Patent Publication Number: US-2023138167-A1

Title: Tile track piece for a toy vehicle

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of toy vehicles and, in particular, to track pieces for toy vehicles that include new connection arrangements. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Toy vehicles continue to be popular products. Trackways for use with toy vehicles may be set up in multiple configurations. They may be open or closed looped. The toy vehicles used on the trackways can be free-wheeling unpowered vehicles or vehicles which utilize an on-board power drive mechanism. Generally, track pieces may be connected together to create a trackway in multiple configurations. As new track pieces are developed, legacy connector arrangements may not be compatible. However, greater flexibility in arrangements of legacy track pieces with new track pieces may be desirable, for example, to increase or extend the play value of a track set. Moreover, connector arrangements that allow new and interesting track set configurations are continuously desired, since such new configurations add play value to new and/or existing track sets. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention relates to a connection arrangement for a tile for a toy vehicle. In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, a tile track piece for a toy vehicle includes: a first face; a first set of primary connection assemblies of a first type disposed on the first face, each primary connection assembly including a male coupler and a female coupler configured to engage corresponding connectors of a second set of primary connection assemblies included on a second tile; and a first set of receiving portions of secondary connection assemblies disposed on the first face, wherein each secondary connection assembly is a second type of connection assembly, and wherein each receiving portion is configured to receive at least a portion of a connector. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tile track piece, wherein: the first set of primary connection assemblies includes two or more primary connection assemblies; and the first set of receiving portions of the secondary connection assemblies includes two or more receiving portions. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tile track piece, wherein each receiving portion of the first set of receiving portions further includes a through-hole configured to receive at least a portion of a locking protrusion of the connector. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tile track piece, further including: a second face perpendicular to the first face; and a second set of receiving portions disposed on the second face. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tile track piece, wherein the tile track piece further includes another set of primary connection assemblies on the second face. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tile track piece, wherein each receiving portion of the first set of receiving portions is disposed between the male coupler and the female coupler of each primary connection assembly. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a tile track piece, further including a plurality of lateral faces wherein each lateral face of the plurality of lateral faces includes a set of primary connection assemblies and a set of receiving portions of the second type of connection assembly. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of connecting at least three track pieces for a toy vehicle, the method including: coupling a first tile track piece to a second tile track piece via a primary connection assembly of a first connection type; and coupling an elongated track piece to the first tile track piece via a secondary connection assembly of a second connection type. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein coupling the first tile track piece to the second tile track piece includes: mating a first male coupler of the first tile track piece with a second female coupler of the second tile track piece; and mating a second male coupler of the second tile track piece with a first female coupler of the first tile track piece. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein coupling the elongated track piece to the first tile track piece includes: inserting a first engaging portion of a connector into a first slot of the secondary connection assembly disposed in the first tile track piece; and inserting a second engaging portion of the connector into a second slot disposed in the elongated track piece. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: coupling a second elongated track piece to the second tile track piece including: inserting a third engaging portion of a second connector into a third slot of a secondary connection assembly disposed in the second tile track piece; and inserting a fourth engaging portion of the second connector into a fourth slot disposed in the second elongated track piece. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece for a toy vehicle including: a tile having a substantially flat front lateral face, a substantially flat back lateral face, a substantially flat first side lateral face, a substantially flat second side lateral face, each lateral face having: two primary connection assemblies of a first connection type, each primary connection assembly configured to engage a primary connection assembly of a second tile, and two slots of secondary connection assemblies of a second connection type, wherein each slot is configured to receive at least a portion of a connector; and a top face perpendicular to each lateral face. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece, wherein each primary connection assembly includes a male coupler protruding from a corresponding face, and a female coupler extending into the corresponding face. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece, wherein each slot of the secondary connection assembly is disposed between the male coupler and the female coupler of each primary connection assembly. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece, further including the connector that extends from an elongated track piece having the second connection type. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece, wherein the connector is configured to engage a second slot of a second track having the second connection type. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece, wherein at least two faces of the tile each include a third primary connection assembly. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a track piece, wherein at least two faces of the tile each include a third secondary connection assembly. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a toy play set including the track piece and further including: the second tile; and one or more additional elongated track pieces. 
