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Patent No. 5100138

Motorized Mobile Boxing Robot

A simulation environment for the sport of boxing utilizing a robotic machine interface system which carries a person

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Class 242 - Winding, tensioning, or guiding

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1102 Subclasses


Subclasses list

Definition

Class 242 includes and is limited to:

(A) A process or apparatus for progressively winding elongated flexible material more than 360° about an axis of a take-up of restricted length, as in: (l) Unwinding and rewinding an information-bearing carrier associated with a nominal work station such as that found in a magnetic recorder/player, film projector, or camera; (2) Forming an indefinite length of running material in loops to form a bundle of coils solely by wrapping or winding the material about a form (i.e., exclusive of the use of a die or other shaping device); (3) Unidirectional winding and unwinding (i.e., simultaneously winding and unwinding material while turning in a single direction); (4) Reeling (i.e., repetitively winding and unwinding the same material); and (5) Winding by use of machine or implement for: (a) permanently winding material directly onto a core having distinct ends to create a composite article exclusively by winding; (b) winding material, usually strand, in a helical or random manner to form a storage coil for subsequent unwinding; or (c) winding material, usually web, in a convolute manner to form a storage coil for subsequent unwinding;

(B) A storage coil formed exclusively by such a winding process or apparatus;

(C) A process or apparatus limited to unwinding material from a storage coil;

(D) A process or apparatus for tensioning (i.e., applying or regulating longitudinal stress in a running material of indeterminate or indefinite length);

(E) A process or apparatus for guiding (i.e., establishing or confining the path of movement of a running material of indeterminate or indefinite length); or

(F) A subcombination peculiar to winding, unwinding, tensioning, or guiding, such as a spool, spindle, mandrel, or dispenser.

Notes

(1) Note. A process is placed with the apparatus for its practice. (2) Note. Class 242 provides for a "coil holder" whose structural significance is generally concentric to a coil axis to support wound material and includes a spool, spindle, mandrel, dispenser, or container with a specific coil support. There is a natural similarity between a coil holder, reeling device, winding machine, and unwinding machine. For example, a support rack from which a stock material coil is unwound, even with a rewinding handle to rewind surplus material, should be placed with coil holder because of primary, overall similarity of structure and function. Similarly, a coil support for dispensing material by simply pulling on a free material end is placed with coil holder unless the coil support includes additional significant unwinding structure expressly provided for as an unwinding machine. Examples of such additional structure provided for as an unwinding machine are means for attachment of a material to a preceding material, a mobile unwinding station, supply replenishment structure, reserve coil storage, a material end separator, a detector, indicator, or control, a drive, an unwinding limit, or a specific unwinding guide/guard. (3) Note. Class 242 does not provide for a process or apparatus for: (a) Winding onto articles of indefinite length, such as a hose conductor or other elongated member without distinct ends; (b) Winding of a line having a detachable load except when placement or storage of the line in a coiled state clearly establishes a precedent to Class 242 as in the case of: (1) a fishing reel, seatbelt reel, or similar reeling device, and (2) a component of a reeling device such as a drum, material distributing guide, etc.; (c) Unwinding combined with cutting, tearing, perforating, etc. (4) Note. A tensioner or guide claimed in terms of a composition of material or treatment with no significant tensioner or guide structure will be classified with the appropriate material or material treatment class. (5) Note. FIgure eight winding on a support is considered winding proper for Class 242 if it forms at least one complete cycle or figure eight on the support.

Lines with other classes and within this class

STRUCTURE OF CLASS 242

See References to the Current Class, below, for a list of related subclass groups of Class 242.

Subclasses 118 - 159, 163 through 178, and 222 have not been screened for hierarchical priority within Class 242, and should be carefully reviewed to assure a complete search of the prior art particularly with a search relating to: (a) unidirectional winding and unwinding, (b) tension control or brake, (c) unwinding machine, (d) coil holder, or (e) guide.

LINES BETWEEN CLASSES 83, 225, AND 242

Class 83 and related Class 225 take unwinding and cutting, severing or breaking, whereas Class 242 takes a similar operation accompanied by winding.

LINE BETWEEN CLASS 182 AND CLASS 254

Reeling devices in Class 182 are generally of the type provided for in a Class 254 hoist because they accept a load.

LINE BETWEEN CLASS 206 AND CLASS 242

A coiled material enclosed in a box or covering sheath can be provided for in Class 206 (e.g., subclasses 389+), if the disclosure indicates that either: (a) the coil is separated from the receptacle or package for winding or unwinding, or (b) the sheath about the coil is punctured to permit unwinding. However, Class 242, subclasses 588+ would be more appropriate if either: (a) the material is unwound from the coil while in the receptacle, or (b) if a formed unwinding aperture indicates a capacity for use of the package contents without destroying the package. Note particularly Class 206, subclasses 53 through 55, 225 through 227, 389+, and 574.

LINE BETWEEN CLASS 211 AND CLASS 242

See Class 211, Supports: Racks, particularly subclasses: (a) 1.52+ for a power-operated article support adapted to be repositioned relative to a loading station, which article support may be analogous to a coil or core so positioned in Class 242, subclasses 533+ and 558+; (b) 44 for a rack for a bolt or card of wound material that may be removed for unwinding; and (c) 119.15 for a line tightener that may be analogous to Class 242, subclasses 388.2+ for a similarly functioning structure.

LINE BETWEEN CLASS 224 AND CLASS 242

See Class 224, Package and Article Carriers, subclass 162 for a support constructed to be borne by a living being which is particularly analogous to Class 242, subclass 404.1.

LINE BETWEEN CLASS 226 AND CLASS 242

See Class 226, Advancing Material of Indeterminate Length, which may include a nominal recitation of a supply or take-up coil (e.g., less than a support for such a coil or a cooperative relationship between a tension or exhaust detector and reel driving or reel stopping means, etc.), subclasses 168+ for orbitally traveling material-engaging surface(s), subclass 195 for means to retard material movement or subclass 196.1 for a passive guide combined with a material feeder. Class 242 currently provides for a "strand tensioning device" in subclasses 147+, a "strand guide" in subclasses 157+, a "tension control or brake" in subclasses 410+, and a "material guide or guard" in subclasses 615+ which conflict with Class 226 subclasses 168+ and 195. Plans are underway to resolve this conflict by making Class 242 subclasses 157+, 410+, and 615+ the residual location for their respective features, with Class 226 subclasses 168+ and 195+ being limited to their respective features combined with a material feeder. This has already been resolved for Class 226 subclass 196.1.

LINE BETWEEN CLASS 360 AND CLASS 242

Class 360 provides for claimed information erasure prevention means (other than a nominally recited pin or filler), details of a single recording element (e.g., a multitrack transducing head), means to extract a loop of tape from the cartridge and transfer the loop about a named transducer head, a plurality of elements peculiar to a recorder (e.g., alternately engageable record and erase heads), or structure peculiar to a recorder completely remote from winding, tensioning, or guiding (e.g., signal volume control). Search Class 242 for unwinding/rewinding drives, and subcombinations such as cartridge/cassette structure and related perfecting feature; e.g., position retainers, brakes, brake release devices, door structures, pinch rollers, guide components, cartridge/cassette housing construction and material having a specific composition, hardness, thermal property, electrical property, antistatic property, etc., particularly subclasses 324+ for unwinding and rewinding an information convertible carrier and 335+ for guiding, unwinding, or rewinding a carrier stored in a cartridge/cassette.

RELATED SUBCLASS GROUPS OF CLASS 242

References to the Current Class, below, represents a list of related subclass groups of Class 242. An asterisk denotes a position variation from the actual position in the present, interim schedule.
 
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