Abstract:
A wipe warmer having a container to receive liquid and sponge pad therein, where the container is placed under the wipes to keep the wipes moist. The container has a top and a support plate within, both of which are perforated allowing moisture to pass through. These perforations offset each other to facilitate efficient saturation of the sponge pad, when the sponge pad is placed between the perforated top and the perforated plate. Further, the container can be a removable basket-like structure. Alternatively, all or part of the container can be an integral part of the wipe warmer. While the wipes can be placed on top of the container, an alternative design is to place the wipes and the container side-by-side.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The field of the invention is for a wipe warmer for heating and humidifying wipes therein, and more particularly relates to a humidifying device placed within a wipe warmer to prevent excessive drying or yellowing of the wipes therein. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     Various wipe warmers are known for keeping baby wipes in a warm environment, so as to provide deeper cleaning and to reduce irritation to baby&#39;s skin caused by cold wipes. However, most of these wipe warmers fail in maintaining appropriate wetness of the baby wipes over a prolonged period of time (baby wipes may dry and discolor). Although some conventional wipe warmers are designed to be used with a wetting pad/sponge for the purposes of preventing baby wipes from dehydrating and discoloring, there remains a need for better and longer lasting ways to keep baby wipes wet. 
     For example, China Patent No. 01278643.8 (which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety) discloses a conventional wipe warmer having a thermal tank for heating water therein, a tray positioned above the thermal tank for bearing baby wipes, and a net formed between the thermal tank and the tray. In operation, the net is also heated when the thermal tank heats the water, thus stabilizing the air temperature in the inner room as defined by the thermal tank and the tray. Accordingly, warm vapor with stable temperature is introduced to the baby wipes via through holes of the tray. However, in practical use, the heated net adjacent to the tray may cause the lower baby wipes to dry up faster, thus decreasing the effectiveness of the warm vapor. 
     Furthermore, Applicant&#39;s own U.S. Pat. No. 6,674,048 8 (herein incorporated by reference in its entirety) discloses a conventional wipe warmer also having a thermal tank for heating water therein and a tray positioned above the thermal tank for bearing baby wipes. This conventional wipe warmer further includes a sponge disposed on the bottom of the thermal tank to support the tray. Since this sponge is soaked in the water and disposed between the thermal tank and the tray, it may serve as a thermal buffer between them, thus decreasing heating effect to the baby wipes. Moreover, while naturally formed pores of the sponge pad can serve as passage ways for warm vapor, a sponge directly in contact with the bottom of the thermal tank over an extended period of time may be damaged by heat. 
     As a result, there is still a need for improving wipe warmers so as to largely minimize drying and discoloration of on baby wipes received therein. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The inventive subject matter addresses and overcomes the above-described drawbacks of conventional wipe warmers by (either portably or non-portably) providing a humidifying device for supporting a liquid reservoir (e.g., wetting pad, sponge) spaced apart from an area that holds liquid (e.g., water). 
     Among the many different possibilities contemplated, the wipe warmer of the inventive subject matter may have a portable/removable container having a bottom and adapted to receive liquid above the bottom (i.e., an area that holds liquid). This container has a partitioner coupled with the container to form and/or enclose an inner area in the container. In one specific embodiment, this partitioner is a pivoting lid to the container. Generally the partitioner has a first surface facing the inner area, a second surface opposite to the first surface and adapted to face a wipe-receiving area, wherein the wipe-receiving area is adapted to receive at least one wipe. In yet another specific embodiment, wipes are stacked directly on top of the partitioner. 
     Generally the partitioner has at least one aperture extending from the first surface to its second surface, allowing passage of moisture through the thickness of the partitioner. The partitioner can connect to the rest of the container by a hinge, or, alternatively, it can be a separable lid that snaps onto the rest of the container. 
     Within the container, a support (e.g., a perforated plate) is received in the inner area, wherein the support distinguishes two spaces within the inner area: a space for supporting a liquid reservoir (e.g., wetting pad, sponge), and a space for holding free-flowing liquid. The support has a surface facing the bottom of the container, another surface on the opposite side to support and hold a commercially available liquid reservoir. Similar to the partitioner, the support has at least one through hole extending from its one surface to its other surface, allowing fluid communication of moisture and/or other liquid (e.g., water) therethrough. The portable container is designed to be placed inside the main housing of a wipe warmer, near or under where baby wipes are typically placed. This way, a typical heater in known wipe warmers can apply heat to the container, thereby releasing moisture from the container. 