     In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a toy play set, wherein the toy play set is configurable into a plurality of configurations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       To complete the description and in order to provide for a better understanding of the present invention, a set of drawings is provided. The drawings form an integral part of the description and illustrate an embodiment of the present invention, which should not be interpreted as restricting the scope of the invention, but just as an example of how the invention can be carried out. The drawings comprise the following figures: 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a track set connected in a track configuration according to an example embodiment. 
         FIGS.  2 A- 2 C  illustrate track sets connected in three different track configurations, according to additional example embodiments. 
         FIGS.  3 A and  3 B  illustrate a tile track piece for a toy vehicle, according to an example embodiment. 
         FIGS.  4 A and  4 B  illustrate a tile track piece for a toy vehicle, according to another example embodiment. 
         FIGS.  5 A and  5 B  illustrate couplings between a first tile track piece and a second tile track piece via primary connection assemblies, according to an embodiment. 
         FIGS.  6 A and  6 B  illustrate an example elongated track that is coupleable to tiles of  FIGS.  3 A- 5 B . 
         FIGS.  7 A and  7 B  illustrate a connector of or usable with a secondary connection assembly, according to an example embodiment. 
         FIG.  8    illustrates various tiles having different lengths and widths, according to example embodiments. 
         FIGS.  9 A and  9 B , illustrate a tile having a play feature according to an example embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is given solely for the purpose of describing the broad principles of the invention. Embodiments of the invention will be described by way of example, with reference to the above-mentioned drawings showing elements and results according to the present invention. 
     Generally, a tile track piece for a toy vehicle (referred to hereafter as “tile” for clarity) as presented herein includes a primary connection assembly having a first connection type and a secondary connection assembly having a second connection type. The primary connection assembly is configured to directly connect or couple the tile to another tile having a second primary connection assembly. Additionally, other track pieces (e.g., play sets, boosters, elongated tracks, etc.) may be coupled to the tile via the primary connection assembly. The secondary connection assembly is configured to connect the tile to track pieces (e.g., play sets, boosters, elongated tracks, etc.) via a second connection type, different from the first connection type. The second connection type may be a legacy connection type. 
     The connection assemblies allow any number of tiles and track pieces to be connected in a desired configuration to define one or more vehicle pathways. For example, the primary connection assembly may connect a tile with another tile along a first lateral face of the tile so that the two tiles define at least a first vehicle pathway along which a toy vehicle can travel. Meanwhile, the secondary connection assembly can connect the tile to a track piece (e.g., a legacy or standard type of track piece) along a second lateral face of the tile so that the connected tile and track piece define a second vehicle pathway along which a toy vehicle can travel. Thus, a user can build playsets resembling or including city blocks, tracks/trackways, or some combination thereof. 
     The tile track pieces presented herein may include or define a trackway/pathways and/or playsets/play features, such as an accelerating device for accelerating the toy vehicles on the vehicle pathway. Such accelerating devices are known generally in the art as “boosters” and often include one or more motor-driven rotating wheels adjacent to a vehicle pathway. As a toy vehicle passes through the booster, the rotating wheels temporarily engage the passing toy vehicle and impart a force thereto. 
     Now referring to  FIG.  1   , a track set  1  connected in a track configuration C 1  is depicted. The track set  1  includes a plurality of first type of track pieces  10  and a second type of track piece  30 . The first track piece type  10  comprises a tile  100  having a first or primary connection assembly  200  and a second or secondary connection assembly  300 . The second track piece type  30  comprises a first elongated tracks  120  configured to connect via the primary connection assembly  200  and/or the secondary connection assembly  300 . Additionally, the second track piece type  30  comprises elongated tracks  130  configured to connect to other elongated tracks  130 , the elongated tracks  120  and/or the tiles  100  via the secondary connection assembly  300 . Accordingly, each tile  100  can connect to another tile  100 ′ and/or an elongated track  120  with the primary connection assembly  200 . Additionally, or alternatively, each tile  100 ,  100 ′ can connect to the elongated tracks  120 ,  130  via the secondary connection assembly  300 . 
