Patent ID: 6247403
Filing Date: 2001-06-19
Classification: B41F,B41M,B41N

Abstract:
A shock absorber for use in flexographic printing between a flexographic printing plate and a plate cylinder surface for compensating for variations in thickness, height, and centricity of the cylinder and flexographic plate, the shock absorber comprising:an elastomeric body for attachment to the surface of a plate cylinder;said elastomeric body being made of a predetermined durometer;said elastomeric body including a support base and a plurality of raised protrusions formed of said elastomeric material;said protrusions having a predetermined height and cross-sectional shape adapted to be longitudinally disposed in the rotational direction of the plate cylinder and spaced apart a predetermined distance such that a compression between the flexographic printing plate and the plate cylinder surface on said elastomeric body will result in a predetermined displacement of said protrusions to compensate for variations in the plate cylinder and flexographic plate operation to improve printing quality;each said protrusion being continuous along said support base, and having substantially the same length as said support base, each said protrusion adapted to surround and adapted to be continuous around the plate cylinder in the plate cylinder's rotational direction leaving the path of least resistance lateral to the side of the geometric shape of each protrusion during compression; andsaid protrusions are disposed such that said support base is exposed between said spaced apart protrusions.