Patent Application
20180339327
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection by the author thereof. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or patent disclosure for the purposes of referencing as patent prior art, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office, patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
One or more embodiments of the invention generally relate to a roll forming machine. More particularly, certain embodiments of the invention relate to a portable roll forming machine that is capable of forming multiple sizes of an indeterminate length panel of a desired lateral profile from a supply strip of sheet metal.
A variety of roll forming machines are available in the industry. The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
The following is an example of a specific aspect in the prior art that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon. A few roll forming machines with adjustability and profile changing capability may use separate roller stations mounted to an adjustable bar; to incrementally form the profile. The separate roller stations may result in alignment issues, may limit the height of the profile and may have a higher manufacturing cost. Some other roll forming machines may use adjustable top and bottom rollers that may be mounted on spindles. This too may result in alignment issues and may also limit the height of the profile.
In view of the foregoing, it is clear that these traditional techniques are not perfect and leave room for more optimal approaches.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:
Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.
The present invention is best understood by reference to the detailed figures and description set forth herein.
Embodiments of the invention are discussed below with reference to the Figures. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes as the invention extends beyond these limited embodiments. For example, it should be appreciated that those skilled in the art will, in light of the teachings of the present invention, recognize a multiplicity of alternate and suitable approaches, depending upon the needs of the particular application, to implement the functionality of any given detail described herein, beyond the particular implementation choices in the following embodiments described and shown. That is, there are modifications and variations of the invention that are too numerous to be listed but that all fit within the scope of the invention. Also, singular words should be read as plural and vice versa and masculine as feminine and vice versa, where appropriate, and alternative embodiments do not necessarily imply that the two are mutually exclusive.
It is to be further understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular methodology, compounds, materials, manufacturing techniques, uses, and applications, described herein, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to “an element” is a reference to one or more elements and includes equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art. Similarly, for another example, a reference to “a step” or “a means” is a reference to one or more steps or means and may include sub-steps and subservient means. All conjunctions used are to be understood in the most inclusive sense possible. Thus, the word “or” should be understood as having the definition of a logical “or” rather than that of a logical “exclusive or” unless the context clearly necessitates otherwise. Structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures. Language that may be construed to express approximation should be so understood unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
All words of approximation as used in the present disclosure and claims should be construed to mean “approximate,” rather than “perfect,” and may accordingly be employed as a meaningful modifier to any other word, specified parameter, quantity, quality, or concept. Words of approximation, include, yet are not limited to terms such as “substantial”, “nearly”, “almost”, “about”, “generally”, “largely”, “essentially”, “closely approximate”, etc.
As will be established in some detail below, it is well settle law, as early as 1939, that words of approximation are not indefinite in the claims even when such limits are not defined or specified in the specification.
For example, see Ex parte Mallory, 52 USPQ 297, 297 (Pat. Off. Bd. App. 1941) where the court said “The examiner has held that most of the claims are inaccurate because apparently the laminar film will not be entirely eliminated. The claims specify that the film is “substantially” eliminated and for the intended purpose, it is believed that the slight portion of the film which may remain is negligible. We are of the view, therefore, that the claims may be regarded as sufficiently accurate.”
Note that claims need only “reasonably apprise those skilled in the art” as to their scope to satisfy the definiteness requirement. See Energy Absorption Sys., Inc. v. Roadway Safety Servs., Inc., Civ. App. 96-1264, slip op. at 10 (Fed. Cir. Jul. 3, 1997) (unpublished) Hybridtech v. Monoclonal Antibodies, Inc., 802 F.2d 1367, 1385, 231 USPQ 81, 94 (Fed. Cir. 1986), cert. denied, 480 U.S. 947 (1987). In addition, the use of modifiers in the claim, like “generally” and “substantial,” does not by itself render the claims indefinite. See Seattle Box Co. v. Industrial Crating & Packing, Inc., 731 F.2d 818, 828-29, 221 USPQ 568, 575-76 (Fed. Cir. 1984).
Moreover, the ordinary and customary meaning of terms like “substantially” includes “reasonably close to: nearly, almost, about”, connoting a term of approximation. See In re Frye, Appeal No. 2009-006013, 94 USPQ2d 1072, 1077, 2010 WL 889747 (B.P.A.I. 2010) Depending on its usage, the word “substantially” can denote either language of approximation or language of magnitude. Deering Precision Instruments, L.L.C. v. Vector Distribution Sys., Inc., 347 F.3d 1314, 1323 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (recognizing the “dual ordinary meaning of th[e] term [”substantially“] as connoting a term of approximation or a term of magnitude”). Here, when referring to the “substantially halfway” limitation, the Specification uses the word “approximately” as a substitute for the word “substantially” (Fact 4). (Fact 4). The ordinary meaning of “substantially halfway” is thus reasonably close to or nearly at the midpoint between the forwardmost point of the upper or outsole and the rearwardmost point of the upper or outsole.
Similarly, the term ‘substantially’ is well recognize in case law to have the dual ordinary meaning of connoting a term of approximation or a term of magnitude. See Dana Corp. v. American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., Civ. App. 04-1116, 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 18265, *13-14 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 27, 2004) (unpublished). The term “substantially” is commonly used by claim drafters to indicate approximation. See Cordis Corp. v. Medtronic AVE Inc., 339 F.3d 1352, 1360 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (“The patents do not set out any numerical standard by which to determine whether the thickness of the wall surface is ‘substantially uniform.’ The term ‘substantially,’ as used in this context, denotes approximation. Thus, the walls must be of largely or approximately uniform thickness.”); see also Deering Precision Instruments, LLC v. Vector Distribution Sys., Inc., 347 F.3d 1314, 1322 (Fed. Cir. 2003); Epcon Gas Sys., Inc. v. Bauer Compressors, Inc., 279 F.3d 1022, 1031 (Fed. Cir. 2002). We find that the term “substantially” was used in just such a manner in the claims of the patents-in-suit: “substantially uniform wall thickness” denotes a wall thickness with approximate uniformity.
It should also be noted that such words of approximation as contemplated in the foregoing clearly limits the scope of claims such as saying ‘generally parallel’ such that the adverb ‘generally’ does not broaden the meaning of parallel. Accordingly, it is well settled that such words of approximation as contemplated in the foregoing (e.g., like the phrase ‘generally parallel’) envisions some amount of deviation from perfection (e.g., not exactly parallel), and that such words of approximation as contemplated in the foregoing are descriptive terms commonly used in patent claims to avoid a strict numerical boundary to the specified parameter. To the extent that the plain language of the claims relying on such words of approximation as contemplated in the foregoing are clear and uncontradicted by anything in the written description herein or the figures thereof, it is improper to rely upon the present written description, the figures, or the prosecution history to add limitations to any of the claim of the present invention with respect to such words of approximation as contemplated in the foregoing. That is, under such circumstances, relying on the written description and prosecution history to reject the ordinary and customary meanings of the words themselves is impermissible. See, for example, Liquid Dynamics Corp. v. Vaughan Co., 355 F.3d 1361, 69 USPQ2d 1595, 1600-01 (Fed. Cir. 2004). The plain language of phrase 2 requires a “substantial helical flow.” The term “substantial” is a meaningful modifier implying “approximate,” rather than “perfect.” In Cordis Corp. v. Medtronic AVE, Inc., 339 F.3d 1352, 1361 (Fed. Cir. 2003), the district court imposed a precise numeric constraint on the term “substantially uniform thickness.” We noted that the proper interpretation of this term was “of largely or approximately uniform thickness” unless something in the prosecution history imposed the “clear and unmistakable disclaimer” needed for narrowing beyond this simple-language interpretation. Id. In Anchor Wall Systems v. Rockwood Retaining Walls, Inc., 340 F.3d 1298, 1311 (Fed. Cir. 2003)” Id. at 1311. Similarly, the plain language of Claim 1 requires neither a perfectly helical flow nor a flow that returns precisely to the center after one rotation (a limitation that arises only as a logical consequence of requiring a perfectly helical flow).
The reader should appreciate that case law generally recognizes a dual ordinary meaning of such words of approximation, as contemplated in the foregoing, as connoting a term of approximation or a term of magnitude; e.g., see Deering Precision Instruments, L.L.C. v. Vector Distrib. Sys., Inc., 347 F.3d 1314, 68 USPQ2d 1716, 1721 (Fed. Cir. 2003), cert. denied, 124 S. Ct. 1426 (2004) where the court was asked to construe the meaning of the term “substantially” in a patent claim. Also see Epcon, 279 F.3d at 1031 (“The phrase ‘substantially constant’ denotes language of approximation, while the phrase ‘substantially below’ signifies language of magnitude, i.e., not insubstantial.”). Also, see, e.g., Epcon Gas Sys., Inc. v. Bauer Compressors, Inc., 279 F.3d 1022 (Fed. Cir. 2002) (construing the terms “substantially constant” and “substantially below”); Zodiac Pool Care, Inc. v. Hoffinger Indus., Inc., 206 F.3d 1408 (Fed. Cir. 2000) (construing the term “substantially inward”); York Prods., Inc. v. Cent. Tractor Farm & Family Ctr., 99 F.3d 1568 (Fed. Cir. 1996) (construing the term “substantially the entire height thereof”); Tex. Instruments Inc. v. Cypress Semiconductor Corp., 90 F.3d 1558 (Fed. Cir. 1996) (construing the term “substantially in the common plane”). In conducting their analysis, the court instructed to begin with the ordinary meaning of the claim terms to one of ordinary skill in the art. Prima Tek, 318 F.3d at 1148. Reference to dictionaries and our cases indicates that the term “substantially” has numerous ordinary meanings. As the district court stated, “substantially” can mean “significantly” or “considerably.” The term “substantially” can also mean “largely” or “essentially.” Webster's New 20th Century Dictionary 1817 (1983).
Words of approximation, as contemplated in the foregoing, may also be used in phrases establishing approximate ranges or limits, where the end points are inclusive and approximate, not perfect; e.g., see AK Steel Corp. v. Sollac, 344 F.3d 1234, 68 USPQ2d 1280, 1285 (Fed. Cir. 2003) where it where the court said [W]e conclude that the ordinary meaning of the phrase “up to about 10%” includes the “about 10%” endpoint. As pointed out by AK Steel, when an object of the preposition “up to” is nonnumeric, the most natural meaning is to exclude the object (e.g., painting the wall up to the door). On the other hand, as pointed out by Sollac, when the object is a numerical limit, the normal meaning is to include that upper numerical limit (e.g., counting up to ten, seating capacity for up to seven passengers). Because we have here a numerical limit—“about 10%”—the ordinary meaning is that that endpoint is included.
In the present specification and claims, a goal of employment of such words of approximation, as contemplated in the foregoing, is to avoid a strict numerical boundary to the modified specified parameter, as sanctioned by Pall Corp. v. Micron Separations, Inc., 66 F.3d 1211, 1217, 36 USPQ2d 1225, 1229 (Fed. Cir. 1995) where it states “It is well established that when the term “substantially” serves reasonably to describe the subject matter so that its scope would be understood by persons in the field of the invention, and to distinguish the claimed subject matter from the prior art, it is not indefinite.” Likewise see Verve LLC v. Crane Cams Inc., 311 F.3d 1116, 65 USPQ2d 1051, 1054 (Fed. Cir. 2002). Expressions such as “substantially” are used in patent documents when warranted by the nature of the invention, in order to accommodate the minor variations that may be appropriate to secure the invention. Such usage may well satisfy the charge to “particularly point out and distinctly claim” the invention, 35 U.S.C. § 112, and indeed may be necessary in order to provide the inventor with the benefit of his invention. In Andrew Corp. v. Gabriel Elecs. Inc., 847 F.2d 819, 821-22, 6 USPQ2d 2010, 2013 (Fed. Cir. 1988) the court explained that usages such as “substantially equal” and “closely approximate” may serve to describe the invention with precision appropriate to the technology and without intruding on the prior art. The court again explained in Ecolab Inc. v. Envirochem, Inc., 264 F.3d 1358, 1367, 60 USPQ2d 1173, 1179 (Fed. Cir. 2001) that “like the term ‘about,’ the term ‘substantially’ is a descriptive term commonly used in patent claims to ‘avoid a strict numerical boundary to the specified parameter, see Ecolab Inc. v. Envirochem Inc., 264 F.3d 1358, 60 USPQ2d 1173, 1179 (Fed. Cir. 2001) where the court found that the use of the term “substantially” to modify the term “uniform” does not render this phrase so unclear such that there is no means by which to ascertain the claim scope.
Similarly, other courts have noted that like the term “about,” the term “substantially” is a descriptive term commonly used in patent claims to “avoid a strict numerical boundary to the specified parameter.”; e.g., see Pall Corp. v. Micron Seps., 66 F.3d 1211, 1217, 36 USPQ2d 1225, 1229 (Fed. Cir. 1995); see, e.g., Andrew Corp. v. Gabriel Elecs. Inc., 847 F.2d 819, 821-22, 6 USPQ2d 2010, 2013 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (noting that terms such as “approach each other,” “close to,” “substantially equal,” and “closely approximate” are ubiquitously used in patent claims and that such usages, when serving reasonably to describe the claimed subject matter to those of skill in the field of the invention, and to distinguish the claimed subject matter from the prior art, have been accepted in patent examination and upheld by the courts). In this case, “substantially” avoids the strict 100% nonuniformity boundary.
Indeed, the foregoing sanctioning of such words of approximation, as contemplated in the foregoing, has been established as early as 1939, see Ex parte Mallory, 52 USPQ 297, 297 (Pat. Off. Bd. App. 1941) where, for example, the court said “the claims specify that the film is “substantially” eliminated and for the intended purpose, it is believed that the slight portion of the film which may remain is negligible. We are of the view, therefore, that the claims may be regarded as sufficiently accurate.” Similarly, In re Hutchison, 104 F.2d 829, 42 USPQ 90, 93 (C.C.P.A. 1939) the court said “It is realized that “substantial distance” is a relative and somewhat indefinite term, or phrase, but terms and phrases of this character are not uncommon in patents in cases where, according to the art involved, the meaning can be determined with reasonable clearness.”
Hence, for at least the forgoing reason, Applicants submit that it is improper for any examiner to hold as indefinite any claims of the present patent that employ any words of approximation.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Preferred methods, techniques, devices, and materials are described, although any methods, techniques, devices, or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of the present invention. Structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures. The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
References to a “device,” an “apparatus,” a “system,” etc., in the preamble of a claim should be construed broadly to mean “any structure meeting the claim terms” exempt for any specific structure(s)/type(s) that has/(have) been explicitly disavowed or excluded or admitted/implied as prior art in the present specification or incapable of enabling an object/aspect/goal of the invention. Furthermore, where the present specification discloses an object, aspect, function, goal, result, or advantage of the invention that a specific prior art structure and/or method step is similarly capable of performing yet in a very different way, the present invention disclosure is intended to and shall also implicitly include and cover additional corresponding alternative embodiments that are otherwise identical to that explicitly disclosed except that they exclude such prior art structure(s)/step(s), and shall accordingly be deemed as providing sufficient disclosure to support a corresponding negative limitation in a claim claiming such alternative embodiment(s), which exclude such very different prior art structure(s)/step(s) way(s).
From reading the present disclosure, other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications may involve equivalent and other features which are already known in the art, and which may be used instead of or in addition to features already described herein.
Although Claims have been formulated in this Application to particular combinations of features, it should be understood that the scope of the disclosure of the present invention also includes any novel feature or any novel combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or implicitly or any generalization thereof, whether or not it relates to the same invention as presently claimed in any Claim and whether or not it mitigates any or all of the same technical problems as does the present invention.
Features which are described in the context of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination. The Applicants hereby give notice that new Claims may be formulated to such features and/or combinations of such features during the prosecution of the present Application or of any further Application derived therefrom.
References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” “various embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “embodiments of the invention,” etc., may indicate that the embodiment(s) of the invention so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every possible embodiment of the invention necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,” or “in an exemplary embodiment,” “an embodiment,” do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may. Moreover, any use of phrases like “embodiments” in connection with “the invention” are never meant to characterize that all embodiments of the invention must include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic, and should instead be understood to mean “at least some embodiments of the invention” includes the stated particular feature, structure, or characteristic.
References to “user”, or any similar term, as used herein, may mean a human or non-human user thereof. Moreover, “user”, or any similar term, as used herein, unless expressly stipulated otherwise, is contemplated to mean users at any stage of the usage process, to include, without limitation, direct user(s), intermediate user(s), indirect user(s), and end user(s). The meaning of “user”, or any similar term, as used herein, should not be otherwise inferred or induced by any pattern(s) of description, embodiments, examples, or referenced prior-art that may (or may not) be provided in the present patent.
References to “end user”, or any similar term, as used herein, is generally intended to mean late stage user(s) as opposed to early stage user(s). Hence, it is contemplated that there may be a multiplicity of different types of “end user” near the end stage of the usage process. Where applicable, especially with respect to distribution channels of embodiments of the invention comprising consumed retail products/services thereof (as opposed to sellers/vendors or Original Equipment Manufacturers), examples of an “end user” may include, without limitation, a “consumer”, “buyer”, “customer”, “purchaser”, “shopper”, “enjoyer”, “viewer”, or individual person or non-human thing benefiting in any way, directly or indirectly, from use of or interaction, with some aspect of the present invention.
In some situations, some embodiments of the present invention may provide beneficial usage to more than one stage or type of usage in the foregoing usage process. In such cases where multiple embodiments targeting various stages of the usage process are described, references to “end user”, or any similar term, as used therein, are generally intended to not include the user that is the furthest removed, in the foregoing usage process, from the final user therein of an embodiment of the present invention.
Where applicable, especially with respect to retail distribution channels of embodiments of the invention, intermediate user(s) may include, without limitation, any individual person or non-human thing benefiting in any way, directly or indirectly, from use of, or interaction with, some aspect of the present invention with respect to selling, vending, Original Equipment Manufacturing, marketing, merchandising, distributing, service providing, and the like thereof
References to “person”, “individual”, “human”, “a party”, “animal”, “creature”, or any similar term, as used herein, even if the context or particular embodiment implies living user, maker, or participant, it should be understood that such characterizations are sole by way of example, and not limitation, in that it is contemplated that any such usage, making, or participation by a living entity in connection with making, using, and/or participating, in any way, with embodiments of the present invention may be substituted by such similar performed by a suitably configured non-living entity, to include, without limitation, automated machines, robots, humanoids, computational systems, information processing systems, artificially intelligent systems, and the like. It is further contemplated that those skilled in the art will readily recognize the practical situations where such living makers, users, and/or participants with embodiments of the present invention may be in whole, or in part, replaced with such non-living makers, users, and/or participants with embodiments of the present invention. Likewise, when those skilled in the art identify such practical situations where such living makers, users, and/or participants with embodiments of the present invention may be in whole, or in part, replaced with such non-living makers, it will be readily apparent in light of the teachings of the present invention how to adapt the described embodiments to be suitable for such non-living makers, users, and/or participants with embodiments of the present invention. Thus, the invention is thus to also cover all such modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of such adaptations and modifications, at least in part, for such non-living entities.
Headings provided herein are for convenience and are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure in any way.
The enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise.
It is understood that the use of specific component, device and/or parameter names are for example only and not meant to imply any limitations on the invention. The invention may thus be implemented with different nomenclature/terminology utilized to describe the mechanisms/units/structures/components/devices/parameters herein, without limitation. Each term utilized herein is to be given its broadest interpretation given the context in which that term is utilized.
Terminology. The following paragraphs provide definitions and/or context for terms found in this disclosure (including the appended claims):
“Comprising.” This term is open-ended. As used in the appended claims, this term does not foreclose additional structure or steps. Consider a claim that recites: “A memory controller comprising a system cache. ” Such a claim does not foreclose the memory controller from including additional components (e.g., a memory channel unit, a switch).
“Configured To.” Various units, circuits, or other components may be described or claimed as “configured to” perform a task or tasks. In such contexts, “configured to” or “operable for” is used to connote structure by indicating that the mechanisms/units/circuits/components include structure (e.g., circuitry and/or mechanisms) that performs the task or tasks during operation. As such, the mechanisms/unit/circuit/component can be said to be configured to (or be operable) for perform(ing) the task even when the specified mechanisms/unit/circuit/component is not currently operational (e.g., is not on). The mechanisms/units/circuits/components used with the “configured to” or “operable for” language include hardware—for example, mechanisms, structures, electronics, circuits, memory storing program instructions executable to implement the operation, etc. Reciting that a mechanism/unit/circuit/component is “configured to” or “operable for” perform(ing) one or more tasks is expressly intended not to invoke 35 U.S.C. .sctn.112, sixth paragraph, for that mechanism/unit/circuit/component. “Configured to” may also include adapting a manufacturing process to fabricate devices or components that are adapted to implement or perform one or more tasks.
“Based On.” As used herein, this term is used to describe one or more factors that affect a determination. This term does not foreclose additional factors that may affect a determination. That is, a determination may be solely based on those factors or based, at least in part, on those factors. Consider the phrase “determine A based on B.” While B may be a factor that affects the determination of A, such a phrase does not foreclose the determination of A from also being based on C. In other instances, A may be determined based solely on B.
The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing conditions, concentrations, dimensions, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending at least upon a specific analytical technique.
The term “comprising,” which is synonymous with “including,” “containing,” or “characterized by” is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. “Comprising” is a term of art used in claim language which means that the named claim elements are essential, but other claim elements may be added and still form a construct within the scope of the claim.
As used herein, the phase “consisting of” excludes any element, step, or ingredient not specified in the claim. When the phrase “consists of” (or variations thereof) appears in a clause of the body of a claim, rather than immediately following the preamble, it limits only the element set forth in that clause; other elements are not excluded from the claim as a whole. As used herein, the phase “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of” limits the scope of a claim to the specified elements or method steps, plus those that do not materially affect the basis and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed subject matter (see Norian Corp. v Stryker Corp., 363 F.3d 1321, 1331-32, 70 USPQ2d 1508, Fed. Cir. 2004). Moreover, for any claim of the present invention which claims an embodiment “consisting essentially of” or “consisting of” a certain set of elements of any herein described embodiment it shall be understood as obvious by those skilled in the art that the present invention also covers all possible varying scope variants of any described embodiment(s) that are each exclusively (i.e., “consisting essentially of”) functional subsets or functional combination thereof such that each of these plurality of exclusive varying scope variants each consists essentially of any functional subset(s) and/or functional combination(s) of any set of elements of any described embodiment(s) to the exclusion of any others not set forth therein. That is, it is contemplated that it will be obvious to those skilled how to create a multiplicity of alternate embodiments of the present invention that simply consisting essentially of a certain functional combination of elements of any described embodiment(s) to the exclusion of any others not set forth therein, and the invention thus covers all such exclusive embodiments as if they were each described herein.
With respect to the terms “comprising,” “consisting of,” and “consisting essentially of,” where one of these three terms is used herein, the presently disclosed and claimed subject matter may include the use of either of the other two terms. Thus in some embodiments not otherwise explicitly recited, any instance of “comprising” may be replaced by “consisting of” or, alternatively, by “consisting essentially of”, and thus, for the purposes of claim support and construction for “consisting of” format claims, such replacements operate to create yet other alternative embodiments “consisting essentially of” only the elements recited in the original “comprising” embodiment to the exclusion of all other elements.
Devices or system modules that are in at least general communication with each other need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices or system modules that are in at least general communication with each other may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.
A description of an embodiment with several components in communication with each other does not imply that all such components are required. On the contrary a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the present invention.
As is well known to those skilled in the art many careful considerations and compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimal manufacture of a commercial implementation any system, and in particular, the embodiments of the present invention. A commercial implementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of the present invention may configured according to the needs of the particular application, whereby any aspect(s), feature(s), function(s), result(s), component(s), approach(es), or step(s) of the teachings related to any described embodiment of the present invention may be suitably omitted, included, adapted, mixed and matched, or improved and/or optimized by those skilled in the art, using their average skills and known techniques, to achieve the desired implementation that addresses the needs of the particular application.
In the following description and claims, the terms “coupled” and “connected,” along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. Rather, in particular embodiments, “connected” may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. “Coupled” may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. However, “coupled” may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still cooperate or interact with each other.
It is to be understood that any exact measurements/dimensions or particular construction materials indicated herein are solely provided as examples of suitable configurations and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Depending on the needs of the particular application, those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in light of the following teachings, a multiplicity of suitable alternative implementation details.
In one exemplary embodiment the roll forming machine described herein may have an overall shape as a rectangular box. In an exemplary embodiment, the roll forming machine may include components, including but not limited to, a bottom angle assembly, skate roller MA assembly A, a skate roller MA assembly B, and a creasing bearing assembly. In one embodiment, the roll forming machine includes four components i.e., a bottom angle assembly, skate roller MA assembly A, Skate Roller MA Assembly B, and a creasing bearing assembly. As used herein the term “MA” is a way of naming the assembly in the program used to design the machine and does not have any particular full form.
Referring to
The view 110 focusses on the adjustable side 136 and shows an adjustable lifting bar 138. The lifting bar in the roll forming machine assists in lifting the end of the material causing a longitudinal “bend” in the material at the skate rollers. Both the fixed lifting bar and the adjustable lifting bar perform the same function, in that they lift the outer ends of the material to be rolled. However, in the machine configuration the fixed lifting bar may be shorter than the adjustable lifting bar. The fixed lifting bar may push the material to be rolled on its side to 90 degrees earlier than the adjustable lifting bar may push the material to be rolled on its side to 90 degrees.
The view 112 focusses on the fixed lifting bar 140. The fixed lifting bar assists in lifting the end of the material causing a longitudinal bend in the material at the skate rollers. In view 112 the drive adjustable roller assembly 142, the bottom roller assembly 144, and the bearing hub assembly 146 are indicated. In one embodiment, the drive crease rollers (creasing bearings) assist in maintaining material orientation. In an exemplary embodiment as shown in
Referring to
View 212 shows a frontal two-dimensional view of the roller and view 213 shows a three-dimensional bottom view of the driver adjustable roller that shows the keyed bore with set screw 216. Two drive adjustable rollers are placed on a driveshaft 232 with the protruding hubs 214 facing each other as shown in view 222. View 222 shows a three-dimensional view, view 224 shows a two-dimensional view, view 228 shows a two-dimensional bottom view, and view 226 shows a cross sectional view of view 224 along the central line A-A of the drive adjustable roller assembly. The cross-sectional view 226 shows two drive adjustable rollers disposed on a drive shaft 232 with the protruding hubs 214 facing each other. In an exemplary embodiment, the drive adjustable roller may include a urethane roller having a diameter of about 4 inches and a width of about 1.9 inches, an aluminum core having a diameter of about 3 inches, where the aluminum core 218 may have a protruding hub 214 with a keyed bore with set screw 216.
Referring to
View 312 shows a frontal two-dimensional view of the bottom roller assembly. View 322 shows a cross sectional view of view 324 along the central line A-A of the bottom roller assembly and view 326 shows a side view of the bottom roller assembly. The cross-sectional view 322 shows a round tube 314 with a radial ball bearing 316 pressed into each end of the bottom roller assembly and has a solid spindle 320 passible through the center of the radial ball bearing 316. The solid spindle has threaded holes 328, 330 one at each end of the bottom roller assembly. In one exemplary embodiment, the bottom roller assembly may include a tube 314 with a diameter of about 2 inch and a length of about 7.5 inch, with a radial ball bearing 316 pressed into each end and has a solid spindle 320 passing through the center of the tube, wherein the solid spindle has threaded holes 328, 330 one at each end of the spindle.
Referring to
View 426 shows a frontal two-dimensional view of the drive adjustable and drive crease roller assembly. One drive adjustable roller 210 and one drive crease roller 410 are placed on a drive shaft/steel shaft 432 with the protruding hub 214 of the drive adjustable roller 210 and the protruding hub 418 of the drive crease roller facing each other as shown in view 426. View 430 shows a two-dimensional bottom view, and view 428 shows a cross sectional view of view 426 along the central line A-A of the drive adjustable and drive crease roller assembly. The cross-sectional view 428 shows one drive adjustable roller 210 and one drive crease roller 410 are placed on a drive shaft/steel shaft 432 with the protruding hub 214 of the drive adjustable roller 210 and the protruding hub 418 of the drive crease roller facing each other as shown in view 426. The cross-sectional view 428 shows the steel shaft 432, aluminum core 218 and urethane grip surface 220 of the drive adjustable roller 210. The cross-sectional view 428 also shows the steel roller 422 including a steel face 434 and a steel core 436, where the steel core is surrounded by a urethane grip surface 424 that together form the drive crease roller. In one exemplary embodiment, the drive crease roller may include a steel roller with a diameter of about 4 inches, a width of about 0.95 inch, flushed on one side 434, with a core 436 having a diameter of 3 inches protruding on the side opposite to the flush side 434 by about 0.95 inch core. A urethane layer 424 having a diameter of about 4.06 inch and widths of 0.95 inch may surround the protruding core. The drive crease roller may include a keyed bore with a set screw with a protruding hub wherein the keyed bore may have a diameter of about 1 inch.
Referring to
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As shown in
All drive components are driven by a chain that is driven by an electric motor. The sprockets are the gear looking things that are attached to the end of the drive shafts that passes through the drive adjustable Roller. A series of chains, similar to those on a bicycle connects the sprockets to an electrical drive motor. All driveshafts are mounted to each of the bottom angles through a bearing that is in a bracket, that can be adjusted up and down; this feature allows for adjustment of the pressure between the lower drive rollers and the idle rollers.
Referring to
View 712 in
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In one embodiment, the next part of the roll forming machine includes skate roller MA assemblies. In an exemplary embodiment, the roll forming machine disclosed herein may include skate roller MA assembly A adjustable, skate roller MA assembly A fixed, skate roller MA assembly B Adjustable, and skate roller MA assembly B fixed. Accordingly, each skate rollers MA assembly have two sides; a fixed side and an adjustable side. Each side is made up of a skate roller assembly, an idle roller assembly, skate roller bar, skate roller extension and a skate roller top bar. Referring to
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In an exemplary embodiment, the skate roller assembly may mounted by the spindle at a distance of about 6 inches from each other with the skate rollers vertically parallel to the wide face of the skate roller bar in eleven locations first 1030, second 1032, third 1034, fourth 1036, fifth 1038, sixth 1040, seventh 1042, eighth 1044, ninth 1046, tenth 1048, and eleventh 1050 along the length of the skate roller bar from the entry end to the exit end of the skate roller MA assembly A fixed, as seen at least in view 1012 in
In an exemplary embodiment, the idle roller assembly may include a urethane rolling having an outer diameter of about 4 inches and a thickness of about 1.9 inches, with an aluminum core having a diameter of about 3 inches, and two radial ball bearings pressed flush with the center face of the aluminum core. A spindle is pressed flush with one face 1424 and protrudes out the other face 1426 as seen in view 1412 of the
In an exemplary embodiment, the skate roller extension may include a steel bar having a width of about 2.46 inches, length of about 9,7 inches and a width of about 0.75 inch. The skate roller extension 1024, may be mounted to the skate roller bar even/aligned with the bottom portion 1060 of the skate roller bar 1028, coped flush with the inner face 1062 of the skate roller bar, and vertically perpendicular to the wide face of the skate roller bar, as illustrated at least in view 1016 of
In an exemplary embodiment, the skate roller top bar 1028 may include a steel bar having a width of about 3 inches, length of about 54.75 inches and a thickness of about 0.75 inches with 9/16 inch studs 1016 protruding from the center 1072 of the wide face of the state roller top bar 1015, in 4 locations firs 1074, second 1076, third 1078, and fourth 1080 as shown at least in view 1014 and 1016 for
In an exemplary embodiment, at least shown in
Referring to
A bearing hub assembly 1626 mounts the driveshaft to the bottom angles and can be adjusted to adjust the grip between the idle roller assembly 1646 and drive adjustable roller assembly 1642. Referring to
The bearing hub assembly includes a bearing 1722. The view 1714 shows side view of the bearing hub assembly which illustrates how the bearing 1722 assists in the vertical adjustment of the drive adjustable rollers. The drive shaft that the drive adjustable rollers are mounted on passes through the bearing on the bearing hub assembly. The bearing hub assembly is vertically adjustable; making the shaft that the drive adjustable rollers are mounted to vertically adjustable; making the drive adjustable rollers vertically adjustable.
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The region 1924 between the slots 1920, 1922 includes a solid section of the gauge bar and determines the distance between the adjustable and fixed skate roller MA assemblies A and B. View 1914 shows a top view of the gauge bar. View 1916 shows a finger hole 1926 for grasping purpose. View 1918 shows that the gauge bar may be manufactured to various thicknesses, The different thickness of the gauge blocks may provide different degrees of support to the Skate Roller Bar. The different widths may assist in creating components of different widths.
In various embodiments, a roll forming machine may operate with or without the gauge blocks. The primary functions of the gauge blocks include (i) to determine the distance between the skate roller MA assembly and thus determine the width of the material that is processed and (ii) to stiffen the Skate Roller MA Assembly i.e., provide structural support and hold in place.
As mentioned herein above, the gauge blocks can be manufactured to have the slots 1920, 1922 with different widths. In one embodiment, an operator may select the gauge block of the desired width and insert it into the roll forming machine. This may eliminate the manual calculating and measuring an operator may need to perform to determine widths for the material to be formed. In one embodiment, the gauge block also helps to maintain the alignment of the roll forming machine.
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As described with reference to
As the material progresses through the machine, the upper edge of the portion of the material that has been bent to 90 degrees passes through a set of rollers that forms a nose bead, shown in
In various embodiments, the roll forming machine described herein may provide certain advantages in the process of shaping/molding/forming the material. In one embodiment, the method of changing between widths is continuous and not incremental. Accordingly, any dimension may be chosen for forming the material. There may be not need to choose which step is close enough to your desired width. It may be appreciated by a person with ordinary skill in the art, in light of and in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, that not incremental means any width may be chosen within the range the machine is designed for. The machine disclosed herein slides between widths using the slot on the Skate Roller Bracket and may be capable of creating components of any width within the range of the slot.
In one embodiment, the design of the roll forming machine described herein is easier and quicker to align as all the rollers are mounted to the same bar i.e., the skate roller bar. Further, it is less likely to become misaligned as all the rollers are mounted to the same bar i.e., the skate roller bar.
In one embodiment, the design of the roll forming machine described herein allows the machine to form deeper bends since the assembly and framework that form the interior bends are positioned on the component being formed allowing the formation of different component heights. Further, since the rollers are similar, the cost of manufacturing may be lower.
In one exemplary embodiment, the roll forming machine disclosed herein is a portable rain gutter that makes rain gutters multiple sizes—width and height. The machine disclosed herein may allow the operator to service multiple gutter sizes with a single machine i.e., an operator can go to multiple rain gutter jobs without having to switch machines or vehicles.
In one exemplary embodiment, the roll forming machine described hereinabove may have the following exceptions starting from the entry end to the exit end. (i) On the bottom roller assembly where there is one drive crease roller and one drive adjustable roller, there are two drive crease rollers mounted in the same manner. (ii) Above those two drive crease rollers there are two idle crease rollers mounted in a similar manner as described for the roll forming machine hereinabove, with an exertion that one idle crease roller is attached to the Skate Roller MA Assembly A Fixed and the other idle crease roller is attached to Skate Roller MA Assembly A Adjustable. (iii) Both the fixed and the adjustable lifting bars end in line with the first creasing bearing in this exemplary embodiment. (iv) The creasing bearing that is attached to the adjustable side on the machine described is now in line with the first Creasing Bearing. All other components are the same as the are on the machine described from the entrance end up to the first Creasing Bearing.
In one exemplary embodiment, the roll forming machine may include a design wherein the creasing components that are at the exit end are moved to the first creasing assembly location; making sure to attach the upper creasing rollers to Skate Roller MA Assembly A, the lifting bars are reconfigured on the adjustable side to end at the adjustable creasing bearing, and eliminate all portions of the machine beyond the creasing bearing.
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In one exemplary embodiment, using the components from the roll forming machine, keeping the bottom angle assembly as described, the skate roller MA assembly fixed and adjustable would be placed furthest apart, in the same position as in the roll forming machine. The Skate Roller Assembly B fixed and adjustable may be placed at a closer distance desired with in relation to the Skate Roller MA Assembly A. This configuration in combination with the lifting bars may be used to form components having a central flange of various widths, a bend in various locations along its vertical legs. Skate Roller MA Assembly segments may be added and the bottom angle assembly extended, to create a component with multiple bends in various locations along its vertical leg. In one embodiment, the drive roller and the idle roller may be mounted where the idle roller is part of the Skate Roller MA Assembly. In an alternate embodiment, the drive roller and idle roller combination can be mounted independently, aligning with its current location, in various locations along the machine's length.
In another exemplary embodiment, using components from the roll forming machine, keeping the bottom angle assembly as designed, and placing a Skate Roller MA Assembly fixed and adjustable in the same location as in the roll forming machine, with a variation that the first set (closest to the entrance end of the machine) of skate rollers would be extended out the furthest. The second set of skate rollers (the second closest set of skate rollers to the entry end of the machine) on the same bar, will set at a desired distance closer to the skate roller bar. This configuration in combination with the lifting bar can form components with an inward bend along its vertical legs. skate roller sets may be added in the same sequence and the bottom angle assembly extended, to create a component with multiple inward bends along its vertical leg.
In another exemplary embodiment, using the bottom angle assembly from the roll forming machine, replacing the bottom roller assembly with free turning profile roller that is laterally adjustable on a shaft; the skate roller MA assembly being located in the same location as it is in the roll forming machine; the skate rollers may be replaced with profile rollers. The driver roller and the idle roller combination may be mounted the same as in the roll forming machine or independently, in line with its position in the, in various locations along the length of the machine's assembly. This machine can also be driven by the profile rollers; by a chain or a driveshaft connecting to the bottom rollers. Skate Roller MA Assembly may be multiple pair segments or a single pair segment. This machine can use 0, 1 or 2 Lifting Bars. This machine is capable of making profiles of various widths, having a continuous central flange on both sides that may have a series of up and down or in and out bends.
In various embodiments, with reference to all configurations of the roll forming machine described herein, it may be possible to design for both sides of the skate roller MA assembly to be adjustable. The various designs may include rollers with or without profile, singular multiple rollers on a single bar, can be mounted horizontally perpendicular at one or more Skate Roller, at the same height and orientation as the Creasing Bearings on one or both sides of the any Machine Configuration to form desired component profile. The various designs may include rollers with or without profile, one or more rollers mounted to the same Skate Roller Bar. The rollers can be mounted vertically or horizontally. One or multiple Creasing Bearings may be used. These various combinations may be used to form components of different height, different width, and different profiles.
Those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in light of and in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, that any of the foregoing steps may be suitably replaced, reordered, removed and additional steps may be inserted depending upon the needs of the particular application. Moreover, the prescribed method steps of the foregoing embodiments may be implemented using any physical and/or hardware system that those skilled in the art will readily know is suitable in light of the foregoing teachings. For any method steps described in the present application that can be carried out on a computing machine, a typical computer system can, when appropriately configured or designed, serve as a computer system in which those aspects of the invention may be embodied. Thus, the present invention is not limited to any particular tangible means of implementation.
All the features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying abstract and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
It is noted that according to USA law 35 USC § 112 (1), all claims must be supported by sufficient disclosure in the present patent specification, and any material known to those skilled in the art need not be explicitly disclosed. However, 35 USC § 112 (6) requires that structures corresponding to functional limitations interpreted under 35 USC § 112 (6) must be explicitly disclosed in the patent specification. Moreover, the USPTO's Examination policy of initially treating and searching prior art under the broadest interpretation of a “mean for” claim limitation implies that the broadest initial search on 112(6) functional limitation would have to be conducted to support a legally valid Examination on that USPTO policy for broadest interpretation of “mean for” claims. Accordingly, the USPTO will have discovered a multiplicity of prior art documents including disclosure of specific structures and elements which are suitable to act as corresponding structures to satisfy all functional limitations in the below claims that are interpreted under 35 USC § 112 (6) when such corresponding structures are not explicitly disclosed in the foregoing patent specification. Therefore, for any invention element(s)/structure(s) corresponding to functional claim limitation(s), in the below claims interpreted under 35 USC § 112 (6), which is/are not explicitly disclosed in the foregoing patent specification, yet do exist in the patent and/or non-patent documents found during the course of USPTO searching, Applicant(s) incorporate all such functionally corresponding structures and related enabling material herein by reference for the purpose of providing explicit structures that implement the functional means claimed. Applicant(s) request(s) that fact finders during any claims construction proceedings and/or examination of patent allowability properly identify and incorporate only the portions of each of these documents discovered during the broadest interpretation search of 35 USC § 112 (6) limitation, which exist in at least one of the patent and/or non-patent documents found during the course of normal USPTO searching and or supplied to the USPTO during prosecution. Applicant(s) also incorporate by reference the bibliographic citation information to identify all such documents comprising functionally corresponding structures and related enabling material as listed in any PTO Form-892 or likewise any information disclosure statements (IDS) entered into the present patent application by the USPTO or Applicant(s) or any 3rd parties. Applicant(s) also reserve its right to later amend the present application to explicitly include citations to such documents and/or explicitly include the functionally corresponding structures which were incorporate by reference above.
Thus, for any invention element(s)/structure(s) corresponding to functional claim limitation(s), in the below claims, that are interpreted under 35 USC § 112 (6), which is/are not explicitly disclosed in the foregoing patent specification, Applicant(s) have explicitly prescribed which documents and material to include the otherwise missing disclosure, and have prescribed exactly which portions of such patent and/or non-patent documents should be incorporated by such reference for the purpose of satisfying the disclosure requirements of 35 USC § 112 (6). Applicant(s) note that all the identified documents above which are incorporated by reference to satisfy 35 USC § 112 (6) necessarily have a filing and/or publication date prior to that of the instant application, and thus are valid prior documents to incorporated by reference in the instant application.
Having fully described at least one embodiment of the present invention, other equivalent or alternative methods of implementing the roll forming machine according to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Various aspects of the invention have been described above by way of illustration, and the specific embodiments disclosed are not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed. The particular implementation of the roll forming machine may vary depending upon the particular context or application. By way of example, and not limitation, the roll forming machine described in the foregoing were principally directed to forming rain gutters implementations; however, similar techniques may instead be applied to metal studs, metal track (channel) of different shapes, and other components that may have a flat bottom with the flat bottom of varying widths, which implementations of the present invention are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention. The invention is thus to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims. It is to be further understood that not all of the disclosed embodiments in the foregoing specification will necessarily satisfy or achieve each of the objects, advantages, or improvements described in the foregoing specification.
Claim elements and steps herein may have been numbered and/or lettered solely as an aid in readability and understanding. Any such numbering and lettering in itself is not intended to and should not be taken to indicate the ordering of elements and/or steps in the claims.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. Section 1.72(b) requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to ascertain the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. That is, the Abstract is provided merely to introduce certain concepts and not to identify any key or essential features of the claimed subject matter. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to limit or interpret the scope or meaning of the claims.
The following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.
