Abstract:
A violin or viola case alleviates potential damage pathways by including one or more protective features. In one aspect, a safety device knocks down the bridge upon the occurrence of crushing contact, impact with the lid of the case or sharp movement. The safety device may be part of the case, or may be provided as an add-on attachment for an existing case. By harnessing the shock or movement to collapse the bridge when trauma to an instrument case occurs, the instrument experiences a low-impact, broad area slap against the top by the face of the bridge as it is knocked down, and collapse of the thin vertical bridge leaves free space between the instrument and the case to prevent damage upon further impact or movement. A well secures the bow in a protected recess away from the instrument. The case in another or further aspect includes parametric monitor, or monitor and control, that detects and records environmental parameters and out-of limit conditions such as temperature, humidity and impact that may affect instrument integrity. The parameters are monitored, values logged, and records displayed, preferably effecting wireless transmission of records and alarm conditions. A method of safe transport includes providing an instrument with a sacrificial bridge and transporting in a case fitted with a bridge knock-down instrument protector.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is related to and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/194,874 filed on Oct. 1, 2008. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to the protection of musical instruments, and more particularly, to a protective case and related features and devices thereof for securing and protecting a stringed instrument, such as a violin. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Because stringed musical instruments are relatively fragile and often costly, cases designed to protect musical instruments from harm have long been a necessity. Musicians commonly store, and carry, their instruments in such cases. Nevertheless, an instrument may still suffer damage while in its case. This occurs most commonly when the case comes into contact with another object or is improperly handled. In such situations, impact may cause the instrument to make damaging contact with certain portions of the case or with accessories stored therein. High impact force may be transmitted through the case to the instrument, or may deform the case into contact with the instrument. Even without damaging contact between the case and the instrument, excessive shock or impact forces may cause cracks to form, particularly when age and/or dryness have already produced brittleness and/or dimensional changes in the wooden components and have placed portions of the instrument under tensile stress. 
         [0004]    Typically, instrument cases are contoured coffin-like boxes possessing a lid that opens to receive the instrument and that shuts to secure the instrument inside the case. A violin or viola sits generally flat on its back in the case, within a contoured recess that prevents excessive lateral movement, and the highest point of the instrument is the bridge, which extends at a 90-degree angle from the top surface toward the lid of the case. Typically one or more stick-like bows used for playing the instrument are also stored and carried within the case. These are generally arrayed above the instrument along the length of the case, i.e., parallel to the axis of the instrument, and positioned a short distance to either side of the bridge, secured by shallow brackets or straps attached to and protruding from the roof of the case. 
         [0005]    Some damage may occur to an instrument even when it is in its case. Violin and viola cases as a rule are of lightweight construction for portability, and the upper surface of the instrument case, is broad and often relatively flat, thus being prone to deflect under a heavy load or strong impact. When the top is deformed inward by a crushing force or impact, it may contact the bridge such that the force or impact is directly transmitted to the top of the instrument. Similarly, high force applied to the bottom of the case, may be transmitted to the bottom of the instrument. When an event involves movement in addition to shock, it may urge the body of the instrument upwardly, pushing the bridge against the lid of the case. The bridge itself in any case exerts a large downward static pressure against the top of the instrument due to the tension of the strings resting upon it, and the bridge stands on two small feet that are closely fitted to the contour of the top surface of the instrument, so that the downward force from string tension as well as any forces from impacts applied to the bridge from the case are transmitted to the body of the instrument entirely through these two small areas of foot contact. 
         [0006]    In addition to impact or crushing damage, instruments become more susceptible to certain forms of damage from extremes of humidity or temperature, and sudden changes in temperature, and from prolonged dryness and disuse. While such changes are only remotely related to the case itself, a typical case offers only a small or temporary degree of protection against changes in temperature or surrounding dryness or humidity. Some modern instrument cases include a dial thermometer and/or a humidity indicator to apprise the owner of these two parameters, and it is also common for the owner to maintain a small humidifier, such as a sachet or sock of hydrated silica, inside the case or even inserted into a sound hole of the instrument to provide a relatively constant level of humidity when the instrument is not in use. The padding and textile lining and/or cover of a commercial case itself affords some protection, for a short while, against changes of temperature or humidity, but this protection is limited by the low thermal mass, moisture capacity and generally small size of an instrument case. 
