Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to mops, and more particularly to a mop that has a mop head adapted for spin drying within a motorized bucket assembly.  
       DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART  
       [0002]     Conventional mops used in retail and commercial locations such as restaurants, shopping malls, and the like are typically of the type having an elongated handle and a string cloth mop head. A wheeled bucket is usually included that contains either one compartment for a clean water solution, or two compartments for holding the clean water solution and fouled water. A wringer may be included to wring-out the mop into the fouled water compartment.  
         [0003]     In use, the mop is wrung-out and submerged into the clean water solution so as to absorb a quantity thereof. Such clean water may also include a cleaning agent such as bleach, or the like. The mop is then applied to the floor where it deposits a layer of the clean water solution and, simultaneously, picks-up dirt, grease and other water-fouling material. The mop, now contaminated, is then wrung-out, and the mop is once again submerged into the clean water solution. However, at this point not all of the contaminants have been removed from the mop in the wringing process, and a significant amount of water fouling material is deposited into the clean water compartment. As a result, it is not long before there is little distinction between the two compartments, both containing fouled water.  
         [0004]     In prior art mop buckets with only a single bucket compartment, the problem is compounded by the fact that dirt that is removed from the mop and wrung-out into the water compartment can be immediately picked-up again by the mop and re-applied to the floor surface that is being mopped. Mopping with such prior art buckets quickly becomes an exercise in futility, as applying contaminated water to a contaminated floor does little to clean the floor. Further, often the employees who are charged with mopping the floor are indifferent as to whether or not the process actually cleans the floor, the result being poor sanitary conditions throughout the establishment.  
         [0005]     Moreover, to make conditions worse, in practice many mop buckets are not emptied for days, the same fouled water sitting stagnant, a perfect media for bacteria and other biologically active organisms to thrive and multiply. Instead of cleaning the floors in a retail establishment, mopping with such a universal mopping bucket can often do more to contaminate the floors with dangerous biological agents than not mopping at all.  
         [0006]     Several improved wringing devices have been invented that attempt to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks with the prior art. Such devices strive to more thoroughly clean the mop during the wringing process. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,464,809 and 4,344,201, issued on Aug. 14, 1984 and Aug. 17, 1982, both to Trisolini, disclose a mop with a rotating head that cooperates with a rotating mop wringer that is spun by a motorized bucket. The mop wringer takes the form of a perforated basket, and strands of the mop are thrown against the side walls thereof, whereby water and dirt are extracted from the mop. However, the perforated basket of such a device applies not only centrifugal force to the strands of the mop, but also centripetal force, which serves to keep particles of dirt and debris in the mop head. The force of the strands against the perforations of the basket can actually block water and dirt flow out of the mop strands. Thus, while such a device is better at removing dirt and water from the mop, it is by no means optimal at such. A further drawback to the Trisolini devices is that they are somewhat tall in their profile, and are therefore more difficult to store and maneuver. Further, such prior art mop assemblies are heavy due to the hollow cleaning fluid chamber therein, and as such a person mopping with such a device can quickly become exhausted.  
         [0007]     Another prior art device, also to Trisolini, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,141 issued on Dec. 31, 1985. This device incorporates a motor and a wringing basket into the mop assembly, for providing a self-wringing mop. The main drawback with such a device is, again, the mop of such a device is heavy and quickly becomes exhausting to use. The motor of such a device, as well as the batteries to power it, are extra weight that the user is forced to propel around the floor while mopping.  
         [0008]     Several improvements have been devised for sterilizing germs that may be present in the mop bucket or on the mop itself. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,269 to Marston on Jan. 23, 1979, teaches a mop bucket that includes an ultraviolet light sterilizing system. Japanese Patent Application JP11206666A2 to Akihiro on Aug. 3, 1999 teaches a bucket including an ozone generator for bubbling ozone up through the liquid contained in the mop bucket. Both such prior art inventions may accomplish their goals, but neither patent is directed towards a device for cleaning both the fouled water contained in the bucket and the mop head simultaneously. Further, such prior art devices do not include intelligent controlling means for shutting-off the sterilizing device if the bucket is empty or is not being used. Thus, one can easily inadvertently leave such a device activated, both wasting energy and possibly over-exposing the mop and surrounding areas to UV light and ozone.  
