Abstract:
The present invention discloses a novel photocatalytic optical fiber and a novel method for activating the photocatalytic optical fiber. The photocatalytic optical fiber comprises at least an optical fiber having a core and a light input end, a photocatalytic layer including photocatalyst disposed partially or entirely on the core, wherein light is introduced from the light input end into the core and the light reflects repeatedly inside of the core, wherein said light leaks gradually from the core to the photocatalytic layer, and wherein the photocatalytic layer is activated by irradiation of the light.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation-in-part (CIP) application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/146,915 filed on Sep. 2, 1998, entitled “OPTICAL FIBER WITH PHOTOCATALYST AND METHOD FOR ACTIVATING THE SAME”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,476 issued on Aug. 22, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to novel photocatalytic optical fiber/fibers, which include photocatalyst material. 
     The invention relates to a novel photocatalyst apparatus using the photocatalytic optical fibers, which include photocatalyst material. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     It is well known that a photocatalyst (i.e. a photocatalytic material) is made of a photo-activating semiconductor typically Titanium Dioxide (TiO 2 ), it is activated by irradiation of light including relatively short wavelength such as ultraviolet (UV) light and it oxidizes and/or reduces pollutants (i.e. contaminants) so as to decomposes (i.e. dissolves or resolves) the pollutants by a photo-catalyzing reaction or effect. 
     The photocatalyst is capable of applying to various fields by utilizing the photo-catalizing reaction of the photocatalyst. 
     That is, these fields are, for example, a cleaning to delete dirty component from a surface of articles, a dirt protection to prevent from attaching or sticking a dirty component, an infection, a deleting of offensive odor (or bad smell), a purification of gas (e.g. air) or liquid (e.g. water), a processing of exhausting gas, or a processing of waste liquid, a generation of Hydrogen and/or Oxygen from water, a speeding up of chemical reaction and a dissolving of pollutants or contaminants to cause social pollution. 
     All the applications as mentioned above utilize the photocatalyst reaction or photocatalyst function by strong oxidation and/or reduction power to show when the photocatalyst is activated by light. 
     For example, as for the purification of the air or water when the photocatalyst is irradiated by the light rays having comparatively short wavelength (e.g. ultraviolet rays), Oxygen (O 2 ) existing in the air or dissolving in the water is activated by the photo-catalizing reaction so that Ozone (O 3 ) and/or activated Oxygen (O) generate. The Ozone or the activated Oxygen decomposes contaminants or microorganism including in the air or water, such as mold (i.e. fungi), bacteria or organic chlorine compound by an oxidization reaction. Therefore, the air or water is sterilized (i.e. disinfected, removed from microorganisms,) purified (i.e. sanitized), deodorized or discolored. 
     Furthermore, when the photocatalyst is irradiated by the light rays with short wavelength, it accelerates to decompose i.e. resolve the water H 2 O to activated oxygen (O) and/or hydrogen (H 2 ). 
     Moreover, the photocatalyst as a circumstance cleaning material contributes to decomposition of pollutants, which give a bad influence to a social circumstance. The pollutants are for example a volatile organic solvent, a chemical agent for agriculture such as grass eliminating agent (i.e. insecticide), an organic phosphate and a deleterious inorganic chemical compound such as cyanide and a kind of chrome. 
     In case that multiple photocatalyst elements (or particles) are used directly for reaction of oxidation and/or reduction with any substance, it is so difficult that the photocatalyst elements (or particles) are separated and collected, and a device to utilize the photocatalyst elements (or particles) becomes complicated and large. 
     While, in the case that multiple photocatalyst elements (or particles) are used as a form of photocatalyst supported substrate in which a layer including the photocatalyst elements (or particles) is fixed and supported on the substrate, the recycling of the photocatalyst elements (or particles) can be easily carried out, because the separation and collection of the photocatalyst elements (or particles) are not needed. 
     As for the latter case using the photocatalyst supported substrate, it is disclosed, in the publication of unexamined patent application of Japan No. 05155726 published on Jun. 22, 1993, (Japanese Patent No. 2883761 issued on Apr. 19, 1999), that a Titanium Dioxide layer (i.e. film) is formed on a substrate made of a heat resistance material such as metal, ceramic or glass in such a manner that Titania sol. is first coated on a surface of the substrate and then the Titania sol. is fired (i.e. baked). Thereby, the surface of the substrate is prevented from growth (i.e. proliferation) of bacteria. 
     In the related art, light rays emitting from a light source are partially used for activation of photocatalyst and the pollutants to be cleaned are irradiated indirectly by the light rays, because the pollutants exist between the light source and the photocatalyst material on the photocatalyst device. Especially, when the pollutants are made of light-absorbing or light-blocking materials, the photocatalyst material receives minimal amount of the light. 
     Therefore, the related art has such disadvantage that an effective use is not made for the light rays emitting from the light source. That is, a plurality of light sources and/or a light source/sources with high brightness are required to accelerate a photocatalytic reaction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention utilizes a photocatalytic (photocatalyst) optical fiber having photocatalyst material as a basic technological element that is disclosed in my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/146,915, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,476 filed on Sep. 25, 1998, further, the same basic technological element is disclosed in my Japanese Patent application No. H08/80434 filed Feb. 27, 1996 laid on 1997 in a publication of Laying-open (Unexamined) Patent Application No. 09225295A and these U.S. and J.P. applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     The photocatalytic optical fiber is composed of a core and a sheath being disposed partially or entirely on the core, in which the sheath includes the photocatalyst material being preferably formed as elements (or particles). 
     That is, a fiber like material is formed as an optical fiber by carrying the photocatalyst material corresponding to a sheath (i.e. a clad) of the optical fiber on the surface of a light-transmissible body corresponding to the core. Therefore, a light irradiation is efficiently carried out and a photo-catalizing reaction is accelerated by irradiating directly the photocatalyst material with light output from the inside of the light-transmissible body in the photocatalytic optical fiber. 
     A first aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers and a substrate member, in which each of the photocatalytic optical fibers are composed of a core and a photocatalytic sheath (i.e. clad, cladding, jacket, cover or coat) including photocatalyst material and the photocatalytic optical fibers are supported on the substrate member (i.e. base, support, supporter or foundation). The photocatalytic sheath is disposed partially or entirely on the core. Each photocatalytic optical fiber has a length of core, a first end and a second end. 
     When light is introduced (or input) from the first end and/or the second end into the core made of transparent material (i.e. light-transmissible material), the light reflects repeatedly inside of the core by means of “total internal reflection” and said light leaks gradually from the core to the photocatalytic sheath And the photocatalytic sheath is activated by irradiation of the light so that the photocatalytic sheath can be photocatalized. 
     A second aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers and a substrate member made of transparent material, in which each of the photocatalytic optical fibers are composed of a core and a photocatalytic sheath (i.e. a photocatalytic clad) including photocatalyst material and the photocatalytic optical fibers are supported on the substrate member. 
     In the second aspect of the present invention, the light capable of activating the photocatalytic optical fibers may be introduced from at least one portion of the transparent substrate member to an interior of the transparent substrate member. The light is transmitted inside of the interior and output (i.e. leaked) from the interior. The leaked light is input to the cores from the first ends or the second ends (light input ends) of the photocatalytic optical fibers. The light is transmitted inside of a length of the core and also leaked gradually from the core to the photocatalytic sheath. Because the photocatalytic sheath includes the photocatalyst material, the photocatalytic sheath can be photocatalized by irradiation of the light. 
     A third aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers and a substrate member, in which each of the photocatalytic optical fibers are composed of a core and a photocatalytic sheath including photocatalyst material and the photocatalytic optical fibers are supported on the substrate member, in which the photocatalytic optical fibers are implanted on the substrate member. 
