Patent Publication Number: US-11650031-B2

Title: Shaped charge devices, systems, and related methods of use

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to, and benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/883,874, filed Aug. 7, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     A shaped charge is an explosive charge shaped to focus the effect of the explosive&#39;s energy. Various types of shaped charges can cut and form metal, penetrate armor, and remove earth for the oil and gas industry. The basic components of a shaped charge are the case (or enclosure), the explosive material, and the liner. In military applications, many shaped charges come in kits with enclosures of various sizes (small, medium, large), shapes (rectangular box-like or cylindrical), and materials (metal or plastic). For example, a kit may have 8 small, 5 medium, and 2 large shaped charges. Some common models are the linear shaped charge, which has a rectangular prism shape enclosure, and the explosively formed projective (EFP), which has a cylindrical shape enclosure. These are typically formed from rigid injection molded plastic or formed metal. 
     These kits and enclosures present several challenges for operators in austere environments such as in military operations where one is limited by the equipment on hand and at times unreliable supply chains. One challenge is that the enclosures are a one-time use. Once the shaped charge is detonated, the enclosure disintegrates. This can bring about scenarios where a desired size in a kit might run out, thereby forcing an operator to open up another kit, if available (at a potential cost of thousands of dollars) and/or to try to make due with any remaining shaped charges (which may not be ideal for a particular task at hand). Such scenarios can thus place military personnel in a compromised position. Another challenge with conventional enclosures is that larger models can be relatively heavy (on the order of kilograms), thereby placing an added burden on the operator (who may be required to transport it on foot over large distances). It is with respect to these and other considerations that the various implementations described below are presented. 
     SUMMARY 
     Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a device. In some implementations, a device includes a housing sheet that is configurable to form at least part of a shaped charge enclosure. The shaped charge enclosure encloses a shaped charge. The device is formed to bias an explosion in a desired direction. The housing sheet includes one or more incisions in at least one surface thereof. The housing sheet has at least one connection mechanism integrally formed therein. The housing sheet is configurable to form a plurality of sizes of shaped charge housing portions and provides for forming a plurality of dimensions of the shaped charge enclosure. 
     Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a shaped charge system. In some implementations, the shaped charge system includes the device described above and also an explosive disposed inside the enclosure of the shaped charge. The system also includes a shaped charge liner coupled to at least one shaped charge housing sheet. 
     Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method of assembling a shaped charge enclosure. In some implementations, the method includes manipulating a shaped charge housing sheet to form an enclosure. The method also includes coupling a shaped charge liner to the housing sheet, inserting an explosive into the enclosure, and sealing the enclosure. 
     Other aspects and features according to the present disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, upon reviewing the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale. 
         FIG.  1    shows an exploded view of a device according to one example implementation of the present disclosure. The device forms a shaped charge enclosure including a housing sheet, a shaped charge liner, and a lid. 
         FIG.  2    shows a partially exploded view of the device as shown in  FIG.  1   , with the housing sheet, the lid, and a joinery. 
         FIG.  3    shows an exploded view of a device including a housing sheet, a shaped charge liner, a lid, a joinery, and auxiliary attachments. 
         FIG.  4    shows an exploded view of a device including a housing sheet, a joinery insert, and cable ties. 
         FIG.  5 A  shows a perspective view of a housing sheet used in some implementations. 
         FIG.  5 B  shows a detailed view of the housing sheet of  FIG.  5 B , illustrating corrugation flutes. 
         FIG.  6 A  shows a perspective view of a housing sheet coupled to a shaped charge liner. 
         FIG.  6 B  shows a perspective view of the housing sheet coupled to the liner coupled to a circumferential incision of the housing sheet. 
         FIG.  6 C  shows a detailed view of the liner coupled to a circumferential incision of the housing sheet. 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view of a housing sheet forming a shaped charge enclosure, according to another example implementation of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  8    is a side view of the housing sheet shown in  FIG.  7    in unassembled form. 
         FIG.  9 A  shows the housing sheet shown in  FIG.  7    in partially assembled form. 
