Abstract:
A rotating element of a printing machine is connected to a rotation transmitter that is usable to introduce a liquid or a gaseous medium into the rotating element. The rotation transmitter includes a rotor that is rotatable with the rotating element, and a stator that is secured against rotation. At least one stator channel section cooperates with at least one rotor channel section to provide a fluid flow path for the medium into the rotating element. Axially oriented and mutually opposite contact surfaces, which are against one another when the liquid or gaseous medium is introduced into the rotating element of the printing machine, are provided on the rotor and on the stator.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This U.S. patent application is the U.S. national phase, under 35 USC 371, of PCT/EP2005/051975, filed Apr. 29, 2005; published as WO 2005/108079 A1 on Nov. 17, 2005; and claiming priority to DE 10 2004 021 606.1, filed May 3, 2004, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to devices of a printing press having a rotation transmitter for introducing a liquid or gaseous medium into a rotating component of a printing press. The device includes a rotor, which is arranged to rotate with the rotating component of the printing press, and a stator that is secured against rotation. At least one channel section is provided in both of the stator and the rotor. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Rotation transmitters are generally known, such as, for example, the devices which are disclosed in EP 0 570 786 B1 and in EP 0 544 815 B1. Rotation transmitters of this general type are typically used, though are by no means exclusively used, for transferring compressed air into a forme cylinder. Such a transference of compressed air is done to be able to, for example, actuate a clamping body for use in fastening the printing plates to the forme cylinder, by use of the compressed air. A plate clamping body of this type, that is appropriate for fixing a printing plate on the forme cylinder, is generally known from WO 02/43962 A2, for example. 
   US 2003/0172820 A1; EP 0 562 269 A, and DE 42 09 341 C2 each disclose a rotating introduction system for printing presses. The contact surfaces of the rotor and stator are arranged in the axial direction of the rotating introduction system. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the present invention is to provide devices of a printing press having a rotation transmitter for use in introducing a liquid or gaseous medium into a rotating component of a printing press. 
   This object is attained, according to the present invention, by the provision of a rotation transmitter which has a rotor, that is arranged to rotate with the rotating printing press part, and a stator which is fixed against rotation. At least one channel is provided in each of the rotor and the stator. The liquid or gaseous medium is caused to flow through the stator channel, and through the rotor channel, when the two are aligned. The rotor channel and the stator channel each extend axially. 
   One advantage of the device with a rotation transmitter, in accordance with the present invention, is that a contact surface between the rotor and the stator, and the sealing joint resulting between them, may be sealed in a considerably easier fashion. In contrast to the generally-known rotation transmitters, in which the rotor and the stator come into contact with one another on cylindrical surfaces, the axial orientation of the rotation transmitter, in accordance with the present invention, allows for flat contact surfaces to be provided, which flat contact surfaces may be produced in a cost-effective manner and which may be sealed using simple sealing procedures. 
   The rotation transmitter in accordance with the present invention offers considerable advantages, especially when several different functional elements on the printing press part must be supplied with compressed air, although this supplying of compressed air must not necessarily occur on all of the functional elements at the same time. This is the case, such as, for example, when several printing plates are to be attached to one forme cylinder. The fastening of the various printing plates to the forme cylinder must not occur at the same time. By appropriately arranging or positioning the first channel sections in the stator in a circular array, around the rotational axis of the rotor, it is possible for the inlet openings, which are embodied, for example, in segments, of various second channel sections, to be selectively connected by rotating the forme cylinder against the first channel sections. In this manner, it is possible for a plurality of various functional elements to be actuated, using only a few control valves, with the various control valves being selectively connected to their respectively assigned functional elements by rotating the printing press part. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in the drawing and is described in greater detail below. 
     Shown are: 
       FIG. 1  a schematic side elevation view of a forme cylinder with a rotation transmitter in accordance with the present invention; in 
       FIG. 2  an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the forme cylinder of  FIG. 1  and showing the fixing device of the forme cylinder; in 
       FIG. 3  various possibilities for the pressurization of the fixing device of the forme cylinder in accordance with  FIG. 1  in a first position; in 
       FIG. 4  a schematic view of a stator of the rotation transmitter on the forme cylinder in accordance with  FIG. 1 ; in 
       FIG. 5  a schematic view of a rotor of the rotation transmitter in accordance with the present invention, on the forme cylinder in accordance with  FIG. 3 , rotated by 180°; in 
       FIG. 6  a schematic, perspective depiction of a rotor. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  shows a schematic depiction of a forme cylinder  01  having a rotation transmitter  02  attached to a first end of the forme cylinder  01  and being usable for transmitting compressed air from a compressed air supply, which is not specifically shown, into the forme cylinder  01 . A total of eight printing plates  03 ,  04 ,  06 ,  07 ,  08 ,  09 ,  11 , and  12  may be attached to the circumference of the forme cylinder  01 . The printing plates  03 ,  04 ,  06 , and  07 , are arranged one next to the other in the axial direction on one side of the circumference of the forme cylinder  01 . The printing plates  08 ,  09 ,  11 , and  12  are arranged in a similar manner on the other side of the circumference of the forme cylinder  01 . The printing plates  03  and  08  are arranged one after the other, in a direction of rotation of the forme cylinder  01 , as are the printing plates  04  and  09 , the printing plates  06  and  11 , and the printing plates  07  and  12 . Instead of the depicted four printing plates being arranged next to one another in the axial direction of the forme cylinder  01 , it is naturally also possible for two, three, five, six, seven, or eight such printing plates to be arranged next to one another in the axial direction on a forme cylinder  01 . 
