Patent Publication Number: US-6215411-B1

Title: Remote control electronic display system

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/132,456, filed Aug. 11, 1998, for “Remote Control Electronic Display System” and which is, in turn, a continuation-in-part of my provisional patent application Serial No. 60/083,597, filed Apr. 30, 1999, also entitled “Remote Control Electronic Display System”; 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in display signs, and more particularly, to remotely controlled electronically operable display signs in which a display on a sign may be changed at will from a remote source. 
     2. Brief Description of Related Art 
     Display signs are used in a wide variety of industries, frequently as promotional and advertising aids. Thus, many retail stores will employ display signs in the front of their stores or elsewhere featuring products which are being sold or otherwise offered by that establishment. Display signs are also frequently used for traffic control by various municipalities and governmental agencies. 
     Essentially all display signs presently available are static in that they carry a substrate with a message or design thereon and which is to be conveyed, as for example, a paper sheet having information thereon for display and which may be frequently mounted behind a transparent member such as a sheet of glass. 
     In many cases, the poster or other display sheet may be mounted within a frame having a light source mounted therein. In this case, the front face of the sheet may be lighted from lights located along portions of the periphery of the frame. In some cases, when using a somewhat transparent or translucent sheet, back lighting may also be employed. 
     The cost of preparing display signs made with paper and paper-board substrates can be quite substantial. Initially, the art work must be prepared often times by hand, although certain computer aids for purposes of preparing the drawing may be available. Nevertheless, preparation of the drawing is labor intensive. Thereafter, multi-color printing is usually required in order to complete the preparation of the paper or paper-board sign or display. These various steps, as indicated, are labor intensive and therefore materially add to the overall costs of preparing a sign or display, particularly when made of a paper or paper-board material. 
     In addition to the foregoing, there are also costs involved in the shipping or transport of these signs. Generally, they cannot be folded or bent or they would otherwise be unsuitable for use. As a result, special precautions and shipping containers must be provided for transport of the paper or paper-board substrate signs or displays. 
     There have also been display signs which use a frame and a source of light along with a glass sheet having an image or other information literally formed on the sheet, as for example, by means of glass etching, masking, or the like. However, with this type of display, when it is necessary or desirable to change the display in the sign, it is necessary to prepare a new piece of glass or otherwise a masking on a rear surface thereof having other information presented thereon. 
     Here again, the cost of preparing an etched glass sheet can be quite substantial. The same also holds true of preparing glass sheets with masks on the rear surface thereof to create a design or display with that sheet. Again, because of the frailty of these sheets, substantial precautions must be taken for the transport or shipment of these sheets. 
     There is presently no display sign capable of having information changed thereon as quickly as information can be changed on the screen of a computer monitor. Moreover, and independently thereof, there is presently no effective display sign which can be changed from a remote location. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide an electronic display sign which uses a plasma display image and which can readily be changed in accordance with electronic signals applied thereto. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic display sign of the type stated which can be altered rapidly through the use of a computer or otherwise through an image scanner. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electronic display sign of the type stated which can be controlled from a remote source and the display on the sign can be changed at will from that remote source. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a display sign of the type stated which completely eliminates the need for interchangeable substrates bearing the information to be displayed. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide an electronic display sign and a method of altering a display on a sign electronically and without using interchangeable substrates bearing information to be displayed. 
     It is another salient object of the present invention to provide a method of displaying information by generating that information from a remote source and transmitting that information to a display sign. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a unique circuit enabling operation of a display sign from a remote source. 
     With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates in general terms to a display system including a display sign which is electronically accessible from a remote source and which enables the almost automatic change of a display pursuant to control of an operator at the remote source. In a broad sense, the display system of the present invention comprises a display sign having a display panel thereon as well as display generating means at the remote source for generating a display to be displayed on that display panel. The display is actually generated in the form of an electrical signal and the system comprises a transmitting means for transmitting the electrical signal representing the display to the display panel of that display sign. 
