U.S. patent application number 13/016419 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-20 for compression undergarment.
This patent application is currently assigned to Shock Doctor, Inc.. Invention is credited to Bill Best, Bastien Jourde.
Application Number | 20110252549 13/016419 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43971397 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110252549 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jourde; Bastien ; et
al. |
October 20, 2011 |
COMPRESSION UNDERGARMENT
Abstract
A compression undergarment may include a fabric enclosure that
is configured to fit about at least a portion of a wearer's chest
and back. In some instances, the compression undergarment may
include one or more protective pads that can, if desired, be
removed to accommodate a neck brace. The protective pads may be
left in place when no neck brace is being used.
Inventors: |
Jourde; Bastien; (Montreal,
CA) ; Best; Bill; (Orono, MN) |
Assignee: |
Shock Doctor, Inc.
Plymouth
MN
|
Family ID: |
43971397 |
Appl. No.: |
13/016419 |
Filed: |
January 28, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61299756 |
Jan 29, 2010 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/463 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 71/1291 20130101;
A41D 13/0531 20130101; A41D 13/0153 20130101; A41D 13/0512
20130101; A63B 71/12 20130101; A41D 13/0518 20130101; A63B
2071/1208 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/463 |
International
Class: |
A41D 13/05 20060101
A41D013/05; A41D 13/015 20060101 A41D013/015 |
Claims
1. A compression undergarment comprising: a fabric enclosure
including a front portion and a back portion, the fabric enclosure
being configured to fit about at least a portion of a wearer's
chest and upper back; an upper chest pad that is removably secured
to the front portion of the fabric enclosure; and an upper spine
pad that is removably secured to the back portion of the fabric
enclosure; wherein the upper chest pad and the upper spine pad can
be removed to accommodate a neck brace and permit proper alignment
and positioning of the neck brace and the upper chest pad and the
upper spine pad can remain in place when the wearer chooses not to
use a neck brace.
2. The compression undergarment of claim 1, wherein the upper chest
pad is removably located in a chest pad fabric pocket formed within
or secured to the front portion of the fabric enclosure.
3. The compression undergarment of claim 2, wherein the upper chest
pad fabric pocket comprises a void between an inner fabric layer
and an outer fabric layer.
4. The compression undergarment of claim 3, wherein the upper chest
pad can be inserted into the upper chest pad fabric pocket and/or
removed from the upper chest pad fabric pocket through an opening
formed as an overlapping between first and second pieces of fabric
forming the outer fabric layer.
5. The compression undergarment of claim 1, wherein the upper spine
pad is removably located in an upper spine pad fabric pocket formed
within or secured to the back portion of the fabric enclosure.
6. The compression undergarment of claim 5, wherein the upper spine
pad fabric pocket comprises a void between an inner fabric layer
and an outer fabric layer.
7. The compression undergarment of claim 5, wherein the upper spine
pad can be inserted into the upper spine pad fabric pocket and/or
removed from the upper spine pad fabric pocket through an opening
formed as an overlapping between first and second pieces of fabric
forming the outer fabric layer.
8. The compression undergarment of claim 1, further comprising a
lower chest pad removably secured within a lower chest pad
pocket.
9. The compression undergarment of claim 1, further comprising a
shoulder pad removably secured within a shoulder pad pocket.
10. The compression undergarment of claim 1, further comprising an
additional spine pad removably secured within an additional spine
pad pocket.
11. The compression undergarment of claim 1, further comprising a
rib pad removably secured within a rib pad pocket.
12. The compression undergarment of claim 1, wherein the fabric
enclosure is configured to fit the wearer as a long sleeve shirt, a
short sleeve shirt or as a sleeveless shirt.
13. The compression undergarment of claim 1, wherein the upper
chest pad and/or the upper spine pad is/are formed of a low density
base foam and a high density outer foam disposed on the low density
base foam.
14. The compression undergarment of claim 13, wherein the upper
chest pad and/or the upper spine pad include air vents.