     In the third aspect of the present invention, the photocatalytic optical fibers may be implanted on an adhesive member (i.e. adhesive layer or film), which is disposed partially or entirely on the substrate member. The photocatalytic optical fibers may be disposed on the substrate member by a flocking method. As the flocking method, an electrostatic flocking method is preferably utilized, in which a high voltage is applied between the photocatalytic optical fibers and the substrate member in order to flock the photocatalytic optical fibers. The adhesive member is desirably composed of light-curable resin material capable of curing by irradiation of light to fix the photocatalytic optical fibers on the adhesive material. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Complete understandings of the present invention may be obtained from the following explanations, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a conceptual perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing a photocatalyst apparatus  200 ; 
     FIG. 2 is a conceptual perspective view, showing a photocatalytic optical fiber; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view along a line A—A of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing various modifications of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     In the drawings, a relative dimension or size of each part or portion is shown as somewhat different one to clarify an explanation of the present invention and the same parts or portions have the same reference marks or numerals. 
     Reference is made to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 showing a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG.  3  and FIG. 4 showing a first preferred embodiment, a photocatalyst apparatus  200  includes a plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers  100  and a substrate member  30 . 
     Firstly, single photocatalytic optical fiber  100  will be explained in detail referring to FIG.  2 . 
     The single photocatalytic optical fiber  100  is briefly composed of a core  10 , a surface  10   a  of the core  10 , a light-input end  10   c,  a light-output end  10   d  and a photocatalytic sheath  20 . The photocatalytic sheath  20  is disposed partially or entirely on the surface  10   a  of the core  10 . In other words: the core  10  is an optical fiber core or a core-like light transmissible body; the light-input end  10   c  is a proximate end or a proximate face; the light-output end  10   d  is a distal end or a distal face; the photocatalytic sheath  20  is a photocatalytic clad, a photocatalytic layer or a photocatalytic film. 
     The core  10  is made of transparent material capable of transmitting light rays such as UV (ultraviolet) light. The photocatalyst sheath  20  includes photocatalyst material and may be composed of a plurality of photocatalyst elements (or particles)  20   a  and a binder  20   b  capable of transmitting the light rays. The photocatalyst elements (or particles)  20   a  may be dispersed in the binder  20   b.  In other words, the photocatalyst elements (or particles) are photocatalyst elements, photocatalyst powders or photocatalyst pieces. 
     The core  10  further may be preferably made of transparent inorganic or organic material capable of transmitting light lays including the UV light. The transparent inorganic material suitable for use in the core  10  are typically made of Fused Quarts (including more than 99.9 weight % of SiO 2 ), Sapphire, Borosilicate glass (composing of SiO 2 ; 75.3, B 2 O 3 ; 13.8; ZnO; 1.4, Al 2 O 3 ; 4.3, NaO; 5.0 weight %). The transparent organic (i.e. polymer) material suitable for use in the core  10  are typically made of Silicone resin (Dimethyl Silicone, etc.), Acrylic resin (Polymethyl Methacrylate, etc.), Polycarbonate resin (PC) and UV transmissible Fluoric resin (Polyfluoroethylene), Polyethylene resin, Polyester resin, or epoxy resin. 
     The photocatalyst elements (or particles)  20   a  may be made of photo-activated semiconductors such as Titanium Dioxide; TiO 2  (photo-activation wavelength; not more than 388 nm), Tungsten Dioxide; WO 2  (photo-activation wavelength; not more than 388 nm), Zinc Oxide; ZnO ( photo-activation wavelength; not more than 388 nm), Zinc Sulfide; ZnS (photo-activation wavelength; not more than 344 nm) and Tin Dioxide SnO 2  photo-activation wavelength; not more than 326 nm). 
     The binder (i.e. paint)  20   b  capable of transmitting the UV light rays L 1  may be made of transparent organic material such as Silicone resin, Acrylic resin, Polycarbonate resin and UV transmissible Fluoric resin, etc. The binder  22  is made of inorganic material capable of transmitting the UV light rays L 1  such as transparent glass flit, instead. 
     Alternatively, the photocatalytic sheath  20  may be made from Titania sol, which is preliminarily coated on the core  10  and treated by high temperature of about 500° C., then the Titania sol changes to Titanium Dioxide. 