     The present invention also provides a method of generating a display on a display sign from a remote source. The method involves the steps of generating the display and then transmitting that display to the display sign in the form of electrical signals representing the display. The display sign is provided with electronics using the received electrical signal to recreate the generated display and present same on the display panel. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the means for transmitting the display is an electrical conductor connected between the display sign and the display generating means at the remote source. In another embodiment of the invention, the means for transmitting the display is a wireless transmission means, such as by means of radio frequency transmission, satellite transmission, or the like. 
     In a more preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for generating the display comprises an image generating means which enables the generation of initial image forming part of the display and a temporary storage for temporarily storing that image. Editing means are also provided for adding material to or otherwise modifying the image. Thereafter, a permanent storage is provided to enable storage of the generated display in electrical format, at least until such time as transmission thereof to the display sign. 
     In still a more preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises a scanning means for scanning a particular image and converting the image into electrical signals representative thereof. The image is then stored in the temporary storage. A keyboard input may be connected to that temporary storage for introducing information through a keyboard input. In addition, means is provided for adding other copy material. Thereafter, all of the material added can be edited by an operator to form a display. The display is then stored in a permanent storage. 
     At a predetermined time, the stored display can then be transmitted to a storage in the sign. Moreover, a plurality of different displays can be stored at the remote source and these displays can be sequentially transmitted to the display sign. In this way, an operator can manually or automatically control the generation of a plurality of desired displays in a predetermined time sequence. 
     The present invention not only allows for the display to be generated at the sign from a remote source, but it also allows for a plurality of displays to be presented in a desired format and in a desired predetermined time arrangement, as aforesaid. As a result, there is no need to use hard copy displays, such as pre-printed paper displays. Furthermore, minor changes can be electronically made in a display as, for example, minor price changes can be made without the necessity of re-printing. 
     The display which is generated and hence the electronic signal or electrical signal representative of that display is capable of producing only a static display, that is a display in which only a single display is depicted for a reasonable period of time usually for several minutes or longer. In other words, the display is not a continuous display as one might find in a cinematic display in which there are continuous displays of sequential and successive images with one repeating after the other. Thus, and in this respect, the term “static” is used to refer to an individual display which remains for a period of at least ten seconds or longer. 
     It is also to be understood in connection with the present invention that the displays of the type mentioned herein and, for that matter, the electronic signals or electrical signals representative of that display, are based on the copying of a pre-prepared image, as opposed to any form of live transmission. Thus, for example, an image at a remote site is copied and, perhaps, modified and that image is then converted to the necessary electrical signal or signals which is then transmitted. Thus, and in this respect, the term “scanned image” is used herein to represent an image used in a display which is based on the scanning of pre-prepared material. 
     The display sign is also of a unique construction in that it comprises means for controlling certain atmospheric conditions and, particularly, temperature in the display sign. Furthermore, an interference filter is formed on the surface of the display panel to preclude excess heat generation within the display sign. The display panel is preferably a plasma display, as hereinafter described in more detail. 
     The display sign preferably includes an outer housing which may be provided with a removable front face or so-called “cover”. The front face is provided with an enlarged opening in order to enable a display panel to appear through that opening. A transparent protective sheet may be disposed over the display panel. 
     The housing is in the form of a rectangularly shaped box, although it may adopt other shapes. The major components which enable the display including the display panel are preferably mounted on a separate chassis to enable easy and convenient assembly of the display sign. The separate chassis is secured through the display box to a mounting station, such as a display stand. In this way, only one having authorized access to the interior of the display housing can disconnect the chassis and the mounting station. 
     The chassis in the preferred embodiment includes a power supply for operating the plasma display panel. In addition, the chassis may also comprise a second power supply for operation of a processor or computer within the housing. The computer is designed for connection to the temporary storage at the remote source and will receive generated displays in electrical signal format. The computer is programed to recreate those displays at the sign and generate the same through the plasma display panel. For this purpose, the computer is also mounted on the chassis. 
