Patent Publication Number: US-2011051544-A1

Title: Device for mixing and/or kneading food products

Description:
This application is a national stage of International Application PCT/NL2009/000015, filed Jan. 26, 2009 and claims benefit of and priority to Netherlands Patent Application No. 1034970, filed Jan. 29, 2008, the content of which Applications are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure relates to a device for mixing and/or kneading food products. The device is provided with at least one container having an inlet, an outlet as well as at least one rotary shaft extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the container. The shaft is provided with at least one tool, which tool comprises at least one bar which is connected to the shaft via spacers. The shaft comprises an operative area for continuous mixing and/or kneading of food products, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the shaft. 
     The present disclosure further relates to a method for mixing and/or kneading food products in a container. The food products are supplied from an inlet to a rotary shaft fitted with a tool for mixing and/or kneading the food products. The food products are subsequently discharged through an outlet. 
     Such a device and method suitable for kneading and/or mixing food products are known from NL-1029273. The device comprises a container, in which two counter-rotating shafts are disposed side by side, which shafts are fitted with tools in the form of bars that helically surround the shafts. In the container, the dough is transported from the inlet to the outlet in use. The rate of movement of the products in the container being determined by the shape of the tool and the tilting of the container, among other things, so that the force of gravity can contribute positively towards increasing the rate of movement of the food products in the container. 
     Although excellent results are obtained with the known device, tilting the container by means of the lifting mechanism for the purpose of influencing the rate of movement of the food products in the container takes energy. In addition, such a lifting mechanism requires periodic maintenance. 
     The present disclosure relates to providing an improved device for mixing and/or kneading food products. 
     This is accomplished with the device, according to the present disclosure, in that the inlet and also the outlet extend in longitudinal direction substantially over the operative area of the shaft between the inlet and the outlet. 
     Using such a device, it is possible to control the quality of the mixing and/or kneading process of the food products in a container, for example by having the shafts rotate at a higher or lower speed, without this necessarily having any effect on the amount produced by means of the device. Unlike known devices, the rate of movement of the food products between the inlet and the outlet is hardly influenced by the shafts fitted with the tool, because the movement of the food products in the container will, according to the present disclosure, take place mainly in vertical direction and hardly in the horizontal direction. The rate of the vertical movement between the inlet and the outlet is mainly determined by gravity. By using such a configuration of the inlet and the outlet, a maximum contribution of the force of gravity to the rate of movement is realized without energy-consuming devices being required. The inlet opening extending in the longitudinal direction evenly distributes the food products from, for example, a distributor hopper over the operative area of the tool that extends substantially identically in the longitudinal direction. In this way, the entire capacity of the tool extending in longitudinal direction is utilized in an efficient manner and all the food products being supplied are mixed or kneaded in the operative area of the shaft. The food products are discharged from the container through the outlet in the same efficient manner. 
     The device according to the present disclosure can furthermore be used in a very flexible manner for mixing and/or kneading, in short succession, products that require different mixing and/or kneading treatments. 
     An embodiment of the present disclosure includes a virtual vertical that extends both through the inlet and through the outlet. 
     Since the same vertical crosses both the inlet and the outlet, the openings defined by the inlet and the outlet are vertically aligned. The term “virtual vertical” is understood to mean a line extending in the direction of gravity. 
     Disposed on a shaft between the inlet and the outlet is a tool in the form of at least one bar. The tool is suitable, for example, for kneading food products, the term “kneading” being understood to mean the putting of energy and gas into the food products to be processed, for example, by way of shearing forces being generated by way of the bars of the tools, but also between the bars and the walls of the container. For kneading, the bar, for example, extends over practically the entire length of the shaft, so that the forces will be evenly distributed over the shaft. According to another embodiment, however, several bars are arranged in line behind each other, or U-shaped brackets are mounted to the shaft, in which case the bridge portion of the U-shaped brackets forms the bar and the legs thereof form the spacers. 
     The device according to the present disclosure is suitable, for example, for kneading a viscous mixture by use of the tool, while the rotating bars can also mix the food products present in the container. The central axis of the inlet is located, for example, substantially on the same vertical as the central axis of the outlet. 
     The term “food products” as used herein is further understood to refer to food components and additives that are common in the food industry. 
     Yet another embodiment of the device according to the present disclosure includes the fact that the dimension of the inlet and/or the outlet, for example, the transverse dimension, can be variably adjusted. 
     Varying the dimension of the inlet and/or the outlet makes it possible to control the amount per unit time that is supplied to the container and/or the amount per unit time that is discharged from the container, and thus the residence time and the volume of the food products in the container. If it is empirically determined that the food products need to be mixed and/or kneaded longer to obtain the desired quality, the dimension of, for example, the outlet can be temporarily reduced in comparison to the inlet, so that temporarily more food products will be supplied to the container through the inlet than discharged through the outlet. In this way, the container will become fuller and the food products will have a longer average stay in the container, such that the food products will be mixed and/or kneaded longer. Conversely, the outlet may be enlarged temporarily in comparison with the inlet. Such an inlet and/or outlet whose dimension can be temporarily varied is especially advantageous in the case of a device, according to the present disclosure, for continuous mixing and/or kneading of food products. That is because a temporary change of the dimensions makes it possible to control the residence time of the food products and thus the quality of the kneaded and/or mixed food products. 
     The dimension of the inlet and the outlet in the longitudinal direction may be, for example, constant, while the width of the inlet and outlet openings is varied. Thus, it is ensured at the inlet that the food products will be evenly distributed over the tools extending in the longitudinal direction and that uniformly mixed/kneaded food products can be discharged at the outlet. 
     As a result of the corresponding dimensions of the inlet and the outlet, the amount of the food products to be treated that is supplied to the container per unit time may, for example, be substantially the same as or exhibit a fixed proportion in relation to the amount to be discharged per unit time, so that the container can be operated continuously, thereby providing a device for continuous mixing and/for kneading of food products. 
     Another embodiment of the device according to the present disclosure includes the fact that the outlet of the container is provided with two counter-rotatable discharge rollers extending parallel to the shafts, between which a discharge gap is present. 
     The food products that have been treated in the container are uniformly discharged from the container by way of such discharge rollers. In addition, the discharge rate of the treated food products through the outlet can be controlled in dependence on the speed of rotation of the discharge rollers. Furthermore, the gases contained in the food products, which partially determine the quality of the food products to be treated with the tool, are uniformly distributed by the discharge rollers. The food products are additionally stretched by the counter-rotating discharge rollers, which is normally a separate operation, thereby rendering the device according to the present disclosure more efficient and thus more economical. The discharge rollers are counter-rotating, with the discharge roller located to the right of the discharge gap rotating in anti-clockwise direction and the discharge roller located to the left of the discharge rotating in clockwise direction. 
     It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the devices may include only one rotatable discharge roller extending parallel to the shaft, in which case a discharge gap will be present between a wall of the container and said discharge roller. 
     Yet another embodiment of the device according to the present disclosure includes the fact that the discharge gap is variably adjustable by moving the discharge rollers with respect to each other or by moving the discharge roller with respect to the wall. 
     In addition to adjusting the speed of rotation, it is possible to adjust the amount to be discharged per unit time, and thus the residence time of the food products in the container, by varying the outlet opening formed by the discharge gap by way of the variably adjustable discharge gap. The gap width of the discharge gap can, for example, be varied by moving the centers or axes of the discharge rollers relative to each other. Furthermore, it is possible to adjust the thickness of the layer of food products produced between the discharge rollers to the desired thickness in a simple manner by adjusting the gap width. Such a possibility to adjust the thickness of the layer of food products may be advantageous, for example, in connection with processes that take place after the food products have left the device, according to the present disclosure. 
     Another embodiment of the device according to the present disclosure includes the fact that the inlet of the container is provided with two counter-rotatable supply rollers extending parallel to the shafts, between which a supply gap is present. 
