Abstract:
The present invention allows travel organizations to ensure that basic group, or “Core,” travel medical coverage is in effect for their travelers while allowing travelers the ability to upgrade the “Core” insurance if needed or desired. Thus, the organization need not purchase excess insurance, thereby reducing the organization&#39;s liability for their group purchase decision. Until now, combining group and individual travel medical insurance has been impossible. Individual travel medical insurance policies could be customized, but travelers covered by a group policy had to accept the coverage their organizations chose. The present invention allows travelers with different needs and tastes from around the world to customize group travel insurance coverage according to their needs and desires. By offering choice, the present invention reduces the likelihood that travelers can successfully claim later that insurance required under the group program was inadequate.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This Application is based upon but does not claim the benefit of Provisional Application No. 61/110,982, filed in the US Patent and Trademark Office on 3 Jun. 2008. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a system and method of allowing travelers  150  who are traveling with a group such as an international organization, including but not limited to international volunteers with charitable organizations and international travelers  150  associated with a commercial traveling group, to combine group and individual travel insurance. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Today&#39;s group travel sponsoring organizations and individual travelers  150  are more concerned than ever about personal safety and security. Not only is physical safety more in question when traveling than it has ever been, the safety and proper delivery of a traveler&#39;s items is also less reliable than it has been in the past. Travelers  150  can need help in getting out of situations such as natural disasters or political unrest, and travelers  150  may want their insurance to link together travel programs and personal voyages. With these increasing demands for personal security and security of the traveler&#39;s belongings, traveler&#39;s insurance, especially for international travel, is now virtually required for each traveler to carry. 
     Persons traveling as volunteers for nonprofit or government-funded organizations may not have any life or accident insurance whatsoever, or the insurance they have in their home country may not respond well to incidents that occur outside of their home country. The volunteer may be a recent graduate from a high school, college or university, a member of a religion-based volunteer group, a member of a volunteer medical team, a corporate executive, or any other person who travels for volunteer purposes. Insureds may also be travelers  150  on educational or travel programs that do not include volunteering. The organization may be for-profit or non-profit. These travelers  150  don&#39;t usually buy travel insurance on their own, but generally rely on the travel organization to provide insurance for them. 
     If a traveler travels with an established group, such as a tour group, travel insurance is provided, with very favorable terms, in the cost of the tour. That level of travel insurance is generally not determined by the individual traveler. The benefit levels and terms for travel insurance are set for groups, and individuals have not been able to customize the limits or kinds of insurances they want. In general, travel insurance for individuals is not used by most travel groups because it does not provide enough benefits for risk management and cost; the organizations commonly use group coverage for volunteers and participants. 
     Upgrade  195  options have not been available to people insured under a group travel program in the way that they are available to individual travelers  150  who purchase individual travel insurance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The term “risk-taker” is used herein to mean these various potential insurers and insurance mechanisms that are available to the traveler and the travel organization; this term may comprise a traditional insurance company, a self-insurance plan, or any other mechanism that accepts the risk and responsibility of payment of all or part of a client&#39;s medical expense  100  as. 
     The present invention provides a system and method for an individual to convert group travel insurance to an individual insurance plan while still using both. The present invention does not describe a portability plan; an individual can, under the present invention, add an individual insurance component onto a group travel insurance plan as an enhancement. 
     The organization that sponsors the travel purchases a basic amount of coverage for their travelers  150 . Then each individual traveler is directed to a website  160  or other e-commerce means (including Web 2.0, USENET, e-mail, telephone  720 , fax  705   e , and FTP) where he or she can choose customized upgrade  195  options for him-or herself and/or family members and traveling companions such as wards or children under the program. 
     The present invention also provides systems and methods to design individual traveler insurance products for a traveler in a manner that provides the individual traveler with the benefits of group traveler insurance plans and rates. 
     The present invention allows travel organizations to ensure that basic group, or “Core,” travel medical coverage is in effect for their travelers while allowing travelers the ability to upgrade the “Core” insurance if needed or desired. This means the organization does not have to buy too much insurance and the organization&#39;s liability for their group purchase decision is reduced. Until now, it has not been possible for travelers to combine group and individual travel medical insurance. Travelers buying individual travel medical insurance could customize their policies, but if the travelers were part of a group policy, they had to accept the coverage their organizations chose for them. The present invention allows travelers with different needs and tastes from around the world to customize group travel insurance coverage according to their needs and desires. By offering choice, the present invention reduces the likelihood that travelers can successfully claim later that insurance required under the group program was inadequate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the workflow of the CORE process is shown as a flow diagram. Each major step in the process is noted. 
       Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the workflow of obtaining CORE coverage is shown. Each optional coverage that is currently available is listed. 
       Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the workflow of the traveler&#39;s choice whether or not to carry additional coverage is shown. 
       Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the workflow of the traveler obtaining additional coverage is shown. 
       Referring now to  FIG. 5 , the workflow of the traveler paying for additional coverage is shown. 
       Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the workflow of premium processing for additional coverage and of making the traveler&#39;s information available through a database to medical and risk-taker personnel is shown. 
       Referring now to  FIG. 7 , the workflow of communicating confirming information regarding upgraded coverage and the contents of the confirming communication are shown. 
