Abstract:
A container having a mechanism that delivers liquid from a container to a mouth and that moves between an extended position and a depressed position to deliver the contents of the container to the mouth and a removable securing cap that retains the mechanism in the depressed position.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/981,895 which was filed on Nov. 1, 2007, is now abandoned and is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to an upright container having a delivery mechanism that may be transported in a depressed position and a securing cap for retaining the mechanism in the depressed position. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Foamed soap has become extremely popular. Foamed soap is dispensed by wall-mounted dispensers generally in commercial applications, such as in restrooms or hospitals, or by hand-held or upright countertop dispensers. The hand-held dispensers are popular because they, unlike wall-mounted dispensers, may easily be transported to different areas of need and then easily disposed of. Hand-held dispensers may be used in the growing home healthcare and food handling locations and thus cover a broader range of traditional hand washing uses then wall-mounted dispensers. 
         [0004]    Hand-held foam soap dispensers operate by use of a pump that differs from a conventional liquid dispensing pump by receiving liquid soap from a soap container, combining the liquid soap with air, and dispensing the liquid and air combination as a foam. These foam pumps thus typically include many discrete parts, are mechanically and structurally more complex than liquid pumps, and require more assembly stages than are required for a conventional liquid pump. The number of parts and assembly stages increase the cost and time required to manufacture a foam pump for a hand-held dispenser. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a pump that mounts to a bottle, makes foam of the liquid in the bottle, and dispenses the foam. The pump includes pump body that forms a liquid pump body that defines a pump body cavity that extends through the liquid pump body to an inlet passage that communicates with an interior of the bottle. The pump includes an inlet valve mounted to the liquid pump body that opens in response to pressure in the bottle that is greater than pressure in the pump body cavity and that closes to prevent communication between the interior of the bottle and the pump body cavity in response to pressure in the pump body cavity that is greater than pressure in the bottle. The pump includes a pump head including a nozzle section at an upper end of the pump head and a head tube extending from the nozzle section, wherein the nozzle section defines a mouth, the pump head defines a pump head cavity that extends from the mouth through the head tube, and an outer surface of the head tube is sized and configured to closely fit within the pump body cavity so that the head tube slidingly moves within and along the pump body cavity. The pump includes a porous member that is positioned within the pump head cavity. The pump includes a spring support sized to at least partially extend into the pump head cavity. The spring support is formed to prevent passage of liquid around the spring support into the pump head cavity and defines a spring support passage that communicates with the pump head cavity and the pump body cavity. The pump includes an outlet valve that opens to permit communication between the pump head cavity and the pump body cavity in response to pressure in the pump body cavity and that closes to prevent communication between the pump head cavity and the pump body cavity when not opened by pressure in the pump body cavity. The pump includes a pump spring positioned at least partially within the pump body cavity that urges the pump head tube and spring support away from the inlet passage. The pump includes a flexible diaphragm secured to the pump head at a location separated from the pump body that extends around the pump head and extends from the location at which it is secured to the pump head to the pump body. The diaphragm, the pump body and the pump head define an air chamber, and movement of the pump head tube toward the inlet passage deforms the diaphragm and thereby reduces the volume of the air chamber. The pump head defines one or more air passageways that communicate with the air chamber and the pump head cavity located between the outlet valve seat and the porous member. 
         [0006]    Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a foamed soap dispenser. The dispenser includes a container carrying liquid soap and a pump assembly connected to the container. The pump assembly includes a pump head portion, a spring portion and a cap portion. The pump head portion includes a tube and a diaphragm, and the cap portion is configured to receive the tube and be connected to the diaphragm to define an air chamber. The spring portion includes a spring and a support member that are received within the tube and the cap portion to define a liquid chamber that receives liquid from the container through the cap portion. The liquid chamber and air chamber are in communication with a mixing chamber in the pump head portion proximate a porous member. When the pump head portion is moved to a depressed position, the support member is configured to compress the spring such that liquid flows from the liquid chamber to the mixing chamber and the diaphragm is collapsed such that air flows from the air chamber to the mixing chamber, whereby the air and liquid commingle in the mixing chamber and the air liquid mixture passes through the porous member and is dispensed from the pump head as a foam. 
