Patent ID: 7297219

Claim:
A drum assembly for an internal drum-type imaging apparatus, the drum assembly defining a concave imaging surface which is more than semi-cylindrical, the assembly made in accordance with a method comprising the steps of: releasably wrapping a drum skin partially around a generally cylindrical mandrel having an axis, the drum skin having a front face facing toward said mandrel and defining an imaging surface and also having a rear face facing away from said mandrel; fixedly attaching a drum to said rear face of the drum skin while the drum skin is wrapped around the mandrel, the drum and drum skin each extending for more than 180° and less than 360° about the mandrel axis so as to define an interface of greater than 180° and less than 360° extent about the mandrel axis and which drum and drum skin cooperate to define a vacuum chamber; generating a fluid bearing between said front face of the drum skin and the mandrel to separate the drum skin from the mandrel; and moving the drum and attached drum skin relative to the mandrel and in a direction parallel to the mandrel axis to remove the drum and attached drum skin from the mandrel while maintaining the fluid bearing between the drum skin and the mandrel, whereby the drum and attached drum skin after removal from said mandrel provide said drum assembly with said front face of said drum skin defining said concave imaging surface which is more than semi-cylindrical.