Abstract:
An aerosol system for dispensing liquid material. The aerosol system comprises an aerosol assembly, at least one accessory member, and an accessory storage system. The aerosol assembly contains and dispenses liquid material. The at least one accessory member is used in conjunction with the dispensing of the liquid material. The accessory storage system allows the at least one accessory member to be removably secured relative to the aerosol assembly using the deliberate application of manual force. The aerosol system operates in a first configuration in which the at least one accessory member is not secured relative to the aerosol assembly and in a second configuration in which the at least one accessory member is secured relative to the aerosol assembly. Optionally, the aerosol system may operate in a third configuration in which the at least one accessory member is integrally formed with the accessory storage system. In this optional case, the aerosol system may be reconfigured from the third configuration to the first configuration by detaching the at least one accessory member from the accessory storage system by deliberate application of manual force.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to aerosol systems and, more particularly, to systems and methods for storing accessories used with aerosol systems.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to aerosol systems comprising an aerosol assembly and a liquid product to be dispensed. The aerosol assembly conventionally comprises a container, a valve assembly, an actuator assembly, and a cap. The liquid product is disposed within the container along with a propellant material that pressurizes the product. The valve assembly is normally in a closed configuration but may be placed in an open configuration to allow pressurized product to exit the container. The actuator assembly engages the valve assembly such that pressing the actuator assembly places the valve assembly in the open configuration to allow the product to be dispensed through a nozzle formed by the actuator assembly. The cap engages the container to protect the actuator assembly when the aerosol system is not in use.  
           [0003]    For some materials dispensed using an aerosol system, accessories are used in connection with the material being dispensed and/or the aerosol system. Accessories may include dispensing tubes or straws, brushes, cleaning devices, or any other small tool or adapter used to work the material or which is attached to the aerosol assembly as the material is dispensed.  
           [0004]    The present invention is of particular significance when used to store dispensing tubes used with an aerosol system for dispensing texture material, and that application will be described herein in detail. The present invention may be used in other environments, however, and the scope of the present invention should be determined by the claims appended hereto and not the following detailed description.  
           [0005]    For aesthetic reasons, texture material is often applied to wall surfaces. Texture material creates a bumpy or variegated pattern on the wall surface. Such texture patterns are often referred to as fine, medium, orangepeel, or the like. When a wall surface must be patched in a relatively small area, often the most convenient method of applying texture material is with an aerosol system. Dispensing the texture material through dispensing tubes with different internal bore diameters allows the texture material to be dispensed in different texture patterns. One of the dispensing tubes is selected such that the texture pattern obtained substantially matches the pre-existing texture pattern.  
           [0006]    Conventionally, the dispensing tubes are taped to the aerosol container during manufacture. Such straws may be misplaced and/or stolen during shipping and retail display. Additionally, after the aerosol system is used for the first time, the user must take care to ensure that the straws are stored for the next and any subsequent use of the aerosol system. The need thus exists for improved systems and methods for storing accessories, including but not limited to dispensing tubes, for aerosol systems during shipping, retail display, and storage before and after the first use.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention is typically embodied in the form of an aerosol system for dispensing liquid material. The aerosol system comprises an aerosol assembly, at least one accessory member, and an accessory storage system. The aerosol assembly contains and dispenses liquid material. The at least one accessory member is used in conjunction with the dispensing of the liquid material. The accessory storage system allows the at least one accessory member to be removably secured relative to the aerosol assembly using the deliberate application of manual force. The aerosol system operates in a first configuration in which the at least one accessory member is not secured relative to the aerosol assembly and in a second configuration in which the at least one accessory member is secured relative to the aerosol assembly. Optionally, the aerosol system may operate in a third configuration in which the at least one accessory member is integrally formed with the accessory storage system. In this optional case, the aerosol system may be reconfigured from the third configuration to the first configuration by detaching the at least one accessory member from the accessory storage system by deliberate application of manual force. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of portion of a first embodiment of an aerosol system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the accessory storage system of the aerosol system of FIG. 1;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of portion of a second embodiment of an aerosol system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of portion of a third embodiment of an aerosol system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the accessory storage system of the aerosol system of FIG. 4;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of portion of an accessory storage system of a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a side elevation cutaway view of a portion of the accessory storage system of FIG. 6; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIGS. 8 and 9 are top plan views of a portion of the accessory storage system of the aerosol system of FIG. 6.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     1. First Embodiment  
       [0016]    Depicted at  10  in FIG. 1 is a first embodiment of an aerosol dispensing system constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principles of the present invention. The exemplary aerosol dispensing system  10  comprises an aerosol assembly  12 , a cover member  14 , one or more accessory members  16 , and an accessory storage system  18 .  
