Patent Publication Number: US-10309657-B2

Title: Cooking grate with integrated venting

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present embodiments relate to a cooking grate with integrated venting and cooking surfaces for a cooking appliance, and particularly, but not limited to, a cooking grate for a gas range. 
     Various cooking grates have been proposed in the art for cooking appliances. Often, an oven vent is vented or exhausted behind the cooking grate through a vent cover or trim piece within the backguard of the oven. Therefore, the trim piece is separate from the cooking grate. 
     There may be several disadvantages associated with these vent covers or trim pieces that are separate from the cooking grate such as, but not limited to, undesirable additional cost of materials, labor, and time associated with manufacturing, cleaning, and/or installing the separate components. 
     Thus, there is a need to integrate the cooking surface and venting surface into a cooking grate. 
     SUMMARY 
     In some embodiments, a cooking appliance includes a housing having a cooktop surface and at least one air channel, at least one gas burner positioned in the cooktop surface, and at least one cooking grate having a cooking surface and a venting surface. The venting surface permits air to exit from at least one air channel of the housing and the cooking surface is adjacent at least one gas burner. The venting surface may have one or more openings therethrough to fluidly communicate with at least one air channel. 
     In addition, in some embodiments, the venting surface is positioned at a different elevation than the cooking surface. The venting surface may include a plurality of vanes angled upwardly and towards the cooking surface to direct air towards the cooking surface. An upper surface of at least one of the plurality of vanes may be substantially flush with an upper surface of the venting surface. The venting surface may include a depending skirt defining an outer periphery of the venting surface. The at least one cooking grate may include a plurality of feet depending from the at least one cooking grate, wherein the depending skirt of the venting surface extends less than an outermost extent of the plurality of feet. Further, the cooking surface and the venting surface are of a unitary construction, and wherein the at least one cooking grate is cast iron. The cooking surface may have one or more openings therethrough to fluidly communicate with the at least one gas burner. 
     In some embodiments, the cooking appliance includes a housing having a cooktop surface and at least one air channel. The at least one air channel may include at least one exit opening at the rear of the housing, at least one gas burner extending from the cooktop surface, a cooking grate having a cooking surface and a venting surface. The venting surface may include an upper surface. The venting surface has one or more vanes defining one or more openings of the venting surface. The cooking surface may include an upper surface with one or more openings. The cooking surface is disposed over the at least one gas burner and the venting surface is disposed over the exit opening of the at least one air channel. 
     In addition, in some embodiments, the one or more vanes are adjacent the upper surface of the venting surface. The one or more vanes are angled upwardly and towards the cooking surface to direct air towards the cooking surface. The cooking surface and the venting surface are of a unitary construction from cast iron. The venting surface includes a depending skirt defining an outer periphery of the venting surface. A free end of the depending skirt is spaced from the cooktop surface by one or more feet of the cooking grate. 
     In some embodiments, the cooking appliance includes a housing having one or more gas burners and one or more air channels. One or more exit openings of the one or more air channels is positioned behind the one or more gas burners adjacent a back of the housing. At least one cooking grate has an upper surface extending across a cooking surface and a venting surface. The venting surface may include a depending skirt adjacent an outer periphery of the venting surface defining a cavity in fluid communication with the one or more exit openings of the housing and the upper surface of the at least one cooking grate. The at least one cooking grate allows heat to flow upward from the one or more gas burners and air to vent from the one or more exit openings of the one or more air channels. 
     In addition, in some embodiments, the venting surface includes one or more vanes adjacent the upper surface of the venting surface. An upper surface of at least one of the one or more vanes is substantially flush with the upper surface of the venting surface. The upper surface of the venting surface is spaced upwardly from the upper surface of the cooking surface. The one or more air channels of the housing are for exhausting air from a cooking compartment within the housing or for a cooling air stream. An outer periphery of the at least one cooking grate includes at least a portion of the depending skirt. 