       Referring now to  FIG. 8 , the workflow of obtaining an individualized insurance identification card is shown. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a group sponsor  105  arranges group insurance coverage (referred to herein as “Core Coverage”) with a risk taker  110  that provides travel medical insurance or insurance of a similar nature through an insurance broker  120  or through the risk taker  110  directly. It is also within the scope of the invention for the Core Coverage  100  plan to be a self-insurance plan or a high-retention or captive plan. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the group sponsor  105  purchases a basic, or “Core,” coverage that all persons traveling  150  with the group must carry; 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the individual traveler  150  has the choice to upgrade  195  his or her insurance package or to carry only the “Core” coverage  100 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the risk taker  110 , the insurance carrier, or the organization  105  or the Core program  100  manager  170  or administrator  180  relays the availability of the individual choice option to the individual travelers  150  and refers them to a website  160  designed for adding individual upgrades  195  to the “Core” insurance  100  purchased by the organization  105 . The term “administrator”  180  or “program manager”  170  may refer to service provided by the risk taker  110 . The term “website”  160  may refer to a social networking or e-commerce website. The website  160  is, in the current embodiment, provided by the Core Travel Program manager  170 ; however, it is within the scope of the invention for the upgrade website  160  or other e-commerce means to be provided by the international travel organization  105  or broker  120 . In that embodiment, the international travel organization or broker  120  would collect the data regarding individual upgrades  195  and payment information  405  and forward that information  195 ,  405  to the insurance carrier or broker  120 . In an alternate embodiment, the upgrade website  160  or other e-commerce means may be provided by the risk-taker  110 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , those travelers  150  who choose to do so can make upgrade purchases  195  directly on the website  160  or through other e-commerce means and receive a confirmation of upgrade  510  coverage from the website  160  or from the administrator  180  or Core program manager  170  or risk taker  110 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the premiums  610  for individual upgrades  195  are sent to the same risk taker  110  who provides the Core policy  100  to the group, and who upgrades  195  that individual&#39;s  150  insurance package  100  based on his or her choices for upgrades  195 . The website  160  or other e-commerce means may provide a commercially available mechanism that allows the traveler  150  to pay  405  for the additional coverage  195  online; alternatively, the traveler  150  may choose to pay the premiums  610  for coverage by mailing payment to the international travel organization  105  or to the risk taker  110  or the broker  120 , either of which may be the designated payee for the purpose of purchasing additional coverage  195 . Upgrades  195  occur before premiums  610  are sent; they do not occur, however, until after purchases  195  are confirmed. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , the individual traveler receives a communication  705  from the risk taker  110 , the risk taker  110 &#39;s computer system, the travel group  105 , or the administrator  180  confirming and binding the coverage. The binding communication  705  contains the name of the insured person  710 , the coverages  100   a - p  extended, improved or added, a contact telephone number  720  and email address  730 , the name of the risk taker  110 , travel assistance information  750 , the policy number  740 , and a limitations statement  760 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , the individual traveler may choose to print out an insurance identification card  805  from the Core travel insurance website  160 . In the alternative, the sponsoring travel organization  105  may choose to control the identification card  805  process by printing and distributing the cards. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a travel group sponsor  105  arranges “Core Coverage”  100  with a travel risk taker  110  through a broker  120  or agent  130  or through the risk taker  110  directly. 
     The risk taker  110  is not a party to this invention and the choice of insurance carrier is interchangeable. 
     International travel organizations  105  may serve as travel group sponsors  105  and purchase “Core” insurance coverage  100  for travelers  150  planning to travel on programs that may include educational or volunteer programs sponsored by the travel group sponsor  105 . The “Core” coverage  100  is generally an assortment of benefits that may include medical expense  100   a , medical evacuation  100   b , death benefit  100   c , disability  100   d , cancellation  100   e , “tail medical”  100   f , trip interruption  100   g , and/or reunion benefits  100   h . In addition, there can be evacuation extension for natural disaster and political instability  100   i , for which the participant need not experience accident or illness for the benefit to apply. In addition, baggage  100   j , personal property  100   k  and, automobile-related  1001  benefits may be included, including collision and personal injury insurance. Specifically, automobile-related  1001  “Core” coverage  100  may also include coverage for being the driver of an automobile  100   m , coverage for third-party liability  100   n , or trip delay and expanded travel coverages  100   o . The plan type may be a self-insurance plan, a high-retention plan, or a captive plan. Coverage can be provided for individual travelers, the individual traveler&#39;s family members, and the individual traveler&#39;s traveling companions (the traveler&#39;s children and the traveler&#39;s wards). 
     The “Core” benefits  100  apply automatically to each traveler  150 . The assortment is not fixed and is negotiated with the broker  120  and/or the risk-taker  110  for each sponsoring group  105 . The enrollment is sent to a website  160  for download by the organization  105 , the program manager  170 , the administrator  180 , or by use of an Application Programming Interface (“API”)  190 . 
     The broker  120  or “Core” program manager  170  provides the travel group sponsor  105  with information about how travelers  150  can upgrade their individual benefits  195  on the website  160 , and the organization  105  chooses the upgrade assortment  195  it wishes to allow travelers  150  to access. Travelers  150  can optionally extend the dates covered by the existing coverage  100 , improve the limits of the existing coverage  100 , and/or add new coverage  195 . New coverage  195  comprises any travel- and/or medical-related coverage that is offered by the risk taker  110  and the sponsoring organization  105 , but is not included by the sponsoring organization  105  in the “Core” coverage  100 . 
     The organization  105  tells their travelers  150  of the upgrade option  195  using any available means of communication including print, telephonic, and/or electronic, and refers the travelers  150  to the website  160  or other e-commerce means provided by the program manager  170 . In an alternate embodiment, the website  160  or other e-commerce solution may be provided by the risk-taker  110 . In yet an alternate embodiment, the website  160  or other e-commerce means may be provided by the sponsoring organization  105  or broker  120  for the purpose of allowing the traveler  150  to upgrade  195  Core insurance coverage  100 . 
     Travelers  150  can optionally make upgrade  195  purchases directly on the website  160  or alternate e-commerce means, and receive a confirmation  705  of upgraded coverage  195 . The upgrade  195  is automatically recorded on the traveler&#39;s  150  enrollment information, usually in a database  165 . The database  165  minimally contains the following information:
         an individual traveler&#39;s  150  name;   the traveler&#39;s  150  permanent address;   the traveler&#39;s  150  address while traveling;   the traveler&#39;s upgrade coverage  195  options, which include but are not limited to:
           upgraded medical coverage  100   a ,  100   b ,  100   f,      death benefit  100   c,      disability coverage  100   d,      lost baggage coverage  100   j,      extended-trip coverage  100   p,      automobile coverage  100   l , including:
               coverage for being the driver of an automobile  100   m,      third-party liability coverage  100   n      
               trip delay and expanded travel coverages  100   o , and   upgraded trip cancellation coverage  100   e;      
           the traveler&#39;s upgrade coverage price;   the traveler&#39;s credit card or other payment information;   the traveler&#39;s destination;   the traveler&#39;s country of origin; and   the traveler&#39;s travel dates.       

