Abstract:
A butt pad apparatus is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the butt pad apparatus includes a plate and a recoil pad attachable to the plate such that a chamber is defined therebetween. The recoil pad with plate attached thereto may be adapted for attachment to a butt of a stock. In various aspects, the butt pad apparatus includes an insert removably receivable within the chamber, and the insert may be formed of an elastomeric material. This Abstract is presented to meet requirements of 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) only. This Abstract is not intended to identify key elements of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein or to delineate the scope thereof.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Various firearms including rifles, shotguns, and carbines recoil when discharged. When the firearm is employed, a stock of the firearm is placed against the shoulder, so that the recoil resulting from discharge of the firearm may drive the butt of the firearm&#39;s stock into the user&#39;s body thereby causing discomfort to the user. This discomfort may include impact upon the user&#39;s body, jarring, bruising, or other trauma. Even without injury, some shooters may anticipate the discomfort and “flinch” in anticipation of the shot, thereby impairing accuracy. The discomfort caused by recoil may be increased by rapid discharge of the firearm such as that of a semi-automatic. A large number of discharges such as a user may experience when engaged in target practice or in a shooting sport such as trap shooting may increase the discomfort to the user caused by recoil. Larger caliber or gauge firearms may also increase the discomfort to the user due to recoil. 
         [0002]    Existing systems to reduce recoil use flexible materials to absorb recoil energy. Soft elastomeric materials generate more comfort, but are less durable, and are also “sticky” in that they overly grip the user&#39;s clothing. Firmer materials are less comfortable, but more durable, and enable the shooter to shift position of the pad on the shoulder more easily without “sticking.” 
         [0003]    The optimum level of recoil protection depends on several factors, including user stature and preference, rifle type, ammunition caliber, and clothing. Intended usage is also a factor. In bird hunting, many shots are taken, suggesting more comfortable recoil protection, while with deer hunting, few shots are taken, suggesting less recoil protection is needed. Even if a pad is available with optimal qualities for a given application, the owner may need a different pad for other uses. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need for improved apparatus that reduces the discomfort to the user resulting from recoil of a firearm, while addressing the diverse needs for recoil protection. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    These and other needs and disadvantages may be overcome by the apparatus disclosed herein. Additional improvements and advantages may be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of the present disclosure. 
         [0006]    A butt pad apparatus is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the butt pad apparatus includes a clamp plate and a recoil pad attachable to the clamp plate such that a chamber is defined sealingly therebetween. The recoil pad with clamp plate attached thereto is adapted for attachment to a butt of a stock, in various aspects. In various aspects, the butt pad apparatus includes an insert removably receivable within the chamber, and the insert may be formed of an elastomeric material. 
         [0007]    This summary is presented to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein as a prelude to the detailed description that follows below. Accordingly, this summary is not intended to identify key elements of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein or to delineate the scope thereof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates by side view an exemplary implementation of a butt pad apparatus; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates by exploded perspective view portions of the exemplary butt pad apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates by side cross-sectional view portions of the exemplary butt pad apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4A  illustrates by frontal view portions of the exemplary butt pad apparatus of  FIG. 1  including an exemplary adaptor plate; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4B  illustrates by side view the exemplary adaptor plate of  FIG. 4A ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5A  illustrates by frontal view portions of the exemplary butt pad apparatus of  FIG. 1  including an exemplary clamp plate; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5B  illustrates by side view the exemplary clamp plate of  FIG. 5A ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6A  illustrates by frontal view portions of the exemplary butt pad apparatus of  FIG. 1  including an exemplary insert; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6B  illustrates by side view the exemplary insert of  FIG. 6A ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7A  illustrates by frontal view portions of the exemplary butt pad apparatus of  FIG. 1  including an exemplary recoil pad; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7B  illustrates by side view the exemplary recoil pad of  FIG. 7A ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7C  illustrates by side perspective view the exemplary recoil pad of  FIG. 7A ; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  illustrates by cross-sectional view portions of another exemplary implementation of a butt pad apparatus. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    The Figures are exemplary only, and the implementations illustrated therein are selected to facilitate explanation. The number, position, relationship and dimensions of the elements shown in the Figures to form the various implementations described herein, as well as dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, flow and similar requirements are explained herein or are understandable to a person of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. Where used in the various Figures, the same numerals designate the same or similar elements. Furthermore, when the terms “top,” “bottom,” “right,” “left,” “forward,” “rear,” “first,” “second,” “inside,” “outside,” and similar terms are used, the terms should be understood in reference to the orientation of the implementations shown in the drawings and are utilized to facilitate description thereof. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    A butt pad apparatus for a firearm is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the butt pad apparatus includes a plate and a recoil pad. The recoil pad is attachable to the plate such that a chamber is defined between the plate and the recoil pad. The plate may be attached to the butt of a stock of a firearm such that the plate is interposed between the butt and the recoil pad, and the recoil pad may be positioned about the user. Accordingly, the recoil pad in combination with the plate may cushion the recoil of the firearm on the user. Various aspects may include several plates that may each have varying structural characteristics or mechanical characteristics, and the several plates may be interposed between the recoil pad and the butt. 
         [0023]    An insert may be received within the chamber, and the insert may be formed of an elastomeric material. The user may place the insert within the chamber, and the user may select the insert for placement within the chamber from a number of inserts having a number of differing mechanical properties. Accordingly, the user may customize the butt pad apparatus by placement of a particular insert within the chamber where the insert so placed has mechanical properties that the user may find desirable. The user may interchange several different inserts having varying mechanical characteristics within the chamber as the needs or desires of the user vary. The user may elect to not place an insert within the chamber, in which case the chamber is empty. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary implementation of butt pad apparatus  10  including assembly  90  and firearm  400 . Firearm  400  may be a shotgun, rifle, or other firearm that includes stock  15  with receiver group  420  secured thereto. Barrel  410  with muzzle  412  extends forth from receiver group  420  generally opposite of stock  15 . Assembly  90  is secured to butt  18  of stock  15 , as illustrated. Surface  54  of assembly  90  may be positioned against a user&#39;s shoulder so that butt pad apparatus  10  including assembly  90  cushions the impact of firearm  400  upon the user when firearm  400  is discharged. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates portions of butt pad apparatus  10  including assembly  90  and portions of stock  15 . Assembly  90  may include adaptor plate  20 , clamp plate  30 , insert  70 , and recoil pad  50 . Alternatively, assembly  90  may include adaptor plate  20 , clamp plate  30 , insert  170 , and recoil pad  50 . As another alternative, assembly  90  may include adaptor plate  20 , clamp plate  30 , and recoil pad  50 , with the insert, such as insert  70 ,  170 , being omitted. Assembly  90  may include, in some implementations, clamp plate  30 , insert  70 , and recoil pad  50 , with the clamp plate  30  being attachable to butt  18  and adaptor plate  20  being omitted. In such implementations, clamp plate  30  may form butt  18  of stock  15 . 
         [0026]    Clamp plate  30 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , includes detent  35  that generally passes about the periphery of clamp plate  30 . Recoil pad  50  includes corresponding detent  55  passing about the periphery thereof that may engage detent  35  to secure recoil pad  50  to clamp plate  30  (see  FIG. 3 ). An insert, such as insert  70 ,  170 , may be interposed between clamp plate  30  and recoil pad  50  within chamber  62 , in some implementations. The insert, such as insert  70 ,  170 , may be omitted from interposition between clamp plate  30  and recoil pad  50 , in other implementations. Fasteners  113  may pass through recoil pad  50  between surfaces  54 ,  52 , through insert  70  between surfaces  74 ,  72 , through clamp plate  30  between surfaces  34 ,  32 , and through adaptor plate  20  between surfaces  24 ,  22  to engage stock  15  to secure assembly  90  to butt  18  of stock  15 . Fasteners  113  may be threaded fasteners or various other types of fasteners that may removably secure assembly  90  or portions thereof to butt  18  of stock  15 . Various numbers, sizes, or types of fastener(s), such as fasteners  113 , may be used to secure assembly  90  or portions thereof to butt  18  of stock  15 , in various implementations. 
