Compliant drive for printing presses

A compliant drive for use in a printing press unit comprising:

• a plate cylinder, the plate cylinder comprising a driving gear;
• at least one driven gear;
• an input gear, the input gear being meshed only with the driving gear and driven by the driving gear;
• at least one input gear rolling contact bearing, the input gear being mounted for rotation on the at least one input gear rolling contact bearing;
• at least one output gear, the at least one output gear being meshed only with the at least one driven gear and driving the at least one driven gear;
• at least one first output gear rolling contact bearing, the at least one output gear being mounted for rotation on the at least one first output gear rolling contact bearing;
• and
• at least one compliant coupling between the input gear and the at least one output gear, the compliant coupling comprising at least one biasing element.

A compliant drive between a driving element and at least one driven element comprising:

• an input gear, the input gear being coupled to the driving element and driven by the driving element;
• at least one input gear rolling contact bearing, the input gear being mounted for rotation on the at least one input gear rolling contact bearing;
• at least one output gear, the at least one output gear being coupled to the at least one driven element and driving the at least one driven element;
• at least one first output gear rolling contact bearing, the at least one output gear being mounted for rotation on the at least one first output gear rolling contact bearing;
• at least one compliant coupling between the input gear and the at least one output gear, the compliant coupling comprising at least one biasing element;
• a second output gear, the second output gear being coupled to the at least one output gear, the at least one output gear driving the second output gear;
• and
• at least one second output gear rolling contact bearing, the second output gear being mounted for rotation on the at least one second output gear rolling contact bearing.

A compliant drive for use in a printing press unit comprising:

• a plate cylinder, the plate cylinder comprising a driving gear;
• at least one driven gear;
• an input gear, the input gear being coupled to the driving gear and driven by the driving gear;
• at least one input gear rolling contact bearing, the input gear being mounted for rotation on the at least one input gear rolling contact bearing;
• at least one output gear, the at least one output gear being coupled to the at least one driven gear and driving the at least one driven gear;
• at least one first output gear rolling contact bearing, the at least one output gear being mounted for rotation on the at least one first output gear rolling contact bearing;
• at least one compliant coupling between the input gear and the at least one output gear, the compliant coupling comprising at least one biasing element;
• a second output gear, the second output gear being coupled to the at least one output gear, the at least one output gear driving the second output gear;
• and
• at least one second output gear rolling contact bearing, the second output gear being mounted for rotation on the at least one second output gear rolling contact bearing.