Office Action 1: Non-Final Rejection (2024-08-16)
Rejection types: 102 - Lack of Novelty, 103 - Obviousness

CLAIMS:
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1.A carrier for supporting a yarn to be used by a braiding machine, comprising:a spool carrying the yarn;a motor drivingly engaged to the spool;at least one sensor for producing data about a condition of the yarn in the spool;anda controller operatively connected to the motor and to the at least one sensor, thecontroller having a processor and a computer-readable medium operatively connected to the processor and having instructions stored thereonexecutable by the processor for:receiving said data from the at least one sensor;determining operation parameters of the motor based on the received data;andoperating the motor per the determined operation parameters to create the desired tension in the yarn.

2\. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the data includes receiving data about a quantity of yarn remaining around the spool.SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.110.04
3\. The carrier of claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor is a potentiometer engaged to an arm pivotably mounted to a housing of the carrier supporting the spool, a distal end of the arm biased in abutment against the yarn of the spool, the distal end of the arm movable toward the spool as the yarn is consumed, the receiving of the data about the quantity of the yarn includes receiving a signal from the potentiometer indicative of the quantity of the yarn remaining.
4\. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the determining of the operation parameters includes determining a torque generated by the motor.
5\. The carrier of claim 4, wherein the determining of the torque includes determining a current to be supplied to the motor to achieve the determined torque.

6\. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the data includes receiving data about an angular position of the motor.
7\. The carrier of claim 6, comprising an encoder operatively coupled to the motor and to the controller, the receiving of the data includes receiving the angular position of the motor from the encoder.
8\. The carrier of claim 1, comprising a battery operatively connected to the controller and to the motor, the battery located within a housing of the carrier, the spool rollingly engaged to the housing.
9\. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured for transmitting data about the tension in the yarn.

10\. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the spool is disposed around the motor, a shaft of the motor supported by two arms protruding from a housing, the spool rollingly engaged to the housing via the two arms.

11\. The carrier of claim 1, wherein an end of the spool is rollingly engaged to a housing, the spool sized to receive therein a bobbin of the yarn from an opposed free end of the spool, the spool having a tightening mechanism to secure the bobbin to the spool for concurrent rotation.

OFFICE ACTION:
DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA  or AIA  Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA  35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA  to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 5, 9, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Reinisch et al (20170298546).
In regards to Claim 1, Reinisch teaches a carrier (Figure 2) for supporting a yarn to be used by a braiding machine (Title), comprising:
a spool (Figure 2, unlabeled, passing through Detail 2) carrying the yarn;
a motor (Detail 6; Paragraph 59: electric braking motor) drivingly engaged to the spool:
at least one sensor (Paragraph 51; Detail 3: integrated force measuring sensor) for producing data about a condition of the yarn in the spool: and
a controller (Detail 8) operatively connected to the motor and to the at least one sensor, the controller having a processor and a computer-readable medium operatively connected to the processor and having instructions stored thereon executable by the processor for:
receiving said data from the at least one sensor:
determining operation parameters of the motor based on the received data; and
operating the motor per the determined operation parameters to create the desired tension in the yarn (Paragraph 63).
In regards to Claim 4, Reinisch teaches the determining of the operation parameters includes determining a torque generated by the motor (the tension is sensed, and the motor is activated to adjust based on tension; the adjustment would be to the torque).
In regards to Claim 5, Reinisch teaches the determining of the torque includes determining a current to be supplied to the motor to achieve the determined torque (the motor is electrically powered, so to adjust the torque, the current would have to be adjusted).
In regards to Claim 9, Reinisch teaches the controller is further configured for transmitting data about the tension in the yarn (via Detail 4).
In regards to Claim 10, Reinisch teaches the spool is disposed around the motor, a shaft of the motor supported by two arms protruding from a housing, the spool rollingly engaged to the housing via the two arms (illustrated in Figure 2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 8 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reinisch et al.
In regards to Claim 8, while Reinisch essentially teaches the invention as detailed above, including a power source (Paragraph 29), it fails to specifically teach the myriad methods by which to power the carrier.  It would have been obvious, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized any suitable power source known, including a battery.  The ordinarily skilled artisan would understand the need to power the device, and would know to use a battery with an expectation of success.