         [0027]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , with assembly  90  secured to butt  18  of stock  15 , surface  22  of adaptor plate  20 , surface  32  of clamp plate  30 , surface  72  of insert  70 , and surface  52  are oriented toward butt  18  of stock  15 . Surface  22  of adaptor plate  20  is generally biased against butt  18 , surface  32  of clamp plate  30  is oriented toward surface  24  of adaptor plate  20 , surface  72  of insert  70  is positioned about surface  34  of clamp plate  30 , surface  52  of butt pad  50  is positioned about surface  74  of insert  70 , and surface  54  of butt pad  50  faces outward from assembly  90  such that surface  54  of butt pad  50  may be placed against the shoulder of the user. Countersinks may be provided in surface  54  of butt pad  50  to receive the heads of fasteners  113  such that the heads are either flush with surface  54  or recessed into surface  54 . Fasteners  113  may be removed by the user in order to detach assembly  90  from butt  18 . 
         [0028]    Clamp plate  30 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , is formed to include a number of openings  37  that pass through clamp plate  30  between surfaces  32 ,  34 . In this implementation, raised elements  77  are formed about surface  72  of insert  70  that correspond to openings  37  in clamp plate  30  such that raised elements  77  are received within openings  37  to secure insert  70  in position with respect to clamp plate  30  when surface  72  of insert  70  is positioned about surface  34  of clamp plate  30 . 
         [0029]    Surface  74  of insert  70  is generally planar, in this implementation. With recoil pad  50  secured to clamp plate  30  and with insert  70  interposed between recoil pad  50  and clamp plate  30 , protrusions  57  formed about surface  52  of recoil pad  50  are biased against surface  74  of insert  70  to hold insert  70  in position between clamp plate  30  and recoil pad  50 . As illustrated, protrusions  57  are formed as ribs  59  that pass linearly across surface  52 , but protrusions  57 , which are raised portions of surface  52 , may have other shapes in other implementations. For example, protrusions  57  may have a cylindrical shape, pyramid shapes, or serpentine shape, in various other implementations. Forces, including recoil forces generated by discharge of firearm  400 , may be transmitted between insert  70  and recoil pad  50  through protrusions  57 , and insert  70  may dampen these recoil forces. 
         [0030]    Insert  170 , which is illustrated in  FIG. 2 , may be interposed by the user between clamp plate  30  and recoil pad  50  in substitution for insert  70 . Thus, in this implementation, either insert  70  or insert  170  may be interposed between clamp plate  30  and recoil pad  50  as selected by the user, or the insert, such as insert  70 ,  170 , may be omitted by the user. As illustrated, when insert  170  is interposed between clamp plate  30  and recoil pad  50 , surface  172  of insert  170  is oriented toward surface  34  of clamp plate  30  such that raised elements  177  are received within openings  37  of clamp plate  30  to hold insert  170  in position, and surface  174  of insert  170 , which is generally planar, engages protrusions  57  of surface  52  of recoil pad  50  to transmit forces between insert  170  and recoil pad  50 . Insert  170  may dampen these forces. 
         [0031]    In various implementations of butt pad apparatus  10 , inserts, such as inserts  70 ,  170 , may be formed of generally elastomeric material or combinations of materials such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber such as butyl rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate, and various other elastomers, viscoelastic materials, and so forth. The material(s) may be chosen to dampen recoil forces while maintaining durability of the insert. The insert, such as insert  70 ,  170 , may have a durometer value generally within the range of from about 15 to about 45 on the 00 scale. Insert  70  may be formed of material(s) that differ from the material(s) of insert  170 , or insert  70  may be configured in other ways that differ from insert  170  such that the mechanical properties of inserts  70 ,  170  differ from one another. 
         [0032]    The recoil pad, such as recoil pad  50 ,  250  (see  FIG. 8 ), may be formed of various compliant materials such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, or combinations thereof. The material of which the recoil pad is formed may have a durometer value generally in the range of from about 25 to about 75 on the A scale. The material of the recoil pad may be generally less tacky than the elastomeric material of the insert, which may allow the user to move the firearm from a out of shoulder position to a shouldered position generally without the recoil pad snagging on clothing or gear. The insert within the chamber formed by the recoil pad absorbs the recoil forces to reduce recoil. 
         [0033]    The clamp plate, such as clamp plate  30 ,  230  (see  FIG. 8 ), may be formed of various metals such as steel, aluminum, magnesium, of various plastics, or combinations thereof, and the clamp plate may be formed in an injection molding process, in various implementations. Similarly, the adaptor plate, such as adaptor plate  20 ,  220 , may be formed of various metals such as steel, aluminum, magnesium, of various plastics, or combinations thereof, and the adaptor plate may be formed in an injection molding process, in various implementations. The stock, such as stock  15 , may be formed of various woods such as birch or walnut, injection molded plastic, or other such materials or combinations of materials with associated methods of fabrication as would be readily recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  illustrates portions of assembly  90  of butt pad apparatus  10  secured to butt  18  of stock  15 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , adaptor plate  20 , clamp plate  30 , insert  70 , and recoil pad  50  are engaged with one another and secured to butt  18  of stock  15 . Detent  35  that extends about the periphery of clamp plate  30  is engaged with corresponding detent  55  that extends about the periphery of recoil pad  50  to secure clamp plate  30  and recoil pad  50  to one another. Portions of surface  24  of adaptor plate  20  are biased against portions of detent  55  to hold detent  55  in engagement with detent  35 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Detent  35 , in exemplary butt pad apparatus  10 , is configured as a channel, and detent  55  is configured as a lip, but detent  35  and corresponding detent  55  may have other configurations that allow for detent  35  and detent  55  to engage one another and to be disengaged from one another, in various other implementations. The material that forms portions of recoil pad  50  about detent  55  may have sufficient flexure to allow the user to engage detent  55  with detent  35  to attach recoil pad  50  to clamp plate  30  and to allow the user to disengage detent  55  from detent  35  to detach recoil pad  50  from clamp plate  30 . 
         [0035]    With detents  35 ,  55  engaged with one another such that clamp plate  30  and recoil pad  50  are secured to one another, surface  34  of clamp plate  30  and surface  52  of recoil pad  50  generally define chamber  62 . Chamber  62  may be generally sealed from the external environment to inhibit water, dust, and so forth from entering chamber  62 . Detents  35 ,  55  may be configured to engage one another to seal chamber  62  generally from the external environment. 
         [0036]    Insert  70  is interposed between clamp plate  30  and recoil pad  50  within sealed chamber  62 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , with raised element  77  of surface 72  received within opening  37  of clamp plate  30 , and with generally planar surface  74  contacting protrusions  57  of surface  52  of recoil pad  50 . In this implementation, raised element  77  protrudes only partway through opening  37 , so that surface  79  of raised element  77  in combination with portions of the walls of opening  37  and portions of surface  24  of adaptor plate  20  defines interstice  64 . Surface  79  does not contact surface  24 , as illustrated. In other implementations, surface  79  of raised element  77  may be generally coextensive with surface  32  of clamp plate  30 , which may essentially eliminate interstice  64  as surface  79  may be in contact with surface  24  of adaptor plate  20 . Still other implementations may not include the raised elements  77  and corresponding openings  37 . 
