Patent Publication Number: US-2011055051-A1

Title: Communication device and cover unit for covering communication terminal

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-200802, filed on Aug. 31, 2009; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to a communication device used by a customer when a customer makes an order on table of an eating house such as a restaurant and a cover unit for covering a communication terminal of the communication device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In recent years, an order managing system is used in order to accurately and quickly communicate an order of a customer to cooks in an eating house such as a restaurant. In the order managing system, a handy terminal individually carried by a store clerk is used for inputting order data. The input order data is transmitted to a radio communication unit set on a ceiling or the like and configured to enable radio communication with the handy terminal. The order data is transmitted from the radio communication unit to a kitchen printer for instructing cooks in a kitchen about order menu items and a POS (Point of Sales) terminal as a checkout apparatus set on a checkout counter. 
     From the viewpoint of improvement of efficiency of operation, a reduction in personnel expenses, and the like, in some case, a customer order terminal with which a customer himself or herself can make an order is provided on each of tables. Like the handy terminals, such a customer order terminal can communicate with the radio communication unit by radio. Order data input to the customer order terminal is transmitted to the radio communication unit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an order entry system of a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an open state of a second component of a handy terminal of the first embodiment viewed from a front surface side; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a closed state of the second component of the handy terminal of the first embodiment viewed from the second component side; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a control system for the handy terminal of the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a communication device of the first embodiment viewed from the front surface side of the handy terminal; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of the communication device of the first embodiment viewed from a rear surface side of the handy terminal; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a first cover of the communication device of the first embodiment viewed from the front surface side of the handy terminal; 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of the first cover of the communication device of the first embodiment viewed from the rear surface side of the handy terminal; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a second cover of the communication device of the first embodiment viewed from the rear surface side of the handy terminal; 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of the second cover of the communication device of the first embodiment viewed from the front surface side of the handy terminal; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a communication device of a certain modification of the first embodiment viewed from a front surface side of a handy terminal; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a communication device of a certain modification of the first embodiment viewed from a front surface side of a handy terminal; and 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the communication device of the modification shown in  FIG. 12  viewed from the front surface side of the handy terminal. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In general, according to one embodiment, a certain embodiment provides a communication device including: a communication terminal including a first component having a display section provided on a front surface, a second component having an operation button unit provided on a front surface, and a coupling section configured to openably and closably couple the first and second components; and a first cover configured to cover a front surface of the communication device in a state in which the first and second components are open and including at least two windows arranged in positions corresponding to the display section and the operation button unit. 
     Another embodiment provides a communication device including: a communication terminal including an operation section on a front surface; and a cover configured to cover a side of the communication terminal on which the operation section is provided and including a window for exposing a portion of the operation section to the outside, wherein the operation section includes, in a position covered with the cover, a mode switching section configured to switch a mode. 
     Another embodiment provides a cover unit configured to cover a communication terminal including a first component and a second component that is opened and closed between a state in which the second component is opened with respect to the first component and a state in which the second component is closed with respect to the first component, the cover unit including: a first cover attached to a front surface side of the first component and the second component exposed to an outer side in the state in which the second component is opened; and a second cover attached to a rear surface side of the first component and the second component on the opposite side of the front surface side in a state in which the second component is opened, wherein the first cover includes: a display section window arranged in a position corresponding to a display section provided on the front surface of the first component when the cover unit is attached to the communication terminal; and an operation button unit window arranged in a position corresponding to an operation button unit provided on the front surface of the second component when the cover unit is attached to the communication terminal. 
     First Embodiment 
     A first embodiment is explained with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 10 . 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of an order entry system  1  as an order managing system of this embodiment used in an eating house such as a restaurant. The order entry system  1  includes plural handy terminals  3  as transmission terminals with which store clerks or customers make orders, a radio communication unit  4  set on a ceiling or the like and configured to enable radio communication with the handy terminals  3 , a kitchen printer  5  configured to print and issue a cooking instruction slip (not shown) for instructing cooks in a kitchen about order menu items, a POS (Point of Sales) terminal  6  as a checkout apparatus set on a checkout counter, and a control station  7  configured to control the entire system. The radio communication unit  4 , the kitchen printer  5 , and the POS terminal  6  are connected to the control station  7  by a communication line  8 . Both the number of radio communication units  4  and the number of kitchen printers  5  are arbitrary. A communication device  30  incorporating the handy terminal  3  is arranged on each of tables in a store. The communication device  30  is detachably attached on a placing table or the like. A customer can make an order by himself or herself using the communication device  30 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  are diagrams of the handy terminal  3 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the handy terminal  3  includes a first component  11  having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape arranged on the left side and a second component  12  having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape arranged on the right side. The second component  12  is pivotably coupled to the first component  11  via a fastener  18  such as a hinge. The second component  12  is opened and closed with respect to the first component  11 . Thickness d 1  of the first component  11  is large compared with thickness d 2  of the second component  12 . 