     To prevent an uneven supply of food products into the container, the container inlet is fitted with supply rollers, which evenly distribute the food products to be treated in the longitudinal direction of the tool. It is also possible to set the supply rate of the food products into the container to a desired supply rate in a simple manner by controlling the speed of rotation of the supply rollers. Furthermore, a first mixing and/or kneading treatment takes place by way of a compressive force being exerted on the food products by the supply rollers, wherein also the gases contained in the food products can be distributed more uniformly. The supply rollers are counter-rotatable, for example, in a similar manner as the discharge rollers. A supply rate which can be varied by the supply rollers and/or a discharge rate which can be varied by the discharge rollers may be advantageous in the case of a device for continuous mixing and/or kneading of food products. That is because it is possible to control the residence time of the food products in the container via a temporary change in said rates, thereby making it possible to control the quality of the kneaded and/or a mixed food products. According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the device comprises only one rotatable supply roller extending parallel to the shaft, in which case a supply gap will be present between the supply roller and a wall of the container. 
     Yet another embodiment of the device according to the present disclosure includes the fact that the supply gap is variably adjustable by moving the supply rollers with respect to each other or by moving the supply roller with respect to the wall. 
     The dimension of the inlet opening for the food products formed by the supply gap can be varied by the supply roller(s), thus making it possible to set a desired amount to be supplied per unit time. The gap with of the discharge gap can be varied by moving the centers or axes of the rollers relative to each other. 
     With the device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, it is also possible, for example, to keep the dimension of the supply gap constant and to vary the discharge gap temporarily, or vice versa. In this way it is possible to control the residence time of the food products, and thus the quality of the food products, in a simple manner while using a relatively simple device, in which only the width of the supply gap or of the discharge gap can be varied. 
     Yet another embodiment of the device according to the present disclosure includes the fact that the tool extends substantially parallel to the shaft. 
     When a tool extending substantially parallel to the shaft is used, the forces that are exerted on the tool in use will be substantially constant if the food products are uniformly distributed over the shaft. When the tool is loaded in such an even manner, the risk of fracture is zero, so that the tool will have a relatively long life. The spacing between the container wall and the bar or bars of the tool is, for example, comparatively small, and may, for example, be smaller than half the length of a spacer, so that the shearing forces being generated between the wall and the bar in use will be maximized, resulting in a better kneading result of the food products in the container. 
     Yet another embodiment of the device according to the present disclosure includes the fact that the shaft is provided with at least two tools disposed opposite each other, which tools and which shaft extending therebetween lie in a virtual plane. 
     In order to be able to process the food products in an effective way, each shaft is provided minimally with two tools. If the two tools and the shaft extending therebetween lie in a virtual plane, the shaft will be loaded symmetrically, resulting in less wear and a prolonged shaft life. 
     Yet another embodiment of the device according to the present disclosure includes the fact that the condition of the food products can be registered by using detection means, which detection means are connected to a control unit, by which the amount of energy to be input into the food products can be changed. 
     Said detection means may, for example, be temperature sensors or sensors that measure the energy supplied to the shafts or sensors that measure the viscosity or other quality characteristics of the food products which have been kneaded or mixed and/or are to be kneaded and/or mixed. When such detection means detect a variation that exceeds a threshold value, a control unit may respond thereto by changing the energy input into the food products to be kneaded/mixed. 
     The amount of energy to be input into the food products can be changed by adjusting the speed of rotation of the shaft(s) and/or the supply rollers and/or the discharge rollers. In this way the shearing forces generated between the tool and the container wall are increased or decreased, so that the food products will be kneaded better or less well. 
     The amount of energy to be input into the food products can also be changed by adapting the dimension of the inlet and/or the outlet. In this way the residence time of the food products is influenced, that is, prolonged or shortened. The inlet and/or the outlet may, for example, be formed by the supply gap and the discharge gap. If the outlet is formed by scrapers, the dimension of the outlet can also be varied by the scrapers. 
     Furthermore, the amount of energy to be input into the food products can be changed by adjusting the temperature of the supply rollers and/or the discharge rollers and/or the container walls. 
     To that end the rollers and/or the wall can be heatable. 
     When the above detection means are used, the occurrence of excessive variations is eliminated and a desired condition can be realized in the container via a closed loop and, concomitant therewith, the desired quality of the food products to be kneaded and/or mixed is thus obtained. 
     Yet another embodiment of the device according to the present disclosure includes the fact that the device may comprise a pre-mixer for providing a viscous mixture, which pre-mixer is disposed upstream of the container, while energy can be added to the viscous mixture in the container by way of the tool. 
