Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CASE 3644
MERCHANDISER ASSEMBLY
Description
Background and Description of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an
assembly for storing and displaying products while they
are being merchandised in a retail outlet or the like.
More particularly, the merchandiser assembly according
to the present invention is structured to store
merchandise products on shelves from which purchasers
can select and remove one or more of the products from
the merchandiser assembly. The merchandiser assembly
maintains the products in a generally horizontally
stacked orientation in a manner by which the front of
the stack of products is automatically maintained in the
front of the merchandiser assembly even after a product
that had been in the front of the merchandiser assembly
has been removed.
In the retail sales industry, there is often a
need to display a supply of products for selection and
purchase by consumers. various display cases, racks,
hangers, open shelves and the like have been used for
this purpose. Sometimes these storage and display
devices are at room temperature, and in other instances
they are under refrigeration, either in open cases or
compartments or behind temperature barriers such as
glass doors.
Certain problems are generally common to these
types of merchandising display facilities. Because it
is desired to avoid selling products that have been
warehoused, stored and displayed for extended periods of
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time, it is desirable to ensure that the products that
are in stock are rotated in a manner whereby the oldest
product stock is toward the front of the shelf or the
like, which requires in most circumstances that the
fresher or newer stock must be placed behind the older
stock. In most instances, achieving this desirable
stock rotation requires removal of the older products on
the front of the shelf or pegboard or the like or on top
of the stack of products or the like in order that the
newer stock can be placed behind or under these older
stocks. This is, of course, a very time-consuming
operation and is often very labor intensive and thus can
be quite expensive. There can be a tendency for this
desirable practice of stock rotation to be substantially
ignored or practiced only to a limited extent.
Another problem with many product
merchandisers is the need to "face" them after consumers
have removed the front products from the display unit.
This problem is particularly evident for items that are
stored and displayed on generally horizontal shelves.
f ten these shelves can be quite deep, and if the
products are not manually moved toward the front, or
face, of the shelf, the products will not be properly
displayed to the customers in order to achieve desired
merchandising and marketing effects, such as the
prominent display of a famous or well-promoted label
and/or brand name or the like.
Another matter associated with product
merchandiser devices that requires some attention is the
desirability to maintain the merchandiser unit in an
organized fashion so that it presents an orderly and
attractive appearance. Merchandiser devices such as
pegbar units which suspend packaged products at a
generally fixed location tend to positively respond to
this objective in that pegbar units tend to present a
more organized appearance than when products are stored
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on an open shelf or in stacks. In the latter instances,
products can become misaligned from their desired location on
the shelf or stack and thereby become improperly placed with
respect to product and price identifiers or other point of
purchase materials. Another aspect of desirable shelf
organization is to have the individual products aligned in neat
rows or the like, which can require some labor-intensive
attention at various times.
It has been found that, by proceeding in accordance
with the present invention, it is possible to provide a product
merchandiser that greatly facilitates stock rotation, that is
self-facing, and that automatically maintains an organized and
properly positioned stock of products. In addition, the present
invention can be utilized in order to hold relatively flat
packages in a generally upright or on-edge orientation in order
to create a display that is visibly pleasing and also that
prominently displays packaging designs, graphics, product
vignettes, brand names and the like. The invention is
particularly useful for displaying and merchandising packaged
food products.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention there is provided a merchandiser assembly for use in
storing and displaying products in a shelf-like orientation, the
merchandiser assembly comprising: product tray means for
holding and supporting a plurality of merchandised products, the
product tray means having a front end portion and a rear end
portion; track means for providing generally horizontally
oriented support of the product tray means, the track mean
having a front portion; engagement means of the product tray
means and of the track means for effecting sliding engagement
between the product tray means and the track means and for
permitting the product tray means to move with respect to the
track means along a pathway that is generally longitudinally
oriented with respect to the product tray means; a generally
upstanding product follower member slidably mounted with respect
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to the product tray means for movement generally between the
rear end portion and the front end portion of the product tray
means; biasing means for urging the product follower member and
any merchandised products in front of the product follower
member generally toward the front end portion of the product
tray means; and stop means for engaging the product follower
member with the front portion of the track means when the
merchandiser assembly is in a fill mode at which the front end
portion of the product tray means is slidably extended beyond
the front portion of the track means, whereby movement of the
generally upstanding product follower member beyond the front
portion of the track means is prevented and whereby the product
follower member is positioned in spaced away relationship with
respect to the front end portion of the product tray means in
