Abstract:
A method and apparatus for dispensing a product includes a support housing, a disposable or non-disposable pump, a disposable product package connectable to the pump, a pump driver connectable to the pump, and a dispensing station on the support housing. The dispensing station supports the pump driver and is adapted to receive the pump and disposable product package. The disposable product package and the pump driver connect to the pump. The pump driver operates the pump to draw product from the disposable product package. When the disposable product package is empty, the disposable product package and the pump if disposable are removed from the dispensing station and disposed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for dispensing and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a method and apparatus for dispensing food products and food product concentrates, such as pizza sauce, soft ice cream, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, soup, salad dressing, juice concentrates, and the like.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    The viscosity of food products varies widely and ranges from relatively hard (e.g., soft ice creams) to semi-liquids (e.g., pizza sauce, ketchup, and mustard) to liquids (e.g., soups). Problems associated with viscous products or soups that contain solids arise because an employee or a customer typically manually dispenses such products. These problems relate to consistency, quality, cost, cleanliness, and the like.  
           [0005]    For example, ketchup and mustard usually have separate dispensers that each consist of a container having a pump. Although employees do not directly dispense ketchup and mustard, an employee must fill the dispensers when they are empty. This results in direct employee contact with both the dispensers and the ketchup and mustard. Furthermore, if the dispensers are not routinely cleaned or are cleaned improperly, an unsanitary condition situation arises.  
           [0006]    As another example, some food products, such as pizza sauce or soup, come in concentrate packages. An employee opens the concentrate package and empties the package into a large, typically open container. The employee then adds water and mixes the concentrate and water to form the final product. Then, as needed for final preparation or consumption, an employee or customer ladles the final product from the large open container. Thus, the final product can remain uncovered for long periods and employees or customers often contact the final product, both of which are unsanitary.  
           [0007]    Manual dispensing of food products occurs because heretofore the cost for dispensers suitable to dispense such products has been prohibitive. Accordingly, a product dispenser and a method of dispensing food product are needed that permit self-contained dispensing of food products and food product concentrates, such as pizza sauce, soft ice cream, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, soup, salad dressing, and the like.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    In accordance with the present invention, a product dispenser includes a support housing, a disposable or non-disposable pump, a disposable or non-disposable product package connectable to the pump, a pump driver connectable to the pump, and a dispensing station.  
           [0009]    The dispensing station may also include a platform secured to a support housing, a base residing on the platform over the pump driver and defining a pump slot that receives the pump therein, and a container supported by the base that receives the disposable product package therein. The disposable product package and the pump driver connect to the pump. The pump driver operates the pump to draw product from the disposable product package. When the disposable product package is empty, the disposable product package and the pump if disposable are removed from the dispensing station and disposed.  
           [0010]    The disposable product package may include a bag and a fitting secured to the bag wherein the fitting snap fits into an inlet of the pump adapted to receive the fitting therein. A mixing chamber is connectable to an outlet of the pump, whereby the mixing chamber is disposable with the pump if disposable when the disposable product package is empty. The mixing chamber includes a diluent inlet that introduces diluent into the mixing chamber for combination with product delivered into the mixing chamber by the disposable pump. A product delivery device may be coupled to an outlet of the mixing chamber.  
           [0011]    The pump driver may include a driving fork connectable to the pump and a driver unit coupled with the driving fork, whereby the driver unit operates the driving fork to facilitate the drawing of product by the pump from the disposable product package. The pump driver may further include a frame mountable to the dispensing station and adapted to link the driving fork with the driver unit.  
           [0012]    The driver unit may include a motor coupled with the driving fork via a drive shaft engageable with the driving fork and a gearbox coupled with the drive shaft and with the motor for transferring the driving force of the motor to the drive shaft. The driver unit may further include a clutch unit mountable onto the drive shaft for interfacing the drive shaft with driving fork. The driving fork includes an interface that engages a piston of the pump to couple the driving fork with the pump and a drive slot that engages the drive shaft of the driver unit to couple the driving fork with the driver unit.  