     A first transparent material used for the core  10  and a second transparent material used for the sheath  20  are so selected that a refractive index of the core  10  is higher than that of the sheath  20 , similar to a conventional optical fiber excluding a photocatalyst. 
     However, a refractive index of the core  10  may be equal to that of sheath  20  or a refractive index of the sheath  20  may be higher to than that of the core  10 , in which both cases differ from the conventional optical fiber excluding a photocatalyst. 
     The UV light rays L 1  emitting from a UV light source are projected to the light-input end  10   c  of the photocatalytic optical fiber  100 . The UV light rays L 1  are transmitted to another terminal i.e. a distal end  10   d  of the photocatalytic optical fiber  100  according to an optical principle of “internal total reflection”. The UV light rays L 1  reflect repeatedly along a length of the core  10  and simultaneously the UV light rays L 1  are leaked out from the core  10  to the photocatalytic sheath  20  to activate the photocatalyst elements (or particles)  21 , which are dispersed in the photocatalytic sheath  20 . 
     The photocatalytic sheath  20  may preferably include absorption material (i.e. an adsorbent) capable of absorbing a pollutant (i.e. contaminant) such as gaseous material in addition to the photocatalyst material. The adsorbent may be composed of simple substance or composite such as active carbon, zeolite, porous ceramics or silica gel. The absorbent may be formed as elements (or particles). A mixture of the photocatalyst elements (or particles)  20   a  and the absorbent elements (or particles)  20   c  may be disposed (or dispersed) in/on the photocatalytic sheath  20  (i.e. the binder layer). Alternatively, the photocatalyst elements (or particles)  20   a  may be preferably carried on each absorbent particle (or element) having larger size than each photocatalyst particle. A plurality of the absorbent elements (or particles)  20   c,  each absorbent particle  20   c  carrying the photocatalyst elements (or particles)  20   a  may be disposed (or dispersed) in/on the sheath  20  (binder layer). 
     In the sheath  20  including a composite of the photocatalyst and absorbent as mentioned above, the absorbent is always absorbing the pollutant until a capacity of absorbing is saturated and the photocatalyst is activated by irradiation of the light rays L 3 . The photocatalyst oxidizes and/or reduces the pollutant being contacted directly with the photocatalyst at the time of light-irradiation. At the same time, the pollutant absorbs the pollutant being storing in the absorbent. 
     Therefore, it should be noted that since the absorbent is used with the photocatalyst, a large amount of the pollutant can be treated to be oxidized and/or reduced by photocatalizing of the photocatalyst. 
     As is shown in FIG.  1  and FIG. 3, the photocatalyst apparatus  200  is composed of a substrate member  30  and a plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers  100 , in which the plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers  100  is disposed on the substrate member  30 . The photocatalytic optical fibers may be implanted partially or entirely on the substrate member  30 . The substrate member  30  may be made of substantially transparent material capable of transmitting light including relatively short wavelength light rays such as ultraviolet (UV) light rays. For example, the substrate member  30  may be formed as a transparent panel  30  (i.e. plate) having a substantially rectangular-shaped body. The rectangular-shaped body  30  has a first surface  30   a  (a front surface), a second surface  30   b  (a rear surface) opposed to the first surface  30   a,  a first side face (i.e. side or facet)  30   c,  a second side face  30   d  opposed to the first side face  30   c.    
     The transparent substrate member  30  may be made of organic transparent material (typically, acrylic resin or polycarbonate resin) or inorganic transparent material (typically, fused-quarts or glass), which is the same as transparent material used for the core  10  and/or the sheath  20  of the optical fiber  100  as described above. 
     As is shown in FIG. 3, for more detail, an adhesive member  60  (i.e. an adhesive layer or film) may be disposed on the front surface  30   a  of the substrate member  30 . The adhesive layer  60  is preferably made of substantially transparent resin (i.e. polymer) material such as Silicone resin, Acrylic resin, Polycarbonate resin and Fluoric resin, Polyethylene resin, Polyester resin or epoxy resin, which is equivalent to the transparent material of the sheath  20 . When the adhesive member (adhesive layer)  60  is made of curable resin i.e thermo-setting or light-setting plastic, an implantation of photocatalytic optical fibers to the substrate member  30  may be processed by an electrostatic flocking method. 
     The electrostatic flocking is widely used typically in a textile industry and conventionally applied by two main methods, a direct current (DC) electrostatic flocking and an alternating current (AC) electrostatic flocking. An adhesive layer is formed on a substrate by coating an adhesive material. Multiple flock fibers are contained in a hopper having the mesh screen at a bottom of the hopper and a vibrator. A high voltage, DC or AC in the range of 30,000 volts to 120,000 volts is applied between an electrically conductive mesh screen (a charging electrode) or a separate charging electrode) and the adhesive layer. An electric charge is given to the individual fibers from the charging electrode. The flock fibers are transferred onto the adhesive layer on the substrate, so that the flock fibers are oriented vertically and embedded or implanted on/in the adhesive layer. 
     As is shown in FIG. 3 again, liquid resin is mixed with curing agent (i.e hardener) in advance. The liquid resin in an uncured state is preliminarily coated on the front surface  30   a  of the panel  30  by a conventional coating method. The conventional coating method may be a printing, spraying, immersing or transferring method. A high voltage of DC or AC is applied between the substrate member  30  (or the adhesive layer  60 ) and the plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers so that the photocatalytic optical fibers are transferred (i.e. removed or propelled) toward the adhesive layer  60  by electrostatic field attraction. Accordingly, the plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers is implanted temporarily on or in the adhesive layer  60  under the uncured state. Then, the uncured resin is cured by applying a cured condition of the uncured resin, in which curing is carried out by heating in a high temperature more than a room temperature or by irradiation of light rays such as UV light, until the adhesive layer  60  is hardened. Thereby, the photocatalytic optical fibers are fixed permanently on the adhesive layer  60 . 
     Instead of the curable resin (i.e. thermo-setting resin), thermo-plastic resin (i.e. hot-melt resin) may be used for the adhesive member  60 . The thermo-plastic resin is preliminarily coated on the front surface  30   a  of the panel  30 . The thermo-plastic resin coating (adhesive layer)  60  is heated in a sufficient temperature more than a room temperature during application of the high voltage or after an implantation is accomplished so that the adhesive layer  60  is melt. Then, the coating  60  is cooled less than the room temperature until the coating is hardened to fix the photocatalytic optical fibers on the adhesive layer  60 . 
     A third transparent material used for the transparent panel  30  and a fourth transparent material used for the adhesive layer  60  in cured or hardened state are so selected that a refractive index of the transparent panel  30  is higher than that of the adhesive layer  60 . However, the transparent panel  30  may be equal to or lower than the adhesive layer  60  in the refractive index. 
     The transparent panel  30  may be provided with a light-diffusing (i.e. light-scattering) means  90  disposed on the rear surface  30   b  as shown in FIG. 3 (and/or the front surface  30   a ). The light-diffusing means  90  may be composed of a plurality of micro-projections, micro-grooves or micro-prisms positioned on the rear surface  30   b  (and/or the front surface  30   a ). The light-diffusing means  90  are acting as a light-diffuser in which light diffuses or reflects toward the adhesive layer  60  so as to irradiate the optical fibers  100 . Further, the light-diffusing means  90  have preferably a graduation pattern, in which a pitch of the micro-projections, micro-grooves or micro-prisms is gradually changed from the first side face  30   c  to the second side face  30   d.    
     When only the single light source  40  is positioned adjacent to the first side face  30   c,  a pitch for positioning the micro-projections, micro-grooves or micro-prisms on the rear surface  30   b  may be increased gradually from the first side face  30   c  to the second side face  30   d  so as to produce a uniform surface brightness for irradiating or lighting uniformly most of the optical fibers  100  as is shown in FIG.  3 . 