     In the depicted embodiment, a top face  105  of the tiles  100 ,  100 ′ includes vehicle pathways  107  and play features  108  (e.g., sidewalks, buildings, parking garages, etc.). The primary and secondary connection assemblies  200 ,  300  are aligned with the pathway  107  of the tile  100 , which aligns the pathway  107  with a pathway  107 ′ of a connected track piece  100 ′ and/or of an elongated track piece  120  and/or  130 . Notably, when a tile is connected directly with another tile, such as the three-tile layout between tile  100  and two tiles  100 ′ shown in  FIG.  1   , the tiles can form a continuous, flat pathway across their top faces  105 . 
     The secondary connection assembly  300  is a different type of connection assembly than connection assembly  200 . For example, the secondary connection assembly  300  may be a traditional or legacy connection system having a connector  310 , separate from the tile  100 ,  100 ′, configured to engage receiving assemblies (described below with reference to  FIGS.  3 A- 6 B ) disposed in the tile  100 ,  100 ′, and track pieces  120 , and/or  130 . For example, in  FIG.  1   , one connector  310  is disposed between and couples together a tile  100 ′ and the track  130 . That is, the connector  310  is received in a receiving assembly disposed in the tile  100 ′ and a receiving assembly disposed in the track  130 . The primary and secondary connection assemblies  200 ,  300  are described in greater detail blow. 
       FIGS.  2 A- 2 C  illustrate a track set  2  connected in three different track configurations C 2 -C 4 , respectively, using the primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′.  FIGS.  2 B and  2 C  depict at least two tiles  100 ,  100 ′ directly coupled to each other via a set of primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′. Additionally, each tile  100 ,  100 ′ is further coupled to an elongated track  120  via a second primary connection assembly  200 ,  200 ′. As can be seen, with the tiles presented herein, a number of different play configurations can be built, including traditional closed-loop configurations (e.g.,  FIG.  2 A ) and configurations with tile-to-tile pathways included therein. The tiles may provide more than one discrete pathway, and, thus, may add more variability and allow for more creative play that elongate track that typically allows only forwards or backwards movement. 
       FIGS.  3 A and  3 B  illustrate a tile  100  capable of being connected to another tile  100 ′ (see  FIG.  1   ) and/or an elongated track  120 ,  130 . The tile  100  is connectable to another tile  100 ′ or the elongate track  120  using the primary connection assembly  200  and is connectable to another tile  100 ′, the elongate track  120 , or the elongate track  130  via the secondary connection assembly  300 . The tile  100  generally has a square plate shape and includes a substantially flat lateral front face  101 , a substantially flat back face  102  opposite the front face  101 , a substantially flat first side face  103 , a substantially flat second side face  104  opposite the first side face  103 , a top face  105 , and a bottom face  106  opposite the top face  105 . The front and back faces  101  and  102  are substantially perpendicular to the first and second side faces  103  and  104 . The top and bottom faces  105  and  106  are substantially perpendicular to each lateral face  101 - 104  and, thus, lateral faces  101 - 104  may each be substantially perpendicular to a surface on which the tile  100  is disposed. The top face  105  defines a pathway  107  for toy vehicles to travel. Tile  100 ′ is substantially the same as tile  100 . Consequently, any lateral face  101 - 104  of one tile  100  may abut a lateral face  101 - 104  of another tile  100 ′ to create continuous pathways  107  extending across multiple top faces  105 . 
     The front face  101  includes two primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′ and two receiving assemblies  320 ,  320 ′ each corresponding to secondary connection assemblies  300 ,  300 ′ of  FIG.  1   . Each primary connection assembly  200 ,  200 ′ includes a male coupler  210 ,  210 ′ extending, or protruding, from the front face  101  and a female coupler  220 ,  220 ′ extending into the tile  100  from the front face  101 . The male couplers  210 ,  210 ′ and female coupler  220 ,  220 ′ of each primary connection assembly  200 ,  200 ′ are separated from each other by a predetermined distance along the front face  101 . Each male coupler  210 ,  210 ′ is configured to engage, or mate to, a corresponding female coupler  220 ′,  220  of another tile  100 ′ and/or a track  120 . For example, the male couplers  210 ,  210 ′ engages the corresponding female couplers  220 ′,  220  of the other tile  100 ′. 
     In the depicted embodiment, each male coupler  210 ,  210 ′ includes a head  212 ,  212 ′, a neck  214 ,  214 ′, and a vertically extending gap  216 ,  216 ′ defining prongs  218 ,  218 ′. The prongs  218 ,  218 ′ resiliently flex into the gap  216 ,  216 ′ of the head  212 ,  212 ′ allowing the head  212 ,  212 ′ to resiliently engage and disengage with the female coupler  220 ′,  220 . 
     Meanwhile, each female coupler  220 ,  220 ′ is configured to receive a corresponding male coupler  210 ′,  210  of the other tile  100 ′ and/or the elongated track  120 . Thus, in the depicted embodiment, each female coupler  220 ,  220 ′ comprises a groove  222 ,  222 ′ extending into the front face  101 . Each groove  222 ,  222 ′ is configured to conform to a corresponding head  212 ′,  212  of the other tile  100 ′. That is, the heads  212 ′,  212  of the other tile  100 ′ are received by the female couplers  220 ,  220 ′ with an interference fit. Thus, the tiles  100  and  100 ′ may by directly coupled to each other via the primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′. Moreover, the substantially flat faces  101 - 104  of the tiles  100 ,  100 ′ do not obstruct the primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′ and enable the tiles  100 ,  100 ′ to be in close contact with one another when coupled together. 
     Still referring to  FIGS.  3 A and  3 B , the tile  100  may also connect to one or more elongated tracks  130  via the secondary connection assemblies  300 ,  300 ′. Lateral faces  101 ,  102  each includes a set of receiving portions comprising a first receiving portion  320  and a second receiving portion  320 ′ of the secondary assembly  300 ,  300 ′. For example, disposed between each male coupler  210 ,  210 ′ and each female coupler  220 ,  220 ′ is a receiving assembly  320 ,  320 ′. That is, a first receiving assembly  320  is disposed in the front face  101  between the male coupler  210  and the female coupler  220 , and a second receiving assembly  320 ′ is disposed in the front face  101  between the male coupler  210 ′ and the female coupler  220 ′. The second receiving assembly  320 ′ is substantially the same as the first receiving assembly  320 . 
     Each receiving assembly  320 ,  320 ′ is configured to receive at least portion of a corresponding traditional or legacy connector  310  of (see  FIGS.  6 A and  6 B ). Each receiving assembly  320 ,  320 ′ comprises a slot  321 ,  321 ′ extending into the tile  100  and a through-hole  322 ,  322 ′ extending from the top face  105  to the slot  321 ,  321 ′ (i.e., perpendicular to a main direction in which the slot extends), and a connector stop  323 ,  323 ′. Each slot  321 ,  321 ′ further includes shoulders  324 ,  324 ′ configured to engage at least a portion of the connector  310 . 
     The receiving assemblies  320 ,  320 ′ enable the tile  100  to connect to the second track type  30 . That is, the receiving assembly  320 ,  320 ′ is configured to receive a legacy connector  310  connected to, or extending from, the second track type  30  (e.g., track  130 ). The receiving assemblies  320 ,  320 ′ are arranged on the tile  100  to align a track  130  with a pathway  107  of the tile  100  via the secondary connection assembly  300 ,  300 ′ (see  FIG.  1   ). 
     As depicted in  FIGS.  3 A and  3 B , each lateral face (e.g., the front face  101 , back face  102 , first side face  103 , and second side face  104 ) includes two primary connection assembly  200 ,  200 ′. Each of the front face  101  and the back face  102  also includes two receiving assembly  320 ,  320 ′. That is, the front face  101  has two primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′ and two receiving assemblies  320 ,  320 ′, and the back face  102  has two primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′ and two receiving assemblies  320 ,  320 ′. In some implementation, each lateral face  101 - 104  includes two or more primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′ and two or more receiving assemblies  320 ,  320 ′. 
       FIGS.  4 A and  4 B  illustrate a tile  400  having two primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′ and two secondary receiving assemblies  320 ,  320 ′ on each lateral face  401 - 404 . Specifically, the tile  400  includes a front face  401 , a back face  402 , a first side face  403 , and a second side face  404 . Each lateral face  401 - 404  includes two primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′ and two secondary receiving assemblies  320 ,  320 ′ of a secondary connection assembly  300 . That is, each lateral face  401 ,  402 ,  403 , and  404 , has a first male coupler  210 , a first female coupler  220 , a first receiving assembly  320  disposed between the first male and female couplers  210 ,  220 , a second male coupler  210 ′, a second female coupler  220 ′, and a second receiving assembly  320 ′ disposed between the second male and female couplers  210 ′,  220 ′. 
       FIGS.  5 A and  5 B  illustrate a first tile  100 A being coupled a second tile  100 B via the primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′. During operation, the primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′ of tile  100 A are aligned with the primary connection assemblies  200 ′,  200  of tile  100 B. The primary connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′ may be aligned and engaged vertically, ( FIG.  5 A ) or aligned and engaged horizontally ( FIG.  5 B ). That is, the male couplers  210 ,  210 ′ of tile  100 A are aligned and engage the female couplers  220 ′,  220  of tile  100 B. Meanwhile, the male couplers  210 ,  210 ′ of tile  100 B are aligned and engage the female couplers  220 ′,  220  of tile  100 A. Thus, the connection assemblies  200 ,  200 ′ engage each other to fix the tiles  100 A,  100 B together. Notably, during both horizontal and vertical couplings, the substantially flat faces  101 - 104  of the tiles  100 A and  100 B allow close contact between the tile  100 A,  100 B to provide a continuous (i.e., gapless or almost gapless) pathway  107  between tiles  100 A,  100 B. 
       FIGS.  6 A and  6 B  illustrate a track  120  having a primary connection assembly  200  and a receiving assembly  320  for a secondary connection assembly  300  according to an example embodiment. The track  120  is capable of coupling to a tile  100 ,  100 ′,  400  or another track  120  via the primary connection assembly  200 , or a legacy track  130  via a receiving assembly  320  and a connector  310 . 
       FIGS.  7 A and  7 B  illustrate a connector  310  of a secondary connection assembly  300  according to an embodiment. The connector  310  includes a first engagement portion  311 A, a second engagement portion  311 B opposite the first engagement portion  311 A, a main body  312 , wings  313 , locking protrusions  314 , and a release button  315 . The locking protrusions  314  include a front angled surface  314 A and a rear angled surface  314 B. The front and rear angled surfaces  314 A,  314 B assist in engaging and disengaging the locking protrusions  314  with/from the through-holes  322  of the receiving assembly  320  of a track piece type  10 ,  30 . 
     During operation, the first engagement portion  311 A is inserted into a receiving assembly  320  of a tile  100 ,  100 ′,  400  until the release button  315  contacts the connector stop  323  and the locking protrusion  314  extend into the through-hole  322 . The wings  313  bear against and are supported by the shoulders  324  of the slot  321 . Meanwhile, the second engagement portion  311 B may be inserted into an elongated track  130  in a similar manner, thereby coupling the tile  100 ,  100 ′,  400 , and elongated track  130  together (see, e.g.,  FIG.  1   ). To disengage the connector  310 , the release button  315  is depressed, causing the locking protrusions  314  to retract from the through-holes  322 . Thus, the connector  310  can be pulled from the track piece  100 ,  100 ′,  400 , and/or  130 . 
     With reference to  FIG.  8   , various tiles  500 - 503  are depicted having different lengths and widths. As can be seen, the tiles  500 - 503  may have any desired length L or width W. For example, tile  500  is a substantially square tile having a width substantially equal to its length. The width and length may be based on a predetermined unit of distance D. Thus, tile  500  is a one by one tile (e.g., L≈W≈D) having two primary connector assemblies  200  and two receiving assemblies  320  disposed on each lateral face. Tile  501  is one by two tile (e.g., W≈D, and L≈2D) having two lateral faces parallel along its width W, each having two primary connector assemblies  200  and two receiving assemblies  320 , and two faces parallel along its length L each having four primary connector assemblies  200  and four receiving assemblies  320 . 
     Tile  502  is a two by one tile (e.g., W≈2D, and L≈D) having four primary connector assemblies  200  and four receiving assemblies  320  disposed at two faces parallel along its width W, and two primary connector assemblies  200  and two receiving assemblies  320  disposed on two lateral faces parallel along its length L. Tile  503  is a one by four tile (e.g., W≈D, and L≈4D) having two faces parallel along its width W each having two primary connector assemblies  200  and two receiving assemblies  320 , and two faces parallel along its length L each having eight primary connector assemblies  200  and eight receiving assemblies  320 . Accordingly, each face of each tile  500 - 503  may be coupled to one or more track pieces  100 ,  100 ′,  120 , and/or  130  via the primary connection assembly  200  and/or via the secondary connection assembly  300 . 