     The upgrade  195  is independent of the travel organization  105  and upgrades  195  play no role in the travel group  105  administration. At times when the newly insured traveler&#39;s  150  name is not in the database  165 , the organization  105  can be asked to confirm that insured&#39;s  150  eligibility for coverage, either to a requestor or by downloading the traveler&#39;s  150  information. 
     In the present embodiment, the same risk taker  110  that provides the Core coverage  100  provides the upgrade benefits  195 ; it is, however, within the scope of the invention for a risk-taker  620  that does not provide the Core coverage  100  to provide the upgrade benefits  195 . 
     The upgrade  195  process can also be accomplished through the use of a paper-based or telephone-based system. The upgrade  195  can be done manually by the Core travel administrator  180  or program manager  170  or by a representative of the risk-taker  110  or broker  120 . The individual traveler  150  contacts the travel company  105  or the program manager  170 , administrator  180 , and/or risk taker  110  directly or indirectly to obtain the forms to fill out to select the upgraded coverages  100   a - p  desired. The traveler  150  then fills out the forms and mails, emails or faxes them to an address, an email address , or a fax number provided by the carrier  110 ,  620  or the travel company  105 , along with payment  505  in cash, check, money order, credit card or other means of payment. Requests can also be processed over the phone directly with the Core travel administrator  180  or program manager  170 . While payment  505  is at this time made in US dollars, the currency used for payment is irrelevant to this invention and can be in any currency. Likewise, the language currently in use by the system is English, but it is within the scope of the invention to use any language that can be represented in writing. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the group sponsor  105  purchases a basic, or “Core,” coverage  100  that all persons  150  traveling with the group must carry. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the individual traveler  150  has the choice to upgrade  195  his or her insurance package or to carry only the “Core” coverage  100 ; 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the risk taker  110 , the organization  105 , or the Core program  100  manager  170  or administrator  180  relays the availability of the individual choice option to the individual travelers  150  and refers them to a website  160  designed for adding individual upgrades  195  to the “Core” insurance  100  purchased by the organization  105 . The term “administrator”  180  or “program manager”  170  may refer to service provided by the risk taker  110 . The term “website”  160  may refer to a social networking or e-commerce website  160 . The website  160  is, in the current embodiment, provided by the program manager  170 ; however, it is within the scope of the invention for the upgrade website  160  or other e-commerce means to be provided by the international travel organization  105  or broker  120 . In that embodiment, the international travel organization  105  or broker  120  would collect the data regarding individual upgrades  195  and payment information  405  and forward that information  195 ,  405  to the risk taker  110  or broker  120 . In an alternate embodiment, the upgrade website  160  or other e-commerce means may be provided by the risk-taker  110 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , those travelers  150  who choose to do so can make upgrade  195  purchases directly on the website  160  or through other e-commerce means and receive a confirmation  705  of upgrade  195  coverage from the website  160  or from the administrator  180  or program manager  170  or risk taker  110 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the premiums  610  for individual upgrades  195  are sent by the individual traveler  150  or, in an alternate embodiment, by the group sponsor organization  105 , to the broker  120 , program manager  170 , or program administrator  180  for the travel group. If the premiums  610  are sent to the travel group sponsor  105 , the travel group sponsor  105  forwards the premiums  610  to the broker  120  or program manager  170 , who then sends the premiums  610  to the risk taker  110 . It is also within the scope of the invention that the travel group sponsor  105  forwards the premiums  610  directly to the risk-taker  110 ,  620 . Enrollment and upgrade information  705  is consolidated for the traveler  150  on the website&#39;s  160  database  165  or any data-collecting system that may be connected to the website  160 , so that the information  705  is easily available to a medical assistance provider in the event of a medical need while the traveler  150  is overseas. The risk taker  110  and/or claims administrator  180  can also find information about enrollments under Core  100  and upgraded benefits  195  on the website  160 . In addition, the medical assistance provider is given specific information on the management and treatment of Core  100  travelers  150  that reflects their special needs as international educational or volunteering group  105  clients. 
     It is within the scope of the invention that an insurer  620  other than the Core coverage  100  risk taker  110  may provide individual upgrades  195 . In this embodiment, the individual traveler  150  or the sponsoring organization  105  sends the premiums  610  for individual upgrade  195  to the broker  120  or program manager  170 , who sends the premiums  610  to the insurer  620  providing the upgraded coverage  195 . In an alternate embodiment, the individual  150  may send the upgrade information  195  directly to the risk-taker  620 , eliminating the broker  120  or program manager  170  from the upgrade  195  process. The upgraded coverage  195  is reflected on the website  160  or other e-commerce means. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , once the traveler  150  has upgraded  195  his or her Core coverage  100 , the traveler  150  receives communication  705  from the system confirming and binding the coverage  100   a - p . The communication  705  contains the name of the insured person  150 , the coverages  100   a - p  extended, improved, or added, a contact telephone number  720  and email address  730 , the name of the risk taker  110 , the policy number  740 , travel assistance information  750 , and a limitations statement  760 . 
