U.S. patent application number 10/114236 was filed with the patent office on 2003-10-02 for flat folding tube.
Invention is credited to Warren, Peter A..
Application Number | 20030182878 10/114236 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 28453764 |
Filed Date | 2003-10-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030182878 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Warren, Peter A. |
October 2, 2003 |
Flat folding tube
Abstract
A flat folding tube including a first thin walled structure
having a bottom end, a second thin walled structure having a top
end, and hinge flexibly securing the bottom end of the first thin
walled structure to the top end of the second thin walled
structure. The first thin walled structure and the second thin
walled structure both have at least two states: a first state
wherein both thin walled structures are flat or substantially flat,
and a second state wherein the bottom end of the first thin walled
structure is curved inwardly and the top end of the second thin
walled structure is also curved inwardly to lock the flexible hinge
thereby producing a rigid tube in the second state, the rigid tube
foldable flat in the first state.
Inventors: |
Warren, Peter A.; (Newton,
MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Iandiorio & Teska
260 Bear Hill Road
Waltham
MA
02451-1018
US
|
Family ID: |
28453764 |
Appl. No.: |
10/114236 |
Filed: |
April 2, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/108 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B64G 1/222 20130101;
E04C 3/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/108 |
International
Class: |
E04H 012/18 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A flat folding tube comprising: a first thin walled structure
having a bottom portion; a second thin walled structure having a
top portion; and a pliable hinge securing the bottom portion of the
first thin walled structure to the top portion of the second thin
walled structure, the first thin walled structure and the second
thin walled structure both having at least two states: a first
state wherein both thin walled structures are flat or substantially
flat, and a second state wherein the bottom portion of the first
thin walled structure is curved and the top portion of the second
thin walled structure is also curved to lock the pliable hinge
thereby producing a rigid tube in the second state, the rigid tube
folded flat in the first state.
2. The flat folding tube of claim 1 in which both the first and
second thin walled structures are biased to curve inwardly.
3. The flat folding tube of claim 1 in which both the first and
second thin walled structures are made of Lexan or a composite
material.
4. The flat folding tube of claim 1 in which, in the second state,
both the first and second thin walled structures curve in an
overlapping configuration.
5. The flat folding tube of claim 1 in which the pliable hinge is
tape.
6. The flat folding tube of claim 1 further including a mechanism
configured to lock the first and second thin walled structures in
the second state.
7. The flat folding tube of claim 6 in which the mechanism is a
hook and loop fastener.
8. The flat folding tube of claim 6 in which the mechanism includes
a portion of each thin walled structure.
9. The flat folding tube of claim 1 in which at least one of the
thin walled structures includes opposing edges which do not overlap
in the second state.
10. The flat folding tube of claim 1 in which at least one of the
thin walled structures includes opposing edges one of which
overlaps the other in the second state.
11. The flat folding tube of claim 1 in which at least one of the
thin walled structures includes opposing edges which form a butt
joint in the second state.
12. The flat folding tube of claim 1 in which at least one of the
thin walled structures includes opposing edges which curve inwardly
in a mating relationship in the second state.
13. The flat folding tube of claim 1 in which the pliable hinge
includes a plurality of flexible strands.
14. The flat folding tube of claim 1 in which the pliable hinge is
a piano type hinge.
15. The flat folding tube of claim 1 in which a top end of the
second thin walled structure is hingedly secured to the bottom
portion of the first thin walled structure at a location spaced
from a bottom end of the first thin walled structure.
16. A flat folding tube comprising: a first thin walled structure
made of a material biased to curve and having a bottom portion; a
second thin walled structure made of a material biased to curve and
having a top portion; and a pliable hinge flexibly securing the
bottom portion of the first thin walled structure to the top
portion of the second thin walled structure.
17. The flat folding tube of claim 16 in which both the first and
second thin walled structures are made of Lexan or a composite
material.
18. The flat folding tube of claim 16 in which both the first and
second thin walled structures are biased to curve inwardly in an
overlapping configuration.
19. The flat folding tube of claim 16 in which the flexible hinge
is tape.
20. The flat folding tube of claim 16 further including a mechanism
configured to lock the first and second thin walled structures in
the second state.