     When the photocatalytic optical fibers  100  of the photocatalyst apparatus  300  are photo-catalized by light irradiation, the photocatalyst material included in the photocatalytic optical fibers are activated in order to oxidize and/or reduct a substance/substances being contacted, closed to, or stuck on the photocatalytic optical fibers so that the substance/substances are subjected to be cleaned-up or processed to react for clarification. At the same time, the photocatalyst apparatus  300  itself is cleaned-up so as to have a self-cleaning characteristic, thereby maintenance work for clarifying the photocatalyst apparatus  300  is reduced. 
     Referring again to FIG.  2  and FIG. 3, the light rays L 2  input to the adhesive layer  60  further transmit toward the photocatalytic optical fibers and outside. The light rays L 3  directing to the photocatalytic optical fibers are received at the light-input end (or the first end)  10   c  of the photocatalytic optical fibers and transmit inside of a length of the core  10  of the photocatalytic optical fibers toward the second end. Some volume of the light rays L 3  leak i.e. output to the photocatalytic sheath  20  including the photocatalytic elements  20   a.  Therefore, the photocatalytic sheath  20  is photocatalized by irradiated of the light rays L 3 . Further, some volume of the light rays L 4  directing to outside via the transparent adhesive layer  60  transmit toward the photocatalytic optical fibers for irradiating the photocatalytic optical fibers from an exposed surface of the photocatalytic optical fibers. Therefore, the photocatalytic optical fibers can receive the light rays L 3  from an interior of the photocatalytic optical fibers and, at the same time, the light rays L 4  from an exterior of the photocatalytic optical fibers. Furthermore the adhesive layer  60  may further include photocatalytic material, for example, the photocatalytic material may be formed as elements (or particles) and the elements (or particles) may be formed on a surface of the adhesive layer  60  or may be dispersed in the adhesive layer  60  instead. 
     It should be noted that an optimum use of the light rays from the light source is accomplished efficiently without loss of light by utilizing the transparent substrate member (i.e. light-guidable member) applying an edge-lighting effect and the plurality of photocatalytic optical fibers disposed on/in the transparent substrate member and that most light rays from the light source can contribute irradiation of the photocatalytic optical fibers in the first aspect of the present invention. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, various modification of the present invention is illustrated, in which various modifications are made in the afore-mentioned first embodiment. The photocatalytic optical fiber  100  including the photocatalyst (or the composite of the photocatalyst and the absorbent) may be modified to any patterns or shapes. 
     The numeral  100   a  denotes a photocatalytic optical fiber having a U-shape, in which the optical fiber  100   a  has a length of core being bent to form the U-shape, a first end and a second end. The first end and the second end are implanted on the surface of the transparent panel  30  so as to receive or accept the light L output via the panel  30 . In this case, a total quantity of the optical fibers  100   a  can be reduced. The numeral  100   b  and  100   c  denotes each photocatalytic optical fiber having a coil-shape, respectively, in which the optical fiber  100   b  or  100   c  has a length of core being bent to form the coil-shape, a first end or a second end. The first end or the second end is implanted on a surface of the transparent panel  30  so as to receive light output via the panel  30 . In this case, the light may be leaked from bent portions of the optical fiber  100   b  and  100   c  to a photocatalytic sheath on the core by a bending loss of the optical fiber. The optical fiber  100   b  or  100   c  is composed of a plurality of substantially circular portions, in which the optical fiber  100   b  has substantially uniform diameter, while the optical fiber  100   c  has substantially different diameter. The numeral  100   f  denotes a photocatalytic optical fiber having a random-shape, in which the optical fiber  100   f  has a length of core being extend in a random fashion to form the random-shape, a first end and a second end. The first end or the second end is implanted on the surface. The numeral  100   d  or  100   e  denotes a photocatalytic optical fiber having a trunk optical fiber and a plurality of branched optical fibers, both optical fiber having the photocatalyst and the absorbent, respectively. At least dual branched optical fibers in the photocatalytic optical fiber  100   e  are elongated upwardly from the same portion of the trunk optical fiber, while at least dual branched optical fibers in the photocatalytic optical fiber  100   d  are elongated upwardly from different portions of the trunk optical fiber. 
     Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described referring to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to those embodiments and that various changes, modifications, or equivalents may be made in the present invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or the scope of the present invention and the appended claims.