opposition to the biasing means.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention there is provided a merchandiser assembly comprising:
product tray means for holding and supporting a generally
horizontally oriented stack of merchandised products that are in
an on-edge orientation, the product tray means having a front
portion and a rear portion; track means for generally
horizontally supporting the product tray means, the track means
having a front portion; the product tray means is slidably
secured to the track means in an orientation that is generally
longitudinal of the product tray means, whereby the product tray
means is movable between a rearwardmost, in-use mode and a
forwardly extended, fill mode; a product follower member
slidably secured onto the product tray means, the product
follower member being slidable between the front portion and the
rear portion of the product tray means, the product follower
member being adapted to be positioned in back of the stack of
merchandised products; biasing means for urging the product
follower member toward the front portion of the product tray
means; and stop means for preventing movement of the rear
portion of the product tray means beyond the front portion of
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the track means, the stop means further preventing forward
movement of the product follower member beyond the front portion
of the track means.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention there is provided a merchandiser assembly for use in
storing and displaying products in a shelf-like orientation.
The merchandiser assembly comprises: product tray means for
holding and supporting a plurality of merchandised products, the
product tray means having a front end portion and a rear end
portion; track means for providing generally horizontally
oriented support of the product tray means, the track means
having a front portion; engagement means of the product tray
means and of the track means for effecting sliding engagement
between the product tray means and the track means and for
permitting the product tray means to move with respect to the
track means along a pathway that is generally longitudinally
oriented with respect to the product tray means; a generally
upstanding product follower member slidably mounted with respect
to the product tray means for movement generally between the
rear end portion and the front end portion of the product tray
means; biasing means for urging the product follower member and
any merchandised products in front of the product follower
member generally toward the front end portion of the product
tray means; stop means for engaging the product follower member
with the front portion of the track means when the merchandiser
assembly is in a fill mode at which the front end portion of the
product tray means is slidably extended beyond the front portion
of the track means, whereby movement of the generally upstanding
product follower member beyond the front portion of the track
means is prevented and whereby the product follower member is
positioned in spaced away relationship with respect to the front
end portion of the product tray means in opposition to the
biasing means; clamp means are included along the track means,
the clamp means being for securing the merchandiser assembly to
a shelf, the clamp means,including an adjustable securement
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assembly having generally U-shaped means for adjustable engaging
a rear edge of the shelf and for adjustable engaging a bottom
edge of the shelf; the adjustable securement assembly includes
ratcheting tie means for one-way adjustment of a shelf-engaging
member of the generally U-shaped means; and the ratcheting tie
means includes an elongated tie and ratchet block secured to one
component of the generally U-shaped means, the elongated tie
having a tail in ratcheting engagement with the ratchet block
and a head in engagement with another component of the U-shaped
means.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention there is provided a merchandiser assembly comprising:
product tray means for holding and supporting a generally
horizontally oriented stack of merchandised products that are in
an on-edge orientation, the product tray means having a front
portion and a rear portion; track means for generally
horizontally supporting the product tray means, the track means
having a front portion; the product tray means is slidably
secured to the track means in an orientation that is generally
longitudinal of the product tray means, whereby the product tray
means is movable between a rearwardmost, in-use mode and a
forwardly extended, fill mode; a product follower member
slidably secured onto the product tray means, the product
follower member being slidable between the front portion and the
rear portion of the product tray means, the product follower
member being adapted to be positioned in back of the stack of
merchandised products; biasing means for urging the product
follower member toward the front portions of the product tray
means; stop means for preventing movement of the rear portion of
the product tray means beyond the front portion of the track
means, the stop means further preventing forward movement of the
product follower member beyond the front portion of the track
means; the track means includes clamp means for securing the
merchandiser assembly to a shelf, the clamp means including an
adjustable securement assembly having generally U-shaped means
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for engaging a rear edge and a bottom edge of the shelf; and the
adjustable securement assembly includes means for one-way
adjustment of a shelf-engaging member of the generally U-shaped
means, the one-way adjustment means including an elongated
member and a block secured to one component of the generally U-
shaped means; and the elongated member has an end portion for
engagement with another component of the U-shaped means, at
least one of the one component and the other component is
movable with respect to the other, and the elongated member has
an elongated portion that is in one-way adjusting engagement
with and passes through the block.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present
invention there is provided a merchandiser assembly for use in
storing and displaying products in a shelf-like orientation.
