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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks and amendments, filed 1/14/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-10 under 35 USC 112a as containing subject matter which was not described in the specification, claim(s) 1-9 under 35 USC 103 under Davis, Salopek and Schanke, and claim(s) 10 under 35 USC 103 under Davis, Salopek, Schanke and Brakemaier have been fully considered but are unpersuasive.
With respect to the rejections under 35 USC 112a, Applicant argues that “Thus the "appropriate stroke" involves the pressure roller resiliently moving a distance equal to the diameter of the cable and then back to the abutment.” The examiner is not persuaded by this argument that “a person with skill in the art would understand that when the spring-loaded pressure roller 2 is in contact with the abutment 5 and a cable reaches the operating region of the pressure roller and abutment, the pressure-roller is forced up and around the cable, which is permitted via the spring 10, to drive over the cable and wrap it with the adhesive tape. Thus the "appropriate stroke" involves the pressure roller resiliently moving a distance equal to the diameter of the cable and then back to the abutment.” Rather, the specification does not disclose any relationship between the stroke and the diameter.
With respect to the rejections under 35 USC 103a, and as noted in the prior action, Schanke was applied to address the new limitation from the 10/2/2025 claims of the pressure roller being resiliently mounted to press against the tape and automatically perform a stroke equal to a diameter of a cable arranged in the rotatable feeding wheel.
In response to applicant's argument that the stroke equal to a diameter of a cable arranged in the rotatable feeding wheel, a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. In this case, Schanke has the pressure roller being resiliently mounted and is capable of making the claimed stroke dimension based on the selection of cable used.
See also MPEP 2114 and 2115.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-10 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. The reference to “a stroke equal to a diameter of a cable arranged in the rotatable feeding wheel” appears to be new matter. The originally filed specification is silent as to any reference to the diameter of the cable, and also silent as to any relationship between the stroke and the diameter of the cable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Davis (US 4360400 A), Salopek (US 4311544 A) and Schanke (US 20040206459 A1, issued as US 7178572 B2).
As to claim 1, Davis discloses a device for bundling a number of cables (see the abstract, disclosing “Apparatus (26) for taping bundles of wires (4) into compact sheaves (8)”), comprising:
at least one rotatable feeding wheel (stars wheels 148, 150, 156, 158) having a plurality of notches (“notches 152 which form pockets for the wires”) arranged on its periphery for receiving at least one cable;
a pressure roller (bundling roller 30) configured for contact with an abutment (bundling roller 28); and
two spaced-apart roll receptacles (stub shafts 172) each for mounting a roll of adhesive tape that is able to be unwound (See column 3, line 15, disclosing “First and second adhesive tapes 42, 46 are dispensed from first and second rolls of tape 44, 48”. See also column 6, line 6, disclosing “The tape dispensers 44, 48 are mounted on stub shafts 172 carried by the bracket 142 and by an upper bracket indicated at 174.”),
wherein adhesive tape from each roll is guided between the abutment and the pressure roller such that an adhesive surface of each adhesive tape faces an adhesive surface of the other.
see column 3, line 10, disclosing:
The apparatus 26 comprises first and second bundling and taping rolls 28, 30 which are mounted on first and second shafts 32, 34. The first and second rolls 28, 30 have cylindrical surfaces 36, 38 which are adjacent to each other and substantially in contact with each other in a nip zone 40. First and second adhesive tapes 42, 46 are dispensed from first and second rolls of tape 44, 48. The tapes are passed over guide rolls 50 which extend onto the cylindrical surfaces 36, 38 of the rolls 28, 30 on one side, the lefthand side 52, of the nip zone 40. The tapes extend through the nip zone to the other side 54 and the tapes have adhesive surfaces which are opposed to each other in the nip zone.
See also column 5, line 30, disclosing:
Bundling of the wires as they enter the nip zone is carried out by star wheels 148, 150 on the roll 28 and star wheels 156, 158 on the roll 30. The star wheels 148, 150 on the roll 28 are mounted on a hub 154 against only one side of the roll 28, see FIG. 8 and each star wheel has notches 152 which form pockets for the wires. The star wheels 148, 150 are adjustably mounted so that they can be moved relative to each other thereby varying the effective size of each notch to adapt the machine to wires of varying diameters and varying numbers.