         [0037]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , protrusions  57  are biased against surface  74  of insert  70 . In other implementations, protrusions  57  may be set apart from surface  74  of insert  70  such that protrusions  57  contact surface  74  to transmit forces therebetween, for example, when recoil pad  50  is flexed due to the recoil forces resulting from the discharge of firearm  400 . Some protrusions  57  may contact surface  74  while other protrusions  57  may be set apart from surface  74 , in various implementations. In other implementations, protrusions  57  may be omitted such that surface  52  may be generally planar, and surface  74  may be either biased against or set apart from the planar surface  52 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B  illustrate adaptor plate  20  of butt pad apparatus  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4A , rim  25  extends around the periphery of surface  22  of adaptor plate  20 . Butt  18  may be generally received within rim  25  to be generally biased against surface  22  of adaptor plate  20 , with rim  25  positioning adaptor plate  20  with respect to stock  15 . Rim  25  may engage stock  15  to secure, in part, adaptor plate  20  about butt  18  of stock  15 . Fasteners  113  may pass through holes  123  in adaptor plate  20 . Surface  24  of adaptor plate  20  is generally planar, as illustrated. 
         [0039]      FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B  illustrate clamp plate  30  of butt pad apparatus  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5A , a number of openings  37  of various shapes pass through clamp plate  30  between surface  32  and surface  34 . Although illustrated as triangles and quadrilaterals, openings  37  may have various geometries such as, for example, circular or hexagonal, in various other implementations. Fasteners  113  may pass through holes  127  in clamp plate  30  in order to secure assembly  90  including clamp plate  30  to butt  18  of stock  15 . Detent  35  is formed around the periphery of clamp plate  30 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5B , detent  35  is formed as a recessed region around the periphery of clamp plate  30 , and sized such that detent  55  of recoil pad  50  may engage within this recessed region of detent  35 , and may do so when surface  32  of clamp plate  30  is biased against surface  24  of adaptor plate  20 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B  illustrate insert  70  of butt pad apparatus  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6A , a number of raised elements  77  are formed about surface  72  of insert  70  that correspond to openings  37  disposed about clamp plate  30 , which is illustrated in  FIG. 5A . Although illustrated as triangular or quadrilateral in shape, raised elements  77  may have any geometric shape that corresponds to the geometric shape of the corresponding openings  37 . Accordingly, the raised elements  77  of surface  72  of insert  70  may be received within corresponding openings  37  of clamp plate  30  to secure insert  70  in position with respect to clamp plate  30 . Fasteners  113  may pass through holes  131  in insert  70  in order to secure assembly  90  including insert  70  to butt  118  of stock  115 .  FIG. 6B  illustrates raised elements  77  protruding forth from surface  72  of insert  70 . Surface  74  of insert  70 , which engages surface  52  of recoil pad  50  including protrusions  57  formed thereupon, is generally planar, in this implementation. 
         [0041]      FIGS. 7A ,  7 B, and  7 C illustrate recoil pad  50  of exemplary butt pad apparatus  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7A , surface  54  of recoil pad  50  is generally smooth, although surface  54  may be configured with checkering or various other patterning, in other implementations. Detent  55 , as illustrated, passes around the periphery of recoil pad  50 , and is generally formed as a lip adapted to engage the recessed region of detent  35  of clamp plate  30 .  FIG. 7B  illustrates protrusions  57  formed upon surface  52  to transmit forces between recoil pad  50  and an insert, such as insert  70  or insert  170  interposed between recoil pad  50  and clamp plate  30  in chamber  62 . The protrusions  57 , in this implementation, have the form of ribs  59 . Detent  55  is illustrated in  FIG. 7B  as a lip formed to engage detent  35  of clamp plate  30 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 7B and 7C , recoil pad  50  is formed in a cup-shape  66  with the cup shape- 66  in conjunction with surface  34  of clamp plate  30  defining chamber  62 .  FIG. 7C  illustrates a further view of recoil pad  50  including protrusions  57  formed as ribs  59  passing linearly across surface  52 . Detent  55  is also illustrated in  FIG. 7C . 
