Patent Publication Number: US-2022211208-A1

Title: Beverage cooling device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 110100106 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Jan. 4, 2021, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to a beverage cooling device, and in particular to a beverage cooling device capable of automatically cleaning the cooling pipeline. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Beverage cooling devices are common commercial cooling apparatuses that are widely used in coffee shops, hand-shaken beverage or liquor stores on the street. Since beverages are more likely to breed bacteria at a high temperature (18° C. to 70° C.), in order to quickly pass through this high temperature section and meet the different requirements of customers for the temperature of the beverage, the store must reduce the high temperature beverage to the appropriate temperature in a short period of time, and the common traditional practice is to cool down with ice cubes, but the ice cubes are still susceptible to bacterial contamination during the manufacturing process, so there are hygiene problems. 
     To solve the above problems, some manufacturers and R&amp;D personnel use the method that cooling pipelines combine with coolant, so that the beverage flows through the cooling pipeline configured in the coolant to quickly be cooled, the energy loss of the compressor can be reduced to achieve energy saving effect, and the method can also prevent the beverage from freezing in the cooling pipeline, and thus the beverage is controlled at a fixed temperature, while the hygiene and flavor of the beverage are taken into account. However, when the store does not continuously provide beverages for a long time, the residual liquid of beverages left inside the cooling pipeline is easy to contaminate the pipeline or breed bacteria, and because the cooling pipeline is configured inside the device, it is difficult to immediately confirm the cleanliness of the interior. In the past, most stores artificially injected cleaning liquids such as water for washing regularly or irregularly, but the practice was not only cumbersome and time-consuming, but also prone to hygiene problems caused by omissions of shop assistants. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The inventor exhausted his mind to research carefully, and then developed a beverage cooling device capable of automatically cleaning the cooling pipeline, with a view to achieving the effect of automating the cleaning operation and saving manpower. 
     The present disclosure provides a beverage cooling device, comprising a body, a first cooling tank, a second cooling tank, a cooling pipeline, a cleaning module and a control unit. The first cooling tank is configured in the body and filled with a first coolant; the second cooling tank is configured in the body and filled with a second coolant, wherein a temperature of the second coolant is lower than that of the first coolant; the cooling pipeline comprises a first pipeline and a second pipeline, wherein the first pipeline is configured in the first cooling tank and connected to an inlet end, the second pipeline is configured in the second cooling tank and connected to the first pipeline and an outlet end; the cleaning module is configured in the body and includes a cleaning pipeline and a valve body, wherein the cleaning pipeline is connected to a cleaning liquid source and the inlet end, the valve body is connected to the cleaning pipeline, the control unit is connected or electrically connected to the valve body. 
     In an embodiment, the second pipeline is a cascading configuration, the inlet end is suitable to inject a beverage, and a temperature of the beverage is higher than that of the second coolant. 
     In an embodiment, the first pipeline is a cascading configuration, the number of cascades of the second pipeline is greater than the number of cascades of the first pipeline, and the temperature of the beverage is higher than that of the first coolant. 
     In an embodiment, the first cooling tank is configured with a first temperature sensor, the second cooling tank is configured with a second temperature sensor, and each the first cooling tank and the second cooling tank is respectively configured with an intake valve and a drain valve, and the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, each intake valve and each drain valve are electrically connected to the control unit. When the first temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the first coolant is higher than a first temperature threshold, the control unit opens the intake valve and the drain valve of the first cooling tank, so that the temperature of the first coolant is lower than or equal to the first temperature threshold; when the second temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the second coolant is higher than a second temperature threshold, the control unit opens the intake valve and the drain valve of the second cooling tank, so that the temperature of the second coolant is lower than or equal to the second temperature threshold. 
     In an embodiment, the beverage cooling device further comprises a second coolant source tank, the second coolant source is configured within the second coolant source tank, the second coolant source tank is configured with a heat exchanger and a pump, the exchanger and the pump are electrically connected to the control unit, and the intake valve and the drain valve of the second cooling tank are connected to the second coolant source tank. 
     In an embodiment, the beverage cooling device further comprises a beverage storage tank, the beverage storage tank is configured within the second cooling tank, and the beverage storage tank is connected between the first pipeline and the second pipeline or between the second pipeline and the outlet end. 
     In an embodiment, the beverage cooling device further comprises an ice making tank, the ice making tank is configured with an auxiliary chilling unit thereon, and the first pipeline or the second pipeline is connected to the ice making tank. 
     In an embodiment, the beverage cooling device further comprises a compressor and a chilling unit, the compressor is electrically connected to the control unit, the first cooling tank and the second cooling tank are communicated to each other, and the chilling unit is connected between the compressor and the second cooling tank. 
     In an embodiment, the beverage cooling device further comprises a heat dissipation unit, the heat dissipation unit is connected to the compressor and electrically connected to the control unit. 
     In an embodiment, tank walls of the first cooling tank and the second cooling tank are made of heat insulating materials. 
     Therefore, the beverage cooling device of the disclosure can open the valve body through the control unit when no beverage is provided, and the cleaning liquid is introduced through the cleaning pipeline to inject and clean the cooling pipeline from the inlet end, thereby achieving the effect of automating the cleaning operation and saving manpower. 
     To facilitate understanding of the above characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure, embodiments together with the attached drawings for the detailed description of the present disclosure are provided as below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a beverage machine carrying a beverage cooling device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of internal elements of the beverage cooling device in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to a seventh embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to an eighth embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The aforementioned and other technical contents, characteristics and effects of the present disclosure can be clearly presented by the detailed description of preferable embodiments together with the attached drawings. It&#39;s worth mentioning that the direction terms mentioned in the following embodiments, such as: top, bottom, left, right, front or back are only referred to the direction of the drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are intended to illustrate, not to limit, the disclosure. In addition, in the following embodiments, the same or similar components will use the same or similar reference numerals. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 ,  FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a beverage machine carrying a beverage cooling device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG. 2  is a schematic view of internal elements of the beverage cooling device in  FIG. 1 . The beverage cooling device  1  of the present embodiment is suitable for being mounted in a beverage machine for cooling a beverage, and the beverage cooling device  1  comprises a body  100 , a first cooling tank  200 , a second cooling tank  300 , a cooling pipeline  400 , a cleaning module  500  and a control unit  600 , wherein the first cooling tank  200  is configured in the body  100  and filled with a first coolant L 1 ; the second cooling tank  300  is configured in the body  100  and filled with a second coolant L 2 ; the cooling pipeline  400  includes a first pipeline  410  and a second pipeline  420 , wherein the first pipeline  410  is configured in the first cooling tank  200  and connected to an inlet end  412 , the second pipeline  420  is configured in the second cooling tank  300  and connected to the first pipeline  410  and an outlet end  422 ; the cleaning module  500  is configured in the body  100  and includes a cleaning pipeline  510  and a valve body  520 , wherein the cleaning pipeline  510  is connected to a cleaning liquid source and the inlet end  412 , the valve body  520  is connected to the cleaning pipeline  510 ; the control unit  600  is electrically connected to the valve body  520 . 
     In detail, the beverage cooling device  1  adopts a two-stage cooling method to cool the beverage, the user may inject a high temperature (e.g., more than 70° C.) beverage from the inlet end  412 , and the beverage sequentially passes through the first pipeline  410  and the second pipeline  420  for cooling, and finally outflows from the outlet end  422  to form an ice-cold beverage with a low temperature (e.g., −5° C.). In the embodiment, the first coolant L 1  and the second coolant L 2 , for example, are water, and the temperature of the first coolant L 1  is room temperature (about 25° C.), while the temperature of the second coolant L 2  is maintained between −5° C. to −15° C., in other words, the temperature of the second coolant L 2  is lower than that of the first coolant L 1 , and the beverage machine may be configured as shown in  FIG. 1  with a first cooling tank  200  and a second cooling tank  300  each on the left and right sides, thereby injecting different beverages to provide more choices, or the number of cooling tank sets is increased to more than three sets to form a variety of beverage machines, the present disclosure does not limit these matters. 
     It is worth mentioning that the shape of the inlet end  412  is designed as a funnel in the embodiment, which allows the injected beverage to flow smoothly into the first pipeline  410  and reduces residues. On the other hand, the cooling pipeline  400  is made of stainless steel, allowing the heat of the beverage flowing through the first pipeline  410  and the second pipeline  420  to be quickly transferred to the first coolant L 1  and the second coolant L 2  for cooling, and the tank walls of the first cooling tank  200  and the second cooling tank  300  are made of heat insulating materials such as foaming materials, and even if the second coolant L 2  is maintained at an overcooling temperature below 0° C., it is not easy to form ice crystal cores when the tank walls are smooth, so it does not freeze to reduce the flow of coolant. 
