U.S. patent application number 13/225502 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-22 for expandable pocket.
Invention is credited to Anthony England.
Application Number | 20120067010 13/225502 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43065192 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120067010 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
England; Anthony |
March 22, 2012 |
Expandable Pocket
Abstract
The present invention relates to an expandable protective pocket
arrangement comprising a back panel, two or more front side panels
and at least one connecting member for connecting said front side
panels, the connecting member or members being arranged to adjust
the distance between the front side panels. The present invention
provides for a protective system which is expandable and thus able
to enclose paper documents and other essentially flat media such as
a laptop computers and portable electronic devices. This kind of
protection system is particularly well suited to holding office
paperwork and study materials. In the form of a simple pocket, it
is also a useful addition to many existing filing products, such as
a ring binders and lever arch files, which frequently include a way
in which to accommodate un(hole)punched pages and other loose
documents and reports.
Inventors: |
England; Anthony;
(US) |
Family ID: |
43065192 |
Appl. No.: |
13/225502 |
Filed: |
September 5, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/473 ;
229/67.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B42F 7/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/473 ;
229/67.1 |
International
Class: |
B65D 27/00 20060101
B65D027/00; B65B 1/04 20060101 B65B001/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 14, 2010 |
GB |
GB1015333.6 |
Claims
1. A protective pocket arrangement comprising: a back panel; a
plurality of front side panels; at least one connecting member for
connecting said front side panels.
2. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
said front side panels are connected to said back panel.
3. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
said connecting member comprises at least one flexible element.
4. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
said connecting member comprises at least one of a band, a thread,
a wire and a strand.
5. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
said connecting member may be joined in an adjustable
arrangement.
6. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
said connecting member comprises an elastic material.
7. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
said back panel and/or said front side panels comprise a
substantially rigid sheet-like material.
8. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
said back panel and/or said front side panels comprise a
substantially bendable material.
9. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
said back panel and/or said front side panels comprise a low
friction material.
10. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
said back panel has a substantially rectangular shape.
11. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
said front side panels have substantially self-complementary
shapes.
12. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
said front side panels do not overlap one another when placed in
their respective positions atop said back panel.
13. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
any overlapping regions of said front side panels serve no
essential structural function but serve only to shield the corner
regions of said pocket.
14. A protective pocket arrangement according to claim 1, wherein
said back panel and said front side panels can be cut from a single
piece of material as a single entity.
15. Method for protecting paper-based media, substantially flat
electronic devices or other book-shaped objects using an
arrangement according to claim 1.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to protective size-adjustable
pockets, such as document folders or encasing sleeves for
substantially flat electronic devices.
STATE OF THE ART
[0002] Practically every office in the world contains a number of
loose-leaf document folders or wallets. One of the cheapest and
most plentiful varieties of such folders is known as the Three Flap
Folder given the fact that the document storage pocket is created
by folding and overlapping front flaps (front side panels) on three
of the four sides of a rectangular paper-sized back panel. The
document entry point on the open side typically also has a larger
flap on the fourth edge, which when folded down secures the
documents on all sides. These simple folders are generally
manufactured from stiff card or a plastic such as polypropylene,
and although they are strong enough for their purpose, they are
built from a relatively flimsy construction and hence have only a
limited lifetime.
[0003] Most Three Flap Folders also possess an element of
expandability built into their design. The volume of documents that
may be contained can be increased by adding a second fold to each
flap, so creating a three dimensional box-like folder. Other common
folders comprise an accordion-style expandable pocket, which is
intrinsically better suited to carrying thicker document packages.
However, given their complex structure, the manufacture of such
accordion folders requires considerably more challenging
manufacturing processes than do those for simple Three Flap
Folders.
[0004] Protective storage pockets are finding ever more
applications in recent years given the popularity of portable
electronic devices. These generally take the form of a
substantially flat padded pouch, glued or stitched on three sides,
with a zip or other closure on the fourth. Most cases and sleeves
on the market are either designed to match the exact dimensions of
a specific device, or approximate the dimensions of a range of
similarly sized devices. Other products employ stretchy materials
such as neoprene in their construction, so rendering them somewhat
expandable, and hence able to hold a variety of devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is a goal of the present invention to provide a pocket of
variable thickness.
