Patent Publication Number: US-8991627-B2

Title: Teat unit for feeding bottles

Description:
This application claims priority under 35 USC 119(e) to Swiss Application No. 01899/08, filed on Dec. 4, 2008. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A. Technical Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a teat unit or nipple for feeding bottles, and more particularly to a teat which is manually adjustable to change its shape. 
     B. Description of Related Art 
     A baby ideally drinks from its mother&#39;s breast. However, there are various reasons why this is not always possible. For many years now, attempts have therefore been made to develop teats for feeding bottles that allow the baby to feed as naturally as possible. Mothers&#39; breasts, however, do not have a uniform shape, nor are all babies willing to accept and drink from the same shape of teat. It is for this reason that the prior art comprises a large number of differently shaped teats, some of them of relatively complicated design. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,683,246, for example, discloses a teat with reinforcing ribs on its inner face in order to avoid closure of the suction opening during drinking. The lower area of the main body is stretched radially in order to push the teat over a bottle opening. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,806 discloses a teat with a mouthpiece in which a helical spring is arranged. This helical spring permits an axial stretching of the mouthpiece during feeding and increases the stiffness of the mouthpiece, such that the latter can be pressed together only slightly in the radial direction. This teat is intended to allow the baby to drink from the feeding bottle in a manner that imitates feeding at the mother&#39;s breast. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,710 discloses a training teat intended to teach the baby how to feed correctly at the mother&#39;s breast. The teat is composed of two membranes arranged one over the other, and the baby has to pull the outer membrane lengthwise in order to allow sufficient liquid to flow through the teat opening. 
     WO 2006/040542 also describes a teat with outer and inner flexible walls that are pulled lengthwise during feeding. Here too, the aim is to imitate the natural feeding action at the mother&#39;s breast. 
     WO 2007/137440 relates to a teat with a receiving head made of a dimensionally stable material and with a suction body made of a rubber-elastic material. The receiving head is provided with an admission channel, leading to the interior of the bottle, and with several channels leading from the admission channel to the outer surface of the receiving head. In an initial position, the suction body bears elastically and sealingly on the outer surface of the receiving head. During feeding, milk ducts are freed through which the milk is able to flow to the drinking opening. 
     The large number of different teats means that the parents of a baby who is unwilling to drink purchase various teats and try them out one after another on their baby. Not only is this expensive, it can also have the effect that, after a number of failed attempts, the baby will struggle even more against drinking from a feeding bottle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to make it possible for parents to try out differently shaped teats, preferably in a way that is as inexpensive and simple as possible. 
     It is a further objective of the invention to provide a bottle nipple (teat) which is readily, and preferably repeatedly, adjustable in its shape (shape being as presented to the mouth of the baby). In this way, the bottle nipple can be adjusted over time as the baby&#39;s feeding habits may change; or for use by more than one baby, each thereby getting its own preferred-shape teat. 
     These and other objects are achieved by a teat unit which, according to one aspect of the invention, is for a feeding bottle, with a manually actuated adjustment mechanism that changes the shape and/or stiffness of the teat. The teat can thus be adjusted to a desired outward form. 
     A single teat is therefore sufficient to adopt the nipple shape to which the baby or infant is accustomed, or to find another shape and stiffness accepted by the baby. This adjustment can be carried out on the teat before the bottle is offered to the baby. However, in another aspect, it can also be carried out during feeding. 
     Once the shape and/or stiffness has been adjusted, it is maintained until the adjustment mechanism is actuated again; or, alternatively, having changed as a result of the feeding action, it can be adapted to return thereafter to its initial position. 
     The change of shape and/or stiffness achieved by the adjustment mechanism is preferably reversible, such that the teat can also be adapted to the changing needs of the baby, and a teat setting that has been rejected at an earlier stage can be offered once more, perhaps to better advantage. 
     It has been shown that babies respond in different ways particularly to teats of different lengths. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the length of the teat can be changed by means of the adjustment mechanism. In particular, the teat can be lengthened (or shortened). In the process, it may be drawn together (i.e., radially contracted). 
     In another embodiment, the width of the teat can be changed, in which case the length remains unchanged, or the length too is changed. 
