Gapless compressible cylinder assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A print cylinder assembly comprising:
- a cylinder assembly comprising;
an inner shell having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a body portion;
a support carrier coupled to said inner shell about each of said first and second end portions, said support carrier adapted to support said cylinder assembly when said cylinder assembly is mounted on a printing press;
an outer shell positioned over and generally coaxial with said inner shell;
a compressible layer located between said inner shell and said outer shell;
at least one reinforcing layer disposed between said inner and outer shells;
and a printing sleeve that is removably attachable to said cylinder assembly over said outer shell such that when said printing sleeve is mounted on said cylinder assembly, lateral and rotational motion of said printing sleeve with respect to said cylinder assembly is prevented.
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Abstract
A gapless printing system includes a cylinder assembly and a printing sleeve. The cylinder assembly includes a compressible layer located between an inner shell and an outer shell. A support carrier is coupled to the inner shell about each of the first and second end portions and is adapted such that the cylinder assembly is mountable in a printing press. A printing sleeve is removably attachable to the cylinder assembly by installing the printing sleeve over the outer shell such that when the printing sleeve is mounted on the cylinder assembly, lateral and rotational motion of the printing sleeve with respect to the cylinder assembly is prevented.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A print cylinder assembly comprising:
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a cylinder assembly comprising;
an inner shell having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a body portion;
a support carrier coupled to said inner shell about each of said first and second end portions, said support carrier adapted to support said cylinder assembly when said cylinder assembly is mounted on a printing press;
an outer shell positioned over and generally coaxial with said inner shell;
a compressible layer located between said inner shell and said outer shell;
at least one reinforcing layer disposed between said inner and outer shells;
and a printing sleeve that is removably attachable to said cylinder assembly over said outer shell such that when said printing sleeve is mounted on said cylinder assembly, lateral and rotational motion of said printing sleeve with respect to said cylinder assembly is prevented. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A print cylinder assembly comprising:
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a cylinder assembly comprising;
an inner shell having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a body portion;
a support carrier coupled to said inner shell about each of said first and second end portions, said support carrier adapted to support said cylinder assembly when said cylinder assembly is mounted on a printing press;
an outer shell having an outside diameter positioned over and generally coaxial with said inner shell;
a compressible layer located between said inner shell and said outer shell;
and a printing sleeve having an inside diameter normally less than said outside diameter of said outer shell that is removably attachable to said cylinder assembly over said outer shell by diametrically expanding said inside diameter of said printing sleeve to fit over said outer shell such that said printing sleeve is secured to said cylinder assembly by fictional forces such that when said printing sleeve is mounted on said cylinder assembly, lateral and rotational motion of said printing sleeve with respect to said cylinder assembly is prevented. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A print cylinder assembly comprising:
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a cylinder assembly comprising;
an inner shell having a first end portion, a second end portion; and
a body portion;
a support carrier coupled to said inner shell about each of said first and second end portions, said support carrier adapted to support said cylinder assembly when said cylinder assembly is mounted on a printing press;
an outer shell positioned over and generally coaxial with said inner shell; and
a compressible layer located between said inner shell and said outer shell, wherein a printing sleeve is removably attachable to said cylinder assembly over said outer shell by releasably mechanicaIly bonding said printing sleeve to said outer shell of said cylinder assembly such that when said printing sleeve is mounted on said cylinder assembly, lateral and rotational motion of said printing sleeve with respect to said cylinder assembly is prevented. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A print cylinder assembly comprising:
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a cylinder assembly comprising;
an inner shell having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a body portion;
a support carrier coupled to said inner shell about each of said first and second end portions, said support carrier adapted to support said cylinder assembly when said cylinder assembly is mounted on a printing press;
an outer shell positioned over and generally coaxial with said inner shell; and
a compressible layer located between said inner shell and said outer shell, wherein a printing sleeve is removably attachable to said cylinder assembly over said outer shell by releasably securing said printing sleeve to said outer shell of said cylinder assembly by a solvent activated bonding agent such that when said printing sleeve is mounted on said cylinder assembly, lateral and rotational motion of said printing sleeve with respect to said cylinder assembly is prevented.
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17. A print cylinder assembly comprising:
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a cylinder assembly comprising;
an inner shell having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a body portion;
a support carrier coupled to said inner shell about each of said first and second end portions, said support carrier adapted to support said cylinder assembly when said cylinder assembly is mounted on a printing press;
a compressible layer around said inner shell; and
an outer shell defined by a first durable layer comprising a thin film over said compressible layer, wherein a printing sleeve is removably attachable to said cylinder assembly over said outer shell such that when said printing sleeve is mounted on said cylinder assembly, lateral and rotational motion of said printing sleeve with respect to said cylinder assembly is prevented. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A gapless printing system comprising:
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a cylinder assembly comprising;
a hollow carbon fiber inner shell having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a generally cylindrical body portion;
a support carrier coupled to said inner shell about each of said first and second end portions, said support carrier adapted to support said cylinder assembly when said cylinder assembly is mounted on a printing press;
a carbon fiber outer shell positioned over and generally coaxial with said inner shell, said carbon fiber outer shell adapted to allow said outer shell to deflect when operating in the nip of offset transfer points in an offset printing operation;
a plurality of apertures extending through said outer shell;
a compressible layer located between said inner shell and said outer shell, wherein said compressible layer comprises a select one of an elastomeric layer, a polymeric layer and a chamber inflatable using a fluid source; and
a printing sleeve removably attachable to said cylinder assembly over said outer shell such that when said printing sleeve is mounted on said cylinder assembly, lateral and rotational motion of said printing sleeve with respect to said cylinder assembly is prevented, said apertures arranged to allow a pressurized gas through said apertures to expand said inner diameter of said printing sleeve sufficiently to allow said printing sleeve to slide over said cylinder assembly.
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32. A method of fabricating a print cylinder assembly comprising:
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forming an inner shell having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a body portion;
coupling a support carrier to said inner shell about each of said first and second end portions, said support carrier adapted to support said cylinder assembly when said cylinder assembly is mounted on a printing press;
positioning a compressible layer over said inner shell and positioning at least one reinforcing layer between said inner and outer shells; and
positioning an outer shell over and generally coaxial with said inner shell and said compressible layer, and;
mounting a printing sleeve that is removably attachable to said cylinder assembly over said outer shell such that lateral and rotational motion of said printing sleeve with respect to said cylinder assembly is prevented. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification