Abstract:
A system, apparatus and method are described for an anti-theft tack having non-snag grooves. The anti-theft tack may be for a security tag, such as an electronic article surveillance security tag. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is related to the U.S. patent application entitled “Magnetically Releasable Electronic Article Surveillance Tag,” which is a continuation-in-part of PCT patent application number—PCT/US2005/041813 filed on Nov. 16, 2005 and which is being filed concurrently herewith, both applications of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties for all purposes. 
     
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    An Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system is designed to prevent unauthorized removal of an item from a controlled area. A typical EAS system may comprise a monitoring system and one or more security tags. The monitoring system may create a surveillance zone at an access point for the controlled area. A security tag may be fastened to the monitored item, such as a garment or article of clothing. If the monitored item enters the surveillance zone, an alarm may be triggered indicating unauthorized removal of the monitored item from the controlled area. 
         [0003]    Security tags are typically attached to an article of clothing using a tack having a large head and a shank with grooves. During attachment operations, the tack shank may be inserted through the clothing fabric and into a tack shank hole in the security tag. Therein, a locking means of the security tag engages a groove of the tack shank and thereby securely retains the tack. 
         [0004]    During this insertion, sharp edges of the grooves tend to snag the fibers of the clothing fabric through which it is inserted. Snagging can cause permanent, visible damage to the cloth. With the development of advanced micro-fibers, retailers may be more sensitive to this damage. 
         [0005]    However, the sharp edges of the grooves may result in a more secure engagement with the locking means, increasing the difficulty of forcibly removing the tack from the security tag. 
         [0006]    Thus, there may be a need for an improved tack that minimizes damage to clothing fabric or other material through which its shank is inserted, yet may be securely retained by a security tag. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a tack for use with a security tag, in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a tack for use with a security tag, in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates a partial side view of a shank of a tack for use with a security tag, in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  illustrates a partial side view of a shank of a tack and tool blades of a tool for forming shank grooves, in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates a partial side view of a shank of a tack for use with a security tag, in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  illustrates a tack, security tag, and article in an unfastened position, in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  illustrates a tack, security tag, and article, with the tack shank of the tack extended through the article, in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  illustrates a damaged portion of an article as a result of tack snagging. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  illustrates a damaged portion of another article as a result of tack snagging. 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  illustrates a damaged portion of a another article as a result of tack snagging. 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  illustrates a damaged portion of another article as a result of tack snagging. 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  illustrates a damaged portion of another article as a result of tack snagging. 
           [0019]      FIG. 13  illustrates a tack, security tag, and article in a fastened position, in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0020]      FIG. 14  illustrates an interior portion of a security tag with a wedge of a tack retaining system engaged with a tack in the locked condition, in accordance with one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    Some embodiments may be directed to a tack, which may be used with a security tag. The tack may comprise, for example, a head and a shank. The shank may have one or more grooves and may be arranged to extend through a portion of an item to be monitored, such as an article or garment of clothing, and into a security tag. Within the security tag, the shank grooves may engage a locking means, such as a tack retaining system, of a security tag to secure the tack and article thereto. 
         [0022]    Various embodiments may be directed to a security system or portion thereof. The security system may comprise, for example, an EAS system. The EAS system may include a security tag and tack, a detaching device, and a monitoring system. In general operation, the security tag may include a sensor to emit a detectable signal when it is in the monitored surveillance zone. The security tag may be attached to an item to be monitored, such as a garment or article of clothing. The detaching device may remove the security tag from the item. The monitoring system may monitor a controlled area for the signal to ensure that the monitored item with the security tag is not removed from the controlled area. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a perspective and side view, respectively, of a tack  100  for use with a security tag, such as any of the security tag  1000  embodiments described with respect to  FIGS. 6-7  and  13 - 14  below, in accordance with one embodiment. Tack  100  may include a tack head  110  and a tack shank  150  having one or more grooves  160 . 
         [0024]    Tack  100  may be made of one or more materials, such as one or more of any plastic and/or metal. For example, in an embodiment, tack head  110  of tack  100  is made of plastic and/or steel, while tack shank  150  is made of hardened or unhardened steel. Tack head  110  may be made of plastic or non-magnetic stainless steel to reduce the overall magnetic material of tack  100  in an embodiment where tack  100  is employed with a security tag having a sensor whose range is reduced by such magnetism. 
         [0025]    Tack head  110  may be enlarged and have a flat bottom surface  112  and convex top surface  114 . Tack head  110  may be otherwise shaped in various other embodiments, such as with a concave bottom surface  112  and/or a flat top surface  114 , with or without ribs in the bottom surface  112  and/or elsewhere, or with any other shape. Tack head  110  may have a width A that is wider than the width B of tack shank  150 . In one embodiment, tack head  110  has a width A that is an outer diameter of approximately 0.5 inches, and a thickness of approximately 0.05 inches, though these dimensions may be different in other embodiments. 
         [0026]    Tack shank  150  may extend from bottom surface  112  of tack head  110  to tack end  152 . In one embodiment, tack shank  150  is an elongated member having an at least partially cylindrical outer surface  151  and a tapered tack end  152 . Tack shank  150  may be similar in shape to a small pointed nail. In one embodiment, outer surface  151  has a tapered tack end  152  that terminates in a rolled point  152 A. In other embodiments, these elements  151 ,  152 , and  152 A may be differently shaped. For example, in various embodiments, point  152 A may be one of a ground point, cut point, formed point, or other point. The point may be deburred or otherwise refined in one embodiment. 
         [0027]    Tack shank  150  may include one or more grooves  160 . For example, in one embodiment, tack shank  150  includes three grooves  160 . Each groove  160  may be a recessed portion delineated by a leading groove wall  170 , trailing groove wall  180 , and groove floor  190  that extends between leading and trailing groove walls  170  and  180 , respectively. Leading groove wall  170  may be the first of the walls  170  and  180  of groove  160  to pass through an article to be secured when tack  100  is inserted through the article, such as shown and described with respect to the embodiments of  FIGS. 6-7  and  13 . Trailing groove wall  180  may be the second of walls  170  and  180  to move through the article. 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of a portion of tack shank  150  of tack  100 , in accordance with one embodiment. In this embodiment, grooves  160  are spaced apart by a portion of outer surface of length L and each groove floor  190  extends between leading and trailing wall bottom edges  174  and  184  (described below) at length M. For example, length L may be approximately 0.9 mm and length M may be approximately 0.8 mm, though these lengths may be different in other embodiments. 
         [0029]    In one embodiment, groove  160  is recessed such that its groove floor  190  bounds a cylindrical portion of tack shank  150  having a diameter less than that of the cylindrical portion of tack shank  150  bounded by outer surface  151 . For example, in one embodiment, the cylindrical portion bounded by outer surface  151  has a diameter of D 1  of approximately 1.2 mm, while that of groove floor  190  has a diameter D 2  of approximately 0.95 mm. In other embodiments, these dimensions may be different. 
         [0030]    For each groove  160 , leading groove wall  170  may have a different shape than that of groove wall  180 , such that groove  160  is asymmetrical, such as shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 3 . Leading groove wall  170  may form a leading wall top edge  172  where leading groove wall  170  intersects outer surface  151  of tack shank  150 , and a leading wall bottom edge  174  where leading groove wall  170  intersects groove floor  190  of groove  160 . Trailing groove wall  180  may have a trailing wall top edge  182  where trailing groove wall  180  intersects outer surface  151  of tack shank  150 , and a trailing wall bottom edge  184  where trailing groove wall  180  intersects groove floor  190  of groove  160 . 
         [0031]    In this embodiment, the angle θ 1  formed at leading wall top edge  172  between leading groove wall  170  and outer surface  151  may be greater than the angle θ 2  between trailing wall top edge  180  and outer surface  151 . Leading wall top edge  172  may thus be considered “sharper” than trailing wall top edge  182 . In one embodiment, θ 1  is approximately 90° and θ 2  is approximately 32°. In other embodiments, θ 1  may be otherwise greater than θ 2  such that leading wall top edge  172  is sharper than trailing wall top edge  182 . 
