Abstract:
A fender finder that includes a vertical standard threaded over at least a portion of its exterior and designed for installation into a receiver portion threaded over at least a portion of its interior. In one form of the invention, the receiver portion is affixed by bolts to an exterior surface of the vehicle. Prior to installation, a mounting surface of the receiver portion is shaped in conformity with the vehicle exterior. The vertical standard is then threaded into the receiver portion. The vehicle operator can easily see the vertical standard, whereas the vehicle hood and fenders are virtually invisible to the driver of many recent automobile models. The fender finder informs the vehicle driver about the location of vehicle extremities, thus facilitating the processes of parking, driving along narrow thoroughfares, and positioning the vehicle within a traffic lane while cruising along the highway.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/957,934, filed Oct. 4, 2004. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to a device that aids a driver in locating vehicle extremities and in particular to a device that aids in locating the front fenders of a vehicle, and is more particularly directed toward a vehicle-mounted device that aids in locating vehicle front fenders both to facilitate parking the vehicle and positioning the vehicle properly in its traffic lane while in motion.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     For many years, the prominent front-end decoration or “hood ornament” provided on automobiles not only served to identify the vehicle manufacturer, but also provided a reference point for the driver in determining the vehicle&#39;s position in the traffic lane while motoring. For many modern automobile models, the hood ornament has been dispensed with, and the loss of this valuable reference point has made the task of maintaining proper position in a traffic lane more challenging for many drivers.  
         [0004]     It is not only the loss of the hood ornament that creates position problems for drivers. In the past, automakers sold cars with front fenders that could be seen by the driver. Today, many new car models, particularly mid-size and compact, are designed such that the vehicle front slopes sharply down and away from the driver. In some cases, the driver can only see the windshield wipers. Even for drivers of greater than average height, the leading edge of the vehicle -hood cannot be seen at all from the driver&#39;s seat. To make matters worse, the front fenders of the car are also invisible. Without a visible marker indicating the center of the hood, and without the driver being able to determine with certainty the precise position of the vehicle fenders, keeping the vehicle centrally positioned within its traffic lane is largely based upon approximation, and parallel-parking the vehicle, even in a spacious parking spot, can be problematic.  
         [0005]     There are a number of “fender guide” devices known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,834,682, issued Dec. 1, 1931 to Charles Colstad, describes a guiding attachment for automobiles. This particular type of fender guide is attached to the vehicle by clamping to a fender. The staff of the fender guide is mounted on a pivot so that the orientation of the staff can be adjusted to vertical no matter what angle the base portion makes with the fender. An indicator, such as a bird or an arrow, is screwed on to the top of the staff to make the fender guide easy to see for the driver.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 2,584,777 issued Feb. 5, 1952 to Mr. George S. Adolfson. Mr. Adolfson&#39;s invention is a clearance-indicating arm that is pivotally mounted to the interior of an automobile windshield by a suction cup. The arm is formed from clear plastic and is softly illuminated at night so it can be plainly seen by the driver. In operation, the guide is pivoted into a position parallel with the highway center line, and the operator uses the guide as an aid in preventing drifting of the vehicle across the center line.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 2,559,761 issued Jul. 10, 1951 to Frank F. Fulton, describes a tractor sight designed to make it easier for a tractor driver to drive the vehicle in a straight line when sighting on a distant indicator (generally a tall post). The sighting portion of Mr. Fulton&#39;s invention is generally circular in nature, and includes two spaced-apart vertical bars through which the distant post or marker is viewed by the driver for better alignment. Mr. Fulton&#39;s tractor sight uses a U-shaped bracket firmly mounted to the tractor hood, and includes a threaded stud protruding upwardly from the bracket. The vertical rod that supports the circular sight is manufactured in telescoping sections. The interior section is securely threaded onto the stud that projects upward from the mounting bracket, then the height of the circular sight portion above the tractor hood can be adjusted by moving the telescoping rod, then securing the outer-rod in place with respect to the inner rod with the aid of a winged set screw.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,439 issued Jul. 3, 1956 to Mr. Alec Greenfield. Mr. Greenfield&#39;s patent describes a vehicle clearance guide designed to be mounted directly to the frame surrounding the vehicle headlight. The mounting base is a clamping structure which, in one embodiment, has hook-like features that engage interior and exterior portions of the headlight lens frame. The clearance guide itself is a simple vertical rod fixed to the mounting base with a clamp that allows adjustment of the vertical extent of the rod itself. In another embodiment, the clearance-indicating rod has a light mounted at its top. An electrical connector is provided that is intended to be clipped onto the existing vehicle headlight connector.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,821, issued Apr. 25, 1972 to Peter A. De Nure, is directed toward a special vehicle orienting device that is designed to allow the vehicle operator to maintain the vehicle at a fixed distance from a reference line at the right-hand side of the roadway. This is a fairly simple plastic device, preferably spherical in design, that is simply attached to the vehicle hood close to the front of the vehicle. The precise position of this orienting device is dependent upon the particular vehicle operator and the desired distance the operator would like to maintain from the right-hand side of a roadway. The orienting device can also be illuminated by a lamp mounted underneath the vehicle hood, provided that an appropriate reflector and a second transparent opening in the hood are provided to direct light onto the orienting device.  
         [0010]     U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,924 issued Jan. 7, 1975 to John F. Bores. This patent describes a truck bumper guide that can be mounted by a clamp-type mounting base that is easily affixed to the outward extremities of a truck bumper. The mounting base clamps a vertical mounting sleeve securely to the truck bumper. A vertical standard, including a light at the top for easy viewing by the driver, simply slides into the sleeve for proper mounting.  
         [0011]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,653 issued Apr. 12, 1977 to Joseph E. Bartlett. This patent is directed toward another type of sighting device for a vehicle, which in this case is a telescoping shaft that is pivotally mounted at one end to the vehicle dashboard. The other end of this telescoping member supports a sight through which the operator can view the roadway centerline. The mounting shaft for this sight pivots and telescopes so that the position of the sight can be precisely adjusted.  
         [0012]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,645, issued Jan. 24, 1978 to Mr. Jerome Oreluk, is directed toward a device designed for connection to the vehicle using the mounting holes for the front license plate. The device itself is a rod, mounted such that it extends slightly forward of true vertical. The device includes an electrical switch that is activated if the rod is moved toward the vertical position. The switch is normally coupled to the vehicle horn to give an audible indication of contact with a bumper of a vehicle in front. It can readily be appreciated that this device is intended to act as an aid in parking a vehicle when the precise location of the vehicle front bumper cannot easily be determined by the vehicle operator.  
         [0013]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,393 issued May 29, 1990 to Wilbur Van Schaack. This patent is directed toward a lane marker steering guide designed to be mounted to the interior of a vehicle windshield using a suction cup. The operator of the vehicle simply sights along this indicator device to the road edge marker on the right-hand side of the highway, and maintains this position in order to keep the vehicle in the desire lane. There are a number of embodiments described, including the use of multiple suction cups and other adjustment features to allow the indicator to be repositioned for various drivers of the vehicle.  
         [0014]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,001 issued Mar. 10, 1992 to Rodney Fraser, and is directed toward a transversely extending sighting device designed to be mounted to the hood of a tractor. The horizontally disposed rod is telescopically extendable and includes sighting markers disposed along its length to assist in navigating various courses through a field.  
         [0015]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,966 issued Oct. 27, 1998 to John Schwing. This particular patent is directed toward a lighted bumper guide that has a base portion designed to be affixed to the bumper of a vehicle. The base portion includes a light source, and the vertical portion that attaches to the base includes a fiber optic filament to direct illumination.  
