Printing sleeve and method for producing a printing sleeve

Abstract

A printing sleeve includes a first and radially inward layer having an inner side for directly contacting the outer side of a printing cylinder, and an outer side which is radially opposite the inner side. The first and radially inward layer has a glass fiber reinforced compressible compound such that the glass fibers may absorb the forces that arise in the circumferential direction and/or in the longitudinal direction, and the compressible compound elements may absorb the pressures that arise in the radial direction. In this way, the materials which to date act separately in the base sleeve and the compressible layer are combined in one common layer in which said materials each may perform their function.

Claims

1. A printing sleeve comprising: a first and radially inward layer comprising an inner side for directly contacting the outer side of a printing cylinder, and an outer side which is radially opposite the inner side; and, a second and radially outward layer comprising an outer side for configuring a printing surface, and an inner side which is radially opposite the outer side; wherein the outer side of the first and radially inward layer and the inner side of the second and radially outward layer bear directly on one another, and wherein the first and radially inward layer is configured to be able to absorb both forces that arise in the circumferential direction (U) and/or in the longitudinal direction (L), as well as pressures that arise in the radial direction (R); wherein the first and radially inward layer has a glass fiber reinforced compressible compound such that glass fibers absorb the forces that arise in the circumferential direction (U) and/or in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the glass fiber compressible compound absorbs pressures that arise in the radial direction (R); and, wherein the first and radially inward layer is a glass fiber reinforced compressible elastomer compound and the second and radially outward layer comprises a rubber compound which is in direct mutual contact with the glass fiber reinforced compressible elastomer compound.

2. The printing sleeve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and radially inward layer has one or more of a non-woven, an open-pore woven fabric, or a mesh structure, and which comprises a compressible rubber compound such that the structure absorbs the forces that arise in the circumferential direction (U), and the compressible rubber compound absorbs the pressures that arise in the radial direction (R).

3. The printing sleeve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and radially inward layer has one or more of a non-woven, an open-pore woven fabric, or a mesh structure, and which comprises a compressible rubber compound such that the structure absorbs the forces that arise in the longitudinal direction (L), and the compressible rubber compound absorbs the pressures that arise in the radial direction (R).

4. The printing sleeve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and radially inward layer has one or more of a non-woven, an open-pore woven fabric, or a mesh structure, and which comprises a compressible rubber compound such that the structure absorbs the forces that arise in the circumferential direction (U) and in the longitudinal direction (L), and the compressible rubber compound absorbs the pressures that arise in the radial direction (R).

Description

(1) The FIGURE shows a schematic sectional illustration of a printing sleeve 1 according to the invention. This illustration shows a cross section through a printing sleeve 1 which extends in a cylindrical manner in the direction of the longitudinal axis L thereof. The printing sleeve 1 has a first and radially inward layer 11 which in the circumferential direction U is configured so as to be seamlessly closed.

(2) The printing sleeve 1 by way of the first and radially inward layer 11 thereof is fitted onto a printing cylinder 10. To this end, said printing sleeve 1 has been radially expanded from the inside, using compressed air. Herein, the printing sleeve 1 by way of the inner surface 11a of the first and radially inward layer 11 bears in a force-fitting manner on the outer surface of the printing cylinder 10. The printing sleeve 1 furthermore has a second and radially outward layer 12 which by way of the inner surface 12a thereof directly bears on the outer surface 11b of the first and radially inward layer 11. The outer surface 12b of the second and radially outward layer 12 is configured as a printing surface.

(3) The first and radially inward layer 11 is configured for example as a fiber reinforced compressible compound or as a non-woven reinforced compressible compound in such a manner that said layer 11 may assume both the function of a conventional base sleeve as well as simultaneously that of a compressible layer. In this way, the functions and the function modes of these two layers are combined according to the invention in one common layer, which in relation to known printing sleeves simplifies and reduces the cost of the construction of the printing sleeve according to the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

Part of the Description

(4) L Longitudinal direction R Radial direction, radius, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L U Circumferential direction 1 Printing sleeve, sleeve 10 Printing cylinder 11 First and radially inward layer or tier of the printing sleeve 1, respectively 11a Inner surface or inner side of the first and inward layer 11, respectively 11b Outer surface or outer side of the first and inward layer 11, respectively 12 Second and radially outward layer or tier of the printing sleeve 1, respectively 12a Inner surface or inner side of the second and outer layer 11, respectively 12b Outer surface or outer side of the second and outer layer 11, respectively