         [0009]     Therefore, there is a need for an improved mopping system that allows for convenient, quick and thorough cleaning and drying of a mop head. Such a needed device would allow clean water or a cleaning solution to be applied to the mop head easily, and would not allow cross-contamination between the clean water solution and the fouled-water container. Moreover, such a needed device would provide for easy sterilization of the mop head and the fouled water to prevent biological growth therein, and would facilitate emptying of the fouled water. The needed device would be self-contained and easily portable from location to location as needed. Further, such a needed device would greatly improve the sanitary conditions of mopped floors, substantially eliminating re-contamination thereof by a fouled mop head. The present invention accomplishes these objectives.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The present device is a mopping system comprising a mop assembly and a bucket assembly. In the preferred embodiment, the mop assembly includes a mop head that is detachably fixed to a lower end of an elongated handle. The mop head is adapted to be spun around a generally vertical rotational axis thereof when the mop head is fixed within a mop head spinning means of the bucket assembly. As such, when the mop head is spun at a relatively high rate of rotational speed, water retained in the mop is forcefully dispelled from the mop by centrifugal force. The fouled water leaves the mop and is retained within the spin chamber, where it collects at the bottom thereof. A drain plunger is preferably included to allow the collected fouled water to be drained from the spin chamber into either a floor drain or a drain water container included with the invention. An ozone generator may be included for introducing ozone gas into the collected fouled water in the spin chamber, thus sterilizing any biologically active organisms contained therein.  
         [0011]     A clean water tank with a pump and spraying means is preferably included to allow introduction of clean water to the moping surface of the mop head. Such a clean water tank is preferably mounted within the spin chamber just below the mop head when the mop head is engaged with the mop head spinning means. The clean water tank is sealed so that fouled water dispensed from the mop head during rotation does not contaminate the clean water or other cleaning fluid contained in the clean water tank.  
         [0012]     The mop assembly may include a lever means for selectively detaching the mop head from the handle. As such, the user does not have to bend down to engage the mop head with the mop head spinning means of the bucket assembly. Alternately, the mop head may be rotationally fixed to the elongated handle such that it can only spin around its rotational axis when engaged with the mop head spinning means.  
         [0013]     The present invention is an improved mopping system that allows for convenient, quick and thorough cleaning and drying of a mop head. The present device allows clean water or a cleaning solution to be applied to a mop head easily, and prevents contamination between a clean water solution and a fouled-water container. Moreover, the present invention provides for easy sterilization of the mop head and the fouled water to prevent biological growth therein, and allows for easy, hands-free emptying of the fouled water. The invention is self-contained, easily portable from location to location as needed, and greatly improve the sanitary conditions of floors mopped therewith, substantially eliminating re-contamination thereof by a fouled mop head. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a cut-away left-side elevational view of the invention, illustrating a mop assembly of the present invention in a position to engage a mop head thereof with a bucket assembly of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a cut-away left-side elevational view of the invention, illustrating the mop head as engaged with a mop head engagement means of the bucket assembly;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a cut-away left-side elevational view of the invention, illustrating a spinning mop head rotated by a mop head spinning means of the invention, and further illustrating dirty water being flung away from the mop head while clean water is sprayed to an underside of the mop head;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a cut-away left-side elevational view of the invention, illustrating a drain plunger being actuated to drain a spin chamber of the invention of dirty water;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the invention, showing a mop head as engaged with a non-circular shaft of the mop head spinning means;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the mop head of the invention, illustrating a lower surface thereof and a plurality of water absorbing strands;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the invention, taken generally along lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 , illustrating a handle attachment means of the mop head and a mop head attachment means of an elongated mop handle;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the invention, taken generally along lines  8 - 8  of  FIG. 6 , illustrating in more detail the handle attachment means of the mop head and the mop head attachment means of the elongated mop handle; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the invention, taken generally along lines  8 - 8  of  FIG. 6 , illustrating the mop head being detached from the elongated handle. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]      FIG. 1  illustrates a mopping system  10  of the present invention. In its simplest form, the mopping system  10  comprises a mop assembly  20  and a bucket assembly  90 . The mop assembly includes a mop head  30  preferably pivotally attached to an elongated handle  40 . The mop head  30  includes a floor-engageable lower surface  50  ( FIG. 8 ) and an opposing upper surface  60 . The mop head  30  includes a handle attachment means  70 , preferably on the upper surface  60 , for attaching the mop head  30  to a lower end  80  of the handle  40  ( FIGS. 7-9 ). The handle attachment means  70  could also be provided on a peripheral edge of the mop head  30  (not shown).  
         [0024]     The mop head  30  is preferably detachable from the elongated handle  40  so that the mop head  30  may be easily spun in the bucket assembly  90  without the need to also spin the handle  40 . However, such an arrangement is not necessarily required in an embodiment of the invention that allows for spinning the entire mop assembly  20  by aligning the longitudinal axis of the handle with the rotational axis  140  of the mop head.  
         [0025]     Such an embodiment notwithstanding, the preferred embodiment of the invention includes a biased lever means  220  at an upper end  230  of the handle  40  mechanically coupled to a mop head attachment means  240  fixed to the lower end  80  of the handle  40 . The mope head attachment means  240  of the handle  40  and the handle attachment means  70  of the mop head  30  cooperate to retain the mop head  30  in a pivotable fashion on the lower end  80  of the handle  40  when the lever means is in a normal position  250  ( FIG. 8 ). When the lever means  220  is placed in an actuated position  260  ( FIG. 9 ), the mop head attachment means  240  of the handle  40  and the handle attachment means  70  of the mop head  30  cooperate to mechanically disconnect the mop head  30  from the lower end  80  of the handle  40 . The lever means  220  is preferably a lever as illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , however, a biased spring button or knob may also be used, as could a variety of different mechanical couplings. Linkages between the upper end  230  and lower end  80  of an elongated handle  40  are known in the prior art, and the preferred embodiment herein described is just one such known method. The important feature of this embodiment is that the mop head  30  may be easily detached from the handle  40 , preferably without the operating having to bend down.  
         [0026]     The mop head  30  preferably includes a plurality of water absorbing strands  520  attached to the lower side  50  thereof. Such strands  520  may be made from cotton, felt, or other water absorbing material. Such strands  520 , however, are made from a material that will release water when subjected to a strong centrifugal force. The mop head  30  is preferably rectangular in plan view ( FIG. 6 ), but could also be either circular or square or any other suitable shape, provided that the mop head  30  has a center of gravity proximate its longitudinal axis  140  so as to remain balanced when spinning, as described below.  
         [0027]     The bucket assembly  90  preferably includes a spin chamber  100  complete contained therewithin, and a mop head spinning means  110 . The mop head spinning means  110  is engageable with the mop head  30  to rotationally support the mop head  30  within the spin chamber  110 , away from an inner wall  115  thereof ( FIG. 3 ). As such, when spun around the rotational axis  140 , the distance to the edge of the mop head  30  and the centrifugally extended strands  520  must be less than the distance between the shaft  180  and the inner wall  115  of the spin chamber  110 . As such, water in a strand  520  is not constrained by the inner wall  115  and is free to exit the strand  520 .  
         [0028]     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the mop head spinning means  110  can take various forms. Preferably, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 , the mop head spinning means includes a mop head engagement means  120  such as a shaft  180  having a non-circular cross-section. The non-circular shaft  180  is vertically and rotationally supported within the spin chamber  100  by a pair of bearings  280  each centrally supported by the spin chamber  100 . A rotational driving means  130 , such as an electric motor  150  with a rotating shaft  190 , is connected to the mop head spinning means  110  through a mechanical linkage  195  therebetween ( FIG. 1 ), such as a cog belt  195  with pulleys on the shafts  180 ,  190 . In this manner the motor  150  may be isolated in a dry chamber  105  ( FIG. 2 ) of the bucket assembly  90 , away from any moisture or standing liquid  315 . Further, the rotational speed of the shaft  180  may be differed as desired from that of the motor  150  through use of varying-sized pulleys.  
         [0029]     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the spin chamber  100  is generally a toroid-shaped enclosure open at its top end and having an inverted frustoconical inner wall  270  centrally located therewithin. The bearings  280  are fixed to the lower outer surface of the inner wall  270  and are co-aligned to allow the shaft  180  to be supported co-axially and substantially vertically therewithin. A seal is included on the shaft  180  where the shaft  180  penetrates the inner wall  270  and protrudes into the spin chamber  100 .  
         [0030]     It would be obvious to one skilled in the art to directly couple a motor  150  to the shaft  180  such that the motor is within the inner wall  270 , directly under the mop head  30  when the mop head  30  is engaged to the mop head engagement means  120 . The inner wall  270  would, in such an embodiment, constitute the dry chamber  105 . Other arrangements could be used for the mop head spinning means  110 , as well, as known in the prior art. What is vital to the design, however, is that water is prevented from entering the motor  150  or any other electronic components, as discussed further below.  
         [0031]     Located just below the mop head  30  when the mop head  30  is engaged to the shaft  180  is a generally toroid-shaped clean water tank  290  having an inverted frustoconical aperture  300  formed therein ( FIGS. 1-5 ). The clean water tank  290  rests on the inner wall  270  of the spin chamber  100 , its longitudinal axis coinciding with that of the shaft  180 . The clean water tank  290  includes a pump and spraying means  310  for pumping clean water  320  from the clean water tank  290  and spraying the clean water  320  onto the lower surface  50  of the mop head  30 . The pump and spraying means  310  is preferably an electric pump fixed proximate to the lower inside surface of the clean water tank  290  that pumps clean water  320  up to an inverted spray nozzle fixed to the top outside surface of the tank  290  ( FIG. 3 ). The clean water  320  may obviously be a cleaning liquid as opposed to clean water, per se, but the clean water  320  is isolated from any fouled water  315  leaving the mop head  30  due to the clean water tank  290  being generally sealed. A water inlet port  500  may be included, the water inlet port  500  being in fluid communication with, such as with a hollow pipe, the clean water tank  290  ( FIGS. 1-5 ). The water inlet port  500  preferably exits the bucket assembly  90  at a top side  440  thereof. As such, clean water  320  or other cleaning fluids may be introduced into the water inlet port  500  in order to refill the clean water tank  290  without having to remove the clean water tank  290  from the spin chamber  100 .  
         [0032]     A drain plunger  330  protrudes from one end  340  of the bucket assembly  90  and extends down through the bucket assembly  90  to a rubber seal  350 . The rubber seal  350  seals a drain aperture  360  in the lower-most section  370  of the spin chamber  100 . The drain plunger  330  is biased upward such that the rubber seal  350  engages and seals the drain aperture  360  in a normal position  380  thereof ( FIGS. 1-3 ). When the drain plunger  330  is placed in an actuated position  390 , against a biasing element such as a spring  395 , the drain plunger  330  causes the rubber seal  350  to disengage the drain aperture  360  of the spin chamber  100 , resulting in the draining of any fouled liquid  320  from the bucket assembly  90  ( FIG. 4 ).  
         [0033]     Preferably a drain water container  510  is also included, open on its top side and adapted to fit under the drain aperture  360  between the bucket assembly  90  and a floor surface  420 . The bottom inside surface of the spin chamber  100  is slightly tilted towards the drain aperture  360  so that fouled water  320  within may be completely drained by gravity when the drain plunger  330  is actuated. A plurality of wheels  400  on the bottom surface  410  of the bucket assembly  90  maintain the bucket assembly  90  above the floor surface  420 . Preferably at least two of the plurality of wheels  400  are lockable, such that when the motor  150  is actuated the bucket assembly  90  does not oscillate or otherwise move along the floor surface  420 . The bucket assembly  90  may be conveniently moved about the floor surface  420  by the operator pushing or pulling the elongated handle  40  when same is engaged with the mop head  30  and the mop head  30  is mounted on the shaft  180 .  
         [0034]     The electric motor  150  is electrically connected to a power source  170 , such as a DC battery. An AC/DC adapter  178  ( FIG. 2 ) may be used to recharge the battery, ensuring for safety that only low voltage is proximate to the bucket assembly  90 . However, an AC power cord  175  for plugging into a power outlet (not shown) could also be used ( FIG. 1 ). In either case, the power source  170  is preferably enclosed in the dry chamber  105 .  
         [0035]     The bucket assembly  90  preferably further includes a top cover  430  slidably engaged with the top surface  440  thereof for covering the mop head  30  when the mop head  30  is engaged with the mop head engagement means  120 . As such, fouled water  315  cannot escape the bucket assembly  90  when the cover  430  is closed and the motor  150  is activated. Alternately, the mop head  30  may be both rotationally and pivotally attached to the elongated handle  40 , such that the mop head  30  may spin with respect to the handle  40  while still attached thereto (not shown). In such an embodiment, the mop head  30  remains attached to the elongated handle  40  yet may spin freely in a rotational plane when the mop head  30  is engaged to the rotating shaft  180 . The cover  430  in such an embodiment is either not included, or is provided with a handle slot (not shown) for covering most of the spin chamber  100  while allowing just the handle  40  to protrude therefrom.  
         [0036]     Moreover, in such an embodiment the lever means  220  is not for disengaging the mop head  30  from the handle  40 , but rather rotationally unlocking the mop head  30  from spinning with respect to the handle  40 . With such an arrangement the lever means  220  is actuated only when the mop head  30  is engaged to the shaft  180  and the operator desires the mop head spinning means  110  to be activated. Indeed, such actuation of the lever means  220  may cause the button  490  to become actuated (not shown), thereby starting the washing and drying cycle of the control circuit  480 . In using such an embodiment, a user places the mop head  30  onto the shaft  180  by lifting the mop head  30  with the handle  40 . Once engaged with the shaft  180  the lever means  220  is actuated, and the mop head  30  becomes rotationally unlocked from the handle  40  and the mop head spinning means  110  is activated. Alternately, the act of engaging the mop head  30  onto the shaft  180  may rotationally free the mop head  30  from the handle  40  and actuate the head spinning means  110 , thereby eliminating the need for the lever means  220  completely. A mechanical engineer or others skilled in the art would be able to effect such alternate arrangements of the mop assembly  20  to enable the mop head  30  to rotate only when desired by the operator.  
         [0037]     The bucket assembly  90  preferably further includes an ozone generator  450  fluidly connected to the lower-most portion  370  of the spin chamber  100  through a tube  455 . As such, when the ozone generator  450  is activated, ozone gas  460  is caused to bubble up through any fouled liquid  315  contained within the spin chamber  100 . Further, ozone gas  460 , upon reaching the surface of the fouled liquid  315 , fills the open space of the spin chamber  100  and helps to sterilize any bacteria and germs located therein, such as on the mop head  30 . Ozone gas  460  is preferred, but alternate sterilizing fluids or gases could be introduced to the fouled liquid  315  without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
         [0038]     The dry chamber  105  includes a control circuit  480  that electrically connects the power source  170  to the motor  150 , the ozone generator  450 , and the pump and spraying means  310  as needed. Such a control circuit preferably includes a button  490  for activating a washing and drying cycle of the mopping system  10 , wherein the motor  150  is activated to spin the mop head  30  at a relatively low speed, such as between 40 and 60 RPM, while the pump and spraying means  310  sprays the clean water solutions  320  onto the lower side  50  of the mop head  30  to clean the mop head  30 . The ozone generator  450  is also activated. The control circuit then, after a predetermined period of time such as 15 to 30 seconds, deactivates the pump and spraying means  310  and increases the speed of the motor  150  to preferably between 400 and 600 RPM, to force effective centrifugal drying of the mop head  30  and the water absorbing strands  520 . As the strands  520  do not touch the inner wall  115  of the spin chamber  100 , any water  315  therein is quickly expunged therefrom. After a second predetermined period of time, such as 30 to 60 seconds, the motor  150  is deactivated, and then, after a third predetermined period of time, such as five minutes, the ozone generator  450  is deactivated so as not to overly expose the surrounding areas to ozone gas.  
         [0039]     The button  490  may be located through the top surface  440  of the bucket assembly  90 , under the top cover  430  when the top cover  430  is in an open position ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). As such, the button  490  may not be depressed unless the top cover  430  is closed ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ), ensuring that the motor  150  does not spin when the cover  430  is open for safety.  
         [0040]     Alternatively, a second button  495 , in series with the button  490 , may be included to sense if a mop head  30  has been engaged with the mop head engagement means  120 . If not, the second button  495  remains open, thereby preventing the motor  150  from spinning unless both the mop head  30  is in place on the shaft  180  and the cover  430  is closed. The second button  495  may be mounted proximate the shaft  180  to detect the weight of the mop head  30  thereon, or using some other commonly known button mounting arrangement. Clearly, the second button  495  may be included without button  490 , such that merely engaging the mop head  30  on the shaft  180  starts the washing and drying cycle. In such an embodiment, a delay of several seconds may be introduced to give the operator time to withdraw the handle  40  completely from the mop head  30 . However, preferably, the button  490  is included to ensure that the cover  430  is closed prior to starting the washing and drying cycle.  
         [0041]     In operation, a number of methods of use are preferred. The simplest method is to minimally provide the mop head  30  and a simplified bucket assembly  90 , engage the mop head  30  to the mop head spinning means  110  of the bucket assembly  90 , and activate the spinning means  110  to dry the mop head  30 . The mop head spinning means  110  in such a case is switchably connected to the power source  170  in a conventional manner, such as directly through a switch or button  490 , or by plugging a power cord into a wall outlet (not shown), and the motor  150  of the mop head spinning means  110  rotates the shaft  180  to spin the mop head  30 . When the button  490  is released, or the power cord is pulled from the wall outlet, the motor  150  is deactivated. Such a simplified embodiment, however, requires the operator to judge when the mop head  30  is dry, and such a judgment may or may not be accurate.  
         [0042]     In such an embodiment, the mop head spinning means  110  may be used over an existing sink (not shown), the sink acting as the spin chamber  100 . Such an embodiment requires that the motor  150  is mounted in some fashion, such as in a dry chamber  105  enclosure resting on a countertop proximate the sink with the shaft  180  provided on a cantilevered arm extending out over the sink (not shown), or the like. Alternatively, the motor  150  may be mounted in an inverted cone dry chamber  105  with the shaft  180  emanating from the top thereof (not shown), the inside of the cone being sealed from the water dripping down from the mop head  30 . While such embodiments are the simplest configurations for the present invention, the safety risk of such embodiments are significantly higher, and the ease of use is considerably less than that of the preferred embodiments, as water spinning off of the mop head  30  is not fully contained and can spray out of the sink in such embodiments. Therefore, while these embodiments fall within the scope of the present invention, these embodiments are not preferred.  
         [0043]     Additional steps of spraying clean water  320  onto the lower surface  50  of the mop head  30  may be included in the method of use of the present invention. Such spraying of clean water  320  may occur either before or after the main drying cycle (wherein the mop head  30  is spun at a relatively high rotational speed to effect centrifugal drying) and such spraying may be termed a wash cycle. Thus, various cycles, such as dry only, wash only, wash-dry, dry-wash, wash-dry-wash, or dry-wash-dry cycles, may be easily incorporated into the invention by altering the programming of the control circuit  480 . Moreover, a plurality of buttons  490  may be included (not shown), each button  490  having a dedicated cycle type, such that the operator may select the desired cycle type based on the requirements of a particular floor cleaning situation.  
         [0044]     While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the relative configurations of the spin and dry chambers  100 , 105  may be altered, as may aspects of the mop assembly  20  and how the mop head  30  is attached to the handle  40 . Such modifications do not affect the scope of the invention and do not substantially alter the method of its use. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.

Technology Category: 1