Tape cassette with separate tape guide

A tape cassette for use with an external tape player/recorder apparatus having upper and lower cassette halves and an independent tape guide for insertion between the cassette halves. The independent tape guide is a subassembly comprising an elongated bridge molded of plastic and having a top planar surface, a bottom planar surface, a front, a back, a left end and a right end, two pairs of corner posts located substantially centrally of the front and a plurality of lateral projections extending from the front in relatively perpendicular relation to the planes of the top and bottom of the bridge. Each pair of corner posts has holes formed therein to receive a stainless steel pin therethrough also in perpendicular relation to the planes of the top and bottom of the bridge, which together with the plurality of lateral projections define the tape sliding surface. In addition, there is provided behind the stainless steel pins a flexible leaf spring having a relatively soft facing member thereon for exerting an even pressure on the running tape as it crosses the magnetic head of the external tape player/recorder apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a tape cassette, and more particularly, to a tape 
cassette having a separate guide for guiding tape along the open front of 
the tape cassette, opposite the magnetic head of an external tape 
player/recorder apparatus. 
A tape cassette is usually made by joining substantially planar top and 
bottom halves together to house two tape reels and tape which runs 
therebetween. A tape cassette also includes a tape guide structure which 
is either formed integrally of the two halves along an open front wall 
region thereof or is molded independently and is positioned at the front 
wall region during assembly. In operation, a magnetic head of an external 
tape player/recorder apparatus is inserted into the open front wall region 
to contact the tape running across the tape guide. 
To ensure optimum sound reproduction, it is critical that the tape crossing 
the magnetic head be oriented exactly "perpendicular" to the planes of the 
cassette halves to ensure proper contact between running tape and the 
magnetic head. Deviation from exact "perpendicularity" usually is the 
result of misalignment of the tape at the tape guide. 
In order to avoid misalignment of the tape, the tape guide must be designed 
and manufactured according to strict structural parameters to ensure 
guiding of the tape in as "perpendicular" an orientation as possible. Of 
course, such careful design and manufacturing is expensive. On the other 
hand, because of the vast quantities of compact cassettes made and sold, 
economy of construction is also important and must be balanced against the 
strict structural parameters required for an effective tape guide. 
Up until now, this balance has been attempted by molding the tape guide 
entirely of plastic, whether the tape guide is formed integrally of the 
top and bottom halves of the tape cassette or molded independently 
thereof. 
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,842, issued to Posso, teaches a tape 
cassette comprising top and bottom halves of a tape cassette and an 
independent one-piece tape guide molded entirely of plastic. More 
particularly, the independent tape guide is made up of an elongated molded 
body, integral at its back with two longitudinal ribs having a notch 
therebetween for receiving a pin extending from the bottom half of the 
cassette which holds the tape guide in the longitudinal direction. There 
is also formed on the front a plurality of transverse tabs, a left pair of 
which cooperates with lugs located on the bottom half of the cassette to 
hold the tape guide in the transverse direction. There is also an aperture 
formed in the lower half of the cassette which combines with a member 
extending from the external tape player/recorder to position the tape 
cassette relative to the tape player/recorder. 
Each of the plurality of tabs is designed to require a central notch whose 
edge is rounded. This series of round-edged notches in the plastic molded 
tabs is co-planar and defines the tape sliding surface along the open 
front wall region of the tape cassette. 
Finally, the tape guide of the '842 patent comprises a pressing member 
having a rigid support plate positioned centrally thereof for urging the 
tape against the magnetic head during operation. To this end, the most 
centrally located pair of tabs have projections formed integrally thereon 
in the shape of inclined ramps and adjacent bosses are formed integrally 
of the body of the tape guide. The rigid support plate of the pressing 
member is pressed against the ramps such that the plate deforms with its 
ends being housed between the projections and bosses. 
The '842 patent states that the above-discussed tape guide design provides 
an absolutely perpendicular sliding surface for the tape to travel along. 
This design, however, actually has several inherent drawbacks which 
frustrate the realization of the "balance" between optimum 
"perpendicularity" and cost efficiency. 
