METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING OR REMOVING A HOLLOW CYLINDER ON OR FROM A FURTHER CYLINDER AND ASSEMBLY AID

Abstract

A method for assembling a hollow cylinder on, or removing a hollow cylinder from, a further cylinder. The hollow cylinder includes a body with openings for creating an air cushion within a first portion of a shell and a second portion of the shell is gas-impervious or has openings for creating an air cushion of a reduced quantity and/or size compared to the first portion. The openings are connected to a gas feed and a gas inlet inside the body. The further cylinder has openings on a shell and gas is fed though the openings via an internal gas supply. An assembly method includes providing the hollow cylinder, applying a seal to the first portion to prevent escape of gas from the first portion, providing the further cylinder, applying gas to the further cylinder so that gas escapes from the openings, and pushing the hollow cylinder onto the further cylinder.

Claims

1. A method for assembling a hollow cylinder on a further cylinder, wherein the hollow cylinder comprises a cylindrical body in which openings for creating an air cushion are arranged within a first portion of a shell and a second portion of the shell is designed to be gas-impervious or has openings, for creating an air cushion, of a reduced quantity and/or size compared to the first portion, wherein the openings in the first portion of the shell is connected to at least one gas feed, which is connected to at least one gas inlet on the inside of the cylindrical body, and wherein the further cylinder has openings on a shell and gas can be fed though the openings via an internal gas supply, wherein the method for assembling comprises the following steps: a) providing the hollow cylinder, b) applying a seal to the first portion of the shell of the hollow cylinder so as to prevent or reduce an escape of gas from the first portion of the shell, c) providing the further cylinder, d) applying gas to the further cylinder so that gas escapes from the openings, e) pushing the hollow cylinder onto the further cylinder, and f) removing the seal.

2. A method for removing a hollow cylinder from a further cylinder, wherein the hollow cylinder comprises a cylindrical body in which openings for creating an air cushion are arranged within a first portion of a shell and a second portion of the shell is designed to be gas-impervious or has openings, for creating an air cushion, of a reduced quantity and/or size compared to the first portion, wherein the openings in the first portion of the shell is connected to at least one gas feed, which is connected to at least one gas inlet on the inside of the cylindrical body, and wherein the further cylinder has openings on a shell and gas can be fed though the openings via an internal gas supply, wherein the method for removing comprises the following steps: a) the provision of an arrangement in which the hollow cylinder is placed on the further cylinder, b) the application of a seal to the first portion of the shell of the hollow cylinder so as to prevent or reduce an escape of gas from the first portion of the shell, c) the application of gas to the further cylinder so that gas escapes from the openings, and d) the removal of the hollow cylinder from the further cylinder.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the seal is part of an assembly aid which is pushed over at least the first portion of the shell of the hollow cylinder in step b), and wherein the assembly aid is designed in the form of a sleeve and has a gas-impervious sleeve body.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the sleeve has two open ends.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the assembly aid comprises at least one mechanical stop which limits how far the assembly aid can be pushed onto the further cylinder, wherein said at least one mechanical stop comprises any one of the following: a stop designed in the form of a pin, a stop designed as an annular ring or multiple stops designed as multiple ring segments.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the sleeve is closed at one end with a disc-shaped end-face which constitutes at least one mechanical stop which limits how far the assembly aid can be pushed onto the further cylinder.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the sleeve body has an inside diameter which is up to 5% smaller than, equal to, or up to 5% larger than the outside diameter of the hollow cylinder.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the sleeve body comprises at least a sealing ring on its inside, wherein the sealing ring seals the assembly aid against the shell of the hollow cylinder.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein a shell of the sleeve body covers at least part of the second portion of the shell of the hollow cylinder in addition to the first portion of the shell of the hollow cylinder.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the openings of the further cylinder and/or the openings in the first portion of the shell of the hollow cylinder are designed as air vent holes or as porous areas.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein when a seal is applied in accordance with step b) of the method a gas-impervious material is brought into close contact with the first portion of the shell.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the gas-impervious material fully covers the first portion of the shell

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the gas-impervious material is flexible.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the gas-impervious material adheres to the first portion of the shell by means of adhesion.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the flexible material is designed in web form and is wound around the hollow cylinder step b) so that at least the first portion of the shell of the hollow cylinder is covered and is fixed in place by means of adhesive and/or a hook-and-loop fastener.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the flexible gas-impervious material is designed in a tubular form and is pulled over at least the first portion of the shell of the hollow cylinder in step b).

17. An assembly aid for use in a method for assembling or removing a hollow cylinder on or from a further cylinder, wherein the assembly aid is designed in the form of a sleeve and has a gas-impervious sleeve body, wherein the sleeve body has an inside diameter which is up to 5% smaller than, equal to, or up to 5% larger than the outside diameter of the hollow cylinder, and at least one mechanical stop which limits how far the assembly aid can be pushed onto the further cylinder.