The stars wheels 156, 158 on the roll 30 are mounted against both side surfaces of this roll and these star wheels also have notches as shown at 159 which cooperate with the notches in the two star wheels 148, 150 of the lower roll 28. It will be apparent from FIG. 3 that the notches in the star wheels thus tend to compress the wires into a compacted bundle which is received in the recesses 146 of the associated insert at 144. When the wires are so compacted, the tapes 42, 46 are applied to retain the wires in the sheaves 8 after the harness leaves the taping station of the machine.
The star wheel 158 is mounted on a hub 160 on the shaft 34 and is located such that it is on the outside surface of the pair of star wheels 148, 150 which are associated with the roll 28, see FIG. 8. This arrangement further assists in compacting the wires into a neat sheaf when the tape is applied.
Each harness, as it is presented to the taping apparatuses and passed through the taping station, is pushed into the nip zones of the rolls by means of a bundle feeding arm 162, each taping apparatus having an associated bundle feeding arm. As shown in FIG. 3, the arm 162 is mounted for free rotation on the shaft 34 and has a lower edge 164 which engages the wires of a harness and pushes them towards the rolls when the arm 162 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction. This movement of the arm 162 is brought about by a connecting rod 166 which is pivoted to the arm 162 and at its upper end is pivoted to a lever arm 168 that is mounted on the shaft 72. It will be apparent that during indexing of the shaft 72, the arm 162 will push the adjacent harness towards the bundling rolls 28, 30 and during return movement of the shaft 72, the arm will be returned to the position shown at 73 to provide clearance for the next harness. The tape dispensers 44, 48 are mounted on stub shafts 172 carried by the bracket 142 and by an upper bracket indicated at 174. These tape dispensing rolls may be of the commercially available type having springs 176 for adjusting the drag on the roll of tape.
See also Figure 3, below:
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Davis a spring-loaded pressure roller (bundling roller 30, see springs 114, 128, 132 and 176 which appear sufficient to load the pressure roller), but does not disclose the full limitations of a spring-loaded pressure roller configured for contact with an abutment and the pressure roller being resiliently mounted to press against the tape and automatically perform a stroke equal to a diameter of a cable arranged in the rotatable feeding wheel.
In any event, Salopek discloses a spring-loaded pressure roller configured for contact with an abutment, which is in the rotatable feeding wheel. Salopek utilizes a spring member 84 which urges arm member 46; which functions to load the pressure rollers 86 and 114. See especially column 6, line 10-41, disclosing:
Once the components have been placed between the teeth on the toothed wheels 12 and 14, they adhere to the exposed adhesive in the open channels 12c and 14c from the lower two tape rolls 120 and 124. Once on the wheels 12 and 14, the components are rotated by the motor 50 toward the pressure rollers 86 and 114. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, each of the pressure rollers 86 and 114 is rotatably attached to a rigid arm member 108 and 110 attached to a shaft 140. The arm members 108 and 110 are positionable at various locations along the shaft by screws 109 and 111 to locate the pressure rollers 86 and 114 directly above the open channels 12c and 14c in the wheels 12 and 14.
As shown in FIG. 6, the shaft 40 supporting the arm members 108 and 110, to which the pressure rollers 86 and 114 are attached, is constantly biased toward the toothed wheels 12 and 14 by an assembly including an arm member 46 rigidly attached to one end of the shaft 40, an eccentric cam 48 rotatably attached to the left mounting plate 24 by pin 42, a control lever 44 connected to the cam 48, and a spring member 84 positioned between the arm 46 and a supporting shelf 85. As shown in FIG. 6, the control lever 44, in normal operation, is positioned adjacent the shaft 42. This places the lobe portion of the cam 48 away from the arm member 46, thereby allowing the spring member 84 to urge the arm member 46 upwardly. The upward biasing of the arm 46 rotates the shaft 40, and thus the pressure rollers 86 end 114 toward the toothed wheels 12 and 14. The pressure rollers 86 and 114 are then positioned between the teeth on the wheels 12 and 14 to effect the production of the component band 134.
Furthermore, Schanke discloses and makes obvious for wire labeling the additional features of a spring-loaded (via helical springs 490) pressure roller (serrated roller 424) configured for contact with an abutment (V-block assembly 430) and the pressure roller being resiliently mounted to press against the tape and automatically perform a stroke equal to a diameter of a cable arranged in the abutment (see the sequence Figures 39-43, below; note that a better quality version of the Figures is present in the issued patent US 7178572 B2).