     In addition, the first pipeline  410  and the second pipeline  420 , for example, are formed by using DN9 pipes (average inner diameter of 9 mm) and are presented in cascading configurations as shown in  FIG. 2 , in other words, the first pipeline  410  and the second pipeline  420  may be arranged as flat cascades like mosquito coils, or spiral cascades formed in three-dimensional space as shown in  FIG. 2 , and since the high temperature beverage is mainly cooled by the low temperature second coolant L 2  in the second cooling tank  300 , therefore, in the design, the number of cascades of the second pipeline  420  is designed to be greater than the number of cascades of the first pipeline  410 , in the present embodiment, the number of laps of the first pipeline  410  and the second pipeline  420  are respectively  9  and  14  turns, but the present disclosure does not limit the actual number of cascades, so that the beverage that has a temperature higher than that of the first coolant L 1  can be cooled into an ice-cold beverage for customers to drink in a very short period of time by normal temperature cooling and low temperature cooling. 
     On the other hand, the valve body  520 , for example, is a solenoid valve, and the control unit  600  has an electronic control panel that can be operated by a finger, when a store has not provided beverages during a long period of time, beverage residues in the cooling pipeline  400  easily contaminate the pipeline and breed bacteria, at this time the user can operate the control unit  600  to open valve body  520 , so that the cleaning fluid (e.g., water) flows through the cleaning pipeline  510  and injects into the inlet end  412  from the cleaning liquid source, and passes through the first pipeline  410  and the second pipeline  420  in sequence, finally, is discharged from the outlet end  422 , thereby cleaning the inside of the cooling pipeline, which can automate the cleaning process and eliminate the inconvenience of manual cleaning. 
     Obviously, the valve body  520  can also be a mechanical liquid valve such as a tap, and the control unit  600  is a mechanism corresponding to the above mechanical liquid valve, and the effect of automatic cleaning can also be achieved by connecting the control unit  600  to the valve body  520 . 
     In addition, the control unit  600  may further be set with a timing unit, and a predetermined automatic cleaning interval of the beverage cooling device  1  is inputted by the user in advance, so that when a fixed time interval is passed, the control unit  600  will automatically open the valve body  520  and carry out the cleaning process, which can prevent the user from missing the operation and causing residual liquid contamination of the pipeline or bacteria breeding. 
     Preferably, the beverage cooling unit  1  further comprises a compressor  800  and a chilling unit  810 , wherein the compressor  800  is electrically connected to the control unit  600 , while the chilling unit  810 , for example, is a copper pipe, the first cooling tank  200  and the second cooling tank  300  are communicated to each other through a pipeline or opening, etc., and the chilling unit  810  is connected between the compressor  800  and the second cooling tank  300 . When the temperature of the first coolant L 1  or the second coolant L 2  gradually increases because of cooling the beverage, the compressor  800  compresses the refrigerant and injects into the chilling unit  810 , allowing the second coolant L 2  and the interconnected first coolant L 1  to dissipate heat quickly, thus maintaining the cooling capacity of the beverage cooling unit  1 . Preferably, the beverage cooling unit  1  further comprises a heat dissipation unit  900 , wherein the heat dissipation unit  900 , for example, is a fan, which is connected to the compressor  800  and electrically connected to the control unit  600 . When the compressor  800  performs the above operation and gradually accumulates heat, the control unit  600  can start the operation of the heat dissipation unit  900 , thus the heat of the compressor  800  is dissipated to the outside of the body  100 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The beverage cooling device  1   a  of the present embodiment is similar to the beverage cooling device  1  of  FIG. 2 , the main difference between the two of them is that: the first pipeline  410   a  is not a cascading configuration but substantially straight extension. 
     Some beverage manufacturers will first cool beverages with the other cooling devices (such as household refrigerators) in the process of preparation of the beverages, and then the beverages are injected into the beverage machine for sale. In this situation, although the temperature of the injected low temperature beverage is higher than the temperature of the second coolant L 2 , there is no need to cool through the first cooling tank  200 , so the shape of the first pipeline  410   a  is designed to extend straight, thus the time of the beverage flowing in the first pipeline  410   a  can be decreased, the beverage can quickly flow into the second pipeline  420 , and be cooled by the second coolant L 2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. The beverage cooling device  1   b  of the present embodiment is similar to the beverage cooling device  1  of  FIG. 2 , the main differences between the two of them are: the first cooling tank  200  is configured with a first temperature sensor  210 , the second cooling tank  300  is configured with a second temperature sensor  310 , the first cooling tank  200  is configured with an intake valve  220  and a drain valve  230 , the second cooling tank  300  is configured with an intake valve  320  and a drain valve  330 , and the first temperature sensor  210 , the second temperature sensor  310 , each intake valve  220 ,  320  and each drain valve  230 ,  330  are electrically connected to the control unit  600 . 
     In the present embodiment, the first cooling tank  200  and the second cooling tank  300  maintain the temperatures of the first coolant L 1  and the second coolant L 2  by changing the coolants. Specifically, the intake valve  220  of the first cooling tank  200  is connected to a first coolant source, when the first temperature sensor  210  detects that the temperature of the first coolant L 1  is higher than a first temperature threshold (e.g., 25° C. to 30° C.), the control unit  600  will open the intake valve  220  and the drain valve  230  of the first cooling tank  200 , so that the first coolant L 1  having a lower temperature in the first coolant source is injected into the first cooling tank  200 , and the rising temperature first coolant L 1  outflows through the drain valve  230 , thus the temperature of the first coolant L 1  is lower than or equal to the first temperature threshold, thereby maintaining the cooling capacity of the first cooling tank  200 . 
     Similarly, the intake valve  320  of the second cooling tank  300  is connected to a second coolant source, when the second temperature sensor  310  detects that the temperature of the second coolant L 2  is higher than a second temperature threshold (e.g., −5° C. to 0° C.), the control unit  600  will open the intake valve  320  and the drain valve  330  of the second cooling tank  300 , so that the second coolant L 2  having a lower temperature in the second coolant source is injected into the second cooling tank  300 , and the rising temperature second coolant L 2  outflows through the drain valve  330 , thus the temperature of the second coolant L 2  is lower than or equal to the second temperature threshold, thereby maintaining the cooling capacity of the second cooling tank  300 . 
     Preferably, the first cooling tank  200  and the second cooling tank  300  are further formed an overflow port thereon to limit the levels of the first coolant L 1  and the second coolant L 2  to specific heights, in order to prevent the intake valves  220 ,  320  from injecting with too much coolant. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 5  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. The beverage cooling device  1   c  of the present embodiment is similar to the beverage cooling device  1   b  of  FIG. 4 , the main differences between the two of them are: the first cooling tank  200  is further configured with a first chilling unit  240  thereon, and the second cooling tank  300  is further configured with a second chilling unit  340 , wherein each the first chilling unit  240  and the second chilling unit  340 , for example, is a compressor. 
     In detail, the first coolant L 1  and the second coolant L 2  that are injected through the intake valves  220 ,  320  by some manufacturers may be maintained at room temperature, in this situation, the first coolant L 1  and the second coolant L 2  need to be cooled by the first chilling unit  240  and the second chilling unit  340 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the first chilling unit  240  is configured with a first chilling pipeline  242 , and the second chilling unit  340  is configured with a second chilling pipeline  342 , wherein the first chilling pipeline  242  and the second chilling pipeline  342  are respectively filled with refrigerant. Thus, when the first chilling unit  240  and the second chilling unit  340  operate such that the refrigerant flows along the first chilling pipeline  242  and the second chilling pipeline  342 , even if the first coolant L 1  and the second coolant L 2  are introduced with a coolant having a normal temperature, the coolant in the tank can still be maintained below a predetermined temperature range through the first chilling unit  240  and the second chilling unit  340 , thereby ensuring the cooling capacity of the first cooling tank  200  and the second cooling tank  300 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. The beverage cooling device  1   d  of the present embodiment is similar to the beverage cooling device  1   b  of  FIG. 4 , the main differences between the two of them are: the beverage cooling device  1   d  further comprises a second coolant source tank  700 , wherein the second coolant source S L2  is configured within the second coolant source tank  700 , and the intake valve  320  and the drain valve  330  of the second cooling tank  300  are connected to the second coolant source tank  700 . 
     In order to reduce energy loss and waste of the second coolant L 2 , the present embodiment is changed to use a circulating module to maintain the temperature of the second coolant L 2 . Specifically, the second coolant source tank  700  is configured with a heat exchanger  710  and a pump  720 , when the second temperature sensor  310  detects that the temperature of the second coolant L 2  is higher than the second temperature threshold, the control unit  600  will open the intake valve  320  and the drain valve  330 , and drive the pump  720  to introduce the second coolant source S L2  into the second cooling tank  300  through the intake valve  320 , and the drain valve  330  receives a high temperature second coolant L 2  from the second cooling tank  300 , at this time the control unit  600  will further start the heat exchange  710 , the heat of the second coolant source S L2  is dissipated to the outside to maintain the temperatures of the second coolant L 2  and the second coolant source S L2 . In other embodiments, the second coolant source tank  700  may directly carry out heat dissipation by using the compressor  800 , the chilling unit  810  and the heat dissipation unit  900 , whereby the same effect may also be achieved. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 7  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure. The beverage cooling device  1   e  of the present embodiment is similar to the beverage cooling device  1   d  of  FIG. 6 , the main differences between the two of them are: all the intake valve  220   e  and the drain valve  230   e  of the first cooling tank  200  as well as the intake valve  320   e  and the drain valve  330   e  of the second cooling tank  300  are connected to the coolant source tank  700   e.    
     In detail, the coolant source tank  700   e  is configured with a coolant source S therein, and the temperature of the coolant source S is lower than or equal to the temperature of the second coolant L 2 . Thus, whether the coolant temperature inside the first cooling tank  200  or the second cooling tank  300  is higher than a predetermined threshold, the control unit  600  will open the corresponding intake valves  220   e ,  320   e  and the drain valves  230   e ,  330   e , and drive the pump  720  to introduce the coolant source S into the first cooling tank  200  or the second cooling tank  300 , in order to achieve the effect of maintaining the cooling capacity of the first cooling tank  200  and the second cooling tank  300 . It is worth mentioning that, in other possible embodiments, the intake valve  220   e  and the drain valve  230   e  of the first cooling tank  200  as well as the intake valve  320   e  and the drain valve  330   e  of the second cooling tank  300  may also respectively be connected to a separate coolant source tank  700   e , such a configuration may make the circulation of the two cooling tanks more flexible. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 ,  FIG. 8  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to a seventh embodiment of the present disclosure. The beverage cooling device if of the present embodiment is similar to the beverage cooling device  1  of  FIG. 2 , the main difference between the two is that: the beverage cooling device if further comprises a beverage storage tank  350 , wherein the beverage storage tank  350  is configured within the second cooling tank  300 , and the beverage storage tank  350  is connected between the first pipeline  410  and the second pipeline  420  or between the second pipeline  420  and the outlet end  422 , the present embodiment takes connecting between the second pipeline  420  and the outlet end  422  for example. 
     Different from the above-mentioned method that the beverage is injected and the low temperature beverage after cooled is obtained in a very short period of time, the sale mode of some beverage manufacturers is to pour a large number of beverages into the beverage machine first for cooling and reducing temperature, the cooled beverages is not outflowed from the beverage machine until the customer has a demand. For this mode, the beverage cooling device if may cool the injected beverage through the first pipeline  410  or/and the second pipeline  420 , the injected beverage is first stored in the beverage storage tank  350 , because the beverage storage tank  350  is configured in the second cooling tank  300 , therefore, the stored low temperature beverage can be maintained at a low temperature for a long time, and an ice-cold beverage is obtained immediately when the customer has a demand. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 ,  FIG. 9  is a schematic view of the internal elements of the beverage cooling device according to an eighth embodiment of the present disclosure. The beverage cooling device  1   g  of the present embodiment is similar to the beverage cooling device if of  FIG. 8 , the main difference between the two of them is that: the beverage cooling device  1   g  further comprises an ice making tank  352 , wherein the ice making tank  352  is configured with an auxiliary chilling unit  820  thereon, and the first pipeline  410  or the second pipeline  420  is connected to the ice making tank  352 . 
     If there is a need to use the original liquid ice cube (ice cube made from the beverage itself) at the time of making the beverage, the original liquid ice cube can be made directly through the beverage cooling device  1   g . Specifically, the user may pour the beverage into the cooling pipeline  400 , in the present embodiment, a downstream end of the second pipeline  420  is connected to the ice making tank  352  and the beverage storage tank  350   g  for storing part of general beverage, the auxiliary chilling unit  820  is connected to the compressor  800 , for example, so that the temperature of the ice making tank  352  may be maintained at a temperature (e.g., −30° C.) lower than the other portions of the beverage storage tank  350   g , and the ice making tank  352  is prepared with an ice mold therein in advance. Preferably, the ice making tank  352  or the entire beverage storage tank  350   g  is designed as a drawer type to be drawn out with respect to the body  100 . Accordingly, when the customer has a demand, the user can provide a low temperature beverage, and add the original liquid ice cube made in the ice making tank  352  at the same time, whereby the flavor of the beverage is increased, and the temperature of the beverage can also be maintained for a longer time. In other possible embodiments, the pipeline connected to the ice making tank  352  may also be a pipeline independent of the cooling pipeline  400 , the present disclosure does not limit these matters. 
     It is worth mentioning that the user may select and use the elements of the above different embodiments in combination according to the sale mode, the original temperature of the beverage and the desired temperature control mode and circulation mode, and the content of the above combination is still within the protective scope of the present disclosure. 
     While the present disclosure has been described by means of specific embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand the above description is merely embodiments of the disclosure, and it should not be considered to limit the scope of the disclosure. It should be noted that all changes and substitutions which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the embodiments are intended to be embraced in the scope of the disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the disclosure is defined by the claims.