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 . Claims 1-16 are being treated on the merits.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the claimed feature "the shortest path between the interface and the carding drum" in claims 1 and 16 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required:
In claim 2, there is no antecedent basis in the specification for "wherein the removed impurities or dust are sent from said interface to the main carding drum along a path being the shortest path between the interface and the carding drum";
In claim 16, there is no antecedent basis in the specification for "wherein the removed impurities or dust are sent from said interface to the main carding drum along a path being the shortest path between the interface and the carding drum"
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 8 and 10-11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, line 2, "the steps" appears to read "steps" as it is the first time the limitation is recited;
In claim 8, line 1, "the step" appears to read "a step" as it is the first time the limitation is recited;
In claim 10, line 1, "the step" appears to read "a step" as it is the first time the limitation is recited;
In claim 11, line 1, "the upper doffer flywheel cleaner" appears to read "the upper doffer cleaner flywheel" for consistency and proper antecedent basis.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(B) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-13 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites "said output belt". The claim has previously set forth "at least one output belt". In scenarios of two or more output belts, it is unclear which output belt is being referred to. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the limitation has been construed to be said at least one output belt.
Claims 2 and 16 each recite the limitation "a path being the shortest path between the interface and the carding drum", which renders the claims indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for "the shortest path" in the claims. It is unclear which path should be considered as "the shortest path". A straight line between the interface and the carding drum? A shortest possible path based on a particular system? It is noted that the claims do not exclude additional roller(s) being positioned between the interface and the carding drum. In such cases, the additional roller(s) would intervene and block the removed impurities or dust being sent from said interface to the main carding drum along a straight line, and it would not be possible to have the shortest path as a a straight path. Indeed, all the embodiments of the instant disclosure include such additional intervening roller(s) positioned between the interface and the carding drum. As the original disclosure fails to provide a standard for ascertaining the feature, one of ordinary skill of the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. For examination purposes, "the shortest path" has been construed to be a shortest possible path in a carding system.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "said opposite direction". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim has set forth two directions opposite to each other. It is unclear which direction is being referred to. For examination purposes, the examiner has interpreted that the at least one doffer roller is rotated in a first direction, the carding drum is rotated in a second direction, the first direction being opposite to the second direction, and "said opposite direction" has been construed to be either the first direction or the second direction.
Claim 9 depends from claims 1, 5 and 8, and recites "the at least one downstream airtight roller". However, at least one downstream airtight roller is first recited in claim 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the limitation has been construed to be at least one downstream airtight roller downstream of the at least one carding drum cleaner flywheel.
Claim 12 recites the term "it", which renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear which element is being referred to. For examination purposes, "it" has been construed to be "the method".
The remaining claims each depend from a rejected base claim and are likewise rejected.
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 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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Behlouli (EP 3473753 A1) in view of Collotte (US 2003/0061686 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Behlouli, in the context of describing a carding device, discloses a method for producing at least one fleece of fibers with few or no holes therein (a method of producing a web of non-woven where dust and impurities are sent back to carding drum 2 from doffer 3, therefore being capable of producing non-woven with few or no holes; fig. 1; see English translation; paras. 0037, 0039, 0045-0046), comprising the steps of:
- supplying a carding drum (main drum 2; fig. 1; para. 0037) with raw fibres so as to obtain carded fibers (fig. 1; paras. 0037-0039);
- collecting with at least one doffer roller (doffer 3; fig. 1; para. 0037) said carded fibres from said carding drum to form at least one fleece of fibers (a web of non-woven; fig. 1; para. 0039);
- stripping said at least one fleece of fibres formed on said at least one doffer roller (by detacher cylinder 7; fig. 1; para. 0053), the method also comprising:
- removing with at least one doffer cleaner flywheel (a dust collection cylinder 5 with teeth 5b; fig. 1; paras. 0041-0042, 0050) dust and impurities from said at least one doffer roller at an interface between said at least one doffer cleaner flywheel and said at least one doffer roller (fig. 1; paras. 0041-0042, 0050);
- preventing said dust and impurities removed at the interface from escaping from said at least one doffer cleaner flywheel in a direction of the at least one stripper roller, so that said dust and impurities do not fall on said at least one fleece of fibers deposited on said at least one output belt (the components of the carding system are configured for automatic passage of dust and impurities from the doffer 3 to return to the main drum 2 without further moving in a direction of the at least one stripper roller; fig. 1; paras. 0045-0046); and
- obtaining said at least one fleece of fibers with few or no holes (after detaching cylinder 7; fig. 1; para. 0053).