         [0017]    In the exemplary system  10 , the aerosol assembly  12  comprises a container member  20 , a cap member  22 , and an actuator member  24 . As is conventional, the cap member  22  is secured to the container member  20 . A valve assembly (not shown) is mounted within the container member  20 , and the actuator member  24  extends through the cap member  22  to engage the valve assembly. Depressing the actuator member  24  causes a propellant (not shown) to force texture material (also not shown) out of the aerosol assembly  12  through an actuator opening  26  in the actuator member  24 .  
         [0018]    The exemplary accessory members  16  are dispensing tubes or straws having the same outer diameter and defining bores having different inner diameters. As generally discussed above, accessory members  16  other than dispensing tubes or straws may be used to implement the principles of the present invention in a broader form.  
         [0019]    With the exemplary dispensing system  10  for dispensing texture material, the outer diameters of the members  16  are sized and dimensioned to be snugly received within the actuator opening  26 . The texture material thus flows out of the bore defined by the exemplary accessory member  16  that is received by the actuator opening  26 . Accordingly, a selected one of the members  16  is engaged with the actuator opening  26  to dispensing the texture material in selected texture pattern.  
         [0020]    The container member  20  defines a container outer surface  30 . The cap member  22  defines a valve housing  32  and first and/or second surfaces  34  and  36 . The valve housing  32  defines a valve housing outer surface  38 . As is conventional, the exemplary container outer surface  30 , first and second surfaces  34  and  36 , and valve housing outer surface  38  are all cylindrical and have common longitudinal axes. Other physical arrangements are possible, but the described arrangement is conventional.  
         [0021]    The cover member  14  defines a cover member lower edge  40 . In the exemplary first embodiment, this lower edge  40  engages the first surface  34  to secure the cover member  14  relative to the container member  20 .  
         [0022]    The exemplary accessory storage system  18  comprises an aerosol engaging portion  50 , one or more accessory retaining portions  52 , and one or more accessory support bridges  54 . The aerosol engaging portion  50  is sized and dimensioned to engage one or both of the container member  20  and the cap member  22  to secure the storage system  18  relative to the container member  20 . The exemplary aerosol engaging portion  50  is adapted to engage the second annular surface  36  formed on the cap member  22 .  
         [0023]    The retaining portions  52  are each adapted to detachably attach one of the accessory members  16  relative to the aerosol engaging portion  50 . The support bridges  54  are adapted to attach one of the accessory members  16  to the aerosol engaging portion  50  one time. As will be explained in further detail below, the bridges  54  are broken to detach the accessory member  16  associated therewith from the aerosol engaging portion  50 .  
         [0024]    The principles of the present invention may be embodied in an accessory storage system employing only one retaining portion  52 , only one accessory support bridge  54 , one retaining portion  52  and one accessory support bridge  54 , one retaining portion  52  and a plurality of accessory support bridges  54 , a plurality of the retaining portions  52  and one accessory support bridge  54 , or, as in the exemplary accessory storage system  18 , a plurality of retaining portions  52  and a plurality of the accessory support bridges  54 .  
         [0025]    In the exemplary accessory storage system  18 , the system  18  is manufactured by injection molding the aerosol engaging portion  50 , retaining portions  52 , accessory support bridges  54 , and accessory members  16  as a single part  56  as generally shown in FIG. 2. A bridge relief portion  60  is formed in each of the accessory support bridges  54 ; the relief portions  60  are essentially thinned portions of the bridges  54  that allow the bridges  54  to be broken into first and second bridge portions  62  and  64  as will be described in further detail below.  
         [0026]    After the part  56  is manufactured and the aerosol assembly  12  is filled with the propellant and texture material, the part  56  is arranged such that the aerosol engaging portion  50  engages the second surface  36  to secure the part  56  relative to the assembly  12 . In particular, the exemplary aerosol engaging portion  50  comprises an engaging wall  70  and a top wall  72 . The exemplary second surface  36  is generally cylindrical as described above, so the engaging surface  74  is also generally cylindrical. Again, other geometries may be used, but the use of cylindrical surfaces is conventional.  
         [0027]    The engaging wall defines an engaging surface  74  adapted to form a friction fit with the second surface  36  that prevents the part  56  from becoming inadvertently removed from the aerosol assembly  12  under normal conditions. However, the part  56  may be placed onto or removed from the container  20  of the aerosol system  12  by deliberate application of manual force.  
         [0028]    With the part  56  intact and engaged with the surface  36 , the system  20  is in what will be referred to as the shipping and display configuration. In this shipping and display configuration, the system  10  will be shipped and displayed at the retail level.  
         [0029]    Immediately prior to use, one or more of the accessory members  16  is removed from the aerosol engaging portion  50  of the accessory storage system  18  by breaking the accessory support bridge or bridges  54  at the relief portion or portions  60 . The accessory member or members  16  can then be used as desired in conjunction with the aerosol assembly  12 . The system  10  is in what will be referred to as the use configuration at this point.  
         [0030]    After the initial use, the accessory member or members  16  removed from the aerosol engaging portion  50  can be reattached to the aerosol engaging portion  50  using the accessory retaining portions  52 . At this point, the system  10  is in what will be referred to as a storage configuration. When the system  10  is in the storage configuration, the storage system  18  ensures that the accessory members  16  will not become separated from the aerosol assembly  12  and will be available for the next use.  
         [0031]    The exemplary accessory retaining portions  52  can be formed of any physical structure capable of securing the accessory members  16  to the aerosol engaging portion  50 . The exemplary accessory retaining portions  52  are formed by accessory clips  80  comprising a standoff portion  82  and first and second clip arms  84  and  86 . The clip arms  84  and  86  define a clip surface  88  and a clip opening  90 . The clip surface  88  and clip opening  90  are sized and dimensioned to receive the outer surfaces of the accessory members  16 . In particular, the clip opening  90  is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the accessory members  16 , but the clip arms  84  and  86  are flexible and deform slightly to allow the clip  80  pass through the opening  90 . The clip arms  84  and  86  thus prevent inadvertent movement of the members  16  relative to the aerosol engaging portion  50 , but the members  16  can be detached from the clips  90  by deliberate application of manual force.  
       2. Second Embodiment  
       [0032]    Depicted at  110  in FIG. 3 is a second embodiment of an aerosol dispensing system constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principles of the present invention. The exemplary aerosol dispensing system  110  comprises an aerosol assembly  112 , a cover member  114 , one or more accessory members  116 , and an accessory storage system  118 .  
         [0033]    The aerosol assembly  112  of the system  110  comprises a container member  120 , a cap member  122 , and an actuator member  124 . The aerosol assembly  112  is or may be conventional and will not be describe herein in further detail.  
         [0034]    As in the system  10  described above, the exemplary accessory members  116  are dispensing tubes or straws having the same outer diameter and defining bores having different inner diameters. However, accessory members  116  other than dispensing tubes or straws may be used to implement the principles of the present invention in a broader form.  
         [0035]    The container member  120  defines a container outer surface  130 . The exemplary cap member  122  defines first and/or second surfaces  134  and  136 . As is conventional, the exemplary container outer surface  130  and first and second surfaces  134  and  136  are all cylindrical and have common longitudinal axes. Other physical arrangements are possible, but the described arrangement is conventional.  
         [0036]    The cover member  114  defines a cover member lower edge  140 . In contrast to the exemplary first embodiment described above, the lower edge  140  of the second embodiment engages the second surface  136  to secure the cover member  114  relative to the container member  120 .  
         [0037]    The exemplary accessory storage system  118  comprises an aerosol engaging portion  150 , one or more accessory retaining portions  152 , and one or more accessory support bridges  154 . The aerosol engaging portion  150  is sized and dimensioned to engage one or both of the container member  120  and the cap member  122  to secure the storage system  118  relative to the container member  120 . The exemplary aerosol engaging portion  150  is adapted to engage the first annular surface  134  formed on the cap member  122 .  
         [0038]    The retaining portions  152  are each adapted to detachably attach one of the accessory members  116  relative to the aerosol engaging portion  150 . The support bridges  154  are adapted to attach one of the accessory members  116  to the aerosol engaging portion  150  one time. As with the bridges  54  described above, the bridges  154  are broken to detach the accessory member  116  associated therewith from the aerosol engaging portion  150 .  
         [0039]    In the exemplary accessory storage system  118 , the system  118  is manufactured by injection molding the aerosol engaging portion  150 , retaining portions  152 , accessory support bridges  154 , and accessory members  116  as a single part similar to the part  56  described above. A bridge relief portion  160  is formed in each of the accessory support bridges  154 ; the relief portions  160  are essentially thinned portions of the bridges  154  that allow the bridges  154  to be broken into first and second bridge portions  162  and  164 .  
         [0040]    After the part is manufactured and the aerosol assembly  112  is filled with the propellant and texture material, the part  156  is arranged such that the aerosol engaging portion  150  engages the second surface  136  to secure the part  156  relative to the assembly  112 . In particular, the exemplary aerosol engaging portion  150  comprises an engaging wall  170  and a top wall  172 . The engaging wall defines an engaging surface  174  adapted to form a friction fit with the second surface  136  that prevents the part  156  from becoming inadvertently removed from the aerosol assembly  112 .  
         [0041]    Immediately prior to use, one or more of the accessory members  116  is removed from the aerosol engaging portion  150  of the accessory storage system  118  by breaking the accessory support bridge or bridges  154  at the relief portion or portions  160 . The accessory member or members  116  can then be used as desired in conjunction with the aerosol assembly  112 .  
         [0042]    After the initial use, the accessory member or members  116  removed from the aerosol engaging portion  150  can be reattached to the aerosol engaging portion  150  using the accessory retaining portions  152 .  
         [0043]    The exemplary accessory retaining portions  152  can be formed of any physical structure capable of securing the accessory members  116  to the aerosol engaging portion  150 . The exemplary accessory retaining portions  152  are formed by accessory clips  180  comprising a standoff portion  182  and first and second clip arms  184  and  186 . The clip arms  184  and  186  define a clip surface  188  and a clip opening  190 . The clip surface  188  and clip opening  190  are sized and dimensioned to receive the outer surfaces of the accessory members  116 . In particular, the clip opening  190  is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the accessory members  116 , but the clip arms  184  and  186  are flexible and deform slightly to allow the clip  180  pass through the opening  190 . The clip arms  184  and  186  thus prevent inadvertent movement of the members  116  relative to the aerosol engaging portion  150 , but the members  116  can be detached from the clips  180  by deliberate application of manual force.  
         [0044]    The system  110  thus operates in shipping and display, use, and storage configurations similar to the system  10  described above.  
       3. Third Embodiment  
       [0045]    Depicted at  210  in FIGS. 4 and 5 is a third embodiment of an aerosol dispensing system constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principles of the present invention. The exemplary aerosol dispensing system  210  comprises an aerosol assembly  212 , a cover member  214 , one or more accessory members  216 , and an accessory storage system  218 .  
         [0046]    The aerosol assembly  212  of the system  210  comprises a container member  220 , a cap member  222 , and an actuator member  224 . The aerosol assembly  212  is or may be conventional and will not be described herein in further detail.  
         [0047]    As in the systems  10  and  110  described above, the exemplary accessory members  216  are dispensing tubes or straws having the same outer diameter and defining bores having different inner diameters. However, accessory members  216  other than dispensing tubes or straws may be used to implement the principles of the present invention in a broader form.  
         [0048]    The container member  220  defines a container outer surface  230 . The exemplary cap member  222  defines first and/or second surfaces  234  and  236 . As is conventional, the exemplary container outer surface  230  and first and second surfaces  234  and  236  are all cylindrical and have common longitudinal axes. Other physical arrangements are possible, but the described arrangement is conventional.  