     It is within the scope of the invention for the system or an employee or agent  130  of the risk taker  110  to confirm and bind coverage  705  using an email  705 a, a SMS text message  705   b , a paper letter  705   c , a downloaded confirmation communication  705   d , or a fax  705   e  to the traveler  150  who has upgraded  195  his or her Core overage  100 . The communication  705  contains the name of insured person  150 , the coverages  100   a - p  extended, improved, or added, a contact telephone number  720  and email address  730 , the name of the risk taker  110 , the policy number  740 , travel assistance information  750 , and a limitations statement  760 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , participants can print individualized insurance Identification cards  805  from their organization&#39;s customized website  160 . The Identification card  805  contains the relevant information about the participant  150  that reflects information pulled from the Core Travel database  165 . 
     It is also within the scope of the invention for an individualized insurance Identification card  805  to be printed and distributed to the traveler  150  by the risk taker  110  or by the travel group  105 . 
     It is within the scope of the invention that, rather than an email  705   a , the traveler is sent a hard-copy confirmation letter  705   c  that binds the coverage. The traveler  150  receives a letter  705   c  sent from the insurer that confirms and binds coverage. The letter  705   c  contains the name of the insured person  150 , the coverages  100   a - p  extended, improved, or added, a contact telephone number  720  and email address  730 , the name of the risk taker  110 , the policy number  740 , travel assistance information  750 , and a limitations statement  760 . 
     It is a benefit of this invention that it could be licensed to insurance companies or brokers. This invention is particularly useful to organizations that have insured travelers originating from all around the world and traveling worldwide. Often these travelers do not pass through the United States and thus need access to an international venue for insurance purchase. These organizations are often at a loss to provide group travel insurance that fits the cultural, operational or personal demands of all their travelers. People going to Western countries often want higher medical expense limits, while people going to developing countries do not request this. People from certain parts of the world value higher death benefits. Some travelers require trip cancellation and baggage insurance, while others eschew it. Some travelers want to travel just before or after their official program and need to extend their coverage. Organizations can use Core travel insurance to cater to these different constituencies. It satisfies demand, keeps premium costs low, and lowers liability risk associated with buying group travel medical insurance that does not work as the traveler wishes. 
     It is a benefit of this invention that the Core insurance program is easy for travelers to use and carries no administrative burden for the organization purchasing the Core coverage. The introduction of the website or other e-commerce means as a medium for managing individual upgrades makes the product highly workable for the traveler, the travel organization, and the risk taker. Travel insurance upgrades are, in the present embodiment, accomplished through a website and the website&#39;s database. In an alternate embodiment, another e-commerce means may substitute for the website; examples include an FTP site, a USENET site, e-mail, and Web 2.0 functionality. The database may be a commercially available database product or a custom-designed database  165 . It is populated through the use of an application wizard program associated with the website  160  or other e-commerce means. The application wizard incorporates questions that are asked of the traveler; the responses are put into a series of fields; the fields may comprise, but are not limited to:
         An individual traveler&#39;s name (this is known to the system if the traveler logs in to upgrade his or her coverage)   The individual traveler&#39;s permanent address (this is known to the system if the traveler logs in to upgrade his or her coverage)   The individual traveler&#39;s address while traveling (if known) (this is known to the system if the traveler logs in to upgrade his or her coverage)   The individual traveler&#39;s upgrade coverage options, including upgraded medical coverage, upgraded lost baggage coverage, upgraded extended-trip coverage, coverage for being the driver of an automobile, third party liability, trip delay and expanded travel coverages, and upgraded trip cancellation coverage, upgraded lost baggage coverage, upgraded extended-trip coverage, and upgraded trip cancellation coverage;   The individual traveler&#39;s upgrade coverage price;   The individual traveler&#39;s credit card or other payment information;   The individual traveler&#39;s destination (this is known to the system if the traveler logs in to upgrade his or her coverage);   The individual traveler&#39;s country of origin (this is known to the system if the traveler logs in to upgrade his or her coverage); and   The individual traveler&#39;s travel dates (this is known to the system if the traveler logs in to upgrade his or her coverage).       

