Patent Publication Number: US-2023154271-A1

Title: Storage and dispensing station for blister packaging machine

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 17/332,634, filed on May 27, 2021, entitled “STORAGE AND DISPENSING STATION FOR BLISTER PACKAGING MACHINE,” which is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 16/898,137, filed on Jun. 10, 2020, entitled “STORAGE AND DISPENSING STATION FOR BLISTER PACKAGING MACHINE,” which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,055,948, on Jul. 6, 2021, which is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 16/452,348, filed on Jun. 25, 2019, entitled “STORAGE AND DISPENSING STATION FOR BLISTER PACKAGING MACHINE,” which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,741,002, on Aug. 11, 2020, which is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 15/423,870, filed on Feb. 3, 2017, entitled “STORAGE AND DISPENSING STATION FOR BLISTER PACKAGING MACHINE,” which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,380,824, on Aug. 13, 2019, the contents of each which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, for all purposes. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a storage and dispensing station for a blister packaging machine for drug portions. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Modern blister packaging machines include one or more storage and dispensing stations. A plurality of drug portions is stored therein, and individual drug portions are dispensed on request. The drug portions stored in the storage and dispensing stations are assembled and blister-packed on an individual patient basis according to medically prescribed ingestion times. 
     In order to assemble a plurality of drug portions, appropriate storage and dispensing stations for dispensing one or more drug portions are activated by a control device of the blister packaging machine. To dispense a drug portion, a drug portion stored in a storage container is separated by a singulating device of the storage and dispensing station and transferred, via a dispensing opening, to a guide device of the blister packaging machine. By the guide device, the dispensed drug portion is conveyed to a packaging device which blister-packs individual or multiple drug portions. 
     SUMMARY 
     In many drug packaging settings, it is desirable to provide a storage and dispensing station with a reduced propensity to collect small flakes or particles of drug portions. 
     In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure provides a system for dispensing and packaging drug portions. The system includes one or more storage containers, the one or more storage containers each including a housing defining a receiving chamber for drug portions and a singulating device disposed at least partially within the housing for singulating and dispensing the drug portions contained within the receiving chamber, the singulating device having an electrically conductive outer surface. The system also includes a blister packaging machine for packaging drug portions dispensed from the one or more storage containers, wherein a conductor device is provided, the conductor device providing an electrically conductive coupling between the singulating device outer surface and a contact configured to dissipate an electrical charge. 
     In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure provides a system for dispensing and packaging drug portions, including one or more bases and one or more storage containers each configured to be removably coupled to one of the one or more bases. Each storage container includes a housing defining a receiving chamber for drug portions and a singulating device disposed at least partially within the housing for singulating and dispensing the drug portions contained within the receiving chamber, the singulating device having an electrically conductive outer surface. The system also includes a blister packaging machine for packaging drug portions dispensed from the one or more storage containers, wherein, a conductor device is provided, the conductor device providing an electrically conductive coupling between the singulating device outer surface and a contact configured to dissipate an electrical charge. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure are described in greater detail below, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein: 
         FIGS.  1   a  and  1   b    illustrate a storage and dispensing station having a separate base and storage container according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a storage container according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  3    is a cross sectional view of a storage container according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a singulating device disposed inside a storage container according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  5    is a cross sectional view of a storage container mounted on a base according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  6    is a cross sectional view of a storage and dispensing station according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  7    is an exploded view of a storage device and a drive according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG.  8    is a cross sectional view of a storage and dispensing station according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view of a dispensing station, a storage container and a blister packing machine according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The detailed description set forth below describes various configurations of the subject technology and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the subject technology may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the subject technology. Accordingly, dimensions are provided in regard to certain aspects as non-limiting examples. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the subject technology may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the subject technology. 
     It is to be understood that the present disclosure includes examples of the subject technology and does not limit the scope of the appended claims. Various aspects of the subject technology will now be disclosed according to particular but non-limiting examples. Various embodiments described in the present disclosure may be carried out in different ways and variations, and in accordance with a desired application or implementation. 