         FIG.  9 B  shows the housing sheet shown in  FIG.  7    in a second partially assembled form. 
         FIG.  9 C  shows the housing sheet shown in  FIG.  7    in a partially assembled form and coupled to a shaped charge liner. 
         FIG.  10 A  shows the housing sheet shown in  FIG.  7    in a partially assembled form having a first size configuration. 
         FIG.  10 B  shows the housing sheet shown in  FIG.  7    in a partially assembled form having a second size configuration. 
         FIG.  10 C  shows the housing sheet shown in  FIG.  7    in a partially assembled form having a third size configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In some aspects, the present disclosure relates to shaped charge devices, systems, and related methods of use. Although example implementations of the present disclosure are explained in detail herein, it is to be understood that other implementations are contemplated. Accordingly, it is not intended that the present disclosure be limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present disclosure is capable of other implementations and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. 
     It must also be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Certain values may be expressed in terms of ranges “from” one value “to” another value. When a range is expressed in terms of “from” a particular lower value “to” a particular higher value, or “from” a particular higher value “to” a particular lower value, the range includes the particular lower value and the particular higher value. 
     By “comprising” or “containing” or “including” is meant that at least the named compound, element, particle, or method step is present in the composition or article or method, but does not exclude the presence of other compounds, materials, particles, method steps, even if the other such compounds, material, particles, method steps have the same function as what is named. 
     In describing example implementations, terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is intended that each term contemplates its broadest meaning as understood by those skilled in the art and includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. It is also to be understood that the mention of one or more steps of a method does not preclude the presence of additional method steps or intervening method steps between those steps expressly identified. Steps of a method may be performed in a different order than those described herein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Similarly, it is also to be understood that the mention of one or more components in a device or system does not preclude the presence of additional components or intervening components between those components expressly identified. 
     Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a shaped charge enclosure system. In some implementations, the shaped charge enclosure system is configurable to form shaped charged enclosures having a plurality of shapes and sizes. The shaped charge enclosure can be formed from a housing sheet which can be bent into an enclosure. The shaped charge enclosure can also be formed from a housing sheet which is separable into separate components to be reassembled into an enclosure, allowing a user of a shaped charge to carry a single housing sheet to form a plurality of enclosure sizes to fit a desired shape or size shaped charge application. Accordingly, devices and/or systems according to some implementations can eliminate wasted components in shaped charge enclosure kits. 
     Among other benefits and advantages, the present disclosure in some implementations presents a rapidly customizable enclosure that enables an operator to select the size and shape from specially perforated sheet materials. For example, a single sheet may contain enough material to make one large shaped charge; however, this same material may be used to assemble two medium or four small shaped charges or combinations thereof. Thus, the specially perforated sheets enable a wider set of enclosure size, shape, and material combinations that can be selected as needed. 
     A detailed description of certain aspects of the present disclosure, in accordance with various example implementations, will now be provided with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific implementations and examples. In referring to the drawings, like numerals represent like elements throughout the several figures. 
       FIGS.  1 - 3    show a system  100  according to one implementation. The system  100  includes a housing sheet  102 , a shaped charge liner  104 , a lid  107 , an explosive  122 , and a joinery  110 . The kit includes components sufficient to assemble shaped charges of multiple sizes to conform to situational requirements of various shaped explosive applications. In the implementation shown in  FIG.  1   , the housing sheet  102  is a plastic rectangular sheet with a first surface  103  and a second surface  105  that is opposite and spaced apart from the first surface  103 . The housing sheet  102  has a first side  102   a  and a second side  102   b  opposite and spaced apart from the first side  102   a . The housing sheet  102  has a third side  102   c , and a fourth side  102   d  opposite and spaced apart from the third side  102   c . The first side  102   a  and the second side  102   b  are perpendicular to the third side  102   c  and the fourth side  102   d  of the housing sheet  102 , forming a rectangular shape. 