Firstly, the "perpendicularity" of the tape sliding surface is only as good 
as the molding process used to form the tape guide, most particularly, the 
tabs and the notches in the tabs. As suggested in the '842 patent, molding 
plastics to exacting structural specifications can be very difficult and 
expensive, and the more exacting the specifications of the molded product, 
the greater the chance for mold imperfections, especially where cost of 
manufacturing is a preoccupation. 
Secondly, since the independent tape guide is designed to be positioned 
stationary relative to the cassette, if the area of the tape 
player/recorder intended for receiving the cassette is not perfectly 
co-planar relative to the top and bottom of the tape guide, or vice versa, 
the tabs and notches formed on the tape guide will not be properly 
oriented relative to the magnetic head. Thus, "perpendicularity" of the 
tape at the magnetic head would again be negatively effected. 
More particularly, as discussed in the later U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,593, 
issued to Milants (which generally teaches away from the use of an 
independent tape guide), in a conventional two-part cassette housing 
having the tape guide molded integrally of each half of the tape cassette, 
guides project from the bottom cassette half and the top cassette half. 
When molding either such housing half, it is necessary to provide a taper 
of "draft" in those parts which extend substantially in the direction in 
which the mold is opened, so that the housing can be removed easily from 
the mold. Because of this draft the tape guide molded thereby does not 
possess true cylindrical surfaces about axes perpendicular to the planes 
of the cassette halves, but have more of a conical shape. A deterioration 
of tape playing/recording quality is inevitable with this construction. 
In contrast to the conventional construction described above, the tape 
guide of the '842 patent teaches that the independent tape guide is molded 
with the mold interface perpendicular to the bottom cassette half wall so 
that the tape sliding surface can be "theoretically" perpendicular to the 
support planes. This independent tape guide unit is then fixedly mounted 
in a corresponding box-shaped recess in the cassette. 
However, as emphasized in the '593 patent, the overall accuracy of the tabs 
and notches comprising the tape sliding surface depends greatly on the 
cumulative dimensional tolerances of the box-shaped recess and the tape 
guide in its entirety, and also on the tolerances observed during 
assembly. Moreover, the top and the bottom of the independent tape guide, 
like the conventional two-piece cassette described above, each are tapered 
to provide "draft", so that these surfaces by which the independent tape 
guide is mounted in the tape cassette may again provide an unwanted 
oblique relationship between the tape guide and the bottom of the 
box-shaped recess. 
Thirdly, due to the relative rigidity of the pressing member used with the 
independent tape guide of the '842 patent, it is possible that the 
pressing member could exert an uneven or non-"perpendicular" pressure upon 
the tape. In addition, the interference fit between the pressing member 
and the projections and bosses formed on the tape guide may result in a 
distortion of the front radius of the tape guide. These factors again 
could frustrate "perpendicularity". 
A fourth and final drawback of the tape guide of the '842 patent is that it 
requires molding parts on the bottom half of the cassette which are 
different than parts molded on the top half of the cassette and thus, this 
design prevents use of identical top and bottom halves which, of course, 
increases manufacturing costs. 
From the foregoing, it can be seen that an improved tape guide for a tape 
cassette is desired which can be accurately formed, but which is 
relatively simple in structure such that it may be made easily through 
automation, and which effectuates optimum orientation of the tape in the 
tape cassette crossing the magnetic head of a tape player/recorder. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an 
economical, high quality tape cassette which is still molded substantially 
of relatively inexpensive plastic. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tape cassette 
which can be formed and assembled efficiently by automation. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tape guide for a 
tape cassette which accurately guides tape across the magnetic head of a 
tape player/recorder. 