In regards to Claim 11, while Reinisch essentially teaches the invention as detailed above, it fails to specifically teach the spool is sized to receive and secure the bobbin for concurrent rotation.  It would have been obvious, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the bobbin would have to be secured in this manner, or the yarn brake would not be operable.  The yarn brake is attached to the spool (Figure 2), and if the bobbin is able to freely rotate about the spool, the bobbin will not brake, making the apparatus inoperable.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3, 6, and 7 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.  Specifically, at least Vivancos et al (ES 2200647) Abstract, Figure, and Gesler (DE 10115952) Abstract teach elements similar to those as currently claimed.


NEXT OFFICE ACTION: DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA  or AIA  Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
EXAMINER'S AMENDMENT
An examiner’s amendment to the record appears below. Should the changes and/or additions be unacceptable to applicant, an amendment may be filed as provided by 37 CFR 1.312. To ensure consideration of such an amendment, it MUST be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee.
Authorization for this examiner’s amendment was given in an interview with Pierre T. A.-Nguyen on 19 November 2024.
The application has been amended as follows:
In the Claims:
Claim 19, line 1:
DELETED:	“claim 1”
INSERTED:	--claim 12--
Claim 20, line 1:
DELETED:	“claim 1”
INSERTED:	--claim 12--
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 are allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Specifically, at least Skelton et al (4909127) Figure 1 and Cook (2071111) Figure 1 teach elements similar to those as currently claimed.

CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref US20170298546A1: Claims:
A bobbin carrier for accommodating a bobbin designed for unwinding a strand stock, wherein the bobbin carrier is intended for use in a braiding, winding or spiraling machine and to that end designed to rotate relative to the machine during its operation, which comprises a tensile force measuring device for measuring the tensile force of the strand stock unwound from the bobbin and a first data transmission device for transmitting data, wherein the first data transmission device is designed to transmit measured tensile force measurement values to a second data transmission device disposed external of the bobbin carrier.
the first data transmission device is designed to transmit measured tensile force measurement values to a second data transmission device disposed external of the bobbin carrier.
The bobbin carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the bobbin carrier comprises a control and/or regulating device for controlling or regulating the tensile force of the strand stock unwound from the bobbin.
The bobbin carrier according to claim 2 , wherein the first data transmission device is further designed to receive target tensile force values from the second data transmission device.
The bobbin carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first data transmission device is configured for wireless data transmission to and/or from the second data transmission device, preferably via radio signals, light signals or an inductive coupling.
The bobbin carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first data transmission device is configured for data transmission to and/or from the second data transmission device via the strand stock unwound from the bobbin.
The bobbin carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the bobbin carrier comprises a power supply device having a generator for generating electrical energy, particularly a dynamo, an electric motor or a generator rotor configured to supply energy to the bobbin carrier.
The bobbin carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the bobbin carrier comprises an energy transmission device for receiving and/or converting electrical energy, particularly an electrical contact device or an inductive coupler configured to supply energy to the bobbin carrier.
The bobbin carrier according to claim 7 , wherein the energy transmission device is configured to receive electrical energy via the strand stock unwinding from the bobbin.
A tensile force measuring system having a plurality of bobbin carriers according to claim 1 and a second data transmission device arranged external of the bobbin carrier which is configured for the unidirectional or bidirectional transmission of data between the first data transmission device of the bobbin carrier and the second data transmission device.
The tensile force measuring system according to claim 9 further comprising a data processing device connected to the second data transmission device and configured to store, evaluate and/or display the data transmitted from the first data transmission device to the second data transmission device.
A braiding, winding or spiraling machine having a tensile force measuring system according to claim 9 .
A method for measuring tensile force to be performed on a tensile force measuring system according to claim 9 in which the tensile force measuring devices of the bobbin carriers measure tensile force measurement values and the first data transmission devices transmit the tensile force measurement values to the second data transmission device.
A visualization system for a braiding, winding or spiraling machine comprising a braiding, winding or spiraling machine having a plurality of bobbin carriers for respectively accommodating one bobbin each for unwinding a strand stock, wherein the bobbin carriers are configured to rotate relative to the machine during its operation, and a visualizing device for periodically visualizing at least one bobbin carrier which is configured to visualize the at least one bobbin carrier during each period for less than a hundredth, preferably less than a thousandth, further preferably less than a ten-thousandth, even further preferably less than a hundred-thousandth of the time needed for one rotation of the bobbin carrier, wherein the length of the period is substantially equal to the length of time for one rotation of the bobbin carrier or is an integral multiple of same.