         [0007]    An instrument, or an accessory such as a bow, may also suffer damage when a bow falls from its retaining mechanism and lies transverse to the instrument. In such event, when the case is closed it may force the bow against the instrument, cracking or breaking the bow, cracking or denting the instrument, or damaging both. Less extreme forms of contact, such as a poorly-secured bow may lead to other damage, such as scratching or pitting damage to the top surface of the instrument. 
         [0008]    Some additional background may help understanding the fragility of instruments of the violin family. These instruments are traditionally made with a top plate, or “belly”, formed of a tone wood such as spruce or cedar, which is quite light and stiff, and has its grain oriented parallel to the length of the instrument. The top plate is therefore susceptible to cracking along the grain. These instruments also possess a sound post, a small-diameter wooden column wedged between and acoustically coupling the top and bottom plates. Like the bridge, it is under a high degree of compression when the strings are taut, and this construction results in a point-site where great pressure is exerted upward against the underside of the belly (and downward against the upper side of the back) by the post at a point that is typically offset only a few millimeters from the treble-side foot of the bridge. Impacts transmitted through the bridge thus produce great pressure at the bridge foot, immediately adjacent to a similarly great counter pressure exerted in the opposite direction by the sound post. Since the sound post force is exerted against the underside of an arch, any such impact is likely to cause a crack to form directly over the sound post. Such a sound post crack is among the most serious type of damage an instrument may incur. It must be repaired with great skill in order for the instrument to play well, and the process of repair, involving a precision grafting of a matched tone wood patch is both expensive and likely to lower the perceived value of the instrument. In fact, sound post cracks are so serious that their repair may not be worth performing at all unless the instrument is of substantial emotional, historical or monetary value. 
         [0009]    To minimize the likelihood of damage, some cases have been designed to utilize thicker or stronger material, such as wood laminate or modern carbon fiber or other composites. In addition, some cases employ curved or dome like lids for added strength and rigidity, and a high end case may include some form of non-rigid suspension, like an elastic web, to avoid transmitting shock to the instrument. In addition, most modern cases include a relatively strong outer shell or puncture resistant cover, and some form of filling, such as a foam or rib structure that resists crushing or aids in retaining the overall shape of the case. 
         [0010]    While these features provide basic protection for the instrument, such features may still not completely prevent the case from compressing. Furthermore, cases having these features may impose burdens of weight, awkwardness of shape and handling, or cost (in the case of advanced composites). It therefore remains desirable to provide an instrument case of improved security and protection. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    This is achieved in accordance with the instant invention by a case construction that alleviates potential damage pathways. In one aspect this is accomplished by a safety device that knocks down the bridge upon the occurrence of crushing contact or impact with the lid of the case. The safety device may be part of the case, or may be provided as an add-on attachment for an existing case. In this aspect, the instant invention is of lightweight design and can generally be used in any new or existing instrument case without altering the original shape of the case. By harnessing the shock or movement to collapse the bridge when trauma to an instrument case occurs, the instrument experiences a low-impact, broad area slap against the face of the bridge as it is knocked down, and collapse of the thin vertical bridge leaves free space between the instrument and the case so no damage occurs. Thus, the instrument is protected. 
         [0012]    In accordance with another or further aspect of the invention, the instrument is secured by providing a parametric monitor, or monitor and control, that detects and records environmental parameters affecting instrument protection. 
         [0013]    In accordance with this aspect of the invention one or more sensors selected from among a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and an impact or movement sensor are mounted in the case and their data are monitored and recorded so that the instrument owner can detect relevant environmental conditions, their magnitude and duration, and is thus enabled to take corrective measures, even before any damage occurs. 