     The housing sheet  102  includes corrugation flutes  106  as shown in  FIGS.  1 - 6   , which are disposed in the thickness of the housing sheet  102 . The corrugation flutes  106  are cuboid channels that which axially extend between the third side  102   c  and the fourth side  102   d  of the housing sheet  102 . Each corrugation flute  106  has a width, which extends parallel to the third side  102   c  and the fourth side  102   d  of the housing sheet  102 . Each corrugation flute  106  also has a thickness, which is the distance that the corrugation flute  106  spans between the first side  104  and the second side  104  of the housing sheet  102 . In one implementation, the width of each corrugation flute  106  is 0.4 inches and the thickness of each corrugation flute  106  is 0.35 inches. The corrugation flutes  106  are abutting each other such that a longitudinal axis of each corrugation flute  106  is parallel to the longitudinal axis of each of the other corrugation flutes  106 . The housing sheet  102  also has slits  112  in the first surface  103  of the housing sheet  102 . The slits  112  pass partially through the thickness of the housing sheet  102 . The slits  112  extend between the third side  102   a  and the second side  102   b  of the housing sheet  102 . The slits  112  are parallel with the longitudinal axes of the corrugation flutes  106 . The slits  112  are formed to promote bending of the housing sheet  102  into a curved shape such as a cylinder as shown in  FIGS.  1 - 4  and  6   . Each slit  112  is spaced apart from adjacent slits  112  by 1 inch. The housing sheet  102  includes an incision  108  disposed on the second surface  105  of the housing sheet  102  which extends between the first end  102   a  and the second end  102   b . The incision  108  is parallel with the first side  102   a  and the second side  102   b  of the housing sheet  102 . In one implementation, the incision  108  is disposed 0.65 inches from the fourth surface  102   d  of the housing sheet  102 , which is at a center line of a second corrugation flute  106 ) from the fourth surface  102   d  of the housing sheet  102 . The housing sheet  102  has a plurality of locking notches  109  disposed in the first surface  103 . The locking notches  109  are formed to couple to the joinery  110 . The locking notches  109  are small incisions which extend axially on segments of the housing sheet  102  directly adjacent to the first side  102   a  and the second side  102   b  of the housing sheet  102 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the housing sheet  102  has connection elements to couple a lid  107  to the third end  102   c  of the housing sheet  102  to form an enclosure.  FIG.  1    shows a plurality of hooks  113  which extend away from the third end  102   c  of the housing sheet  102 . The hooks  113  are formed to engage with fastening slots  107   a  in the lid  107 .  FIGS.  2 - 3    show fastening holes  114 , which are disposed in the third end  102   c  of the housing sheet  102 . The fastening holes  114  are formed to receive bolts or screws for coupling lids. 
     Although in the implementation shown in  FIGS.  1 - 6   , the corrugation flutes  106  are cuboid channels, in some implementations, the corrugation flutes are cylindrical channels, or channels of any other shape suitable to provide flexibility to a plastic sheet, which is to be formed into a cylinder. The corrugation flutes  106  can have a width between 0.01-1 inches, a thickness between 0.01-1 inches, or any other width and/or thickness suitable to provide flexibility to a plastic sheet. The corrugation flutes  106  in the implementations shown in  FIGS.  1 - 6    have a width of 0.4 inches and a thickness of 0.35 inches. The slits  112  can be spaced apart by a distance between 0.01-10 inches or any other distance suitable to provide flexibility to a plastic sheet which is to be formed into a cylinder. In the implementation shown in  FIGS.  1 - 6   , each slit  112  is spaced apart from adjacent slits  112  by 1 inch. The housing sheet  102  shown in  FIGS.  1 - 6    is formed from plastic. But in other implementations, the housing sheet  102  can be formed from polyurethane, a layered metal and corrugated plastic, or any other material which is flexible and suitable for directing a shaped charge explosion in a desired direction. 