         [0007]    Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a foamed soap dispenser. The dispenser includes a container carrying liquid and a pump assembly configured to be secured to the container. The pump assembly is configured to move between an extended position and a depressed position such that, when the pump assembly is moved from the extended position to the depressed position, the pump assembly draws liquid from the container and dispenses the liquid as a foam. The dispenser includes a securing cap that is configured to be detachably connected to the pump assembly such that the pump assembly is maintained in the depressed position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front isometric view of a hand-held foam soap dispenser that has a foam pump according to the present invention in its depressed position. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates a front isometric view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1  with its foam pump in the extended position. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates a front isometric view of the foam pump of  FIG. 1  in the extended position. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exploded view of the foam pump of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the foam pump of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the foam pump of  FIG. 3  in the depressed position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  illustrates a front isometric view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1  with a securing cap attached thereto. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  illustrates a rear isometric view of the dispenser of  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
       [0016]    It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following descriptions of embodiments of the invention and illustrated in the drawings. The invention may be practiced in other embodiments and carried out other than as described and depicted. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front isometric view of a hand-held foam soap dispenser  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The dispenser  10  includes a foam pump  14  mounted to a container  18 . The container  18  is preferably relatively rigid. The container  18  carries liquid therein, and, by way of example only, the container  18  carries liquid soap. 
         [0018]    The foam pump  14  is shown in  FIG. 1  in its depressed position and includes a cap  22 , a disc-shaped striker  26 , and a pump head  30  that extends upwardly from the striker  26 . In this embodiment, the cap  22  functions as both a body of the foam pump  14  and a closure for the container  18 . The foam pump  14  is detachably connected to the container  18 . The cap  22  and container  18  may each include threads such that the cap  22  may be threadably connected to and disconnected from the container  18 . The striker  26  is received and may be secured within the cap  22  when the foam pump  14  is in the depressed position. The pump head  30  has a mouth  38  through which foamed soap is dispensed. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates a front isometric view of the dispenser  10  of  FIG. 1  with the foam pump  14  in the extended position. When the pump  14  is in the extended position, the striker  26  is above the cap  22 . A conical diaphragm  34  extends downwardly from the striker  26  to the cap  22 . The diaphragm  34  is made of a flexible material so that it deforms to be positioned within the cap  22  when the foam pump  14  is in the depressed position. The diaphragm  34  extends upwardly from the cap  22  when the foam pump  14  is in the extended position. Preferably, and by way of example only, the diaphragm  34  has a wall section that is between 0.015 inches (0.381 mm) and 0.060 inches (1.524 mm) thick. The material of which the diaphragm  34  is made varies according to the chemical constituents of the foaming liquid carried in the container  18 . Preferably, the diaphragm  34  may be made of injection molded thermoplastic elastomer, such as Santoprene™. The diaphragm  34 , however, may be made of alternative thermoplastic and thermoset elastomers, such as, by way of example only, silicon, nitrile, or flourosilicon. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates a front isometric view of the foam pump  14  in the extended position. A cylindrical liquid pump body  42  extends downwardly from the cap  22 . When the foam pump  14  is mounted to the container  18  ( FIG. 1 ), the liquid pump body  42  extends into the container  18 . A dip tube (not shown) may be connected to and extend from the liquid pump body  42 . The dip tube may be curved, inverted, and/or extend further into the container  18  when the foam pump  14  is mounted to the container  18  to provide a passage for liquid within the container  18  into the liquid pump body  42 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exploded view of the foam pump  14  of  FIG. 3 . The foam pump  14  includes the pump head  30 , a spring system  46  and the cap  22 . The pump head  30  includes a nozzle section  32  at its uppermost end that forms the mouth  38 . The striker  26  is located below the nozzle section  32  and the diaphragm  34  extends downwardly from the striker  26  and outwardly from the nozzle section  32 . The pump head  30  includes a cylindrical pump head tube  50  that extends downwardly from the striker  26  within and beyond the diaphragm  34 . The diaphragm  34  includes a flat rim  36  extending around its periphery at its furthest extent from the striker  26 . As indicated by  FIG. 4 , two gauze tubes  54  are positioned in the mouth  38 . 