         [0014]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the protective instrument case may be configured with one or more storage wells, each sized to hold a bow, and extending longitudinally along the central body of the case parallel to and in substantially the same plane as the instrument itself, and located adjacent to, rather than above, the instrument. This positions the bows where they cannot possibly dangle or be placed to damage the instrument. It also allows the case to be constructed with a shallower outer height or profile, and permits the lid of the case to accommodate cross-members, such as an arched I-beam or contoured plate for greater crush resistance to substantially prevent collapse or downward deformation of the lid. 
         [0015]    The bridge knock-down device may, for example, be configured as a set of parallel wedge-shaped protrusions that extend downwardly from the lid and present oblique surfaces. The wedges are positioned over the spaces between strings, and the tip of each wedge is positioned along a line just past the bridge, such that if the lid flexes downward, the oblique surface of the wedge contacts and slides against the top edge of the bridge, forcing the top edge forward toward the fingerboard and causing the bridge to be knocked down flat with a pivoting motion. The wedges constituting the knock-down protector are preferably made of a light and relatively soft material, such as balsa wood, and the bridge-contacting face of each wedge may be covered with a strip of stiff acetate or other suitable film to assure a low friction sliding contact while preventing the top of the bridge from digging into the wedge. In other embodiments, the wedge may be formed of flexible angled fingers of polymeric construction. Preferably the material, or the material and it&#39;s shape, are such that if urged past the point at which the bridge has been knocked down, or if urged entirely down against the instrument, the wedge body itself will crack, crumble or flatten, or will release and collapse without damaging the top of the instrument. The knock-down device may be built into the case, or may be provided on a separate sheet that can be fitted in position and attached, for example with VelCro™ fastening material, to the lid of an existing case. 
         [0016]    The foregoing description outlines, broadly, several of the more important features of the instrument protection device of the present invention, it being understood that one or more of these features may be present in a case. Further description follows, in connection with illustrative figures in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated, and forming the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0017]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    Advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a stylized perspective view of an instrument protective case illustrating protective bow storage wells and an auxiliary compartment; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  shows a cross sectional view partly in phantom of the inside of an instrument case with a bridge knock-down protector positioned slightly above the bridge in a normal non-contacting position; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a detailed view of the pathway taken by the bridge when force deforms the case or the bridge otherwise is urged into contact with the lid of the case. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view of a knock down protector for a four-stringed instrument; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5   a  is a side plan view of one wedge of the protector of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5   b  is vertical cross sectional view through the wedge of  FIG. 5   a;    
           [0025]      FIG. 5   c  is a perspective view of the wedge of  FIG. 5   a ; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  schematically illustrates protective parameter sensing and data logging features for instrument protection disposed within a protective instrument case of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]      FIG. 1  illustrates an instrument case  100  for a violin or viola, having a lower or major body portion  101  and an upper lid portion  102 , with a contoured cavity or recess  104  formed in the body  101  into which the instrument fits. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention the case  100  possesses one or more wells  105  into which the instrument bow or bows are fitted. The wells  105  may be the same size or of different sizes (for example to fit a violin bow and a viola bow, or to fit a standard bow and a fractional size bow). Further, the wells may have some form of closure (not shown) such as a long flip-open cover or a pair of snap-down cross straps. Alternatively, the lid portion  102  may be shaped to rest flat across the top of the wells and prevent the bows from shifting around within the case  100 . 
         [0028]    As further indicated in  FIG. 1 , the present invention contemplates a protective device positioned generally in the region denoted A in the figure, which, as explained more fully below is configured to harmlessly knock down the bridge upon the occurrence of an impact which might otherwise damage the instrument.  FIGS. 4 and 5   a - 5   c  illustrate various views of one embodiment of such a knock-down protector, which as illustrated is preferably formed of a number of projecting blocks or wedges (of which one is shown in  FIG. 5   c ) each having an oblique face, and positioned such that when urged downwardly toward the instrument, the blocks pass between strings of the instrument and the oblique face  12  exerts a progressive lateral force against the top edge of the instrument bridge. 
