Abstract:
A long-bar handling apparatus that delivers a desired size and shape of long-bar quickly and efficiently for shearing, bending, or further processing. The long-bar is loaded in slots in multiple rotating disk plates. A slot opening and closing mechanism, such as a pivot arm, is utilized to prevent loaded long-bar from falling out of slots during portions of rotation. The slot opening and closing mechanism opens on the top portion of rotation for loading and removing the long-bar for processing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This utility patent application claims priority to and benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application entitled “Rotatable Long-Bar Handling Apparatus”, bearing Application Ser. No. 62/141,784, filed on Apr. 1, 2015, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure is directed to methods and machines for use in handling and distributing various types of long-bars to an operator for further processing. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many industries rely on the use of elongated bars of some sort. As used herein, the term “long-bars” is a generic term to describe the general category of elongated elements, such as, but not limited to, rods, solid pipe, hollow pipe, structural members having various cross sectional shapes (e.g., I-beams, U-shapes, Z-shapes, M-shapes, W-shapes, channels, angles, tubes, flat-bars, and the like). Often these long-bars are made of metal, but the general term applies herein equally to those made of any material, including, for example, PVC, other thermoplastics, thermosets, wood, and so forth. 
     Typically long-bars are manufactured from raw materials and formed in various sizes, shapes, and lengths. These are then shipped to purchasers who use the long-bars for various tasks. Often, the purchasers have a need to handle the long-bars on numerous occasions, to move the long-bars on site from one location to another, to perform processes on the long-bars, and to then use the processed long-bars in, perhaps, new or modified products. The examples of the processes purchasers perform on the long-bars are numerous and commonly understood, and include, but are not limited to, shearing, bending, welding, cutting, threading, and the like. One particular form of long-bar commonly used in many industries is elongated steel rods used to reinforce concrete. These rods, or “rebar”, come in many diameters, typically measured in ⅛ inch increments and numbered generally with a reference that identifies the diameter (e.g., a #3 bar is ⅜″ diameter; a #4 bar is 4/8″ or ½″ diameter, and so forth). Manufacturers of rebar make the rebar in many lengths, up to and including 72 feet, but can cut the lengths to order in any desired length. Common lengths used by purchasers are 20 feet, 30 feet, and 40 feet, and so on. For the sake of simplicity herein, the specific examples described are shown for the use of steel rebar having already been cut to 20 feet length for feeding into a shearing or bending station, it being understood that the concepts involved are applicable to all forms of long-bar in any length, diameter, shape, and material for any handling or processing of the long-bar. 
     Currently in many industries it is both labor-intensive and space-intensive to store, handle, and move long-bars. Many industries use, simply, manual labor to do so, involving walking or driving a forklift, skid steer, or similar machine, to retrieve the desired long-bar size; lifting and carrying or transporting the bar to the desired location; and performing the desired further processing on the long-bar. Such manual handling methods are cumbersome, inefficient, uneconomical, and can actually be physically dangerous to the user, especially when large quantities are involved. 
     Some industries use large, complicated, hydraulic or pneumatic linear feed systems. These systems require a very large footprint and are expensive. They sometimes include conveyors, transfer arms, vibratory shakers, and robotic mechanisms. For certain functions, like descrambling long-bars that are in a jumbled mess, such complicated systems can provide some benefit. However, such systems do not maintain long-bars in categorized fashion and cannot selectively deliver to a user one or more desired long-bars. Moreover, such systems require that the long-bars move across the surfaces of those systems in a sliding manner, causing extreme wear from sliding frictional forces. This makes them susceptible to breakdowns and high maintenance costs. 
     What is needed is a machine that can simply and effectively hold one or more collections of long-bars and be capable of selectively delivering to a user, at the user&#39;s option, a desired one or more of the long-bars in each collection, enabling the desired long-bar to be removed from the machine, yet still retaining the other long-bars in the machine. 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosure herein is directed to a rotary machine that allows for quick and easy handling of different diameters, sizes, and shapes of long-bar. The machine easily loads, stores, and handles different sizes and shapes of long-bar. It is rotatable, in either clockwise or counter-clockwise directions, along an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the long-bars that are stored thereon and thus requires only a small footprint. 