     As shown, the shaped charge liner  104  is a concave plate, which is formed to deform into a projectile upon detonation of the shaped charge. In the implementation shown in  FIGS.  1 - 6   , the shaped charge liner  104  is a disk-shaped plate which has a concaved plate surface  104   a  a coupling diameter  104   b , and liner holes  104   c . The coupling diameter  104   b  surrounds the plate surface and provides a coupling interface to couple to the incision  105  in the plate as shown in  FIGS.  1  and  6   . The coupling diameter  104   b  also provides a flat surface to abut an end of a shaped charge enclosure. The liner holes  104   c  are formed to receive to a fastening mechanism such as liner bolts  104   d  such as in the implementation of  FIG.  3   . The shaped charge liner  104  can have a diameter between 0.1-24 inches or any other diameter suitable for a circular shaped charge liner. The shaped charge liner  104  shown in  FIGS.  1 - 6    has a diameter of 6 inches. 
     The joinery  110  is a rod having a plurality of pairs of connection tabs  110   a  disposed along a length of the joinery  110 . The pairs of connection tabs  110   a  form a 160-degree angle with respect to each other. The connection tabs  110   a  each have locking surfaces (not shown) that protrude perpendicular to the direction the tab extends. The locking surfaces are configured to engage with the locking notches  109  in the first surface  103  of the housing sheet  102 . According to the implementation of  FIG.  4   , a joinery can also be a joinery insert  118 , which is a pair of connection tabs  118   a  not connected to a rod. A plurality of joinery inserts  118  are placed into the corrugation flutes and engaged with the locking notches  109  as described above. 
     Although the implementations described above use locking notches  109  to secure the housing sheet  102  in a desired shape, in other implementations, the connection tabs are sized to form a friction fit that holds the housing sheet  102  in a desired shape. Although the pairs of connection tabs are disposed at a 160-degree angle with respect to each other as shown in  FIGS.  2 - 3   , in other implementations the connection tabs are disposed at a 140-degree angle, a 170-degree angle, or any other angle suitable to join ends of a planar sheet to form a cylinder. Although the connection tabs  110   a  are disposed in pairs as shown in  FIGS.  2 - 3   , in other implementations the tabs are not disposed in pairs but are disposed in non-uniform configurations along the length of the joinery  110 . Although a joinery  110  is used in the implementations shown in  FIGS.  1 - 3   , in other implementations, cable ties  111  are used to hold the housing sheet  102  in cylindrical shape. 
     The lid  107  is a disk-shaped plate which has fastening mechanisms disposed therein. The fastening mechanism in the implementations shown in  FIG.  1    is a lid slot  107   a . The fastening mechanism shown in the implementation of  FIG.  2    is a lid hole  107   b . The lid  107  is formed to contain the explosive  122  when inserted inside the shaped charge enclosure. The lid  107  also serves as an insertion and anchoring point for a detonator (not shown). The lid includes a detonator hole  107   c  disposed in the center of the lid  107 . The detonator hole  107   c  passes from an outer atmosphere into the enclosure and provides a passage for a detonator to pass into the enclosure. The lid  107  is formed from plastic, but in other implementations the lid  107  can be formed from metal, composites, or rubber. In one implementation, the lid  107  has a diameter of 8.6 inches. The explosive  122  is C-4 as shown in the implementation of  FIG.  1   . But, in other implementations, the explosive  122  is TNT, a polymer-bonded explosive, or another explosive having a high detonation velocity and pressure wave. 
     The system  100  as shown in  FIG.  3    also includes auxiliary coupling holes  115  and auxiliary attachments  116 . The auxiliary coupling holes  115  are disposed in the first surface  103  of the housing sheet  102 . The auxiliary coupling holes  115  extend a depth into the thickness of the housing sheet  102 . The auxiliary coupling holes  115  as shown in  FIG.  3    are threaded to accept bolts. But in other implementations, the auxiliary coupling holes  115  are non-threaded through-holes and formed to accept screws, bolts secured by nuts, or any other fastener suitable to attach an auxiliary attachment  116  to a housing sheet. The auxiliary attachments  116  shown in  FIG.  3    are tripod mounting attachments to position a shaped charge at a desired distance and orientation from a surface. But in other implementations, the auxiliary attachments  116  can be stands or any other attachment suitable for coupling to a shaped charge surface. 