     A pre-mixer may be a continuous mixer as is known, which normally includes a spiral or spiral-like tool comprising a large number of windings per unit length, for example more than 10 windings per meter, while the food products mixed by the pre-mixer are, for example, kneaded in the container of the device according to the present disclosure. 
     Yet another embodiment of the device according to the present disclosure includes the fact that the shaft or the shafts disposed side by side in the container form a first layer, above which and/or below which there is provided at least one further layer of at least two counter-rotatable shafts extending side by side substantially in the longitudinal direction of the container. 
     It is within the scope of the present disclosure to provide a number of layers of shafts provided with tools in dependence on the food products to be treated. Discharge rollers and/or supply rollers may be provided between the layers. In such a case, it may be, for example, that all layers are disposed between the discharge rollers and the supply rollers. 
     The present disclosure also relates to providing an improved method for mixing and/or kneading food products in an energetically and economically advantageous manner. 
     This may be accomplished with the method according to the present disclosure in that the food products are transported substantially in vertical direction from the inlet to the outlet under the influence of the force of gravity, during which transport the food products are mixed and/or kneaded in an operative area of the shaft between the inlet and the outlet. 
     Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1   a - c  are perspective views of a device and a container according to the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  are perspective views of an embodiment of the device and the container according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic sectional view of another embodiment of a device according to the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the Figures, like parts are indicated by the same numerical designations. 
       FIGS. 1   a - c  are perspective views of a device  1  and a container  5  according to the present disclosure. An outer wall  13  of the container  5  is shown in  FIG. 1   a  but not shown in  FIGS. 1   b  and  1   c . The device  1  comprises a pre-mixer  3 , which pre-mixer  3  may be a mixer configured in a manner which is known, but which may have an outlet (not shown) that extends in a longitudinal direction. The container  5  of the device  1 , according to the present disclosure, comprises an inlet (not shown), an outlet (not shown), as well as at least two counter-rotatable shafts  7 ,  9  extending side by side substantially in the longitudinal direction of the container  5 . The container  5  is provided with a driving mechanism  11 . The shafts  7 ,  9  disposed in the container  5  can be rotated in opposite directions by the driving mechanism  11 . In use, the shafts  7 ,  9 , may, for example, rotate at a constant rotational speed. 
     The container  5  is provided with the inlet for filling the container  5  with the food products to be treated via the outlet of the pre-mixer  3 . The outlet of the pre-mixer  3  is vertically aligned with the inlet of the container  5 , and with an outlet of the container  5 , which is vertically aligned with the inlet of the container  5 , for discharging the treated food products from the container  5 . The rotary shafts  7 ,  9  extend the entire length of the container  5 . The container  5  is further provided with curved walls  16 . 
     Each shaft  7 ,  9  is provided with a tool  15 , which comprises two bars  17  extending parallel to the shaft  7 ,  9 , which bars are connected to the shaft  7 ,  9  by spacers  19 . The tool  15  extends in the longitudinal direction and defines an operative area, in which actual contact may take place between the bar  17  of the tool  15  and the food products present in the container  5 . During rotation of the shafts  7 ,  9 , the food products present in the container  5  are mainly kneaded by the bars  17 . In use, the shafts  7 ,  9  rotate in opposite directions. The tools  15  on the two shafts  7 ,  9  comprise an overlapping area in the container  5  and are consequently oriented asymmetrically, in mirror image of each other, so that the tool  15  of the first shaft  7  will not come into contact with the tool  15  of the second shaft  9 . In this illustrated embodiment, the asymmetrical orientation of the tools  15  is as follows: The tools  15  of the shaft  7  lie in a first virtual plane, while the two tools  15  of the shaft  9  lie in a second virtual plane, which first virtual plane of the shaft  7  extends transversely to the second virtual plane of the shaft  9 . A tool  15  which is oriented in such a manner is excellently suitable for kneading the food products. Such a kneading process takes place, for example, between the longitudinally extending walls  16  of the container  5  and the longitudinally extending bars  17 , and also between the bars  17  of the shaft  7  and the bars  17  of the shaft  9 . 