         [0032]    Angle θ 3  formed at leading wall bottom edge  174  between leading groove wall  170  and groove floor  190  may be greater than θ 4  formed at trailing wall bottom edge  184  between trailing groove wall  180  and groove floor  190 . Thus, leading wall bottom edge  174  may be sharper than trailing wall bottom edge  184 . 
         [0033]    In an embodiment, leading wall top and bottom edges  172  and  174  are respectively sharper than trailing wall bottom edges  182  and  184 . For example, in various embodiments, groove floor  190  and outer surface  151  bound cylinders having coincident central axes such that θ 1  is approximately equal to θ 3 , and θ 2  is approximately equal to θ 4 , and θ 1 , θ 3  are greater than θ 2 , θ 4 . In one such embodiment, θ 2  and θ 4  are less than approximately 90° and thus their adjacent, trailing groove wall  180  is considered “sloped” herein, whereas θ 1  and θ 3  are approximately 90° such that their adjacent, leading groove wall  170  is considered not sloped or “unsloped.” These definitions of “sloped” and “unsloped” apply whether any of the leading and trailing wall top or bottom edges are rounded off, such as shown in and described with respect to  FIG. 5  below. 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  illustrates a partial side view of a shank  150  of a tack  100  and tool blades  194  and  197  of a material-shaping machine or other tool for forming the shank grooves  160  in shank  150 , in accordance with one embodiment. 
         [0035]    Tool blades  194  and  197  may respectively have cutting sides  195  and  198  with relatively sharper cutting edges  195 A and  198 A and opposing sides  196  and  199  with less sharp opposing edges  196 A and  199 A. These sides  195 ,  196  and  198 ,  199  and their respective edges  195 A,  196 A and  198 A,  199 A may conform or somewhat conform to leading and trailing groove walls  170  and  180 , respectively. Having an asymmetrical groove  160  may thus facilitate the manufacturing process, such as described below, where a material-shaping machine having tool blades each having different shaped sides is used. 
         [0036]    When forming each groove  160 , tool blades  194  and  197  may be positioned close to or in contact with shank  150  of tack  100 . Tool blades  194  and  197  may then form groove  160  by contacting shank  150  while moving back and forth in opposite directions. In one embodiment, this movement of tool blades  194  and  197  may impart frictional forces onto shank  150 , causing shank  150  to rotate about its central axis. The forming of each groove  160  by movement of tool blades  194  and  197  may displace the material of shank  150 , which may thereby lengthen shank  150 . 
         [0037]    In one embodiment, tool blade  194  moves in a direction perpendicular or close to perpendicular to both of the directions X 1  and Y 1 . This direction of movement of tool blade  194  may be tangential or close to tangential to outer surface  151 . During the movement of tool blade  194 , tool blade  197  may move in the direction opposite that of tool blade  194 . Tool blades  194  and  197  may then reverse their directions of movement, and may do so simultaneously or close to simultaneously in an embodiment. This process may be repeated such that tool blades  194  and  197  move back and forth along substantially parallel paths, but in opposite directions. Tool blades  194  and  197  may, by their movements, impart forces in directions X 1  and X 2 , respectively, and also in the direction opposite Y 1 , onto shank  150  to form groove  160 . Trailing groove wall  180  of the groove  160  that is being formed may impart opposing forces in the Y 1  direction onto tool blades  194  and  197 , which may result in sides  195  and  198  of tool blades  194  and  197 , respectively, imparting forces in the Y 1  direction onto leading groove wall  170 . These forces onto leading groove wall  170  may provide definition to leading groove wall  170  during the forming process and may hone leading wall top and bottom edges  172  and  174 , respectively. 
         [0038]    In an embodiment of tack  100  having shank  250 , such as described with respect to  FIG. 5  below, tool blades  194  and  197  may be shaped to form grooves  260  in shank  250 . In another embodiment, tool blades  194  and  197  shaped as shown in  FIG. 4  may be used to form shank  150 , and then one or more of edges  172 ,  174  of leading groove wall  170  and  182 ,  184  of trailing groove wall  180  may be rounded off with another material-shaping machine to form shank  250  with corresponding edges  272 ,  274  of leading groove wall  270  and  282 ,  284  of trailing groove wall  280 . 
         [0039]    In other embodiments, shank  150  and/or  250 , including their respective grooves  160  and/or  260 , respectively, may be formed using other manufacturing methods. For example, in various embodiments, shank  150  and/or  250  may be formed by a stamping process, or by using a screw machine or lathe, or by other methods and/or by use of other machines or tools. 
         [0040]      FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of a tack shank  250  that may be used as the tack shank for the tack  100  described with respect to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , for example. Tack shank  250  may include elements  251 ,  252 , and  252 A that correspond to elements  151 ,  152 , and  152 A of tack shank  150  described with respect to  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0041]    Tack shank  250  may include one or more asymmetrical grooves  260 . For example, in one embodiment, tack shank  150  includes three grooves  260  (only one and part of a second are shown). Each groove  260  may be a recessed portion delineated by a leading groove wall  270 , trailing groove wall  280 , and groove floor  290  that extends between leading and trailing groove walls  270  and  280 , respectively. Dimensions D 3  and D 4  may correspond to dimensions D 1  and D 2 , respectively, of tack shank  150  as shown in and described with respect to  FIG. 3 . The length N between like portions of grooves  260  or outer surface  151  portions between grooves  260  may be approximately 1.9 mm, or other lengths in other embodiments. Tack shank  150  of  FIG. 3  may also have a length corresponding to length N of approximately 1.9 mm, or other lengths in other embodiments. 
         [0042]    For each groove  260 , leading and trailing groove walls  270  and  280 , respectively, may be differently shaped such that groove  260  is asymmetrical. In one embodiment, leading and trailing groove walls  270  and  280  of groove  260  may correspond to leading and trailing groove walls  170  and  180  of groove  160 , and angles θ 5 -θ 8  may correspond of θ 1 -θ 4 , respectively. However, in this embodiment, one or both edges of one or both of leading and trailing groove walls  270  and  280  may be rounded off (unlike those of leading and trailing groove walls  170  and  180 ) such that they meet at a curve, which may have one or a blend of more than one radius. 
         [0043]    Thus, for example, in one embodiment, leading groove wall  270  may form leading wall top and bottom edges  272  and  274  that respectively correspond to leading wall top and bottom edges  172  and  174  of tack  150 , except that leading wall top and bottom edges  272  and  274  are rounded off. 
         [0044]    In another embodiment, trailing groove wall  280  may form trailing wall top and bottom edges  282  and  284  that respectively correspond to trailing wall top and bottom edges  182  and  184  of tack  150 , except that trailing wall top and bottom edges  282  and  284  are rounded off. 
         [0045]    In another embodiment, any combination of edges  272 ,  274  of leading groove wall  270  and edges  282 ,  284  of trailing groove wall  280  are rounded off. 
         [0046]    In another embodiment, edges  272 ,  274  of leading groove wall  270  and/or edges  282 ,  284  of trailing groove wall  280  are rounded off with radii so large the radii overlap. In this embodiment, there may thus be no flat portion of leading groove wall  170  and/or trailing groove wall  180 , such that the entirety of leading groove wall  170  and/or trailing groove wall  180  is curved. In other embodiments, the entirety of either or both leading and trailing groove walls  170  and  180 , respectively, is curved as a spline, a complex curve, or other curve. In this and the other embodiments of grooves  160  and  260 , the shapes described may be approximate such that roughness, pits, and/or other shapes that may be formed due to inherent manufacturing variances or from use are excluded in defining the shapes of grooves  160  and  260  and components thereof. 