     As indicated previously, the images or displays which are to be generated at the display sign are represented by and transmitted in the form of one or more electrical signals or electronic signals. It is recognized that in many cases, transmission occurs either by electrical conductors, such as cable type transmission, or it may otherwise occur through a wireless type of transmission. Wireless transmission would inherently include radio frequency transmission, radio wave interference and the like. Wireless transmission would also include satellite intervention and transmission. However, it should be understood that since the signals which are transmitted were inherently electrical or electronic in nature, they are referred to as electrical or electronic signals whether or not they are transmitted over hard wired electrical conductors or over a wireless transmission means. 
     The housing is preferably provided with a plurality of openings extending primarily throughout the side wall thereof. Moreover, venting fans may also be provided for venting heated air in the housing to the exterior. 
     The foregoing objects and the advantages of this invention have been met and fulfilled by this system and method which has been briefly described in the general description. However, the invention will now be described in more detail in the following detailed description and in the accompanying drawings. Nevertheless, it is to be understood that these drawings and the following detailed description are only set forth for purposes of illustrating the general principles of the invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the accompanying drawings and the detailed description are not to be taken in a limiting sense. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic component view showing those elements necessary for generating a display either through hard wired conveyance or otherwise wireless conveyance of information; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram showing major components necessary involved in the generation of an electronic display from a remote source; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram showing those steps involved in generating a display from a remote source; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one form of display sign constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the display sign of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a lid or cover which extends over the display sign; 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line  7 — 7  of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view, similar to FIG. 7, and showing a slightly modified form of cover used with the display sign of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing some of the major components in the display sign of the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view, partially broken away, and somewhat similar to FIG. 9, and showing the various components in their assembled position; 
     FIG. 11 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view, similar to FIG. 10, and showing a modified form of display sign in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing one type of mounting for a display sign construction in accordance with and embodying the present invention; and 
     FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view showing one form of panel construction used in the present invention. 
     FIG. 14 is a vertical sectional view showing the construction of a filter arrangement used in the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the major components forming part of a display system D in accordance with the present invention. This display system primarily shows the generation of a display from electrical signals representative of that display at a remote location and transmission to a display sign for recreation on that display sign. 
     In accordance with the schematic illustration of FIG. 1, the display system D comprises a display sign  20 . Incorporated within the display sign  20  or otherwise being connected to the display sign is a sign controller  22 . This controller may adopt the form of a microprocessor or computer in the sign and preferably includes a storage, as hereinafter described in more detail. 
     The display system D of the invention further comprises a display generating means  24  at a remote source and which is usually comprised of a computer  26  which may adopt the form of a processor and storage, as well as a scanner  28 . In the embodiment of the invention as shown, the scanner receives ad copy  30  and generates a display in electrical format which can then be transmitted from the computer  26  to the display sign  20 . 
     FIG. 1 also illustrates both a hard wire conductor means for transmitting the generated display, as well as a wireless means for transmitting the generated display. For the purposes of hard wire conductor transmission, the computer  26  is provided with a modem  32  and the controller  22 , and the display sign  20  is similarly provided with a corresponding modem  34 . As indicated previously, wireless transmission is also available and could adopt the form of microwave signal transmission, radio frequency transmission, including satellite transmission, or the like. In this respect, the signal which is generated is still an electrical signal in either radio frequency format or other wireless transmission format for wireless transmission. For purposes of wireless transmission, a satellite  36 , as shown, may be employed, such that the wireless transmission will follow the path  38  shown in the dotted lines of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 2 illustrates those major components forming part of the display system of the present invention. In this case, the display system comprises the scanner  28  which is usually employed for purposes of generating the initial image. Typically, a pre-prepared image of the element to be displayed is used and scanned from the scanner  28  into a temporary storage  40 . The image to be scanned by the scanner  28  may be a pre-drawn image or otherwise, it can be an image adopted from an existing source. The scanner  28  will effectively digitize the image and thereby store that digitized image into the temporary storage  40 . 
