Appeal No. 95-3879
Application 08/162,920
cross section to a flattened form. The frame comprises a pair of frame members positioned diametrically
opposite the sides of the tube. The frame members converge towards each other in the direction of
movement of the tube such that when the tube engages the frame members, the tube is collapsed. Fig. 2
shows that each frame member has a series of longitudinally spaced independently rotatable roller
assemblies mounted thereon for engagement with the plastic tube. The roller assemblies rotate freely about
axes substantially transverse to the direction of the movement of the tube. The reference discloses that each
roller has a diameter in the range of 12.5 mm to 25 mm and a length in the range of 12 mm to 5 cm (col.
2, lines 27-29). Planeta does not teach or suggest using a series of rollers each having a peripheral surface
orientated to tend to move the tube at an outwardly inclined angle to the direction of movement of the tube.
Noble discloses a pair of freely rotatable guide rollers for collapsing thin walled seamless plastic
tubes in an apparatus for manufacturing such tubes. The surfaces of the rollers have spiral grooves or
ridges (Fig. 3, p. 3). According to Noble, the rollers have the spiral configuration to reduce the resistance
to lateral movement of the tube thus eliminating or reducing the risk of creasing the thin walled tube (p. 2).
3
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Last modified: November 3, 2007