Abstract:
An apparatus and method for splicing closer tape utilizes a first clamping assembly adapted to hold a first section of closer tape and a second clam ping assembly adapted to hold a second section of closer tape. A moving assembly is adapted to move the first and second clamping assemblies relative to one another so as to permit alignment of the first and second sections of closer tape. A joining assembly is adapted to join the first and second sections of closer tape together.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to thermoplastic bag production machinery, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for splicing thermoplastic bag closer tape in an automated fashion.  
         BACKGROUND ART  
         [0002]    The process of producing storage bags includes the steps of folding a web of thermoplastic to obtain an elongate folded web of material and laminating a thermoplastic closer or zipper tape to free ends of the elongate folded web of material. Sliding closure members are then placed on the closer tape at spaced locations thereon and end stops are formed in the closer tape between the sliding closure members. The elongate folded web is then severed at the end stops using an automated hot knife to create individual bags.  
           [0003]    The thermoplastic closer tape is stored on a rotatable spool and is unwound therefrom during production and fed to a production line. In a known production process the production line must be shut down when the spool has been emptied so that a full spool of closer tape can be substituted for the empty spool. This, in turn, results in significant downtime, and increases the cost of producing bags.  
           [0004]    WO 99/12725 discloses a splicing unit and method of splicing of a reclosable zipper strip. The trailing end of one strip and the leading end of a next strip are brought together in abutting relationship within the splicing unit and sealing material is overlaid on the trailing and leading ends. Heat and pressure are applied to the sealing material and the trailing and leading ends to seal the trailing and leading ends together. Flanges of the zipper strips are held apart by separator plates during the sealing operation.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for splicing closer tape includes a first clamping assembly adapted to hold a first section of closer tape and a second clamping assembly adapted to hold a second section of closer tape. A moving assembly is adapted to move the first and second clamping assemblies relative to one another so as to permit alignment of the first and second sections of closer tape. A joining assembly is adapted to join the first and second sections of closer tape together.  
           [0006]    According to a further aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for splicing closer tape includes first means for clamping a first section of closer tape and second means for clamping a second section of closer tape. Means are provided for moving the first clamping means relative to the second clamping means so as to permit alignment of the first and second sections of closer tape. Means are also provided for joining the first and second sections of closer tape together.  
           [0007]    According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of splicing closer tape includes the steps of clamping a first section of closer tape, clamping a second section of closer tape and moving the first clamping means relative to the second clamping means so as to permit alignment of the first and second sections of closer tape. The method further includes the step of joining the first and second sections of closer tape together.  
           [0008]    Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an apparatus for automated splicing of closer tape according to the present invention wherein a front cover plate is removed therefrom to reveal components therein;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the rear of the apparatus of FIG. 1;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary isometric view of a clamp box subassembly together with a base plate of a heater block subassembly of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the subassembly of FIG. 3;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary isometric view of the heater block subassembly of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the subassembly of FIG. 5;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken generally along the lines  7 - 7  of FIG. 6;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the subassembly of FIG. 5 with a side plate removed to reveal components therein;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 is an exploded isometric view of the components of FIG. 1 except that front and back cover plates are not shown;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 10 is an isometric-fragmentary view of a rear clamping assembly utilized in the apparatus of FIG. 1;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the rear clamping assembly of FIG. 10;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 12 is an isometric view of a cutting assembly utilized in the apparatus of FIG. 1;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 13 and 14 are side and front elevational views, respectively, of the cutting assembly of FIG. 12;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 15 is an elevational view of a section of closer tape prepared for splicing with another section of closer tape by the apparatus of FIG. 1;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 16 is an isometric view of a tool for preparing the section of closer tape of FIG. 15 for splicing;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 16A is a trimetric, enlarged, fragmentary view of the tool of FIG. 16;  
         [0025]    FIGS.  17 - 20  are fragmentary isometric views of portions of the apparatus of FIG. 1 during various stages of a splicing operation;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 21 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 7 illustrating the apparatus of FIG. 1 during a joining stage of operation; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 22 is a block diagram of a control circuit for controlling the apparatus of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]    Referring first to FIGS.  1 - 4  and  9 , an apparatus  30  according to the present invention is operable to splice zipper or closer tape when a spool of the closer tape runs out and is to be replaced by a fresh spool of closer tape. This splicing is preferably undertaken automatically and results in little or no downtime of an associated thermoplastic bag production line. The apparatus  30  includes first and second clamping assemblies  32 ,  34  that are operable during splicing to hold ends of the closer tape sections from the empty spool and fresh spool and a cutter assembly  36  (FIGS. 1, 2,  9  and  12 - 14 ) that severs portions of the closer tape sections. As seen in FIGS.  1 - 4  and  9 , the apparatus  30  further includes a moving assembly  38  for moving the clamping assembly  32  holding the closer tape section from the fresh spool into alignment with the clamping assembly  34  holding the closer tape section from the empty spool. A joining assembly  40  (FIGS. 1, 2 and  5 - 8 ) is movable into engagement with the aligned sections of closer tape to join such sections together. Thereafter, the clamping assemblies  32 ,  34  open to release the joined sections.  
         [0029]    Specifically, FIG. 1 illustrates the apparatus  30  during production of thermoplastic bags and before a splicing operation is to occur. Closer tape  50  stored on a spool  52  is fed through open clamping assemblies  32  and  34  by a feeding mechanism (not shown) to a thermoplastic bag production line (also not shown). The diameter of the stored closer tape  50  decreases as the closer tape  50  is unwound from the spool  52 . Eventually, the diameter of the closer tape stored on the spool  52  reduces to a point where a stored closer tape diameter sensor  54  (FIG. 22) develops a command signal indicating that a splicing operation is to be undertaken. Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 22, the command signal may be developed on a line  56  (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 22) by manually actuating an optional switch  56  commanding initiation of a splicing operation. Preferably, a fresh spool of closer tape is positioned adjacent the apparatus  30  just prior to generation of the command signal and a leading end of the closer tape stored on the fresh spool is prepared and inserted into the clamping assemblies  32  and  34  in a fashion noted in greater detail hereinafter. Thereafter, upon generation of the command signal, the apparatus  30  executes a sequence of steps resulting in splicing of the leading end of the closer tape stored on the fresh spool with a trailing end of the closer tape  50  stored on the spool  52 .  
         [0030]    The apparatus  30  includes a clamp box subassembly  60  (FIGS.  1 - 4 ) and a movable heater block subassembly  62  (FIGS. 1, 2 and  5 - 8 ) mounted by bearing assemblies  64   a ,  64   b  (FIGS. 3, 4 and  9 ) in the clamp box subassembly  60 . The movable heater block subassembly  62  is movable up and down as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 in the bearing assemblies  64  under the influence of a piston and cylinder device  66  (hereinafter each such device is referred to as a cylinder for simplicity). The joining assembly  40  is disposed within and carried by the movable heater block subassembly  62  and is movable therewith. As seen in FIGS. 1, 3,  4  and  9 , a first clamping jaw portion  68  is mounted for sliding movement from side-to-side on a bearing assembly  72  carried by an upper surface  74  of a base plate  75   a  of the clamp box subassembly  60 . The clamp box subassembly further includes a top plate  75   b  and side plates  75   c  and  75   d  wherein the plates  75   a - 75   d  are secured together by bolts or other suitable fasteners (not shown). One or more pins may be carried by the base plate  75   a  and the top plate  75   b  and may extend into corresponding bores in the side plates  75   c  and  75   d  to assist in aligning the various parts during assembly.  
         [0031]    A second clamping jaw portion  76  is mounted for sliding movement from side-to-side on a bearing assembly  77  secured to a lower surface  78  of a bottom plate  79   a  of the movable heater block subassembly  62 . (As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and  5 - 8 , the heater block subassembly further includes a top plate  79   b  and side plates  79   c  and  79   d  that are aligned together by alignment pins and secured together by bolts or other suitable fasteners (not shown)). The first and second clamping jaw portions  68 ,  76  are substantially complementarily-shaped in the sense that the jaw portions  68 ,  76  include an m-shaped upper surface  80  and an inverted w-shaped lower surface  82 , respectively. The surfaces  80 ,  82  are opposed and the second clamping jaw portion  76  is movable up and down with the heater block subassembly  62  toward and away from the first clamping jaw portion  68 . First and second spaced alignment pins  84   a ,  84   b  are carried by the first clamping jaw portion  68  and slide in apertures  86   a ,  86   b , respectively, (FIG. 9) in the second clamping jaw portion  76  during relative movement of the clamping jaw portions  68 ,  76  so that the opposed surfaces  80 ,  82  are maintained in precise alignment with one another.  
         [0032]    As seen in FIGS. 2 and 9- 11 , a third clamping jaw portion  90  is secured to the upper surface  74  of the base plate  75   a  of the clamp box subassembly  60  and a fourth clamping jaw portion  92  is secured to the surface  79  of the movable heater block subassembly  62 . The third and fourth clamping jaw portions  90 ,  92  are immovable from side-to-side and the fourth clamping jaw portion  92  is movable up and down with the movable heater block subassembly  62  toward and away from the third clamping jaw portion  90 , which is stationary in all respects. The third clamping jaw portion  90  includes an m-shaped upper surface  94  and the fourth clamping jaw portion  92  includes an inverted v-shaped surface  96  that opposes a first tapered portion  94   a  of the m-shaped upper surface  94 . A fifth clamping jaw portion  98  (best seen in FIGS.  9 - 11 ) is mounted on a spring-loaded arm assembly  100  and is guided by posts  95   a  and  95   b  carried by the third clamping jaw portion  90  that extend into bores  97   a  and  97   b  in the portion  98 . Bushings  99   a - 99   d  are disposed in the bores  97   a ,  97   b  surrounding the posts  95   a ,  95   b . The jaw portion  98  includes an inverted v-shaped surface  102  opposing a second tapered portion  94   b  of the m-shaped upper surface  94 . The fifth clamping jaw portion  98  is urged by a spring  104  of the arm assembly  100  toward the position shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 such that the inverted v-shaped surface  102  is normally in engagement with the second tapered portion  94   b  of the m-shaped upper surface  94 . An operator of the apparatus  30  may push up on a knob  106  mounted on a rod  108  that extends upwardly through a bushing  107  (FIG. 9) of the arm assembly  100  to displace the fifth clamping jaw portion  98  upwardly such that the inverted v-shaped surface  102  is spaced from the second tapered portion  94   b.    
         [0033]    A zipper stop plate  109  (FIGS.  9 - 11 ) is secured by any suitable fasteners to a face of the third clamping jaw portion  90 .  
         [0034]    When the various parts are in the positions shown in FIGS.  1 - 4  the first and second tapered portions  94   a ,  94   b  of the m-shaped upper surface  94  are aligned from front to back of the apparatus  30  with corresponding tapered portions  80   a ,  80   b  of the m-shaped upper surface  80 . Similarly, the inverted v-shaped surface  96  and the inverted v-shaped surface  102  are aligned in the same relationship with tapered portions  82   a ,  82   b  of the inverted w-shaped lower surface  82 . Two closer tape paths  110 ,  112  (FIGS. 1 and 17) extending from front to back through the apparatus  30  are thereby established through the first through fifth clamping jaw portions  68 ,  76 ,  90 ,  92  and  98 .  
         [0035]    The moving assembly  38  includes a piston and cylinder device  120  (hereinafter this device as well as other piston and cylinder devices are simply referred to as “cylinders”) (FIGS.  1 - 4  and  9 ) having a connecting rod  122  (FIGS. 4 and 9) that is threaded to the first clamping jaw portion  68 . A lock nut (not shown) prevents unthreading of the connecting rod  122  from the first clamping jaw portion  68 . If desired, the cylinder  120  may include an anti-rotation feature that prevents rotation of the connecting rod  122  during operation of the cylinder  120 , in which case the lock nut would not be required. The cylinder  120 , when actuated, moves the first and second clamping jaw portions  68 ,  76  from the position shown in FIGS.  1 - 4 ,  17  and  19  to the position shown in FIG. 20 wherein the tapered portions  80   b  and  82   b  are aligned with the tapered portion  94   a  of the third clamping jaw portion  90  and the inverted v-shaped surface  96  of the fourth clamping jaw portion  92 , respectively.  
         [0036]    Referring next to FIGS. 9 and 12- 14 , the cutter assembly  36  includes a movable bracket  130  having first and second blade mounting portions  132 ,  134 . The blade mounting portions  132 ,  134  are offset relative to another such that cutting edges  136 ,  138  of single-edge razor blades  140 , 142 , respectively, are parallel to one another and such that the cutting edges  136 ,  138  are spaced apart by a predetermined distance (seen in FIG. 13). Preferably, the predetermined distance is equal to 0.125-0.25 inch, although a different spacing could alternatively be used. Referring specifically to FIGS.  12 - 14 , each of the blade mounting portions  132 ,  134  includes a clamping member  144 ,  146 , respectively, that bears against a base member of the respective razor blade  140 ,  142 . Referring again to FIGS. 9 and 12- 14 , a cylinder  148  is carried by a mounting bracket  150  secured to the clamp box subassembly  60  and the cylinder  148  includes a threaded connecting rod  152  that extends though a bushing  154  and which is threaded into a threaded bore in the movable bracket  130  so that the connecting rod  152  and the bracket  130  move together as a unit. A lock nut (not shown) may be threaded onto the connecting rod  152  to prevent unthreading of the connecting rod  152  from the movable bracket  130 . If desired, the cylinder  148  may include an anti-rotation feature that prevents rotation of the connecting rod  152  during operation of the cylinder  148 , in which case the lock nut would not be required. The cylinder  148  is actuable to move the bracket  130  and blades  140 ,  142  upwardly to a cutting position and downwardly to a retracted position.  
         [0037]    Referring next to FIGS. 1 and 5- 9 , the joining assembly  40  includes a fusing member or bar  160  having a first end  162 . The joining assembly  40  further includes a cylinder  164  having a collar  166  threaded into a threaded bore  168  (FIGS. 7 and 9) formed in the upper plate  79   b  of the movable heater block subassembly  62 . The cylinder  164  includes a cylinder connecting rod  172  having an end  174  threaded into a first threaded bore  176  of a bracket  178 . As was the case with the connecting rods  122 ,  152 , a set screw (not shown) may be threaded onto the end of the connecting rod  172  or the cylinder  164  may have an anti-rotation feature to prevent unthreading of the connecting rod  172  from the bracket  178 . A stop member  184  extends through a bore  185  in the upper plate  79   b  and includes a lower end  186  threaded into a second threaded bore  188  of the bracket  178  (see FIGS. 7 and 9). A threaded stop collar  190  is threaded onto a threaded outer surface  192  of the stop member  184 . The outer diameter of the stop member  184  is smaller than the diameter of the bore  185  so that the stop member  184  is freely movable within the bore  185 . In addition, the position of the stop collar  190  on the stop member  184  is adjusted to define a downward end-of-travel limit for the bar  162 . An upward end-of-travel limit for the bar  162  is established by contact of an upper surface  193  of the stop member  184  with a surface  194  of the clamp box subassembly  60  (FIGS.  1 - 4  and  9 ).  
         [0038]    A second end  195  of the fusing bar  160  is secured by suitable fasteners together with first and second thermal insulating members  196   a ,  196   b  and a cover plate  197  to the bracket  178  (FIGS.  7 - 9 ). The first end  162  of the fusing bar  160  is bifurcated whereby first and second wings  200   a ,  200   b  are separated by an opening  202 . The opening  202  includes a tapered portion  204  and a notched portion  206  (FIGS. 7 and 9). When the fusing bar  160  is in the position shown in FIG. 7, the second end  162  is disposed in a heater assembly  208  carried on a top surface  209  of the bottom plate  79   a  of the movable heater block subassembly  62 . The heater assembly includes a cover member  210  disposed over first and second heater blocks  212   a ,  212   b , a thermally insulative heater stand-off member  214  and a heater spacer plate  216 . The first and second heater blocks  212   a ,  212   b  include mating mirror-image recesses therein (one of which,  218 , is visible in FIG. 7) and resistive or other heater elements therein that are energized during a splicing operation to develop heat that is transferred to the fusing bar  160 . In the preferred embodiment, the elements  210 ,  212 ,  214  and  216  are secured to the base plate  75   a  by bolts or other fasteners. Also preferably, the cover member  210  and the heater spacer plate  216  are fabricated of ceramic or other heat resistant material.  
       Industrial Applicability  
       [0039]    Referring next to FIGS.  16 - 21 , the operation of the apparatus  30  will now be described under the assumption that the command signal has not yet been generated and the movable heater block subassembly  62  is disposed in the uppermost position so that the first clamping jaw portion  68  and the third clamping jaw portion  90  are spaced from the second clamping jaw portion  76  and the fourth clamping jaw portion  92 . It is also assumed that closer tape is being fed off of a spool of closer tape through the closer tape path  110  of the apparatus  30  to a production line (not shown). An operator prepares for a splicing operation by cutting or otherwise forming a notch  220  and a hole  221  in a leading section  222  of closer tape stored on the fresh spool, as seen in FIG. 15. Preferably, the notch  220  and the hole  221  are formed by a tool  223  shown in FIGS. 16 and 16A. The notch  220  is substantially rectangular, approximately 0.125-0.25 inch wide (although a different width might alternatively be formed) and extends from an upper edge  224  to a point just at or beyond a rail  226  of the closer tape section  222 . Also preferably, the hole  221  is located a distance of approximately 2.3125 inches from a leading edge  228  of the notch  220 . The operator then pushes up on the knob  106  to space the fifth clamping jaw portion  98  from the second tapered portion  94   b  of the third clamping jaw portion  90 . The closer tape includes closer elements  225  that are closed (or occluded) so that the portions of the closer tape are held together. Free ends  227   a ,  227   b  of the leading section  222  opposite the closer elements  225  are spread apart and the leading section  222  is thereafter inserted into the closer tape path  112 , and specifically into the space between the fifth clamping jaw portion  98  and the second tapered portion  94   b , until the free ends  227   a ,  227   b  rest on the surfaces of the tapered portion  80   b  and the surfaces of the tapered portion  94   b  and such that the hole  221  is aligned (from front-to-back) with a front surface of a 0.25 inch cover plate (not shown) secured to the front of the apparatus  30 . When the closer tape is so positioned, the notch  220  is disposed over the zipper stop plate  109  such that the leading edge  228  of the notch  220  contacts a surface  229  of the zipper stop plate  109 , as seen in FIG. 18. The operator then releases the knob  106 , thereby capturing the leading section  222  of the closer tape between the fifth clamping jaw portion  98  and the second tapered portion  94   b . The closer elements  225  are captured within a slot  230  in the fifth clamping jaw portion  98  (FIG. 9). The apparatus  30  is then in the state illustrated in FIG. 17.  
         [0040]    Once the leading section  222  is clamped, the sequence of operation may pause until the command signal is generated. At this point, the closer tape feeding mechanism is automatically or manually deactuated so that further feeding of closer tape  50  from the spool  52  is prevented. Thereafter, a controller  232  (FIG. 22) develops a signal to actuate the cylinder  66 , thereby causing the movable heater block subassembly  62  to move downwardly until the second clamping jaw portion  76  and the fourth clamping jaw portion  92  are moved into clamping contact with the leading section  222  and the trailing end of the closer tape  50  from the spool  52 . At this time, the closer elements  225  of both portions of closer tape are positioned in slots  234 ,  236  and  238  in the second clamping jaw portion  76  and the second clamping jaw portion  92 , respectively (FIGS. 9 and 19). The controller  232  then actuates the cylinder  148  (FIGS. 1 and 9), thereby driving the bracket  130  upwardly to the cutting position whereby the leading section  222  and the trailing end of the closer tape  50  on the spool  52  are severed. As should be evident from the above description, the portion of the leading section  222  held by the first clamping jaw portion  68  and the second clamping jaw portion  76  extends rearwardly in the apparatus  30  beyond the portion of the trailing end of the closer tape  50  held by the third clamping jaw portion  90  and the fourth clamping jaw portion  92  by an amount equal to the spacing between the cutting edges  136 ,  138 .  
         [0041]    Once the severing step is complete, the controller  232  (FIG. 22) deactuates the cylinder  148  to retract the bracket  130  and actuates the cylinder  120  to cause the clamping jaw portions  68 ,  76  to move to the position shown in FIG. 20. This movement causes the portion of the leading section  222  held by the first clamping jaw portion  68  and the second clamping jaw portion  76  to contact and slide over the portion of the trailing end of the closer tape  50  held by the third clamping jaw portion  90  and the fourth clamping jaw portion  92  so that the former is disposed atop and overlaps the latter. During this movement, the material of the leading section  222  and/or the material of the trailing end of the closer tape  50  deform as necessary to accommodate such movement.  
         [0042]    Once the portions of closer tape are aligned as noted above, the controller  232  actuates the cylinder  164  to move the bar  160  until the end  162  moves out of contact with the heater blocks  212   a ,  212   b  and into contact with the overlapping portions of closer tape. The wings  200   a ,  200   b  of the bar  160  heat the overlapping portions  222  and  50  of closer tape and fuse such portions together. Advantageously, the wings  200   a ,  200   b  of the bar  160  are not actively heated during fusing of the overlapping portions of closer tape; rather, the heat stored by these portions  200  of the bar  160  is transferred to the sections of closer tape and the bar  160  cools to a temperature below the melting point of the thermoplastic material of the closer tape. Sticking of the bar  160  to the portions of closer tape is thereby avoided.  
         [0043]    In addition to the foregoing, the closer elements  225  of both portions of closer tape  222  and  50  are positioned in the notched portion  206  of the opening  202  so that the closer elements  225  are not fused together.  
         [0044]    The controller  232  thereafter deactuates the cylinder  164  to raise the bar  160 . In addition, the controller  232  deactuates the cylinder  66  so that the movable heater block subassembly  62  is raised. This, in turn, causes the second clamping jaw portion  76  and the fourth clamping jaw portion  92  to be spaced from the first clamping jaw portion  68  and the third clamping jaw portion  90 , thereby releasing the joined sections of closer tape, as well as the severed trailing end of the closer tape  50  from the spool  52 . The severed end of the closer tape  50  may then be removed from the apparatus  30 . Thereafter, the controller  232  deactuates the cylinder  120 , thereby moving the first and second clamping jaw portions  68 ,  76  back to the positions shown in FIG. 17. During this movement the spliced sections of closer tape slide over the m-shaped upper surface  80  and are positioned in the closer tape path  110 . The operator may then (or at any other point in the splicing process subsequent to the severing step) push up on the knob  106  and remove the severed leading end of the closer tape held by the fifth clamping jaw portion  98 . The operator may thereafter release the knob  106  and production of thermoplastic bags may resume.  
         [0045]    The present invention is not limited to the concept of splicing portions of closer tape on a strictly automated basis as noted above. Rather, any or all of the steps described herein may be undertaken as a result of manual steps taken by an operator. Also, one or more of the cylinders  120 ,  148  and  164  may be replaced by another moving assembly, such as a linear servo or other motor, if desired.  
         [0046]    Numerous modifications to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is presented for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to make and use the invention and to teach the best mode of carrying out same. The exclusive rights to all modifications that come within the scope of the appended claims are reserved.