         [0016]     U.S. Pat. No. 2,218,486 issued Oct. 15, 1940 to Mr. William Storrie. This invention is a fender guide designed to be mounted to a vehicle fender so that it extends both vertically and in a forward direction from its mounting point. This forward inclination is incorporated so that an indicator at the top of the shaft (visible to the operator of the vehicle) will be positioned at a point that is directly above the forward portion of the vehicle that is furthest from the driver. This method of identifying the furthest extremity of the vehicle is particularly useful when parking the vehicle in a small parking place closely bounded by other vehicles.  
         [0017]     U.S. Pat. No. 2,553,963 issued May 22, 1951 to Mr. William Dzus. This patent is directed toward yet another steering guide designed for vehicles. Rather than being mounted along the vehicle centerline at the front of the vehicle, this particular steering guide is mounted on the vehicle hood directly in front of the driver. The inventor asserts that this particular mounting arrangement makes it much easier for the driver to accurately control the vehicle&#39;s position along the roadway.  
         [0018]     The fender guides and aiming devices of the prior art are difficult or impossible to mount on modern auto bodies, particularly those with a high plastic or composite content in the front bumpers and fenders, and, since most of the devices in the art were developed long ago, they would not be considered esthetically pleasing today. Consequently, a need arises for a device that will aid the driver in determining the precise extent of the vehicle when parking (and when driving, particularly when navigating along narrow thoroughfares), and that will help establish a reference to ease the task of positioning the vehicle properly within its traffic lane when driving down the highway. The device should be unobtrusive, relatively low in cost, and both efficient and inexpensive of installation.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]     These needs and others are satisfied by the fender finder of the present invention, which includes a vertical standard threaded over at least a portion of its exterior and designed for installation into a receiver portion threaded over at least a portion of its interior. In one form of the invention, the receiver portion is affixed to an exterior surface of a vehicle by bolts. The receiver has a mounting surface that is shaped in accordance with the contour of the vehicle exterior prior to mounting. The vertical standard is then threaded into the receiver portion. The vehicle operator can easily see the vertical standard on the right and left fenders. Without the vertical standard, the vehicle hood and fenders are completely invisible to the driver. The fender finder informs the vehicle driver about the location of vehicle extremities, thus easing the processes of parking, driving along narrow thoroughfares, and positioning the vehicle within a traffic lane while cruising along the highway.  
         [0020]     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a locating device constructed and arranged for installation on a vehicle comprises an upright portion threaded along at least, a part of its exterior surface and a receiver portion threaded along at least a part of its interior surface, the receiver portion designed to be affixed to the vehicle surface. The upright portion is screwed into the receiver portion to attach the upright portion and the receiver portion together, such that the upright portion is visible to the vehicle operator to aid in determining location of vehicle extremities.  
         [0021]     In one form of the invention, the upright portion is formed from a non-metallic material, such as polyvinyl chloride or fiberglass. The upright portion may also be threaded along substantially its entire length. Preferably, the receiver portion is installed on an exterior surface of the vehicle and is fixed in position with mounting bolts. In a typical installation, the receiver portion has a mounting surface that is shaped in conformity with the contour of the vehicle surface prior to installation. In another form of the invention, the upright portion is removable and replaceable by a plastic cap that substantially covers the opening in the receiver portion. A resilient gasket may be interposed between the receiver portion and the vehicle surface.  
         [0022]     Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a portion of an automobile, from the windshield to the front extremity;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the automobile portion illustrated in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a vertical standard in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the vertical standard of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a top view of a receiver in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the receiver of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  is a section view taken along section lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 8  is a cutaway view of a portion of a vehicle bumper illustrating installation of the receiver of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 9  is a top view of a plastic cap;  
         [0032]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the plastic cap of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 11  depicts an alternative configuration in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0034]      FIG. 12  is a side view of a spacer;  
         [0035]      FIG. 13  is an end view of the spacer of  FIG. 12 ;  
         [0036]      FIG. 14  is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of a receiver portion in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0037]      FIG. 15  is a front elevational view of the receiver portion of  FIG. 14 ;  
         [0038]      FIG. 16  is a side elevational view of the receiver portion of  FIG. 14 ;  
         [0039]      FIG. 17  illustrates measurement of a contour of an external vehicle surface;  
         [0040]      FIG. 18  depicts a receiver portion having a shaped mounting surface in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0041]      FIG. 19  illustrates a fender finder, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, in its mounting position on an exterior vehicle surface. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0042]     There is described herein a fender finder that offers distinct advantages when compared to the prior art.  FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a portion of an automobile  101  that includes a hood portion  103  that slopes rapidly down and away from the driver&#39;s position behind the windshield  102 , thus depriving the driver of any view of the hood or fenders. This particular vehicle hood  103  does not have a hood ornament.  