15. The compression undergarment of claim 1, wherein the front
portion of the fabric enclosure includes additional foam or is
otherwise configured to help align a front extension of a neck
brace when the upper chest pad has been removed.
16. The compression undergarment of claim 1, wherein the back
portion of the fabric enclosure includes additional foam or is
otherwise configured to help align a rear extension of a neck brace
when the upper spine pad has been removed.
17. A compression undergarment configured to fit as a shirt, the
compression undergarment comprising: a dual layer fabric enclosure
including an inner fabric layer and an outer fabric layer, the dual
layer fabric enclosure having a front portion and a back portion;
an upper chest pad pocket formed within the front portion of the
dual layer fabric enclosure, the upper chest pad pocket defined by
fastening the inner fabric layer to the outer fabric layer; an
upper chest pad that is removably disposed within the upper chest
pad pocket; an upper spine pad pocket formed within the back
portion of the dual layer fabric enclosure, the upper spine pad
pocket defined by fastening the inner fabric layer to the outer
fabric layer; and an upper spine pad that is removably disposed
within the upper spine pad pocket; wherein the upper chest pad and
the upper spine pad can be removed to accommodate a neck brace and
permit proper alignment and positioning of the neck brace but can
remain in place when the wearer chooses not to use a neck
brace.
18. The compression undergarment of claim 17, wherein the upper
chest pad pocket is formed by stitching between the inner fabric
layer and the outer fabric layer within the front portion of the
dual layer fabric enclosure.
19. The compression undergarment of claim 17, wherein the upper
spine pad pocket is formed by stitching between the inner fabric
layer and the outer fabric layer within the back portion of the
dual layer fabric enclosure.
20. A protective assembly comprising: a compression undergarment
configured to fit as a shirt, the compression undergarment
including: a dual layer fabric enclosure including an inner fabric
layer and an outer fabric layer, the dual layer fabric enclosure
having a front portion and a back portion; an upper chest pad
pocket formed within the front portion of the dual layer fabric
enclosure, the upper chest pad pocket defined by fastening the
inner fabric layer to the outer fabric layer; an upper spine pad
pocket formed within the back portion of the dual layer fabric
enclosure, the upper spine pad pocket defined by fastening the
inner fabric layer to the outer fabric layer; and a neck brace
having a front extension nestled into the upper chest pad pocket
and a rear extension nestled into the upper spine pad pocket.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Ser. No.
61/299,756 filed Jan. 29, 2010 entitled "CHEST PROTECTOR AND
UNDERGARMENT FOR A CHEST PROTECTOR," said application is
incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to
personal protective gear. In particular, various embodiments of the
present invention relate to compression undergarments that may
optionally be used with neck braces.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Chest protectors are generally worn by motocross
participants, "BMX" participants, participants in other active
sports, as well as participants in contact sports such as football,
hockey and lacrosse. Traditional chest protectors used for
motocross are generally designed to protect the participant's
chest, back, shoulders and clavicles from flying debris, from
injury during a fall or a crash, contact with other participants,
and the like. In some instances, compression undergarments are worn
underneath traditional chest protectors to afford additional
protection.
[0004] Recently, new safety gear has been introduced to motocross
and other active sports to better protect participants. One of the
more significant safety devices that have been introduced in recent
years are neck braces that protect the participant's head from high
velocity forward movement (i.e. towards the chest) and rearward
movement (i.e. towards the back), as these movements are a leading
cause of spinal and head injuries. These neck braces include
structure that extends downwardly from the neck along the upper
chest and upper neck to support the neck and limit movement.
Commercially available neck braces are sold, for example, by
Alpinestars and Troy Lee Designs (under the brand name
"LEATT").
[0005] Compression undergarments can be worn underneath chest
protectors and/or can be worn without an additional chest
protector. In many instances, compression undergarments such as
long sleeve, short sleeve or even sleeveless shirts include padding
that is built into the undergarment for the purpose of providing
additional protection. Compression undergarments may include one or
more of a variety of different pads. In some instances, compression
undergarments may include pads such as upper chest and/or upper
back protective pads.