The merchandiser assembly comprises: product tray means for
holding and supporting a plurality of merchandised products, the
product tray means having a front end portion and a rear end
portion; track means for providing generally horizontally
oriented support of the product tray means, the track means
having a front portion; engagement means of the product tray
means and of the track means for effecting sliding engagement
between the product tray means and the track means and for
permitting the product tray means to move with respect to the
track means along a pathway that is generally longitudinally
oriented with respect to the product tray means; a generally
upstanding product follower member slidably mounted with respect
to the product tray means for movement generally between the
rear end portion and the front end portion of the product tray
means; biasing means for urging the product follower member and
any merchandised products in front of the product follower
member generally toward the front end portion of the product
tray means; stop means for engaging the product follower member
with the front portion of the track means when the merchandiser
assembly is in a fill mode at which the front end portion of the
product tray means is slidably extended beyond the front portion
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of the track means, whereby movement of the generally upstanding
product follower member beyond the front portion of the track
means is prevented and whereby the product follower member is
positioned in spaced away relationship with respect to the front
end portion of the product tray means in opposition to the
biasing means; clamp means included along the track means, the
clamp means being for securing the merchandiser assembly to a
shelf, the clamp means includes a front clamp and a rear
securement assembly, the rear securement assembly includes a
vertically adjustable clamping plate by which the merchandiser
assembly is securable to a rear edge of the shelf; and the
product tray means is for holding a plurality of merchandised
products resting on their respective edges and oriented in a
generally horizontally oriented stack.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present
invention there is provided a packaged food products
merchandiser assembly, comprising: a generally horizontally
oriented stack of inerchandised packaged food products that are
in an on-edge orientation; product tray means for holding and
supporting the stack of merchandised products; the product tray
means having a front portion and a rear portion; track means for
generally horizontally supporting the product tray means, the
track means having a front portion; the track means includes
clamp means for securing the merchandiser assembly to a shelf,
the clamp means including an adjustable securement assembly
having generally U-shaped means for engaging a rear edge and a
bottom edge of the shelf; the adjustable securement assembly
includes means for one-way adjustment of a shelf-engaging member
of the generally U-shaped means; the product tray means is
slidably secured to the track means in an orientation that is
generally longitudinal of the product tray means, whereby the
product tray means is movable between a rearwardmost in-use mode
and a forwardly extended fill mode; a product follower member
slidably secured onto the product tray means, the product
follower member being slidable between the front portion and the
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rear portion of the product tray means, the product follower
member being adapted to be positioned in back of the stack of
the merchandised products; biasing means for urging the product
follower member toward the front portion of the product tray
means; and stop means for preventing movement of the rear
portion of the product tray means beyond the front portion of
the track means, the stop means further preventing forward
movement of the product follower member beyond the front portion
of the track means.