     In the present embodiment of the invention, the traveler must log in to the system to upgrade his or her coverages. However, it is within the scope of the invention that the traveler may be able to upgrade his or her insurance coverages merely with an identifier such as social security number, driver&#39;s license number, organization-issued identification number, or other unique identifier. There may also be electronic means by which traveler&#39;s information may be automatically downloaded to the carrier by groups or website  160   s  using electronic systems such as API. The traveler may be required to enter a pair of identifiers, such as social security number and zip code for example; other identifier pairs are also within the scope of the invention. This identifier may or may not provide access to the traveler&#39;s complete profile, but the identifier does link to the profile such that additional coverage is assigned to that traveler when additional coverage is purchased. 
     It is also within the scope of the invention for the traveler to upgrade his or her insurance by communicating his or her wishes via letter, email, fax, or voice to an agent or employee of the risk-taker or travel company. In this case, the agent or employee inputs the traveler&#39;s information, accepts payment, and issues the upgrade or upgrades. The agent or employee then sends a communication using email, fax, downloadable written communication, or hard-copy (postal) delivery, or any combination, to the traveler confirming and binding the coverages. The communication contains the name of the insured person, the coverages extended, improved, or added, a contact telephone number and email address, the name of the risk taker, the policy number, travel assistance information, and a limitations statement. 
     The hierarchy for access to change information in the database is shown in Table 1. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Function 
                 Access to Changing Information 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 Database Administrator 
                 Access and change every part 
               