         [0022]    The spring system  46  includes a spring support  58 , a return spring  62 , an outlet ball  66 , and an inlet ball  70 . The spring support  58 , spring  62 , and balls  66  and  70  may, by way of example only, be made of metal or plastic. The spring support  58  defines near its lower most extent a gap  74 , a seat  78  adjacent to the gap  74 , and a flexible tab  80  that extends into the gap  74 . The outlet ball  66  is positioned in the gap  74  on the seat  78  and is urged onto the seat  78  by the tab  80 . The spring support  58  also defines a top ledge  88  above the gap  74 , a bottom ledge  86  adjacent to the seat  78 , and a cylindrical end  82  that extends downwardly from the bottom ledge  86  to form the lower-most section of the spring support  58 . The end  82  is configured to be received within a portion of the spring  62  such that a top end  90  of the spring  62  abuts the ledge  86 . The inlet ball  70  is sized to abut a bottom end  94  of the spring  62 . 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the cap  22  has a generally cylindrical outer wall  104  and an interior base  98  that extends inwardly from the outer cylindrical wall  104  at a location between the upper end  105  and the lower end  107  of the outer cylindrical wall  104 . The wall  104  has an inner surface  102 . A groove  110  extends around the wall  104  and into the wall  104  from the inner surface  102  at a location that is near the upper end  105 . The groove  110  is sized to accept the rim  36  of the diaphragm  34 . The liquid pump body  42  extends downwardly from the interior base  98 . The base  98  defines a hole  99  that opens into a cavity  101  that is defined by and extends the length of the liquid pump body  42 . The liquid pump body  42  defines a seat  118  at the lower extent of the cavity  101 . The seat  118  is sized to support the inlet ball  70  within the cavity  101 . A narrowed section  114  of the liquid pump body  42  extends downwardly from the seat  118 . The seat  118  and the section  114  define a passage  116  through which liquid may enter the cavity  101 . 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the pump head tube  50  defines an interior cavity  136  that extends along the tube  50  and communicates with the mouth  38 . The cavity  136  is sized to receive the spring support  58 . The pump head tube  50  defines a support ledge  142  along the interior cavity  136 . The top ledge  88  of the spring support  58  abuts the support ledge  142  when the spring support  58  is inserted in the cavity  136  to position the spring support  58  within the cavity  136 . The ledge  88  abutting the support ledge  142  at least substantially prevents liquid or air from passing along the cavity  136  between the ledges  88  and  142 . An upper portion of the spring  62  is received in the cavity  136  of the pump head tube  50 , and the top end  90  of the spring  62  receives the end  82  of the spring support  58 . The spring  62  abuts the ledge  86  of the spring support  58 . A lower portion of the spring  62  extends downwardly from the pump head tube  50  into cavity  101  defined by the liquid pump body  42 . The bottom end  94  of the spring  62  engages the inlet ball  70  positioned in the seat  118  of the liquid pump body  42 . The spring  62  urges the spring support  58  and pump head  30  upwardly from the liquid pump body  42  to urge the foam pump  14  to the extended position. 
         [0025]    As shown in the assembled foam pump  14  of  FIG. 5 , the pump head tube  50  is sized to closely fit within the cavity  101  and to telescopingly move along the cavity  101 . The pump head tube  50  includes a seal  126  in a groove extending around the outer periphery of the tube  50  to maintain a seal between the pump head tube  50  and the liquid pump body  42 . The cavity  101  from the seat  118  to the lower extent of the head tube  50  and the cavity  136  in the head tube  50  from its lower extent to the bottom ledge  86  define a cylindrical liquid chamber  122  which receives liquid soap from the container  18  ( FIG. 1 ). The spring  62  urges the spring support  58  and the pump head tube  50  upwardly away from the seat  118 . Upward movement of the pump head tube  50  lowers the pressure in the liquid chamber  122 , drawing the outlet ball  66  against the seat  78  and drawing the inlet ball  70  from the seat  118 . The inlet ball  70  allows liquid to flow into the liquid chamber  122  of the foam pump  14  through the section  114  from the container  18 . 
         [0026]    The spring support  58  defines a cylindrical first liquid passageway  130  that communicates with the gap  74  and extends upwardly from the gap  74  toward the mouth  38 . A second liquid passageway  132  extends through the seat  78  and the end  82  of the spring support  58  to communicate with the gap  74  and the liquid chamber  122 . The first liquid passageway  130  leads to a mixing chamber  134  in the pump head  30  that is adjacent to the upper extent of the spring support  58 . The mixing chamber  134  includes a baffle or static mix feature  138  that is positioned between the liquid passageway  130  and a series of two gauze tubes  54  in the mouth  38  of the pump head  30 . The gauze tubes  54  may be made of gauze or a mesh or any other kind of porous member that allows the passage of liquid and air therethrough. By way of example only, the gauze tubes  54  may be made of fabric, plastic, or metal. The pump head  30  may carry one or more gauze tubes  54  in the mouth  38 . 
         [0027]    The portion of the spring support  58  that extends through the cavity  136  upwardly from the support ledge  142  to the mixing chamber  134  is sized and configured to define a passageway  144  between the spring support  58  and the pump head tube  50 . The air passageway  144  extends from the lower ledge  142  of the tube  50  to the mixing chamber  134 . The air chamber  106  is formed by the interior base  98 , the wall  104 , the diaphragm  34  and the pump head tube  50 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the diaphragm  34  closely, and preferably resiliently, surrounds the pump head tube  50  below and adjacent to the striker  26 . The pump head tube  50  includes two air inlets  140  that allow air to travel from the passageway  144  to an air chamber  106  that surrounds the pump head tube  50 . 
         [0028]    The pump head tube  50  may include more than one air inlet  140  or have the inlet  140  at different locations depending on whether the foam pump  14  is used with an upright hand soap container or in an inverted position with a wall-mounted soap dispenser. The positions of the air inlet  140  may also be varied in order to reduce the amount of air that is drawn into the air chamber  106  after passing from the air chamber  106  into the air passageway  144 . The base  98  includes an air hole  148  that extends from the air chamber  106  into the container  18  ( FIG. 1 ) when the foam pump  14  is mounted to the container  18 . The air hole  148  allows air to enter the container  18  from the air chamber  106  to maintain the pressure in the container  18  such that the container  18  does not collapse as liquid is withdrawn from the container  18 . Alternatively, if the container  18  is a collapsing container, then the base  98  does not include the air hole  148 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the foam pump  14  of  FIG. 3  in the depressed position. When the foam pump  14  is moved into the depressed position, the striker  26  is pushed down into the cap  22  and the diaphragm  34  is collapsed between the striker  26  and the base  98  compressing air in the air chamber  106 . When the diaphragm  34  is collapsed, the diaphragm  34  covers and seals the air hole  148  in the base  98 . Also, when the foam pump  14  is moved into the depressed position, the pump head tube  50  is moved downward within the liquid pump body  42  in the direction of Arrow A until the tube  50  engages a ledge  152  proximate the seat  118  of the liquid pump body  42  and compressing liquid in the liquid chamber  122 . As the tube  50  is moved downward within the liquid pump body  42 , the tube  50  engages the top ledge  88  of the spring support  58  and pushes the spring support  58  downward in the direction of Arrow A such that the spring  62  is compressed between the inlet ball  70  and the spring support  58 . When the foam pump  14  is released from the depressed position, the spring  62  decompresses and pushes the spring support  58 , and thus the tube  50  and pump head  30 , upward in the direction of Arrow B until the foam pump  14  is in the extended position. As the foam pump  14  is moved back into the extended position, the striker  26  is moved upward out of the cap  22  and the diaphragm  34  returns to its non-collapsed form as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0030]    The foam pump  14  may be assembled by positioning the inlet ball  70  in the cavity  101  of the liquid pump body  42  through the hole  99  in the base  98  until the ball  70  is received within the seat  118  inside the liquid pump body  42 . The spring  62  is then inserted into the cavity  101  in a similar manner such that the bottom end  94  of the spring  62  engages the inlet ball  70 . The diaphragm  34  is positioned on the pump head tube  50 . The outlet ball  66  is then positioned on the seat  78  of the spring support  58 , and the spring support  58  is then inserted into the cavity  136  of the pump head tube  50 . The pump head tube  50 , carrying the spring support  58 , is then inserted into the cavity  101  of the liquid pump body  42  through the hole  99  in the base  98  such that an upper portion of the spring  62  is received in the pump head tube  50  and the top end  90  of the spring  62  receives the end  82  of the spring support  58  and engages the ledge  86  of the spring support  58 . The rim  36  of the diaphragm  34  is inserted into the groove  110  such that the pump head  30  is secured to the cap  22 . The interior side wall  102 , base  98 , and diaphragm  34  define an air chamber  106 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  illustrates a front isometric view of the dispenser  10  with a cylindrical securing cap  160  attached thereto. The cap  160  fits over the striker  26  and cap  22  of the foam pump  14  to hold the foam pump  14  in the depressed position. The cap  160  includes a slot  164  which allows the cap  160  to be fit over the pump head  30 . By securing the foam pump  14  in the depressed position, the cap  160  prevents the dispenser  10  from being accidentally activated during transit and thus prevents the dispenser  10  from leaking soap during transit. The cap  160  includes a cylindrical plug  168  connected thereto by a flexible strand  172 . The plug  168  covers the mouth  38  of the pump head  30  to prevent soap from leaking from the mouth  38  and to prevent contaminants from entering the dispenser  10 . The cap  160  may be made of a flexible material such as plastic or rubber. In an alternative embodiment, the foam pump  14  may be secured in the depressed position by a number of other features or methods such as, by way of example only, clips, locking mechanisms, or screw-tops. 
         [0032]      FIG. 8  illustrates a rear isometric view of the dispenser  10  of  FIG. 7 . The cap  160  includes a tear-away strip  176  that is defined by perforations  180  on the cap  160 . The strip  176  includes a tab  184 . A user pulls the tab  184  to tear the strip  176  from the cap  160  along the perforations  180 . The user then removes the nozzle cap  168  from the pump head  30  and the rest of the cap  160  from the cap  22  and striker  26  in order to use the dispenser  10 . 
         [0033]    In operation, when the foam pump  14  is assembled with the container  18 , the foam pump  14  is locked in the depressed position by attaching the cap  160  to the foam pump  14 . The entire dispenser  10  is then shipped to distributors and consumers in the depressed position so that the dispenser  10  does not leak while in transit. Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , upon receipt of the dispenser  10  ( FIG. 1 ), a consumer may dispense soap by removing the cap  160  ( FIG. 7 ) so that spring  62  is allowed to decompress and move the foam pump  14  into the extended position. As the tube  50  moves upward in the direction of Arrow B, a low pressure is created in the liquid chamber  122  by the seal  126  between the pump head tube  50  and the liquid pump body  42  and outlet ball  66  being in the seat  78 . The vacuum draws liquid soap in the direction of arrow B up from the passageway  116  such that the liquid soap pushes the inlet ball  70  out of the seat  118  and flows between the ball  70  and seat  78  into the liquid chamber  122 . Similarly, as the foam pump  14  moves into the extended position, the diaphragm  34  is expanded and draws air through the mouth  38 , mixing chamber  134 , air passageway  144 , and air inlet  140  into the air chamber  106 . 
         [0034]    The consumer then dispenses foamed soap by pushing the pump head  30  down in the direction of Arrow A such that the foam pump  14  is moved into the depressed position. As the pump head tube  50  moves downward in the direction of Arrow A within the liquid pump body  42 , the liquid soap in the liquid chamber  122  goes through the second liquid passageway  132  of the end  82  of the spring support  58  and pushes the outlet ball  66  upward and out of the seat  78  such that the liquid soap flows into the gap  74  and continues upward through the first liquid passageway  130  of the spring support  58  into the mixing chamber  134 . The tab  80  keeps the outlet ball  66  from being pushed up to block the first passageway  130 . At the same time, air is pushed by the collapsing diaphragm  34  from the air chamber  106  through the air inlet  140  into the air passageway  144  and the air flows through the passageway  144  into the mixing chamber  134 . As the diaphragm  34  collapses, air may also be pushed through the air hole  148  into the container  18  ( FIG. 1 ) to replace the volume of liquid removed from the container  18  and thus prevent the container  18  from collapsing. 
         [0035]    As the liquid soap and air enter the mixing chamber  134  together, the liquid soap and air engage the static mixing feature  138  which creates turbulence in the paths of the liquid soap and air and causes the liquid soap and air to combine and commingle into a liquid-air mixture. The liquid-air mixture then flows in the direction of Arrow C through the gauze tubes  54  and out of the mouth  38  of the pump head  30 . As the pressurized liquid-air mixture is forced through the gauze tubes  54 , the porous members of the gauze tubes  54  further mixes the liquid-air mixture into a foam and a foamed soap mixture is dispensed from the mouth  38 . After the foamed soap is dispensed, the consumer releases the pump head  30  and the spring  62  decompresses to return the foam pump  14  back to the extended position. As the foam pump  14  returns to the extended position, liquid soap is again drawn into the liquid chamber  122  and air is drawn into the air chamber  106  such that the process of dispensing foamed soap may be repeated. Additionally, as the diaphragm  34  is re-inflated and draws air through the mouth  38  and into the air chamber  106 , any foam that is left in the mouth  38  is drawn back into the pump head  30 . In this way, the foam pump  14  is self-cleaning after dispensing foam. 
         [0036]    In an alternative embodiment, the foam pump  14  may be configured for use in a wall-mounted soap dispenser to dispense foamed soap. In addition, the foam pump  14  may be configured for use in either an upright or inverted position within the wall-mounted soap dispenser. When the pump  14  is used in an inverted position, the hole  148  is blocked so that air does not enter the container  18  from the air chamber  106 . 
         [0037]    In an alternative embodiment, the foam pump  14  may use valves instead of inlet and outlet balls to prevent and/or allows the flow of liquid into and out of the liquid chamber  122 . 
         [0038]    The different embodiments of the foamed soap dispenser of the present invention provide several advantages over conventional foamed soap dispenser systems. The pump is assembled from only three subparts: the cap, the spring system, and the pump head. During assembly of the pump, a worker simply places the spring system in the tube of the cap and then inserts the tube of the pump head into the cap and snaps the diaphragm into place in the cap. By using fewer sub-assembly parts, the pump is cheaper and easier to manufacture and assemble than conventional foamer pumps. Furthermore, because the roamer pump includes a cap to secure the pump assembly in the depressed position during transit, the foamer pump cannot accidentally be depressed and leak and/or dispense soap during transit. 
         [0039]    While various spatial terms, such as, for example, upper, lower, mid, lateral, horizontal, vertical, top, back, rear, front and the like may used to describe portions of the floor box, it is understood that such terms are merely used with respect to the orientations shown in the drawings. The orientations may be inverted, rotated, or otherwise changed, such that an upper portion is a lower portion, and vice versa, horizontal becomes vertical, and the like. 
         [0040]    Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present invention. It is understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text and/or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the present invention. The embodiments described herein explain the best modes known for practicing the invention and will enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention. The claims are to be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art. 
         [0041]    Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.