         [0043]     The bumper  104  is of the type commonly employed on automobiles manufactured in recent years. Generally, these bumpers  104  are non-metallic, plastic composite constructions that may have a substantial layer of a foam material surrounded by thin plastic. The plastic covering does not contribute materially to the structural integrity of the vehicle bumper  104 , but is primarily present for appearance sake. The vehicle illustrated in  FIG. 1  is equipped with two fender finders  105  in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0044]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the automobile portion  101  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . One of the fender finders  105  is clearly visible in this view, and it will be appreciated that the fender finder  105  generally comprises two portions: a vertical standard portion  201  and a receiver or anchor portion  202 .  
         [0045]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate the standard  201  in greater detail. Preferably, the standard  201  is a solid non-metallic rod with an exterior thread. In one embodiment, the rod is fiberglass, but the rod may also be formed from a plastic compound such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), for example, and the thread on the exterior surface may be extended over the entire length of the standard  201  for ease of manufacture. Of course, it is entirely possible to fabricate the standard from other suitable materials, such as a metal like stainless steel, for example, and it is equally possible to make the standard in the form of a hollow tube rather than a solid rod. However, there are a number of design considerations involved, such as weight, material and manufacturing costs, and wind resistance when a vehicle equipped with a fender finder  105  is driving down the highway at normal speed.  
         [0046]     In any event, the color of the standard  201  is preferably white, or at least a light color so that the standard will be readily visible to the driver  201 . If the standard  201  is plastic, it can be formed from a plastic material of the desired color. In the alternative, the standard  201  may be dipped, painted, coated, or otherwise imbued with any desired color, and a flag, pennant, or ornament may be affixed to the upper extremity of the standard at the user&#39;s discretion. An illuminated or reflectorized tip could even be added for enhanced visibility.  
         [0047]     As noted with reference to  FIG. 1 , the standard  201  is installed into a receiver or anchor portion  202 , which is illustrated in more detail in  FIGS. 5 through 7 . Preferably, the receiver  202  is formed from a sturdy non-metallic material, such as fiberglass or PVC, for example, and is provided with threads  701  in its interior. The threads may extend for the entire length of the receiver  202  or may end abruptly. In fact, although not illustrated in the drawing figures, a threaded portion (such as a nut) may simply be attached to the open end of the receiver, thus obviating interior threading of the receiver portion  202 .  
         [0048]     Of course, it may be advantageous to provide a ridge of material at the thread termination within the anchor body, to act as a stop for the standard ( 201  in  FIG. 4 ), but this is not a requirement (and is not shown in the figures). It is also possible to add a lock nut on the standard itself, to be tightened against the anchor  202  when the standard is in its installed position, but this is also not required and is not illustrated. Another possible expedient is the introduction of an adhesive to the exterior of the standard  201 , along the portion of the standard  201  that fits inside the receiver  202 , so it will resist backing out of the receiver portion  202 .  
         [0049]     For ease of manufacture and cost considerations, the standard  201  itself is preferably cut to a length of 3 feet 6 inches. Of course, it is a simple matter to adjust the height of the standard  201  to suit a particular vehicle installation, by simply trimming off the excess. If the standard  201  is threaded throughout its length, then the threads themselves provide a convenient cut mark for any trimming that the installer may consider necessary.  
