Patent ID: 8794118
Filing Date: 2014-08-05
Classification: D04C,D10B

Abstract:
1. In a braider for guiding bobbin carriers and horngears, the horngears each having hornplates for forming at least one path, a method comprising the steps of: (a) positioning the bobbin carriers on the horngears in a first flat braiding mode, with the horngears configured so that the hornplates cause the bobbin carriers to move along at least one closed path that does not intersect any other one of the at least one closed path; (b) rotating a first subset of the horngears of the braider in the first flat braiding mode using at least two independently operable servomotors, to form a first flat braid section; (c) positioning the bobbin carriers on the horngears in a second flat braiding mode having a different configuration of non-intersecting closed paths from the first flat braiding mode; (d) rotating a second subset of the horngears of the braider in the second flat braiding mode using the at least two independently operable servomotors, to form a second flat braid section having a different configuration of yarns than the first flat braid section; and (e) switching between the first and second flat braiding modes to form a continuous braid having at least one first flat braid section and at least one second flat braid section.