   Eight printing plate end fixing devices  13 , which may each be individually activated, are provided in the barrel of the forme cylinder  01  and are utilized for fixing or securing the respective printing plates  03  to  12  to the forme cylinder  01 . The structure and function of the fixing devices  13  will be explained below with reference to the depiction in  FIG. 2 . 
   On its jacket or circumferential surface, the forme cylinder  01  has two diametrically spaced channels  14 , which are each pointing radially inwards and which are extending in the axial direction of the forme cylinder  01 . The beveled ends of two printing plates, which are arranged one after the other in the direction of rotation of the forme cylinder  01 , such as, for example, the beveled ends of the printing plates  03  and  08 , extend into the channel  14 . The diametrically opposite channel  14 , which is also provided in the forme cylinder  01  for fixing the other ends of both of the printing plates  03  and  08 , is embodied in a functionally complimentary fashion. 
   One beveled end of a printing plate, such as, for example, the beveled end of the printing plate  08  in  FIG. 2 , is hooked into the channel  14  in a form-fitting manner. A clamping piece  16 , that is spring loaded by a spring  17 , is used to fix the other beveled end of another printing plate, such as, for example, the beveled end of the printing plate  03  in  FIG. 2 . A pressure hose segment  18  is arranged between the clamping element  16  and a counter bearing  19 . This pressure hose segment  18  is provided for opening the clamping piece  16 . Channel sections  21  are usable to provide the various pressure hose segments  18  with compressed air. By increasing the pressure in the pressure hose segment  18 , it is possible for the clamping piece  16  to be pivoted against the spring force of the spring  17 . The result is that the beveled end of the printing plate  03  is released. The printing plate end fixing device  13  may also have several clamping pieces  16 , i.e., it may be constructed in several parts. Each such printing plate end fixing device  13  is to be understood to mean the entire fixing device  13  for one printing plate  03 ,  04 ,  06 ,  07 ,  08 ,  09 ,  11 , and  12 . 
   As can also be seen from  FIG. 1 , an assigned pressure hose segment  18  is provided for each printing plate  03  to  12 . In one preferred embodiment, a total of eight different forme cylinder channel sections  21  are provided in the interior of the forme cylinder  01 , which forme cylinder channel sections  21  connect a rotor  22  of the rotation transmitter  02  to the various pressure hose segments  18 . 
   The rotor  22  is preferably in the shape of a circular disc, as may be seen in  FIG. 6 . A pin of the forme cylinder  01  protrudes through the rotor  22  so that the rotor  22  of the rotation transmitter  02  rotates with the forme cylinder  01 . 
   A stator  23  of the rotation transmitter  02  which, for example, may be attached to the frame of a printing press in a rotationally secure manner is aligned with the rotor  22  of the rotation transmitter  02 , as seen in  FIG. 1 . The stator  23  of the rotation transmitter  02  is connected to an air supply by the use of four first channel sections  24 , with a pressure regulator valve being provided in each such channel section  24  for regulating the pressure of the compressed air which is supplied to the stator  23 . The stator  23  of the rotation transmitter  02  is mounted in an axially displaceable fashion and is pushed away from the rotor  22  by a spring force provided by spaced plate springs  26 . To bring the stator  23  axially into contact with the rotor  22 , a pressure line  27  is loaded with compressed air such that the resulting air pressure pushes the stator  23  to the left in the axial direction and into contact with the rotor  22  of the rotation transmitter  02 . 
     FIG. 5  shows the four different pressure hose segments  18  and the manner in which they are provided with compressed air by the rotor  22  of the rotation transmitter  02  in a second position. The rotor  22  was rotated by approximately 180° with respect to the forme cylinder  01 . 
   In the top view of the contact surface  33  of the stator  23 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , there is depicted the arrangement of the outlet openings  28 ,  29 ,  31 , and  32  into which the first channel sections  24  on the stator  23  empty. 
   In  FIG. 3 , the actuation of the pressure hose segments  18 , when these pressure hose segments  18  are being pressurized, for opening the plate end fixing devices  13  for the printing plates  03 ,  04 ,  06 , and  07 , is shown by way of example. In the case of the forme cylinder  01 , the only printing plates that are removed are those with a plate end fixing device  13  that points or is facing upwards. None of the plate end fixing devices  13  that point downwards must be opened. Four different compressed air supplies, with their associated pressure regulation valves, which must be switched each time, are sufficient to actuate the eight different plate end fixing devices  13  which are situated on the forme cylinder  01 . To implement this economizing measure in a structural fashion, the outlet openings  28  and  29  as well as the outlet openings  31  and  32  are arranged on two different concentrically arranged circular lines around the rotational axis  34  of the forme cylinder  01 , as may be seen in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . 
   Four arcuately-shaped, radially outwardly located compressed air inlet openings  36 ,  37 ,  38 , and  39  are formed on the rotor  22  and are assigned to the two compressed air outlet openings  28  and  29  that are arranged on an outer circular line. Four arcuately-shaped, radially inwardly located compressed air inlet openings  41 ,  42 ,  43 , and  44  are formed on the rotor  22  and are assigned to the two compressed air outlet openings  31  and  32  arranged on an inner circular line. By correspondingly rotating the rotor  22 , two of the outer, arcuately-shaped compressed air inlet openings  36  to  39  or two of the inner, arcuately-shaped compressed air inlet openings  41  to  44  may always be connected to the compressed air supply of the first channel segments  24  by the outlet openings  28  to  32 . The inlet openings  36  to  39  and  41  to  44  and/or the outlet openings  28  to  32  may have elastic sealing material or may be provided with an elastic seal as depicted in  FIG. 6  with respect to the rotor  22 . 
   If, for example, the printing plates  03 ,  04 ,  06 , and  07 , which are all located on one circumferential side of the forme cylinder  01 , should be removed from the forme cylinder  01 , the forme cylinder  01  is rotated for a sufficient length of time so that the cylinder channel  14  points perpendicularly upwards. This position of the forme cylinder  01  corresponds to the position of the rotor  22  which is shown in  FIG. 3 . In this position, the stator  23 , with its contact surface  33 , which is shown in  FIG. 4 , is pressed, in a pressure-tight manner, against the contact surface of the rotor  22  such that compressed air may flow out of the outlet opening  28  of stator  23 , which is indicated in  FIG. 3  into the inlet opening  36  of the rotor  22 , compressed air may flow out of the outlet opening  29  of stator  23 , which is indicated in  FIG. 3 , into the inlet opening  37  of the rotor  22 , compressed air may flow out of the outlet opening  31  of stator  28 , which is indicated in  FIG. 3  into the inlet opening  43 , and compressed air may flow out of the outlet opening  32  of stator  23 , which is indicated in  FIG. 3  into the inlet opening  44 . In this position, the four other outlet openings  41 ,  42 ,  38 , and  39  on the rotor  22  are not connected to the compressed air supply. 
   If the four other pressure hose segments  18  are then to be connected to the compressed air supply, in order to be able to now actuate the plate end fixing devices  13  for the printing plate ends on the printing plates  08 ,  09 ,  11 , and  12 , the rotor  22 , together with the forme cylinder  01 , is rotated by approximately 180°. The rotor inlet openings  38 ,  39 ,  41 , and  42  on the compressed air supply are now connected to the stator outlet openings  28 ,  29 ,  31 , and  32 , whereas the rotor inlet openings  36 ,  37 ,  43 , and  44  are no longer being supplied with compressed air. Thus, by rotating the forme cylinder  01  through 180°, the compressed air supply is switched, as may be seen in  FIG. 5 . 
   Because the inlet openings  36  to  44  are structured in the shape of an arc, the various, plate end fixing devices  13  may each be actuated in an angle range of approximately 60°, such that the rotor  22  does not have to be positioned absolutely precisely aligned relative to the stator  23 . It is also possible, for example, for the rotor to be rotated by −15° to +45′ when the stator  23  is engaged in order to allow a printing plate to be mounted or removed when the plate end fixing device  13  is open. 
     FIG. 6  shows a schematic, perspective depiction of the rotor  22 . 
   While a preferred embodiment of devices of a printing press having a rotation transmitter, for introducing a liquid or gaseous medium into a rotating component of a printing press, in accordance with the present invention has been set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes in, for example, the source of the liquid or gaseous medium, the specific structure of the printing formes and the like could be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention which is accordingly to be limited only by the appended claims.