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See paragraphs 0101-0119, below:
[0101] Wrapper Subassembly
[0102] The wrapper subassembly 410 is cantilevered from the outer support wall 404, and wraps a printed label from the label media 235 onto the wire. The wrapper subassembly 410 includes a frame 422 housing a serrated roller 424 and a slider 426 engagable with the striker 364 fixed to the upper frame 302 of the upper subassembly 300. A V-block assembly 430 is fixed to the slider 426, and biased toward the serrated roller 424.
[0103] The wrapper subassembly frame 422 slidably mounts the slider 426, and includes an inner and outer side wall 432, 433 joined by upper and lower front walls 434, 436. A bottom wall 438 extends rearwardly from the lower front wall 436. The C-shaped side walls 432, 433 define a rearwardly extending wire opening 440 between the upper and lower front walls 434, 436 for receiving the wire being wrapped. A pivot shaft 442 extends between the side walls 432, 433 for pivotally mounting a roller bracket 435. The opening 440 is aligned with the support wall slot 406 for receiving the wire when the wrapper subassembly 410 is not revolving around the wire received in the opening 440.
[0104] The wrapper subassembly frame 422 is cantilevered from the outer support wall 404 by a hub 437 engaging five support wheels 407 (shown best in FIG. 36) rotatably mounted to the outer support wall 404. The cantilevered wrapper subassembly frame 422 allows the inner side wall 432 to be located close to the end of the wire to be labeled. Advantageously, this results in the label being able to be positioned on the wire close to the end of the stationary wire or any termination or connector which may be already affixed to the wire.
[0105] The hub 437 engages the support wheels 407, and is fixed to the outer side wall 433 facing the outer support wall 404. The hub 437 includes an outer disc 441 having a circumferential V-shaped edge 443 and an inner sprocket 444 joined to, and coaxial with, the outer disc 441. An opening 446 formed in the disc 441 and sprocket 444 conforms to the opening 440 formed in the wrapper subassembly frame side walls 432, 433 for receiving a wire being wrapped. The sprocket 444, preferably, includes radially extending teeth for engaging a belt 448 rotatably driving the hub 437, and thus the wrapper subassembly 410, for wrapping a label on the wire.
[0106] The circumferential V-shaped edge 443 mates with the five support wheels 407 rotatably mounted to the outer support wall 404 to cantilever the wrapper subassembly frame 422. The wheels 407 are placed appropriately so that when the wrapper subassembly 410 rotates to a position where one wheel 407 is in the hub opening 446, the other four wheels 407 continue to support the wrapper subassembly 410. Preferably, the rotational axis of two of the five support wheels 407 are fixed while the other three support wheels 407 are adjustable relative to the hub 437. The two fixed support wheels 407 support the wrapper subassembly 410 in the proper position on the outer support wall 404 while the three adjustable support wheels 407 are drawn tight against the hub 437, taking out any lash or clearance. Although an outer disc 441 having a V-shaped circumferential edge 443 that mates with support wheels 407 is shown, any structure for retaining the hub 437 relative to the outer support wall 404 can be provided, such as wheels having a circumferential V-shaped edge that mates with an outer disc having a circumferential V groove, without departing from the scope of the invention.
[0107] The slider 426 is slidably mounted in the wrapper subassembly frame 422, and includes two vertical legs 450 extending downwardly into the wrapper subassembly frame 422 proximal rear edges 453 of the wrapper subassembly frame side walls 432, 433. Each leg 450 is adjacent to one of the wrapper subassembly frame side walls 432, 433, and has an upper end 454 and a lower end 456. The lower ends 456 extend downwardly into the wrapper subassembly frame 422 rearwardly of the opening 440 in the wrapper subassembly frame side walls 432, 433, and are joined by a bottom wall 458 supporting the V-block assembly 430. The upper ends 454 are joined by the striker roller 452. Guides 462 fixed to the wrapper subassembly frame side walls 432, 433, guide the slider legs 450 as they slidably move relative to the wrapper subassembly frame 422.
[0108] V-block Assembly
[0109] Referring to FIGS. 28 and 30-32, the V-block assembly 430 presses the printed label onto the wire, and includes a base 460 having top face 463 with a transverse V channel 464 formed therein for receiving a wire being wrapped and a bottom face 466. The base 460 is fixed to the slider bottom wall 458 between the lower ends 456 of the slider vertical legs 450. The channel 464 formed in the V-block base top face 463 guides the wire being wrapped into substantial alignment with the axis of rotation of the wrapper subassembly frame 422. Preferably, the V-block assembly bottom face 466 includes a threaded post 465 that extends through an aperture formed in the slider bottom wall 458 and threadably engages a nut 468 to secure the V-block assembly 430 to the slider 426. A pair of alignment posts 470 extending from the bottom face 466 and through alignment openings 472 formed in the slider bottom wall 458 can be provided to properly position the V-block assembly 430 in the slider 426.