In accordance with a still further embodiment of the
present invention there is provided a merchandiser assembly for
use in storing and displaying products in a shelf-like
orientation. The merchandiser assembly comprising: product tray
means for holding and supporting a plurality of merchandised
products, the product tray means having a front end portion and
a rear end portion; track means for providing generally
horizontally oriented support of the product tray means, the
track means having a front portion; engagement means of the
product tray means and of the track means for effecting sliding
engagement between the product tray means and the track means
and for permitting the product tray means to move with respect
to the track means along a pathway that is generally
longitudinally oriented with respect to the product tray means;
a generally upstanding product follower member slidably mounted
with respect to the product tray means for movement generally
between the rear end portion and the front end portion of the
product tray means; biasing means for urging the product
follower member and any merchandised products in front of the
product follower member generally toward the front end portion
of the product tray means; stop means for engaging the product
follower member with the front portion of the track means when
the merchandiser assembly is in a fill mode at which the front
end portion of the product tray means is slidably extended
beyond the front portion of the track means, whereby movement of
the generally upstanding product follower member beyond the
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front portion of the track means is prevented and whereby the
product follower member is positioned in spaced away
relationship with respect to the front end portion of the
product tray means in opposition to the biasing means; clamp
means included along the track means, the clamp means being for
securing the merchandiser assembly to a shelf; the clamp means
includes an adjustable secureinent assembly having generally U-
shaped means for engaging a rear edge and a bottom edge of the
shelf; and wherein the adjustable securemen't assembly includes
a.ratcheting tie means for one-one adjustment of a shelf-
engaging member of the generally U-shaped means.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the
present invention there is provided a merchandiser assembly for
use in storing and displaying products packaged in flat packages
in a shelf-like orientation. The merchandiser assembly
comprises: product tray means for holding and supporting a
plurality of flat packaged products, the product tray means
having a front end portion and a rear portion; track means for
providing generally horizontally oriented support of the product
tray means, the track means having a front portion; clamp means
included along the track means, =the clamp means being for
adjustable securing the merchandiser assembly to a shelf;
engagement means of the product tray means and of the track
means for effecting sliding engagement between the product tray
means and the track means and for permitting the product tray
means to move with respect to the track means along a pathway
that is generally longitudinally oriented with respect to the
product tray means; a generally upstanding product follower
member slidably mounted with respect to the product tray means
for movement generally between the rear end portion and the
front end portion of the product tray means; biasing means for
urging the product follower member and any of the flat packaged
products in front of the product follower member generally
toward the front end por=tion of the product tray means, the
biasing means is a spring member having a forward end secured to
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the front end portion of the product tray means, and wherein the
spring member slidably engages a back side portion of the
generally upstanding product follower member which is within the
product tray means; stop means for engaging the product follower
member with the front portion of the track means when the
merchandiser assembly is in a fill mode at which the front end
portion of the product tray means is slidably extended beyond
the front portion of the track means, wherein movement of the
generally upstanding product follower member beyond the front
portion of the track means is prevented and whereby the product
follower member is positioned in spaced away relationship with
respect to the front end portion of the product tray means in
opposition to the biasing means; and wherein the spring member
provides forwardly directed biasing forces on the upstanding
product follower for maintaining the plurality of flat packaged
products on their respective edges and oriented in a generally
horizontally oriented stack.
These and other features and advantages of this
invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of
the following detailed description.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In the course of this description, reference will be
made to the attached drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of the merchandiser device according to this
invention, shown in completely empty state;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the assembly shown
in Figure 1, illustrating the fill mode of the assembly;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3-3 of
Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure
3, but showing the product tray in an orientation between the
empty state of Figures 1 and 3 and the fill iiode of Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a top plan view generally along the line
5-5 of Figure 4; and
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Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line 6-6
of Figure 5.
Description of the Particular Embodiments
A merchandiser assembly device is generally designated
as 21 in Figures 1 through 6. Merchandiser assembly 21 is
illustrated resting on and mounted onto a shelf assembly shown
in phantom at 22. It will be appreciated that merchandiser
assembly 21 can be mounted on any of a variety of shelving
arrangements, and a plurality of such merchandiser devices 21
can be
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provided, typically in side-by-side relationship with
each other. It is also possible that the merchandiser
device could include its own shelving assembly, for
example as an integral component of the merchandiser
assembly itself. For ease of discussion and
illustration, the drawings show the merchandiser
assembly 21 in an embodiment by which same is added to
an existing shelf assembly 22.
Merchandiser assembly 21 includes a product
tray member 23 that is slidably mounted onto a track
member or assembly 24. A generally upstanding product
follower 25 is slidably mounted in a generally
longitudinal manner within the product tray member 23.
The upstanding product follower 25 is biased in a
forward orientation (defined as being toward the right
as viewed in Figures 3, 4 and 5) by a biasing member 26.
The empty and non-loading mode of the
merchandiser assembly 21 is best seen in Figure 1 and in
Figure 3. The product follower 25 is in its forwardmost
position, while the product tray member 23 is in its
rearwardmost position (with the rear of the merchandiser
assembly 21 being defined as toward the left as viewed
in Figure 3). This mode is automatically presented when
the merchandiser assembly 21 has been completely emptied
or when only about one of the products being
merchandised remains within the merchandiser assembly
21. When this mode is observed, the stocking employee
will know that the display stock of this particular item
has been exhausted and that refilling is now necessary.
The filling mode is perhaps best appreciated
by a consideration of Figures 2, 4 and 5. In Figure 2,
the product tray member 23 is shown in its substantially
fully extended orientation after it has been pulled by
the stocking employee in a forward direction as defined
herein. It wiil be noted that, when such movement or
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extension in the forward direction is effected, the
generally upstanding product follower 25 does not
necessarily likewise move forwardly to the same extent.
Instead, the product follower 25 engages a typically
fixed component which limits the forward movement of the
upstanding product follower 25. The movement limiter
which is illustrated in the drawings in this regard
includes one or more stops 27 positioned at the front
end portion of the track assembly 24. By this
arrangement, the product follower 25 is automatically
spaced away from the inside surface 28 of each of
one or more upstanding front members 29 of the product
tray member 23. Accordingly, when the product tray
member 23 is in a forwardly extended orientation, free
space is provided between the front face of the product
follower 25 and the inside surface 28 or the back
surface of any product remaining within the product tray
23 of the merchandiser assembly 21. Then, the stocking
employee can insert a desired number of products 31 in a
generally horizontally stacked orientation, which is
shown in phantom in Figure 2.
Once the product tray 23 is filled with
products 31 to the extent desired, the product tray 23
is returned to its unextended or rearwardmost position.
A position generally midway between the fully extended
mode shown in Figure 2 and the fully retracted mode
shown in Figures 1 and 3 is illustrated in Figure 4 and
in Figure S. it will be noted that the upstanding
product follower 25 is still in engagement with the stop
27 or the like, but the distance between the inside
surface of the product follower 25 and the inside
surface 28 is less than that shown in Figure 2. It will
be appreciated that, if the product tray member 23 were
filled with products 31, such products 31 would move the
product follower member 25 in a rearward direction and
in opposition to the biasing member 26. In other words,
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if the space between the upstanding product follower 25
and the inside surface 28 that is depicted in Figure 4
were filled with product, then further movement of the
product tray member 23 in a retracting or rearward
direction (to the left in Figure 4) would result in
movement of the product follower 25 in that retracting
or rearward direction due to its engagement by the stack
of products moving in that direction.
When the merchandiser assembly 21 is provided
in the form illustrated wherein same is designed to be
supported by and secured onto a shelf 22 of a separate
shelf assembly, it is preferred to provide adjustable
means by which the merchandiser assembly 21 can be thus
secured. Illustrative of such an arrangement is the
track assembly 24 that is depicted in the drawings.
Track assembly 24 includes a front clamp or clip 32 that
generally wraps around front edge of the shelf 22.
While not illustrated, this front clamp or clip
structure 32 can be adjustable so as to accommodate
different shelf thicknesses. It is typically more
important to provide an adjustment assembly with respect
to the rear securement assembly of the track assembly
24. Illustrated rear securement assembly in this regard
includes a generally L-shaped bracket assembly 33.
Bracket assembly 33 includes a generally
horizontal arm 34 that is slidably mounted to the track
assembly 24 so that the L-shaped bracket assembly 33 is
extendable from and retractable toward the track
assembly 24. Positioning of the generally horizontal
arm 34 of the L-shaped bracket assembly 33 can be
secured by any suitable means such as the illustrated
retainer screw 35. The illustrated L-shaped bracket
assembly 33 further includes a generally downwardly
depending arm 36 that also includes an adjustability
feature. More specifically, a clamping plate 37 is
slidably secured to the downwardly depending arm 36 in a
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manner by which the clamping plate 37 is forwardly
extending so as to form a generally U-shaped clamping
assembly with the L-shaped bracket assembly 33. A
securement assembly 38 is provided in order to maintain
the desired position of the clamping plate 37. The
illustrated securement assembly 38 includes a so-called
cable tie or the like having a head 39 secured to a tail
41 thereof. The tail 41 is passed through a suitable
opening within the clamping plate 37 and then through a
ratcheting block 42 which prevents return movement of
the tail 41.
Accordingly, a typical operation by which the
illustrated merchandiser assembly 21 is secured onto the
shelf 22 proceeds as follows. The clamping plate 37 is
positioned toward the free end of the downwardly
depending arm 36 of the L-shaped bracket assembly 33.
The merchandiser assembly 21 is positioned on the shelf
22 until the front clamp or clip 32 engages the front
edge of the shelf 22. Then, the generally horizontal
arm 34 of the L-shaped bracket assembly 33 is moved as
necessary until the inside surface of the downwardly
depending arm 36 engages the rear edge of the shelf 22,
after which the retainer screw 35 or the like is used to
maintain this position of the generally horizontally
extending arm 34. After this, the person installing the
merchandiser assembly 21 pulls the tail 41 of the cable
tie until the inside or top surface of the clamping
plate 37 engages the bottom, rear edge of the shelf 22.
The thus installed merchandiser assembly 21 will remain
in place until, for example, the cable tie is removed or
released.
With more particular reference to the
illustrated preferred structure of the merchandiser
assembly 21, the illustrated slidable engagement between
the product tray member 23 and the track assembly 24 is
carried out by positioning longitudinal edges 41 of the
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track assembly 24 within longitudinally oriented shelf
protrusions 42 that are positioned along the underside
of the product tray member 23. Also in accordance with
the preferred embodiment, the upstanding product
follower 25 is slidably mourated within a longitudinal
slot 43 in the bottom panel of the product tray 23. The
illustrated biasing member 26 for the upstanding product
follower 25 is a roll spring having a forward end 44
thereof secured at the front end of the product tray 23.
The roll spring passes through an orifice 45 of the
upstanding product follower 25 so that the biasing
member 26 will provide forwardly directed biasing forces
on the upstanding product follower 25. When desired, a
graphics insert 46 can be provided to facilitate
identification of the products 31 to be displayed and
dispensed by the merchandiser assembly 21.
It is to be observed that, with the preferred
structure that is shown in the drawings, excessive
forward movement of the product tray 23 is substantially
prevented by interaction of the upstanding product
follower 25, the stop 27 on the track assembly 24, and
the slot 43 or the back wall 47 of the product tray 23.
More specifically, when the product tray 23 is fully
extended as shown in Figure 2, further forward movement
of the product follower 25 is prevented by its
engagement with the stop 27. Furthermore, the thus
stopped product follower 25 will engage either the back
wall 47 or the back end of the slot 43 of the product
tray 23 which in turn prevents further forward movement
of the product tray 23. If desired, supplemental stops
could be provided to further strengthen this stopping
function. Also, suitable release means could be added
in order to permit removal of the product tray 23, if
this should be found to be desirable.
It will be appreciated that the merchandiser
assembly 21 greatly facilitates stock rotation. When
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the merchandiser assembly 21 is in its extended
orientation as illustrated in Figure 2, the stocking
employee can readily insert the fresher product behind
whatever products 31 may be remaining in the
merchandiser assembly 21 at the time of the stocking
activity. There is no need to move any of the remaining
products 31 inasmuch they will already be in the front
of the product tray member 23 while the free space that
is provided when the device is in the Figure 2
orientation is between these remaining products 31 and
the product follower 25. It will be further appreciated
the the merchandiser assembly is self-facing. When the
merchandiser assembly 21 is in the fully retracted and
in-use mode as shown in Figures 1 and 3, any products 31
within the product tray member 23 will be pushed
forwardly by the action of the biasing member 26 on the
upstanding product follower 25 when one or more of the
products 31 are removed from the front of the product
tray member 23. It will be further observed that the
combination of the features of the merchandiser assembly
21 automatically maintains an organized and properly
positioned stock of products 31 which are readily
recognized and removed by the consumer without resulting
in disorganization or improper positioning of products.
Preferably, the components of the merchandiser
assembly 21 will be made of durable and attractive
materials. While metal materials typically would be
suitable, moldable polymers are preferred for most of
the components, except for ones such as the biasing
member, because of the ease of formation and relatively
low cost provided by such moldable polymers.
It will be understood that the embodiments of
the present invention which have been described are
illustrative of some of the applications of the
principles of the present invention. Numerous
modifications may be made by those skilled in the art
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without departing from the true spirit and scope of the
invention.