21. The flat folding tube of claim 20 in which the mechanism is a
hook and loop fastener.
22. The flat folding tube of claim 20 in which the mechanism
includes a portion of each thin walled structure.
23. The flat folding tube of claim 16 in which at least one of the
thin walled structures includes opposing edges which do not overlap
in the second state.
24. The flat folding tube of claim 16 in which at least one of the
thin walled structures includes opposing edges one of which
overlaps the other in the second state.
25. The flat folding tube of claim 16 in which at least one of the
thin walled structures includes opposing edges which form a butt
joint in the second state.
26. The flat folding tube of claim 16 in which at least one of the
thin walled structures includes opposing edges which curve inwardly
in a mating relationship in the second state.
27. The flat folding tube of claim 16 in which the pliable hinge
includes a plurality of flexible strands.
28. The flat folding tube of claim 16 in which the pliable hinge is
a piano type hinge.
29. The flat folding tube of claim 16 in which a top end of the
second thin walled structure is hingedly secured to the bottom
portion of the first thin walled structure at a location spaced
from a bottom end of the first thin walled structure.
30. A flat folding tube comprising: a first thin walled structure;
a second thin walled structure; and a pliable hinge securing the
first thin walled structure to the second thin walled structure,
the first thin walled structure and the second thin walled
structure both having at least two states: a first state wherein
both thin walled structures are flat or substantially flat, and a
second state wherein the first thin walled structure is curved
inwardly in an overlapping configuration and the second thin walled
structure is also curved inwardly in an overlapping configuration
to lock the pliable hinge thereby producing a rigid tube in the
second state, the rigid tube foldable flat in the first state.
31. A flat folding tube comprising: a first thin walled structure
made of a material biased to curve inwardly in a tube
configuration; a second thin walled structure made of a material
biased to curve inwardly in a tube configuration; and a hinge
securing the first thin walled structure to the second thin walled
structure, the hinge operable to fold the thin walled structures
together when the two structures are rendered flat, the hinge
locked when the two structures are curved inwardly in the tube
configuration.
32. A truss structure including a plurality of axial support
members each comprising at least one flat folding tube including: a
first thin walled structure; a second thin walled structure; and a
pliable hinge securing the first thin walled structure to the
second thin walled structure, the first thin walled structure and
the second thin walled structure both having at least two states: a
first state wherein both thin walled structures are flat or
substantially flat, and a second state wherein the first and second
thin walled structures are curved to lock the flexible hinge
thereby producing a rigid tube in the second state, the rigid tube
foldable flat in the first state whereupon the hinge allows the
thin walled structures to be folded together.
33. The flat folding tube of claim 32 in which both the first and
second thin walled structures are biased to curve inwardly.
34. The flat folding tube of claim 32 in which both the first and
second thin walled structures are made of Lexan or composite
material.
35. The flat folding tube of claim 32 in which in the second state
both the first and second thin walled structures curve inwardly in
an overlapping configuration.
36. The flat folding tube of claim 32 further including a mechanism
configured to lock the first and second thin walled structures in
the second state.
37. The flat folding tube of claim 36 in which the mechanism is a
hook and loop fastener.
38. The flat folding tube of claim 36 in which the mechanism
includes a portion of each thin walled structure.
39. The flat folding tube of claim 32 in which at least one of the
thin walled structures includes opposing edges which do not overlap
in the second state.
40. The flat folding tube of claim 32 in which at least one of the
thin walled structures includes opposing edges one of which
overlaps the other in the second state.
41. The flat folding tube of claim 32 in which at least one of the
thin walled structures includes opposing edges which form a butt
joint in the second state.
42. The flat folding tube of claim 32 in which at least one of the
thin walled structures includes opposing edges which curve inwardly
in a mating relationship in the second state.
43. The flat folding tube of claim 32 in which the pliable hinge
includes a plurality of flexible strands.
44. The flat folding tube of claim 32 in which the pliable hinge is
a piano type hinge.
45. The flat folding tube of claim 32 in which a top end of the
second thin walled structure is hingedly secured to the bottom
portion of the first thin walled structure at a location spaced
from a bottom end of the first thin walled structure.