[0110] In one embodiment, the V-block assembly base 460 includes interdigitated spring biased fingers 474 that form a platter for supporting a wire being wrapped. The fingers 474 are pivotally supported by transverse pins 475 fixed to the base 460, and deflect to form the channel 464. The fingers 474 that comprise the platter are able to flex independently of each other, and apply the label substantially uniformly to the wire even if the wire is not perfectly straightened out within the channel 464. Advantageously, the spring biased fingers 474 in the V-block assembly 430 require no tooling changes for wire diameters between approximately 0.060" and 0.600".
[0111] Although a V-block assembly 430 having a biasing structure, such as the deflectable fingers is shown, in a preferred embodiment, shown in FIGS. 33-35, the V-block assembly 430' has a base 460' with a transverse channel 464' formed therein, and the transverse channel 464' is covered by a biasing sleeve 476 having a non-stick surface 478. The non-stick surface 478 can apply the label substantially uniformly to the wire even if the wire is not perfectly straightened out within the channel 464'.
[0112] In the V-block assembly 430' shown in FIGS. 33-35, the base 460' is formed from a solid material, such as plastic, having the transverse channel 464' formed in a top surface. Most preferably, the sleeve 476 is slipped over the base 460', and includes a non-stick fabric 480, such as a Teflon coated or impregnated fiberglass fibers, silicon coated or impregnated fabric, and the like, which provides the non-stick surface 478 covering the channel 464'. Of course, the sleeve 476 can be provided with the V-block assembly 430 shown in FIG. 28, without departing from the scope of the invention.
[0113] As shown in FIG. 35, the fabric 480 is stretched over the channel 464' by a U-shaped flexible support 482, such that the fabric 480 is biased out of the channel 464' formed in the base 460'. The support 482 includes a bottom wall 484 with legs 486 extending from transverse edges of the base 460', and wraps around the bottom 487 and sides 488 of the V-block base 460'. The legs 486 of the U-shaped support 482 are biased outwardly away from the base sides 488 to stretch the fabric 480 over the channel 464'. The fabric 480 provides all of the advantages of the fingers, and in addition, provides a more uniform pressure on the label being applied to the wire regardless of the size of the label.
[0114] In the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 33-35, edges of the fabric 480 are crimped against the support legs 486 to secure the fabric to the support 482, however, any method can be used to stretch the fabric 480 over the channel 464', such as a sleeve formed from the fabric in the form of a cylinder that slips over the base, a support having only one biased leg, fabric secured to a support using adhesives, rivets, sewing, and the like, without departing from the scope of the invention.
[0115] Referring back to FIGS. 2 and 26-31, the slider 426, and thus the V-block assembly 430, is biased upwardly by a pair of helical springs 490 interposed between the slider bottom wall 458 and wrapper subassembly frame bottom wall 438. As described in more detail below, the striker roller 452 is contacted by the striker 364 on the upper subassembly 300 to move the slider 426 in a vertical direction against the urging of the springs 490 away from the serrated roller 424 to provide space for inserting a wire between the V-block assembly 430 and serrated roller 424. Upon disengagement of the striker 364 from the striker roller 452, the springs 490 urge the V-block assembly 430 upwardly toward the serrated roller 424 that urges the wire into the channel 464. Although a pair of helical springs 490 biasing the V-block assembly 430 upwardly is disclosed, any biasing mechanism can be used, such as an elastomeric material, leaf spring, and the like, without departing from the scope of the invention.
[0116] Serrated Roller
[0117] The serrated roller 424 works with the V-block assembly 430 to keep the wire positioned correctly with respect to the label by urging the wire into the channel 464 against the biasing structure of the V-block assembly 430. The serrated roller 424 is supported above the V-block assembly 430 by the roller bracket 435, and includes a non-stick surface, such as provided by a roller formed from polytetrafluoroethylene, which does not readily adhere to adhesives on the label. Advantageously, the serrations formed in the serrated roller 424, and the use of polytetrafluoroethylene or similar material, keep the adhesive from the printed label from sticking to the serrated roller 424 should the adhesive surface of the printed label come into contact with the serrated roller 424. Although a serrated roller is disclosed to minimize the area of the roller engaging the label, a non-serrated roller having any type of surface, such as a surface formed from an elastomeric material, metal, plastic, and the like, can be provided without departing from the scope of the invention.
[0118] The roller bracket 435 supports the serrated roller 424 between a pair of arms 492 joined by a cross plate 494. Each arm 492 extends rearwardly from the pivot shaft 442, and rotatably supports one end of the serrated roller 424. The bracket 435 is biased toward the V-block assembly 430 about the pivot shaft 442 by a torsion spring 496 wrapped around the pivot shaft 442. The torsion spring 496 urges the serrated roller 424 into engagement with the wire. The spring 496 has one end 498 engaging the bracket 435, and another end 500 hooked around a top edge 503 of the wrapper subassembly frame upper front wall 434.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to utilize a spring-loaded pressure roller configured for contact with an abutment as taught by Salopek in order to effect the production of the components and ensure that the pressure rollers are constantly biased toward the toothed wheels and to utilize and to utilize the pressure roller being resiliently mounted to press against the tape and automatically perform a stroke equal to a diameter of a cable arranged in the rotatable feeding wheel as suggested by the combination of Schanke into Schanke’s feed wheel in order to keep the wire positioned correctly with respect to the label by urging the wire into the channel against the biasing structure.
As to claim 2, Davis discloses further comprising two spaced-apart feeding wheels (star wheels 148, 150, 156, 158) rotationally fixed relative to one another and between which the abutment is arranged.
As to claim 3, Davis discloses wherein the abutment is configured as a roller. See bundling roller 30.
As to claim 4, Davis is capable of being used with a tape wherein the distance between the feeding wheels and thickness of the abutment correspond to a maximum width of the adhesive tape, whereby the adhesive tape can be freely guided between the feeding wheels. See MPEP 2114 and 2115; the adhesive is an example of the material worked upon. In any event, column 3 teaches that “The tapes are passed over guide rolls 50 which extend onto the cylindrical surfaces 36, 38 of the rolls 28, 30 on one side, the lefthand side 52, of the nip zone 40.”, and the starwheels are taught to be o
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As to claim 5, Davis discloses wherein respective notches of the feeding wheels are situated opposite one another and congruent. See column 6, disclosing “The stars wheels 156, 158 on the roll 30 are mounted against both side surfaces of this roll and these star wheels also have notches as shown at 159 which cooperate with the notches in the two star wheels 148, 150 of the lower roll 28.”
As to claim 6, Davis does not disclose wherein the pressure roller is connected with a roller holder being displaceably connected with the supporting frame in a stroke direction of the pressure roller.
However, Salopek makes obvious wherein the pressure roller is connected with a roller holder being displaceably connected (via positionable arm members 108 and 110) with the supporting frame in a stroke direction of the pressure roller. Salopek teaches “adjustable pressure rollers 86 and 114”. See especially column 6, line 10-41, disclosing:
Once the components have been placed between the teeth on the toothed wheels 12 and 14, they adhere to the exposed adhesive in the open channels 12c and 14c from the lower two tape rolls 120 and 124. Once on the wheels 12 and 14, the components are rotated by the motor 50 toward the pressure rollers 86 and 114. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, each of the pressure rollers 86 and 114 is rotatably attached to a rigid arm member 108 and 110 attached to a shaft 140. The arm members 108 and 110 are positionable at various locations along the shaft by screws 109 and 111 to locate the pressure rollers 86 and 114 directly above the open channels 12c and 14c in the wheels 12 and 14.
As shown in FIG. 6, the shaft 40 supporting the arm members 108 and 110, to which the pressure rollers 86 and 114 are attached, is constantly biased toward the toothed wheels 12 and 14 by an assembly including an arm member 46 rigidly attached to one end of the shaft 40, an eccentric cam 48 rotatably attached to the left mounting plate 24 by pin 42, a control lever 44 connected to the cam 48, and a spring member 84 positioned between the arm 46 and a supporting shelf 85. As shown in FIG. 6, the control lever 44, in normal operation, is positioned adjacent the shaft 42. This places the lobe portion of the cam 48 away from the arm member 46, thereby allowing the spring member 84 to urge the arm member 46 upwardly. The upward biasing of the arm 46 rotates the shaft 40, and thus the pressure rollers 86 end 114 toward the toothed wheels 12 and 14. The pressure rollers 86 and 114 are then positioned between the teeth on the wheels 12 and 14 to effect the production of the component band 134.
Similarly, Schanke makes obvious wherein the pressure roller is connected with a roller holder being displaceably connected with the supporting frame in a stroke direction of the pressure roller. See paragraph 0117, cited above, disclosing in part that “The serrated roller 424 works with the V-block assembly 430 to keep the wire positioned correctly with respect to the label by urging the wire into the channel 464 against the biasing structure of the V-block assembly 430.”
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention wherein the pressure roller is connected with a roller holder being displaceably connected with the supporting frame in a stroke direction of the pressure roller as taught by Salopek and Schanke in order to effect the production of the components and ensure that the pressure rollers are constantly biased toward the toothed wheels as in Salopek and to keep the wire positioned correctly with respect to the label by urging the wire into the channel against the biasing structure of the V-block assembly as in Schanke.
As to claim 7, Davis does not disclose a pressure spring arranged between the supporting frame and roller holder.
However, Salopek discloses a pressure spring (spring member 84) arranged between the supporting frame (supporting shelf 85) and roller holder (arm 46). Schanke also makes obvious a pressure spring arranged between the supporting frame and roller holder. See paragraphs 0101-0119, cited above, disclosing “helical springs 490”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to utilize a pressure spring arranged between the supporting frame and roller holder as taught by Salopek in order to effect the production of the components and ensure that the pressure rollers are constantly biased toward the toothed wheels and to keep the wire positioned correctly with respect to the label by urging the wire into the channel against the biasing structure of the V-block assembly as in Schanke.
As to claim 8, Davis discloses wherein the supporting frame includes a swivel table (block 122) supported pivotably in the axial direction of the feeding wheel on a support and can be locked (i.e., placed in the anti-reverse position) depending on the pivot position. See column 4, line 44, disclosing:
It is necessary to provide an anti-reverse device 120 for the wheel 104 to hold it stationary when it is not being indexed by the connecting rod 106. This anti-reversing device, FIGS. 7, 10 and 11, comprises a block 122 which is secured to the surface of the plate 64 adjacent to the wheel 104. An arm 124 is pivotally mounted on block 122 as shown at 126, so that the arm 124 can be swung through a counter-clockwise arc from its position as shown in FIG. 10, to the position shown in FIG. 11. Arm 124 is biased in a clockwise direction to the position shown in FIG. 10 by a suitable spring 128 which is connected to the arm and to the block 122.
As to claim 9, Davis discloses wherein each roll receptable has one said roll of adhesive tape (rolls 44, 48) arranged thereon (stub shafts 172). See column 3, line 15, disclosing “First and second adhesive tapes 42, 46 are dispensed from first and second rolls of tape 44, 48”. See also column 6, line 6, disclosing “The tape dispensers 44, 48 are mounted on stub shafts 172 carried by the bracket 142 and by an upper bracket indicated at 174.”
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Davis (US 4360400 A), Salopek (US 4311544 A) and Schanke (US 20040206459 A1) as applied to claim 1-9 above, and further in view of Brakemaier (DE 102018131439 A1)
As to claim 10, Davis as modified by Salopek and Schanke makes obvious the arrangement of a device according to Claim 1.
However, Davis, Salopek and Schanke do not suggest the arrangement of the device according to claim 1 on a modular cable-processing center having at least one of a plurality of cable rollers, a trimming machine, a marking system, a crimping machine and a drum magazine.
However, Brakemaier discloses the arrangement of the device on a modular cable-processing center having at least one of a plurality of cable rollers (cable reels 34a-e), a trimming machine (cutting machine 4), a marking system (marking system 6 , more precisely its printer 38), a crimping machine (crimping machine 8) and a drum magazine (drum magazines 40). See Figure 4, reprinted below (and compare with instant figure 8):
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Brakemaier teaches in the translation that “A significant advantage of the modular system according to the invention is that existing machines with little effort in the WCP 1 can be integrated and that different stages of development can be realized gradually, so that the investment costs can be relatively flexibly adapted to the respective needs.”
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have utilized the arrangement of the device on a modular cable-processing center having at least one of a plurality of cable rollers, a trimming machine, a marking system, a crimping machine and a drum magazine by incorporating or combining the harness binding device of Davis and Salopek with the modular system of Brakemaier so that existing machines with little effort can be integrated and that different stages of development can be realized gradually, so that the investment costs can be relatively flexibly adapted to the respective needs.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GEORGE R KOCH whose telephone number is (571)272-5807. The examiner can also be reached by E-mail at george.koch@uspto.gov if the applicant grants written authorization for e-mails. Authorization can be granted by filling out the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) Form.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, PHILIP C TUCKER can be reached at (571)272-1095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GEORGE R KOCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1745
GRK