               
                   
                   
                 of the database 
               
               
                   
                 Travel Organization 
                 Access to and changing permission 
               
               
                   
                   
                 for information related only to 
               
               
                   
                   
                 their own group 
               
               
                   
                 Organizations supplying 
                 Read-only access to the entire 
               
               
                   
                 service to the insurance 
                 database 165 
               
               
                   
                 product 
               
               
                   
                 Individual traveler 
                 Access to and changing permission 
               
               
                   
                   
                 for only his or her own information 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The system is fully automated, available fully to all users (including the risk taker, claim administrator, assistance company, Core travel e-commerce means administrator, and Core program manager) and can handle the insurance products as soon as the specifications are inserted for the upgrade products and the enrollments are downloaded onto the database. 
     The program can provide coverage for travelers going from the US to any country covered by the carrier&#39;s traveler&#39;s insurance; it can also provide coverage for travelers traveling from any non-US country to the US or any other country, depending on the limitations of the carrier&#39;s traveler&#39;s insurance. The program can also provide coverage for travelers whose itinerary does not include any stop in the United States, depending on the limitations of the risk taker&#39;s travel insurance. 
     A benefit of an upgrade package such as is described herein is that the individual traveler&#39;s upgrades are negotiated on group terms. 
     While a preferred embodiment is shown and described herein, it should be understood that the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations in the described method and its uses are possible within the scope of this disclosure without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of claims to be examined, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which I regard as my invention.