[0006] Therefore, the invention relates to an expandable pocket
arrangement, the arrangement comprising a back panel, a plurality
of front side panels which are connected to said back panel, and an
adjustable connecting member or members for connecting said front
side panels to one another, so enabling the effective volume of the
pocket formed to be variable.
[0007] The present invention provides for a protective system which
is expandable and thus able to enclose paper documents and other
essentially flat media such as a laptop computers and portable
electronic devices. This kind of protection system is particularly
well suited to holding office paperwork and study materials. In the
form of a simple pocket, it is also a useful addition to many
existing filing products, such as a ring binders and lever arch
files, which frequently include a way in which to accommodate
un(hole)punched pages and other unbindable documents and
reports.
[0008] In a particular embodiment the back panel is rectangular in
shape such that its dimensions approximate that of a standardized
paper size. A common example is the A4, or similar US Letter, paper
format.
[0009] In a further embodiment the back panel may be polygonal,
quadrilateral, triangular, circular or elliptical in shape.
[0010] In an embodiment the front side and/or back panels comprise
a substantially rigid, bendable, sheet material, such as
polypropylene, or rigid cardboard.
[0011] In a further embodiment the front side and/or back panels
comprise a low friction material.
[0012] In a further embodiment the front side and/or back panels
comprise a substantially flexible material, such as soft PVC,
polyester, nylon, neoprene or leather.
[0013] In an embodiment the front side and/or back panels comprise
a material which can be bonded using standard electro-welding
techniques or stitched with a sewing machine.
[0014] In a particular embodiment the arrangement comprises three
front side panels, two of which are essentially triangular, with
one of each being connected to the back panel along its two short
edges, and the other, which is essentially trapezoidal, being
connected to said back panel along one of its two long edges.
Furthermore, the longest edge of the trapezoidal front side panel
is approximately the same length as the back panel's long edge, to
which it is connected along its full length. The triangular front
side panels are approximately two thirds the length of the back
panel's short edges, to which they are connected along their full
length, at the side nearest the trapezoidal front side panel.
[0015] In an embodiment the front side panels have substantially
self-complementary shapes. In a further embodiment the
self-complementarily shaped front side panels together form a shape
which is substantially rectangular.
[0016] In a further embodiment at least one of the front side
panels has a substantially non-rectangular shape.
[0017] In a further embodiment the front side panels can all be cut
from a single piece of material with substantially equivalent
dimensions to those of the back panel. In a further embodiment the
front side panels can all be cut from a single piece of material
with substantially equivalent dimensions to those of the back panel
using no more than two cuts. In a further embodiment the front side
panels can all be cut from a single piece of material with
substantially equivalent dimensions to those of the back panel
using exactly two full length diagonal cuts.
[0018] In a further embodiment the front side panels are separated
into two or more independent groups, each with their own connecting
member or members.
[0019] In an embodiment the front side panels do not overlap one
another when placed in their respective positions atop the back
panel.
[0020] In a particular embodiment any overlapping regions of the
front side panels serve no essential structural function but serve
only to shield the corner regions of the pocket.
[0021] In an embodiment there are two connecting members, one each
of which connects a point near the unattached apex of each
triangular front side panel to a point on the nearest unattached
angle of the trapezoidal front side panel.
[0022] In an embodiment the front side panels are connected to the
back panel by means of at least one connecting member.
[0023] In an embodiment the connecting members comprise bands,
threads, wires or strands. In a further embodiment the connecting
members are flexible.
[0024] In an embodiment the connecting members comprise a
stretchable material, such as elastic or rubber.
[0025] In an embodiment the three front side panels create a pocket
arrangement when connected to the back panel and the connecting
members without the need for the front panels to substantially
overlap one another. This is significantly different from
traditional Three Flap Folders, practically all of which require
overlapping front side panels in order to form a viable pocket.
[0026] In a particular embodiment the back panel and front side
panels are cut from a single piece of material as a single
entity.
[0027] In an embodiment the connecting member or members are
arranged to adjust the distance between the connected regions of
the front panels.