     A keyboard input  42  is also connected to the temporary storage  40  for introducing information, such as typewritten information, into that storage. The temporary storage  40  operates in conjunction with a processor  44  and a manually operable editor  46 . The editor  46  is primarily designed to manipulate the images introduced into the processor  44  and the information from the keyboard input  42  into a desired format. Thus, a user of the system can manually superpose one image over another or otherwise modify two images by blending them together, etc. The editor  46  merely contains controls to enable the processor  44  to perform those functions. In this sense, the editor could also be another keyboard input much in the same manner as a computer keyboard input. 
     The information from the temporary storage  40  is then introduced into a permanent storage  48  where it can be retained, either indefinitely, or at least until such time as it is transmitted to a display sign, as hereinafter described in more detail. 
     The display system of the invention may also comprise a transmitting means  50  in the form of a transmitter, which is schematically illustrated in FIG.  2 . The transmitter means  50  may adopt any conventional form of a transmission means as, for example, the modems  32  and  34 , or otherwise for wireless transmission, a radio frequency transmitter, etc. 
     The aforesaid components constitute those major components which will form part of the display system and the remote site. Thereafter, the images which form the displays along with the other incorporated information therein can be transmitted to a display storage  60  located at and forming part of a display sign  20 . The display sign  20 , through its own processor, as hereinafter described, enables the generation of a display on a display panel  64  forming part of the display sign  20 . The display panel is also hereinafter described in more detail. 
     The display sign  62  may form part of or otherwise may be mounted on a stand  66 , as best shown in FIG.  12 . The stand  66  conventionally includes a base  68  as well as an upstanding leg  70 , the latter of which would engage and support the display sign  20 . However, it should also be understood that the display sign  20  could be provided with a mounting means, as hereinafter described, for mounting to a wall or like structure. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates some of the major steps associated with the method for generating a display from a remote source. In this case, it can be seen that an image, such as an advertising image, is scanned and digitized for introduction into a temporary storage, such as the temporary storage  40 . Again, keyboard input information is also provided, as well as other copy information, as shown in FIG.  3 . This other copy information is typically introduced through the scanner  28 . 
     After the display has been formed, it is stored in the permanent storage  48  and then introduced into the display storage  60 . FIG. 3 also illustrates a rotational sequence program which can be used at the remote site or at the display sign. Thus, various displays can be generated in sequence at the display sign and at pre-determined time intervals. 
     The display sign  20  is more fully illustrated in FIGS. 5-11 of the drawings. The display sign  20  generally comprises an outer housing  72 , such as a rectangularly shaped housing. The housing is preferably formed of a metal and even more preferably a light weight metal, such as aluminum, although it could be formed of steel or other structural materials. In this respect, the housing could also be formed of plastics and even reinforced composite plastics. 
     The housing  72  is provided with a removable lid or cover plate  74  having a depending rim  76  which fits around a portion of the side wall of the housing  72 . In addition, the lid or cover plate  74  is provided with an enlarged central opening  78  in order to enable the display panel  64  to appear therethrough. A transparent cover plate  80  could also be included in this opening  78  if desired. Furthermore, the removable lid or cover plate  74  is secured to the housing  72  in some manner as to preclude unauthorized opening as, for example, tamper-proof fasteners. 
     The transparent protective sheet  80  may be formed of an transparent plastic material or otherwise it may be formed of glass. However, glass is not preferred due to the fact that it will crack or shatter with any rough handling. The transparent protective sheet  80  is retained in a U-shaped grove  82  formed at the edge of the opening  78 . This opening is formed by an integrally created U-shaped channel  84  surrounding the edge of the opening  78 , as best illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings. In addition, the lid or cover member  74  is also provide with a U-shaped channel  86  perpendicularly arranged to the grove  82  and which is sized to receive the forwardly presented edge of the housing  72 , as also best shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. 
