Blanket cylinder with integrated compressible layer

Abstract

A printing unit including a rigid cylinder rotatable about an axis of rotation, a plurality of inflatable bladders disposed on a circumferential surface of the cylinder, and a first fluid supply regulation unit configured to supply a first fluid to a first set of inflatable bladders of the plurality of inflatable bladders and to regulate a first fluid pressure inside the first set inflatable bladders. In addition, a method for mounting a sleeve-shaped printing sock onto a blanket cylinder of an offset printing press, in which a set of inflatable bladders disposed at an outer region of the blanket cylinder are at least partially deflated. The sleeve-shaped printing sock is slid over one end of the blanket cylinder so that the printing sock at least partially surrounds a circumference of the blanket cylinder. The set of inflatable bladders are then inflated so that the printing sock fits tightly around the circumference of the blanket cylinder.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.