     The apparatus quickly and efficiently delivers the desired size and shape of long-bar stock to the operator. It does this without requiring the operator to change location or to handle the long-bar in any difficult manner or position. This is very advantageous because long-bars can be heavy, such as those made from steel. 
     The apparatus has a small footprint relative to prior art handling systems. This frees up valuable floor space that can then be utilized for other purposes, and provides for greater manufacturing efficiency. This more compact handling and feeding system also helps reduce the manufacturing time per item and/or can increase the quantity of items that can be manufactured in a given period of time. The end result is lower manufacturing costs, a more competitive product, and greater profitability. 
     The apparatus significantly reduces the amount of, as well as the degree of difficulty in, manually handling long-bar over prior art systems. This is significant, especially when the long-bar material is metal and is heavy. Reducing the amount of manual labor as well as the handling difficulty and the strength requirements results in lower manufacturing costs and benefits worker health and safety as well. It also reduces the time to retrieve and switch between different sizes and shapes of long-bar, which lowers manufacturing costs and increases profitability. 
     The apparatus avoids the need for any form of untangling machinery whatsoever. The long-bars are placed in the apparatus purposefully and deliberately by an operator, and the apparatus keeps the loaded long-bars tangle free due to the rotation of the long-bars in the machine. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the following more detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary machine and method, according to the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of an apparatus for handling long-bar according to an embodiment of the present invention, shown without any long-bar loaded. 
         FIG. 1B  is a section view of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1C  is an enlarged detail view of a portion of  FIG. 1B . 
         FIG. 1D  is the same section view of  FIG. 1B , but showing a comparison between the arm in the closed and in the open positions. 
         FIG. 1E  is a perspective view of an embodiment having a common hinge pin connecting each slot plate. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a representative single piece of a long-bar stock. 
         FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of a representative bundle of long-bar stock. 
         FIG. 3A  is the same section view shown in  FIG. 1B , but with a bundle of long-bar being loaded on the apparatus. 
         FIG. 3B  is the same section as  FIG. 3A , but shown when the apparatus has rotated to a different rotational position. 
         FIG. 3C  is the same section as  FIG. 3B , but shown when the apparatus has rotated to yet a further rotational position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1A  shows an overall perspective view of a basic version of the apparatus  10  according to a preferred embodiment. The apparatus  10  comprises three main areas: a rotating assembly  100 ; a frame and support structure  200 ; and a rotary drive assembly or section  300 . 
     The rotating assembly  100  comprises at least two rotating slot plates  30  for receiving and holding long-bars therein. The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1A  comprises three slot plates  30 , but other numbers can be included. For example, for shorter long-bars, embodiments having only two slot plates are possible. For longer long-bars, embodiments having four or more slot plates  30  are possible. For each slot  31  in the slot plate  30 , one or more closures, or pivot arms  34  as shown, is provided for selectively opening and closing access to slot  31 , as described more fully below. 
     The frame and support structure  200  comprises a base  201 , one or more cam roller plates  22 , and one or more roller bearing plates  28  upstanding from the base  201 . In lieu of the frame and support structure  200  being one piece and connected together by a base plate, the frame and support structure  200  could alternatively be divided into two or more smaller frame and support structures. The smaller structures can then be assembled, shimmed, and aligned on a solid foundation at installation as desired. Further, the frame and support structure  200  could be adapted for mounting on a mobile support or itself being mobile, such that the apparatus  10  can be moved to different locations. 
     The rotary drive section  300  comprises, generally, a rotary drive  70  and controls  74 , with or without a control box  72 . These components can take many forms, depending on the size and weight requirements of the expected loads, as well as user-preferences and desired features. The rotary drive  70  can be mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, gas-driven, and so forth. The control box  72  and controls  74  can take any form and design as is commonplace for activating and operating machinery of this type. The controls  74  can be located at any location, on a pendant, on a cable, or wireless, for example. 
       FIG. 1B  shows a section view of  FIG. 1A . A rotating slot plate  30  is connected to and rotates with a rotating axle, arbor, or shaft  32 . In the preferred embodiment shown, the slot plate  30  comprises five slots  31 . Each of these slots  31  has associated therewith a closure, or pivot arm  34 . Obviously other numbers of slots  31  are possible for the machine, depending on needs of the user, including one, two, three, four, six, or more. 
     Pivot arms  34  are movable from a closed position to an open position, and vice versa, around each pivot arm axis of rotation (pivot arm hinge pin  36 ). In the embodiment shown, the slot plate  30  rotates clockwise, and gravity moves the pivot arms  34  to an open position when the center of mass of each pivot arm  34  switches from the left side of its hinge pin  36  to the right side of its hinge pin  36 . That is, when the slot plate  30  is rotating clockwise, when the center of mass of each pivot arm  34  moves from a trailing position to a leading position with respect to the hinge pin in the direction of rotation. This occurs approximately when rotary slot plate  30  rotates the pivot arm  34  to the approximate location as designated at location “E” in  FIG. 3C . In this embodiment, the range of motion from open to closed position is approximately 40 degrees, but obviously varies based on design. As shown in  FIG. 3C  a first range R 1  is the range of rotational positions wherein a single pivot arm  34  occupies the open position, and a second range R 2  is the range of rotational positions wherein of a pivot arm  34  occupies the closed position. It is equally possible for the slot plate  30  of this embodiment to rotate counter-clockwise. In this event, gravity moves pivot arms  34  to a close position and keeps the arms  34  closed until the rotation moves into position wherein the pivot arm roller  38  makes contact with the surface  23  of the cam roller plate  22  (at approximately location “D” in  FIG. 3C ). The cam roller plate  22  then keeps the pivot arms  38  closed until the rotation progresses far enough for the pivot arm roller  38  to exit the notch  24 , as described below. In the embodiment shown, the pivot arm roller notch  24  and the cam roller plate  22  move the pivot arms  34  to a closed position, as will be described below. 
     In an open position, the pivot arm  34  is oriented in such a manner as to not substantially block the entrance to the slot  31 . In a closed position, the pivot arm  34  is oriented in such a manner as to substantially block the slot  31  opening. Therefore, when open, the pivot arm  34  allows long-bar  52  to be loaded into or removed from the slot  31 . When closed, the pivot arm does not allow long-bar  52  to be loaded into, or removed from, the slot  31 . Therefore, in  FIG. 1B , two pivot arms  34  are shown in the open position and three pivot arms  34  are shown in the closed position. Other types of opening and closing arms, closure mechanisms, and methods can be used. One alternative embodiment could have sliding opening and closing bars in lieu of a pivoting arm or bar. Another alternative embodiment utilizing a different slot opening and closing method would be an opening and closing bar that is pinned not at the bottom and below the slot  31 , as shown, but is pinned at the top opening edge of the slot  31 . In  FIG. 1B  the pinned location would be near the location of roller  38 . The length of the opening and closing bar would be a little more than the width of the slot  31 . In the open position the axis of the opening and closing bar would be at 90 degrees to the plane of the paper for  FIG. 1B . This is in the same direction and aligns with long-bar  52  when loaded in the apparatus. In the closed position the opening and closing bar would rotate 90 degrees across the top opening of the slot  31 . 
     A spring mechanism also could be utilized to open the bar, and a cam and track means, similar to the preferred embodiment, could be utilized for closing the bar. This is just one alternative design for many slot-opening and slot-closing arms or bars that would prevent the long-bar  52  from falling out of the slot on the downward portion of rotation while also eliminating frictional forces and wear. If it were not for the closure mechanism, the long-bar  52  would be allowed to drop out of the slot  31  when the slot  31  was in a downward orientation, and the long-bar  52  would come into contact with the curved part of cam roller plate  22 . Then, as the slot plate  31  continued to rotate, the long-bar  52  would be forced to slide across the curved surface  23  of cam roller plate  22 , thus encountering significant frictional forces and wear. 
     In the embodiment shown, each pivot arm  34  pivots on a pivot arm hinge pin  36 , which is pinned to slot plate  30 . A pivot arm roller  38  is attached to the end of pivot arm  34 .  FIG. 1E  shows an alternative embodiment having a single, common hinge pin  36  that connects each slot plate  30 . A pivot arm stop pin  40  connected to rotating slot plate  30  limits the rotation of pivot arm  34 . The pivot arm stop pin  40  resides inside a stop pin slot  42 . The stop pin slot  42  has a slot length defined by first terminal slot end  43  and second terminal slot end  45 . These structures could be reversed instead, with the hinge pin  36  being connected to the arm  34  and the stop pin slot  42  being located in the slot plate  30 . Other common methods and structures for limiting rotation could easily be employed. 
     Multiple slot plate rollers  44  are attached to the frame and support structure  200 , preferably to the roller bearing plate  28 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1B , four slot plate rollers  44  are sandwiched between roller bearing plate  28  and the center cam roller plate  22 . The slot plate rollers  44  provide vertical support to, in this embodiment, the center rotating slot plate  30 . In this fashion, since the slot plate rollers  44  support the load, the rotating shaft  32 , and therefore the rotary drive  70  need not handle enormous loads, especially when the apparatus  10  contains a full complement of long-bars in each slot  31 . In this manner, the shaft  32  and rotary drive  70  can be optimized in size. Alternatively, if slot plate rollers  44  are not used, the apparatus  10  could be used if the rotating shaft  32  were sized accordingly to handle the increased load due to the elimination of the slot plate rollers  44 . 
     The number and spacing of the slot plate rollers  44  depend on several factors, including the diameter of the slot plate  30 , the number of slots  31 , the weight of the slot plates  30 , and other factors. Because the slot plate  30  rolls over the slot plate rollers  44 , the slot plate rollers  44  are located to tangentially contact the outer surface of the slot plate  30 . In the embodiment shown, it is desired to maintain vertical support to the slot plate  30  throughout the full 360 degree rotation thereof. Therefore, the lower slot plate rollers  44  are spaced apart along the circular arc of the slot plate  30  at an arc distance designed to always have at least two slot plate rollers  44  contacting the slot plate  30  at all times—one to the left of the center of rotation of the slot plate  30  and one to the right of the center of rotation. Additional slot plate rollers  44  can be included as desired. Preferably, the slot plate rollers should be of a sufficient number so that at least two are in contact with the slot plate  30  at all times. One of those in contact should ideally be on one side of the center of gravity of the rotating assembly, and the other on the other side. Therefore, preferably, at least four are used, and the spacing would be different than the distance between the slot openings so that at least two rollers, one on each side of the center of gravity, would be in contact with the slot plate  30  at all rotational positions of the slot plate  30 . 
     With regard to the pivot arm  34 , the center of mass changes position relative to shaft  32  as the slot plate  30  rotates. The pivot arms  34  will try to rotate any time there is a horizontal offset between the pivot arm  34  center of mass and its pivot arm hinge pin  36 . This holds true in either the clockwise rotation or counter-clockwise rotation of the slot plate  30 . What keeps the pivot arm  34  from rotating at the majority of rotational positions of the slot plate  30  is a stopping means such as the pivot arm stop pin  40 . There is a rotational position of the slot plate  30  for each specific arm  34  where its center of mass offset (with respect to a vertical line that goes through the center of the hinge pin  36 ) starts to move from one side of this vertical line to the other side. When the center of mass offset is sufficient to overcome frictional resistance (of the pivot arm—from rotating) the pivot arm  34  at that rotational position will start to flip (when rotated clockwise) from the closed to open position or vice versa. Besides gravity, a spring attached to the arms could be incorporated as well to assist opening or closing the arms. Further, a cam means to assist or to time the opening and closing of the arms at the desired rotational position of the slot plate could also be utilized. There are many ways and means to accomplish the above, but a simple way is to utilize gravity, as shown in the apparatus  10  described. 