[0028] In a further embodiment the front side panels comprise at
least one connection point for detachably fastening the connecting
member or members.
[0029] In an embodiment movement of one of the front panels in the
plane of the back panel induces movement in one or more of the
other front side panels. In a further embodiment movement of any
one of the front side panels in the plane of the back panel induces
movement in all of the other front side panels.
[0030] According to a further embodiment an additional, independent
panel is connected to a completely free edge of the back panel so
creating a flap closure. In a particular embodiment an elasticated
loop is added to the flap closure and a button-type fixture is
added to a position on one of the front side panels, so creating a
securable closure mechanism. Other suitable types of closures
include Velcro tape and adjustable straps with poppers or
buckles.
[0031] In an embodiment the back panel comprises a plurality of
panels, wherein the panels are connected with at least one
connecting member. In a further embodiment a plurality of back
panels comprise equivalent shapes to the front side panels, so
resulting in the creation of a symmetrical pocket arrangement
wherein the front-side resembles the back-side.
[0032] The invention also relates to a method of creating an
expandable pocket for protecting paper-based media, substantially
flat electronic devices or other book-shaped objects by means of an
arrangement described above. The method comprises: [0033] placing a
back panel at a first side of the flat media; [0034] placing a
plurality of front side panels at a second side of the flat media,
opposite the first side; [0035] connection of front side panels to
the back panel; [0036] connection of front side panels by means of
a connecting member; [0037] adjusting the length of the connecting
member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0038] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way
of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts,
and in which:
[0039] FIG. 1 is a front view (pocket side view) of the back panel
of a `two corner` expandable pocket;
[0040] FIG. 2 shows the effective cutting pattern for the three
front side panels of a `two corner` expandable pocket when obtained
from a single piece of material;
[0041] FIG. 3 shows the shapes of the three front side panels
required for the formation of a `two corner` expandable pocket;
[0042] FIG. 4 is a front view showing three side panels in position
on the back panel prior to assembly of a `two corner` expanding
pocket;
[0043] FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating the points at which the
front side panels are connected to the back panel of a `two corner`
expanding pocket;
[0044] FIG. 6 is a front view showing the position of the
connecting members on the front side panels;
[0045] FIG. 7 illustrates the connection of three front side panels
with a single linear connecting member;
[0046] FIG. 8 illustrates the connection of three front side panels
with a circular connecting member;
[0047] FIG. 9 illustrates the connection of three front side panels
with a manually adjustable connecting member;
[0048] FIG. 10 is a front view of an assembled `two corner`
expanding pocket with a securable flap closure;
[0049] FIG. 11 is a front view of a `one corner` expanding pocket
formed from two front side panels;
[0050] FIG. 12 is a front view of a `four corner` expanding pocket
formed from four front side panels;
[0051] FIG. 13 is a front view of a `two corner` expanding pocket
formed from three triangular front side panels;
[0052] FIG. 14 is a front view of an unfolded one piece `two
corner` expanding pocket cut from a single piece of material;
[0053] FIG. 15 is a front view of an unfolded one piece `two
corner` expanding pocket and flap closure cut from a single piece
of material;
[0054] FIG. 16 is a rear view of an unfolded one piece `two corner`
expanding pocket and securable flap closure cut from a single piece
of material;
[0055] FIG. 17 is a front view of an expanded `two corner` pocket
when holding a quantity of flat media;
[0056] FIG. 18 shows the shapes of the three front side panels
required for the formation of a `two corner` expandable pocket with
corner modifications;
[0057] FIG. 19 is a front view of an assembled `two corner`
expanding pocket with corner modifications;
[0058] FIG. 20 is a front view of an expanded `two corner` pocket
with corner modifications when holding a quantity of flat
media;
[0059] FIG. 21 is a front view of an unfolded one piece `two
corner` expanding pocket with corner modifications cut from a
single piece of material;
[0060] FIG. 22 is a front view of an unfolded one piece `two
corner` expanding pocket with corner modifications and flap closure
cut from a single piece of material;
[0061] FIG. 23 is a rear view of an unfolded one piece `two corner`
expanding pocket with corner modifications and securable flap
closure cut from a single piece of material;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0062] According to an embodiment, a protective expandable pocket
arrangement comprises a back panel, a plurality of front side
panels and one or more connecting members. Connecting members
connect the front side panels to one another, so forming a pocket
when the front side panels are also connected to the back panel. In
an embodiment one or more of the connecting members may comprise a
stretchable material, such as elastic, so rendering the pocket
automatically expandable when media is inserted from one side. In
an embodiment, a `two corner` expandable pocket approximating the
size of A4 (or similar US Letter) paper is constructed from a
rectangular back panel of a thin sheet of a plastic, such as
polypropylene, and three polygonal front side panels of a flexible
material, such as polyester or polypropylene.
[0063] FIG. 1 shows the back panel 1 for a `two corner` pocket
arrangement and its division into two distinct sections. Section 2
shows the area to be covered by the pocket once assembled, whereas
section 3 remains uncovered. Line 4 illustrates this separation,
and the point at which the pocket opening is created.
[0064] FIG. 2 shows a rectangle of material 5 of the size of back
panel 1 from which three self-complementary front side panels for a
`two corner` pocket arrangement` are cut. Front side panel 6 is
trapezoidal in shape and designed to stretch along the left edge of
back panel 1. Front side panels 7,8, which are designed to stretch
along the top and bottom edges of back panel 1, are triangular in
shape and approximately two-thirds the width of back panel 1.
[0065] FIG. 3 shows the self-complementary shapes of the three
front side panels 6,7,8.
[0066] FIG. 4 shows the three front side panels 6,7,8 assembled in
their respective positions above the pocket section 2 of back panel
1.
[0067] FIG. 5 shows the points 9 at which the front side panels
6,7,8 are connected to the edges of the back panel 1. This join can
be made in a number of ways, depending on the materials employed.
In the case of an all plastic pocket, electro-welding is a very
common way to join two pieces. Glue is also an option, depending on
the plastic employed. Should the pocket be made from a fabric such
as polyester (or polyester front side panels with a polypropylene
back panel), then the component pieces can easily be stitched
together with a sewing machine. The points 10 simply indicate the
juncture of the trapezoidal front side panel 6 with the triangular
front side panels 7,8, illustrating that they meet at a point
rather than needing to be overlapped to form the basis for a
pocket. In contrast with most traditional Three Flap Folders, no
overlap between the front side panels is required in this
particular embodiment.
[0068] FIG. 6 illustrates how two connecting members 11 are
employed to join the attachment points 12 (on front side panel 6)
and 13 (on front side panels 7,8), close to the juncture 10, so
creating a working pocket. A length of flat or round elastic is a
natural choice for the connecting member 11 in this arrangement
since its incorporation renders the pocket automatically
expandable. The attachment points 12,13 could take many forms,
depending on how the connecting member is terminated. The most
simple solution being that the attachment points 12,13 represent
small eyelet holes through which a length of elastic is threaded,
before being knotted at each end.
[0069] FIG. 7 shows an alternative connecting member 14, made from
a single length of material, such as elastic, which spans the
distance between the attachment points 13 on the upper 7 and lower
8 triangular front side panels. In order to connect with the
trapezoidal front side panel 6, the connecting member 14 must
therefore be able to pass freely through the routing points 15,
which necessarily take the form of a loop or eyelet. This approach
is likely better in practice than that described in FIG. 6, since
the connecting member spans the full width between the upper 7 and
lower 8 triangular front side panels, without hindrance, hence
increasing the pocket's overall expandability.
[0070] FIG. 8 is a natural extension to the approach described in
FIG. 7, with the connecting member 16 being circular rather than
linear. In this instance, there are no attachment points for the
connecting member, but instead it passes freely through the routing
points 15,17 on the front side panels.
[0071] FIG. 9 illustrates an extremely flexible solution in which
the lengths of the connecting members 16,17 are determined by the
manually adjustable link 18. This ultimately allows for an element
of control of the expandability of an elasticated connecting
member, which is particularly useful when at its maximum stretch,
since a small adjustment can considerably decrease the tension on
the pocket. Furthermore, this approach also makes it practicable to
employ an inelastic material, such as a thin nylon cord, as the
connecting member given that it can be manually tightened or
slackened in order to adjust the effective volume of the
pocket.
[0072] FIG. 10 shows a front view of an assembled `two corner`
expanding pocket 19 with an optional and securable flap closure 20.
This arrangement very much resembles the overall appearance of
existing Three Flap Folders, while at the same time offering the
added functionality of automatic expandability. The pocket
illustrated here differs only from that described by FIG. 6 in that
it has a flap closure 20, attached to the right edge of the back
panel 1. The pocket, which can at this point be considered to be a
fully-fledged document folder, is closed by folding the flap
closure 20 at the crease points 21. The contents may be further
secured by a connecting a fastening mechanism, such as the loop 22,
conceivably made from a stretchable material such as elastic, to
the button 23 attached to one of the front side panels. Other low
profile fastening devices such as poppers, buckles or Velcro tape
could be employed for this purpose.
[0073] FIG. 11 shows a front view of an assembled `one corner`
expanding pocket. Here, the design and construction is the same as
that described by FIG. 6, with the exception that two adjacent
triangular front side panels 24,25 are employed rather than three
front side panels, with the result being that the pocket covers one
rather than two corners of back panel 1. Consequently, the front
side panels are attached to back panel 1 along only two edges 26,
and only a single connecting member 27 is required. The result is a
triangular pocket with an angled opening 28. This kind of `L`
pocket is frequently found in leather portfolios and writing cases,
where it is employed to hold a writing pad or a small quantity of
documents. The added functionality of convenient expandability
potentially gives the `L` pocket a much greater capacity and many
more uses.
[0074] FIG. 12 shows a front view of an assembled `four corner`
expanding pocket. Here, the design and construction is the same as
that described by FIG. 6, with the exception that four front side
panels 29,30 are employed rather than three front side panels, with
the result that the pocket covers the whole of back panel 1. The
front side panels are attached to back panel 1 along three edges
31, with four connecting members 32 being employed to connect them
to one another. The result is a rectangular pocket with an opening
33 along the right edge of back panel 1. This kind of pocket is
potentially applicable to the design of protective sleeves for
portable electronic devices, given that it essentially forms an
expandable pouch which encases the device on all sides. For such an
application to be practical, a fastening mechanism such as a zip
would be required to seal the open edge 33.
[0075] FIG. 13 is a simple variation of FIG. 6, which utilizes
three triangular front side panels, rather than having a
trapezoidal front side panel on the left edge. This variation is
noteworthy in the fact that the total length of the connecting
member 34 is as short as it can be, and hence the area of the gap
created in the centre of the pocket when expanded is at its least
for any given quantity of contents. A shorter connecting member
leads to a lower volume, less expandable pocket. Apart from this,
the choice as to whether to employ the system as described in FIG.
6 or FIG. 13, or one in between, is simply an issue of design, and
depends on the specific needs of the user.
[0076] FIG. 14 is a front view of an unfolded one piece `two
corner` expanding pocket cut from a single piece of material 35. In
effect, this is the same arrangement that is described in FIG. 6. A
one piece design is perfect for a material such as extruded
polypropylene sheet, from which many existing Three Flap Folders
are made, given that large quantities of products can be
manufactured in an extremely cost-effective manner using well
established procedures. Here, the back panel 36 is already
connected to the three front side panels 37,38,39, and assembly of
the requisite pocket shape is readily achieved by folding them
across the crease lines 40. Further to this, the pocket is
completed by joining the appropriately positioned attachment points
41 with one or more connecting members.
[0077] FIG. 15 is a front view of an unfolded one piece `two
corner` expanding pocket and flap closure cut from a single piece
of material 42. Here, a rectangular flap closure 43 is added, on
the right edge, to the same design described in FIG. 14, with the
result being a folder that is very similar in appearance to that of
many of the marketplace's most simple and least expensive Three
Flap Folders. The flap closure 43 is closed by folding it across
the crease line 44.
[0078] FIG. 16 is a rear view of an unfolded one piece `two corner`
expanding pocket and securable flap closure cut from a single piece
of material 45. Here, the flap 46 is enhanced, in that once closed
by folding it across the crease lines 47, it can be secured by
securing the loop 48 to the button 49, in a similar manner to that
described with FIG. 10.
[0079] FIG. 17 is a front view of an expanded `two corner` pocket
when holding a quantity of flat media 50, such as a stack of A4 or
US Letter sized paper documents with a height of approximately 4
cm. In this case, with a significant amount of expansion required,
the connecting members 51 can be seen to have considerably
lengthened. Additionally, gaps can be seen to have formed at the
corners of the pocket 52, as the narrower central regions (close to
the connecting members) of the front side panels have been drawn
apart by the thickness of the media and the resultant expansion.
The wider outer regions of the front side panels are not visible
given that they are held perpendicular to the back panel 1, so
cradling the media on three sides. What FIG. 17 illustrates is that
although the contents are strongly held on three sides when using
diagonally cut front side panels, the corners of the contained
media can be somewhat exposed without additional coverage. This
last point is addressed from FIG. 18 on.
[0080] FIG. 18 shows the shapes of the three modified (with respect
to those described in FIG. 3) front side panels 53,54,55 required
for the formation of a `two corner` expandable pocket with
additional coverage for the corners. A total of four triangular
shaped modifications 56,57, two each at the top and bottom, ensure
full overlap at the corners when the pocket is expanded. The
positions of the attachment points 58 for the connecting members
are unchanged from those in FIG. 3.
[0081] FIG. 19 is a front view of an assembled `two corner`
expanding pocket with corner modifications. At the left edge, what
was formerly the trapezoidal side panel 6 of FIG. 6, is now
observed to be a mostly rectangular polygon 53. The polygonal front
side panel 53 can be observed in full, since in this embodiment it
sits above the upper 54 and lower 55 front side panels, which can
therefore only be viewed in part due to the overlapping regions 56.
For the same reason, the points 59 at which the upper 54 and lower
55 front side panels are connected to the back panel 1 are only
partially visible, whereas that for the left front side panel 60 is
visible in full. Also shown are the free unattached, overlapping
edge of the left front side panel 61 and the connecting members
62.
[0082] FIG. 20 is a front view of an expanded `two corner` pocket
with corner modifications when holding a quantity of flat media 63,
such as a stack of A4 paper documents with a height of
approximately 4 cm. As in FIG. 17, a significant amount of
expansion is observed with the connecting members 64 being
considerably lengthened. However, with the inclusion of front side
panel modifications, there are no longer exposed areas in the
corner regions 65.
[0083] FIG. 21 is a front view of an unfolded one piece `two
corner` expanding pocket with corner modifications cut from a
single piece of material 66. This is effectively the same
arrangement that is described in FIGS. 18 and 19. Here, the back
panel 67 is already connected to the three front side panels
68,69,70, and assembly of the requisite pocket shape is readily
achieved by folding them across the crease lines 71. Further to
this, the pocket is completed by joining the appropriately
positioned attachment points 72 with one or more connecting
members.
[0084] FIG. 22 is a front view of an unfolded one piece `two
corner` expanding pocket with corner modifications and flap closure
cut from a single piece of material 73. Here, a rectangular flap
closure 74 has been added, on the right edge, to the same design
described in FIG. 21. The flap closure 74 is closed by folding it
across the crease line 75. The result is a folder arrangement with
an outward appearance that is extremely similar to many Three Flap
Folders on the market today.
[0085] FIG. 23 is a rear view of an unfolded one piece `two corner`
expanding pocket with corner modifications and securable flap
closure cut from a single piece of material 76. Here, the flap 77
is enhanced, in that once closed by folding it across the crease
line 78, it can be secured by attaching the loop 79 to the button
80, in a similar manner to that described in FIG. 10.
[0086] While specific embodiments of the invention have been
described above, it will be appreciated that the invention may be
practiced otherwise than as described. The descriptions above are
intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Thus, it will be
apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made
to the invention as described without departing from the scope of
the claims set out below.
* * * * *