         [0050]      FIG. 8  is a view of the receiver  202  in its installed position within the vehicle bumper  104 . For installation, a hole is drilled in the vehicle bumper to a depth of 6 inches, which is the overall length of the receiver portion  202  as supplied. Of course, the length of the receiver can be adjusted, and the hole-drilling procedure modified for any particular installation. It is entirely possible that 6 inches of receiver  202  might be excessive for some vehicles. In any event, the hole in the vehicle structure is drilled such that, when installed, the upper edge of the receiver  202  will be flush with (or slightly below) the upper surface of the vehicle bumper  104 .  
         [0051]     After the hole in the bumper  104  has been prepared, a strong adhesive, such as an epoxy-based adhesive, is applied both to the outside of the receiver  202  and the interior of the hole in the bumper  104 . The receiver  202  is inserted into the hole and the adhesive  801  is allowed to dry thoroughly before the standard  201  is threaded into place.  
         [0052]     Of course, a powerful adhesive such as epoxy resin is nearly impossible to remove. Consequently, should the vehicle operator wish to discontinue use of the fender finder, the standard  201  may be unscrewed and removed. To cover the opening in the bumper  104 , and the receiver  202  itself, cap  900  as illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10  may be used. Preferably, the cap  900  is formed from a relatively flexible material, such as nylon, but the cap could be fabricated from other suitable materials, such as fiberglass, for example. As shown, the cap  900  includes an upper circular portion  901  having a great enough diameter to cover the opening in the bumper. A portion  902  extending downwardly from the upper portion  901  should provide a press fit into the threaded interior of the receiver  202  ( FIG. 8 ), completely covering the opening A ( FIG. 8 ). Returning to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , there is preferably an opening  903  provided in the downwardly extending portion  902  to enhance deformability. Of course, the cap  900  may be affixed in position using an adhesive. As an alternative, the cap may be replaced by a bolt having a thread that matches the thread of the receiver  202 , although this alternative is not shown in the drawings. The bolt could be formed from metallic or non-metallic material.  
         [0053]      FIG. 11  illustrates another mounting configuration for the fender finder. In this exemplary embodiment, the decision is made to attach the fender finder to the sloping exterior of the vehicle fender in a position proximate the front of the vehicle. This positioning is contemplated in cases where it is not feasible to attach the fender finder directly to the vehicle bumper.  
         [0054]     In the mounting detail of  FIG. 11 , a right-angle receiver  1102  is used to accommodate the vertical standard  201 . The right-angle receiver  1102  is preferably formed from fiberglass, PVC, or other durable non-metallic material, but metal, such as stainless steel, may be preferred for some installations. This right-angle receiver  1102  is substantially L-shaped, with a receiver arm oriented vertically and designed to accept the standard  201 , and an installation arm oriented horizontally and designed to be inserted through an opening in the vehicle. Just as described previously, the receiver arm has a vertical portion with internal threads  1103  designed to accommodate the exterior threads of the standard  201 .  
         [0055]     In operation, an opening is made in the vehicle fender  1101  and the horizontal portion of the receiver  1102  is inserted through the opening. Prior to inserting the receiver  1102 , a lock nut  1105  is turned onto the threaded horizontal shaft, a specially cut spacer  1106  is placed on the horizontal shaft of the receiver, and these are followed by a sealing grommet or washer  1107 . This grommet or washer  1107  may be formed from rubber or other resilient material so that the grommets  1107  provide a sealing action.  
         [0056]     The spacer  1106 , illustrated in greater detail in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , may also be formed from plastic material, and is cut at an angle corresponding to the angle the fender  1101  makes with the vertical at the point where the opening is made. This specialized angle is necessary in order that the standard  201  will be as nearly vertical as possible when installed. Of course, the spacers  1106  may also be formed from a suitable metallic material.  
         [0057]     After the horizontal portion of the receiver  1102  is inserted through the opening, another grommet or washer  1107 , spacer  1106 , and nut  1105  are placed on the horizontal shaft, and the whole is tightened firmly using the nuts  1105 . Thus, the receiver  1102  is firmly fixed in position, and the standard  201  may be installed as described above for the prior embodiment.  
         [0058]     Of course, there may be vehicles for which it is impracticable to mount the fender finder of the present invention to the vehicle bumper, and it may be undesirable to use the alternative installation illustrated in  FIG. 11 . For installations such as this, an alternative receiver  1401  as shown in  FIGS. 14-16  is preferred.  
         [0059]     The receiver  1401  is preferably formed from a durable material, such as fiberglass or plastic. The shape illustrated in  FIGS. 14-16  has a contoured outer surface  1405 , but the receiver  1401  may also be formed as a rectangular solid or a cylindrical solid, for example, although these shapes are not illustrated in the drawings. The receiver  1401  is provided with pre-formed mounting holes  1402 , and is also provided with an opening  1403  drilled or formed into the receiver  1401  and threaded along its interior surface to accommodate a standard ( 201  in  FIG. 4 ) just as for previously described embodiments. Only two mounting holes  1402  are provided in the illustrated embodiment, but more mounting holes  1402  may be provided if desired.  
         [0060]     The receiver  1401  is provided with a mounting surface  1404  that is intended to be shaped in accordance with a contour of an exterior surface of the vehicle on which the receiver  1401  is to be installed.  FIG. 17  illustrates a cross section of a portion of a vehicle fender  1701  in proximity to the front bumper of the vehicle (such as illustrated by position B of  FIG. 1 ). One way to replicate the contour of the vehicle surface  1701  is to employ a contour gauge  1702  as is well-known in the art. A contour gauge  1702  generally comprises a plurality of steel pins  1704  disposed in parallel and lying in the same plane. The pins  1704  are held in place by a frame  1703  that gently retards motion of the pins  1704 , so that the pins will remain in place after a surface contour is measured. Of course, there are some models of contour gauge  1703  in which the pins  1704  move with relative freedom, then are locked in place after the surface measurement is made.  
         [0061]     Once the shape of the desired mounting area has been measured, the mounting surface  1404  of the receiver  1401  is shaped in conformance with the measured contour.  FIG. 18  illustrates the receiver  1401  with a re-shaped mounting surface  1801  that conforms to the shape of the desired mounting area on the vehicle. There are a number of ways of transferring the shape measured by a contour gauge  1702  to a work piece. One workable method is to use a table router with a follower arm designed to trace the shape provided by the contour gauge  1702 . This is a well-known technique similar to the way in which keys are duplicated. Of course, the shape measured by the contour gauge may also be transferred to the receiver  1401  by simply marking the receiver  1401  with a pencil or other marking implement in conformity with the measured contour, then shaping the receiver  1401  accordingly. This shaping process may be conducted with a router, plane, rasp, or other shaping tool known in the art.  
         [0062]     The shaped receiver  1401  is then installed on the vehicle surface with bolts  1901  inserted through the openings  1402  and through openings made in the vehicle surface by an installer. Washers  1902  may be applied over the bolts  1901  and the receiver  1401  secured in position with nuts  1903 . As noted previously, more than two mounting holes  1402  may be provided in the receiver  1401  for added mounting security. It is also possible to use mounting flanges or brackets with the receiver  1401 , although these expedients are not illustrated in the drawings. It may also be desirable to interpose a gasket of resilient material between the receiver  1401  and the vehicle surface  1701 , but this is also not shown in the drawing figures. In any event, after the receiver  1401  is secured to the vehicle surface  1701 , the standard  201  is threaded into the opening  1403  provided in the receiver  1401 , just as noted above in conjunction with the descriptions of other embodiments of the invention. The standard  201  may then be trimmed to the desired length. The standard  201  may also be removed, if desired, and the opening in the receiver may be capped as described above.  
         [0063]     There has been described herein a fender finder that offers distinct advantages when compared with the prior art. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited except as may be necessary in view of the appended claims.