The visualization system according to claim 13 , wherein the visualizing device is a stroboscope, shutter glasses or a combination of light source and chopper.
Ref US5732611A: Claims:
A spool carrier for delivering yarn under tension from a spool to a braiding machine, the spool carrier comprising: a frame having a base, a center rod mounted on the base in a position that it extends upwardly therefrom along a vertical axis, said center rod rotatably receiving the spool, and a support having means for retaining the spool axially in place; and tensioning means for providing tension on the yarn of the spool, said tensioning means being adapted to release yarn from the spool upon reaching a predetermined amount of tension on the yarn, said tensioning means comprising adjustable spring means mounted on said base for providing a resisting tension to the yarn, and yarn releasing means comprising engaging means, associated with the frame, for selectively engaging the spool, said engaging means being movable between a first position in which it engages the spool and prevents the spool from rotating, and a second position in which it is disengaged from the spool thereby allowing the spool to freely rotate, said yarn releasing means moving said engaging means to its second position when the tension on the yarn exceeds a predetermined tension of said spring means.
a frame having a base, a center rod mounted on the base in a position that it extends upwardly therefrom along a vertical axis, said center rod rotatably receiving the spool, and a support having means for retaining the spool axially in place; and
tensioning means for providing tension on the yarn of the spool, said tensioning means being adapted to release yarn from the spool upon reaching a predetermined amount of tension on the yarn, said tensioning means comprising adjustable spring means mounted on said base for providing a resisting tension to the yarn, and yarn releasing means comprising engaging means, associated with the frame, for selectively engaging the spool, said engaging means being movable between a first position in which it engages the spool and prevents the spool from rotating, and a second position in which it is disengaged from the spool thereby allowing the spool to freely rotate, said yarn releasing means moving said engaging means to its second position when the tension on the yarn exceeds a predetermined tension of said spring means.
adjustable spring means mounted on said base for providing a resisting tension to the yarn, and
yarn releasing means comprising engaging means, associated with the frame, for selectively engaging the spool, said engaging means being movable between a first position in which it engages the spool and prevents the spool from rotating, and a second position in which it is disengaged from the spool thereby allowing the spool to freely rotate, said yarn releasing means moving said engaging means to its second position when the tension on the yarn exceeds a predetermined tension of said spring means.
A spool carrier as set forth in claim 1, said adjustable spring means comprising a spring disposed within a spring cage, said spring and spring cage having openings formed therein for receiving the center rod of the frame therethrough.
A spool carrier as set forth in claim 2, said adjustable spring means further comprising a spring cup that receives the spring and spring cage therein, said spring cup engaging the spring cage for enabling rotation of the spring and spring cage when rotating the spring cup, wherein the spring force upon the spool as applied by the spring is adjusted upon rotating the spring cup.
A spool carrier as set forth in claim 2, the frame further having at least one support rod that interconnects the support and the base of the frame.
A spool carrier as set forth in claim 4, said yarn releasing means comprising a braider stop having a body portion that rides up and down on the support rod of the frame and an eye formed on the body portion for receiving yarn from the spool therethrough, said yarn, upon increasing tension thereon, being adapted to raise the braider stop, and upon decreasing tension thereon, being adapted to lower the braider stop.
A spool carrier as set forth in claim 5, said yarn releasing means further comprising a cam reel mounted on said spring, the cam reel being rotatable about the center rod with said spring cage and having a circumferential edge surface defining a cam, and a pawl which rides on the cam.
A spool carrier as set forth in claim 6, said pawl having one end mounted on the base, and an opposite end that is engagable with a ratchet that is engagable with the spool for rotation with the spool.
A spool carrier as set forth in claim 7, the cam having a first portion that positions the pawl between two teeth of the ratchet for preventing the rotation of the spool and a second portion that moves the pawl away from the teeth for enabling the free rotation of the spool.