     Now referring to  FIGS.  9 A and  9 B , a tile  410  having a play feature  412  according to an example embodiment is illustrated. In the depicted embodiment, the play feature  412  includes a spiral ramp and includes indicia shaped in the form of a hamburger (e.g., to resemble a hamburger restaurant). In some implementations, the play feature  412  may be shaped to resemble other forms such as a dinosaur, mountainous terrain, a parking garage, sidewalks, etc. In yet another implementation, the tile  410  may include a plurality of play features  412 , including one or more movable or actionable play features, such as boosters, lifts, launchers, etc. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since it will be apparent that various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the inventions and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. In addition, various features from one of the embodiments may be incorporated into another of the embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the following claims. 
     It is also to be understood that the track set described herein, or portions thereof, may be fabricated from any suitable material or combination of materials, such as plastic, foamed plastic, wood, cardboard, pressed paper, metal, supple natural or synthetic materials including, but not limited to, cotton, elastomers, polyester, plastic, rubber, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof. Suitable plastics may include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), or the like. Suitable foamed plastics may include expanded or extruded polystyrene, expanded or extruded polypropylene, EVA foam, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof. 
     Reference may be made to the spatial relationships between various components and to the spatial orientation of various aspects of components as depicted in the attached drawings. However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art after a complete reading of the present disclosure, the devices, components, members, apparatuses, etc. described herein may be positioned in any desired orientation. Thus, the use of terms such as “above”, “below”, “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “bottom”, “left,” “right,” “front,” “rear,” “side,” “height,” “length,” “width,” “interior,” “exterior,” “inner,” “outer” or other similar terms merely describe points of reference and do not limit the present invention to any particular orientation or configuration. When used to describe a range of dimensions and/or other characteristics (e.g., time, pressure, temperature, distance, etc.) of an element, operations, conditions, etc. the phrase “between X and Y” represents a range that includes X and Y. 
     Further, the term “exemplary” is used herein to describe an example or illustration. Any embodiment described herein as exemplary is not to be construed as a preferred or advantageous embodiment, but rather as one example or illustration of a possible embodiment. 
     Further, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity, and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. 
     When used herein, the term “comprises” and its derivations (such as “comprising”, “including,” “containing,” etc.) should not be understood in an excluding sense, that is, these terms should not be interpreted as excluding the possibility that what is described and defined may include further elements, steps, etc. Meanwhile, when used herein, the term “approximately” and terms of its family (such as “approximate”, etc.) should be understood as indicating values very near to those which accompany the aforementioned term. That is to say, a deviation within reasonable limits from an exact value should be accepted, because a skilled person in the art will understand that such a deviation from the values indicated is inevitable due to measurement inaccuracies, etc. The same applies to the similar terms, such as, but not limited to, “about,” “around,” and “substantially.” 
     As used herein, unless expressly stated to the contrary, use of the phrase “at least one of”, “one or more of”, “and/or”, and variations thereof are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation for any and all possible combination of the associated listed items. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of X, Y and Z”, “at least one of X, Y or Z”, “one or more of X, Y and Z”, “one or more of X, Y or Z” and “X, Y and/or Z” can mean any of the following: 1) X, but not Y and not Z; 2) Y, but not X and not Z; 3) Z, but not X and not Y; 4) X and Y, but not Z; 5) X and Z, but not Y; 6) Y and Z, but not X; or 7) X, Y, and Z. Further as referred to herein, “at least one of” and “one or more of” can be represented using the “(s)” nomenclature (e.g., one or more element(s)). 
     Additionally, unless expressly stated to the contrary, the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., are intended to distinguish the particular nouns they modify (e.g., element, condition, node, module, activity, operation, etc.). Unless expressly stated to the contrary, the use of these terms is not intended to indicate any type of order, rank, importance, temporal sequence, or hierarchy of the modified noun. For example, “first X” and “second X” are intended to designate two “X” elements that are not necessarily limited by any order, rank, importance, temporal sequence, or hierarchy of the two elements.