Process for preparing a screen stencil

Claim 2

A process for preparing a screen stencil that provides high resolution printing, comprising: placing a porous support for a screen stencil over a mounting plate; saturating said porous support with a substantially carrier-free composition consisting essentially of liquid radiation-curable materials and from 0.01 to about 5% by weight of a photo-sensitizer: placing a backing plate over said saturated porous support; applying rolling pressure to said backing plate to force excess of said substantially carrier-free radiation curable composition to flow out from said mounting plate and said backing plate; exposing said composition to sufficient radiation through a positive opposite said backing place to cure exposed portions of said composition; and removing uncured composition from said porous support by rinsing with a liquid.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein said backing plate is flexible.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein said flexible backing plate is an antihalation film formed of amber polyester.

Claim 5

The process of claim 2 wherein said porous support is first placed over said mounting plate, and thereafter said substantially carrier-free material is applied to said porous support to saturate said porous support.

Claim 6

The process of claim 2 wherein said substantially carrier-free material is applied to said mounting plate prior to placing said porous support on said mounting plate.

Claim 7

The process of claim 2 wherein said backing plate is transparent.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1 further including: placing a positive over a first mounting plate; placing a second mounting plate over said positive; and placing said porous support over said second mounting plate.

Claim 9

The process of claim 7 further including: spraying said positive with a liquid prior to placing said second mounting plate over said positive; and applying rolling pressure to said second mounting plate to bring said positive and said second mounting plate into substantially intimate contact.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1 wherein said liquid radiation curable materials of said substantially carrier-free composition is a mixture of polyethylenically unsaturated compounds.

Claim 11

The process of claim 9 wherein said substantially carrier-free composition further includes a sufficient amount of dye to color said composition.

Claim 12

A screen stencil prepared by the process of claim 1.

Claim 13

A process for preparing a screen stencil whereby an oxygen-inhibited radiation curable composition is protected from oxygen diffusion thereinto during exposure to radiation, comprising: saturating a screen stencil blank with a substantially carrier-free composition consisting essentially of liquid, radiation-curable materials and from 0.01 to about 5% by weight of a photo-sensitizer; sandwiching said saturated screen stencil blank between two flat plates; removing air from between said two flat plates; exposing a portion of said saturated screen stencil blank to radiation to cure exposed portions of said composition thereby forming a screen stencil; and removing uncured composition from said screen stencil by rinsing with a liquid.

Claim 14

A process for preparing a screen stencil whereby an oxygen-inhibited radiation curable composition is protected from oxygen diffusion thereinto during exposure to radiation, comprising: saturating a screen stencil blank with a substantially carrier-free composition consisting essentially of liquid, radiation-curable materials and from 0.01 to about 5% by weight of a photo-sensitizer; sandwiching said saturated screen stencil blank between two flat plates; removing air from between said two flat plates; exposing a portion of said saturated screen stencil blank to radiation to cure exposed portions of said composition thereby forming a screen stencil; and removing uncured composition from said screen stencil by rinsing with a liquid.

Claim 15

The process of claim 9 wherein the uncured composition is removed by rinsing with ethyl acetate.

Claim 16

A process for preparing a screen stencil that provides high resolution printing, comprising: supporting a screen stencil blank with a rigid mounting plate; saturating said screen stencil blank with an excess of composition consisting essentially of radiation-curable material that is liquid at ambient room temperature and from about 0.01 to about 5% by weight of a photosensitizer; placing a flexible backing plate over said screen stencil blank and excess composition; applying rolling pressure across said backing plate to remove excess composition by squeezing out from between said mounting plate and said backing plate until further rolling pressure has substantially no effect as to removing composition; exposing said composition and screen stencil blank to radiation through a positive, while maintaining the assembly of mounting plate, saturated screen stencil blank, and backing plate, so as to form a screen stencil; and rinsing with a liquid to remove uncured composition.

Claim 17

A process for preparing a screen stencil that provides high resolution printing, comprising: supporting a screen stencil blank with a rigid mounting plate; saturating said screen stencil blank with an excess of composition consisting essentially of radiation-curable material that is liquid at ambient room temperature and from about 0.01 to about 5% by weight of a photosensitizer; placing a flexible backing plate over said screen stencil blank and excess composition; applying rolling pressure across said backing plate to remove excess composition by squeezing out from between said mounting plate and said backing plate until further rolling pressure has substantially no effect as to removing composition; exposing said composition and screen stencil blank to radiation through a positive, while maintaining the assembly of mounting plate, saturated screen stencil blank, and backing plate, so as to form a screen stencil; and rinsing with a liquid to remove uncured composition.

Claim 18

The process of claim 14 wherein said radiation-curable material is a mixture of polyethylenically unsaturated compounds.

Claim 19

The process of claim 15 wherein the rinse liquid is ethyl acetate.