Liquid Applicator Sleeve and an Applicator Assembly including such a Sleeve

An applicator roll assembly comprising a substantially radially symmetric lightweight metal or alloy body component including a hollow central hub portion, a peripheral axially extending flange portion providing an essentially cylindrical exterior surface and a radially extending web portion which extends between and unites the hub portion and the peripheral flange portion, one or more of said portions of said body component being provided with at least one primary fluid communication conduit extending at least partially therethrough so as to be capable of directing a pressurized fluid from an interior region of said body component to an exterior region thereof,

• said assembly further comprising an annular bridge mandrel component consisting essentially of a rigid plastics or plastics composite material adapted to be secured to and completely around the body component exterior cylindrical surface, said bridge mandrel component having substantially the same axial dimension as the peripheral flange portion over which it is disposed, and being further provided with at least one fluid chamber from which radially outwardly extend a plurality of secondary fluid communication conduits angularly spaced apart around said bridge mandrel component, said fluid chamber being, in use, in fluid communication with the primary fluid communication conduit of the body component when the bridge mandrel component is secured thereto,
• wherein:
• Said-said bridge mandrel component is further provided, at its axially rearmost end, with an essentially annular rigid backstop component which stands radially proud of the exterior cylindrical surface of said bridge mandrel component and thus provides a raised annular shoulder against which some other component of the assembly can abut,
• said applicator roll assembly further comprising:
• an annular sleeve component consisting predominantly of a resilient flexible plastics material and which provides an operative exterior cylindrical surface to and from which a coating liquid can be applied and transferred respectively, said sleeve component being disposed on and completely around said bridge mandrel such that at least a first front annular end surface thereof lies substantially flush with the corresponding front annular end surface of said bridge mandrel component,
• a spacer element having an axial dimension substantially equal to:
• the total axial dimension of the exterior cylindrical surface of said bridge mandrel component minus the axial dimension of the exterior operative surface of the sleeve component,
• and having a maximum radial dimension which is less than the maximum radial dimension of said exterior operative surface of said sleeve component,
• an essentially annular cap component having a maximum radial dimension which is greater than that of the exterior cylindrical surface of said bridge mandrel component such that, when removably fixedly secured to the front annular end surface of said bridge mandrel component, some portion of said cap component stands radially proud of said exterior cylindrical surface and provides a raised annular shoulder such that said sleeve component and said spacer element are effectively axially fixed in place between the raised annular shoulders of said back stop component and said cap component respectively.