     The container  5  that is shown in  FIGS. 1   a - c  further comprises an outlet  21 , which is bounded by scrapers  23  extending in the longitudinal direction of the container  5 . Such scrapers  23  are adjustable via slotted holes by handles  25 . The scrapers  23  can be fixed in the desired position by the handles  25 . In use, the scrapers  23  abut against the curved walls  16 . Food products that do not fit in the spaces between the curved walls  16  and the bars  17  while kneading takes place will be discharged via the outlet  21  by the scrapers  23 . 
     In the container  5  according to the present disclosure, the outlet  21  is vertically aligned with the inlet of the container  5 , in such a manner that the inlet, which extends substantially in the horizontal plane, is crossed by the same vertical as the outlet  21 , which likewise extends substantially in a lower horizontal plane. The central axis of the inlet is located on the same vertical as the central axis of the outlet  21  of the container  5 . It is important that both the outlet and the inlet of the container  5  can extend substantially in the longitudinal direction over the operative area of the shafts. The operative area is formed by the longitudinally extending tool  15 . 
     The operation of the device  1  is as follows. 
     The food products, for example, ingredients for preparing a flour product, are mixed by the pre-mixer  3 , and, for example, a viscous mixture is discharged through the outlet of the pre-mixer  3  to the inlet of the container  5 . A vertical extends through the outlet of the pre-mixer  3 , which vertical also extends through the inlet of the container  5 . In the container  5 , the batter prepared by the pre-mixer  3  is kneaded by the tool  15  mounted on the shafts  7 ,  9 . Under the influence of the force of gravity, and by the scrapers  23 , the food products kneaded by the tools  15  are discharged through the outlet  21  for possible further processing. Since a virtual vertical line, or the vertical, extends through the inlet as well as the outlet  21 , the force of gravity has a maximum effect on the transport of the food products through the container  5  of the device  1 , according to the present disclosure. 
     The scrapers  23  do not consume any energy in use and are economical as well as low-maintenance. 
       FIG. 2   a  is a perspective view of a device  100 , according to the present disclosure.  FIG. 2   b  is a perspective view of the container  105 , from which the outer walls of the container  105  have been left out for the sake of clarity. 
     Parts corresponding to parts shown in  FIGS. 1   a - 1   c  are indicated by the same numerals, but augmented by  100  in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b . Not all 100-level parts in  FIGS. 2   a - c  are specifically identified herein but are shown in  FIGS. 2   a - c.    
     The container  105  comprises two shafts  107 ,  109 , which are fitted with a tool  115 , which is substantially identical as regards its shape and orientation to the tool  15  that is shown in  FIGS. 1   b  and  1   c.    
     The container  105  is provided with an inlet  130 , as shown in  FIG. 2   a , which is aligned with an outlet of the pre-mixer  103 . 
     The container  105  is further provided with an outlet  131 , which outlet  131  comprises two counter-rotatable discharge rollers  133 ,  135  extending parallel to the shafts  107 ,  109 , between which a discharge gap  137  extending in the longitudinal direction of the container  105  is present. The width of the discharge gap  137 , that is, the spacing between the discharge rollers  133 ,  135 , is variably adjustable by moving the discharge rollers  133 ,  135  with respect to each other by adjusting guides  139 . The discharge rollers  133 ,  135  have ends  141 , which are slidably movable over the adjusting guides  139  and which can be fixed in position thereon, so that the discharge gap  137  having a desired dimension is defined by the discharge rollers  133 ,  135 . 
     The outlet  131  defined by the discharge gap  137 , may, for example, have the same dimension as the inlet  130 , but it is also possible to change the dimension if the conditions in the container require so. A virtual vertical (not shown) extends both through the inlet  130  and through the outlet  131 , which means that the inlet  130  and the outlet  131  are vertically aligned. 