18. The assembly aid of claim 17, wherein the sleeve has two open ends or wherein the sleeve is closed at one end with a disc-shaped end-face which constitutes the at least one mechanical stop.

19. The assembly aid of claim 17, wherein the at least one mechanical stop comprises any one of the following: a stop designed in the form of a pin, a stop designed as an annular ring or as multiple ring segments and/or wherein the stop is made from an elastic material; and/or wherein the sleeve has a sleeve body with at least one sealing ring on the inside, wherein the sealing ring seals the assembly aid against the shell of the hollow cylinder; and/or wherein the sleeve has a sleeve body with at least two sealing rings on the inside which are arranged to form a seal against the shell of the hollow cylinder.

20-26. (canceled)

27. An arrangement comprising a hollow cylinder and an assembly aid according to claim 17, wherein the hollow cylinder comprises a cylindrical body in which openings for creating an air cushion are arranged within a first portion of a shell and a second portion of the shell is designed to be gas-impervious or has openings, for creating an air cushion, of a reduced quantity and/or size compared to the first portion, wherein the openings in the first portion of the shell are connected to at least one gas feed, which is connected to at least one gas inlet on the inside of the cylindrical body, and wherein the assembly aid is arranged on the hollow cylinder such that the hollow cylinder fully covers at least the first portion of the shell and seals the openings in the first portion of the shell.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0077] The figures show the following:

[0078] FIGS. 1a to 1ea hollow cylinder being pushed onto a further cylinder using an assembly aid,

[0079] FIG. 2 openings of a hollow cylinder being sealed using a web-like flexible material;

[0080] FIG. 3 a cross-section of an assembly aid according to a first embodiment;

[0081] FIG. 4 a cross-section of an assembly aid according to a second embodiment;

[0082] FIG. 5 a cross-section of an assembly aid according to a third embodiment; and

[0083] FIG. 6 a cross-section of an assembly aid according to a fourth embodiment.

[0084] FIGS. 1a to 1e shows a schematic representation for pushing a hollow cylinders 100 onto a further cylinder 200.

[0085] FIG. 1a shows a hollow cylinder 100 with a shell 102 comprising a first portion 110 and a second portion 120. The first portion 110 of the shell 102 contains openings for creating an air cushion. The second portion 120, on the other hand, is designed to be gas-impervious. The hollow cylinder 100 is, for example, an adapter sleeve which is to be pushed onto a plate cylinder.

[0086] When such a hollow cylinder 100 is pushed onto a plate cylinder, an air cushion is formed by means of a gas which escapes from openings in the plate cylinder, and this air cushion makes it easier for the hollow cylinder 100 to slide on the plate cylinder and preferably also expands the hollow cylinder 100 in the process. However, as the gas escapes in part via the openings in the first portion 110 of the shell 102 of the hollow cylinder 100, this air cushion is weakened and pushing the hollow cylinder onto the plate cylinder becomes harder.

[0087] To avoid, or at least reduce, the escape of gas from the first portion 110 of the shell 102 during assembly, an assembly aid 400 is provided.

[0088] The assembly aid 400 is designed as a sleeve body 402 which in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1a is open at one end, see FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6.

[0089] The arrow shown in FIG. 1a indicates the direction in which the assembly aid 400 is pushed onto the hollow cylinder 100.

[0090] The hollow cylinder 100 with the assembly aid 400 arranged thereon is shown in FIG. 1b. The assembly aid 400 is pushed onto the hollow cylinder 100 as far as is mechanically possible, wherein the closed end of the sleeve body 402 of the assembly aid 400 acts as a mechanical stop and prevents the assembly aid from being pushed any further onto the hollow cylinder.

[0091] In this position, the assembly aid 400 creates a seal for the openings in the first portion 110 of the shell 102 of the hollow cylinder 100, so that less air escapes when the hollow cylinder 100 is pulled onto a further cylinder 200, see FIG. 1c. This prevents the air cushion between the hollow cylinder 100 and the further cylinder 100 from being weakened, or this effect is at least reduced.

[0092] FIG. 1c shows a further cylinder 200, which for example is designed as a plate cylinder. The further cylinder 200 has openings 210 on its shell 202 which in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1c are arranged in the form of a circumferential rings close to one of the ends of the further cylinder 200.

[0093] As indicated with the arrow in FIG. 1c, the arrangement already described in relation to FIG. 1b comprising the hollow cylinder 100 and the assembly aid 400 is pushed onto the further cylinder 200, wherein a gas such as compressed air is applied to the further cylinder 200. As a result of the application of compressed air, air escapes from the openings 210, causing an air cushion to form and making it easier to push on the arrangement comprising the hollow cylinder 100 and assembly aid 400. The assembly aid 400 prevents the compressed air from immediately escaping again via the first portion 110 of the shell 102 of the hollow cylinder 100.