         [0049]    The cover member  214  defines a cover member lower edge  240 . As with the exemplary first embodiment described above, the lower edge  240  of the second embodiment engages the first surface  234  to secure the cover member  214  relative to the container member  220 .  
         [0050]    The exemplary accessory storage system  218  comprises an aerosol engaging portion  250  and one or more accessory retaining portions  252 . The aerosol engaging portion  250  is sized and dimensioned to engage one or both of the container member  220  and the cap member  222  to secure the storage system  218  relative to the container member  220 . The exemplary aerosol engaging portion  250  is adapted to engage the outer surface  230  formed by the container member  220 .  
         [0051]    The retaining portions  252  are each adapted to detachably attach one of the accessory members  216  relative to the aerosol engaging portion  250 .  
         [0052]    In the exemplary accessory aerosol system  210 , the accessory members  216  are manufactured separately from the accessory storage system  218 . Optionally, the accessory members  16  and  116  may be similarly manufactured separately from the storage systems  18  and  118  thereof.  
         [0053]    After the aerosol assembly  212  is filled with the propellant and texture material, the aerosol engaging portion  250  is engaged with the container surface  230  to secure the system  218  relative to the assembly  212 . The accessory members  216  are then detachably attached to storage system  218 .  
         [0054]    In particular, the exemplary aerosol engaging portion  250  comprises an accessory projection  260  defining one or more accessory surfaces  262 . The exemplary accessory surfaces  262  are generally C-shaped and are sized and dimensioned to each receive an accessory member  216 . When the accessory members  216  are received by the accessory surfaces  262 , the accessory members  216  forms a snap fit that secures the accessory members  216  to the aerosol engaging portion  250  under normal use. However, the accessory members  216  may be removed from the accessory projection  260  by the deliberate application of manual force.  
         [0055]    The accessory projection  260  extends from an engaging ring  264 . The engaging ring  264  defines an engaging surface  266 . The engaging ring  264  extends around at least half of the circumference of the container  220 . The engaging ring  264  resiliently deforms to allow the storage system  218  to be placed around the container  220 . After the storage system  218  is arranged around the container  220 , the engaging ring  264  tends to return to its original form, thereby enhancing frictional engagement of the engaging surface  266  and the container surface  230 . The engaging ring  264  thus maintains the storage system  218  on the container  220  under normal conditions but may be placed onto or removed from the container  220  by deliberate application of manual force.  
         [0056]    One accessory member  216  is detached from the storage system  218  to place the system  210  in a use configuration, and the system  210  is in a storage configuration when the accessory member or members  216  are received by the accessory retaining portions  254 . The system  210  thus is capable of operating in use and storage configurations similar to the same configurations of the systems  10  and  110  described above. The system  210  does not, however, have shipping and display configuration comparable to that configuration of the system  10  and  110 ; instead, the system  210  is shipped and displayed for retail sale in the storage configuration.  
       4. Fourth Embodiment  
       [0057]    Referring now to FIGS.  6 - 9 , depicted therein is a part of an aerosol system  310 ; in particular, FIGS.  6 - 9  illustrate a cap member  314 , accessory members  316 , and an accessory storage system  318  of a fourth embodiment of an aerosol system  310  of the present invention. The aerosol assembly  310  may be any conventional aerosol assembly including any one of the aerosol assemblies  12 ,  112 , and  312  described above. The construction and operation of the aerosol assembly  310  will not be described in further detail herein.  
         [0058]    As with the systems  10 ,  110 , and  210  described above, the exemplary accessory members  316  are dispensing tubes or straws having the same outer diameter and defining bores having different inner diameters. However, accessory members  316  other than dispensing tubes or straws may be used to implement the principles of the present invention in a broader form.  