         [0047]    In the embodiments, angles θ 5 -θ 8  are taken with respect to non-rounded portions of leading and trailing groove walls  270  and  280 . In one such embodiment, and such as described above with respect to θ 1 -θ 4  of tack shank  150 , groove floor  290  and outer surface  251  of tack shank bound cylinders having coincident central axes such that 05 is approximately equal to θ 7 , and θ 6  is approximately equal to θ 8 , and θ 5 , θ 7  are greater than θ 6 , θ 8 . In one such embodiment, θ 6  and θ 8  are less than approximately 90° and thus their adjacent, trailing groove wall  280  is considered “sloped,” whereas θ 5  and θ 7  are approximately 90° such that their adjacent, leading groove wall  270  is considered “unsloped” as that term applies herein, notwithstanding the rounded off leading top and/or bottom edges  272 ,  274 . Thus, as shown from  FIG. 5 , leading or trailing groove wall  270  and  280  may have a straight portion between any rounded off (where applicable) edges  272 ,  274  or  282 ,  284  with may angle θ 5 , θ 7  or θ 6 , θ 8 , respectively, of less than 90°, and thus be sloped, or of approximately 90°, and thus be unsloped. 
         [0048]      FIG. 6  illustrates a tack  100 , security tag  1000 , and an article  1202  (or portion thereof) to be secured in an unfastened position, in accordance with one embodiment. In this embodiment, security tag  1000  may correspond to one of the security tags described in the U.S. patent application entitled “Magnetically Releasable Electronic Article Surveillance Tag,” which is being filed concurrently herewith and is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
         [0049]    The article to be secured may comprise any commercial good, such as any of a garment, article of clothing, packaging material, boxes, and so forth. When the article is a garment or article of clothing, tack end  152  may be inserted through the garment and into security tag  1000  through tack shank hole  1120 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 7  illustrates a tack  100 , security tag  1000 , and article  1202  to be secured, with the tack shank  150  of the tack  100  extending through article  1202 , in accordance with one embodiment. The tack shank  150  may be extended through the article  1202  by forcing tack end  152  through the article  1202 . In an embodiment where the article  1202  is clothing or another item having fibers, tack end  152  may push apart the fibers to create an aperture in article  1202 . By using a tack  150  having a tack shank  152  with one or more grooves  160  having “sloped” (versus unsloped) trailing groove walls  180 , for example, the trailing wall top edges  182  may gradually separate the fibers as they pass through article  1202 , forming a hole, causing little or no snagging (and thus damage) to the fibers. The tack  100  may be pulled out through the hole as well without causing much more, if any fiber damage. The grooves  160  may each have leading wall top edges  172  that are rounded off, which may result in less or no snagging during the pullout. 
         [0051]    In one embodiment, grooves  160  are sloped with angles θ 2  that are considerably less than 90°, which may result in less snagging than with angles θ 2  (as in  FIG. 3 ) closer to 90°. For example, in one embodiment, angle θ 2  is approximately 32°, although the angle may be different in other embodiments. 
         [0052]    In a tack  100  embodiment including tack shank  250  with grooves  260  having rounded off trailing wall top edges  282  such as described with respect to  FIG. 5  above, such a configuration may contribute to reducing or eliminating snagging damage as well. 
         [0053]    In other embodiments of a tack  100  with either shank  150  or  250  of  FIG. 3  or  5 , respectively, corresponding trailing groove wall  180  or  280  may be another shape that may reduce or eliminate snagging. For example, in one embodiment, trailing groove wall  180  or  280  may be shaped as a spline such that trailing groove wall  180  and  280  is sloped between its edges  182 ,  184  or  282 ,  284 , while leading groove wall  170 ,  270  is unsloped or nearly unsloped. 
         [0054]    In another embodiment of tack  100 , either shank  150  of  FIG. 3  or shank  250  of  FIG. 5  may respectively have one or more grooves  160  or  260  each shaped such that its trailing groove wall  180  or  280  extends between groove floor  190  or  290  and outer surface  151  or  251  at a more gradually changing angle than that of leading groove wall  170  or  270 . In this embodiment, the largest angle between any portion of trailing groove wall  180  or  280  with respect to groove floor  190  or  290  and outer surface  151  or  251  is less than the largest angle between any portion of leading groove wall  170  or  270  with respect to groove floor  190  or  290  and outer surface  151  or  251 . In one embodiment, trailing groove wall  180  or  280  may more gradually change its angle as compared to leading groove wall  170  or  270  such that trailing groove wall  180  or  280  has more surface area than that of leading groove wall  170  or  180 . 
