Machine for alternating tubular and flat braid sections and method of using the machine

In a braider having a track for guiding bobbin carriers and horngears, the horngears each having hornplates for forming at least one path, a method comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning the bobbin carriers on the horngears in a first flat braiding mode, with the track and horngears configured so that the hornplates cause the bobbin carriers to move along at least one closed path that does not intersect any other one of the at least one closed path;
• (b) operating the braider in the first flat braiding mode, to form a first flat braid section;
• (c) swapping positions of two of the bobbin carriers on one of the horngears rotating at a first speed, while at least one other one of the horngears is rotating at a second speed different from the first speed;
• (d) operating the braider in a second flat braiding mode with the track and horngears configured differently from the first flat braiding mode, including disengaging at least one of the hornplates from rotating with its respective horngear for a part of the operating in the second flat braiding mode, to form a second flat braid section having a different configuration of yarns than the first flat braid section, so that a continuous braid is formed having at least one first flat braid section and at least one second flat braid section.

A braider comprising:

• a plurality of horngears, the horngears capable of being arranged in first and second subsets for forming at least first and second closed paths for braiding, respectively, each horngear having a driving gear and a hornplate,
• first and second independently controllable servomotors for driving a horngear of the first subset and a horngear of the second subset at first and second speeds, respectively;
• a plurality of bobbin carriers positioned on some of the horngears,
• the braider capable of being configured in:
• a first flat braiding mode in which the bobbin carriers are arranged on the horngears, so that there is one or more separate closed path that does not intersect another of the one or more separate closed paths, for forming a first flat braid configuration;
• and
• a second flat braiding mode for forming a second flat braid configuration different from the first flat braiding configuration.

A braider comprising:

• a plurality of horngears, the horngears capable of being arranged in first and second subsets for forming one or more closed paths for braiding, each horngear having a driving gear and a hornplate,
• first and second independently operable servomotors for independently driving a horngear of the first subset and a horngear of the second subset, respectively,
• a plurality of bobbin carriers positioned on some of the horngears, the braider capable of being configured in:
• a first flat braiding configuration in which the bobbin carriers are arranged on some of the horngears, in one or more separate closed paths that do not intersect another of the one or more separate closed paths, for forming a first flat braid configuration;
• and
• a second flat braiding configuration wherein at least one of the horngears swaps bobbin carriers between first and second closed paths, for forming a second flat braid configuration different from the first flat braid configuration.