It is another object of this invention to provide a tape guide for a tape 
cassette which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost and yet 
provides superior orientation of the tape relative to the tape 
player/recorder in comparison to the prior art. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tape guide for a 
tape cassette having a tape guide sliding surface whose structural 
accuracy is not restricted by the current state of the molding art. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tape guide for a 
tape cassette which replaces the traditional molded tabs located closest 
to the magnetic head with a separate pair of pins inserted into the tape 
guide. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tape guide for a 
tape cassette whose most critical tape sliding surface, i.e., the area 
closest to the magnetic head, is defined by stainless steel pins whose 
design parameters can be carefully fabricated thus allowing for less 
exacting and less expensive design parameters at other areas of the tape 
guide, and most importantly, at the tape sliding surface. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tape guide for a 
tape cassette which is an independent sub-assembly having a tape sliding 
surface defined by a pair of stainless steel pins and a plurality of 
projections formed on the tape guide, each pin and projection being 
positioned perpendicular relative to the planes of the top and bottom of 
the tape guide. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an independent 
tape guide for a tape cassette having locating holes formed therein for 
receiving a member of an external tape player/recorder to properly orient 
the tape guide relative to the external tape player/recorder. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tape cassette 
having top and bottom halves and washers or liners made of clear plastic, 
while the tape guide, tape reels and tape rollers are made of dark 
plastic, thus imparting an attractive appearance to the tape cassette and 
allowing a view of the tape's operation. 
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide a tape guide 
for a tape cassette having a flexible tape contacting member for urging an 
even "perpendicular" pressure against the tape crossing the magnetic head 
of the tape player/recorder. 
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in 
part in the description which follows, and, in part will be obvious from 
the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The 
objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by 
means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out 
in the appended claims. 
To attain the objects described above according to the present invention, a 
preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a tape cassette having top 
and bottom cassette halves and an independent tape guide inserted 
therebetween. The independent tape guide is a sub-assembly comprising an 
elongated bridge molded of plastic and having a top planar surface, a 
bottom planar surface, a front, a back, a left end and a right end, two 
pair of colinear corner posts located laterally of the front center of the 
bridge and a plurality of lateral projections extending from the front 
between each pair of colinear posts and the left and right ends 
respectively, in relatively perpendicular relation to the planes of the 
top and bottom of the bridge. Each pair of corner posts has holes formed 
therein to receive a stainless steel pin therethrough also perpendicular 
to the planes of the top and bottom of the bridge. The pins, together with 
the plurality of lateral projections, define the tape sliding surface of 
the tape guide of the present invention. There is also provided pairs of 
primary and secondary locating holes formed diagonally opposite at the top 
and bottom of the bridge. These holes are surrounded by collars. The 
collars aid in orienting the tape guide relative to the tape cassette, 
while the primary and secondary locating holes combine with a member(s) 
extending from the external tape player/recorder to orient the tape guide 
relative to the external tape player/recorder. Finally, there is provided 
behind the stainless steel pins a flexible leaf spring having a relatively 
perpendicular soft tape contacting member thereon for exerting an even 
pressure on the running tape. 
This separate tape guide design, in comparison with the prior art designs 
discussed above, provides more accurate and cost efficient manufacturing 
and assembly of a tape cassette while providing optimum "perpendicularity" 
to attain improved sound reproduction. 
These, together with other objects and advantages which will become 
subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation 
as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals 
refer to like parts throughout.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
For convenience of reference to the tape cassette shown in the accompanying 
drawings, "front" indicates the area of the tape cassette exposed to the 
magnetic head of the player/recorder, "back" is the area opposite the 
front, "top" is the planar surface of the cassette facing up when the 
front of the cassette is inserted into the player/recorder, "bottom" is 
the opposite planar surface parallel the top, and "sides" are the areas 
extending perpendicularly between and connecting the edges of the top and 
bottom. 
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the tape cassette according to the present 
invention, indicated generally by reference numeral 10. The tape cassette 
10 includes a bottom half 12 and a top half 14 which are preferably made 
of a clear, hard plastic such as styrene. When assembled, the tape 
cassette 10 (and accordingly each cassette half 12 and 14) has a front 16, 
a back 18, a left side 20 (viewing from the tape player/recorder . . . not 
shown), and a right side 22. Positioned within the tape cassette 10 are a 
first tape reel 24 and a second tape reel 26 used to assist in moving tape 
28 throughout the tape cassette 10. Each tape reel 24 and 26 is made of a 
dark-colored plastic such as acetal. 