46. A flat folding tube comprising: a first thin walled structure
made of a material biased to curve inwardly and having a bottom
portion; a second thin walled structure made of a material biased
to curve inwardly and having a top portion; and a hinge flexibly
securing the bottom portion of the first thin walled structure to
the top portion of the second thin walled structure.
47. A method of forming and folding a tube, the method comprising:
hingedly joining the bottom portion of a first thin walled
structure to the top portion of a second thin walled structure with
a flexible hinge; forming a tube by curving both the first and
second thin walled structures inwardly; and folding the tube by
flattening both the first and second thin walled structures and
bringing the first thin walled structure against the second thin
walled structure by flexing the flexible hinge.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a flat folding tube which can form
a boom, truss, or longeron member, and collapsible trusses and
other similar structures made of such members.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Tubular columns are used for a wide variety of structural
applications in which efficient structures are needed to support
compressive loading, for example, in aerospace and space
applications, e.g., the structures that supports solar arrays or
communications antennae. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,391
incorporated herein by this reference.
[0003] Tubular columns are efficient because their large internal
voids reduce their mass while maintaining their stiffness and
strength. However, the internal void also means that the tube
occupies much more volume than the volume of its constitutive
material. When the tubular structure needs to be transported for
any reason, this means that the structure will occupy a larger
volume that is strictly necessary. Recently, foldable tubular
members have been developed that allow complex tubular structures
to be compacted for easier transport. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,503
incorporated herein by this reference. When folded however, these
tubular trusses remain as tubes and thus their internal voids still
occupy volume during transport.
[0004] Some prior art structures made of tubular members have been
rendered foldable by using complex deployment actuators and
mechanical latches.
[0005] Inflatable structures, on the other hand, while exhibiting
good packaging efficiency, unfortunately exhibit poor structural
efficiency. Moreover, an inflation gas has must be carried adding
to the weight of the overall system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a
tube which can be folded flat and is thus useful in space
applications and in other structures.
[0007] It is a further object of this invention to provide a flat
folding tube which exhibits good packaging efficiency.
[0008] It is a further object of this invention to provide a flat
folding tube which eliminates the need for deployment actuators,
mechanical latches, and inflation gasses thereby resulting in a
lighter system.
[0009] It is a further object of this invention to provide a flat
folding tube can be made of a variety of different types of
materials.
[0010] It is a further object of this invention to provide a flat
folding tube which is simple to manufacture, use and deploy.
[0011] It is a further object of this invention to provide a flat
folding tube useful alone as a boom, or in a truss as a longeron
member.
[0012] This invention results from the realization that a tube can
be folded flat for compact storage if two thin walled structures,
each preferably made of a material which is self-biased to curl
into a tube configuration, are hinged together by a flexible hinge
so that they naturally form a tube but which can also be uncurled
into a flat configuration and folded together and then released
whereupon the two thin walled structures naturally unfold and
re-curl into the tube configuration.
[0013] This invention features a tube which can be folded flat. A
first thin walled structure has a bottom end and a second thin
walled structure has a top end. A hinge flexibly secures the bottom
end of the first thin walled structure to the top end of the second
thin walled structure when the two thin walled structures are
flattened. In this way the first thin walled structure and the
second thin walled structure both have at least two states. The
first state is wherein both thin walled structures are flat or
substantially flat. The second state is wherein the bottom end of
the first thin walled structure is curved inwardly and the top end
of the second thin walled structure is also curved inwardly to lock
the flexible hinge thereby producing a rigid tube.
[0014] In the preferred embodiment, both the first and second thin
walled structures are made of Lexan, for example, or a composite
material biased to curve inwardly in an overlapping configuration.
In one embodiment, the flexible hinge is tape. Further included may
be a mechanism configured to lock the first and second thin walled
structures in the second state. One such mechanism is a hook and
loop fastener. Another such mechanism includes a portion of each
thin walled structure. At least one of the thin walled structures
may include opposing edges which do not overlap in the second
state. In other examples, the thin walled structures include
opposing edges one of which overlaps the other in the second state.
At least one of the thin walled structures may include opposing
edges which form a butt joint in the second state, or opposing
edges which curve inwardly in a mating relationship in the second
state.