     As shown in the implementations of  FIGS.  1 - 4   , the housing sheet  102  is formed into a cylindrical enclosure where the first side  102   a  and the second side  102   b  abut each other. The first side  102   a  and the second side  102   b  of the housing sheet  102  are joined together by the joinery  110  which engages the locking notches  109  as shown in  FIGS.  2 - 3   , forming a hollow cylinder. In other implementations as shown in  FIG.  4    the housing sheet  102  can be joined together by a plurality of cable ties  111  and joinery inserts  118 . The cable ties  111  are extended around the circumference of the enclosure and extend through the corrugation flutes  106 . The cable ties  111  are self-locked to secure the housing sheet  102  into a cylindrical shape. The explosive  122  is placed inside the enclosure and the liner  104  is engaged with the housing sheet  102 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the liner  104  is coupled to the housing sheet  102  by inserting the coupling diameter  104   b  of the liner  104  to the incision  108  of the housing sheet  102  by securing the coupling diameter  104   b  into the incision  108  before fastening the housing sheet  102  around it. But, in other implementations as shown in  FIG.  3   , the liner  104  is coupled to the housing sheet  102  by bolts. The lid  107  is placed on the third end  102   c  of the housing sheet  102  and coupled thereto. In the implementation shown in  FIG.  1   , the lid  107  is fastened to the housing sheet  102  by engaging the hooks  113  on the housing sheet  102  with the slots in the lid  107 . But in other implementations, as shown in  FIG.  2   , the lid  107  is coupled to the housing sheet  102  by a set of bolts  104  that pass though the lid hole  107   b  of the lid  107  and the fastening hole  114  of the housing sheet  102  on the third end  102   c  of the housing sheet  102 . In the implementation shown in  FIG.  4   , the cable ties  111  are extended around the circumference of the enclosure and through the corrugation flutes  106 . But in other implementations, the cable ties  111  are disposed on the first surface  103  of the housing sheet  102 , encircling the housing sheet  102 . 
       FIGS.  7 - 10    show the shaped charge system  700  according to another implementation.  FIGS.  7 - 10    show a linear implementation of the shaped charge system  700 . The shaped charge system  700  as shown in  FIGS.  7 - 10    includes a housing sheet  702  and a liner  704 . The housing sheet  702  is a modular housing sheet. The modular housing sheet  702  is formed to be separated and reassembled into a shaped charge enclosure. The housing sheet  702  has a first side  701 , a second side  703  which is opposite and spaced apart from the first side  701 . The housing sheet  702  has a first section  706 , a second section  708 , and a lid section  707 . The first section  706  has a first end  706   a , a second end  706   b  opposite and spaced apart from the first end  706   a , a third end  706   c , and a fourth end  706   d  which is opposite and spaced apart from the third end  706   c . The first section  706  also has a center line  706   e , which is perforated with perforations  706   f . The first section  706  has two hexagon openings  710   a - b  disposed in the surface and extending between the first side  701  and the second side  703  of the first section  706  of the housing sheet  702 . The hexagon openings  710   a - b  are positioned such that the center line  706   e  of the first side  701  of the housing sheet  702  passes through two vertexes of each of the hexagon openings  710   a - b.    
     The first side  702   a  and the second side  702   b  each have two L-shaped hooks  714  extending therefrom. The hooks  714  are spaced apart along the first end  706   a  and the second end  706   b  of the of the first section  706 . The hooks  714  each extend outward and away from the rest of the first section and curve toward the plane of the second end  706   b  of the first section  706 . The third end  706   c  and the fourth end  706   d  each have four L-shaped side hooks  715  extending therefrom. The side hooks  715  are spaced apart along the third end  706   c  and the fourth end  706   d  of the of the first section  706 . The hooks  714  each extend outward and away from the rest of the first section  706  and curve toward the center line  706   e  of the first section  706 . The second section  708  includes has a first side  708 , a second side  708   b  opposite and spaced apart from the first side  708   a , a third side  708   c , and a fourth side  708   d  which is opposite and spaced apart from the third side  708   c . The second section  708  also has a center line  708   e , which is perforated. The second section  708  has a plurality of hook slots  716 , which extend between the first side and the second side of the second section  708 . The second section  708  has eight hook slots  716 . Four hook slots  716  on either side of the center line  708   e  which are adjacent to each other and are spaced apart between the first side  708   a  and the second side  708   b  of the second section  708 . The second section also has eight hook notches  718 . Four hook notches  718  are on the first side  708   a  of the second section  708  and four hook notches  718  are on the second side of the second section  708 . The hook notches  718  are aligned along the same perpendicular axis along the center line as the hook slots  716  with respect to the center line  708   e . The housing sheet  702  can have a length between 1-100 inches, width between 1-100 inches, and/or a thickness between 0.005-1 inch, or any other length, width, and/or thickness suitable to direct an explosive in a desired direction. In the implementation shown in  FIGS.  7 - 9   , the housing sheet  702  has a length of 17.5 inches, a width of 10 inches, and a thickness of 0.25 inches. Although the hooks  714  each curve toward the plane of the second end  706   b  of the first section  706  in the implementation of  FIGS.  7 - 10   , in other implementations, the hooks  714  also curve away from the plane of the second end  706   b.    
