Figure 1B and Figure 1C Show for example Figure 1A FIG. 1 is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of the interweaving point N1 of the first direction yarn 122 and the second direction yarn 124 in the printing screen 100. FIG.

[0003] At the interlacing point N1, the first direction yarn 122 overlaps the second direction yarn 124, and after the rolling treatment, a flat rolling mark RM is generated on the surface of the first direction yarn 122, and the thickness of the first direction yarn 122 and / or the second direction yarn 124 along the vertical direction of the mesh 120 will be compressed to a thickness t1. The maximum thickness of the mesh 120 is approximately the sum of the first direction yarn 122 and the second direction yarn 124, which is twice the thickness t1. In this example, the thickness of a single yarn is compressed from the original diameter of about 11μm to 6.18μm. Figure 1C It can be seen that the first direction yarn 122 in the non-interlaced part (non-overlapped part) has a first wire diameter d1 of about 11.7 μm, while the wire diameter of the first direction yarn 122 at the interlaced part is expanded to a second wire diameter d2 of 14.1 μm on both sides due to the rolling process. In short, the yarn thickness at the interlaced part of the mesh cloth of the existing printing screen will be reduced, and the lateral wire diameter width will be widened.

[0004] In order to increase the ink penetration of printing, the prior art often further performs a drawing / removing process on the prepared printing screen before printing, that is, removing part of the yarn to reduce the yarn blocking the printing material (such as ink) from passing through the mesh. For example, the printing screen 100 can be roughly divided into a drawing area YR1 and a non-drawing area NYR1. The second direction yarn 124 in the drawing area YR1 is removed, leaving only the first direction yarn 122. Please refer to Figure 1D , Figure 1DThis is a partial scanning electron microscope image of the drawstring area YR1 of the mesh 120 of the printing screen 100. Figure 1D It can be seen that even if the second direction yarn 124 is removed from the drawing area YR1 after drawing, the winding shape of the first direction yarn 122 caused by the manufacturing process will still be maintained, and the indentation mark RM on the yarn at the original interweaving point will still exist. Among them, the first direction yarn 122 located above the original interweaving point is pushed by the second direction yarn 124 below to form a peak, such as the peak P1 in the local area PR1, and the indentation mark RM is formed at the top of the peak P1. The first direction yarn 122 located below the original interweaving point is pushed by the second direction yarn 124 above to form a trough, such as the trough V1 in the local area PR1, and a dent DM is generated on the inner side of its bend.

[0005] Figure 1E for Figure 1D Schematic diagram of the cross-section of the yarn at the peak P1 and the trough V1 in the local area PR1. Generally speaking, the cross-sectional shapes of the first direction yarn 122 and the second direction yarn 124 before the calendering process are roughly circular with a first wire diameter d1. Figure 1E It can be seen from the figure that the cross-sectional shape of the line segment at the crest P1 and the line segment at the trough V1 after the rolling treatment changes from the original circular shape to an irregular shape, and has a second line diameter d2 formed by the rolling treatment. The maximum height difference h between the crest P1 and the trough V1 is roughly twice the thickness t1 of the yarn after the rolling treatment, which is the same as the thickness of the interlacing part N1 in the non-drawing area NYR1. Figure 1F It is a three-dimensional surface profile measurement diagram of the printed material PM1 of the pattern printed on the substrate ST1 through the drawdown area YR1 of the printing screen 100. Figure 1F It can be understood that the printed material PM1 printed on the substrate ST1 will have ups and downs due to the influence of the degree of winding of the yarn and the change of the wire diameter.