[0015] The pliable hinge may include a plurality of flexible
strands or may be a piano type hinge.
[0016] In another example, the top end of the second thin walled
structure is hingedly secured to the bottom portion of the first
thin walled structure at a location spaced from the bottom end of
the first thin walled structure.
[0017] The flat folding tube of this invention also features a
first thin walled structure made of a material biased to curve
inwardly and having a bottom end, a second thin walled structure
also made of a material biased to curve inwardly and having a top
end, and a hinge flexibly securing the bottom end of the first thin
walled structure to the top end of the second thin walled
structure.
[0018] In one example, a first thin walled structure was made of a
material biased to curve inwardly in a tube configuration, a second
thin walled structure was made of a material biased to curve
inwardly also in a tube configuration, and a hinge secured the
first thin walled structure to the second thin walled structure.
The hinge is operable to fold the thin walled structures together
when the two structures are rendered flat but the hinge is locked
when the two structures are curved inwardly in the tube
configuration.
[0019] A truss structure in accordance with this invention includes
a plurality of axial support members each comprising a flat folding
tube, a first thin walled structure, a second thin walled
structure, and a hinge flexibly securing the first thin walled
structure to the second thin walled structure. The first thin
walled structure and the second thin walled structure both have at
least two states: a first state wherein both thin walled structures
are flat or substantially flat, and a second state wherein the
first and second thin walled structures are curved inwardly to lock
the flexible hinge thereby producing a rigid tube in the second
state, the rigid tube foldable flat in the first state whereupon
the hinge allows the thin walled structures to be folded
together.
[0020] One method of forming and folding a tube in accordance with
this invention comprises hingedly joining the bottom end of a first
thin walled structure to the top end of a second thin walled
structure with a flexible material, forming a tube by curving both
the first and second thin walled structures inwardly, and folding
the tube by flattening both the first and second thin walled
structures and bringing the first thin walled structure against the
second thin walled structure by flexing the flexible material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those
skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred
embodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0022] FIG. 1A is a schematic three-dimensional view of the flat
folding tube of the subject invention;
[0023] FIG. 1B is a partial schematic view taken along line 1B-1B
of FIG. 1A;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a another three-dimensional schematic view of the
flat folding tube of the subject invention in the uncurled
configuration;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a schematic three-dimensional view of the flat
folding tube of the subject invention showing how the first and
second thin walled structures are hinged together and can be folded
one on top of the other;
[0026] FIG. 4A is a schematic view showing how the two thin walled
structures which make up the flat folding tube are folded flat for
compact storage of the tube;
[0027] FIG. 4B is a view similar to FIG. 4A showing the hinge
portion of the two thin walled structures;
[0028] FIGS. 5A-D are schematic views showing how, when the tube is
in the flat folded configuration it automatically returns to the
tube configuration;
[0029] FIGS. 6A-6B are schematic three-dimensional views of a truss
structure incorporating a plurality of flat folding tubes in
accordance with the subject invention;
[0030] FIG. 6C is a schematic view showing how the truss structure
shown in FIGS. 6A-6B can be folded flat for storage;
[0031] FIG. 7 is a partial schematic view of a portion of one tube
in accordance with another embodiment of the subject invention;
[0032] FIGS. 8A-8B are cross-sectional views of one tube in
accordance with the subject invention depicting various different
locking mechanisms;
[0033] FIG. 9 is a partial front view of a tube in accordance with
this invention showing another locking mechanism;
[0034] FIG. 10 is a partial front view of a tube in accordance with
the subject invention showing still another locking mechanism;
[0035] FIG. 11 is a view of two tubes folded flat and another type
of hinge pursuant to the subject invention;
[0036] FIG. 12 is a partial schematic view of still another type of
hinge in accordance with this invention; and
[0037] FIGS. 13A-13C are schematic views showing another embodiment
of a flat folding tube in accordance with the subject
invention.