     While the preferred embodiments have a support (e.g., a perforated support plate) that creates two separate spaces in a top-bottom arrangement, it is further contemplated that the the support can create other spatial arrangements that are not top-bottom. For example, in one contemplated embodiment, the support is placed in a vertical orientation, creating two spaces in a side-by-side arrangement. 
     In some preferred embodiments, the at least one through hole of the support and the at least one aperture of the partitioner are misaligned (or offset) with each other, such that one aperture is not directly located above one through hole. Of course, a mixture of aligned aperture-through hole with misaligned aperture-through hole is also contemplated. 
     There are many ways to keep the support in place. In some embodiments, the container uses at least one sustainer between the bottom of the container and the support for spacing the support apart from the bottom of the container. 
     In the preferred embodiments, the container is designed to provide an enclosure to hold free-flowing liquid and/or commercially known liquid reservoir (e.g., wetting pad, sponge). Therefore, the container has a lateral wall surrounding and in connection with the bottom, and the partitioner connects to the lateral wall of the container so as to form a portable case/container/basket separable and removable from the wipe-receiving area (e.g., a room) of the main housing. Contemplated container can or cannot have perforated bottom or perforated wall. In less preferred embodiments, the bottom and/or the walls of the container have openings allowing free-flowing liquid to flow in-and-out of the container, to and from the enclosed room-like space. 
     With the container placed inside the main housing, the wipe-receiving area is now defined by the second surface of the partitioner, the inner walls of the main housing cover, and walls of the room. 
     Another aspect of the inventive subject matter is directed to a wipe warmer having a perforated support plate and a perforated partitioner in place using sustainers built into the inner side walls of its wipe-receiving area, without the need for having separate/removable container. The goal is to have separated spaces for liquid reservoir and free-flowing liquid, yet allowing moisture to pass from one space to another space. 
     Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       It should be noted that the drawing figures may be in simplified form and might not be to precise scale. In reference to the disclosure herein, for purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as, top, bottom, left, right, up, down, over, above, below, beneath, rear, front, distal, and proximal are used with respect to the accompanying drawings. Such directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded and perspective view of a first embodiment of a wipe warmer having humidifying device according to an aspect of the inventive subject matter. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the wipe warmer having humidifying device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a wipe warmer having humidifying device according to an aspect of the inventive subject matter. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of a wipe warmer having humidifying device according to an aspect of the inventive subject matter. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of a partitioner having a plurality of apertures, juxtaposed to a support having a plurality of through holes, according to an aspect of the inventive subject matter. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the partitioner and support of  FIG. 5 , wherein the partitioner is placed directly on top of the support, showing misalignment of apertures and through holes, according to an aspect of the inventive subject matter. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention and its various embodiments can now be better understood by turning to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which are presented as illustrated examples of the invention defined in the claims. It is expressly understood that the invention as defined by the claims may be broader than the illustrated embodiments described below. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a wipe warmer  10  of a first embodiment of the inventive subject matter is shown. The wipe warmer  10  includes a container  100  for receiving liquid L inside; a partitioner  120  pivotably coupled with the container  100  to form an inner area A 1  in the container  100 ; a support  140  received in the inner area A 1 ; a main housing  160  to receive the container  100 , and a heater  180  arranged in the bottom of the main housing  160  so as to heat the liquid L received in the container  100 . Specifically, a combination of the container  100 , partitioner  120 , and support  140  can be further regarded as a humidifying device. 
     Specifically, the container  100  has a bottom  102  and a lateral wall  104  surrounding and in connection with the bottom  102  so as to contain the liquid L above the bottom  102  and within inner area A 1 , wherein the liquid L may be water to be heated to generate warm vapor. Warm vapor is to pass through the support  140  and partitioner  120  into the area surrounding the container  100 . Optionally, there may be a sustainer  106  formed inside the inner area A 1  and on the bottom  102  of the container  100 , so as to uphold and separate the support  140  away from the bottom  102 . 
     Here, the inner area A 1  is an entirely closed space. Any moisture or liquid enclosed within area A 1  may escape only through the plurality of apertures  126 , when the partitioner  120  is closed shut on the container  100 . 