[0006] Unfortunately, some of these protective pads are not
necessarily compatible with these neck braces. In particular, the
use these pads in combination with these neck braces may, in some
instances, cause the neck brace to not fit properly due to the
positioning of structure extending from the neck brace relative to
the aforementioned pads. This, in turn, may cause the neck brace to
rest too high on the participant and/or cause the chest protector
to fit improperly or uncomfortably in order to accommodate neck
brace extensions.
[0007] As a result, participants have either opted not to wear
either the compression undergarments or or the neck brace, or have
worn both in an ill-fitting manner. In either case, the safety
and/or comfort of the participant may be impacted.
SUMMARY
[0008] Various embodiments of the present invention relate to
protective gear such as compression undergarments, particularly for
use in high-speed motor sports (e.g., motocross) or other
activities to protect the participant from impact with other
participants and/or objects.
[0009] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a
compression undergarment that includes a fabric enclosure having a
front portion and a back portion and that is configured to fit
about at least a portion of a wearer's chest and upper back. An
upper chest pad is removably secured to the front portion of the
fabric enclosure and an upper spine pad is removably secured to the
back portion of the fabric enclosure. The upper chest pad and the
upper spine pad can be removed to accommodate a neck brace and
permit proper alignment and positioning of the neck brace and the
upper chest pad and the upper spine pad can remain in place when
the wearer chooses not to use a neck brace.
[0010] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a
compression undergarment that is configured to fit as a shirt. The
compression undergarment includes a dual layer fabric enclosure
having an inner fabric layer and an outer fabric layer, the dual
layer fabric enclosure having a front portion and a back portion.
An upper chest pad pocket defined by fastening the inner fabric
layer to the outer fabric layer is formed within the front portion
of the dual layer fabric enclosure. An upper chest pad is removably
disposed within the upper chest pad pocket. An upper spine pad
pocket defined by fastening the inner fabric layer to the outer
fabric layer is formed within the back portion of the dual layer
fabric enclosure. An upper spine pad is removably disposed within
the upper spine pad pocket. The upper chest pad and the upper spine
pad can be removed to accommodate a neck brace and permit proper
alignment and positioning of the neck brace but can remain in place
when the wearer chooses not to use a neck brace.
[0011] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a
protective assembly that includes a compression undergarment that
is configured to fit as a shirt and a neck brace. The compression
undergarment includes a dual layer fabric enclosure having an inner
fabric layer and an outer fabric layer, the dual layer fabric
enclosure having a front portion and a back portion. An upper chest
pad pocket defined by fastening the inner fabric layer to the outer
fabric layer is formed within the front portion of the dual layer
fabric enclosure. An upper spine pad pocket defined by fastening
the inner fabric layer to the outer fabric layer is formed within
the back portion of the dual layer fabric enclosure. The neck brace
includes a front extension nestled into the upper chest pad pocket
and a rear extension nestled into the upper spine pad pocket.
[0012] While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other
embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from
the following detailed description, which shows and describes
illustrative embodiments. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed
description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not
restrictive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0013] FIG. 1 provides a front view of a compression undergarment
in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 provides a rear view of the compression undergarment
of FIG. 1 in accordance with embodiments of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 3 provides a front view of the compression undergarment
of FIG. 1, showing removal of a chest pad in accordance with
embodiments of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 provides a rear view of the compression undergarment
of FIG. 2, showing removal of shoulder pads and a spine pad in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates a neck brace that may be used with an
impact protection device in accordance with embodiments of the
present invention.
[0018] FIG. 6 illustrates how the compression undergarment
interacts with a front extension of a neck brace in accordance with
embodiments of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 7 illustrates how the compression undergarment
interacts with a rear extension of a neck brace in accordance with
embodiments of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 8 illustrates the front extension of a neck brace
engaged with the compression undergarment in accordance with
embodiments of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 9 illustrates the rear extension of a neck brace
engaged with the compression undergarment in accordance with
embodiments of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 10 illustrates a front of a removable chest pad in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 11 illustrates a rear of a removable chest pad in
accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
[0024] The drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For
example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may
be expanded or reduced to help improve the understanding of the
embodiments of the present invention. Moreover, while the invention
is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms,
specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the
drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however,
is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments
described. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover all
modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the
scope of the invention as described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] In the following description, for the purposes of
explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to
provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present
invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art
that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without
some of these specific details.
[0026] Various embodiments of the present invention generally
relate to personal protective gear, such as compression
undergarments. As used herein, compression undergarment refers to a
protective article such as an article of clothing that is designed
to fit snugly against a person's anatomy. For example, if the
compression undergarment is designed as a shirt, it will fit snugly
against the wearer's torso. In some embodiments, a compression
undergarment refers to a device that when worn covers a portion of
a torso of a user (not shown), including a front (anterior) and/or
back (posterior) portion of the user. The torso of the user
generally includes the upper body (e.g., neck, shoulders, chest,
abdomen, upper back, and lower back. Though compression
undergarments generally are worn on the torso, compression
undergarments according to some embodiments also include extensions
and/or other features for protecting the groin, buttocks, thighs,
and/or other portions of users.
[0027] In some embodiments, the compression undergarments are
designed to allow for integration with various styles of neck
braces to limit movement of the user's head. In some embodiments,
and as will be described subsequently with respect to the Figures,
the compression undergarments may be configured to accommodate a
neck brace. In some embodiments, the compression undergarment may
include removable pads that can be removed to provide the
compression undergarment with voids that are configured to accept
front and/or rear extensions of a removable neck brace.
[0028] In some embodiments, a removable neck brace protects the
user by limiting tilting movements of a helmeted head of the user
in some directions (e.g., anterior-posterior and/or medial-lateral
directions) or in all directions. Illustrative but non-limiting
examples of suitable neck braces include those available from Leatt
Corporation Inc., 26320 Diamond Place, Suite 130, Santa Clarita,
Calif. 91350, as well as those described in U.S. Patent Publication
No. 2007/0010771 to Leatt, which is incorporated by reference
herein in its entirety.
[0029] In some embodiments, the neck brace is attached to the
protective device using hook and loop fasteners, such as
VELCRO.RTM.. In some embodiments, a loop strap with both sides made
of the loop material of the fastener is attached to the neck brace
or the protective device (e.g., on the harness or on a protective
attachment). The loop strap is positioned between two fastener
straps for a stronger connection than a single loop and single
fastener.
[0030] FIGS. 1 through 4 illustrate a compression undergarment 10
in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 1 is
a front view of the compression undergarment 10 while FIG. 3 is a
similar view showing removal of an upper chest pad. FIG. 2 is a
back view of the compression undergarment 10 while FIG. 4 is a
similar view showing removal of an upper spine pad and shoulder
pads. The compression undergarment 10 may be considered as
including a fabric enclosure 12 having a front portion 14 and a
back portion 16. In some embodiments, as illustrated, the fabric
enclosure 12 may be considered as being configured to fit as a
shirt. While the fabric enclosure 12 is illustrated as being a
short sleeve shirt, it will be appreciated that in some embodiments
the fabric enclosure 12 may be configured as a long sleeve shirt or
even as a sleeveless shirt. In some embodiments, it is contemplated
that the fabric enclosure 12 (and hence the compression
undergarment 10) may be configured as shorts or pants.
[0031] In some embodiments, the fabric enclosure 12 may be
considered as being a dual layer fabric enclosure having an inner
fabric layer and an outer fabric layer. The inner fabric layer, for
example, may be formed of a natural, synthetic or blended fabric
that is more comfortable against the skin, or perhaps is chosen for
its breathability. The outer fabric layer, for example, may be
formed of the same material or from a different natural, synthetic
or blended fabric that perhaps is better at resisting tearing. In
some embodiments, the outer fabric layer may be formed of a
material that is water resistant. In some embodiments, the outer
fabric layer may be selected for its appearance, such as its
visible texture or its color.
[0032] In some embodiments, the front portion 14 of the fabric
enclosure 12 includes an upper chest pad pocket 16. In some
embodiments, the upper chest pad pocket 16 may be separately formed
and then attached to the front portion 14 via adhesive, thermal
bonding, stitching and the like. In some embodiments, if the fabric
enclosure 12 is a dual layer fabric enclosure, the upper chest pad
pocket 16 may be defined or otherwise formed by fastening the outer
fabric layer to the inner fabric layer via adhesive, thermal
bonding, stitching and the like.
[0033] As illustrated, the upper chest pad pocket 16 may be formed
via stitching 18 that extends around a perimeter of the upper chest
pad pocket 16. The upper chest pad pocket 16 includes an opening 20
that is formed via overlap between two pieces of fabric forming the
outer fabric layer and/or two pieces of fabric forming the upper
chest pad pocket 16. It will be appreciated that the opening 20
will permit a wearer to place an upper chest pad 22 (see FIG. 3)
within the upper chest pad pocket 16 and/or remove the upper chest
pad 22 from the upper chest pad pocket 16.
[0034] The front portion 14 of the fabric enclosure 12 may, in some
instances, include one or more pockets such as an additional chest
pad pocket 24, biceps pad pockets 26, outer shoulder pad pockets 28
and/or rib pad pockets 30. In some embodiments, these pockets may
include permanently installed pads (not visible) such as an
additional chest pad disposed within the additional chest pad
pocket 24, biceps pads disposed within the biceps pad pockets 26,
outer shoulder pads disposed within the outer shoulder pad pockets
28 and/or rib pads disposed within the rib pad pockets 30.
[0035] In some embodiments, one or more of these pockets may be
configured in a manner similar to the upper chest pad pocket 16 and
thus one or more of these pads may be removable and/or replaceable.
In some instances, a wearer may want to replace a particular pad if
the pad becomes damaged. In some instances, a wearer may want to
replace a particular pad with another pad that, for example, is the
same general size but offers either more padding or less
padding.
[0036] In some embodiments, the back portion 16 of the fabric
enclosure 12 includes an upper spine pad pocket 32. In some
embodiments, the upper spine pad pocket 32 may be separately formed
and then attached to the back portion 16 via adhesive, thermal
bonding, stitching and the like. In some embodiments, if the fabric
enclosure 12 is a dual layer fabric enclosure, the upper spine pad
pocket 32 may be defined or otherwise formed by fastening the outer
fabric layer to the inner fabric layer via adhesive, thermal
bonding, stitching and the like.
[0037] As illustrated, the upper spine pad pocket 32 may be formed
via stitching 34 that extends around a perimeter of the upper spine
pad pocket 16. The upper chest pad pocket 16 includes an opening 36
that is formed via overlap between two pieces of fabric forming the
outer fabric layer and/or two pieces of fabric forming the upper
spine pad pocket 32. It will be appreciated that the opening 36
will permit a wearer to place an upper spine pad 38 (see FIG. 4)
within the upper spine pad pocket 32 and/or remove the upper spine
pad 38 from the upper spine pad pocket 32.
[0038] In some embodiments, the back portion 16 of the fabric
enclosure 12 includes shoulder pad pockets 40 and 42. In some
embodiments, the shoulder pad pockets 40 and 42 may be separately
formed and then attached to the back portion 16 via adhesive,
thermal bonding, stitching and the like. In some embodiments, if
the fabric enclosure 12 is a dual layer fabric enclosure, the
shoulder pad pockets 40, 42 may be defined or otherwise formed by
fastening the outer fabric layer to the inner fabric layer via
adhesive, thermal bonding, stitching and the like.
[0039] As illustrated, the shoulder pad pockets 40, 42 may be
formed via stitching 44, 46 that extends around a perimeter of the
shoulder pad pockets 40 and 42, respectively. The shoulder pad
pockets 40, 42 include openings 48, 50, respectively, that are
formed via overlap between two pieces of fabric forming the outer
fabric layer and/or two pieces of fabric forming the shoulder pad
pockets 40, 42. It will be appreciated that the opening 48 will
permit a wearer to place a shoulder pad 52 (see FIG. 4) within the
shoulder pad pocket 40 and/or remove the shoulder pad 52 from the
shoulder pad pocket 40. Similarly, the opening 50 will permit a
wearer to place a shoulder pad 54 (see FIG. 4) within the shoulder
pad pocket 42 and/or remove the shoulder pad 54 from the shoulder
pad pocket 42.
[0040] The back portion 16 of the fabric enclosure 12 may, in some
instances, include one or more pockets such as a mid back pad
pocket 56 or a lower back pad pocket 58. In some embodiments, these
pockets may include permanently installed pads (not visible) such
as mid back pad disposed within the mid back pad pocket 56 or a
lower back pad disposed within the lower back pad pocket 58.
[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates a neck brace 60 that may be used in
conjunction with various embodiments of the compression
undergarment 10 described herein. Commercially available versions
of such neck braces are available from Troy Lee Designs (the
"LEATT") and AlpineStars, amongst others. Although different
versions of such neck braces 60 are available, each have similar
features including a front section 62, a rear section 64 and
clavicle sections 66, 68 that connect the front and rear sections
62, 64. In various versions, the front section 62 further includes
an upper flange 70 and a lower flange or front extension 72. The
rear section 64 includes an upper flange 74 and lower extension
376. The clavicle sections 66, 68 each include a support 78 in the
illustrated embodiment.
[0042] FIGS. 6 through 9 illustrate how the neck brace 60 (FIG. 5)
interacts with the compression undergarment 10. In FIGS. 6 and 7,
the front and rear extensions 72, 76 can be seen moving down into
position, such as if the wearer is in the process of lowering the
neck brace 60 into position relative to the compression
undergarment 10. In FIGS. 7 and 8, the front extension 72 can be
seen nestled against the front portion 14 of the fabric enclosure
12 while the rear extension 76 can be seen nestled against the back
portion 16 of the fabric enclosure 12. It will be appreciated that
the front extension 72 may compress the upper chest pad pocket 16
(with the upper chest pad 22 removed) and thus fit into the space
otherwise occupied by the upper chest pad 22. Similarly, the rear
extension 76 may compress the upper spine pad pocket 32 (with the
upper spine pad 38 removed) and thus fit into the space otherwise
occupied by the upper spine pad 38.
[0043] In some embodiments, the compression undergarment 10 may
include foam, padding or other structure that helps to support the
neck brace 60 in position relative to the compression undergarment
10. In some embodiments, for example, the additional chest pad
(disposed within the additional chest pad pocket 24) may help to
support the neck brace 60. In some embodiments, for example, the
mid back pad (disposed within the mid back pad pocket 56) may help
to support the neck brace 60. In some embodiments, the compression
undergarment 10 may include other foam patterns or sections within
the fabric enclosure 12 that help to support the neck brace 60.
[0044] FIGS. 10 and 11 provide a better illustration of the upper
chest pad 22. It will be appreciated that while other pads such as
the upper spine pad 38 may have different dimensions, they may be
constructed in a manner similar to that of the upper chest pad 22.
FIG. 10 shows a back side (nearer the wearer's skin) of the upper
chest pad 22 while FIG. 11 shows the corresponding front side of
the upper chest pad 22. In some embodiments, the upper chest pad 22
may be constructed having a base foam layer 80 that is formed of a
relatively low density foam for comfort and an outer foam layer 82
that is formed of a relatively higher density foam for impact
protection. In some embodiments, the upper chest pad 22 may include
a plurality of air channels or air vents 84 that permit air to flow
through the upper chest pad 22.
[0045] Various modifications and additions can be made to the
exemplary embodiments discussed. For example, while the embodiments
described above refer to particular features, the scope of this
invention also includes embodiments having different combinations
of features and embodiments that do not include all of the
described features. Accordingly, the scope of the disclosure is
intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and
variations as fall within the scope of the disclosure, together
with all equivalents thereof.
* * * * *