     These and other advantages and features, which characterize the embodiments, are set forth in the claims annexed hereto and forming a further part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the embodiments, and of the advantages and objectives attained through its use, reference should be made to the Drawings, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is described example embodiments. This summary is merely provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description, and is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. Also, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the cooking grate with integrated venting in an installed position with bottom portions of the oven range broken away; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  taken along line  2 - 2 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  taken along line  3 - 3 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is bottom perspective view of the cooking grate embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in the Figures, a home cooking appliance  10 , such as but not limited to a slide-in cooking range, has a housing  12  and a cooking compartment  14 , such as a baking oven, convection oven, steam oven, warming drawer and the like, in the housing  12  and accessible through a door or drawer  16  in the front  12   a  of the housing  12 . In the embodiment shown, the appliance  10  is a gas range. The appliance  10  includes a cooktop surface  18  on a top of the housing  12 . The cooktop surface  18  can include one or more cooking grates  20  thereon, with at least one cooking grate  20  having a cooking surface or section  20   a  and a venting surface or section  20   b . The cooking surface  20   a  of the cooking grate  20  may include one or more openings  21   a  in fluid communication with one or more gas burners  19 . The cooking surface  20   a  of the cooking grate  20  may support a cooking vessel or cookware (not shown) over one or more gas burners  19 . The venting surface  20   b  of the cooking grate  20  may include one or more openings  21   b  in fluid communication with, or permitting air to exit, one or more air channels or passageways  15  of the housing  12 . The appliance  10  includes a control panel  11  having a plurality of control knobs or controls  11   a  for controlling the gas burners  19  and/or cooking compartment  14 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the cooking grate  20  integrates or combines both the cooking surface  20   a  and the venting surface  20   b  into a unitary component or structure. The integrated cooking grate  20  may be of a unitary construction, such as but not limited to cast iron. It is to be understood that the unitary construction may comprise a variety of compositions, such as one or more materials. Because the structure of the cooking grate  20  is integrated, the upper surface  22  of the cooking grate  20  may extend across both the cooking surface  20   a  and venting surface  20   b  to provide a substantially continuous appearance across the top or portion of the housing  12 , or more specifically from the front  12   a  to the back  12   b  of the housing  12 . The upper surface  22  of the cooking grate  20  may include an upper surface  22   a  of the cooking surface  20   a  and an upper surface  22   b  of the venting surface  20   b . Although one embodiment of the cooking surface  20   a  and venting surface  20   b , upper surfaces  22   a  and  22   b , and openings  21   a  and  21   b  is illustrated in the Figures, one or more embodiments may be of a variety of patterns, shapes, sizes, and quantities and still be within the scope of the teachings herein. 
     The cooking appliance  10  may include one or more air channels  15  allowing air to circulate through, into, and/or out of the housing  12  or portions thereof. For example one or more air channels  15  may, for example, provide flow for a cooling air stream from one or more areas of the housing  12  and/or oven compartment air stream from the cooking compartment  14 . One embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  of channel  15  includes one or more exit openings  15   a  in fluid communication with the housing area below the cooktop surface  18  and above the cooking compartment  14  thereby removing heat from the housing  12  and/or resulting in a cooling air stream. It should be understood that the one or more channels  15  and openings  15   a  may define a variety of flow paths with the cooking appliance  10  and be a variety of sizes, shapes, construction, and quantities and still be within the scope of the teachings herein. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the appliance  10  may include one or more cooking grates  20  to overlay a variety of surface areas of the housing  12  or cooktop surface  18 . Although a plurality of cooking grates  20  is shown atop the cooktop surface  18 , a single grate  20  may be used in some applications. When assembled, the cooking grates  20  may be positioned such that the venting surfaces  20   b  and/or the cooking surfaces  20   a  are adjacent to each other as shown. Further although each cooking grate  20  is shown as similar in construction, it is understood that one or more of the cooking grates  20  may include one or more structural differences from each other. For example, if a cooking grate  20  includes the venting surface  20   b  it may be of a different pattern from one or more of the other cooking grates  20 . Further, it should be understood that an embodiment of the cooking surface  20   a  or portions thereof may include an integrated griddle pattern (not shown) with the venting surface  20   b  in one or more embodiments. For example, the embodiment of the cooking grate, or more specifically the center cooking grate, may include a cooking surface  20   a  with a griddle pattern or substantially planar upper surface in the front of the cooking grate and the venting surface  20   b  in the back of the cooking grate. The griddle pattern or portions of the cooking surface  20   a  may not have openings therein. As is shown in the embodiments, the cooking grate  20  includes both the cooking surface  20   a  and the venting surface  20   b  such that the front of the cooking grate may include the cooking surface  20   a  and the back may include the venting surface  20   b . As is shown, the front of the cooking grate that includes the cooking surface  20   a  covers, or is adjacent to, a portion of the cooktop surface  18  having one or more gas burners  19  extending therefrom and is in fluid communication with the gas burners  19 . The back of the cooking grate  20  that includes the venting surface  20   b  is disposed over, covers, or is adjacent to and in fluid communication with, one or more exit openings  15   a  of one or more air channels  15  of the housing  12 . Therefore, the cooking grate  20  allows heat to flow upward from the gas burner  19  and air to vent from the exit opening. 
     The venting surfaces  20   b  of the cooking grate  20  may be in fluid communication with one or more air channels  15  of the housing  12 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , three arrows indicate air flows directed upwardly and away from their respective cooking grate  20 , and/or back wall (not shown), through each one of the cooking grate&#39;s venting surface  20   b . The airflow A 1 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , is a cooling air stream exiting the venting surface  20   b . The air stream A 1  may circulate or pass through the housing  12  or a variety of ducts, cavities, and air channels  15  from various areas of the appliance  10 , inside and/or outside. For example, this cooling air stream may reduce the temperature of the door  16 , cooktop surface  18  region, controls compartment, and/or other portions of the housing  12  before exiting one or more venting surfaces  20   b  of one or more cooking grates  20 . A fan  17  may also force the air flow through the one or more channels  15  before exhausting through one or more exit openings  15   a . In one embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the center cooking grate  20  may exhaust air or airflow A 2  through one or more air channels  15  from the cooking compartment  14  alone or in combination with another grate venting surface  20   b . The oven air stream or exhausting airflow A 2  from the cooking compartment  14  may pass through a variety of ducts, cavities, and air channels  15  of the housing  12  before exiting one or more venting surfaces  20   b  of one or more cooking grates  20 . The cooking compartment  14  air may exit by convection through the one or more channels  15  and exhaust from the one or more exit openings  15   a  and subsequently through the one or more openings  21   b  of the grate&#39;s venting surface  20   b . The airflow A 3 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , may be a cooling air stream circulating or passing through one or more ducts, cavities, or air channels (not shown) through the appliance  10  or housing  12 . The air stream A 3  may pass through the housing  12  or a variety of ducts, cavities, and air channels (not shown) from various areas of the appliance  10 , inside and/or outside. For example, this cooling air stream may reduce the temperature of the housing  12  side and back walls, cooktop surface  18  region, controls compartment, and/or other portions of the housing  12  before exiting one or more venting surfaces  20   b  of one or more cooking grates  20 . As such the venting surface  20   b  of the cooking grate  20  may be directed in a variety of directions although shown as upwardly and away from the cooking grate  20  and towards the cooking surface  20   a  of the cooking grate  20 . Although not shown, it should be understood that the venting surface  20   b  of the cooking grate  20  may be positioned without being adjacent to an air channel  15  or exit opening  15   a , or stated alternatively that it does not exhaust or is not in fluid communication with an air channel  15 . For example, the venting surface  20   b  of a cooking grate  20  may be cosmetic, alone or in combination, with one or more other cooking grates. Further, the air flow through one or more air channels  15  may, but need not necessarily include, forced air. 