           [0013]    A method of dispensing product includes inserting a disposable pump into a dispensing station. A disposable product package is inserted into a dispensing station. The disposable product package is connected to the disposable pump. A pump driver is connected to the disposable pump. The disposable pump is operated via the pump driver to draw product from the disposable product package. The disposable product package and the disposable pump are removed from the dispensing station and disposed when the disposable product package is empty.  
           [0014]    Another method of dispensing a product measures diluent flow and controls a disposable pump, based on the measured flow, to pump the product. The diluent and the product are mixed and dispensed. The method further includes shipping the product and the pump, coupling the product to the pump at a location where dispensing occurs, and installing the coupled product and pump in a dispenser. Conversely, the product and pump may be coupled during installation in the dispenser. Alternatively, the method further includes coupling the product and the pump, shipping the coupled product and pump to a location where dispensing occurs, and installing the coupled product and pump in a dispenser.  
           [0015]    Still another method of dispensing a product includes shipping a disposable pump, shipping the product, coupling the product to the pump at a location where dispensing occurs, pumping the product in the pump, and dispensing the product. The method further includes installing the coupled product and pump in a dispenser or, conversely, coupling the product and pump during installation in the dispenser. Alternatively, the product and pump may be shipped together. The method still further includes mixing the product with a diluent and dispensing the mixture of the product and the diluent.  
           [0016]    A further method of dispensing product includes coupling the product to a disposable pump, shipping the coupled product and pump to a location where dispensing occurs, installing the coupled product and pump in a dispenser, pumping the product, and dispensing the product.  
           [0017]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a product dispenser that receives a disposable product package and a disposable pump therein.  
           [0018]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a product dispenser that includes a pump therein and receives a disposable product package therein.  
           [0019]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide a product dispenser that combines a product concentrate with a diluent during dispensing to form and end product thereof.  
           [0020]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a product dispenser suitable for connection with an end product delivery device.  
           [0021]    Still other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the following. Also, it should be understood that the scope of this invention is intended to be broad, and any combination of any subset of the features, elements, or steps described herein is part of the intended scope of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is a perspective view including cut-away portions illustrating a product dispenser according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a product package according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a pump driver according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 illustrates a driving fork of the pump driver. FIG. 4 a  is a perspective view illustrating the driving fork. FIGS. 4 b  and  4   c  are cross-sectional views illustrating the driving fork.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the driving fork connectedly engaged with a pump plunger of a pump.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 6 illustrates a clutch unit of the pump driver. FIG. 6 a  is a perspective view of the clutch unit. FIGS. 6 b - d  are cross-sectional views of the clutch unit.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 7 illustrates methods of dispensing product. FIG. 7 a  is a flowchart of a dispense controlled according to a diluent flow rate. FIGS. 7 b - c  are flowcharts of a dispense preceded by the delivery and installation of a pump and a product package.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a product dispenser according to an alternative embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0030]    As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is further to be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components or steps.  
         [0031]    As illustrated in FIG. 1, a product dispenser  300  includes a support housing  301  and a cover  302  mounted removably atop the support housing  301 . The support housing  301  supports and houses the components of the product dispenser  300 . Similarly, the cover  302  surrounds and thus protects the components of the product dispenser  300 .  
         [0032]    The support housing  301  includes at least one dispensing station  303  secured to the support housing  301  at an upper portion thereof and a pump driver  100  supported by the dispensing station  303 . The dispensing station  303  includes a platform  304 , a base  305  residing on the platform  303  over the pump driver  100 , and a container  306  supported by the base  305 . This preferred embodiment discloses the product dispenser  300  including four dispensing stations  303  and four pump drivers  100  to illustrate the dispensing of multiple products, such as ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salad dressing, and the like. Nevertheless, only one dispensing station  303  and one pump driver  100  may be used.  