     The lid  717  is a rectangular sheet having a first end  717   a  and a second end  717   b , a first surface  717   c  and a second surface  717   d , and two sets of four adjacent hook slots  717   e . Each set of four adjacent hook slots  717   e  are disposed at opposite ends of the length of the rectangle. Each of the hook slots  717   e  is configured to receive one of the hooks  714  extending from the third end  706   c  of the first section or the fourth end  706   e  of the first section. The lid  717  can have a length between 1-100 inches, a width between 1-100 inches, and/or a thickness between 0.005-1 inch, or any other length, width, and thickness suitable to direct an explosive in a desired direction. In the implementation shown in  FIGS.  7 - 9   , the lid  717  has a length of 13.2 inches, a width of 4.2 inches, and a thickness of 0.25 inches. 
     The system  700  includes support tabs  722  which are disposed into slots on the first section  706  of the housing sheet  702 . The support tabs  722  extend into the enclosure and support the weight of a shaped charge liner  704  such that the shaped charge liner  704  securely sits on the support tabs  722  before the system  700  is detonated. 
     When assembled, the first section  706  of the housing sheet  702  is separated in half along the center line  706   e . The second section  708  is also separated in half along the center line  708   e . The first end  706   a  and the second end  706   b  of the first section  706  are aligned such that the first end  706   a  and the second end  706   b  of the first section  706  are co-planar and parallel. The two halves of the second section  708  are each aligned such that one hook  714  on the first end  706   a  and the second end  706   b , of each half of the first section  706  is coupled to a corresponding hook slot  716 . A second hook on the third end  706   c  of each half of the first section is coupled to the notch  718  that the first hook slot  716  is aligned with. When each of the hooks  714 , side hooks  715  and hook slots  716  are coupled together, the housing sheet  702  forms a square enclosure. The two halves of the second section  708  are locked into place by locking tabs which are inserted in the locking notches  720  of the first section. The lid  717  is coupled to the hooks  714  on the third end  706   c  and the fourth end  706   d  of the first section  706  and locked into place by the hooks  714 . 
     In some implementations, a portion of the first section  704  and the second section  706  which is disposed to either side of their respective center lines  706   e ,  708   e  forms a stand  724  when the system is assembled. The stand  724  is removable to reduce the size of the base of the system  700  for a desired application requiring a system  700  having no stand  724 . In some implementations, the stand is adjustable to accommodate forming a base having a plurality of sizing options when the system  700  is assembled. 
     Although a cuboid enclosure is shown, in some implementations (not shown) the housing sheet  702  can be used to form a triangular enclosure, square cube enclosure, or an enclosure having any other shape that is suitable to direct an explosion in a desired direction. Although the housing sheet  702  shown in  FIGS.  7 - 9    is formed from medium density fiber board, in other implementations the housing sheet is formed from aluminum, plastic, composites, or any other material suitable to hold the shaped charge, a detonator, and liner in a desired configuration and orientation to direct an explosion. 
     The various implementations described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The patentable scope of certain implementations of the present disclosure is indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein.