Patent ID: 7287297

Claim:
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a plate cylinder in an offset printing press, said cleaning apparatus comprising: a pressure pad, a cleaning fabric, the pressure pad comprising a particular portion formed on a base portion, the base portion having a predetermined shore hardness, the particular portion having a predetermined shore hardness of 20 to 40 degrees (20 to 40 HS), which is lower than the shore hardness of the base portion, wherein the base portion is formed of rubber, the particular portion being also formed of rubber, wherein the particular portion and the base portion are formed integrally with each other, and wherein the base portion has a predetermined width and includes opposite side portions to be fixed, the particular portion having a predetermined width which is less than the width of the base portion to be positioned between the opposite side portions of the base portion, and; a support bar including opposite side surfaces and supported by a frame of the cleaning apparatus, the base portion including the opposite side portions fixed to the opposite side surfaces of the support bar, an air passage being formed in the support bar, pressurized air being directed between the pressure pad and the support bar through the air passage so that the pressure pad can be deformed by the pressurized air to be convex toward the plate cylinder, the cleaning fabric being nipped between the particular portion and the plate cylinder with a nip width to clean the plate cylinder with the cleaning fabric.