DISCLOSURE OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0038] Flat folding tube 10, FIGS. 1A and 1B include first thin
walled structure 12, second thin walled structure 14, and possibly
additional thin walled structures in some embodiments. Thin walled
structures 12 and 14 may be made of Lexan or 0.010 spring-tempered
steel available from Spar Aerospace, 9445 Airport Road, Brampton,
Ontario, Canada. Both of these materials are normally self-biased
to form a tube as shown in FIG. 1A even though the materials can be
laid flat and even rolled off a roll. Other possible materials
include thermoformed composites, for example, carbon fiber
impregnated with a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin. Currently,
this is the preferred material.
[0039] In the preferred embodiment, the material forming structures
12 and 14 is self-biased to form a tube but this is not a necessary
limitation of the subject invention. Other thin walled materials
which can be manually or with the help of an actuator rolled or
curved into a tube, a partial tube, or tube-like shape of any cross
sectional shape (e.g., round or square) may also be used. Also, in
FIGS. 1A and 1B, the tube formed includes overlapping sections 18
and 20 but, again, this is not a necessary limitation of the
subject invention.
[0040] First thin walled structure 12 has bottom portion 20 and
bottom end 21 and second thin walled structure 14 has top portion
22 and top end 23. In this embodiment, flexible hinge material 24
flexibly secures bottom end 21 of thin walled structure 12 to top
end 23 of thin walled structure 14. In the experimental prototype
example, both structures 12 and 14 were made of Lexan which formed
a twelve inch long tube approximately one and a half inches in
diameter and the material used for the flexible hinge was two
lengths of plastic tape each approximately two inches wide which
flexibly secured joint 26 (exaggerated in the figures) on both the
inner and outer sides of tube 10. Other types of flexible hinges
include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,016,374; 4,163,303;
4,558,911; 5,355,555; and RE 28,672 hereby incorporated herein by
this reference.
[0041] FIGS. 1-4 delineate two states of tube 10. In the state
shown in FIG. 1A, rigid tube 10 is produced and, when the bottom
end 20 of first thin walled structure 12 curves inwardly and the
top end 22 of second thin walled structure 14 also curves inwardly,
they lock flexible hinge 24 preventing it from pivoting.
[0042] In FIG. 2, thin walled structures 12 and 14 are uncoiled and
rendered flat or substantially flat. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, thin
walled structures 12 and 14 can be folded together at hinge 24
until, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, they lie flat, one on top of
each other, for compact storage.
[0043] If this compactly stored structure is simply released, FIG.
5A, thin walled structures 12 and 14 naturally unfold, FIG. 5B,
begin to curl inward, FIG. 5C, forming, again, tube 10, FIG.
5D.
[0044] This surprising result allows the tube to be folded flat for
compact storage and then released or automatically or manually
reconfigured as a tube useful in space applications and also in
other structures and also useful alone as a boom, or as a longeron
member in a truss structure. Mechanical latches and/or actuators
and/or inflation gasses are not required, the volume occupied by
the structure when folded (See FIG. 2) is greatly reduced, and, at
the same time, the flat folding tube of the subject invention is
simple to manufacture and easy to deploy and use. To make tube 10,
FIGS. 1A-5D, two five inch wide, six inch long Lexan sheets were
laid flat and taped together on the front and back thereof along
the width dimension such that a twelve inch long, five inch wide
sheet was formed as shown in FIG. 2. A tube was formed
automatically by releasing the taped together structure as shown in
FIGS. 5C-5D. Then, the tube was laid flat again as shown in FIG. 2
and folded as shown in FIGS. 3-4.
[0045] The curvature of the cross section of each member relative
to its thickness is governed by the tensile and compression yield
strength of the material. The maximum amount of stress is seen by
the material at the surface of the cross section. For this reason,
the surface of the cross section should be as free from defects as
possible.
[0046] The amount of strain seen is given as: 1 = t 2 R ( 1 )
[0047] where t is the thickness of the cross-section and R and the
radius of curvature either of the curved cross-section that is to
be flattened or of the cross-section to which a flat element is to
be curved.
[0048] For completely elastic storage, the value of the strain may
be selected to be below the yield strength of the material in the
direction of the curvature.
[0049] In the case of shape memory or super-elastic materials, the
strain value is selected so that the value 2 t 2 R
[0050] is below the limit of elongation recovery of those
materials.