     The outer periphery of the cooking grate  20  includes both the cooking surface  20   a  and the venting surface  20   b  such that the front of the cooking grate may include the cooking surface  20   a  and the back may include the venting surface  20   b . Although the embodiment shows the relative positons of the cooking surface  20   a  and venting surface  20   b  to each other, there may be other arrangements. As is shown in one embodiment, one or more feet  23  engage one or more surfaces of the appliance  10  or housing  12  to space the cooking grate  20 , or portions thereof, from the cooktop surface  18  or other portions of the housing  12 . One or more of the feet  23  may depend from the outer periphery of the cooking grate  20  and engage the cooktop surface  18 , although the feet  23  may extend from a variety of structures of the cooking grate  20 . For instance, the feet may extend from one or both of the venting surface  20   b  and cooking surface  20   a  or adjacent therebetween. As is shown, one pair of feet  23  may be adjacent the control panel  11 , or front of the housing  12 , and another pair of feet  23  may be adjacent the exit openings  15   a  of the air channels  15 , or back  12   b  of the housing  12 . The feet  23  may engage the cooktop surface  18  or other portions of the housing  12 . As is shown, the rear feet  23  may be spaced from the outer periphery or back of the cooking grate  20  and may be adjacent or between the cooking surface  20   a  and venting surface  20   b . Spacing one or more feet  23  from the distal end or back of the cooking grate  20  that contains the venting surface  20   b  may reduce the contact of the venting surface  20   b  or other portions of the cooking grate  20  with the housing  12  or cooktop surface  18  and reduce possible abrasions. 
     As is shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the upper surface  22  of the cooking grate  20  extends across the cooking surface  20   a  and the venting surface  20   b . In one embodiment, the upper surface  22  of the cooking grate  20  may be interrupted by one or more openings  21   a  within the cooking surface  20   a  and one or more openings  21   b  of the venting surface  20   b . In another embodiment, at least a portion of the cooking surface  20   a  may be a griddle (not shown). Although, the upper surface  22   a  of the cooking surface  20   a  is shown as a different or lower elevation than the upper surface  22   b  of the venting surface  20   b , each upper surface  22   a  and  22   b  may be, if desired, substantially the same elevation from the housing  12  or portions thereof. Further, the upper surface  22   a  and  22   b  of the cooking surface  20   a  and venting surface  20   b , respectively, are substantially parallel to each other. Alternatively, the upper surface  22   b  or portions of the venting surface  20   b  may be angled relative to the upper surface  22   a  of the cooking surface  20   a . The venting surface  20   b  of the cooking grate  20  in the embodiment shown may alternatively be described as stepped or raised from the cooking surface  20   a  of the cooking grate  20 . Although the one or more openings  21   b  of the venting surface  20   b  are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4  as discontinuous across the width of the cooking grate  20 , the openings  21   b  may be continuous or a variety of positions, shapes, and sizes. Further, the upper surface  22   b  of the venting surface  20   b  may include one or more of vanes  24  defining the one or more openings  21   b  therein. The upper surfaces  24   a  of the vanes  24  may be substantially flush with the remaining portions of the upper surface  22   b  of the venting surface  20   b  as is shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Alternatively, the vane upper surface  24   a  could be above and/or below the venting surface&#39;s upper surface  22   b  as, for example, recessed within the upper surface  22   b  or outer periphery of the venting surface  20   b . In the embodiment shown, the one or more vanes  24  are angled upwardly and towards the cooking surface  20   a  to direct air towards the cooking surface  20   a  or front  12   a  of the housing  12 . The angle α may be in the range of approximately 5 to 85 degrees, but preferably approximately 10 to 80 degrees from the vertical axis A. Further, one or more vanes  24  may be positioned at a variety of elevations within a skirt  26  of the venting surface  20   b.    