     A display section  15  on which a menu and the like are displayed is provided on an exposed surface (a front surface)  11 A of the first component  11 . The display section  15  is a touch panel type display section. A store clerk can, for example, input order data and transmit the data by touching the display section  15 . An operation button unit  16  including plural operation buttons  16 A is provided on an exposed surface (a front surface)  12 A of the second component  12 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , a state in which the handy terminal  3  is closed is shown. The display section  15  of the first component  11  and the operation buttons  16 A of the second component  12  are hidden from the outside. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram of a control system for the handy terminal  3  incorporated in the handy terminal  3 . The operation button unit  16  is connected to a button-operation detecting section  71 . The display section  15  is connected to a display switching section  73  and an input-operation detecting section  77 . The button-operation detecting section  71 , the input-operation detecting section  77 , and the display switching section  73  are connected to a controller  70  configured to control the entire system. The button-operation detecting section  71  detects operation in the operation button unit  16 . The input-operation detecting section  77  detects operation of the touch panel in the display section  15 . 
     The controller  70  is connected to an application switching section  78 . The application switching section  78  is connected to a recording section  79  such as a RAM. The recording section  79  has recorded therein an application in a store clerk order mode in which a store clerk individually carries the handy terminal  3  and makes an order and an application in a customer order mode in which a customer makes an order on a table. The application switching section  78  switches an application to be started between the store clerk order mode and the customer order mode. When the application of the handy terminal  3  is switched, operation for, for example, pressing a pre-set switching button of the operation button unit  16  is performed. Specifically, the handy terminal  3  includes a switching operation section for performing operation for switching the application to be started (display content of the display section  15 ). An input in the operation button unit  16  is detected by the button-operation detecting section  71  and sent to the controller  70 . The controller  70  sends, on the basis of an input from the button-operation detecting section  71 , a control signal for an application switching command to the application switching section  78 . The application switching section  78  switches, on the basis of the control signal for application switching received from the controller  70 , the application to be started. According to the switching of the application of the handy terminal  3 , the display switching section  73  switches the display content of the display section  15  between display content for the store clerk and display content for the customer. 
     In this embodiment, the application to be started is switched between the store clerk order mode and the customer order mode. However, in another embodiment, the same application may be used in the store clerk order mode and the customer order mode. In this case, the application switching section  78  is not provided. When the display content of the display section  15  is switched between the store clerk order mode and the customer order mode, operation for, for example, pressing the pre-set switching button of the operation button unit  16  is performed. An input in the operation button unit  16  is detected by the button-operation detecting section  71  and sent to the controller  70 . The controller  70  sends, on the basis of an input from the button-operation detecting section  71 , a control signal for a display content switching command to the display switching section  73 . The display switching section  73  switches the display content of the display section  15  on the basis of the control signal for display content switching received from the controller  70 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a power switch  21  is provided on a side  11 B on the left side in  FIG. 2  of the first component  11 . In the store clerk order mode, a store clerk presses the power switch  21 , whereby a power supply for the handy terminal  3  is turned on. On the other hand, in the customer order mode, rather than pressing the power switch  21 , a customer touches the display section  15 , whereby the power supply for the handy terminal  3  is turned on. When the customer is not using the handy terminal  3 , the power supply for the handy terminal  3  is automatically turned off. When the power supply for the handy terminal  3  is off, nothing is displayed on the display section  15 . The controller  70  includes a terminal control section configured to control the handy terminal  3  such that, in the customer order mode, the power supply is turned on when the customer touches the display section  15  and is automatically turned off when the customer does not use the handy terminal  3  as explained above. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , an LED  23  is provided in a boundary portion between the surface (the front surface)  11 A, on which the display section  15  is provided, of the first component  11  and a side  11 C on the lower side in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the LED  23  is connected to an LED control section  75 . The LED control section  75  is connected to the controller  70 . In the customer order mode, an error state such as a state in which the customer does not press a transmission button (not shown), which is provided in the display section  15 , for transmitting a data transmission command to the radio communication unit  4  is detected by the input-operation detecting section  77  and sent to the controller  70 . The controller  70  sends an LED lighting command to the LED control section  75  on the basis of an input from the input-operation detecting section  77 . According to the LED lighting command, the LED control section  75  lights the LED  23 . In other words, the LED  23  functions as a warning section for checking the error state of the handy terminal  3 . On the other hand, in the store clerk order mode, the LED  23  may be used in the same manner as in the customer order mode or may be used for other purposes. 