Located on the bottom half 12 of the tape cassette 10 are corner tape 
guiding shafts 30 and 32. There are also provided tape rollers 34 and 36, 
which are preferably made of a dark- or black-colored, hard plastic such 
as acetal, and which are rotatably received by columns 38 and 40. 
Elevated areas 42 and 46 are formed in the bottom half 12 and the top half 
16 of the tape cassette 10, respectively, for receiving the tape guide 
sub-assembly 44 which will be described hereafter. 
Both the top half 14 and the bottom half 12 have pairs of holes 48 and 50, 
respectively, for receiving part of the self-contained, separate tape 
guide 44, which will also be described hereafter. 
As seen in FIG. 2, to assemble the tape cassette 10, the tape guide 
sub-assembly 44 is positioned within areas 42 and 46 as the bottom half 12 
and the top half 14 are joined. The tape reels 24 and 26 with tape 28 
extending therebetween are positioned between flat washers or liners 52 
and 54, which are preferably flat or creased and made of a clear, flexible 
plastic such as an anti-static-treated polyester film. Each of the washers 
52 and 54 are substantially thin and rectangular and have holes 55 formed 
therein for receiving the hubs of tape reels 24 and 26. The combination of 
reels 24 and 26 and washers 52 and 54 are located by pairs of raised 
annular rings, 21 and 23 formed in the top half 14 and bottom half 12, 
respectively, and postioned between the relatively central planar areas of 
the top and bottom halves, 12 and 14, respectively, of the tape cassette 
10. The tape, of course, is placed across the front of the tape guide 44, 
and around tape guiding shafts 30 and 32 and rollers 34 and 36. 
More particularly, as seen in FIGS. 2-5, the tape guide sub-assembly 44 
comprises an elongated bridge 56 having a top 58, a bottom 60, a front 62, 
a back 64, a left end 66 and a right end 68. The elongated bridge 56 is 
preferably made of a single-piece of dark- or black-colored, hard molded 
plastic such as "ABS" (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). 
At the front 62 of the tape guide 44, there is located near the center 
thereof two pairs of colinear corner posts, 70, 72, and 74, 76. More 
particularly, there is an upper left corner post 70, a lower left corner 
post 72, an upper right corner post 74 and a lower right corner post 76. 
Each pair of posts 70, 72 and 74, 76 has a hole 78 extending therethrough 
for receiving the ends of a left pin 80 and a right pin 82, both of which 
are preferably cylindrical, of even length and made of non-magnetic 
stainless steel. The pins 80 and 82 are positioned within the holes 78 
such that the pins 80 and 82 are perpendicular to the planes of the top 58 
and bottom 60 of the tape guide 44 (and accordingly, parallel to each 
other). 
In contrast to the tabs formed in the tape guide described in U.S. Pat. No. 
3,934,842, the pins 80 and 82 may be formed more exactly and may be more 
easily oriented perpendicular to the planes of the top 58 and 68 of the 
tape guide 44. Thus, the desired "perpendicularity" is no longer made 
dependent on the current state of the molding art to create the mold for 
forming the tape guide. In addition, the problems regarding "draft" in 
molding, as discussed in regard to the prior art, are eliminated by the 
use of these pins 80 and 82. In addition the dimensions or other quality 
characteristics of the stainless steel pins 80 and 82 may be more 
carefully controlled than the molded projections of the prior art. For 
example, a stainless steel pin may have a particular low friction or low 
wear surface finish or plating applied thereto which is superior in tape 
contacting characteristics to a molded plastic surface. 
In addition, since the area near the magnetic head is the most critical for 
"perpendicularity" and thus overall performance, greater engineering and 
manufacturing effort and expense may be put into producing the pins, 80 
and 82, while less engineering and manufacturing effort and expense may be 
put into producing the rest of the tape guide, and particularly the tape 
sliding surface of the tape guide. 
Thus, the first drawback of the '842 patent is overcome by the present 
invention, i.e., the accuracy of the most critical area of the tape 
sliding surface is not dependent upon the present state of the molding 
art. Instead, metal pins are used to create exact "perpendicularity". 