     In some other embodiments not illustrated in the drawing figures, the inner area A 1  is not entirely closed space, even when the partitioner  120  is closed shut. For example, in less preferred embodiments, the lateral wall  104 , or the bottom  102 , or both, can have openings or perforations, allowing moisture/liquid to freely pass in-and-out of the container  100 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the partitioner  120  couples to the lateral wall  104  of the container  100  and jointly define the inner area A 1  of the container  100 . The partitioner  120  has a first surface  122  facing the inner area A 1 , a second surface  124  opposite to the first surface  122 , and a plurality of apertures  126  extending from the first surface  122  to the second surface  124 , allowing fluid communication of moisture and/or liquid between two sides of the partitioner  120 . Particularly, the second surface  124  is adapted to face a wipe-receiving area A 2  of the wipe warmer  10 , wherein the wipe-receiving area A 2  is to receive at least one wipe W in the wipe warmer  10 . In this embodiment, said wipe-receiving area A 2  is above the partitioner  120  when the wipe warmer  10  is in use, and when the at least one wipe W is piled on the second surface  124  of the partitioner  120 . The apertures  126  penetrate through the thickness of the partitioner  120  from the first surface  122  to the second surface  124 . As described above, the apertures  126  allows moisture to pass through the partitioner  120  from the inner area A 1  to the wipe-receiving area A 2 , and vice versa. The idea is so that warm vapor generated in the inner area A 1  can enter into the wipe-receiving area A 2  via the apertures  126  to moisten wipes W. Preferably, the apertures  126  are positioned into an array. In other embodiments, the apertures  126  are equidistant to each other. 
     Various ways are contemplated for coupling the partitioner  120  to the container  100 . For example, the partitioner  120  may be connected to the container  100  via a hinge  128 . This way, the partitioner  120  serves as a pivoting cover of the container  100 . In other embodiments, the partitioner  120  can be a snap-on lid. One skilled in the art would immediately recognize other typical ways to use and couple the partitioner  120  as a lid to the container  100 . In most preferred embodiments, a combination of the container  100  and the partitioner  120  forms a portable case separable and removable from the wipe-receiving area A 2 . 
     The support  140  received in the inner area A 1  has a third surface  142  facing the bottom  102  of the container  100 , a fourth surface  144  opposite to the third surface  142  to support a liquid reservoir  146 , such as a sponge. In the preferred embodiment, the support  140  has a plurality of through holes  148  extending from the third surface  142  to the fourth surface  144 . Preferably, the through holes  148  are also positioned into an array. Even more preferably the through holes  148  are equidistant to each other. 
     While support  140  in all of the illustrated drawings is shown to have through holes  148 , less preferred embodiments of the inventive subject matter can have no through holes at all, so long as there is left some kind of passage for moisture to pass from the bottom side of the support to the upper side of the support  140 . For example, a gap can be provided between the support  140  and the surrounding lateral walls  104 . 
     Returning now to  FIG. 2 , the through holes  148  are also adapted for warm vapor originating from the liquid L to pass through, so as to moisten the liquid reservoir  146 . Warm vapor can further enter into the wipe-receiving area A 2  via apertures  126 . Also specifically contemplated are many ways to use the container  100  as shown in  FIG. 2 . In one method, the liquid reservoir  146  is disposed by a user between the fourth surface  144  of support  140  and the first surface  122  of the partitioner  120 . That is, the liquid reservoir  146  may be disposed above the support  140  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). In another method, the liquid reservoir  146  may be disposed below the support  140  (not shown). In either method, a user may add various volumes of free-flowing liquid (e.g., water) into the container  100 . For example, the liquid can be no higher than the support  140 . In another example, the liquid can overwhelm the support  140 . 
     Contemplated main housing  160  has a room  162  for receiving the portable case/container  100  having the partitioner  120 . In this first embodiment, a part of the inner space of the room  162  is for positioning the portable container  100 , and another part of the inner space of the room  162  serves as the wipe-receiving area A 2  to store wipes W. As is known in the art, the main housing  160  has a cover  164  capable of sealing the room  162 , so that warm vapor in the wipe-receiving area A 2  can be kept within the room  162  to keep the wipes W moistened. Namely, in this embodiment, the wipe-receiving area A 2  is defined by the second surface  124  of the partitioner  120  and inner walls of the room  162  and cover  164 . 
     As is known in the art, the heater  180  is arranged in the main housing  160 , usually at the bottom  102  of the main housing  160  to heat the room  162 . In the contemplated embodiments, the heater  180  is also arranged at the bottom  102  of the main housing to heat liquid L in the container  100 . 
     The heater  180  may be located in other parts of the main housing  160 , so long as it is adjacent to the desired location of the container  100 . As will be seen in  FIG. 3 , a desired location of the container  100  may be to the side of the room  162 . In such embodiments, the heater  180  can be disposed underneath the container location, or on the side wall adjacent to the container location. In further contemplated embodiments (not shown), the heater  180  can even be placed near the top of the room  162 , for example, in the cover  164  of the main housing  160 , so as to heat container  100  located somewhere near the cover  164 . In this design, heat is applied in a direction from top of the room  162  towards the bottom of the room  162 . 
     In practical use of this wipe warmer  10 , the wipes W are disposed on the second surface  124  of the partitioner  120  as described previously, and then warm vapor is created by heating the liquid L in the container  100 . The warm vapor goes upwards via the through holes  148  of the support  140  to moisten the liquid reservoir  146 , so that the wet liquid reservoir  146  can serve as a thermal buffer. Finally, the wet vapor further goes upwards to the wipes W in the wipe-receiving area A 2  by first passing through the apertures  126  of the partitioner  120 . Specifically, the moistened liquid reservoir  146  arranged between the wipes W and the heater  180  prolongs the moistened state of the wipes W, and works better than having only a pool of heated water alone, or having only a moistened or soaked liquid reservoir alone. Furthermore, another key discovery of the inventive subject matter is the advantage of disposing the liquid reservoir  146  spaced apart from the heater  180  by at least the support  140  and the bottom  102  of the container  100 , allowing gradual and indirect heating via a pool of water. This arrangement surprisingly and advantageously prolongs the moistening effect and usable life of the liquid reservoir  146 . 
     Please refer now to  FIG. 3 , which shows a wipe warmer  20  of a second embodiment having a container  200  for receiving liquid L inside, a partitioner  220  coupled with the container  200  to form an inner area A 1  in the container  200 , a support  240  received in the inner area A 1 , a main housing  260  having a room for receiving the container  200  towards one side of the room instead of at the bottom of the room, and a heater  280  arranged in the main housing  260  directly beneath the container  200  so as apply heat to the liquid L in the container  200 . Comparing to the wipe warmer  10  of the first embodiment, here, wipes W and container  200  are arranged side-by-side in the room  262 , and the container  200  does not serve as a tray to hold at wipes W. 
     In the embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3 , the container  200  has a bottom  202  and a lateral wall  204  surrounding and in connection with the bottom  202  so as to contain liquid L above the bottom  202 . A sustainer  206  is formed inside an inner area A 1  and on an inner side of the lateral wall  204 , so as to support and separate the support  240  from the bottom  202 . The support  240  is disposed horizontally flat. Alternatively, in order to space the support  240  apart and away from the bottom  202 , instead of forming the sustainer  206 , an inner surface of the lateral wall  204  may be inclined (not shown) relatively to the bottom  202 , so that the inner surface of the lateral wall  204  is tapered from an upper opening of the container  200  to the bottom  202 , and the support  240  directly abuts against the inner surface of the lateral wall  204 . 
     The partitioner  220  has a first surface  222  facing the inner area A 1 , a second surface  224  opposite to the first surface  222 , and a plurality of apertures  226  extending from the first surface  222  to the second surface  224 . Particularly, the second surface  224  is adapted to face a wipe-receiving area A 2  of the wipe warmer  20 , wherein the wipe-receiving area A 2  is for receiving at least one wipe W in the wipe warmer  20 . In this embodiment, instead of being piled on the second surface  224 , said wipe-receiving area A 2  is piled besides the partitioner  220  when the wipe warmer  20  is in use. The apertures  226 , penetrating through the thickness of the partitioner  220  from the first surface  222  to the second surface  224 , allow fluid communication between the inner area A 1  and the wipe-receiving area A 2  for the warm vapor originated from the heated liquid L. Preferably, the apertures  226  are positioned into an array. Preferably, the partitioner  220  connects to the container  200  via a hinge  228 , and thus the partitioner  220  may serve as a cover of the container  200 , so that a combination of the container  200  and the partitioner  220  forms a portable case separable from the wipe-receiving area A 2 . 
     The support  240  received in the inner area A 1  includes a third surface  242  facing the bottom  202  of the container  200 , a fourth surface  244  opposite to the third surface  242  and supporting a liquid reservoir  246 , and a plurality of through holes  248  extending from the third surface  242  to the fourth surface  244 . Preferably, the through holes  248  are also positioned into an array. 
     The main housing  260  has a room  262  for receiving the portable case formed by the container  200  and the partitioner  220 . In this second embodiment, a part of the inner space of the room  262  is for positioning the portable case, and the another part of the inner space of the room  262  serves as the wipe-receiving area A 2  having wipes W. Furthermore, the main housing  260  may also include a cover  264  capable of sealing the room  262 , so as to keep the warm vapor ejected into the wipe-receiving area A 2  in the room  262 . Namely, in this embodiment, the wipe-receiving area A 2  is defined by the second surface  224  of the partitioner  220  and inner walls of the room  262  and cover  264 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a wipe warmer  30  of a third embodiment of the inventive subject matter. The wipe warmer  30  also includes a container  300  for receiving liquid L inside, a partitioner  320  coupled with the container  300  to form an inner area A 1  in the container  300 , a support  340  received in the inner area A 1 , a main housing  360  coupled with the container  300 , and a heater  380  arranged in the main housing  360  so as to heat the liquid L received in the container  300 . In comparison with previous illustrated wipe warmers  10 ,  20 , however, instead of being beneath or beside the wipes W, the humidifying device of the wipe warmer  30  receives the wipes W inside the container  300 . 
     Specifically, the container  300  has a bottom  302  and a lateral wall  304  surrounding and in connection with the bottom  302  so as to contain the liquid L above the bottom  302 . The lateral wall  304  extends not only towards but also over the partitioner  320 . Moreover, the container  300  has a cover  305  opposite to the bottom  302 , so as to jointly define a wipe-receiving area A 2  inside the container  300  with the lateral wall  304 , the cover  305  and the partitioner  320 . The wipe-receiving area A 2  receives wipes W. Specifically, the cover  305  is adapted to seal the container  300 , so that warm vapor sourced from the heated liquid L can be kept in the wipe-receiving area A 2 . There may be a sustainer  306  formed inside the inner area A 1  and on the bottom  302  of the container  300 , so as to uphold and separate the support  340  away from the bottom  302  in a vertical direction. 
     The partitioner  320  couples with the lateral wall  304  of the container  300  and jointly defines the inner area A 1 . Partitioner  320  has a first surface  322  facing the inner area A 1 , a second surface  324  opposite to the first surface  322 , and a plurality of apertures  326  extending from the first surface  322  to the second surface  324 . Particularly, the second surface  324  is adapted to face the wipe-receiving area A 2 . In other words, said wipe-receiving area A 2  of this embodiment is defined by the second surface  324  and the lateral wall  304  and cover  305  of the container  300 . The apertures  326 , penetrate through the thickness of the partitioner  320  from the first surface  322  to the second surface  324 , allows fluid communication between the inner area A 1  and the wipe-receiving area A 2  for warm vapor originated from the heated liquid L. Similarly to other embodiments, the apertures  326  are positioned into an array. 
     The support  340  received in the inner area A 1  includes a third surface  342  facing the bottom  302  of the container  300 , a fourth surface  344  opposite to the third surface  342  and supporting a liquid reservoir  346 , such as a sponge or a wetting pad, and a plurality of through holes  348  extending from the third surface  342  to the fourth surface  344 . Preferably, the through holes  348  are also positioned into an array. Preferably, the through holes  348  misalign with the apertures  326  of the partitioner  320  in the vertical direction such at an aperture  326  is not directly above a through hole  348 . In one embodiment, support  340  can be entirely removed from the container  300 . 
     The main housing  360  may have a room  362  for receiving the container  300 . However, the main housing  360  may also be a seat for merely supporting the container  300 . The heater  380  is arranged in the main housing  360 , which is adjacent to the bottom  302  of the container  300  and adapted to heat the liquid L therein. Specifically, the heater  380  is imbedded in the main housing  360  and outside the room  362  in this embodiment. 
     In this third embodiment, both of the inner area A 1  and wipe-receiving area A 2  are inside the container  300 , which are separated by the partitioner  320 , and thus electrical parts of the wipe warmer  30  for operation of the heater  380  can be totally removed from both of these areas A 1 , A 2  as long as the container  300  is disengaged with and away from the main housing  360 . Therefore, the user can clean the container  300  and elements inside areas A 1 , A 2  by water without danger of electrical shock or water damage to electrical parts, thereby improving product safety. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , both of which illustrate the inventive concept of misaligning/offsetting apertures and through holes to achieve desirable moistening of liquid reservoir  146 .  FIG. 5  is a top view of a partitioner  120 , and a top view of a support  140 .  FIG. 6  is a top view of the partitioner  120 ,  320  placed over the support  140 ,  340  as shown in embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . Here, moisture passing through through hole  148  travels next in a lateral direction in order to reach the closest aperture  126 , thereby moistening a much larger portion of liquid reservoir  146 , versus where apertures and through holes are vertically aligned. 
     Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the invention includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements, which are disclosed herein even when not initially claimed in such combinations. 
     The words used in this specification to describe the invention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself. 
     The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims therefore include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination. 
     Thus, specific embodiments and applications of wipe warmer have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalent within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the invention.