[0006] In the existing printing screen technology, there is also a solution that uses skipping yarn weaving to achieve a similar effect to drawn yarn. Skipping yarn means that a certain area is not woven into one direction of yarn, so that no subsequent drawing yarn processing is required. Although this method can avoid the yarn winding and wire diameter expansion caused by the aforementioned rolling process, compared with the drawing yarn processing, its technical threshold is higher and it will incur a higher manufacturing cost. Summary of the invention

[0007] As can be seen from the above, the printing quality will be affected by the degree of winding of the yarn itself and the size of the wire diameter. Although the existing printing screen can increase the ink penetration during printing by drawing, the deformation of the yarn caused by the rolling process will still exist, which will still have a certain impact on the quality of the printed pattern. In addition, the cost of weaving mesh cloth with skipped yarn is also relatively high. Therefore, the purpose of the present disclosure is to propose an innovative solution to solve the adverse consequences caused by the deformation of the yarn caused by the rolling process in the past within a relatively low cost limit.

[0008] In one technical aspect of the present disclosure, a printing screen is provided. The printing screen comprises a screen frame and a screen cloth. The screen cloth is arranged in the screen frame, wherein the screen cloth is composed of a plurality of first-direction yarns and a plurality of second-direction yarns. The screen cloth has a non-drawing area and a drawing area. The first-direction yarns and the second-direction yarns in the non-drawing area are interwoven with each other. The second-direction yarns in the drawing area are removed by yarn removal treatment, and after the screen cloth is subjected to calendering treatment, each line segment of the first-direction yarn in the drawing area does not have a calendering mark.

[0009] In one embodiment, the line segment is in a winding shape.

[0010] In one embodiment, the line segments have uniform line diameters.

[0011] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional shapes of any two points of the line segment are the same.

[0012] In one embodiment, the line segment has a first line diameter, the first direction yarn and the second direction yarn located in the non-drawing area have a second line diameter at the interweaving point, and have the first line diameter outside the interweaving point, and the first line diameter is smaller than the second line diameter.

[0013] In another technical aspect of the present disclosure, a printing screen manufacturing method is proposed. The printing screen manufacturing method comprises the following steps: interweaving a plurality of first-direction yarns and a plurality of second-direction yarns up and down to form a mesh; stretching the mesh with a predetermined tension to fix it on a mesh frame; dividing the mesh into a non-drawing area and a drawing area; performing a yarn removal process on the drawing area so that the drawing area does not have second-direction yarns; and performing a calendering process on the mesh.

[0014] The present invention breaks away from the existing practice of drawing yarn only after the rolling process is completed in the existing printing screen process, and instead adopts a special process that first draws yarn and then performs the rolling process, thereby avoiding excessive bending and deformation of the yarn, and also preventing the yarn from producing rolling marks that expand laterally due to the rolling process. Therefore, compared to the prior art, the yarn in the drawing area of ​​the printing screen of the present invention has a uniform shape, a small degree of bending, and the quality of the printed pattern is even better. In addition, the printing screen process of the present invention can draw yarn only after the entire mesh is woven, without the need to first perform yarn skipping weaving in a designated area, which significantly improves the production cost and process time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1A A schematic diagram showing the structure of an existing printing screen.

[0016] Figure 1B A scanning electron microscope image showing the interweaving of yarns in a conventional printing screen.

[0017] Figure 1C A scanning electron microscope image showing the interweaving of yarns in a conventional printing screen.

[0018] Figure 1D A scanning electron microscope image of a portion of the mesh in a conventional printing screen is shown.

[0019] Figure 1E A schematic cross-sectional view of a partial mesh in an existing printing screen is shown.

[0020] Figure 1F A three-dimensional surface profile measurement diagram of a pattern printed by a conventional printing screen is shown.

[0021] Figure 2A A schematic diagram showing the architecture of a printing screen according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 2B Scanning electron microscope images of partial screens in printing screens according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown.

[0023] Figure 2C A schematic cross-sectional view of a partial mesh in a printing screen according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0024] Figure 2D A three-dimensional surface profilometry graph showing a pattern printed by a printing screen according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 3 A flow chart showing a method for making a printing screen according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] Description of reference numerals:

[0027] 100, 200: Printing screen

[0028] 110, 210: Screen frame

[0029] 120, 220: Mesh

[0030] 122, 222: First direction yarn

[0031] 124, 224: Second direction yarn

[0032] 300: Production method

[0033] d1: first wire diameter

[0034] d2: second wire diameter

[0035] DM: Dent

[0036] h, h': maximum height difference

[0037] N1: Interweaving

[0038] NYR1, NYR2: non-drawing area

[0039] P1, P2: Peak

[0040] PM1, PM2: Printing materials

[0041] PR1, PR2: local area

[0042] RM: rolling mark

[0043] S1~S5: Steps

[0044] ST1, ST2: Base material

[0045] t1: thickness

[0046] TH: Thread

[0047] V1, V2: trough

[0048] YR1, YR2: Drawing area DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The following embodiments are described in detail with reference to the drawings in the specification, but the specific embodiments described are only used to explain the present disclosure and are not used to limit the present disclosure, and the description of the structural operation is not used to limit the order of its execution. Any structure recombined by the elements to produce a device with equal technical effects is within the scope of the present disclosure. The directional terms mentioned in the present disclosure, such as "up", "down", "left", "right", "longitudinal", "horizontal", etc., are only with reference to the directions of the drawings in the specification. Therefore, the directional terms used are only used to illustrate and understand the present disclosure, not to limit the present disclosure. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" mentioned in the present disclosure do not represent any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different parts, and the drawings are only used for schematic illustration and are not drawn according to their actual size.

[0050] The terms used throughout the specification and claims have the ordinary meanings of each term used in this field, in the context of this disclosure, and in the specific context, unless otherwise noted. Certain terms used to describe the present disclosure will be discussed below or elsewhere in this specification to provide additional guidance to those skilled in the art on the description of the present disclosure.

[0051] See also Figure 2A , Figure 2A The schematic diagram of the structure of the printing screen 200 of some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The printing screen 200 is, for example, rectangular, but not limited to this, and is composed of a mesh 220 fixed on a mesh frame 210. The mesh 220 is composed of a plurality of first direction yarns 222 ( Figure 2A transverse yarns in the middle) and a plurality of second direction yarns 224 ( Figure 2A The first direction yarn 222 and the second direction yarn 224 are arranged in a staggered manner, for example, perpendicular to each other in their respective extending directions. It should be understood that Figure 2A The structure of the printing screen 200 is only a simplified schematic diagram for convenience of explanation. In actual application, the first direction yarns 222 and the second direction yarns 224 of the mesh 220 can also be arranged in a non-vertical manner, such as staggered at a specific angle, or staggered irregularly, etc., which is not limited in this article. In addition, the interweaving method and order of the first direction yarns 222 and the second direction yarns 224 can be adjusted according to actual application requirements. The number of the first direction yarns 222 and the second direction yarns 224 of the mesh 220 and the number and size of the meshes formed by the two are also not actual application situations. In this example, the first direction yarns 222 and the second direction yarns 224 in the mesh 220 are made of, for example, metal materials. In other embodiments, the mesh 220 can also be a composite material, such as a middle metal mesh and an outer polyester fiber (Polyester) mesh.

[0052] Continuing from the above embodiment, in order to increase the ink penetration to print a finer printing pattern, the printing screen 200 is subjected to a drawing process to remove part of the yarn. In detail, the printing screen 200 can be roughly divided into a drawing area YR2 and a non-drawing area NYR2. The drawing area YR2 is the area where the graphic opening (not shown in the figure) is to be planned, and the graphic opening is the opening for the printing material (not shown in the figure) to pass through the mesh 220 during printing. The shape and size of the drawing area YR2 are not limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs. Before the printing screen 200 is subjected to the rolling process to be finalized, the line segments of the second direction yarn 224 are first removed from the drawing area YR2, and only the first direction yarn 222 is retained. Among them, the drawing area YR2 will leave the residual thread TH at the edge due to the removal of the second direction yarn 224. It should be understood that in another embodiment, the line segments of the first direction yarn 222 can also be removed according to actual needs, and only the second direction yarn 224 is retained. After the drawing process is completed, the printing screen 200 may be subjected to a calendering process to fix the first directional yarns 222 and the second directional yarns 224 .

[0053] Please read next Figure 2B , Figure 2B The scanning electron microscope image of the drawstring area YR2 and its edge area in the mesh 220 of some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In this example, the mesh 220 is woven with the first direction yarn 222 and the second direction yarn 224 having the first wire diameter d1 of about 11 μm. Figure 2B In the figure, it can be seen that the first direction yarn 222 and the second direction yarn 224 in the non-drawing area NYR2 are pushed up and down due to interweaving, resulting in obvious twisting, and the surface of the first direction yarn 222 or the second direction yarn 224 located at the top of each interweaving part is formed with a rolling mark RM due to the rolling treatment. In addition, the transverse wire diameter (the width of the yarn parallel to the plane direction of the mesh 220) of the first direction yarn 222 or the second direction yarn 224 located at the interweaving part is expanded to the second wire diameter d2 due to extrusion deformation. In this example, the second wire diameter d2 is, for example, at least 2 μm different from the first wire diameter d1.

[0054] The line segments of the second direction yarn 224 in the drawing area YR2 are removed, and the first direction yarn 222 is retained, and the thread ends TH of the second direction yarn 224 remain at the edge. In this embodiment, the printing screen 200 is first subjected to drawing and then to rolling. Therefore, during the rolling, the line segments of the first direction yarn 222 in the drawing area YR2 will not be squeezed by the second direction yarn 224 originally interwoven therewith to produce the rolling marks RM in the non-drawing area NYR2. Although the first direction yarn 222 and the second direction yarn 224 in the drawing area YR2 will be pushed and bent by each other when the mesh 220 is woven, the first direction yarn 222 in the drawing area YR2 will not be pushed and supported by the second direction yarn 224 when the rolling is performed. Therefore, the degree of bending of the line segments of the first direction yarn 222 located in the drawing area YR2 will be significantly reduced due to the vertical pressure during the rolling process, and the wire diameter located at the original interlacing part will not be pushed by other yarns and cause changes. In other words, the line segments of the first direction yarn 222 located in the drawing area YR2 have consistent wire diameters at various locations, present a uniform wire diameter appearance as a whole, and have the same cross-sectional shape at any two points (i.e., maintaining the cross-sectional shape of the original yarn). It should be understood that during the manufacturing process, the yarn may have very slightly different wire diameters at various locations due to differences in process quality or selected materials. However, if the difference in wire diameters at various locations is no more than 1 μm, and the cross-sectional shape at various locations is the same (for example, roughly circular), the yarn can be said to have a uniform wire diameter.

[0055] For example, see also Figure 2B and Figure 2C , Figure 2C Show Figure 2B A schematic diagram of the transverse section of the first direction yarn 222 of the local area PR2 of the middle drawing area YR2. When weaving the mesh 220, the first direction yarn 222 located above the original interweaving in the local area PR2 is pushed by the second direction yarn 224 below to form a peak P2; and the first direction yarn 222 located below the original interweaving is pushed by the second direction yarn 224 above to form a trough V2. However, since the second direction yarn 224 in the drawing area YR2 has been removed when the printing screen 200 is subjected to the rolling treatment, the maximum height difference h' at the peak P2 and the trough V2 will be reduced due to the vertical pressure of the rolling treatment. Among them, under the same process parameters, the maximum height difference h' of the drawing area YR2 in the printing screen 200 will be lower than the maximum height difference h( Figure 1E ).

[0056] Continuing from the above embodiment, when the rolling process is performed, the line segments of the first direction yarn 222 in the drawing area YR2 will not be pushed by the second direction yarn 224, and even when subjected to pressure from the rolling machine, they still have enough space to move, and their line diameter will not be squeezed and deformed. In other words, the line segments of the first direction yarn 222 located in the drawing area YR2 will generally still maintain the original first line diameter d1, and will not expand to the second line diameter d2, presenting a uniform line diameter appearance. In addition, the first direction yarn 222 will also maintain the original cross-sectional shape before rolling (in this example, the original cross-sectional shape is circular).

[0057] See also Figure 2D , Figure 2D is a three-dimensional surface profile measurement diagram of a printed material PM2 of a pattern printed onto a substrate ST2 by, for example, a printing screen 200. Figure 1F The three-dimensional surface profile measurement diagram of the printed material PM1 of the pattern printed by the existing printing screen 100 shows that the pattern printed by the printing screen 200 has small fluctuations in height, showing a more delicate and uniform printing quality.

[0058] Table 1 below shows the measurement data of the patterns printed by the existing printing screen 100 (control group) and the printing screen 200 of the present disclosure (experimental group), wherein the test uses a mesh made of yarns with an initial wire diameter of 11 μm, and the printing screen 100 and the printing screen 200 are tested after the same parameters of the calendering treatment, and both are used to print the same pattern. The term "line height" in Table 1 refers to the thickness of the printed pattern.

[0059]

[0060] (Table 1)

[0061] As can be seen from Table 1, the printing area of ​​the control group of printing screen 100 still has rolling marks (RM), while the printing area of ​​the experimental group of printing screen 200 does not have rolling marks (RM). The highest line height of the pattern printed by the experimental group of printing screen 200 without rolling marks (RM) in the printing area is lower than the data of the control group, and the lowest line height is higher than the data of the control group. In addition, the height difference presented by the experimental group is smaller than the data of the control group. In other words, the experimental group presents a pattern with smaller height fluctuations and more uniformity, indicating that the printing quality of the printing screen 200 is more refined.

[0062] Figure 3A flow chart of a method 300 for making a printing screen 200 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The method 300 comprises steps S1 to S5 which are performed in sequence. In step S1, a plurality of first direction yarns (222) and a plurality of second direction yarns (224) are first interwoven up and down to form a mesh (220). Then, in step S2, the mesh (220) is stretched with a predetermined tension to be further fixed on the mesh frame (210). In step S3, the mesh (220) is divided into a non-drawing area (NYR2) and a drawing area (NYR2). In step S4, the drawing area (NYR2) is subjected to a drawing / de-drawing process so that it does not have the second direction yarns (224). Finally, in step S5, the mesh (220) is subjected to a pressing process. It should be understood that in step S4, the first direction yarns (222) can also be removed according to demand, while the second direction yarns (224) are retained. Through the manufacturing method 300, a printing screen having no indentation marks in the drawing area can be manufactured, thereby achieving a printing screen that can print more evenly and finely and save printing materials.

[0063] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been disclosed above, they are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Any person skilled in the art may make some changes and modifications without departing from the concept and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present disclosure shall be based on the definition of the claims.

Claims

1. A printing screen, comprising: a frame; and A mesh cloth is arranged in the mesh frame, wherein the mesh cloth is composed of a plurality of first direction yarns and a plurality of second direction yarns, and the mesh cloth has: a non-drawn yarn area, wherein the plurality of first direction yarns and the plurality of second direction yarns located in the non-drawn yarn area are interwoven with each other; and A yarn drawing area, wherein the plurality of second direction yarns located in the yarn drawing area are removed by yarn removal treatment, and after the mesh cloth is subjected to calendering treatment, each line segment of the plurality of first direction yarns located in the yarn drawing area has no calendering mark.

2. The printing screen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the line segment is in a winding shape. The printing screen as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the line segment has a uniform line diameter. The printing screen as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shapes of any two points of the line segment are the same.

5. The printing screen as described in claim 1, wherein the line segment has a first line diameter, the multiple first direction yarns and the multiple second direction yarns located in the non-drawing area have a second line diameter at the interweaving point, and have the first line diameter outside the interweaving point, and the first line diameter is smaller than the second line diameter.

6. A method for making a printing screen, comprising the following steps: Interweaving a plurality of first-directional yarns and a plurality of second-directional yarns up and down to form a mesh; The mesh is stretched with a predetermined tension to be fixed on a mesh frame; The mesh fabric is divided into a non-drawn yarn area and a drawn yarn area; Performing a yarn removal process on the yarn drawing area so that the yarn drawing area does not have the plurality of second direction yarns; as well as The mesh is subjected to a calendering treatment.

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