         [0033]    As illustrated in FIGS.  1 - 6 , the pump driver  100  drives a pump  220  to facilitate the dispensing of product from a product package  308 . The pump  220  includes a piston  225  as in FIG. 5 engageable with the pump driver  100  to effect the drawing of product from the product package  308 . The dispensing station  303  provides a housing that holds the pump  220  and further permits the attachment of the pump  220  to the pump driver  100  via the piston  225 . Particularly, the base  305  includes a pump slot  309  for receiving the pump  220  therein. The pump slot  309  includes tabs  310  that engage flanges  311  on the pump  220  to aid in holding the pump therein.  
         [0034]    The pump  220  includes an inlet  221  suitable for connection with the product package  308  and an outlet  222  suitable for connection with a mixing chamber  223 . The mixing chamber  223  in turn connects to a dispensing outlet  224  via a tube  227 . Although this preferred embodiment discloses a dispensing outlet  224 , the mixing chamber  223  may connect to any other suitable end product delivery device, such as a pizza sauce spreader and the like. The mixing chamber  223  includes a diluent inlet  228  connected to a diluent source that delivers a diluent (e.g., water) into the mixing chamber  223 . In this preferred embodiment, the mixing chamber  223  includes a mixing device suitable to facilitate the combining of the product and diluent. Consequently, the pump  220  delivers product, typically in concentrate form, into the mixing chamber  223 , and the diluent source delivers diluent into the mixing chamber  223  via the diluent inlet  228 , resulting in the product and diluent combining in the mixing chamber to form an end product dispensed from the dispensing outlet  224 . Although a mixing chamber  223  has been disclosed, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the pump  220  may directly connect to the dispensing outlet  224  when the product does not require a diluent or when mixing before dispensing is not required.  
         [0035]    To ensure desired mixed concentrations of product and diluent, a suitable flow control device may be provided between the diluent source and the diluent inlet  228 , and the pump driver  100  could be controlled to operate the pump  220  at a preset rate. Alternatively, a suitable metering device could be provided between the diluent source and the diluent inlet  228 . The metering device provides metered amounts of diluent and further measures diluent flow to produce a signal thereof, which is used to control the pump driver  100  and drive the pump  220  such that the pump  220  delivers a desired amount of product for combination with diluent. An example of a suitable metering device is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/245,549, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.  
         [0036]    The pump  220  in this preferred embodiment is a reciprocating piston type pump commonly associated with product dispensing. Although this preferred embodiment discloses a reciprocating piston type pump, any suitable alternative, such as progressive cavity pump, may be used.  
         [0037]    The product package  308  includes a bag  312  coupled with a fitting  313  whereby the fitting inserts into the inlet  221  of the pump  220 . The fitting  313  includes an inlet  314 , a base  315 , and an outlet  316 . The base  315  engages the bag  312  and is permanently secured thereto using any suitable means such as a heat or sonic weld or suitable adhesive. The outlet  316  snap fits into the inlet  221  of the pump  220  to facilitate the delivery of product thereto. In this preferred embodiment, the bag  312  is constructed from flexible plastic material; however, other materials, such as, without limitation, plastic (e.g. PET) may also be used. Also, the pump may be adapted to receive product from any type of source, and the snap fit described herein is exemplary only.  
         [0038]    The dispensing station  303  provides a housing that holds the product package  308  and further permits the attachment of the product package  308  to the pump  220 . Particularly, the container  306  includes an opening  317  that receives the product package  308  therethrough to permit placement of the bag  312  within the container  306  such that the fitting  313  resides over the pump slot  309  of the base  305 . Consequently, with the insertion of a pump  220  into the pump slot  309 , the outlet  316  snap fits into the inlet  221  of the pump  220  to facilitate the delivery of product thereto. The fitting  313  is secured to the bag  312  in a position permitting easy location of the fitting  313  over the pump slot  309  upon placement of the product package  308  into the container  306 . Although this preferred embodiment discloses a separate pump  220  and product package  308 , the dispensing station  303  may be adapted to receive an integral pump  220  and a product package  308  shipped together as a single unit.  
         [0039]    The pump driver  100 , particularly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3- 6 , includes a driving fork  110  connectedly engaged with the pump  220  for providing a requisite motion to drive the pump  220 . Moreover, the pump driver  100  includes a driver unit  150  cooperatively linked with the driving fork  110 , whereby the driver unit  150  controls the rate by which the driving fork  110  moves and, thus, the rate by which product is pumped from the product package  308 . The driver unit  150  includes a standard motor  157  and a drive shaft  154  coupled to the motor  157  via a gearbox  152 . The gearbox  152  transfers the driving force of the motor  157  to the drive shaft  154  as well as permits variable control in the direction and speed of the drive shaft  154 . The gearbox  152  mounts onto the platform  304  of the dispensing station  303  to locate the drive shaft under the base  305 , while the motor  157  mounts underneath the platform  304 . Although this preferred embodiment discloses the driver unit  150  as including a gearbox  152  and a drive shaft  154 , the motor  157  could connect directly to the driving fork  110 .  
         [0040]    In this preferred embodiment, the driver unit  150  includes a clutch unit  159  that facilitates attachment of the drive shaft  154  to the driving fork  110 . Nevertheless, the clutch unit  159  is not necessary as the requisite attachment mechanism could be incorporated directly onto the drive shaft  154 .  
         [0041]    The preferred pump driver  100  further includes a frame  130  mountable to platform  304  of the dispensing station  303  for linking the driving fork  110  and the driver unit  150  in cooperative engagement. The frame  130  includes alignment bearings  132  engagedly coupled with the drive shaft  154  to ensure desirable operation of the driver unit  150 . The frame  130  further includes a locking subassembly  135  for securing the driving fork  110  with the frame  130 .  
         [0042]    The driving fork  110  as illustrated in FIG. 4 c  includes a body  115 , preferably constructed as a single piece. Moreover, the driving fork  110  is preferably divided into two portions, a head portion  11   a  for engagement with the pump  220  and a lever portion  111   b  extending outwardly from the head portion  111   a . The lever portion  111   b  includes a lever arm  115   a  preferably spanning the length of the lever portion  111   b  for imparting motion to the head portion  111   a . The lever portion  111   b  may include fork coupling elements  118  opposite the head portion  111   a  and extending outwardly from the lever arm  115   a . As illustrated in FIG. 3, the fork coupling elements  118  are hingedly engaged with the frame  135  via corresponding locking notches  135   a  provided by the locking subassembly  135 .  
         [0043]    The head portion  111   a  includes an interface  112  for contactedly engaging the piston  225  to thus drive the pump  220 . Specifically, in this preferred embodiment, the interface  112  defines a receiving slot  113  for engagement with corresponding piston ears  226  extending outwardly from the piston  225 . As illustrated in FIG. 5, the piston ears  226  slideably engage the receiving slot  113  so that the piston  225  is coupled with the pump interface  112 .  
         [0044]    The head portion  111   a  includes a drive slot  117  contactedly engaged by the clutch unit  159 . In operation, the clutch unit  159  traverses the drive slot  117 , thereby furnishing a desired motion to the driving fork  110  and, ultimately, to drive the pump  220 . The drive slot  117  in this preferred embodiment is substantially elliptical in shape to facilitate an up and down motion of the driving fork  110  and the piston  225 , as indicated in FIG. 3 by directional arrow  119 . Nevertheless, other suitable shapes for the drive slot  117  may be used that are suitable to supply a correspondingly desired motion thereof.  
         [0045]    Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 4 b , a releasable member  116  forms the drive slot  117  and secures to the body  115  to the body  115  using any suitable means. Accordingly, the releasable member  116  facilitates ease of exchange with other releasable members having clutch unit slots of different configurations that supply correspondingly different motions to the driving fork  110  and the piston pump driver  220 . It should be added that other embodiments contemplate the drive slot  117  as defined by the body  115 .  
         [0046]    As indicated by directional arrow  155  in FIG. 3, the driver unit  150  of the pump driver  100  preferably supplies a rotary motion so that the driving fork  110  may assume an up and down motion to drive the pump  220 . However other suitable motive directions of the driver unit  150  may be used for driving the pump  220 .  
         [0047]    The clutch unit  159  interfaces the drive shaft  154  and the driving fork  110 . In particular, FIG. 1 illustrates the clutch unit  159  disposed on the drive shaft  154  for converting the motion of the drive shaft  154  to the requisite motion for operating the driving fork  110  and the pump  220 . Thus, as the clutch unit  159  rotates cooperatively with the drive shaft  154 , it preferably slides about the drive slot  117 , thereby establishing a desired up and down motion for the driving fork  110  and, ultimately, for the piston  225  of the pump  220 .  
         [0048]    As illustrated in FIG. 6, the clutch unit  159  in this preferred embodiment is a one-way clutch. In FIG. 6 a , the clutch unit  159  includes a cam  161 , a spring  162  extending outwardly from the cam  161 , and a knob  160  extending outwardly from the cam  161  opposite the spring  162 , whereby the cam  161 , the spring  162 , and the knob  160  are preferably formed as one piece. The clutch unit  159  further includes a clutch unit bore  165  extending from the spring  162  through the cam  161  for securedly receiving the drive shaft  154 .  
         [0049]    In operation, the motor  157  via the gearbox  152  propels the drive shaft  154  in the direction indicated by directional arrow  155  in FIG. 3. The drive shaft  154  in turn propels the cam  161  and the spring  162 . The cam  161  and the spring  162  rotate cooperatively with the drive shaft  154 , thereby allowing the knob  160  to slide about the drive slot  117  so as to ultimately drive the pump  220 . In effect, the knob  160  acts as a lever and is positioned on the cam  161  so that the shape of the cam  161  provides a sufficient lever arm for the knob  160 , as shown in FIG. 6 b . Accordingly, the pump driver  100  drives the pump  220  in the following manner. The drive shaft  154  turns the clutch unit  159  disposed thereon so that the knob  160  of the clutch unit  159  engages the drive slot  117 , thereby allowing for the interface  112  of the driving fork  110  to drive the pump  220 .  
         [0050]    The driver unit  150  includes the clutch unit  159  to facilitate easier engagement of the drive shaft  154  with the drive slot  117 . Specifically, to link the drive shaft  154  with the drive slot  117  via the clutch unit  159 , the motor  157  may be controlled to implement a reverse rotational motion, as indicated for example in FIG. 3 by directional arrow  156 . When the drive shaft  154  rotates in reverse, the clutch unit  159  no longer rotates cooperatively with the drive shaft  154  but instead floats substantially freely about the turning drive shaft  154 . While the clutch unit  159  floats substantially freely about the drive shaft  154 , the knob  160  thus slides against the driver slot  117  with less force than required for drive shaft  154  to operatively drive the pump  220 . By sliding with less force, the knob  160  moves the driving fork  110  at a rate sufficient for readily coupling with the piston  225  of the pump  220 . In particular, it is relatively easy to engage the piston ears  226  of the pump  220  with the receiving slot  113  of the driving fork  110  due to the substantially free floating of the clutch unit  159 . Once the driving fork  110  is connectedly engaged with the piston  225  of the pump  220 , the motor  157  switches from reverse rotational motion to a rotational motion suitable for operating the pump  220 .  
         [0051]    To facilitate the dispensing of product as illustrated in FIGS. 7 a - c , a product package  308  and a pump  220  are shipped either together or separately to a location containing a product dispenser  300 . In some instances, the pump product package  308  and the pump  220  may be coupled together prior to shipping. The cover  302  is removed from the support housing  301 , the pump  220  is inserted into the pump slot  309 , and the pump  220  is connected to the pump driver  100 . The mixing chamber  223 , which is also typically disposable, is placed in the product dispenser  300  and connected to the dispensing outlet  224  via the tube  227 . It should be understood that the mixing chamber  223  may be integral with the pump  220  or connected prior to shipping or installation. Further, the diluent inlet  228  is connected to a diluent source using any suitable means, such as tubing. The product package  308  is placed within the container  306  such that the fitting  313  resides over the pump slot  309 , and the outlet  316  is snap fit into the inlet  221  of the pump  220  to facilitate the delivery of product thereto. Alternatively, the pump  220  and the product package  308  are loaded into the dispensing station  303  as an integral unit when the pump  220  and the product package  308  are coupled together either prior to shipping or prior to installation. The cover  302  is then returned onto the support housing  301  to place the product dispenser  300  in condition to dispense product.  
         [0052]    Product dispenser  300  delivers product responsive to the activation of a user interface device, typically a switch, that connects the motor  157  to a power source, typically a regulated power supply receiving input power from a standard 115V/120V line or 230V/240V line. The user interface device may further facilitate activation of a flow control device associated with diluent delivery, typically a valve, flow controller, or suitable metering device as previously described. The activation of the motor  157  facilitates the actuation of the pump  220  via the pump driver  100  as previously described. The pump  220  draws product from the product package  308  and delivers the product from the dispensing outlet  224 . A dispense associated with a metering device involves the metering device measuring the flow of diluent and outputting a signal thereof. A controller, such as a microprocessor of other known control system, drives the pump driver  100  and thus the pump  220  at a speed determined by the output signal such that the pump  220  delivers a desired amount of product for mixture with diluent. Upon the deactivation of the user interface device, the product dispenser  300  ceases the delivery of product due to the corresponding deactivation of the motor  157  and flow control device.  
         [0053]    After the emptying of a product package  308 , the cover  302  is again removed from the support housing  301 , and the outlet  316  of the fitting  313  is disconnected from the inlet  221  of the pump  220 . The product package  308  is then removed from within the container  306 . The mixing chamber  223  is disconnected from the dispensing outlet  224 , and the diluent inlet  228  is disconnected from the diluent source. The mixing chamber  223  is then removed from the product dispenser  300 . Conversely, the mixing chamber could be washable in place and thus remain within the product dispenser  300 . The pump  220  is disconnected from the pump driver  100  and removed from the pump slot  309 . Alternatively, the pump  220  and the product package  308  are removed together as an integral unit when the pump  220  and the product package  308  are coupled together either prior to shipping or prior to installation. The product dispenser is thus ready for reloading as described above. The removed product package  308 , pump  220 , and mixing chamber  223  are disposed, which makes the product dispenser  300  sanitary, as the product is not exposed to the environment.  
         [0054]    Accordingly, when a product package  308  containing concentrated product is employed, the product dispenser  300  provides a significant cost saving in terms of product shipping and storage costs. Moreover, significant quality and cost advantages are achieved because the food product is consistently dispensed, as opposed to the inconsistencies in ratio and quantity that result from manual dispensing.  
         [0055]    Although this preferred embodiment contemplates a disposable pump, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the pump  220  could be a non-disposable pump mounted within the pump slot  309  of the dispensing station  303  and utilized with multiple disposable product packages  308 . In this instance, the pump  220  could be washable in place and thus remain within the dispensing station  303 .  
         [0056]    As illustrated in FIG. 8, an alternative embodiment of a product dispenser  400  provides a configuration that uses a cartridge  200 , which may be a permanent or disposable container, to supply product to the product dispenser  400 . The product dispenser  400  is similar to the product dispenser  300  and like parts have been labeled with like numerals, except the base  401  of the dispensing station  402  includes rails  385  defining a slot  390  that receives the cartridge  200  therein. Similar to the product package  308 , the cartridge  200  includes a fitting suitable for insertion into the inlet  221  of the pump  220 . Consequently, after the loading of the product dispenser  400  with the cartridge  200 , the product dispenser  400  operates identically to the product dispenser  300  in the dispensing of product.  
         [0057]    Although the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoing embodiment, such description has been for exemplary purposes only and, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, many alternatives, equivalents, and variations of varying degrees will fall within the scope of the present invention. That scope, accordingly, is not to be limited in any respect by the foregoing description; rather, it is defined only by the claims that follow.