         [0029]    Also seen in  FIG. 1  is a compartment  40 , which may serve as a storage compartment for incidental accessories such as rosin, spare strings and a tuner or pitch pipe, or may house certain instrumentation, sensors and circuitry, as described further below, to monitor and preferably record certain environmental parameters and conditions affecting the instrument. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show a side plan view, partly in phantom, of the knock-down protector  10  attached to the lid  102  of the case, and the instrument bridge  20  resting on the top plate  30  of the instrument, illustrating the operation of the device during an impact event.  FIG. 3  shows the pathway P taken by the bridge  20  when force deforms the case or the bridge otherwise is urged toward contact with the lid  102  of the case  100 . As shown, the bridge knock-down protector  10  is initially positioned slightly above the bridge  20  in a normal non-contacting position with it oblique face  12  extending over the bridge  20 . As the case lid  102  is crushed or deflected by an impact, or equivalently as the instrument is urged upwardly toward the lid  102 , the oblique face  12  slides against the top edge  21  of the bridge  20 , pushing it progressively further forward (i.e., in the direction of the fingerboard, not shown), knocking it down. The approximate position of the sound post  50  is shown in phantom. As illustrated, the action of protective device  10  shifts the impact away from the feet  24  of the bridge  20  and causes the broad face  23  of the bridge to slap down against the instrument surface  30  far from the sound post  50 , effectively eliminating the possibility of incurring a sound post crack. 
         [0031]    The illustrated embodiment of protection device  10  is substantially block-shaped and possesses at least one angled side  12 . Moreover, the device  10  is preferably detachably secured to the lid  102  of an instrument case, by Velcro or other fastening means that permits convenient fitting and alignment such that the lower portion of the angled edge  12  is positioned slightly above the top edge of the stringed instrument bridge. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the device  10  is oriented such that the oblique or angled edge  12  may engage the top  21  of the bridge, thereby pushing sideways without exerting vertical force, functioning as a slide along which the bridge may collapse when a damaging level of force is applied to the top portion and/or the posterior portion of the instrument case. In this manner, integrity of the instrument is preserved as the bridge collapses against the body of the instrument. 
         [0032]    While collapse of the bridge in this manner frees up the space above the instrument, in some instances, if great enough force were applied to cause the lower portion of the device  10  to come into contact with the body  30  of the instrument once the bridge has fully collapsed, the device might wedge against and potentially damage the instrument body. To guard against this, it is preferred that the device  10  be manufactured from a soft material such as, but not limited to, balsa wood, neoprene rubber or other suitable firm but deformable or collapsible material, or that the oblique surface  12  be otherwise structurally supported, by a releasable brace or the like, such that it bears slideably and firmly against the bridge  20 , but deforms or collapses when urged further toward the instrument after the bridge has been knocked down. This way, if the device  10  comes into contact with the instrument body and force is continuously applied, the device  10  will crumble or collapse instead of piercing or crushing the instrument body. To further prevent the device  10  from acting as a crushing wedge, it is preferable to construct the device  10  from a plurality of thin identical cross sections that are held together in suitable alignment by a plate or sheet (see  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0033]      FIGS. 5   a - 5   c  illustrate one embodiment of the invention, wherein the device  10  is manufactured from three substantially identical cross sections to form a six sided structure in which there are two opposite facing sides that are substantially trapezoidally shaped and four sides having the same width that are joined to both substantially trapezoidally shaped sides such that they are adjacent to both substantially trapezoidally shaped sides. As shown, each single substantially trapezoidally shaped side comprises an upper edge  14  that is parallel to a lower edge  16  in the horizontal direction. In addition, at least one portion of the upper edge  14  extends further horizontally than a corresponding portion of the lower edge  16 . In the embodiment shown, an angled edge  12  is disposed to join the extended portion of the upper edge  14  to the corresponding portion of the lower edge  16 . Similarly, a substantially non-angled edge  18  is disposed to join a portion of the upper edge  14  opposite to the extended portion of the upper edge  14  with a corresponding portion of the lower edge  16 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 5   c  illustrates a prototype embodiment of the invention, wherein the four edges of the two substantially trapezoidally shaped sides are joined to their identical opposite facing counterparts such that a six sided structure is formed having a width less than the instrument&#39;s string spacing. Representative or suitable dimensions for this embodiment are shown in inches in the figures. Thus each substantially trapezoidally shaped side may have an upper edge  14  measuring about 0.75 inches00x and a lower blunt edge  16  measuring about 0.2 inches. A portion of each upper edge  14  is joined to a corresponding portion of a lower edge  16  by a substantially non-angled edge  18  that measures 0.7 inches and is preferably perpendicular to the upper edge  14  and to lower edge  16 . With these dimensions, the angled edge  12 , forming an approximate 45 degree angle with the upper edge  14  and an approximate 135 degree angle with the lower edge  16  provides s surface of sufficient length to be easily positioned on the lid and dependably engage the top of the bridge upon impact. In the preferred embodiment, the angled edge  12  is laminated with a thin layer of acetate  12   a  or other hard but flexible polymer, which may, for example be about 0.2-0.3 mm thick to prevent the top of the bridge from digging into the angled edge  12  while the bridge collapses. 
         [0035]    In one embodiment, the invention may encapsulate an instrument protection device  10  comprising a substantially block shaped member comprising at least one angled edge, said substantially block shaped member detachably secured to an inner lid of a stringed instrument housing, wherein said substantially block shaped member is positioned substantially above a bridge of an instrument to be housed and wherein when force is applied to a plurality of areas on said stringed instrument housing, said substantially block shaped member forces said bridge to collapse along said at least one angled edge  12  of said substantially block shaped member. 
         [0036]    Additionally, the substantially block shaped member may comprise a substantially trapezoidal shape and also may comprise a plurality of identical members in communication to form said substantially block shaped member. Each individual of said plurality of identical members comprises an upper edge  14  and a lower edge  16  wherein said upper edge  14  is parallel to said lower edge  16  and wherein said upper edge  14  comprises a portion which extends further in a horizontal direction than a corresponding portion of said lower edge  16 . What&#39;s more, at least one angled edge  12  is disposed to join said portion which extends further in a horizontal direction than a corresponding portion of said lower edge  16  to said corresponding portion of said lower edge  16 . In this manner, at least one angled edge  12  makes a substantially acute angle with said upper edge  14  and a substantially obtuse angle with said lower edge  16 . In the preferred embodiment, the device comprises at least one angled edge  12  that makes a forty-five degree angle with said upper edge  14 . Finally, a substantially non-angled edge  18  is disposed to join an upper edge  14  opposite said portion which extends further in a horizontal direction than a corresponding portion of said lower edge  16  remaining end to a corresponding end of said lower edge  16 . It is preferred that said substantially non-angled edge  18  is substantially perpendicular to said upper edge  14 . Where the term edge is used above, these may be faces of a solid member having the described mechanical properties, or the structure may be built of wires, braces or beams which together define the oblique knock-down structure. 
         [0037]    In one embodiment, the device  10  is positioned such that said upper edge  14  is removably attached to an inner lid of a stringed instrument case in a region substantially horizontally proximal to a location of a bridge member of a respective instrument to be placed within said stringed instrument case. In addition, at least one angled edge  12  is positioned in substantial vertical proximity, but non contacting to, said bridge member of a respective instrument to be placed within said stringed instrument case. 
         [0038]    While in use, at least one portion of the angled edge  12  moves downwardly and engages a top portion of said bridge member of a respective instrument to be placed within said stringed instrument case upon application of a force upon a frontal area of said stringed instrument case, thereby collapsing said bridge member of a respective instrument to be placed within said stringed instrument case along the angled edge  12 . Alternatively, the top portion of the bridge member of a respective instrument to be placed within said stringed instrument case may move upwardly and engage at least one portion of the angled edge  12  upon application of a force upon a posterior area of the stringed instrument case, thereby collapsing the bridge along the angled edge  12 . 
         [0039]    Preferably, at least one angled edge  12  is laminated with a thin layer of acetate  12   a  as described above so as to prevent the bridge member of a respective instrument from piercing the angled edge  12  when collapsing along the angled edge  12 . Moreover, it is preferred that the layer of acetate  12   a  has a thickness of 0.3 mm. To further prevent any damage to the instrument, the individual prong or protrusion of the assembly may be comprised of a soft material selected from the group consisting of balsa wood, flexible braced structures, reasonably rigid but deformable polymers or other construction allowing said device to collapse, fold or crumble if pressed further down against said instrument. 
         [0040]    In use, the present invention best functions when in communication with a system for transport of a stringed instrument comprising a stringed instrument retaining apparatus comprising at least two sides, a multi-faceted actuation component comprising two parallel faces, and at least one substantially perpendicular face, at least one contact face wherein upon compression of at least one of said two sides, said at least one contact face is disposed to depress a bridge section of a stringed instrument such that an angle of incidence of said bridge to said stringed instrument is altered from ninety degrees to zero degrees in order to protect said instrument from compressive forces. 
         [0041]    Thus, in light of this, the present invention will adopt a method of readying a stringed instrument for transport comprising the steps of introducing a removably attached sacrificial bridge member to a stringed instrument, placing said stringed instrument into a stringed instrument retaining mechanism, securing a protection member to an inner lid of a stringed instrument retaining mechanism, positioning said protection member slightly above said bridge of said stringed instrument, and closing said stringed instrument retaining mechanism. 
         [0042]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a protective instrument case  100  as schematically illustrated in  FIG. 6  is provided with a monitor device that senses one or more environmental conditions, such as humidity, temperature, relative humidity and shock, acceleration or impact via sensors  61   a ,  61   b , . . .  61 ×. The device preferably includes a time clock and a data logger  65  that is programmed or configured to record the outputs from the sensor(s) on a periodic basis, for example once an hour, or that becomes active and records extreme measurements and time of occurrence, and stores the detected parameter(s) in a memory. The data logger  65  may be provided with a display unit  70  equipped with user-actuable control buttons for causing stored data such a temperature or humidity history, or out-of-limit event history, to be displayed. Circuitry may further be provided to wirelessly transmit the stored data records to a nearby computer, PDA or other compatible device, for example with a bluetooth or other wireless protocol adapter. The device may further include threshold detection that activates a sonic alarm, or that initiates a wireless transmission, when a sensor detects a danger condition. Thus, for example, the device may include a integrated humidity and temperature sensor such as the SHT-15 sensor manufactured by the Sensiron company, a 2-axis piezo based accelerometer unit as distributed by NSI, and elementary data logging and control circuitry. The accelerometer unit is preferably set with a thresholding output, such that generation of a signal above a certain magnitude registers as an incident and causes the output of a signal. By storing and making the logged data records available to the user, an instrument owner is able to see exactly what environment the instrument has experienced—how high and over what intervals the temperature has climbed, how great an impact has occurred and whether the instrument exceeded a moisture threshold when the case was carried outdoors during a rainy spell. The logged measurements and the critical incidents are preferably continuously stored as data sets, and the data logger may include a small user-operated graphic unit in which the data are visible, so that the user is thus able to better regulate his own actions, and rather than discovering damage to the instrument days later, simply learn appropriate measures—such as removing the instrument and drying the case after coming back indoors, not plopping down the case so sharply when arriving at a music room, or otherwise becoming aware of and modifying his recent actions that have substantively affected the environmental factors bearing on instrument security. The sensing instrumentation may further include a GPS position sensor, which be configured for anti-theft functionality to communicate sensed location to the user via the internet or mobile phone carrier. 
         [0043]    Thus, embodiments of the invention include novel structural and mechanical arrangements that protect against several previously intractable mechanisms of physical damage to a stringed instrument, as well as novel sensing and reporting instrumentation that greatly extends an owners&#39; awareness of instrument conditions. The various embodiments reduce the likelihood or even possibility of instrument damage, and in cases where effects become unavoidable, serve to document and confirm events such as insured damage incidents. 
         [0044]    The invention being thus disclosed and illustrative embodiments thereof described, modifications and variations thereof will occur to those skilled in the art, and all such modifications and variations are considered to be included in the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.