Behlouli does not explicitly disclose the method comprising depositing said at least one fleece of fibres on at least one output belt, and obtaining said at least one fleece of fibers from said at least one output belt. However, Collotte, in an analogous art, teaches a method for producing at least one fleece of fibers (fig. 1; paras. 0011-0012) comprising: stripping at least one fleece of fibres (by take-off device 14a, 14b; fig. 1; para. 0021) formed on at least one doffer roller (doffer cylinders 11a, 11b; fig. 1; para. 0021) and depositing at least one fleece of fibres on at least one output belt (belts B, B'; fig. 1; paras. 0023-0025), and obtaining said at least one fleece of fibers from said output belt (fig. 1; paras. 0024-0025). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the method as disclosed by Behlouli, with the method comprising depositing said at least one fleece of fibres on at least one output belt, and obtaining said at least one fleece of fibers from said at least one output belt as taught by Collotte, in order to use a common and easy method to efficiently transport the at least one stripped fleece to a downstream station.
Regarding claim 2, Behlouli and Collotte, in combination, disclose the method of Claim 1, and Behlouli further discloses wherein the removed impurities or dust are sent from said interface to the main carding drum along a path being the shortest path between the interface and the carding drum (due to the position of cleaning roller 6, a shortest possible path being along the periphery of doffer 3 to the cleaning roller 6 and to the main drum 2; fig. 1; paras. 0045-0046).
Regarding claim 3, Behlouli and Collotte, in combination, disclose the method of Claim 1, and Behlouli further discloses wherein the at least one doffer roller (doffer 3; fig. 1) is rotated in a direction opposite to a direction in which said carding drum (main drum 2; see fig. 1) is rotated (see fig. 1) and the at least one doffer cleaner flywheel is rotated in said opposite direction (opposite to the rotating direction of main drum 2; fig. 1).
Claims 4 and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Behlouli and Collotte and further in view of Netzhammer (EP 0972865A1).
Regarding claim 4, Behlouli and Collotte, in combination, disclose the method of Claim 1. Behlouli does not explicitly disclose wherein the preventing step comprises arranging a screen between the interface and the at least one stripper roller. However, Netzhammer, in an analogous art, teaches a method of for producing at least one fleece of fibers using a carding device (a method of producing a fleece by a flying card 100; see English translation; figs. 1, 6; paras. 0001, 0017, 0021, 0028), the method comprising arranging a screen (an enclosure of the brush roller 51A to block any residue continuing to travel; see fig. 6; para. 0028) substantially surrounding a cleaner flywheel (brush roller 51A; fig. 6; para. 0028) and extending to an interface between the cleaner flywheel and a doffer roller (take-off roller 46; fig. 6; para. 0028). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the method as disclosed by Behlouli, by arranging a screen substantially surrounding a cleaner flywheel, in order to effectively remove all the residues from the cleaner flywheel by a suction device and also prevent any residue from further moving along with the nonwoven web (Netzhammer; para. 0028). By this modification, the screen would be arranged between the interface and the at least one stripper roller in Behlouli.
Regarding claim 14, Behlouli, in the context of describing a carding device, discloses a method for forming at least one fleece of fibers (a method of producing a web of non-woven; fig. 1; see English translation; paras. 0037, 0039, 0045-0046), comprising the steps of:
- supplying a carding drum (main drum 2; fig. 1; para. 0037) with raw fibres so as to obtain carded fibers (fig. 1; paras. 0037-0039);
- collecting with at least one doffer roller (doffer 3; fig. 1; para. 0037) said carded fibres directly from said carding drum to form at least one fleece of fibers (doffer 3 is next to the main drum 2; see fig. 1; para. 0039);
- stripping said at least one fleece of fibres formed on said at least one doffer roller (by detacher cylinder 7; fig. 1; para. 0053), the method also comprising:
- removing with at least one doffer cleaner flywheel (dust collection/recovery cylinder 5; fig. 1; paras. 0041-0042, 0050) dust and impurities from said at least one doffer roller at an interface between said at least one doffer cleaner flywheel and said at least one doffer roller (fig. 1; paras. 0041-0042, 0050); and
wherein said at least one doffer cleaner flywheel is rotated in a first direction (5a; fig. 1; para. 0044), said at least one doffer roller is rotated in a second direction (3a; fig. 1; para. 0044), and
wherein a peripheral speed of said at least one doffer cleaner flywheel is selected to be less than a peripheral speed of said at least doffer roller (as the rotation speed of the doffer 3 can be up to 250 rpm, and the rotation speed of the dust collection/recovery cylinder 5 can be as low as 50 rpm; paras. 0031, 0042).
Behlouli does not explicitly disclose the method comprising depositing said at least one fleece of fibres on at least one output belt. However, Collotte, in an analogous art, teaches a method for producing at least one fleece of fibers (fig. 1; paras. 0011-0012) comprising: stripping at least one fleece of fibres (by take-off device 14a, 14b; fig. 1; para. 0021) formed on at least one doffer roller (doffer cylinders 11a, 11b; fig. 1; para. 0021) and depositing at least one fleece of fibres on at least one output belt (belts B, B'; fig. 1; paras. 0023-0025). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the method as disclosed by Behlouli, with the method comprising depositing said at least one fleece of fibres on at least one output belt as taught by Collotte, in order to use a common and easy method to efficiently transport the at least one stripped fleece to a downstream station.
Behlouli does not disclose said second direction being opposite to said first direction. However, Netzhammer, in an analogous art, teaches a method of for producing at least one fleece of fibers using a carding device (a method of producing a fleece by a flying card 100; see English translation; figs. 1, 6; paras. 0001, 0017, 0021, 0028), the carding device comprising a doffer roller (take-off roller 46; fig. 6; para. 0028) associated with a cleaner flywheel (brush roller 51A; fig. 6; paras. 0024, 0028), wherein the cleaner flywheel is configured to remove dust and impurities from the doffer roller (fig. 6; para. 0028), and wherein said doffer cleaner flywheel is rotated in a first direction, said at doffer roller is rotated in a second direction, said second direction being opposite to said first direction (the bristles 50 of brush roller 51A move in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the clothing tips of the take-off roller 46; fig. 6; para. 0029). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the first direction (i.e., the rotating direction 5a of doffer flywheel cleaner 5) as disclosed by Behlouli, to be opposite to said second direction (i.e., the rotating direction 3a of doffer roller 3) as taught by Netzhammer, in order to efficiently collect and send the dust and impurities from the doffer roller to the doffer cleaner flywheel and ensure that no fleece residues continue to travel to a downstream device (Netzhammer; para. 0028).
Regarding claim 15, Behlouli, Collotte and Netzhammer, in combination, disclose the method of claim 14, and Behlouli further discloses wherein said carding drum is rotated in a third direction (2a; fig. 1; para. 0044). By modification of the first direction to be opposite to said second direction as discussed above for claim 14, said third direction would be identical to said first direction (see fig. 1 of Netzhammer).
Regarding claim 16, Behlouli, Collotte and Netzhammer, in combination, disclose the method of claim 15. By modification of the first direction to be opposite to said second direction as discussed above for claim 14, the rotation direction of the dust collection cylinder 5 would be clockwise (see fig. 1 of Behlouli), and the removed impurities or dust would be sent from said interface to the carding drum along a path being the shortest path between the interface and the carding drum (see fig. 1 of Behlouli).
Claims 5-9 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Behlouli and Collotte and further in view of Naylor (GB 194083 A).
Regarding claim 5, Behlouli and Collotte, in combination, disclose the method of Claim 1. Behlouli does not explicitly disclose wherein at least one carding drum cleaner flywheel is arranged upstream of said at least one doffer roller. However, Naylor, in an analogous art, teaches a carding system (the figure; claim 1), wherein a carding drum cleaner flywheel (cleaning roller h for carding drum b; the figure; page 2, ll. 91-99) is arranged upstream of a doffer roller (doffer c; the figure; page 2, ll. 91-99). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the method as disclosed by Behlouli, with wherein a carding drum cleaner flywheel is arranged upstream of one of said at least one doffer roller as taught by Naylor, in order to clean fibers from the teeth of the carding drum thereby improving the carding efficiency (Naylor; page 3, ll. 3-8).
Regarding claim 6, Behlouli, Collotte and Naylor, in combination, disclose the method of Claim 5, and Behlouli further discloses the method further comprising arranging at least one downstream airtight roller (cleaning cylinder 6; fig. 1; para. 0042) positioned at a lower position than the at least one doffer cleaner flywheel (doffer cleaning device 4; see fig. 1; para. 0042), engaging the at least one doffer roller (doffer roller 3; fig. 1) and the carding drum (main drum 2; see fig. 1), and being configured to rotate in an opposite direction of the carding drum (see fig. 1; para. 0042).
In addition, Naylor furthe teaches wherein the carding drum cleaner flywheel (cleaning roller h; see the figure) is arranged at a higher position than a doffer cleaner flywheel (cleaning roller d for doffer c; see the figure; page 2, ll. 91-99), and the carding drum cleaner flywheel being configured to rotate in an opposite direction of the carding drum (see the figure). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have configured the method, with wherein the drum cleaner flywheel is arranged at a higher position than a doffer cleaner flywheel, and the drum cleaner flywheel configured to rotate in an opposite direction of the carding drum as taught by Naylor, in order to provide suitable positions for the drum cleaner flywheel and the doffer cleaner flywheel to effectively perform corresponding cleaning functions. By combination with Naylor, the at least one downstream airtight roller of Behlouli would be positioned downstream of the carding drum cleaner flywheel, and the at least one airtight roller and the carding drum cleaner flywheel would be configured to rotate in the same direction.
Regarding claim 7, Behlouli, Collotte and Naylor, in combination, disclose the method of Claim 6, and Behlouli further discloses wherein the at least one downstream airtight roller (cleaning cylinder 6; fig. 1) is arranged to brush the at least one doffer cleaner flywheel (fig. 1; paras. 0042, 0045).
Regarding claim 8, Behlouli, Collotte and Naylor, in combination, disclose the method of Claim 5, and Behlouli further discloses the method further comprising the step of arranging an intermediate roller (cleaning cylinder 6; fig. 1; para. 0042) between the carding drum and the at least one doffer roller (fig. 1; para. 0042), so that said intermediate roller prevents a vacuum from forming in a space between the carding drum and the at least one doffer roller (capable of preventing a vacuum forming between the carding drum 2 and the doffer roller 3; see the position of cleaning cylinder 6 in fig. 1; para. 0042).
Regarding claim 9, Behlouli, Collotte and Naylor, in combination, disclose the method of Claim 8. Behlouli does not disclose wherein the intermediate roller is located below at least one downstream airtight roller downstream of the at least one carding drum cleaner flywheel. However, Behlouli does disclose the intermediate roller adjoins both the carding drum and the doffer roller (positioned against both the dust collection cylinder 5 and against the main drum 2; fig. 1; para. 0042). Further, Naylor teaches wherein at least one downstream airtight roller (fly-stripper e; the figure; p. 3, ll. 26-35) adjoins the at least one carding drum cleaner flywheel (cleaning roller h; the figure) and downstream of the at least one carding drum cleaner flywheel (cleaning roller h; the figure). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have configured the method, by further providing at least one downstream airtight roller (i.e., a fly stripper) downstream of the carding drum cleaner flywheel as taught by Naylor, in order to facilitate removing dust and impurities from the carding drum. By this modification, the intermediate roller would be located below at least one downstream airtight roller downstream of the at least one carding drum cleaner flywheel.
Regarding claim 12, Behlouli, Collotte and Naylor, in combination, disclose the method of Claim 6. As discussed for claim 6, by combination with Naylor, the modified device comprises a downstream airtight roller downstream of the carding drum cleaner flywheel.
In addition, Naylor teaches the device further comprising an upstream airtight roller (worker f; the figure; page 2, ll. 91-99), upstream of the carding drum cleaner flywheel (cleaner h; see the figure). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the method as disclosed by Behlouli, with the device further comprising an upstream airtight roller, upstream of the carding drum cleaner flywheel as taught by Naylor, in order to provide a worker roller which has been conventionally used with a carding drum for facilitating formation and transport of a nonwoven. By this combination, the carding system would comprise two airtight rollers, downstream and upstream, respectively of the drum cleaner flywheel.
Regarding claim 13, Behlouli, Collotte and Naylor, in combination, disclose the method of Claim 12, and Behlouli further discloses wherein the downstream airtight roller (cleaning cylinder 6; fig. 1; para. 0042) is configured to rotate in an opposite direction to the carding drum (see fig. 1).
Behlouli does not disclose wherein the upstream airtight roller is configured to rotate in opposite direction to the carding drum. However, Naylor teaches wherein the upper stream airtight roller (worker f) is configured to rotate in an opposite direction to the carding drum (see the figure). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the method, with wherein the upstream airtight roller is configured to rotate in an opposite direction to the carding drum as disclosed by Naylor, in order to provide a suitable rotation direction for the upstream airtight roller for improving its working efficiency. By this combination, the modified device would have the two airtight rollers configured to rotate in an opposite direction to the carding drum.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Behlouli and Collotte and further in view of Senior (US 372,771 A) and Naylor (GB 194083 A).
Regarding claim 10, Behlouli and Collotte, in combination, disclose the method of Claim 1.
Behlouli does not disclose the method comprising the step of providing two doffer rollers, upper and lower respectively, two respective upper and lower doffer cleaner flywheels, two respective upper and lower stripper rollers. However, Senior, in an analogous art, teaches a method for forming a fleece using a carding device (fig. 1; page 1, ll. 45-49) comprising a step of providing two doffer rollers (doffer rollers C, C'; figs. 1, 3; page 1, ll. 54-60), upper and lower respectively (see figs. 1, 3), two respective upper and lower doffer cleaner flywheels (doffer cleaners D, D'; figs. 1, 3; page 1, ll. 72-93; page 2, ll. 7-10). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the method as disclosed by Behlouli, by adding a lower doffer roller and a lower doffer cleaner flywheel to the device in a same configuration of the upper doffer roller and the upper doffer cleaner flywheel, thereby providing the carding system with two doffer rollers, upper and lower respectively, two respective upper and lower doffer cleaner flywheels as taught by Senior, in order to use two sets of doffer rollers to simultaneously generate two non-woven webs, and clean and sharpen the teeth of the doffer rollers and keep the doffer rollers in a uniformly good working condition (Senior; page 1, ll. 86-93). In addition, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have arranged a stripper roller 7 for the lower doffer roller in the same way as for the upper doffer roller 3, in order to detach a non-woven web from the lower doffer roller and transport it to a downstream device, since such a modification would amount to a mere duplication of parts. It has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04, VI, B.
Behlouli does not disclose the step comprising providing an additional drum cleaner flywheel arranged upstream of the upper doffer roller and at least one downstream upper airtight roller downstream of the drum cleaner flywheel. However, the modified carding system comprises at least one downstream airtight roller (cleaning cylinder 6; fig. 1; para. 0042) positioned at a lower position than the upper doffer cleaner flywheel (doffer cleaning device 4; see fig. 1; para. 0042), adjoining the upper doffer roller (doffer roller 3; fig. 1) and the carding drum (main drum 2; see fig. 1) and configured to rotate in an opposite direction of the carding drum (see fig. 1; para. 0042). In addition, Naylor, in an analogous art, teaches a carding device (figure; claim 1), wherein a carding drum cleaner flywheel (cleaning roller h for carding drum b; figure; page 2, ll. 91-99) is arranged upstream of a doffer roller (doffer c; figure; page 2, ll. 91-99), wherein the drum cleaner flywheel (cleaning roller h; see the figure) is arranged at a higher position than a doffer cleaner flywheel (cleaning roller d for doffer c; see the figure; page 2, ll. 91-99). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the device as disclosed by Behlouli, with wherein an additional carding drum cleaner flywheel is arranged upstream of the upper doffer roller as taught by Naylor, in order to provide the benefit of cleaning the fibers from the teeth of the carding drum thereby facilitating a stable carding efficiency (Naylor; page 3, ll. 3-8). By combination with Naylor, the modified device would have the at least one downstream airtight roller downstream of the drum cleaner flywheel.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Behlouli, Collotte, Senior and Naylor and further in view of Netzhammer (EP 0972865A1).
Regarding claim 11, Behlouli, Collotte, Senior and Naylor, in combination, disclose the method of Claim 10. Behlouli does not disclose wherein the upper doffer flywheel cleaner is rotated in a direction opposite to a direction in which the upper doffer roller is rotated and the lower doffer cleaner flywheel is rotated in a direction opposite to a direction of in which the lower doffer roller is rotated. However, Netzhammer, in an analogous art, teaches wherein a cleaner flywheel (brush roller 51A; fig. 6; paras. 0024, 0028) is configured to remove dust and impurities from a doffer roller (take-off roller 46; fig. 6; para. 0028), wherein the cleaner flywheel is rotated in a direction opposite to a direction in which a doffer roller is rotated (the bristles 50 of brush roller 51A move in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the clothing tips of the take-off roller 46; fig. 6; para. 0029). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the rotating direction of the doffer flywheel cleaners, with wherein the doffer flywheel cleaners are rotated in a direction opposite to a direction in which the doffer rollers are rotated as taught by Netzhammer, in order to effectively send the dust and impurities to the carding drum and make sure that no fleece residues continue to travel to a downstream device (Netzhammer; para. 0028). Such a configuration is within the level of one of ordinary skill of the art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Additional relevant references cited on attached PTO-892 form(s) can be used to formulate a rejection if necessary. Fahmuller (US 4,590,647 A) and Loffler (US 4,374,448 A) also disclose a method of producing a fleece comprising removing with at least one doffer cleaner flywheel dust and impurities from at least one doffer roller at an interface between said at least one doffer cleaner flywheel and said at least one doffer roller.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AIYING ZHAO whose telephone number is (571)272-3326. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30 am - 4:30 pm EST.
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/AIYING ZHAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3732