     The change in the shape and/or stiffness of the teat can be rotationally symmetrical, or it can be asymmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center axis. 
     Teats usually have at least one base or a main body, a mouthpiece, and a transition area between main body and mouthpiece. The main body is often also referred to as the teat base. In a preferred embodiment, it is at least this transition area, normally bearing on the baby&#39;s lips or surrounded by them, that can be changed in terms of its shape and/or stiffness. 
     In one embodiment, the length and width of the teat can be changed by means of the material of the teat being stretched. In order to change the length, but also the stiffness, in an uncomplicated way and without damaging the teat, the teat preferably has at least one area of increased extensibility. This area can be formed by a suitably arranged excess of material, for example by means of the material being arranged in an accordion shape or terraced shape. The abovementioned transition area is preferably one of these areas. 
     The adjustment mechanism can be designed in different ways. For example, it can exert a pulling force and/or pushing pressure on the teat. This force can act on the outer face or the inner face of the teat. Moreover, the adjustment mechanism can move during the adjustment and/or the teat is moved. That is, there is some kind of relative movement between the teat and some part of the adjustment mechanism. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the adjustment mechanism has an adjustment member which protrudes into the teat interior, and whose position relative to the teat can be changed by means of the adjustment mechanism. The adjustment member is preferably designed as a push or driver element arranged in an inner cavity of the teat, said push element being movable relative to the teat. The teat unit preferably has an actuating or driving element which is actuated manually and which is operatively connected to the adjustment member in order to press the latter against an inner face of the teat and thus change the shape and/or stiffness of the teat. In a preferred embodiment, the driving element is able to move the adjustment member relative to the teat both in a direction toward a suction opening (the nipple orifice) and also in a direction away from the suction opening. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the adjustment member is a head which protrudes into the teat, preferably into the area of increased extensibility. The position of the head relative to the teat can be changed by means of the adjustment mechanism. The head is able to move and/or the teat is moved. In a preferred embodiment, the teat is moved. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the head has a mushroom-like outer shape, which in one instance is formed by downwardly directed leaf-shaped lamellae. These lamellae can be rotationally symmetrical, or asymmetrical, with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the teat. 
     To secure the teat on the feeding bottle, the teat unit preferably comprises a one-part connector, or it could be a multi-part teat connector. This teat connector preferably includes the driving element or actuating element of the adjustment mechanism, and is used to set or adjust the teat. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the teat connector is composed principally of a base part and of a securing ring. The base part can be screwed onto a neck of the feeding bottle. The teat is held releasably in the securing ring, and the securing ring can be connected releasably to the base part. 
     The abovementioned adjustment member is preferably arranged on this base part and is passed through the securing ring. The position of the adjustment member relative to the teat can be changed as a result of a relative change of the position of the securing ring with respect to the base part. This relative change of the position of the securing ring is preferably effected exclusively by moving the securing ring so that it travels in the axial direction. However, rotational movements of the ring may also effect this travel. The securing ring preferably acts as the actuating or driving element. 
     The adjustability can be continuous or can take place in discrete steps, i.e., step by step or ratchet-like. 
     The structure can be designed relatively simply if the position of the securing ring can be changed with respect to the base part, i.e., the teat moves and not the adjustment member. 
