Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag

Goss International Americas, Inc.

Heidelberg Harris, Inc.

Other

Heidelberg Harns Inc.

James Brian Vrotacoe

Glenn Alan Guaraldi

Roland Thomas Palmatier

Richard Karl Weiler

James R Carlson

Gregory T Squires

James Richard Belanger

John Marshall Gaffney

Edward Ellis Urquhart

Daniel Paul Gagne

Douglas Joseph Dawley

Charles Reif Hammond

Charles Douglas Lyman

Mehmet Oktay Kaya

Michael Raymond Rancourt

Michael Robert Lemelin

Louis John Doucet

Kent Dirksen Kasper

Daniel Matthew Perdue

Howard W Hoff

David Robert Dawley

Lawrence Edward Zagar

Richard L McKrell

James W Geary

Parris Robert Ballentine

William David Mellencamp

A method of forming printing sleeve for mounting on a cylinder in a printing press is provided. The method includes providing a permanent hydrophilic tubular layer on a tubular base; selectively providing a first temporary hydrophobic layer on the hydrophilic tubular layer to form a first imaged printing sleeve, the temporary hydrophobic layer forming a first image; printing, by the first imaged printing sleeve, a first print job including the first image on a substrate; and removing the first temporary hydrophobic layer from the permanent hydrophilic layer such that the permanent hydrophilic layer remains intact on the tubular base. A lithographic printing sleeve for a printing press is also provided.

Reimageable and reusable printing sleeve for a variable cutoff printing press

A method for determining blanket performance in a printing press is provided. The printing press includes a plate cylinder having a printing plate transferring an image to a blanket on a blanket cylinder for printing on a substrate. The method includes determining an acceptable range of nip force (Fp) between a plate cylinder and a blanket cylinder in a printing unit, calculating the nip force (Fp) between the plate cylinder and blanket cylinder and determining blanket performance based on the nip force with respect to the acceptable range of nip force. A printing press is also provided.

Method for quantifying blanket performance and printing press

A roller assembly is provided for spreading and chilling a web in a printing press. The roller assembly includes a roller for chilling and spreading a web and a trolley roller contacting the roller, the trolley roller configured and arranged to impart a deflection in the roller. Also provided is a roller assembly for counteracting web loading on a roller in a printing press. This roller assembly includes a roller for transporting a web, the roller having an axis; a web wrapped partially around the roller and applying a load on the roller transverse to the axis; and a trolley roller contacting the roller, the trolley roller configured and arranged to impart a sufficient force on the roller to keep the axis of the roller linear under said load.

Combined chiller and spreader roll assembly

An ink form roller in a printing press is provided including a core, a first layer surrounding part of the core, and a second layer surrounding part of the first layer, the second layer having a durometer hardness greater than the first layer. In addition, an ink form roller in a printing press is provided including a core, and a layer surrounding the core, the layer having a hardness between about 25 Shore A durometer and about 40 Shore A durometer, the layer having an outer surface, the outer surface having a surface roughness of about 30 micro-inches or less. Methods are also provided.

Smooth roller with low line load and methods

A printing press cylinder assembly is provided including a mandrel including an outer surface, a passage formed therein, at least one first conduit formed therein coupled to the passage and the outer surface, and at least one second conduit formed therein coupled to the passage and the outer surface. The printing press cylinder assembly also includes a guide piece located in the passage. The guide piece is movable in the passage between a first position where the guide piece guides air from the passage to the at least one first conduit and a second position where the guide piece guides air from the passage to the at least one second conduit. A method of installing a bridge sleeve and an outer sleeve on a mandrel of a printing cylinder assembly is also provided.

Printing press cylinder assembly and method of installing sleeves on a mandrel of a printing press cylinder assembly

An offset printing press is provided. The offset printing press includes an image cylinder, a blanket cylinder having an axially convex outer surface, and a printing blanket disposed over the axially convex outer surface, the printing blanket including a carrier sleeve layer having at least one axially convex surface. An axially profiled shim is also provided.

Printing blanket with convex carrier layer

A printing blanket includes a carrier sleeve layer having at least one axially convex surface and a print layer disposed over the carrier sleeve layer. A blanket cylinder with a convex outer surface and a convex shim is also provided. An offset printing press is also provided.

A printing cylinder for accepting an axially-removable printing sleeve includes a cylinder body having an outer surface, the outer surface having at least one hole and a supply line in the cylinder body for supplying fluid to the at least one hole. The supply line has at least one flow restrictor designed to alter fluid flow as a function of the at least one hole being covered by an axially-removable printing sleeve. Also provided is a printing press having two such cylinders and a common pressure source. A method for axially removing a printing sleeve over a printing cylinder includes the steps of applying fluid pressure to an inside of a printing sleeve located on a printing cylinder through holes at a work side end of the printing cylinder and through other holes between the holes at the work side end and a gear side end of the printing cylinder, sliding the printing sleeve in a direction of the work side end of the printing cylinder, and automatically restricting flow through the other holes when the printing sleeve no longer is located over the other holes.

Flow-restricted printing cylinder for a removable printing sleeve

A tubular printing blanket having an axial center has a carrier sleeve layer having a uniform thickness, a compressible layer, a reinforcing layer over the compressible layer, and a print layer disposed over the reinforcing layer. At least one of the reinforcing layer and the compressible layers has a non-uniform thickness so as to be thicker in the axial center. An outer surface of the print layer is convex.

Printing blanket with convex outer print surface

A method for forming a tubular printing blanket includes the steps of applying a application layer to a base, applying a polymer over the application layer so as to form as flexible inner tubular sleeve, at least one of the application layer and the polymer being an innermost layer of the tubular sleeve, and applying a print layer over the tubular sleeve. The interior of the flexible tubular sleeve can collapse to permit better storage of the blankets.

Flexible tubular printing blanket

A device for manufacturing a printing blanket includes a base sleeve, a liquid applicator applying a radiation-curing polymer to the base sleeve, and a radiation source curing the radiation-curing polymer. A method for forming a tubular printing blanket includes placing a radiation-curable polymer over a base so as to form a layer of a printing blanket, and curing the radiation-curable polymer using a radiation source.

Device and method for manufacturing a tubular printing blanket

An improved printing press includes a tubular-shaped printing blanket removably disposed on a blanket cylinder rotatably supported by a frame and having an outer circumferential surface. The printing blanket is disposed in rolling engagement with a conventional printing plate disposed on a plate cylinder having an axially extending gap in which opposite ends of the printing plate are secured. The printing blanket is removed by opening a portion of the frame and axially sliding the printing blanket off of the blanket cylinder. The blanket cylinder has passages which deliver a stream of air to the outer surface of the blanket cylinder which expands the inner circumferential surface of the printing blanket so that the blanket can be axially removed or inserted onto the blanket cylinder. The printing blanket has a metal inner surface which is tensioned by the blanket cylinder to retain the printing blanket on the blanket cylinder during operation of the press. The printing blanket is at least partially formed of a compressible material.

Offset lithographic printing press

A tubular printing blanket including a tubular print layer, a tubular isotropic plastic reinforcing layer underneath the print layer, a compressible layer underneath the reinforcing layer, and a sleeve for supporting, directly or indirectly, the compressible layer. es axial stability due to its isotropic nature and the plastic material. Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing a tubular printing blanket including forming a tubular reinforcing layer and sliding the tubular reinforcing layer over a compressible layer. Furthermore, a device for manufacturing a tubular printing blanket is also provided. A first build cylinder has an outer diameter. A mandrel cap can be attached to one end of the build cylinder, the mandrel cap having an outer diameter larger than the build cylinder outer diameter.

Growing community of inventors

Barrington, NH, United States of America

James Brian Vrotacoe