     The operation of the device  100  is substantially identical to the operation of the device  1 , with a difference being that discharge rollers  133 ,  135  are provided instead of the scrapers  23 . In the device  100 , just as in the device  1 , the force of gravity has a maximum effect on the transport through the container  105  on account of the vertical that extends both through the inlet  130  and through the outlet  131 . In comparison with the scrapers  23  of the device  1 , the discharge rollers  133 ,  135  provide an additional advantage that the gas present in the kneaded food products is distributed more uniformly. Moreover, the discharge rollers  133 ,  135  make it possible to obtain a layer of kneaded food products that has a uniform thickness. This is advantageous in connection with the further processing of the kneaded food products. Moreover, the thickness of the kneaded layer of food products can be adjusted by the discharge rollers  133 ,  135 . In order to vary the amount to be discharged per unit time, it is possible, within the scope of the present disclosure, to vary the rotational speed of the discharge rollers  133 ,  135 , but it is also possible to vary the width of the discharge gap  137  for the purpose of adjusting the amounts to be discharged per unit time. In this way, the residence time, and thus the quality of the food products, can be controlled in a simple manner. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view of another embodiment of the device, designated as  200 , according to the present disclosure. 
     The device  200  comprises a pre-mixer  203  and a container  205 . An inlet  230  of the container  205  is provided with two counter-rotatable supply rollers  240 ,  241  extending parallel to the shafts  207 ,  209 , between which supply rollers  240 ,  241  a supply gap  242  is present. The supply gap  242  between the supply rollers  240 ,  241  and also the speed of rotation of the supply rollers is variably adjustable in a similar manner as with the discharge rollers  133 ,  135 . 
     The supply roller  240  located to the right of the supply gap  242  rotates in anti-clockwise direction P 1 , while the supply roller  241  located to the left of the supply gap  242  rotates in clockwise direction P 2 . Upon rotation of the supply rollers  240 ,  241  in their respective directions, the supply rollers  240 ,  241  comprise a transport function. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the discharge rollers  249 ,  251  rotate in the same directions, respectively, as the supply rollers  240 ,  241 , respectively. 
     As illustrated by a dotted line in  FIG. 3 , the vertical  250  extends both through the supply gap  242  that forms at the inlet of the container  205  and through discharge gap  252  that forms the outlet of the container  205 . 
     The supply gap  242  and the discharge gap  252  are variably adjustable as regards their width dimension by moving the respective supply rollers  240 ,  241  and discharge rollers  249 ,  251  relative to each other. Furthermore, the speed of rotation of the supply rollers  240 ,  241  and the discharge rollers  249 ,  251  is variably adjustable. 
     In spite of the fact that the shafts  207 ,  209  as shown, rotate in an identical, respective, manner as the rollers  240 ,  241 ,  249 ,  251 , respectively, the shafts  207 ,  209  shafts do not need to comprise a transport function, and they may also rotate in the reverse manner of the illustrated manner of rotation between walls  214 ,  215  of the container  205 . 
     An additional advantage of the supply gap  242  is that the food products from the pre-mixer  203  are evenly distributed over the longitudinally extending tool. In addition, a first mixing/kneading treatment takes place as a result of the compression between the supply rollers  240 ,  241 . 
     The container  5  may, according to the present disclosure, additionally be provided with an air supply means (not shown) for supplying conditioned air in, for example, a controlled amount and having a controlled moisture content, composition and temperature. 
     The device, according to the present disclosure, may furthermore be provided with detection means which are known. By such detection means, the quality of the food products can be directly or indirectly determined. Such detection means may be connected, via a closed loop, to a control unit by which the speed of rotation of the shaft(s)  7 ,  9 ,  107 ,  109 ,  207 ,  209  and/or the supply rollers  240 ,  241  and/or the discharge rollers  133 ,  135 ,  249  and  251  can be adjusted. Or, by which the dimension of the supply gap  242  and/or the discharge gap  252  or the space between the scraper  23  can be adjusted. Or, by which the temperature of the supply rollers and/or the discharge rollers and/or the container walls can be adjusted. 
     The supply rollers  240 ,  241  and the discharge rollers  133 ,  135 ,  249 ,  251  may be profiled and be heatable or coolable. In addition, a liquid can be forcibly introduced into the food products one or more of the rollers, if desired. According to the present disclosure, two rollers defining a gap may have mutually different diameters. 
     It is within the scope of the present disclosure to use a metering unit instead of a pre-mixer. 
     Although the present disclosure has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.