     Further advantageous embodiments are set forth in the patent claims and the following detailed description of various embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter of the invention is explained below on the basis of preferred illustrative embodiments shown in the attached drawings. Identical reference signs are used for identical parts. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows a side view of a feeding bottle, with a teat unit according to the invention in a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective exploded view of the feeding bottle with the teat unit shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a longitudinal sectional view through the feeding bottle and the teat unit shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows an exploded view of the longitudinal sectional view shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective exploded view of a feeding bottle with a teat unit according to the invention in a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  shows a longitudinal sectional view through the teat shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows an exploded view of a longitudinal sectional view through a feeding bottle and a teat unit according to the invention in a third embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  shows a longitudinal sectional view through the feeding bottle and the teat unit according to  FIG. 7  in the assembled state; 
         FIG. 9  shows a perspective exploded view of the feeding bottle and of the teat unit shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 10  shows a longitudinal sectional view through a teat unit according to the invention on a bottle according to a fourth embodiment, in a first position; 
         FIG. 11  shows the teat unit according to  FIG. 10  in a second position; 
         FIG. 12  shows the teat unit according to  FIG. 10  in a third position; 
         FIG. 13  shows a longitudinal sectional view through a teat unit according to the invention on a bottle according to a fifth embodiment, in a first position; 
         FIG. 14  shows the teat unit according to  FIG. 13  in a second position; 
         FIG. 15  shows the teat unit according to  FIG. 13  in a third position; 
         FIG. 16  shows a perspective exploded view of the teat unit with bottle shown in  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIG. 17  shows a first longitudinal sectional view through a teat unit according to the invention, secured on a bottle, in a sixth embodiment; 
         FIG. 18  shows the teat unit according to  FIG. 17  in a longitudinal sectional view perpendicular to the view shown in  FIG. 17 ; 
         FIG. 19  shows a perspective view of the teat unit shown in  FIG. 17 ; 
         FIG. 20  shows a longitudinal sectional view through the teat unit according to  FIG. 17  in a second position; 
         FIG. 21  shows the teat unit according to  FIG. 20  in a longitudinal sectional view perpendicular to the view shown in  FIG. 20 , and 
         FIG. 22  shows a perspective view of the teat unit shown in  FIG. 20 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     A first illustrative embodiment of a teat unit according to the invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 . 
       FIG. 1  shows a feeding bottle  5  of a known type. As can be seen best from  FIG. 4 , it has a bottle body  50  for receiving the milk or the liquid. A neck  51 , formed integrally on the body  50  of the bottle, has a smaller internal and external diameter than the body  50  of the bottle. An outer thread  52  is formed integrally on the neck  51 . It ends in an upper bottle opening  53  through which the milk or the liquid can pass into the teat unit arranged on the neck of the bottle. 
     The teat unit has a teat  1 , a base part  2  and a securing ring  3 ,  4 . The individual parts can be easily seen in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , while their placement on the feeding bottle can best be seen in  FIG. 3 . The base part  2  and the securing ring  3 ,  4  are preferably made of plastic and are produced in particular by injection molding. 
     The teat  1  is preferably made of rubber, silicone or another suitable flexible material. It is preferably designed in one piece. The teat  1  is hollow. Its wall is preferably relatively thin and corresponds to the wall thicknesses of the teats according to the prior art. 
     The teat is shaped rotationally symmetrically and has a main body  14 , a transition area  13  formed integrally thereon, and a mouthpiece  11  narrowing toward a free end. At the free end of the mouthpiece  11  there is a suction opening  12  through which the milk or liquid can be sucked from the teat. At the other end of the main body  14  there is also an opening, the latter being connected to the suction opening such that the liquid can pass from a container  5  to the suction opening. This end of the main body  14  is also provided with an outwardly projecting peripheral flange  15 , which has one or more interruptions  150 . A collar  16  protrudes vertically downward from the lower, inner end of the flange  15 . The main body  14  has a hollow cylindrical shape with a jacket running perpendicular to the flange  15  and parallel to a central axis. A step  17  extending horizontally thereto leads into the transition area  13 . The transition area  13  is curved slightly outward in longitudinal section. 
     In the example shown here, the transition area  13  of the teat  1  is designed as an area of increased extensibility. For this purpose, it narrows in a terraced shape or in a bellows shape in the direction of the mouthpiece  11 . 
     The teat  1  can have a constant wall thickness about its entire circumference. However, individual areas can also be made stiffer than others. For example, the main body  14 , the flange  15  and the collar  16  can be made stiffer than the mouthpiece  11 . The transition area  13  is preferably the most flexible zone of the teat  1 . 
     The base part  2  has a substantially hollow cylindrical and relatively flat main body  20 . The main body  20  is provided with an inner thread  25 , such that it can be screwed onto a bottle neck  51 . Retaining ribs  21  are formed integrally on its jacket. These extend, each at a constant height, about the whole circumference of the main body  20 . The retaining ribs  21  are triangular in cross section, with downwardly directed points. In this example, three such ribs  21  are present. These ribs  21  are interrupted by vertically extending guide webs  24 , which preferably extend over all the ribs  21 . The guide webs  24  protrude outward. They are preferably arranged distributed uniformly about the outer circumference of the main body  20 . In this example, five such webs  24  are present. However, another number is possible. 
     The upper area of the main body  20  preferably forms a plane surface. It is closed, except for a few through-openings  23  which are preferably distributed uniformly and rotationally symmetrically. In this example, the openings  23  are arranged in a rosette pattern about a central axis of the main body  20  and have a rounded triangular shape or pear shape. However, other shapes and arrangements are also possible. 
     An umbrella or head  22  protrudes above the upper surface of the main body  20  and is secured thereon or, as is shown here, connected integrally thereto. It is arranged centrally on the main body  20 . The head  22  has a stem  220  which is directed vertically upward and on which lamellae  221  are arranged. The lamellae  221  are formed by triangular or pear-shaped leaves, which are curved slightly downward. They form a mushroom-shaped common surface. However, the latter is not completely closed, and instead it has passages resulting from the spaces between the lamellae. 
     The securing ring is designed in two parts. It has a lower part  3  and an upper part  4 . The lower part  3  is composed principally of a hollow cylindrical main body  30 . On its outer jacket, it has an indentation in which a snap-fit closure element  31 , here a retaining nose, is arranged. A hinge  34  is present on the diagonally opposite side of the jacket. The main body  30  is provided with guide slits  32 , which extend in the axial direction, i.e., vertically. They are open at least toward the inside of the main body  30  and downward in the direction of the bottle  5 . However, they preferably extend through the full wall thickness of the main body  30 , in which case they have a smaller height than the main body  30 . A locking nose  33 , extending at a constant height, is arranged at the lower end of the main body  30 . The tip of the nose is directed upward and inward. 
     The upper part  4  of the securing ring also has a hollow cylindrical main body  40 . On its outer jacket, it has a snap-fit closure element  43 , here a resilient hook. A hinge  41  is integrally formed on the diagonally opposite end of the jacket. A through-opening is designated by reference numeral  42 . 
     The following describes how the teat unit can be assembled and fitted on a bottle  5  or a drinking vessel. The teat  1  is placed between the lower part  3  and the upper part  4  of the securing ring. These two parts  3 ,  4  are connected to each other via the hinge  34 ,  41  and are pivotable relative to each other. As can be seen from  FIG. 3 , the teat  1  lies with its flange  15  on the plane upper surface of the lower part  3 . The at least one interruption  150  allows air to pass into the bottle during the sucking action on the teat  1 . The collar  16  protrudes downward on the inner face of the lower part  3 . The upper part  4  is engaged over the cylindrical or frustoconical main body  14  of the teat  1  and surrounds this. The upper part  4  protrudes, preferably about the entire circumference, above the upper end of the main body  14  of the teat  1  and adjoins the step  17 . When the snap-fit closure between the lower part  3  and upper part  4  is closed, the flange  15  is clamped between these two parts  3 ,  4 , and the teat  1  is held sealingly in this securing ring  3 ,  4 . 
     The lower part of the securing ring  3  can now be arranged on the base part  2  or may have been arranged thereon beforehand. To do so, it is pushed over the main body  20  of the base part  2 , and the guide webs  21  of the base part engage in the guide slits  32  of the lower part  3 . With its peripheral locking nose  33 , the securing ring  3  engages behind one of the retaining ribs  21 . If the guide slits  32  extend all the way to the outer jacket of the lower part  3 , they at the same time serve as spring elements, which facilitate a movement of the lower part  3  relative to the base part  2 . The lower part  3  can be snapped alternately onto one of the retaining ribs  21  and its position thus changed or adjusted. 
     The teat unit assembled in this way can now be fitted onto the bottle  5 . To do so, the base part  2  is screwed onto the bottle neck  51 . The base part  2  can also be secured on the bottle in another known manner. Moreover, it is possible for the base part  2  to be screwed on first, and the securing ring only then fitted onto it. Furthermore, the lower part  3  of the securing ring can first be arranged on the base part  2  and the teat  1  only then clamped between the two parts  3 ,  4 . Alternatively, the teat can also be arranged in a securing ring that sealingly fixes the teat by means of a threaded connection. 
     According to the invention, the securing ring, more specifically its lower part  3 , can now be arranged in different positions on the base part  2 . The lower part  3  extends through the base part  2  to a greater or lesser extent, depending on which rib  21  the locking nose  33  engages in. The head  22  thus protrudes to a greater or lesser extent into the teat  1 . That is to say, in the lowermost position of the locking nose  33 , the head  22  passes through the teat  1  to the maximum extent and stretches it out most. 
     Since the external diameter and shape of the head  22  are adapted to the teat  1 , the head  22  bears on the inner face of the teat  1 . It preferably bears thereon in the transition area  13 . If the lower part  3  is now moved onto a rib  21  lying further below, the teat  1  also moves downward and abuts more strongly on the head  22 . The teat  1  and in particular the transition area  13  are stretched and the teat is thereby lengthened. The stiffness and flexibility of the teat  1  and in particular of the mouthpiece  11 , and of the transition area  13  bearing on the lips of the baby, are barely changed in this example, since the transition area  13  takes up the change in length via its folds or its terraced shape. 
     The mother or father can therefore deliberately change the shape and/or stiffness of the teat  1  simply by moving the lower part  3  of the securing ring. The teat  1  does not have to be removed from the bottle  5 . The adjustment can be made shortly before the bottle is offered to the baby. It is even possible to change it during feeding. 
     In this example, the adjustment is effected by a purely axial movement of the securing ring  3 . It would also be possible to additionally carry out a rotational movement. The purely axial movement is preferred, however, since it can be carried out during feeding and no radial forces are exerted on the teat  1  by the head  22 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  show a second illustrative embodiment of the teat unit according to the invention. This example differs from the above one only in terms of the shape of the teat  1 . The transition area  13  in this example is not terraced, with the result that the wall thickness of the teat  1  becomes thinner when the teat  1  is stretched by means of the head  22 . Moreover, the transition area  13  is curved slightly inward in longitudinal section. When the head  22  acts on the inner face of this transition area  13 , the inwardly curved flanks bulge outward. 
     In the illustrative embodiment according to  FIGS. 7 to 9 , the teat  1  and also the head  22  are modified. Once again, the teat  1  does not have a terraced or bellows-shaped transition area  13 . In its upper area directed toward the mouthpiece  11 , however, it has a shallower incline than the teat shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Compared to the head described above in the first two illustrative embodiments, the head  22  is provided with lamellae  221  that are more strongly inclined downward. The diameter of the mushroom head formed by the lamellae  221  is thus smaller. This head  22  extends further into the teat  1  than the two above-described illustrative embodiments. Note how the radial shape of the teat  1  is also changed, as the head  22  moves along its axis. 
     This head  22  can also be used with the teat  1  of the first two illustrative embodiments or with differently shaped teats  1 . Moreover, the teats  1  in the three examples can also be used with the two heads described here, or their shape and/or stability can be changed with differently shaped heads or adjustment mechanisms. 
       FIGS. 10 to 11  show an embodiment in which the freely accessible length of the mouthpiece  11  can be altered without the width of this freely accessible area being changed. The basic design of the teat unit corresponds to that of the above-described examples and is therefore not described in detail again here. Identical parts are designated by the same reference numerals. Here too, the base part  2  is screwed onto a container  5  for liquids. The base part  2  has concealed through-openings  23  through which the liquid can pass from the container  5  into the teat  1 . The teat  1  is clamped sealingly between lower and upper securing rings  3 ,  4 , and a locking nose  33  of the lower securing ring  3  engages behind one of the retaining ribs  21  of the base part  2 . 
     In contrast to the embodiments described above, the push member is not designed now as a stiff mushroom-shaped head but as a cylindrical stiff column  22 ′ which is arranged on the main body  20  and extends from the latter as far as the upper end of the mouthpiece  11 . To ensure that it does not close the suction opening  12 , it has, at its free upper end, a through-opening  222  which connects the interior of the teat  1  to the suction opening (liquid outlet or orifice)  12 . In this way, the liquid can, as before, pass from the container  5  to the suction opening  12 . 
     In  FIG. 10 , the locking nose  33  of the lower securing ring  3  hooks in below the lowermost retaining rib  21 . The securing ring  3  is thus located in its lowermost position. The whole mouthpiece  11  is freely accessible to the baby&#39;s mouth. 
     In  FIG. 11 , the lower securing ring  3  is located in a higher position. The locking nose  33  engages behind the middle retaining rib  21 . Since the uppermost part of the mouthpiece  11  bears on the column  22 ′, the mouthpiece  11  is compressed in the transition area to the main body  14 . The area of the mouthpiece  11  freely accessible to the mouth is shortened. The same applies for the overall length of the teat  1 . 
     In  FIG. 12 , the lower securing ring  3  is in the uppermost position, i.e., the locking nose  33  engages behind the uppermost retaining rib  21 . The transition area  13  is still further compressed, the freely accessible area of the mouthpiece  11  is further shortened, and the same applies for the entire teat  1 . 
     As will be seen from a comparison of the three  FIGS. 10 to 12 , there has been no change in the width of the teat or in the width of the main body  14 . The outer shape of the main body  14 , which principally forms the mouth support, is approximately the same in all three positions. However, the area  13  has changed considerably in shape. 
       FIGS. 13 to 16  show an illustrative embodiment in which the push element  22 ′ moves and the teat  1  remains in its position. For this purpose, the base part  2  is designed in two parts. It has an outer ring  26  on which the column  22 ′ is arranged. The outer ring  26  encloses the main body  20  of the base part  2 . The main body  20  has only one retaining rib  21 , which holds the lower securing ring  3  in its position. The main body  20  of the base part  2 , however, is provided with guide webs  27  that engage in guide grooves  223  of the outer ring  26 . 
     The lower securing ring  3  has a cage  3 ′ and an actuating ring  6 . The actuating ring  6  encloses the cage  3 ′. On its inner circumference, the actuating ring  6  has a rising slide guide  60 . Protruding knobs  224  are arranged uniformly on the outer circumference of the outer ring  26  and engage in the slide guide  60 . 
     A rotational movement of the actuating ring  6  is transmitted via the slide guide  60  to the knobs  224  ( FIG. 16 ) of the outer ring  26 . The latter moves in the axial direction toward the main body  20  of the base part  2  on account of the guide slits  223  and guide webs  27 , such that the column  22 ′ moves upward and stretches the mouthpiece  11  of the teat  1 . 
     In this example, the upper securing ring  4  has the shape of a spherical cap or hemisphere and extends as far as the mouthpiece  11 . It serves as a mouth support, such that the baby always senses the same basic shape of the teat despite the changing length of the mouthpiece  11 . In this area, the securing ring  4  is preferably flexible or soft. 
       FIGS. 17 to 22  show an embodiment according to the invention in which the teat is changed asymmetrically with respect to its longitudinal central axis. Here too, a rotational system is present, as has already been described above with reference to  FIGS. 14 to 16 . 
       FIGS. 17 and 18  show the teat in a first position, with a short teat. As will be seen, the push member again has a stem  220  and lamellae  221 . Here, however, the lamellae  221  are not arranged rotationally symmetrically. This leads to a slightly flattened (in one plane) mouthpiece  11 , as can be seen from  FIG. 19 . 
       FIGS. 20 and 21  show the same teat in a second position, with a long teat. The stem  220  and the lamellae  221  are lifted by means of the rotary ring  6  and the outer ring  26 . As can be seen from  FIG. 22 , the mouthpiece  11  is lengthened compared to  FIG. 19 , but still flat as before. 
     By virtue of the teat unit according to the invention, one and the same teat can be used in different outward forms. The teat can be adapted to the needs of the baby before or during feeding. 
     Thus, while the invention has been described herein with relation to certain embodiments and applications, those with skill in this art will recognize changes, modifications, alterations and the like which still come within the spirit of the inventive concept, and such are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.