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are diagrams of the communication device  30  incorporating the handy terminal  3  in the customer order mode. The communication device  30  includes the handy terminal  3  in the state in which the second component  12  is opened, a first cover (a front cover)  31  formed of a hard member such as metal, and a second cover (a rear cover)  32 . The first cover  31  is attached to the handy terminal  3  from a front surface side of the handy terminal  3  exposed in the state in which the second component  12  is opened. The second cover  32  is attached to the handy terminal  3  from a rear surface side on the opposite side of the side exposed in the state in which the second component  12  is opened. The first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 , whereby the front surface side of the handy terminal  3  is covered with the first cover  31  and the rear surface side of the handy terminal  3  is covered with the second cover  32 . When the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are covered, the opening and closing operation of the second component  12  of the handy terminal  3  is regulated by the first cover  31  and the second cover  32 . The state in which the second component  12  is opened with respect to the first component  11  is maintained. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  are diagrams of the configuration of the first cover  31 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the first cover  31  is formed in a shape for covering the entire front surface side of the handy terminal  3  in the state in which the second component  12  is opened. The first cover  31  includes a front panel  35  and four sidewalls  36 A to  36 D around the front panel  35 . In the front panel  35  of the first cover  31 , a display section window  41  and an operation button unit window  42  are provided to pierce through the front panel  35 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the display section window  41  is arranged in a position corresponding to the display section  15  when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 . Similarly, the operation button unit window  42  is arranged in a position corresponding to the operation button unit  16  when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 . The fastener  18  is arranged in a position corresponding to a partition wall between the display section window  41  and the operation button unit window  42 . 
     A surface area of the display section window  41  is smaller than a surface area of the display section  15 . When the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 , a portion of the display section  15  is exposed to the outside and the remaining portion is covered with the first cover  31 . In other words, the display section  15  includes an exposed section exposed to the outside and an unexposed section covered with the first cover  31 . A surface area of the operation button unit window  42  is smaller than a surface area of the operation button unit  16 . When the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 , a portion of the operation button unit  16  is exposed to the outside and the remaining portion is covered with the first cover  31 . In the portions of the display section  15  and the operation button unit  16  covered with the first cover  31 , buttons unnecessary during the customer order mode such as the switching operation section, which is the button for switching an application, are arranged. Consequently, during the customer order mode, the customer can perform operation using only buttons necessary for an order. In this embodiment, portions of both the display section  15  and the operation button unit  16  are hidden by the cover  31 . However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a portion of only the display section  15  may be hidden. 
     A cutout section for LED  45  is provided in a boundary portion between the front panel  35  and the sidewall  36 A of the first cover  31 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the cutout section for LED  45  is arranged in a position corresponding to the LED  23  when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 . Since the cutout section for LED  45  is provided, even when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 , the lighting of the LED  23  can be checked from the cutout section for LED  45 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , four screw holes  46  are provided on a rear surface (a lower surface) of the front panel  35  of the first cover  31 . 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  are diagrams of the configuration of the second cover  32 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the second cover  32  is formed in a shape for covering the entire rear surface side of the handy terminal  3  in the state in which the second component  12  is opened. The second cover  32  includes a bottom surface panel  51  and four sidewalls  52 A to  52 D around the bottom surface panel  51 . A window for battery replacement  55  is provided in the bottom surface panel  51  of the second cover  32 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the window for battery replacement  55  is arranged in a position corresponding to a battery mounting section  25  of the handy terminal  3  when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , four through holes  57  are provided in the bottom surface panel  51  of the second cover  32 . The respective through holes  57  are arranged in positions corresponding to the screw holes  46  of the first cover  31 . When the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , four screws  59  are inserted into the screw holes  46  of the first cover  31  through the through holes  57  of the second cover  32  in a state in which the handy terminal  3  is arranged between the first cover  31  and the second cover  32 . Male screw portions (not shown) of the screws  59  are screwed in the screw holes  46 , whereby the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are coupled. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , in the second cover  32 , plural projections  58  projecting to the front surface side (the upper side) of the first component  11  and the second component  12  are provided in regions of the bottom surface panel  51  that are set in contact with the rear surface of the second component  12  when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 . The thickness d 1  of the first component  11  is large compared with the thickness d 2  of the second component  12 . Therefore, since the projections  58  are provided, when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 , the front surface of the first component  11  and the front surface of the second component  12  are arranged on the same plane. Specifically, the projections  58  are position adjusting sections configured to arrange the front surface of the first component  11  and the front surface of the second component  12  on the same plane when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 . 
     In this embodiment, the projections  58  are provided in the regions of the second cover  32  that are set in contact with the rear surface of the second component  12 . However, in another embodiment, groove-like recesses may be provided in regions set in contact with the rear surface of the first component  11 . In this case, the recesses function as the position adjusting sections configured to arrange the front surface of the first component  11  and the front surface of the second component  12  on the same plane when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 . In this embodiment, the thickness d 1  of the first component  11  is large compared with the thickness d 2  of the second component  12 . However, the thickness d 1  of the first component  11  may be small compared with the thickness d 2  of the second component  12 . In this case, as in the case explained above, the position adjusting sections configured to arrange the front surface of the first component  11  and the front surface of the second component  12  on the same plane may be provided in the second cover. 
     Actions of the communication device  30  according to this embodiment are explained below. 
     The store clerk makes an order using the handy terminal  3 . When the store clerk makes an order, in the handy terminal  3 , the application in the store clerk order mode is started. First, the store clerk presses the power switch  21  to thereby turn on the power supply for the handy terminal  3 . The store clerk inputs order data of the customer to the handy terminal  3  and transmits the order data to the radio communication unit  4 . The order data transmitted to the radio communication unit  4  is transmitted to the kitchen printer  5  and the POS terminal  6  via the communication line  8 . 
     On each of the tables in the store, the communication device  30  formed by attaching the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  to the handy terminal  3  in a state in which the second component  12  is opened with respect to the first component  11  is arranged. In the handy terminal  3 , the application in the customer order mode is started. First, the customer touches the display section  15  of the handy terminal  3  of the communication device  30  to thereby turn on the power supply for the handy terminal  3 . The customer inputs order data to the handy terminal  3  and transmits the order data to the radio communication unit  4 . As in the case of the store clerk communication mode, the order data transmitted to the radio communication unit  4  is transmitted to the kitchen printer  5  and the POS terminal  6  via the communication line  8 . When the customer is not using the handy terminal  3 , the power supply for the handy terminal  3  is automatically turned off. 
     Switching of the application to be started between the store clerk order mode and the customer order mode is performed by performing operation for, for example, pressing the pre-set switching button of the operation button unit  16 . An input in the operation button unit  16  is detected by the button-operation detecting section  71  and sent to the controller  70 . The controller  70  sends the application switching command to the application switching section  78  on the basis of the input from the button-operation detecting section  71 . The application switching section  78  switches, on the basis of the command from the controller  70 , the application to be started. According to the switching of the application of the handy terminal  3 , the display switching section  73  switches the display content of the display section  15  between the display content for the store clerk and the display content for the customer. 
     At least in the customer order mode, an error state of the handy terminal  3  such as a state in which the transmission button of the display section  15  for transmitting a data transmission command to the radio communication unit  4  is not pressed is detected by the input-operation detecting section  77  and sent to the controller  70 . The controller  70  sends an LED lighting command to the LED control section  75  on the basis of an input from the input-operation detecting section  77 . According to the LED lighting command, the LED control section  75  lights the LED  23 . When the LED  23  is lit, the customer can check the lighting of the LED  23  from the cutout section for LED  45  provided in the first cover  31  of the communication device  30 . Consequently, the customer checks the error state of the handy terminal  3 . 
     When a battery of the battery mounting section  25  of the handy terminal  3  is replaced in a state in which the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 , the replacement of the battery is performed through the window for battery replacement  55  of the second cover  32  of the communication device  30 . 
     When the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 , portions of the display section  15  and the operation button unit  16  are exposed to the outside and the remaining portions are covered with the first cover  31 . In the portions of the display section  15  and the operation button unit  16  covered with the first cover  31 , buttons unnecessary during the customer order mode such as the button for switching an application (the switching operation section) are arranged. Consequently, during the customer order mode, the customer can perform operation using only buttons necessary for an order. In other words, the customer is prevented from pressing the buttons unnecessary during the customer order mode by mistake. For example, start of the application in the store clerk order mode because of operation of the button for switching an application by the customer by mistake is prevented. 
     Modification of the First Embodiment 
     In the handy terminal  3  of the embodiment explained above, in the customer order mode, the power supply is turned on when the customer touches the display section  15 . However, as a modification, in the customer order mode, as in the store clerk order mode, the power supply may be turned on when the customer presses the power switch  21 . In this case, as shown in  FIG. 11 , a power switch hole  61  is provided in a boundary portion between the first cover  31  and the second cover  32 . The power switch hole  61  is arranged in a position corresponding to the power switch  21  when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 . 
     The handy terminal  3  of the embodiment explained above includes the first component  11  and the second component  12  pivotable with respect to the first component  11 . However, in another embodiment, the handy terminal  3  is not limited to this. For example, as a modification, as shown in  FIG. 12 , the handy terminal  3  may include a single component  62  having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The component  62  includes a front surface  63 , a rear surface (not shown) opposed to the front surface  63 , and four sides  64 A to  64 D. A display section of a touch panel type and an operation section  65  such as an operation button unit are provided on the front surface  63  of the component  62 . According to operation in the operation section  65 , input of order data, transmission of the data, and the like are possible. 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , in the communication device  30  of this modification, the first cover  31  is attached from the front surface  63  (a surface on which the operation section  65  is provided) side of the handy terminal  3 . The second cover  32  is attached from the rear surface (a surface opposed to the surface on which the operation section  65  is provided) side. The first cover  31  includes an operation section window  66  arranged in a position corresponding to the operation section  65  when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 . Therefore, the customer can easily perform input of order data, transmission of the data, and the like by operating the operation section  65  of the handy terminal  3  of the communication device  30 . In this modification, when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 , a portion of the operation section  65  is exposed to the outside and the remaining portion is covered with the first cover  31 . In other words, the operation section  65  includes an exposed section exposed to the outside and an unexposed section covered with the first cover  31 . In the portions of the operation section  65  covered with the first cover  31 , buttons unnecessary during the customer order mode such as the button for switching an application are arranged. Consequently, during the customer order mode, the customer can perform operation using only buttons necessary for an order. 
     In the modification of the embodiment, the display section  15  may be covered with a thin transparent film or the like. Consequently, since the user can perform input of order data, transmission of the data, and the like without directly touching the display section  15 , it is possible to prevent stains of the display section  15 . 
     In this embodiment, the LED  23  is provided in the boundary portion of the front surface  11 A of the first component  11  and the side  11 C on the lower side in  FIG. 2 . However, as a modification, the LED  23  may be provided in, for example, a boundary portion between the rear surface  11 D on the opposite side of the front surface  11 A and the side  11 C. In this case, the cutout section for LED  45  is provided in the second cover  32  in order to arrange the cutout section for LED  45  in a position corresponding to the LED  23  when the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are attached to the handy terminal  3 . In other words, in some case, the cutout section for LED  45  is provided in the second cover  32  or the boundary portion between the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  rather than in the first cover  31  to correspond to the position of the LED  23 . The window for battery replacement  55  and the power switch hole  61  are provided in the same manner as the cutout section for LED  45 . Specifically, in a certain modification, in some case, the window for battery replacement  55  is provided in the first cover  31  or the boundary portion between the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  rather than in the second cover  32  to correspond to the position of the battery mounting section  25 . Similarly, in another certain modification, in some case, the power switch hole  61  is provided in the first cover  31  or the second cover  32  rather than in the boundary portion between the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  to correspond to the position of the power switch  21 . 
     In the embodiment, the LED is used as the warning section for checking the error state of the handy terminal  3 . However, as a modification, the error state may be checked by using other components such as a buzzer. 
     In the embodiment, the application to be started is switched by performing the operation of the operation button unit  16 . However, in a certain modification, the application to be started may be switched by performing the operation of the display section  15 . In this case, the controller  70  sends the application switching command to the application switching section  78  on the basis of an input from the input-operation detecting section  77 . In other words, the handy terminal  3  only has to include a switching operation section configured to switch display content of the display section  15 . Similarly, the transmission button for transmitting the data transmission command to the radio communication unit  4  may be provided in the operation button unit  16  rather than in the display section  15 . 
     In the embodiment, the male screw portions (not shown) of the screws  59  are screwed in the screw holes  46 , whereby the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  are coupled. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in a certain modification, the first cover  31  and the second cover  32  may be coupled by, for example, providing a fitting portion of the first cover  31  and the second cover  32 . 
     While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.