         [0042]      FIG. 8  illustrates portions of butt pad apparatus  200  including the coupling of recoil pad  250  to clamp plate  230 . Surface  234  of clamp plate  230  in combination with surface  252  of recoil pad  250  define chamber  262 , and an insert such as insert  70 ,  170  may be positioned about surface  234  of clamp plate  230  within chamber  262 , in this implementation. As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , adaptor plate  230  included detent  235  configured as groove  238  that passes around the periphery of adaptor plate  230 . Recoil pad  250  includes detent  255  formed as flange  258  that is reversed upon itself 180° to engage groove  238 , as illustrated, with flange  258  passing around the periphery of recoil pad  250 . Surface  224  of adaptor plate  220  is biased against surface  232  of clamp plate  230  and portions of recoil pad  250  proximate flange  258  to hold flange  258  in groove  238  thereby securing recoil pad  250  to clamp plate  230 . Surface  222  of adaptor plate  220  may be engaged with butt  18  of stock  15  so that surfaces  232 ,  252  are orientated toward butt  18 . 
         [0043]    The user may assemble an assembly, such as assembly  90 , of a butt pad apparatus, such as butt pad apparatus  10 ,  200 , and secure the assembly to the butt of a firearm, such as butt  18  of firearm  400  using the following operations. The user may assemble the assembly by interposing an insert, such as insert  70 ,  170 , within a chamber, such as chamber  62 , between a surface of a recoil pad, such as surface  52 ,  252  of recoil pad  50 ,  250 , respectively, and a surface of a clamp plate, such as surface  34 ,  234  of clamp plate  30 ,  230 , respectively. The user may secure the recoil pad to the clamp plate by attaching a detent, such as detent  35 , disposed about the clamp plate to a detent, such as detent  55 , disposed about the recoil pad. The detents cooperate with one another to secure releasably the clamp plate to the recoil pad in this example. A surface of an adaptor plate, such as surface  22 ,  222  of adaptor plate  20 ,  220 , respectively, may be positioned about the butt, and a surface, such as surface  32 ,  232 , of the clamp plate may be positioned about a surface, such as surface  24 ,  224 , respectively, of the adaptor plate, the clamp plate being secured to the recoil pad with the insert interposed between the clamp plate and the recoil pad. Fasteners, such as threaded fasteners  113 , may be passed through the recoil pad, insert, clamp plate, and adaptor plate, to engage the stock, such as stock  15 , to secure the assembled recoil pad, insert, clamp plate, and adaptor plate assembly to the stock. In some implementations, the adaptor plate may be omitted, in which case the clamp plate is secured to the butt of the stock. In some implementations, the insert is omitted, in which case no insert is interposed between the recoil pad and the clamp plate. 
         [0044]    In operation, the user may selectively place various inserts within the chamber between the recoil pad and the clamp plate, or the user may elect not to include an insert within the chamber between the recoil pad and the clamp plate. In order to place a different insert within the chamber between the recoil pad and the clamp plate, the user may reverse the above operations for attachment of the assembly as described above to remove the assembly from the butt of the stock and do disassemble the assembly. With the assembly removed from the butt of the stock, the detents may be released from engagement with one another, which releases the recoil pad from engagement with the clamp plate. The insert, if any, may then be removed from the chamber between the recoil pad and the clamp plate, and a different insert, as selected by the user, interposed between the recoil pad and the clamp plate. The detents may be reengaged with one another to secure the recoil pad to the clamp plate with the different insert interposed between the recoil pad and the clamp plate. Alternatively, the insert may be removed from the chamber, and then the detents reengaged with one another to secure the recoil pad to the clamp plate with no insert interposed within the chamber between the recoil pad and the clamp plate. The butt pad apparatus may include tool(s) configured for the insertion and removal of the fasteners. The butt pad apparatus may include tool(s) configured to assist the user in engaging the detents to attach the clamp plate and recoil pad to one another or to assist the user in disengaging the detents to disengage the clamp plate and the recoil pad from one another. 
         [0045]    The foregoing discussion along with the Figures discloses and describes various exemplary implementations. These implementations are not meant to limit the scope of coverage, but, instead, to assist in understanding the context of the language used in this specification and in the claims. Upon study of this disclosure and the exemplary implementations herein, one of ordinary skill in the art may readily recognize that various changes, modifications and variations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined in the following claims.