     In order to separate drug portions, a singulating device is rotated by a drive. The rotation of the singulating device causes at least some drug portions stored in a storage container to come into contact with one another, and also with the singulating device during the separation process. Flaking of the drug portions may occur, resulting in drug dust settling on the singulating device and the storage container. An accumulation of drug dust is undesirable, as cleaning the storage container becomes more difficult. Further, the drug dust may be conveyed into other components of the blister packaging machine and may be blister-packed with other kinds of drug portions, leading to an undesirable mixing of medications. 
     According to the disclosure, a singulating device is electrically conductive at least at its outer surface, which comes into contact with drug portions to be singulated. A conductor device is provided, by which the outer surface of the singulating device is coupled to a contact in an electrically conductive manner. Thereby, an electrical connection exists between the outer surface of the singulating device and the contact, by which electrical, or electrostatic, charges can be transferred to the blister packaging machine. 
     The rotation of the singulating device may lead to friction between drug portions, friction between drug portions and the singulating device and friction between the singulating device and the storage container. Such friction may be sufficient to cause an electrostatic charge to accumulate on one or more components of the storage and dispensing station and the storage container. 
     The accumulated electrostatic charge of the singulating device can be dissipated via a contact to the blister packaging machine which forms, or has, a reference potential with respect to the singulating device. Such a reduction in the electrostatic charge of the singulating device prevents, or lessens, accumulation of the drug dust produced during singulation on the singulation device. 
     The above-mentioned electrostatic charge may also prevent drug portions from freely sliding on, or over, electrostatically charged components of the storage and dispensing station. This may lead to dispensing malfunctions, particularly with smaller medications. 
     The singulating device is rotatably disposed in a cylindrical receiving chamber of the housing. However, the singulating device can be accommodated fully in the receiving chamber, or an upper section of the singulating device can project from the cylindrical receiving chamber. 
     A storage and dispensing station is electrically coupled to the blister packaging machine by the contact such that electrical charges can be dissipated to the blister packaging machine. When the dispensing and storage station is coupled to a blister packaging machine via the contact, the singulating device may be thereby electrically grounded. The contact can be disposed on various portions of the base, storage container or on other components. 
     A base and the storage container of the storage and dispensing station can be separable components, and the storage container can be placed onto the base. 
     The base may be releasably attached to the blister packaging machine, wherein an electrical connection between a blister packaging machine and a base may, for example, a supply power for a drive and/or a cable for a control unit of the storage and dispensing station. 
     In some embodiments of the storage and dispensing station, the contact is provided with a ground wire, which may be coupled to a motor of the drive. In such an embodiment, a component or group of components, namely the grounding wire of the motor of the drive, is used to dissipate electrical charges. 
     The singulating device is electrically conductive at least on an outer surface thereof, which comes into contact with drug portions to be singulated. The outer surface of the singulating device may be formed as a planar conductive coating. Here, a cost-effective, non-conductive material can be used as carrier material and a more cost-intensive conductive coating, which is then coupled in an electrically conductive manner to the contact by the conductor device, can be provided only in those areas which come into contact with drug portions to be singulated. 
     In the above-mentioned embodiments, an electrically conductive coating is applied to a base body. In some embodiments, the singulating device, at least in the case of its outer surface, is made of an electrically conductive material, which may be an electrically conductive plastic. This conductive region is electrically coupled to the contact. Depending on materials and manufacturing costs, the singulating device may consist entirely of a conductive material. 
     To enable the electrostatic charge to be dissipated, a conductor device, by which the outer surface of the singulating device is electrically coupled to the contact, allows the accumulated electrical charge to be dissipated to the blister packaging machine. In some embodiments, the conductor device includes a slip ring disposed in the bottom surface and/or in a housing section which forms the cylindrical receiving chamber. One or more contact elements are arranged in the singulating device. By the contact element, an electrical connection is formed between the singulating device and the slip ring, which is electrically coupled to the contact. The contact element can be a kind of spring contact, for example, which rests temporarily or permanently on the slip ring. The slip ring itself can be continuously formed, or the slip ring can be formed by a plurality of segments, each of which is only temporarily in contact with the contact element. These segments can then be electrically connected to one another, or can be electrically connected individually to the contact. 