     FIG. 8 illustrates a slightly modified embodiment of the construction shown in FIG.  7 . In place of the formation of a U-shaped channel  84 , a plurality of brackets or tabs  88  affixed to the inside of the cover member  74  surrounding the opening  78 , are used to hold the transparent sheet  80  in a fixed position. The remaining portions of the lid are substantially identical to those shown and described in connection with FIG.  7 . 
     The operating components forming part of the display sign  20  are actually mounted on a chassis  90  disposed within the housing  72 . The chassis  90  comprises a pair of longitudinally extending side plates  91  and which are connected by a bottom plate or chassis plate  93 , as best shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings. Moreover, and by reference to both FIGS. 9 and 10, it can be seen that the chassis  90  is deposed within the housing  72 , as hereinafter described. Mounted on the upper surface of the chassis plate  92  are a pair of longitudinally extending frame bars  93  and which are connected by transversely extending cross-bars  94 . Moreover, the longitudinally extending frame members  93  and the cross-bars  94  can be mounted on a supporting plate  96 . Although the supporting plate  96  is provided in a preferred embodiment, it is not absolutely necessary and this plate could be eliminated, if desired. 
     The housing  72  is preferably comprised of an enclosing side wall  98  and a rear wall  100  which extends thereacross and thereby forms an interior chamber  102 . The chassis  90  can be secured to this rear wall  100  by means of screws or other fasteners (not shown) which extend through the back plate. However, other forms of securement could be provided for this purpose, as hereinafter described. 
     The major operating components of the display sign are mounted on this chassis which is located within the housing  72 , as aforesaid. These major operating components include a power supply  104  for the computer  26  and the latter of which also contains the display storage  60 . A separate power supply  108  is also mounted on the chassis plate  96  and provides operating current for the other components of the display housing. The computer is effectively a microprocessor and contains the storage, as aforesaid, as well as a random access memory and a processor for controlling the display of a sign and also is operated from a control source at a remote location. Thus, and in this respect, the computer  106  is effectively a “slave” computer in that it receives instructions from the remote source and performs those instructions in the display sign by generating the proper display in accordance with the signals submitted to the computer  106 . 
     Located on and secured to the upper surface of the chassis  90  is the display panel  64 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the display panel is a plasma display. These display units are relatively thin and have a thickness in the order of about 35 mm. One of the preferred forms of display panel is made by Fujitsu and is identified as a “Full Color Plasma Display”. These displays effectively operate as high-definition direct-view television monitors. 
     These displays generally contain about 640 horizontal display pixels and about 480 vertical pixels along with about 1920 horizontal display cells and 480 vertical display cells. Moreover, they operate with gradations of red, green and blue and present a viewing angle of about 140°. Internally, the display is usually comprised of an IF controller, a data controller, a random access memory, and a driver controller. Nevertheless, since the plasma display is available in the art, it is therefore neither illustrated nor described in any further detail herein. 
     The location of each of the aforesaid operating components within the housing does generate heat within the housing. For this purpose, the housing  72  is provided with a plurality of apertures  110  on the side walls thereof, as shown in FIG.  9 . In like manner, the chassis is provided with aligned apertures  112 , as also shown in FIG.  9 . In this way, air-flow ventilation is allowed. Moreover, and if desired, either exhaust fans or air in-take fans could be provided in adjacent relationship to the openings  110  and  112 . Other types of ventilation means could also be provided, if desired. 
     The entire housing  72  is mounted on a mounting plate or support plate  114 , as best shown in FIG. 10 of the drawings. In this case, the support plate  114  is, in turn, secured to a wall or other support structure as, for example, the stand  66 , as shown in FIG.  12 . The mounting plate  114  is a provided with an upstanding protrusion  116  which extends through an opening (not shown) in the rear wall  100  of the housing. Thereafter, a locking pin  118  is provided for extension through the side walls of the housing and the opening in the protrusion  116 . In this way, it is virtually impossible to remove the display sign from the mounting plate  114 , unless one has authorized access to the interior of the housing  72 . However, it should be understood that other means for mounting the housing  72  to the mounting plate  114  could be provided for this purpose. 
