A cleaning device includes a cleaning unit and a movement mechanism. The cleaning unit includes: a cleaning part that has a contact surface extending along an axial direction of the conveyance roller and cleans the surface of the conveyance roller by bringing the contact surface into contact with the surface of the conveyance roller from below, and a cleaning housing that supports the cleaning part. The movement mechanism moves the cleaning unit between a cleaning position and a mounting and removing position below the cleaning position. The movement mechanism allows the cleaning part to be brought into contact with the conveyance roller at the cleaning position, allows the cleaning part to be disposed below the conveyance roller in a separated manner at the mounting and removing position and allows the cleaning unit to be mounted on or to be removed from an apparatus body.

A cleaning device includes a controller configured to control cleaning of a conveyance roller by a web. The controller includes a separation and contact control unit, a conveyance roller rotation control unit, and a take-up control unit. The separation and contact control unit is configured to control a separation and contact mechanism so as to allow the web to be pressed to the conveyance roller when the conveyance roller is in a non-conveyable state. The conveyance roller rotation control unit rotates the conveyance roller in a state where the web is pressed to the conveyance roller. The take-up control unit is configured to allow the take-up roller to perform a take-up operation of taking up the web by rotatably driving the take-up roller plural times at a predetermined time interval within a cleaning time set in advance in a state where the conveyance roller is being rotated.

A self-advancing cleaner and a method of operating the self-advancing cleaner. In an embodiment, a rotatable member can engage a transport belt, wherein the rotatable member includes a cleaning surface comprising a surface sufficiently rough to collect and take away ink debris from the transport belt. During a cleaning operation the cleaning surface remains stationary while the transport belt moves in a sliding relative motion with respect to the cleaning surface, which allows the ink debris to be collected on the cleaning surface. Once an ink contamination level associated with the ink debris attains a threshold and a set friction exceeds the threshold, the self-advancing cleaner advances.

Provided is an ink supply device for a printer, which does not require cleaning process by manual work, even in the case where ink remains in gap portions between adjacent divided ink ductor rollers. A divided ink ductor roller cleaning unit 7 is provided, which includes a cleaning roller 21 having an outer periphery covered with a cleaning fabric 26 and having an axis parallel to an axis of a plurality of divided ink ductor rollers 4. The cleaning roller 21 is pressed against the plurality of divided ink ductor rollers 4, and the cleaning fabric 26 enters gap portions between the adjacent divided ink ductor rollers 4, whereby the divided ink ductor roller cleaning unit 7 wipes off ink adhering to outer peripheral portions of end faces of the divided ink ductor rollers 4.

A surface treatment module is positioned within a printing system to treat the surface of three-dimensional objects prior to printing of the objects. The surface treatment module includes an actuator operatively connected to an applicator so operation of the actuator presses a portion of a cleaning membrane against the surfaces of the three-dimensional objects to remove material from the object surfaces and retracts the applicator and cleaning membrane from the object surface before the objects pass by an array of printheads in the printing system for printing.

A method for cleaning a printing fluid off a surface of at least one rotatable component of a printing press includes selecting and executing one of a plurality of predefined cleaning operations in an automated way. The selection is made on the basis of a predefined mathematical model executed on a computer and, when the model is executed, a parameter corresponding to an amount of the printing fluid present on the surface is calculated. The improved cleaning method may be applied in all modes of operation of the printing press and in particular allows detergent, cleaning cloth, and/or water to be saved.

A printing system treats the surface of three-dimensional objects to be printed to improve the printing of the articles of manufacture. The system includes a surface treatment module that is positioned to part of the printing process and to treat the object surfaces prior to the surfaces being printed. The treatment of the surfaces within the module include operating an applicator to press a portion of a cleaning membrane against the surfaces of the three-dimensional objects to remove material from the object surfaces and to retract the applicator and cleaning membrane from the object surface to enable the objects to pass by an array of printheads for printing.

A cleaning fabric wound on a roll (12) is used for cleaning printing cylinders (2, 3, 4) of a printing system (1). The cleaning fabric (13) includes a liquid absorbable material configured to be soaked with a cleaning liquid containing a polar additive configured to make the cleaning liquid polar. The roll (12) of cleaning fabric (13) is included in a cleaning cassette (10) which is movable between an idle position out of contact with the printing cylinders, and an active position in which the cleaning fabric (13) included in the cassette (10) is in contact with a printing cylinder to be cleaned.

A printing system treats the surface of three-dimensional objects to be printed to improve the printing of the articles of manufacture. The system includes a surface treatment module that is positioned to part of the printing process and to treat the object surfaces prior to the surfaces being printed. The treatment of the surfaces within the module include operating an applicator to press a portion of a cleaning membrane against the surfaces of the three-dimensional objects to remove material from the object surfaces and to retract the applicator and cleaning membrane from the object surface to enable the objects to pass by an array of printheads for printing.

A device for printing hollow bodies includes a rubber blanket cylinder. A supply device, which guides the hollow bodies to the rubber blanket cylinder, is provided. The supply device comprises a mandrel which is rotated by a drive. One of the hollow bodies to be printed is arranged coaxially on the mandrel. An axial spacing between the mandrel and the rubber blanket cylinder can be changed as a result of an adjusting movement of the supply device. The adjusting movement of the supply device is a linear adjusting movement. The supply device is configured as a linear system which radially supplies the hollow bodies to the rubber blanket cylinder individually and one after the other. The supply device has multiple different positions, each of which places the respective hollow body to be printed, along the adjustment path of the supply device. The positions are arranged at different respective radial distances with respect to the rubber blanket cylinder.