Patent ID: 7726899
Filing Date: 2010-06-01
Classification: B41F,B41P,F16D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A coupling device for coupling a driving box of a printing system to a gripper clamping a printing cylinder, the coupling device having a single part and comprising: a rigid hollow tubular central portion having an opening at a first end, an opening at a second end and a central diameter; a first flange disposed at the first end of the central portion transversely to the central portion, the first flange comprising a rigid bearing portion along a peripheral edge of the first flange comprising openings for receiving fixing means to connect the first flange to the gripper, a radially extending face of the first flange facing outwardly from the first end of the central portion further comprising a concave portion having a deformable first wall radially extending from the opening at the first end of the central portion to the rigid bearing portion, the deformable first wall having a varying thickness tapering radially inwardly from the rigid bearing portion to the opening at the first end of the central portion, the first flange also comprising a first diameter; a second flange disposed at the second end of the central portion transversely to the central portion, the second flange comprising a rigid linking portion operable to be linked to the driving box, the rigid linking portion having rigid cylindrical walls, defining a bore for connecting to a drive of the driving box the second flange further comprising a deformable second wall radially extending from the opening at the second end of the central portion to the rigid cylindrical walls, and the second flange also comprising a second diameter, the deformable first wall and the deformable second wall deforming to correct misalignment between the gripper and the driving box coupled by the coupling device, the first, second and central diameters being selected such that a ratio of a difference between either the first diameter or the second diameter and the central diameter to an average thickness of a respective deformable wall is between 7 and 15.