     As described,  FIGS. 1A and 1B  show the location of four slot plate rollers  44 . The rollers  44  are shown pinned between roller bearing plate  28  and cam roller plate  22 . The four rollers  44  support and hold up the center slot plate  30  while allowing it to rotate. Utilizing rollers  44  to help support the weight of the rotating assembly as well as the weight of the loaded long-bars  52  reduces the bending load on shaft  32 , which allows for a less expensive and smaller diameter shaft  32 . Rollers  44  could be eliminated if the shaft  32  is designed to support the total weight of the rotating assembly and loaded long-bars  52 , but this is less preferred. Rollers  44  can also be placed under the other plates  30  if desired, as opposed to just under the center slot plate  30  as shown in  FIG. 1A . 
       FIG. 1C  shows an enlarged detail of a portion of  FIG. 1B . The detail shows a pivot arm roller notch  24  that is cut into cam roller plate  22 . This pivot arm roller notch  24  serves to receive the pivot arm roller  38  as the slot plate  30  rotates. The pivot arm roller notch  24  has a first surface  25  and a second surface  26 . With reference to  FIGS. 1B and 1C  it can be seen that as the slot plate  30  rotates clockwise, with any given slot  31  at the top of the rotation, the respective pivot arm  34  is in an open position (in these figures, refer to the pivot arms  34  located at approximately the 1 o&#39;clock and 3 o&#39;clock positions). As the pivot arm  34  rotates to approximately a 3 o&#39;clock, its pivot arm roller  38  makes initial contact with the pivot arm roller notch  24  ( FIG. 1C ). As the slot plate  30  continues to rotate, the pivot arm  34  rotates about its own pivot arm hinge pin  36 , and as this happens the pivot arm stop pin  40  moves inside the stop pin slot  42 . As the rotary slot plates  30  continue to rotate clockwise, the pivot arm roller notch  24  stops the free end of pivot arm  34  from continuing to rotate with the slot plate  30 . This causes the pivot arm  34  at slot position “B” to start to close as shown in  FIG. 3B . This movement continues until the slot plate  30  has rotated sufficiently to move the pivot arm  34  into the closed position. When the pivot arm  34  fully closes at slot position “B” the roller  38  slips out of the notch  24  and starts rotating again with the slot plates  30 . In the closed position, the distance from the center of the slot plate  30  to the outer surface of the pivot arm roller  38  (i.e., to the second surface  26 ) is less than the same distance when the pivot arm is in the open position (i.e., to the first surface  25 ).  FIG. 1D  shows this for a preferred embodiment. As shown, once the pivot arm  34  moves to the closed position, the pivot arm roller  38  then rides along the surface  23  of the cam roller plate  22  ( FIGS. 1B and 1D ). 
     The cam roller surface  23  of cam roller plate  22  keep the pivot arm  34  closed while the slot  31  rotates from slot position “C” to slot position “E” as shown in  FIG. 3A . This prevents long-bars  52  from escaping or being removed from the apparatus. From slot position “E” until just before slot position “A” gravity is sufficient to keep the pivot arm  34  in the closed position. 
       FIG. 2A  shows a representative single piece of long-bar  52 .  FIG. 2B  shows a representative bundle of long-bar  54 . As used herein, references to long-bar  52  and bundles of long-bar  54  are used interchangeably. 
       FIG. 3A  shows the same section view that is shown in  FIG. 1B  with slot  31  positions at locations “B”, “C”, “D”, and “E” loaded with different sizes and shapes of long-bar  52 . A bundle of long-bar  54  is shown being lowered into slot  31  at position “A” by forklift forks  50 . Pivot arm  34  is shown in the open position at slot positions “A” &amp; “B” and in the closed position at slot positions “C”, “D”, &amp; “E”. Slot plate  30  is shown in  FIG. 3A  being supported by four slot plate rollers  44  that are positioned between, and pinned to, cam roller plate  22  and roller bearing plate  28 . These plates are shown in the perspective view of  FIG. 1A . 
       FIG. 3B  shows the section view of  FIG. 3A  with the loaded long-bar  52  and slot plate  30  having been rotated approximately 20 degrees clockwise relative to its position in  FIG. 3A .  FIG. 3C  shows the section view of  FIG. 3A  loaded with long-bar  52  and with slot plate  30  having been rotated approximately 55 degrees clockwise relative to its position in  FIG. 3A . 