         [0059]    The cover member  314  defines a cover member lower edge  340 . The cover member lower edge  340   
         [0060]    The accessory storage system  318  extends from the cover member  314 . The exemplary storage system  318  is associated with the cap member  314 . In particular, the cap member  314  comprises a cover member top wall  342 , a cover member inner wall  344  defining a cover member inner edge  346 , and a cover member outer wall  348  defining the cover member lower edge  340 . At least one of the cover member lower edge  340  and cover member inner edge  346  is sized and dimensioned to engage an appropriate surface of the aerosol assembly to secure the cover member  314  relative to the aerosol assembly. For example, the cover member lower and inner edges  340  and  346  and are sized and dimensioned to engage the first and second surfaces  34  and  36  of the exemplary aerosol assembly  12  described above.  
         [0061]    The storage system  318  comprises one or more accessory retaining portions  352  and one or more accessory support bridges  354 . In the exemplary system  318 , the retaining portions  352  are projections extending from the cover member top wall  342  that define retaining surfaces  356 . In the exemplary system  318 , the retaining portions extend from an inner surface of the cover member top wall  342 . The retaining surfaces  356  are sized and dimensioned to receive a portion of the accessory members  316 .  
         [0062]    In the exemplary fourth embodiment, the accessory members  316  are hollow cylindrical tubes, the retaining surfaces  356  are thus cylindrical and the diameters thereof are substantially the same, or slightly smaller, than the outer diameter of the accessory members  316 , although other geometries and sizes may be used. As shown by broken lines in FIG. 7, a friction fit is thus formed between outer surface portions of the accessory members  316  and the retaining surfaces  356 .  
         [0063]    The accessory retaining portions  352  of the storage system  318  thus receive and engage the accessory members  316  in a manner that allows the accessory members  316  to be attached to and detached from the cover member  314  with deliberate application of manual force. However, the storage system  318  prevents the accessory members  316  from being inadvertently removed from the cover member  314  under normal use.  
         [0064]    In the fourth preferred embodiment, the cover member  314 , accessory members  316 , and storage system  318  are manufactured as a single part  358 . The exemplary part  358  is optimized for the injection molding process, but other physical configurations and manufacturing techniques may be used.  
         [0065]    The exemplary accessory support bridges  354  are formed during manufacture between the cover member top wall  342  and the accessory members  316 . In the exemplary system  318 , four support bridges extend between each of the accessory members  316  and the top wall  342 , but one, two, or more of the bridges  354  may be used in different embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0066]    Relief portions  360  are formed for each of the support bridges  354 . The exemplary relief portions  360  lessen the amount of material that connects the accessory members  316  to the top wall  342  and thus serve a function similar to that of the relief portions  60  described above. In particular, as shown in FIG. 8, the exemplary storage system employs four support bridges  354  and four relief portions  360 . The exemplary relief portions  360  are holes formed in the top wall  342  such that the only the material forming the bridges  354  connects accessory members  316  to cap member top wall  342 .  
         [0067]    As shown in FIG. 9, the support bridges  354  may thus be broken to remove the accessory members  316  from the cap member top wall  342 . After the bridges  354  are so broken, first and second bridge portions  362  and  364  remain connected to the accessory member  16  and top wall  342 , respectively.  
         [0068]    After the support bridges  354  are broken, the accessory members  316  are reattached to the cap member top wall  342  using the accessory retaining portions  352  as described above.  
         [0069]    In the exemplary accessory storage system  18 , the system  18  is manufactured by injection molding the aerosol engaging portion  50 , retaining portions  52 , accessory support bridges  54 , and accessory members  16  as a single part  56  as generally shown in FIG. 2. A bridge relief portion  60  is formed in each of the accessory support bridges  54 ; the relief portions  60  are essentially thinned portions of the bridges  54  that allow the bridges  54  to be broken into first and second bridge portions  62  and  64 .  
         [0070]    With the support bridges  354  intact, the system  310  is in a shipping and display configuration. Breaking the support bridges  354  to detach one or more of the accessory members  316  from the storage system  318  allows the aerosol system  310  to be placed in a use configuration. By reattaching one or more of the accessory members  316  to the cap member  314  using the accessory retaining portions  352 , the system may be placed in a storage configuration.  
         [0071]    The system  310  thus is capable of operating in shipping and display, use, and storage configurations similar to the systems  10  and  110  described above.  
         [0072]    From the foregoing, it should be clear that the present invention may be embodied in forms other than those described above. The above-described systems are therefore to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and scope of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.