     In some embodiments, the conductor device includes an electrically conductive drive hub, an electrically conductive drive shaft, an electrically conductive motor, and an electrically conductive coupling. An outer surface of the singulating device is electrically coupled to the coupling, the coupling includes, or is electrically coupled to the motor, and the motor is coupled to the contact. In some embodiments, these components electrically conduct in such a way that the electrical charge of the singulating device is dissipated to the blister packaging machine using the above-mentioned components. In some examples, an electrical charge of the singulating device is dissipated from the outer surface thereof, to the electrically conductive drive hub and electrically conductive drive shaft, to the electrically conductive motor, which is in turn electrically coupled to the contact. This allows for the dissipation of electrical charge from the outer surface to the contact, and thus to the blister packing machine. The coupling may include one or more of the motor, drive hub, drive and drive shaft. 
     The drive motor of the storage and dispensing station is coupled to the central power supply of the blister packaging machine by a cable. Further, the motor is connected to a blister packaging machine by the contact, and this contact ensures that the motor is grounded. In this way, charges, which are transferred to the motor by the coupling, the drive hub and/or the drive shaft, can be dissipated to the blister packaging machine. 
     Due to the electrostatic charge of the singulating device, drug dust may accumulate on said singulating device. However, due to the friction resulting from the singulation process, other components of the storage and dispensing station also become electrostatically charged. In some embodiments, portions or surfaces of the bottom surface, the cylindrical section of the housing and/or other sections of the housing which come into contact with drug portions are also electrically conductive, and are electrically coupled to the contact. The above-mentioned components or component sections may be provided with an electrically conductive coating, or can be made entirely from an electrically conductive material. 
       FIGS.  1   a  and  1   b    illustrate a storage and dispensing station  10 . In exemplary embodiments, the storage and dispensing station  10  includes a base  100  and a storage container  200 , and the storage container  200  is formed as a separate component from the base  100 . 
     The base  100  is, in some embodiments, one of a plurality of bases  100 , as shown in Figs. la and lb. In some embodiments, the plurality of bases  100  includes five bases  100 . In some embodiments, each of the plurality of bases  100  is formed separately from one another. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of bases  100  is combined with one another to form a single base group. The elements mentioned in the following description may be present in each base  100 , regardless of whether each of the plurality of bases  100  is formed as a single base group (as shown in  FIGS.  1   a  and  1   b   ) or formed separately. 
     Each base  100 , according to exemplary embodiments, includes a bottom section  130  and a top section  120 . The top section  120  includes a top projection  121  onto which a storage container  200  can be disposed, or placed. For this purpose, a bottom housing section  212  (shown in  FIG.  2   ) of the storage container  200  corresponds to a geometry of the top projection  121 . 
     A face  118  of a base  100 , shown in  FIG.  1   b    and formed by the top section  120  and the bottom section  130 , may be attached to a blister packaging machine  20 . A chute  140 , through which separated drug portions are transferred from the storage and dispensing station  10  to the blister packaging machine  20 , is formed in the face  118 . The chute  140  extends through the base  100  to the top projection  121 . An opening  123  is formed in the top projection  121  to receive a drug portion. 
     On the face  118  of the base  100 , a contact  124  is provided, through which the storage and dispensing station  10  is electrically coupled to the blister packaging machine  20  and by which electrical current, signals and/or electrostatic charge can be transmitted from the storage and dispensing station  10  to the blister packaging machine  20 . In some embodiments, the contact  124  is disposed on a portion of the face  118  formed by the top section  120 . In some embodiments, the contact  124  is disposed on a portion of the face  118  formed by the bottom section  130 . The contact  124  may include, or be disposed within, a plug or a similar device. In exemplary embodiments, as shown in  FIG.  1     a,  a conductor device  117  is electrically coupled to both the contact  124  and to an outer surface of a singulating device (described below). 
       FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a storage container according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as described above, the base  100  and the storage container  200  are separate components. The storage container  200  includes a housing  210  having a receiving section  217 , a cylindrical receiving chamber  211  (shown in  FIG.  3   ), a bottom housing section  212  and a handle  214 . The storage container  200  includes a cover  213  removably disposed on the storage container  200 . 
     An exemplary arrangement of a singulating device  230  in the cylindrical receiving chamber  211  of the receiving section  217  is shown in  FIG.  3   . The singulating device  230  includes a rotor  226  having a plurality of projections  234  and channels  235 . The plurality of projections  234  and channels  235  extend in an axial direction through, or along, the singulating device  230 . The channels  235  are defined by the projections  234 , which run along a central component of the singulating device  230  so that the channels  235  are open to an outer circumference  280  of the singulating device  230 . The plurality of channels  235  extends along the singulating device  230 , and parallel with a rotational axis  300  of the singulating device  230 , best shown in  FIG.  8   . 
     The singulating device  230  includes a central conical cover surface  232  which, together with the housing  210 , defines a receiving chamber  202  for drug portions. Due to a shape of the central conical cover surface  232 , drug portions resting thereon slide towards the channels  235 . 
     A step  227  is formed between the central conical cover surface  232  and the projections  234 , and an annular chamber  228  is formed in the region above the channels  235  and the projections  234 . The annular chamber  228  facilitates the sliding of drug portions into the channels  235 . 
     As can be seen in  FIG.  3   , a bottom surface  220  includes a dispensing opening  221  through which drug portions are passed to the chute  140  via the opening  123  in the top projection  121  of the base  100  (as shown in  FIG.  1   a   ). 
     As can further be seen in  FIG.  3   , a retaining section  216  of a retainer  215  is disposed in the annular chamber  228  above the dispensing opening  221 . In addition, the dispensing opening  221  is disposed in the cylindrical receiving chamber  211  of the housing  210 . The retainer  215  and the retaining section  216  retain drug portions arranged in the receiving chamber  202  above the dispensing opening  221  when a channel  235  is aligned, or is vertically aligned, with the dispensing opening  221 . 
     The separation and dispensing of drug portions involves, in exemplary embodiments, a channel  235  containing a defined number of drug portions being positioned over the dispensing opening  221 , and the drug portions are then dispensed from the aligned channel  235 . The retaining section  216  prevents drug portions overlying, or disposed above, the retaining section  216  in the channel  235  from being dispensed. This ensures that only the appropriate number of drug portions arranged in the channel  235  is dispensed. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the singulating device  230  further includes a coupling  240  with which the singulating device  230  is coupled to a drive  224 , by which the singulating device  230  is rotated to separate drug portions. In exemplary embodiments, the coupling  240  is designed as a distinct component. However, in some embodiments, the coupling  240  is formed integrally with the singulating device  230 . 
     One or more portions of the singulating device  230  are electrically conductive. In some embodiments, an outer surface  231  of the singulating device  230 , which comes into contact with drug portions to be singulated, is electrically conductive. In exemplary embodiments, the singulating device  230  includes an outer surface  231 . The outer surface  231  may include a planar conductive coating. 
     A conductor device  117  is provided in order to transfer electrical currents, signals, or electrostatic charges, from the singulating device  230  to the contact  124  (see  FIG.  1   b   ). The electrical charges, or signals, are then conveyed to the blister packaging machine  20 . In some embodiments, the conductor device  117  includes a contact element  236 ,  237  arranged in, or on, the singulating device  230 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the singulating device  230  is disposed within the cylindrical receiving chamber  211 . As described, the projections  234  form an annular chamber  228  within the housing  210 . In some embodiments, the cylindrical receiving chamber  211  or the singulating device  230  can also be designed such that the projections  234  project above the cylindrical receiving chamber  211 . When projections  234  and channels  235  are open to the outer circumference  280  of the singulating device  230 , drug portions can also enter the channels  235  from a side direction relative to the singulating device  230 , in addition to a top direction relative to the singulating device  230 . 
       FIG.  4    illustrates exemplary embodiments of contact elements  236 ,  237 .  FIG.  4    illustrates the contact element  237  disposed on an outer region  290  of a projection  234 .  FIG.  4    also illustrates the contact element  236  disposed on an underside  292  of a projection  234 . An electrical connection between a slip ring  222  (see  FIG.  5   ) in the bottom surface  220  and the contact element  236 , and or between another slip ring  296  (see  FIG.  6   ) disposed in the receiving section  217  and the contact element  237  may be formed. 
       FIG.  5    is a cross sectional view of a storage container  200  mounted on a base  100  according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.  FIG.  6    is a cross sectional view of a storage and dispensing station  10  according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. 
       FIGS.  5  and  6    show the coupling  240  disposed between the base  100  and storage container  200 , which are formed as separate components. In operation, the storage container  200  is placed onto the top projection  121  of the base  100 , such that the bottom housing section  212  appropriately interfaces with the top projection  121 . 
       FIG.  6    shows the coupling  240  disposed between the singulating device  230  and the drive  224  arranged in the base. The drive includes a motor  112 , a drive shaft  111  and a drive hub  110 . The drive hub  110 , in a frictional or interference manner, rotates the coupling  240  which, in turn, rotates the singulating device  230  by an appropriate connection, which may be a frictional or interference relationship. In exemplary embodiments, the coupling  240  is formed integrally with the singulating device  230 . 
     In  FIGS.  5  and  6   , the singulating device  230  is shown in a dispensing position. One channel  235  is vertically aligned with the dispensing opening  221  in the bottom surface  220 . Drug portions arranged in the channel  235  may fall through the dispensing opening  221  into the chute  140 , and then pass to the blister packaging machine  20 . 
     Above the channel  235 , which is aligned with the dispensing opening  221 , the retaining section  216  of the retainer  215  is disposed in the annular chamber  228  and ensures that no further drug portions slide out of the cylindrical receiving chamber  211 . 
       FIG.  7    is an exploded view of an interface between a storage container  200  and a drive  224  according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The drive hub  110  can be seen through an opening in the top projection  121  of the top section  120  of the base  100 . The coupling  240  and the singulating device  230  are also visible. In exemplary embodiments, the coupling  240  is a distinct component relative to the singulating device  230 . 
       FIG.  8    is a cross sectional view of a storage and dispensing station  10  according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, in particular showing the coupling  240 . 
     The motor  112 , which may be an electric motor, is connected to the contact  124  by a cable  113 , and the motor  112  is arranged centrally within the base  100 . The contact  124  supplies electrical power for the motor  112 . Further, a sensor (not shown), which determines whether a drug portion has actually dispensed in a dispensing operation, can be associated with the chute  140  or the dispensing opening  221  in the bottom surface  220 . 
     The motor  112  may include the drive shaft  111 , which ends in the drive hub  110 . The drive hub  110 , in some embodiments, rotates together with an inner contour  241  of the coupling  240  in an interlocking and releasable manner. The coupling  240  is, in some embodiments, releasably connected to the singulating device  230 . 
     Such a connection between drive hub  110  and coupling  240  of the singulating device ensures that the storage container  200  can be easily removed from the base  100 . 
     The outer surface  231  of the singulating device  230  is coupled in an electrically conductive manner, via the conductor device  117 , to the contact  124 . In exemplary embodiments, the coupling  240 , the drive hub  110 , the drive shaft  111  and the motor  112  form components of the conductor device  117 . 
     The coupling  240  is electrically conductive and is electrically connected to the outer surface  231  of the singulating device  230 . This can be achieved, for example, by using a singulating device  230  which consists entirely of a conductive material, for example a metal or an electrically conductive plastic. In some embodiments, cables can be provided from the outer surface  231  to the coupling  240 . The drive hub  110  and the drive shaft  111  are also electrically conductive. 
     An electrostatic charge which occurs during separation, or singulation, can be transferred via the outer surface  231  of the singulating device  230  to the coupling  240 . The electrostatic charge can then be transferred from the coupling  240  to the drive hub  110  and drive shaft  111 , or the electrostatic charge can be transferred from the outer surface  231  to the drive hub  110  and drive shaft  111 . The electrostatic charge can then be transferred from the drive shaft  111  and/or drive hub  110 , via the motor  112  and/or the cable  113 , to the contact  124 , by which the electrostatic charge is then transferred to the blister packaging machine  20 . 
     In the exemplary embodiments, a number of components required to dissipate the charge is minimized. Due to the design and arrangement of the disclosed components, a build-up of a potential difference is avoided and adhesion of drug dust and other fine contamination is prevented. The singulating device  230  and/or other components of the storage container  200  which come into contact with drug portions (cylindrical receiving chamber  211  and the housing  210 ) are effectively grounded via the blister packaging machine  20 . 
       FIG.  9    is a perspective view of a dispensing station  10 , a storage container  200  and a blister packaging machine  20  according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular,  FIG.  9    illustrates multiple dispensing stations  10  having storage containers  200  that are mounted and/or connected to the blister packing machine  20 . 
     The present disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. The disclosure provides various examples of the subject technology, and the subject technology is not limited to these examples. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. 
     A reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. Pronouns in the masculine (e.g., his) include the feminine and neuter gender (e.g., her and its) and vice versa. Headings and subheadings, if any, are used for convenience only and do not limit the subject technology. 
     The word “exemplary” or the term “for example” is used herein to mean “serving as an example or illustration.” Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” or “for example” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. In one aspect, various alternative configurations and operations described herein may be considered to be at least equivalent. 
     As used herein, the phrase “at least one of” preceding a series of items, with the term “or” to separate any of the items, modifies the list as a whole, rather than each item of the list. The phrase “at least one of” does not require selection of at least one item; rather, the phrase allows a meaning that includes at least one of any one of the items, and/or at least one of any combination of the items, and/or at least one of each of the items. By way of example, the phrase “at least one of A, B, or C” may refer to: only A, only B, or only C; or any combination of A, B, and C. 
     A phrase such as an “aspect” does not imply that such aspect is essential to the subject technology or that such aspect applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to an aspect may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. An aspect may provide one or more examples. A phrase such as an aspect may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa. A phrase such as an “embodiment” does not imply that such embodiment is essential to the subject technology or that such embodiment applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to an embodiment may apply to all embodiments, or one or more embodiments. An embodiment may provide one or more examples. A phrase such an embodiment may refer to one or more embodiments and vice versa. A phrase such as a “configuration” does not imply that such configuration is essential to the subject technology or that such configuration applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to a configuration may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A configuration may provide one or more examples. A phrase such a configuration may refer to one or more configurations and vice versa. 
     In one aspect, unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that are set forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, not exact. In one aspect, they are intended to have a reasonable range that is consistent with the functions to which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain. 
     It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps, operations or processes disclosed is an illustration of exemplary approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps, operations or processes may be rearranged. Some of the steps, operations or processes may be performed simultaneously. Some or all of the steps, operations, or processes may be performed automatically, without the intervention of a user. 
     The accompanying method claims, if any, present elements of the various steps, operations or processes in a sample order, and are not meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented. 
     All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112 (f) unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase “step for.” Furthermore, to the extent that the term “include,” “have,” or the like is used, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. 
     The Title, Background, Summary, Brief Description of the Drawings and Abstract of the disclosure are hereby incorporated into the disclosure and are provided as illustrative examples of the disclosure, not as restrictive descriptions. It is submitted with the understanding that they will not be used to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the Detailed Description, it can be seen that the description provides illustrative examples and the various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed subject matter requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed configuration or operation. The following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter. 
     The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects described herein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims and to encompass all legal equivalents. Notwithstanding, none of the claims are intended to embrace subject matter that fails to satisfy the requirement of 35 U.S.C. § 101, 102 or 103, nor should they be interpreted in such a way.