     In  FIG. 3B  pivot arm  34  is shown at slot position B rotated to a position halfway across the slot opening. The pivot arm  34  has halfway closed the slot opening. The notch  24  ( FIG. 1C ) is keeping the distal end of the pivot arm  34  in place as the slot plate  30  is continuing to rotate. So as the slot plate  30  is rotating, the notch is causing the pivot arm  34  to close the slot opening at slot position B in  FIG. 3B . The design of the pivot arm  34  is such that as the slot plate  30  continues to rotate, the other side or edge of the slot  31  at the slot B position reaches the end of the pivot arm  34  and notch. At this position the pivot arm  34  at slot position B has closed the slot opening. Now at this point as the slot plate  30  continues to rotate, the pivot arm pin  36  has moved enough to force or pull the pivot arm roller  38  from the notch and the end of the pivot arm  34  starts to rotate again with the rest of the slot plate  30 . And now at this point the cam roller plate  22  is designed to keep the pivot arm  34  closed when the slots are on the downward part of the rotation, thus retaining the long-bars  52 . 
     In use, the apparatus  10  can deliver a specific size and shape of long-bar  52  to an operator for processing (e.g., cutting, bending, threading, etc.) or for delivery for the next operation or step in a manufacturing or construction process. The apparatus  10  is first loaded with, if desired, different sizes and shapes of long-bar  52 . The long-bar  52  is conveniently loaded by lowering the long-bar  52  into the open slots  31  shown in  FIG. 1A . The slots  31  in each of the slot plates  30  shown in  FIG. 3A  can each be rotated, using the controls  74 , to the top vertical or near vertical slot position and loaded with a specific size and shape of long-bar  52 . 
     The operator controls the rotation and operation of the apparatus by the controls  74 . The controls  74  are connected to a control box  72  that controls a rotary drive  70 . Rotary drive  70  is connected to shaft  32  and to which slot plates  30  are connected. 
     When the apparatus is loaded, the operator retrieves a specific long-bar  52  by rotating the slot plates  30  so that the slot in which the desired long-bar  52  is located, is at a position convenient for removal, by hand or by machine, such as at slot position “B” as shown in  FIG. 3A . The operator and/or workman then conveniently removes the long-bar  52  from the slot at slot position “B”. 
     The apparatus  10  conveniently handles and stores long-bars  52  in slots  31  in rotating plates  30  and prevents the long-bar  52  from falling out of the slots  31  when the slots are rotated in the downward position. The apparatus  10  prevents loaded long-bar  52  from falling out of the slot  31  openings on the bottom and downward portion of rotation by utilizing pivot arms  34  that close on the downward portion and open on the top portion of rotation. Since pivot arms  34  rotate with the long-bars  52 , it greatly reduces the frictional forces and wear that would be associated with a stationary plate, vibratory plate, or other form of the prior art devices that use a stationary plate in lieu of pivot arms  34  or that otherwise require the long-bars  52  to slide across a surface. For example, in  FIG. 3A , at slot locations C and D, if one were to remove the pivot arm  34  at C and D, the long-bar would drop until it came into contact with the surface  23  of cam roller plates  22 . In that event, the long-bars  52  would actually be directly engaging the surface  23  of the cam roller plate  22 , and as the slot plates  30  are rotated, considerable sliding friction would be generated between the rotating rebar and the stationary (not rotating) plates  22 . In the apparatus  10 , however, the long-bars  52  are held by the pivot arms  34 , which rotate with the slot plate  30  and long-bars  52 , and prevent the long-bars  52  from contacting the surface  23  of the cam roller plate  22 . That is, the long-bars  52  rest against the inside surface of the pivot arms  34 , which rotates with the long-bars  52 . This greatly reduces the sliding friction that would otherwise happen. And, if desired a more frictionless material and part could be utilized for the long-bar  52  to slide against if the pivot arms  34  were eliminated. 
     While several embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present disclosure. 
     All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms. 
     The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.” 
     The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc. 
     As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law. 
     As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc. 
     It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited. 
     In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03. 
     The foregoing description of several embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise steps and/or forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention and all equivalents be defined by the claims appended to the application once filed as a non-provisional application.