[0094] FIG. 1d shows the arrangement comprising the hollow cylinder 100 and the assembly aid 400 in a state where it is pushed fully onto the further cylinder 200.

[0095] FIG. 1e shows the assembly aid 400 being removed from the hollow cylinder 200. As shown with the arrow in FIG. 1e, the assembly 400 is removed again in the opposite direction. The application of compressed air to the further cylinder 200 can be stopped before or after removal of the assembly aid 400. Alternatively, compressed air first continues to be applied to the further cylinder 200 in order to complete the assembly of a printing mould or printing sleeve, wherein an air cushion is created from air escaping from the first portion 110 of the shell 102 of the hollow cylinder 100 and this air cushion assists with the assembly of a printing mould or printing sleeve.

[0096] The hollow cylinder 100 can be removed from the further cylinder 200 by carrying the steps described above in reverse order.

[0097] FIG. 2 shows the openings of a hollow cylinder 100 in the first portion 110 of the shell 102 using a web-like flexible materials 300.

[0098] The web-like flexible material 300 can be used to carry out the steps sketched out in FIGS. 1a to 1e instead of an assembly aid 400. To this end, the web-like flexible material 300 is wound around the first portion 110 of the shell 102 of the hollow cylinder 100, as indicated with the arrow in FIG. 2. The web-like flexible material 300 is gas-impervious and designed, for example, as a plastic film. This plastic film can in particular be designed as an adhesive film which adheres to the shell 102 without using an adhesive. Alternatively, the plastic film can be designed as an adhesive tape largely comprising a plastic film coated with an adhesive.

[0099] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of the assembly aid 400. In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the assembly aid 400 comprises a sleeve body 402 which is shaped like a hollow cylinder. The sleeve body 402 comprises at least a base layer 404 and in further embodiment variants can have additional layers such as a compressible layer.

[0100] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the sleeve body 402 is closed at one end with a disc-like end face 408. The end face 408 constitutes a mechanical stop which limits how far the assembly aid 400 can be pushed onto a hollow cylinder 100, see FIG. 1a.

[0101] A circumferential sealing ring 406 is located inside the sleeve body 402 at the other end. If the assembly aid 400 is pushed onto a hollow cylinder 100, this sealing ring 406 forms a seal against the shell 102 of the hollow cylinder 100, so that a sealed space is created between the shell 102 of the hollow cylinder 100 and the sleeve body 402 of the assembly aid 400. Gas escaping from the first portion 110 of the shell 102 of the hollow cylinder 100 is thus trapped and the gas is prevented from escaping, or the volume of gas escaping is at least reduced.

[0102] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of a second embodiment of the assembly aid 400. Unlike the first embodiment described in relation to FIG. 3, this embodiment has open ends. Stops 407a and 407b which can be used independently of each other are also shown. An inserted end-to-end stop 407a is designed in the form of a pin penetrating the sleeve body. An inserted stop 407b is designed in the form of a pin incorporated into the sleeve body.

[0103] Depending on the application, different embodiment variants for the mechanical stops can be combined, or all stops can be designed uniformly.

[0104] FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of a third embodiment of the assembly aid 400. Unlike the first embodiment described in relation to FIG. 3, two sealing rings 406 are arranged inside the sleeve body 402 of the assembly aid 400 at a distance from each other. The distance between the two sealing rings 406 and their arrangement is to be chosen so that when the assembly aid 400 is pushed fully onto the hollow cylinder 100, see FIG. 1a, the first portion 110 of the shell 102 sits between the two sealing rings 406.

[0105] A stop 407c located inside the sleeve body 402 is arranged to ensure the correct alignment of the assembly aid 400. The stop 407c is preferably annular or comprises a broken ring of multiple ring segments. The stop 407c is made, for example, from a flexible material such as a natural rubber and is fastened to the sleeve body 402 from the inside.

[0106] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of a fourth embodiment of the assembly aid 400. The fourth embodiment of the assembly aid 400 differs from the third embodiment, which was described in relation to FIG. 5, in the arrangement of the stop 407d. The stop 407d is fastened to the front side of the sleeve body 402 from the outside, for example by means of gluing.

REFERENCE LIST

[0107] 100 Hollow cylinder [0108] 102 Shell of hollow cylinder [0109] 110 First portion [0110] 120 Impervious second portion [0111] 200 Further cylinder [0112] 202 Shell of further cylinder [0113] 210 Openings [0114] 300 Flexible material [0115] 400 Assembly aid [0116] 402 Sleeve body [0117] 404 Base layer [0118] 406 Sealing ring [0119] 407a Internal stop as an end-to-end pin [0120] 407b Internal stop as an inserted pin. [0121] 407c Internal stop as a ring or ring segment [0122] 407d External stop as a ring or ring segment [0123] 408 End face