[0051] For precision applications, these values of t and R should
be selected so the strain 3 t 2 R
[0052] is sufficiently below the yield strain so that creep, stress
relaxation and micro-yield are reduced to acceptable limits. The
acceptable limits are defined by the material section and the
specific needs of the application.
[0053] A coiled spring can be employed to fold the tube flat for
storage made of, for example, a shaped memory alloy and other types
of actuators can be used to control the rate and sequence of
deployment from the stowed configuration.
[0054] In one implementation, tube 10, FIGS. 1A and 5D is used
alone as a boom. In other implementations, truss structure 30,
FIGS. 6A and 6B can be formed by using tubes as axial support
members (e.g., longerons) which are rigid in the configuration
shown in FIGS. 6A-6B but which also can be folded flat as shown in
FIG. 6C. Members 32 and 34 can be rigid while tension members 34
can be Kelvar strings. Hinges are formed at the locations shown by
the arrows marked "h" in FIG. 6A and the like depending on the
desired structural configuration.
[0055] The experimental prototype example of FIGS. 6A-6C, when made
of composite material, supported a load of hundreds of pounds
without buckling and yet can be folded flat into a very thin five
inch wide by six inch long package.
[0056] Tube forming thin walled structure 12a, FIG. 7 has edges 40,
42 which do not overlap or abut each other in the second state
shown. Alternatively, tube forming thin walled structure 12b, FIG.
8A has edges 40a, 42a which butt against each other as shown.
Further included is a mechanism 60 configured to lock structure 12b
in the second state, e.g., loop fasteners 50 on edge 40a and hook
fasteners 52 on edge 42a. In FIG. 8B, edge 40b of structure 12c
overlaps edge 42b and the same mechanism as shown at 60 locks the
two edges in this overlapping configuration.
[0057] In FIG. 8C, butt joint 62 is formed and, again, the same
locking mechanism 60 is used. In FIG. 8D, opposing edges 40c and
42c curve inwardly in a mating relationship and mechanism 60 is
again used. In other embodiments, the hook and loop fastener
mechanism discussed above can be replaced with magnets or other
fastening devices-preferably releasable fastening devices.
[0058] In the embodiments of FIGS. 9-10, the locking mechanism is
an integral portion of thin walled structure 12f, namely, in FIG.
9, the series of tabs 70 extending from edge 42f and overlapping
opposing edge 40f and the series of interleaved tabs 72 extending
from edge 40f and overlapping opposing edge 42f. In FIG. 10, tabs
90 extending from edge 42g are received in slots 92 spaced along
and adjacent opposing edge 40g.
[0059] In FIG. 11, pliable hinge 24a made of a plurality of
flexible strands 84 is disposed between thin walled structures 80
and 82, in this example both preferably made of a composite
material 0.015 inches thick. In FIG. 12, in contrast, hinge 24b is
a piano type hinge.
[0060] In FIGS. 13A-13C, top end 90 of second thin walled structure
92 is hingedly secured to bottom portion 94 of first thin walled
structure 96 at a location spaced from the bottom end 98 of first
thin walled structure 96. In this design, the pliable hinge may be
tape on both sides of the top end 90 of second thin walled
structure 92 as shown. The result is a flat folding tube with less
free play in the second state shown in FIG. 13C.
[0061] In this way, the flat folding tubes of the subject invention
exhibit a wide variety of possible designs depending on the
implementation including various choices for the materials used for
the two thin walled structures, various choices for the type of
hinge used, the ability to form overlapping or non-overlapping tube
edges, the ability to form a releasable or non-releasable tube edge
joint, and the ability to vary how the ends of each structure mate
with each other.
[0062] Depending on the desired implementation, the width and
length of the two sheets and the material used for the sheets and
at the hinge area will vary. Thus, although specific features of
the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, this is
for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or
all of the other features in accordance with the invention. The
words "including", "comprising", "having", and "with" as used
herein are to be interpreted broadly and comprehensively and are
not limited to any physical interconnection. Moreover, any
embodiments disclosed in the subject application are not to be
taken as the only possible embodiments. Moreover, other embodiments
will occur to those skilled in the art and are within the following
claims.
* * * * *