         [0055]      FIGS. 8-12  provide examples of damaged portions of article fibers as a result of snagging by existing tacks, which the tack embodiments of the present invention may lessen or avoid. In each example, an existing tack with a tack shank having grooves with unsloped trailing groove walls and sharp trailing wall top edges has been inserted through the article and then removed. The resultant damage is in portions P 1 -P 5  in  FIGS. 8-12 , respectively, where fibers have been broken apart, pulled, and/or otherwise snagged. It may be desired to avoid such visible damage to the article. 
         [0056]      FIG. 13  illustrates a tack  100 , security tag  1000 , and article  1202  in a fastened position, in accordance with one embodiment. In this embodiment, the tack  100  is extended through the article  1202  and further into the security tag  1000 . The tack  100  may engage a wedge (not shown) of a tack retaining system (not shown) in a “locked condition,” such as shown and described with respect to one or more embodiments of a tack retaining system and associated wedge, whether reusable or for one-time use, in the concurrently-filed “Magnetically Releasable Electronic Article Surveillance Tag” application referenced above. 
         [0057]    For example,  FIG. 14  shows an interior portion of security tag  1000  with a wedge  300  of a tack retaining system engaged with tack  100  in the locked condition, in accordance with one embodiment. The tack retaining system may include a wedge  300  and a biasing member  400 . Biasing member  400  may bias the tack retaining portion  302  of wedge  300 , such as by a cantilevered spring or other biasing portion  450 , into engagement with a groove  160  of tack  100  in the locked condition to secure tack  100  to security tag  1000 . The tack retaining portion  302  of wedge  300  may, in the locked condition, engage groove  160  by extending into groove  160  and being positioned adjacent groove floor  190  and leading groove wall  170 . Leading groove wall  170  may have a leading wall top edge  172  that is sharper than that of trailing wall top edge  182  of trailing groove wall  180 . In one embodiment, leading groove wall  170  may be not sloped, such that its angles (corresponding to θ 1  and θ 3  of  FIG. 3 ) are approximately 90°. Having a relatively sharp leading wall top edge  172  and/or an unsloped leading groove wall  170  may provide more resistance to disengaging wedge  300  from leading groove wall  170  (and thus out of the locked condition) without use of a magnetic detacher, versus a less sharp leading wall top edge  172  and/or sloped leading groove wall  170 . 
         [0058]    In other embodiments, different tack retaining systems may be employed in security tags  1000 . In these embodiments, the tack retaining system may include one or more wedges, rotating or other clamps, and/or one or more other elements that may each be urged, such as by rotation and/or translation by any type of spring and/or other biasing member, at least partially into one of the grooves  160  to block movement of tack  100  out of security tag  1000 , thus forming the locked condition. The tack retaining system may be disengaged from the locked condition by magnetic, non-magnetic, mechanical, electromechanical, another means, or a combination of any of the aforementioned means, such as a means for rotating and/or translating the one or more aforementioned elements out of the locked condition. 
         [0059]    For example, in various embodiments, the tack retaining system may include one or more of a ball clutch having any number of balls (e.g. three in one embodiment), a spring clamp, another element, or some combination of the aforementioned elements such that at least a portion of the element or elements extend into at least one groove  160  to form the locked condition. 
         [0060]    As described above, the tack  100  of one or more embodiments herein may provide leading groove walls and edges that result in less or no snagging when inserted through an article with fibers, such as microfibers for example, and trailing groove walls and edges that may provide a desired defeat resistance against an unauthorized attempt to remove the tack from a security tag. 
         [0061]    Numerous specific details have been set forth herein to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known operations, components and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments. It can be appreciated that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and do not necessarily limit the scope of the embodiments. 
         [0062]    It is also worthy to note that any reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. 
         [0063]    While certain features of the embodiments have been illustrated as described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes and equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the embodiments.