Method of forming ink patterns and apparatus for printing ink patterns

Abstract

A method of forming ink patterns and an apparatus for printing ink patterns capable of reducing the amount of wasted ink and enhancing the printing and positional precision of the shape of ink patterns on a member to be printed, are described herein. The method includes providing a first printing member including first concave portions formed by engraving patterns larger than final ink patterns, that are to be printed on a member, on the first printing member; filling the first concave portions of the first printing member with ink; transferring the ink filling the first concave portions of the first printing member onto a blanket cylinder to form intermediate ink patterns; providing a second printing member including second concave portions formed by engraving patterns equal in size to the final ink patterns that are to be printed on the member, on the second printing member; closely attaching the blanket cylinder having the intermediate patterns to the second printing member to remove ink on portions of the blanket cylinder that contact convex portions of the second printing member, from the blanket cylinder; and printing ink that remains on the blanket cylinder, on the member to form the final ink patterns.