	US 7,614,341 B1
	Apparatus and method for a segmented squeegee for stenciling
Deepak K. Pai, Burnsville, Minn. (US); and Scott P. Lichtenauer, Burnsville, Minn. (US)
Assigned to General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Inc., Fairfax, Va. (US)
Filed on Mar. 10, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/76,422.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/552963, filed on Mar. 12, 2004.
Int. Cl. B05C 17/10 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 101—123 [101/127; 101/127.1; 101/129; 118/413]

16 Claims

1. A squeegee assembly for depositing a medium on a deposition surface, the squeegee assembly comprising:

a plurality of independent moveably mounted squeegee elements, each independent squeegee element arranged to deposit the medium on a portion of the deposition surface;

a support structure for supporting and coordinating the plurality of independent squeegee elements such that the plurality of independent squeegee elements are configured to deposit the medium to the deposition surface and configured to self-adjust their orientation about their moveable mounting based on a shape of the deposition surface upon which the medium is being applied;

a plurality of independent connections joining the plurality of independent squeegee elements to the support structure such that each of the plurality of independent connections is configured to maintain substantial contact between a bottom surface of a stencil and the deposition surface, each of the plurality of independent connections including a single central vertical biasing member and a rotating joint; and

the plurality of independent connections provides each of the plurality of independent squeegee elements with two degrees of freedom of motion;

the stencil further having a top surface in substantial contact with the plurality of squeegee elements, and the bottom surface being positioned substantially on the deposition surface;

a plane defined by the deposition surface, a predetermined direction and a perpendicular direction to the predetermined direction;

an axis perpendicular to the plane;

wherein the squeegee assembly is wiped across the top surface of the stencil in the predetermined direction and wherein the plurality of squeegee elements are positioned and arranged in a staggered and overlapped configuration;

wherein the staggered and overlapped configuration includes the plurality of squeegee elements, the plurality of squeegee elements being disposed parallel to the axis, with a lower portion being rotated about the axis relative to the perpendicular direction such that the lower portion is angularly disposed from the perpendicular direction to the predetermined direction.