At the front 62 of the tape guide 44, there is formed from left to right 
projections or ribs denominated by the letters A, B, C and D. Each of the 
projections A-D are molded perpendicular to the planes of the top 58 and 
bottom 60 of the tape guide 44. The projections A-D, along with the 
stainless steel pins 80 and 82, define the tape sliding surface of the 
present invention. 
The tooling used to produce the particular "perpendicularity" of the 
projections A-D in the present invention is different from that used with 
the '842 patent for producing "perpendicularity" of the tabs and notches 
therein. The tooling used herein is more similar to that described in U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,166,593. That is, the parting line (mold opening plane) of the 
mold used to produce the present invention is similar to the mold 
described in relation to FIG. 3 of the '593 patent. The mold used for the 
present invention has a parting line parallel to the tape traveling 
direction in the tape cassette 10 and the side action member in the mold 
forms the projections A-D perpendicular to this tape traveling direction. 
The "B" motion described in the '593 patent is similar to the movement of 
the side action member used to form the present invention to allow molding 
of a planar top 58 and bottom 60 and also the plurality of projections A-D 
perpendicular to the planes of the bridge top 58 and bottom 60 of the 
bridge 56. 
Thus, the second drawback of the '842 patent is overcome by eliminating 
"draft" during the molding process. 
The tape guide sub-assembly 44 also comprises a spring means 84 comprising 
a leaf spring 86 and a relatively soft, low friction tape contacting 
member 88. The ends of the leaf spring 86 are positioned on a left ridge 
90 and a right ridge 92 formed between each pair of posts 70, 72 and 74, 
76, respectively. Each of the ridges 90 and 92 are relatively flat and are 
also formed perpendicular to the planes of the top 58 and bottom 60 of the 
tape guide 44. By resting against these perpendicular ridges 90 and 92, 
the spring means 84 is capable of deflecting and exerting an even and 
perpendicular force uniformly against the tape 28 crossing the magnetic 
head during operation. 
Thus, the third drawback of the '842 patent is overcome since when the 
spring means 84 is inserted in the present invention it is not irregularly 
distorted, nor is the tape guide 44 itself irregularly distorted. Thus, 
the spring means 84 retains its flexible nature and constantly provides an 
even "perpendicular" pressure against the tape during operation. 
A relatively rigid shield 94 having a rectangular shape is also used with 
the tape guide 44 of the present invention. This shield 94 is a 
conventional means of keeping magnetic signals which are produced near the 
recording head away from the tape 28 on the reels 24 and 26. The shield 94 
fits into areas 96 formed between the posts 70, 72, 74 and 76 and a wall 
98. The wall 98 has one or more rounded projections 100 extending 
therefrom for abutting the shield 94. Finally, the shield 94 rests on a 
ledge 102 extending perpendicularly from the bottom of the wall 98. 
As shown in FIG. 4, the tape guide 44 also contains a pair of bottom-to-top 
diagonally opposed primary locating holes 104 and a pair of top-to-bottom 
diagonally opposed secondary locating holes 106. The primary and secondary 
locating holes are rectangular in shape, with the secondary locating holes 
being slightly larger than the primary locating holes, e.g., preferably 
0.156 inch side-to-side as opposed to 0.143 inch (the dimensions from 
front to back are preferably the same, i.e., 0.147 inch). This difference 
in dimensions is required to compensate or provide "slack" for the 
manufacturing tolerances of the external tape player/recorder or of the 
cassette itself. 
The primary and secondary locating holes are molded into the tape guide 44 
and are important because they define the relative positions of the 
projections A, B, C and D, as well as the steel pins 80 and 82, which are 
the tape sliding surface. 
Positioned around each of the holes 104 and 106 on the left side of the 
bridge, are left collars 108 and positioned around each of the holes 104 
and 106 on the right side of the bridge are right collars 110. When the 
tape cassette 10 is being assembled, left collars 108 are positioned 
within one set of holes 48 and 50 located in the top half 14 and the 
bottom half 12, respectively, of the tape cassette 10, and the right 
collars 110 are similarly positioned within the other set of holes 48 and 
50 located in the top half 14 and bottom half 12 of the tape cassette 10. 
Both the bottom half of the cassette 12 and the top half of the cassette 14 
also have a pair of colinear clearance holes 112 and 114, respectively. 
These clearance holes 112 and 114 function to receive the drive pin (not 
shown) of the external player/recorder when the tape cassette 10 is 
inverted during operation to play/record both sides of the tape 28. 
Thus, the collars 108, 110 orient the tape guide 44 relative to the tape 
cassette 10, while the primary and secondary locating holes 104, 106, 
respectively, combine with the pair of locating guide pins (not shown) of 
the external tape player/recorder (not shown) for properly orienting the 
tape guide 44 relative to the tape player/recorder. Immobilizing the tape 
guide 44 of the present invention within the tape cassette 10 during 
assembly thereof is not as crucial as is taught by the '842 patent. 
Instead, it is more important that the tape guide 44 be aligned relative 
to the external tape player/recorder than to the tape cassette 10. As a 
matter of fact, the '842 patent does not even have any separate holes in 
the independent tape guide for receiving the external tape 
player/recorder. 
Thus, a major difference between the present invention and the '842 patent 
is that the present invention emphasizes the orientation of the tape guide 
relative to the magnetic head, whereas the '842 patent emphasizes the 
orientation of the tape guide relative to the cassette. The inherent 
drawback of this type of design was already discussed, supra. 
The tape guide 44 also has a substantially cylindrical hole 116 near the 
central back 64 of the bridge 56 which, when the tape guide 44 is inserted 
into the tape cassette 10, surrounds a shaft 118 formed on the bottom half 
12 of the tape cassette 10. The shaft 118 eventually is received by a hole 
109 formed in the top half 14 of the tape cassette 10 during final 
assembly. 
As is common in the art, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate that there is formed in 
the front 16 of both the bottom half 12 and the top half 14 of the tape 
cassette 10 a left aperture 120 and a right aperture 122 for receiving the 
player/recorder roller (not shown) to be used together with the drive pin, 
and a central aperture 124 for receiving the magnetic head of the tape 
player/recorder. 
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the structures of the top half 14 and bottom half 
12 are substantially the same except for minor modifications, e.g., shaft 
118 and hole 109, so a basic mold could be used to make either half and 
then the minor modifications could be made. By having substantially 
similar halves, overall production costs are minimized. 
Thus, the present invention overcomes the fourth drawback of the '842 
patent, i.e., requiring separately designed top and bottom halves which, 
of course, increases production cost. 
As seen from the embodiments described above, this invention provides a 
relatively simple design wherein the tape sliding surface is more 
accurately formed than in the prior art, primary and secondary locating 
holes aid in orienting the tape guide relative to the tape 
player/recorder, exactly machined stainless steel pins are used to 
partially define the tape sliding surface instead of using only 
imprecisely molded tabs, and perpendicular ridges are used to resiliently 
support a spring which also urges an even "perpendicular" pressure upon 
the tape crossing the magnetic head. These above features of the present 
invention provide an efficiently manufactured tape cassette for producing 
improved orientation of the tape in relation to the magnetic head and 
thus, improved sound reproduction. 
In addition, the tape cassette of the present invention may be fabricated 
from different colored plastics, i.e., the top and bottom halves of the 
cassette may be made of clear, styrene plastic, the washers or liners may 
be made of clear, anti-static-treated polyester film, the bridge may be 
made of "ABS" (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) and the tape reels and 
rollers may be made of acetal. This contrasting color combination provides 
an aesthetically pleasing cassette from a marketing standpoint, while also 
allowing the manufacturer or user to view the interior of the cassette, 
and more particularly, the operation of the cassette, which, of course, is 
a functional advantage. 
The above-described tape cassette has been shown to be of the type intended 
for use in analog and digital audio tape players and recorders. However, 
the invention can be similarly applied to tape cassettes for use in video 
or other playing and/or recording apparatus. 
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the 
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily 
occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the 
invention to the exact construction and operation of the embodiments shown 
and described. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and variations 
falling within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents are 
intended.