     As shown in the Figures, the venting surface  20   b  of the cooking grate  20  may include a depending skirt  26  about its outer periphery or portions thereof. The skirt  26  may coincide with one or more portions of the outer periphery of the cooking grate  20  as is shown. For example, portions of one or more of the lateral peripheral walls  26   a  and rearward peripheral wall  26   b  depend from adjacent one or more outer peripheral portions of the cooking grate  20 , more specifically the back and lateral sides or portions of the cooking grate  20 . The forward peripheral wall  26   c  may be adjacent the cooking surface  20   a  of the cooking grate  20 . The skirt  26  or portions thereof may also engage a length of the depending feet  23  as is shown, or alternatively be disengaged therefrom. The skirt  26  of the venting surface  20   b  defines a cavity or passageway  27  or portions thereof. The cavity  27  of the venting surface  20   b  is in fluid communication between the one or more openings  21   b  and the exit openings  15   a  of the air channel  15 . Within the skirt  26 , one or more vanes  24  may be used to direct the flow of air in a variety of directions from the venting surface  20   b . Portions of the skirt  26  may depend a variety of distances from upper surface  22   b  of the venting surface  20   b . For example one or more of the front or forward peripheral wall  26   c , rearward peripheral wall  26   b , and lateral peripheral walls  26   a  may downwardly extend less than the distal end or outermost extent of the feet  23  or may be spaced from the cooktop surface  18 . The spacing of the free end  26   d  of the skirt  26  away from the cooktop surface  18  or other portions of the housing  12  may produce a gap or distance D. This distance D may reduce abrasion to the cooktop surface  18 . It is understood that the skirt  26  may abut the cooktop surface  18 . Further shown, one or more of the walls of the skirt  26  may taper inwardly towards the upper surface  22   b  of the venting surface  20   b  thereby by narrowing the cavity  27  in the direction from the cooktop surface  18  towards the upper surface  22  of the cooking grate  20  or upper surface  22   b  of the venting surface  20   b . For example, at least the skirt forward peripheral wall  26   c  and rearward peripheral wall  26   b  are shown in  FIGS. 2-4  to taper the cavity  27 . It should also be understood that one or more of the lateral peripheral walls  26   a  alone or in combination with skirt walls  26   c  and/or  26   b  may taper cavity  27 . Although the skirt free ends  26   d  define the open end of a downward facing opening, it should be understood that the skirt walls may define one or more openings within the skirt  26  itself or in combination with other structure, such as but not limited to, the cooktop surface  18 , in a variety of positions and directions to channel air into and/or out of the venting surface  20   b.    
     The cooking grate  20  may be of a unitary construction combining the cooking surface  20   a  and venting surface  20   b  into a single piece. For example, the cooking grate  20  may be formed from cast iron by a sand casting process that is commonly known in the art of manufacturing stove-top cooking grates. A sand core may be used to manufacture the venting surface  20   b  of the back section of the cooking grate  20 . One advantage of the cooking grate  20  embodiment in use may be in manufacturing, installation, and/or cleaning of the cooking grate  20 . Because the cooking grate  20  includes both a cooking surface  20   a  and a venting surface  20   b  as a single piece, the unitary component may be handled together instead of separate. Therefore, the time, labor, and cost to manufacture and install may be reduced. Further when cleaning the cooking grate  20 , the end user may temporarily remove the cooking grate to clean both the cooking surface  20   a  and the venting surface  20   b , as opposed to handling separately components to clean. As such in use, one or more plugs or covers may be used (not shown) to overlay the one or more exit openings  15   a  at the back  12   b  of the housing  12  when the cooking grate  20  is removed for cleaning. 
     Although the integrated cooking grate  20  is shown in detail in the drawings, it is merely representative of one embodiment, and it is to be understood that there are a variety of shapes, sizes, orientations, constructions, and quantities which may be used and still be within the scope of the teachings herein. 
     While several embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present disclosure. 
     All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms. 
     The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.” 
     The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc. 
     As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of” or “exactly one of” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law. 
     As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc. 
     It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited. 
     In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03. 
     It is to be understood that the embodiments are not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” “in communication with,” and “mounted,” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms “connected” and “coupled” and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. 
     The foregoing description of several embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise steps and/or forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.