     It is possible to construct the apparatus without the use of a separate chassis, such as the chassis  90 . In this case, the individual operating components, such as the power supply  104 , the power  108  and the computer  106 , would all be directly mounted on the rear wall of the housing  72 , in the manner as best illustrated in FIG. 11 of the drawings. In this way, the overall weight of the housing is reduced. The chassis does, in many cases, allow for easier assembly, although where weight constraint is a requirement, the chassis can be readily and easily eliminated. 
     Also located in the housing is a separate infrared communicating device  122  which is designed to enable a sound generation for blind or other disabled parties. This infrared communicating device  122  operates with those conventional systems in which the blind are provided with an earphone arrangement and a receiver capable of picking up signals from the device  122 . 
     For purposes of further heat removal, it is also possible to include in the housing  72  a fan  124 . Preferably, the fan would be located in the bottom wall of the housing when the housing is vertically disposed. In this way, an upwardly occurring air draft is formed within the housing. Nevertheless, it should be understood that additional fans could be located elsewhere within the housing for purposes of temperature control, if desired. 
     The display panel  64  may be disposed on the upper surface of the chassis, as aforesaid, or otherwise located within the housing. In addition, it may be connected to the electronics and located within the cover plate  74  in adjacent relationship to the transparent cover plate  80 . However, the display panel is preferably provided with a film or layer  120  which reduces heat introduction into the housing and operates as a type of interference film. Nevertheless, the interference film could be located on the transparent cover plate  80  for this particular purpose. FIG. 12 shows a stacked arrangement in which the display panel  64  is provided with the interference film  130  and the outer transparent cover plate  80 . 
     It has been found in connection with the present invention that it is preferable to use glass in place of any other type of transparent plastic sheet, such as a so-called “Plexiglass” sheet. For this purpose, the interference layer is approximately 1.5 mil thick. It has also been found that a plastic cover cannot be used for this purpose because of potential out gassing. Moreover, it has also been found preferable to have the interference film  130  mounted directly on a surface of the glass sheet. Thus, and in this case, the glass sheet  80  is shown with an interference film on its undersurface. 
     The interference film is preferably one which is radio frequency insulated and which is also an electrically conductive film. For this purpose, the film is grounded at it perimeter to the metal frame. In one of the preferred embodiments, the interference film is a multi-layer coating, usually and in which the various metal layers are applied by sputtering. The high electrical conductivity along with high light transmission makes the interference film an ideal film for shielding against radio frequency interference and other low resistance applications. 
     It is preferable to also include an air space between the cover plate  80  and the display panel  64 . Thus, and for this purpose, a peripheral spacer block  132  extends around the periphery of the cover plate and the display panel  64 , in the manner as best shown in FIG. 12, thereby creating an air pocket  134  therebetween. This has been found to be highly effective in further precluding radio frequency and electromagnetic energy interference, as well as to enable transmission of heat from the interior of the system. Moreover, this arrangement precludes emanation of radio frequency interference which can be generated by the plasma operated screen. 
     If desired, the interference film could be placed on the display panel, although it has been found in connection with the present invention that a much greater degree of efficiency is obtained when the interference film is applied to the cover sheet plate  80 . 
     The display system of the present invention provides a unique advantage which has not been heretofore available. The display can be generated in this case as an analog display. Prior art systems, on a limited basis, have used computers to generate a display on a sign. However, that display is necessarily generated in a digital format and, thus, has significant limitations on the quality and the ability of a particular display to be generated. Contrariwise, in the present invention, a display, which may be generated from a photographic image, can be essentially recreated on a display sign from a remote source. 
     Thus, there has been illustrated and described a unique and novel display system which enables a display sign to be operated from a remote source and where a display can be generated at the sign based on signals from the remote source and which are transmitted to the display sign for generation of an analog display thereon. The display system and the display sign forming a part thereof thereby fulfill and meet all of the objects and advantages which have been sought. It should be understood that many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications will become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering this specification and the accompanying drawings. Therefore, any and all such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention.