Pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system and method for making the same

Abstract

There is disclosed a pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system for use to clean the cylinders of printing machines. The system includes a pre-soaked fabric roll saturated to equilibrium with low volatility organic compound solvent which is wrapped around a cylindrical core having open ends to form a roll. The saturated, wrapped fabric roll is inserted in a heat-sealable or heat-shrinkable and heat-sealable plastic sleeve, the sleeve being to intimate contact with the fabric roll after being subjected in heat-sealing or heat-shrinking and heat-sealing, thus permitting transporting and storage of the system until use without detrimentally affecting the cleaning ability of the fabric roll.

The system may also include a slotted canister in which the saturated wrapped roll is inserted before it is placed into the plastic sleeve and heat-sealed or heat-shrunken and heat-sealed thereon or end caps inserted in the open ends of the core.

A method for making the system is also disclosed.

Description

mils inch to about .[∅030 mils #x2205;30 inch, and preferably in a range of from about 0.008 mils inch to about 0.020 mils inch, and the ability when saturated with low volatility organic compound solvent to retain from about 0.05 to about 0.5 cc of solvent per in² of fabric determined by routine testing methods.

In general, woven and non-woven fabrics suitable for use in carrying out the practice of the invention have a basis weight in a range of from about 1.5 ounces per square yard to about 6.0 ounces per square yard, a caliper thickness in the range mentioned above, a tensile strength in the longitudinal (machine) direction in a range of from about 20 lbs. per inch to about 200 lbs. per inch and in a width (cross) direction in a range of from about 15 lbs per inch to about 125 lbs. per inch.

Where paper is employed as a cleaning fabric in the system of this invention, it has a basis weight in a range of from about 40 lbs. to about 90 lbs., a caliper thickness in a range of from abut 0.003 mils inch to about 0.10 mils inch, a tensile strength in the longitudinal (machine) direction in a range of from about 20 lbs. per inch to about 80 lbs. per inch and in the width (cross) direction in a range of from abut 15 lbs. per inch to about 50 lbs. per inch, a porosity in a range of from about 1.0 second to about 10 seconds when subjected to 100 cc of low volatility organic compound solvent or water, and a stretchability in a range of from about 1.0 percent to about 6.0 percent, all determined by routine testing methods.

The low volatility organic compound solvent employed in carrying out the practice of this invention may vary widely and generally it includes at least one low volatility organic compound solvent which does not readily evaporate, as well as mixtures of the same with similar low volatile organic compound solvents or with normally volatile organic compound solvents. Exemplative, but not limitative, of suitable solvent materials of this type are organic compound solvents selected from vegetable oils and citrus oil and the like. Generally, such solvent materials have a volatility in a range of from about zero up to about 30.0 percent, and preferably a volatility in a range of from about zero percent to about 20.0 percent, determined by routine testing methods. It is to be understood that within the purview of this invention, such suitable solvents also include normally volatile organic compound solvents, that is, those which readily evaporate and which are selected from mineral spirits and aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents and the like. Such solvent materials generally have a volatility of from zero up to about 100 percent determined by routine testing methods.

A wide variety of heat-sealable and/or heat-shrinkable and heat-sealable plastic materials may be used for the plastic sleeves employed in the practice of this invention. For example, the sleeve may be made from polyethylenes, polyolefins, polyvinyl chlorides, and polyamides and the like. Generally, such materials are heat-sealable and/or heat-shrinkable and heat-sealable at a temperature in a range of from about 300° F. to about 400° F., and preferably in a range of from about 350° F. to about 375° F. Moreover, it is to be understood that within the purview of this invention, the heat-sealable and/or heat-shrinkable and heat-sealable sleeve may be made from heat-sealable and/or heat-shrinkable and heat-sealable paper.

The method for making a pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system according to the invention comprises contacting a strip of cleaning fabric with low volatility organic compound solvent which does not evaporate readily at ambient pressure and temperature and pre-soaking and saturating the fabric with the solvent, draining of excess solvent from the saturated fabric and obtaining a fabric saturated to equilibrium with the solvent; wrapping the drained, saturated fabric around an elongated cylindrical core having open ends and forming a roll; disposing a heat-sealable plastic sleeve around the drained, saturated, wrapped fabric roll and subjecting the sleeve to a temperature sufficient to heat seal the plastic sleeve around the drained, saturated, wrapped fabric roll in intimate contact with the fabric roll, whereby the pre-soaked, saturated fabric roll can be transported and stored vertically and/or horizontally until use without disturbing the distribution of the solvent in the fabric roll and detrimentally affecting the cleaning ability of the fabric roll.

In a variation of the method, the fabric is preferably wrapped around the core before contacting the same with the solvent. Wrapping of the fabric on the cylindrical core can be done in any convenient manner and requires no special apparatus, a wide variety of roll making equipment being readily available for accomplishing the same.

Whether the fabric is contacted with solvent either before or after the roll has been formed, the roll is then inserted in a heat-sealable and/or heat-sealable and heat-shrinkable plastic sleeve and the sleeve is heat-sealed and/or heat-sealed and heat-shrunken at any appropriate temperature around the roll in intimate contact therewith. Generally, temperatures in a range of from about 300° F. to about 400° F. and preferably in a range of from about 350° F. to about 375° F. to accomplish the heat sealing and/or heat sealing and heat-shrinking of the saturated fabric roll in the plastic sleeve and bring the sleeve into intimate contact with the fabric roll, as mentioned above, may be employed.

In a variation of the method, it is preferred, especially where a heat-sealable plastic sleeve is employed, that once the fabric roll is inserted in the sleeve, the so assembled sleeve and roll be subjected to a vacuum which draws the heat-sealable plastic sleeve into intimate contact with the wrapped fabric roll, while at the same time exhausting any air from the interior of the sleeve, and then simply heat-sealing the sleeve around the roll by application of heat to the open peripheral edges of the sleeve. Known appropriate vacuum apparatus and heat-sealing apparatus may be used by simple adaptation of the same physically to accomplish apparatus for applying the vacuum and heat-sealing of the sleeve.

On the other hand, where a sleeve employed in carrying out the method in both heat-sealable and heat-shrinkable, then one or more small openings or vent holes (not shown) in the sleeve, preferably located near the open edges of the sleeve, are provided to permit exhaustion of air from the sleeve as heat-sealing and heat-shrinking is accomplished, the location of such opening or openings assuring that any such opening or openings will be closed during the heat-sealing and heat-shrinking of the sleeve.

In accordance with the method of this invention, contact between the fabric strip and the solvent can be achieved in a variety of ways. For example, if desirable, the appropriate solvent may be poured over the fabric in amounts sufficient to saturate the same while simply permitting excess solvent to drain off into a tray, or the solvent can be sprayed on the fabric. The saturation step can be carried out at ambient temperature and pressure and the excess, as mentioned, simply permitted to drain off for a period of time sufficient to obtain a fabric saturated to equilibrium with the solvent.

However, it is within the purview of the invention that the fabric strip be immersed or transported through a tank of appropriate solvent in a substantially horizontal direction either before or after, and preferably after, it has been wrapped on the core to form a roll. After saturation has taken place, the saturated fabric is preferably simply suspended in a position to permit excess solvent to drain off and be collected in a trap for reuse.

Wrapping of the fabric on the elongated cylindrical core to form a roll, as well as draining thereof, may also take place at ambient temperature and pressure. When saturation and wrapping to form a roll are completed, the roll is inserted in the heat-sealable or heat-shrinkable and heat-sealable plastic sleeve and the sleeve is heat-sealed and/or heat-shrunk and heat-sealed at a temperature sufficient to heat-seal or heat-shrink and heat-seal the sleeve around the drained, saturated, wrapped fabric roll in intimate contact with the fabric roll. In this regard, the particular heat-shrinking and heat-sealing temperature will be dependent upon the type of heat-shrinkable and heat-sealable material utilized and may extend in a range of from about the softening temperature of such material up to about the decomposition temperature of such material. Care must be taken, however, to be sure that the particular temperature employed is not so high that it will have a deleterious effect on the saturated fabric roll disposed in the plastic sleeve.

In general, heat-shrinking and heat-sealing can be achieved at temperatures in a range of from about 300° F. up to about 400° F., and preferably are achieved at temperatures in a range of from about 350° F. up to about 375° F. and may be carried out in an oven, or under heat-radiating lamps.

The plastic sleeve will be sized so that the wrapped roll can be inserted therein with facility and the open edges of the sleeve then brought together in contact with each other in order to seal the same, while at the same time, being sized also so that when shrinking takes place, it will be brought into intimate contact with the fabric roll around which it is disposed.

In those cases where the saturated wrapped fabric roll is to be employed with a slotted canister, the roll is simply inserted in the canister with a portion thereof protruding through the slot and the canister is provided with knock-out end portions which may be inserted therein after insertion of the roll, such end portions simply being removed when the roll is to be disposed on an appropriate shaft of a printing apparatus or the like in order to permit insertion of the shaft through the core of the roll, as well as removal of the shaft from the core. Moreover, the canister may be made from metals, such as light gauge steel, aluminum and the like or from cardboard or from plastic materials, such as polyethylenes, polyolefins, polyvinyl chlorides, polyamides, and the like.

In those instances where end caps, such as end cap 25, are employed in making the pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system of this invention, the end caps, which may be made of the same materials mentioned above for the canister 23, are simply inserted in the open ends of the cylindrical core after the wrapping, saturation and draining steps of the method have been accomplished.

It is to be understood that within the context of this invention, the terminology "saturated to equilibrium" as it is used in connection with the saturation of the fabric and/or fabric roll with solvent means that after draining the fabric and/or fabric roll retains therein sufficient solvent in an amount to wet the fabric to the extent that it imparts efficient cleaning ability to the fabric to clean cylinders of apparatus, such as printing machinery, and the fabric has retained therein after draining from about 0.05 to about 0.5 cc of solvent per in² of fabric.

The so-made pre-packaged, pre-soaked blanket cleaning system of this invention can be employed on any printing apparatus, simply by modifying the apparatus to provide it with a shaft which can be inserted through the core and also a take-up roll which is employed to take up the used portion of the cleaning fabric after it has carried out its cleaning function. This is a distinct advantage of the cleaning system of this invention since it eliminates the need for complex apparatus, such as pumps, spray bars, manifold lines, valves and the like, especially as part of the automatic blanket cleaning systems used on printing machinery to introduce cleansing solvents or solutions to the cleaning fabrics just prior to use.

In addition, the cleaning system of this invention provides numerous other advantages. For example, it is relatively simple in construction, employs readily available materials and can be made in a relatively simple and forward manner without resort to highly complex and expensive procedures which necessitate the use of elaborate machinery. Numerous other advantages of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Accordingly, this invention is not to be limited to the embodiments disclosed and illustrated herein, except as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system for use to clean the cylinders of printing machines comprising:

(1) a pre-soaked fabric roll saturated to equilibrium with low volatility organic compound solvent disposed around an elongated cylindrical core having open ends, and

(2) a heat-sealed plastic sleeve disposed around and in intimate contact with said fabric roll, whereby the pre-soaked, saturated fabric roll can be transported and stored vertically and horizontally until use without substantially disturbing the distribution of said solvent in said fabric roll and detrimentally affecting the cleaning ability of the fabric.

2. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 1 wherein the fabric is a cloth fabric.

3. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 2 wherein the cloth comprises non-woven synthetic fiber material.

4. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 2 wherein the cloth comprises woven synthetic fiber material.

5. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 2 wherein the cloth comprises non-woven natural fiber material.

6. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 2 wherein the cloth comprises woven, natural fiber material.

7. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 2 wherein the cloth comprises a mixture of synthetic and natural fiber materials.

8. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 2 wherein the fabric has a basis weight in a range of from about 1.5 ounces per square yard to about 6.0 ounces per square yard, a caliper thickness in a range of from about 0.003 mils inch to about 0.30 mils inch, a tensile strength in the longitudinal direction in a range of from about 20 lbs. per inch to about 200 lbs. per inch and in a width direction in a range of from about 15 lbs. per inch to about 125 lbs. per inch.

9. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 1 wherein the fabric is paper fabric.

10. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 9 wherein the paper fabric has a basis weight in a range of from about 40 lbs. to about 90 lbs., a caliper thickness in a range of from about 0.003 mils inch to about .[∅010 mils #x2205;10 inch, a tensile strength in the longitudinal direction in a range of from about 20 lbs. per inch to about 80 lbs. per inch and in a width direction in a range of from about 15 lbs. per inch to about 50 lbs. per inch, a porosity in a range of from about 1.0 second to about 10 seconds, and a stretchability in a range of from about 1.0 percent to about 6.0 percent.

11. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 1 wherein the low volatility organic compound solvent comprises at least one organic solvent compound which does not readily evaporate and is selected from the group consisting of vegetable oils and citrus oils having a volatility in a range of from about zero up to about 30 percent.

12. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 1 wherein the low volatility organic compound solvent comprises at least one organic solvent compound which readily evaporates and which is selected from mineral spirits and aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents and a volatility in a range of from about zero up to about 100 percent.

13. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 1 wherein the heat-sealed plastic sleeve is comprised of a heat-sealable plastic material selected from the group consisting of heat sealable polyethylenes, heat-sealable polyolefins, polyvinyl chlorides, and heat-sealable polyamides.

14. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 1 wherein the heat-sealed plastic sleeve is also heat-shrinkable and is comprised of a heat-sealable and heat-shrinkable plastic material selected from the group consisting of heat-sealable and heat-shrinkable polyethylenes, heat-sealable and heat-shrinkable polyolefins, heat-sealable and heat-shrinkable polyvinyl chlorides, and heat-sealable and heat-shrinkable polyamides.

15. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system according to claim 1 including a canister disposed between the pre-soaked fabric roll and the heat-sealed plastic sleeve.

16. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system according to claim 1 including end caps located in the open ends of the elongated cylindrical core and extending over the peripheral edges of the fabric roll.

17. A method for making a pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system comprising contacting a strip of cleaning fabric with low volatility, organic compound solvent which does not evaporate readily at ambient temperature and pressure and pre-soaking and saturating said fabric with said solvent, draining off excess solvent from said saturated fabric and obtaining a fabric saturated to equilibrium with said solvent; wrapping the drained, saturated fabric around an elongated cylindrical core having open ends and forming a roll; disposing a heat-sealable plastic sleeve around the drained, saturated, wrapped fabric roll and subjecting said plastic sleeve to a temperature sufficient to heat-seal said plastic sleeve around said drained, saturated, wrapped fabric roll in intimate contact with the fabric roll, whereby the pre-soaked, saturated fabric roll can be transported and stored vertically and horizontally until use without substantially disturbing the distribution of said solvent in said fabric roll and detrimentally affecting the cleaning ability of the fabric roll.

18. A method for making a pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 17 wherein the strip of cleaning fabric is wrapped around the elongated cylindrical core to form a roll before contacting said strip of cleaning fabric with the solvent.

19. A method for making a pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system according to claim 17 including subjecting the heat-sealable plastic sleeve to a vacuum and drawing the heat-sealable plastic sleeve into intimate contact with the wrapped fabric roll after disposing the wrapped fabric roll in said heat-sealable plastic sleeve and before heat-sealing said plastic sleeve.

20. A method for making a pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system according to claim 17 including inserting the wrapped fabric roll into a slotted canister before it is introduced into the plastic sleeve.

21. A method for making a pre-packaged, pre-sealed cleaning system according to claim 17 including inserting end caps in the open ends of the elongated cylindrical core which extend over the peripheral edges of the fabric roll before said fabric roll is inserted into the plastic sleeve.

22. A method for making a pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 17 wherein the cleaning fabric is immersed at ambient temperature and pressure in the low volatility organic compound solvent to saturate said fabric and then drained at ambient temperature and pressure to remove excess solvent before said fabric is wrapped on the cylindrical core to form a roll.

23. A method for making a pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 17 wherein the cleaning fabric is immersed at ambient temperature and pressure in the low volatility organic compound solvent to saturate said fabric and then drained at ambient temperature and pressure to remove excess solvent after said fabric is wrapped on the cylindrical core to form a roll.

24. A method according to claim 17 wherein the cleaning fabric is paper.

25. A method for making a pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system comprising contacting a strip of cleaning fabric with low volatility, organic compound solvent which does not evaporate readily at ambient temperature and pressure and pre-soaking and saturating said fabric with said solvent, draining off excess solvent from said saturated fabric and obtaining a fabric saturated to equilibrium with said solvent; wrapping the drained, saturated fabric around an elongated cylindrical core and forming a roll; disposing a heat-shrinkable and heat-sealable plastic sleeve around the drained, saturated, wrapped fabric roll and subjecting said plastic sleeve to a temperature sufficient to heat-shrink and heat-seal said plastic sleeve around said drained, saturated, wrapped fabric roll in intimate contact with the fabric roll, whereby the pre-soaked, saturated fabric roll can be transported and stored vertically and horizontally until use without substantially disturbing the distribution of said solvent in said fabric roll and detrimentally affecting the cleaning ability of the fabric roll.

26. A method for making a pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 25 wherein the plastic sleeve is heat-shrunken and heat-sealed at a temperature in a range of from about 300° F. to about 400° F.

27. A method for making a pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 25 wherein the plastic sleeve is heat-shrunken and heat-sealed at a temperature in a range of from about 350° F. to about 375° F.

28. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system for use to clean the cylinders of printing machines comprising:

(1) a pre-soaked fabric roll saturated to equilibrium with low volatility organic compound solvent disposed around a core, and

(2) a sealed sleeve disposed around and in contact with said fabric roll, whereby the pre-soaked, saturated fabric roll can be transported and stored vertically and horizontally until use without substantially disturbing the distribution of said solvent in said fabric roll and detrimentally affecting the cleaning ability of the fabric.

29. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 28 wherein the sealed sleeve can be opened or removed from the fabric roll for use of said fabric roll and including in combination therewith means for positioning said pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system adjacent a cylinder to be cleaned.30. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 1 wherein the sealed sleeve can be opened or removed from the fabric roll for use of said fabric roll and including means locating said fabric roll adjacent to and operatively associated with a cylinder to be cleaned.31. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system as defined in claim 28, in combination with mounting means for mounting the pre-soaked fabric roll in a position to clean a cylinder while the fabric is in contact with and being fed past said cylinder.32. A pre-packaged, pre-soaked cleaning system for use to clean the cylinder of printing machines comprising in combination:

(1) a pre-soaked fabric roll saturated to equilibrium with cleaning solvent disposed around a core, said fabric roll having a sealed sleeve which can be opened or removed from said fabric roll for use of said fabric roll, disposed therearound, and said system including

(2) means for locating said fabric roll adjacent to and operatively associated with a cylinder to be cleaned.