Activation device for a printing blanket and printing method using a printing blanket

A printing method using a printing blanket, comprising:

• causing an ink to adhere to a printing original plate to form a predetermined printing pattern;
• pressing the printing blanket against the printing original plate having the ink so that the ink is transferred to the printing blanket;
• pressing the printing blanket having the transferred ink against a surface to be printed so that the transferred ink on the printing blanket is transferred to the surface to be printed;
• and
• pressing the printing blanket, after the ink is transferred to the surface to be printed, against a cleaning surface so that the ink remaining on the printing blanket adheres to the cleaning surface,
• the printing method further comprising:
• pressing the printing blanket, after the printing blanket is pressed against the cleaning surface, against an absorber including layers of absorbing members so that a part of a liquid permeating the absorber adheres to or permeates the printing blanket;
• and
• removing a surface of the absorber to change the surface to a new surface,
• the removing including taking up a part of one of the absorbing members positioned in an uppermost layer of the absorber to a take-up roll, and supplying another part of the one of the absorbing members fed from a feed roll to the uppermost layer of the absorber.

An activation device for a printing blanket, comprising:

• a storage tank having a box shape;
• an absorber mounted on the storage tank;
• and a liquid stored in the storage tank,
• the absorber including layers of absorbing members and absorbing the liquid from an absorber lower part included in the absorber,
• the absorber including an uppermost layer and an absorber upper part fixedly positioned immediately below the uppermost layer, the uppermost layer being one of the absorbing members that is fed from a feed roll and taken up to a take-up roll, and
• first and second guide rollers disposed on opposite sides of the absorber upper part for guiding the uppermost layer from the feed roll to the take-up roll under tension sufficient to separate the uppermost layer and the absorber upper part by a gap,
• wherein the absorber upper part is closest to the uppermost layer of any part of the activation device that is disposed between the first and second guide rollers, and
• wherein the gap is small enough that, when the printing blanket is pressed vertically against the uppermost layer in an area between the first and second guide rollers, the uppermost layer is pressed against the absorber upper part and causes liquid from the absorber upper part to permeate the uppermost layer.