A spool carrier as set forth in claim 8, said cam reel being attached to the braider stop by a cable, the arrangement being such that as tension on the yarn increases, the braider stop moves upwardly on the support rod thereby rotating the cam reel against the bias of the spring, upon reaching a predetermined tension, the cam reel rotates so that the pawl rides on the first portion of the cam to the second portion thereof thereby disengaging the pawl from the teeth of the ratchet for enabling yarn to reel off the spool.
A spool carrier as set forth in claim 9, said cam reel having a groove formed along the circumferential edge of the cam reel, said groove receiving the cable therein.
Ref US5584223A: Claims:
A yarn tensioning device for a textile weaving machine of the type which is arranged to weave a three-dimensional fabric by interweaving a number of yarns fed from a corresponding number of yarn carriers, which yarn carriers being driven by a carrier drive mechanism to shift the respective positions along predetermined loci of movements within a common carrier shifting plane, said yarn tensioning device comprising: a high tensioning mechanism mounted on each one of said yarn carriers and arranged to act with a small yarn draw-back capacity and a high yarn tensioning capacity relative to a feed yarn being withdrawn from a bobbin on said carrier to impart a high unwinding tension thereto; and a low tensioning mechanism mounted between said carrier and bobbin and arranged to act with a large yarn draw-back capacity and a low yarn tensioning capacity relative to the bobbin through a rotational coupling therewith; said high tensioning mechanism being adapted to impart a high tension to said feed yarn in a yarn unwinding phase of operation; and said low tensioning mechanism being adapted to take over said high tensioning mechanism to impart a low tension to the feed yarn in a yarn rewinding phase of operation at a limit point of yarn draw-back by said high tensioning mechanism; wherein said high tensioning mechanism comprises: a support member mounted on a bobbin support shaft on said carrier; a yarn tensioning lever pivotally supported on said support member and having a claw to be brought into and out of engagement with one of claws of a clutch on said bobbin; a yarn guide provided at one end of said yarn tensioning lever in such a way as to rock said yarn tensioning lever in a direction of disengaging said claw from said clutch when the tension in said feed yarn reaches a predetermined level; and a high tensioning means arranged to act on the other end of said tensioning lever to impart a high tension to said feed yarn.
a high tensioning mechanism mounted on each one of said yarn carriers and arranged to act with a small yarn draw-back capacity and a high yarn tensioning capacity relative to a feed yarn being withdrawn from a bobbin on said carrier to impart a high unwinding tension thereto; and
a low tensioning mechanism mounted between said carrier and bobbin and arranged to act with a large yarn draw-back capacity and a low yarn tensioning capacity relative to the bobbin through a rotational coupling therewith;
said high tensioning mechanism being adapted to impart a high tension to said feed yarn in a yarn unwinding phase of operation; and
said low tensioning mechanism being adapted to take over said high tensioning mechanism to impart a low tension to the feed yarn in a yarn rewinding phase of operation at a limit point of yarn draw-back by said high tensioning mechanism;
wherein said high tensioning mechanism comprises:
a support member mounted on a bobbin support shaft on said carrier;
a yarn tensioning lever pivotally supported on said support member and having a claw to be brought into and out of engagement with one of claws of a clutch on said bobbin;
a yarn guide provided at one end of said yarn tensioning lever in such a way as to rock said yarn tensioning lever in a direction of disengaging said claw from said clutch when the tension in said feed yarn reaches a predetermined level; and
a high tensioning means arranged to act on the other end of said tensioning lever to impart a high tension to said feed yarn.
A yarn tensioning device as defined in claim 1, wherein said high tensioning means is constituted by a tensionomg spring arranged to exert a biasing force on the other end of said tensioning lever.
A yarn tensioning device as defined in claim 1, wherein said low tensioning mechanism is constituted by: a spring chamber formed around said bobbin support shaft on said yarn carrier; and a spiral return spring accommodated in said spring chamber and having the inner end thereof fixedly secured to a bobbin connecting member rotatably fitted on said bobbin support shaft and the outer end held in engagement with the inner periphery of said spring chamber through male and female coupling members to be disengaged from each other when said spiral return spring is wound up into a smaller diameter beyond a predetermined limit point and engaged with each other again upon said spiral return spring recoiling into a larger diameter.
a spring chamber formed around said bobbin support shaft on said yarn carrier; and
a spiral return spring accommodated in said spring chamber and having the inner end thereof fixedly secured to a bobbin connecting member rotatably fitted on said bobbin support shaft and the outer end held in engagement with the inner periphery of said spring chamber through male and female coupling members to be disengaged from each other when said spiral return spring is wound up into a smaller diameter beyond a predetermined limit point and engaged with each other again upon said spiral return spring recoiling into a larger diameter.
A yarn tensioning device as defined in claim 1, wherein said bobbin is rotatably fitted on a bobbin support shaft erected at the center of said yarn carrier, and a support member is non-rotatably and detachably mounted on an upper end portion of said bobbin support shaft, said support member having a yarn guide for the yarn to be wound off said bobbin and fed upward of said bobbin support shaft.
A yarn tensioning device as defined in claim 4, wherein said support member is set in position on said bobbin support shaft through a joint structure including: a socket cavity in a lower end portion of said support member; a setting pin radially fixed within said socket cavity; and an expansion slot formed into the upper end of said bobbin support shaft, said expansion slot having a width smaller than the diameter of said setting pin and being formed with grooves on its confronting inner surfaces to receive and hold said setting pin therebetween in a resiliently gripped state when said support member is fitted on said bobbin support shaft.
A yarn tensioning device as defined in claim 1, wherein said bobbin is rotatably fitted on a bobbin support shaft erected non-rotatably at the center of said yarn carrier, and said high tensioning mechanism has a support member mounted on an upper end portion of said bobbin support shaft, said support member having a yarn guide for a yarn to be unwounded from said bobbin and fed out upward of said bobbin support shaft.
Ref US5392683A: Claims:
An apparatus for forming an article by intertwining a plurality of fiber strands, wherein said fibers intersect in a braiding zone where said article is being formed, comprising: (a) a braiding surface; (b) a plurality of pivot discs situated on said braiding surface, wherein said pivot discs are capable of rotation about an axis perpendicular to said braiding surface; (c) a plurality of linear shafts, each respectively situated lengthwise on each of said pivot discs for supporting movable carrier members; (d) a plurality of carrier members movably disposed on said linear shafts, wherein each carrier member dispenses a length of fiber strand extending from said carrier member to the braiding zone of said article being formed; and (e) means for rotating said pivot discs such that the longitudinal axes of adjacent linear shafts are aligned to facilitate transfer of carrier members between adjacent pivot discs.
(a) a braiding surface;
(b) a plurality of pivot discs situated on said braiding surface, wherein said pivot discs are capable of rotation about an axis perpendicular to said braiding surface;
(c) a plurality of linear shafts, each respectively situated lengthwise on each of said pivot discs for supporting movable carrier members;
(d) a plurality of carrier members movably disposed on said linear shafts, wherein each carrier member dispenses a length of fiber strand extending from said carrier member to the braiding zone of said article being formed; and
(e) means for rotating said pivot discs such that the longitudinal axes of adjacent linear shafts are aligned to facilitate transfer of carrier members between adjacent pivot discs.
An apparatus for forming an article by intertwining a plurality of fiber strands, wherein said fibers intersect in a braiding zone where said article is being formed, comprising: (a) a braiding surface; (b) a plurality of pivot discs situated on said braiding surface wherein said pivot discs are capable of rotation about an axis perpendicular to said braiding surface; (c) a plurality of linear shafts, each respectively situated lengthwise on each of said pivot discs for supporting movable carrier members; (d) a plurality of carrier members movably disposed on said linear shafts, wherein each carrier member dispenses a length of fiber strand extending from said carrier member to the braiding zone of said article being formed; and (e) rotators for turning said pivot discs such that the longitudinal axes of adjacent linear shafts are aligned to facilitate transfer of carrier members between adjacent pivot discs.
(b) a plurality of pivot discs situated on said braiding surface wherein said pivot discs are capable of rotation about an axis perpendicular to said braiding surface;
(e) rotators for turning said pivot discs such that the longitudinal axes of adjacent linear shafts are aligned to facilitate transfer of carrier members between adjacent pivot discs.
An apparatus for forming an article by intertwining a plurality of fiber strands, wherein said fibers intersect in a braiding zone where said article is being formed, comprising: (a) a curved braiding surface which is segmented along one axis thereof, whereby the segments are capable of movement about said axis through an arc of revolution; (b) fiber dispensers, situated on the concave side of the segments of
[Truncated to input limit]