Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
22694-1540D
-1-
SINGLE LAYER, GREASEPROOF, FLEXIBLE PAPER POPCORN PACKAGE
This application is a divisional of Canadian patent
application serial No. 2,129,110 filed January 29, 1993.
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates generally to
packages for use in microwave ovens, and pertains more
particularly to an expandable bag having protection from
grease leaking and/or wicking from its expansion creases or
folds and/or to a flexible popcorn package made from a
single layer of greaseproof paper.
The subject-matter of this divisional application
is restricted to popcorn packages having means for
preventing oil or grease from leaking or wicking from inside
the bag through the edges.
It should be understood that the expression "the
present invention" or the like used in this specification
encompasses not only the subject-matter of this divisional
application but that of the parent application also.
When microwave popcorn packages were first
introduced utilizing a microwave susceptor, the packages
typically were formed by expandable paperboard containers
and often the load of the microwave popcorn popping package
was located in a plastic bag positioned inside of the
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
1 paperboard container including the microwave susceptor.
The paperboard container in most instances was unfolded
into an expanded size by the consumer prior to popping of
the popcorn kernels in the microwave oven but in some
instances was unfolded by the popping of the popcorn
kernels, with the popped popcorn being served in the
expanded paperboard containers. Early packages suffered
from several disadvantages including the bulk of
expandable paperboard container.s which increased the
amount of material required to make the container and
thus its cost, increased the size of the packaging and
storage requirements, as well as increased the amount of
material which had to be disposed of after the
consumption of the popcorn raising environmental
concerns. Further, the dynamics of expanding the
paperboard container and/or plastic bag by the forces
generated while popping the kernels were typically
insufficient to maximize the volume of the package which
in turn prevented the popcorn from popping with greater
volume. Also, plastic bags are susceptible to melting
and often are difficult to handle with a hot.food product
at least due to the poor insulating qualities of plastic.
To avoid these and other problems and with the development
of microwave susceptors applied in the form of a thin
coating such as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,267,420
issued to William A. Brastad, the microwave popcorn
industry has turned to popcorn packages formed from
flexible paper bags.
However, paper microwave popcorn popping bags
including microwave susceptors encountered different
types of problems. Por example, the load of a microwave
popcorn popping package includes unpopped popcorn
kernels, a cooking oil or grease, salt, and other
ingredients such as colorings, flavorings, or the like.
it can be appreciated that during storage or
transportation of the filled microwave popcorn package by
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
-3-
1 the processor, the marketing agencies, and the consumer,
the oil and/or grease have a tendency to leak from
flexible paper packages, especially at high temperatures,
causing aesthetically unpleasant appearances. Further,
during microwave popping, the oil and/or grease have a
tendency to wick from flexible paper packages. Current
flexible paper popcorn bags such as disclosed in United
States Patent No. 5,044,777 typically use a tri-laminate
of a greaseproof paper adhered to an outer fluorocarbon
trea.ted, grease resistant paper with a microwave
susceptor sandwiched between. For example, the inner
layer could be formed of bleached greaseproof Kraft paper
of 1,1.5 kg. (25 lb.)/ream basis weight and the outer layer
could be formed of plain bleached Kraft paper of 13.5 kg.
(30-1b.)/ream basis weight. The two paper layers and the
adhesive therebetween together provide the needed grease
barrier in both storagq and/or transportation at high
temperatures as well as during microwave cooking.
However, 'laminated paper popcorn bags suffer from several
disadvantages. First, the paper bag has a great deal of
stiffness resulting from the multiple layers themselves
but also their adhesive interconnection. Stiffness
detracts from the ability of the bag to inflate or expand
during microwave popping of the popcorn which may in turn
detrimentally affect the volume of the poppedkernels.
Also, the lamination of the materials requires extra
assembly costs and the amount of materials used for each
bag adds to the economic and environmental costs.
Thus, there is a need to reduce the amount of
material and/or layers utilized in the formation of
flexible paper popcorn.packages including a microwave
susceptpr. Current efforts in single ply paper bags
which have been unsuccessful prior to the present
invention involve common greaseproof paper in combination
with surface coatings of fluorocarbons, such as FC-807
made by 3M, Inc., St. Paul, Minnesota, or equivalent.
However, such efforts have not resulted in commercially
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
_4_
1 successful packages as they do not provide adequate
greaseproof properties in storage, transportation, or
cooking throughout the paper. Further, when this paper
is creased such as at the corners in the pleats and
between the pleats and the top and bottom walls, fibers
in the paper and the coatings applied thereto fracture
and separate and reveal uncoated fiber ends which absorb
grease. Moreover, breaks or fractures might occur and
the oil and/or grease can leak out of the package.
Consequently, there is a continuing need for a
flexible paper popcorn package with reduced layers and
particularly formed of a single layer of flexible paper.
Further, as set forth above, the problem of grease
wicking and actual leaking is especially present at folds
and creases where the fibers of the paper and coatings
applied thereto for the greaseproofing characteristics
are fractured and/or separated. This problem has been
one of the major factors in limiting the amount that the
material and/or number of layers can be reduced in
flexible paper popcorn bags, as the mass and number of
layers of material are relied upon to provide the needed
grease barrier. Thus, a need exists for optionally
providing an added grease barrier at only those locations
especially at folds and creases where grease wicking and
leaking are a problem, with the added grease barrier
allowing minimization of the material and/or number of
layers at the remaining locations where grease wicking
and leaking are not such a problem.
Surprisingly, the above needs and other objectives
can be satisfied by providing a package in the form of a
bag including grease protectors for sealing the surfaces
of the walls of the bag adjacent to their connecting,
folding edges to prevent the grease or oil from leaking
or wicking from the interior volume of the bag.
In a preferred aspect, the package includes pleated,
expandable side walls, with the grease protectors located
CA 02448708 2006-07-24
22694-1540D
- 5 -
inside of the bag where the inside surfaces of the pleats
overlie other inside surfaces of the bag and also located
outside of the bag where the outside surfaces of the pleats
overlie other outside surfaces of the bag.
In yet another preferred aspect of the present
invention, the bag holds popcorn kernels and grease or oil
for popping in a microwave oven, with the bag formed of a
single layer of greaseproof paper having a thickness
allowing the single layer to be flexed by the popping of the
popcorn kernels and also preventing the wicking and leaking
of the grease or oil through the single layer.
In yet another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a package for holding a food product including
grease or oil and for heating in a microwave oven
comprising, in combination: a flexible bag including a
bottom wall, a top wall, and at least a first side wall
extending between the top and bottom walls, with the top,
bottom and side walls including first and second ends, with
the first side wall including first and second pleats with
the pleats being connected together at first edges and with
the first pleat having a second, opposite edge connected to
the bottom wall and the second pleat having a third,
opposite edge connected to the top wall, with the bag
further including an end wall at the first ends of the top,
bottom and side walls; susceptor means for converting
microwave energy into heat extending over a portion of the
bottom wall spaced from the first and second ends of the
bottom wall; means for closing the second ends of the top,
bottom, and side walls and for allowing the consumer to open
the package after microwave cooking; first means inside of
the bag joining the first pleat to the bottom wall adjacent
to the second edge; and second means inside of the bag
joining the second pleat to the top wall adjacent to the
CA 02448708 2006-07-24
22694-1540D
- 5a -
third edge, with the first and second joining means
preventing the grease or oil from leaking or wicking from
inside the bag through the edges.
In yet another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a package for holding a food product including
grease or oil comprising, in combination: an expandable bag
having an interior volume for holding the food product and
the grease or oil and including at least first and second
walls connected together at first edges, with each of the
first and second walls having first and second surfaces,
with the bag having a collapsed condition and an expanded
condition, with the interior volume of the bag increasing as
the bag expands from the collapsed condition to the expanded
condition, with the first and second walls being folded
about the first edges with the first surfaces overlying each
other in the collapsed condition, with the first and second
walls extending from the first edges at an angular relation
to each with the first surfaces being spaced from each other
in the expanded condition; and means joining the first
surfaces together adjacent to the first edges to prevent the
grease or oil from leaking or wicking from the interior
volume of the bag.
In a yet further aspect of the invention, there is
provided expandable, paper, popcorn package for holding
popcorn kernels and grease or oil for popping in a microwave
oven comprising, in combination: a bag having an interior
volume and a closed end openable by a consumer after
microwave cooking; and susceptor means for converting
microwave energy into heat extending over a portion of the
bag, with the popcorn kernels and the grease or oil
generally overlying the susceptor means during microwave
cooking; and wherein the bag is formed of a single layer of
greaseproof paper having a thickness allowing the single
CA 02448708 2006-07-24
22694-1540D
- 5b -
layer to be flexed by the popping of the popcorn kernels and
also preventing the wicking and leaking of the grease or oil
through the single layer.
The present invention will become clearer in light
of the following detailed description of an illustrative
embodiment of this invention described in connection with
the drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The illustrative embodiment may best be described
by reference to the accompanying drawings where:
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a package
fabricated in accordance with the preferred teachings of the
present invention in generally its collapsed, storage
condition, but illustrated slightly expanded to show
constructional details.
Figure 2 shows a top plan view of the package of
Figure 1, with portions broken away to show constructional
details.
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the package
of Figure 1 in its expanded condition.
Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the
package of Figure 1 in a condition slightly prior to its
expanded condition of Figure 3.
All figures are drawn for ease of explanation of
the basic teachings of the present invention only; the
extensions of the Figures with respect to number, position,
relationship, and dimensions of the parts to form the
preferred embodiment will be explained or will be within
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
-6-
the skill of the art after the following teachings of the
present invention have been read and understood. Further,
the exact dimensions and dimensional proportions to
conform to specific force, weight, strength, and similar
requirements will likewise be within the skill of the art
after the following teachings of the present invention
have been read and understood.
Where used in the various figures of the drawings,
the same numerals designate the same or similar parts.
Furthermore, when the terms "top", "bottom", "first",
"second", "side", "end", and similar terms are used
herein, it should be understood that these terms have
reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as
it would appear to a person viewing the drawings and are
utilized only to facilitate describing the invention.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
A package for use in microwave ovens according to the
preferred teachings of the present invention is shown as
an expandable, flexible bag in the drawings and generally
designated 18. It will facilitate the ensuing
description to consider bag 18 in the horizontal position
when placed in the microwave oven as opposed to a
vertical or upright position when the contents of bag 18
are being consumed by the consumer. Therefore, bag 18
includes a bottom wall 20, a top wall 22, an end wall 24,
side walls 26 and a closed end 28. In the preferred
form, the width of bottom wall 20 is less than the width
of top wall 22, although the widths of walls 20 and 22
could be equal.
End wall 24 provides a non-opening permanent seal to
the first end of bag 18. Particularly, the cross sectional
makeup of end wall 24 includes a number of folds that are
not important to an understanding of the present invention
so will not be specifically described, although end wall
24 should be constructed so as to seal adequately the
vapor created within bag 18 during the heating thereof in
the microwave oven. In the preferred form of the present
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
-7-
1 invention, end wall 24 is shown as being of the type
shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,973,810 and is formed by
folding the first ends of bottom, top, and side walls 20,
22, and 26 over top wall 22. Alternatively, end wall 24
can have a flat rectangular or square configuration, with
such bags being commonly referred to as square bottom
bags in the trade. Further, bag 18 can optionally
include the non-heated.flap of the type shown and
described in U.S. Patent No. 4,864,090. However, it
should be appreciated that end wall 24 can be a variety
of types and configurations such as but not limited to
the types shown in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,973,045; 4,450,180;
4,691,374; and 5,044,777.
in the most preferred form, side walls 26 include
gussets or pleats 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d that enable side
walls 26 to expand during a heating cycle. Particularly,
in the preferred form, pleats 26a and 26b are connected
together at first edges and have second and third,
opposite edges connected to bottom wall 20 and top wall
22, respectively. Likewise, pleats 26c and 26d are
connected together at fourth edges and have fifth and
sixth, opposite edges connected to bottom wall 20 and top
wall 22, respectively. in the preferred form, in its
collapsed condition, pleats 26a and 26c have the same
width and overlie bottom wall 20, and pleats 26b and 26d
have the same width which is greater than the width of
pleats 26a and 26c and overlie pleats 26a and 26c, with
top wall 22 overlying pleats 26b and 26d. in the
preferred form, bottom and top walls 20 and 22 have a
width extending beyond the interconnections of pleats 26a
and 26b and of pleats 26c and 26d when bag 18 is in its
collapsed condition. The second, free ends of pleats
26a, 26b, 26c and 26d forming side walls 26, of bottom
wall 20, and of top wall 22 are co-planar, and have the
same extent or length from end wall 24.
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
1 End 28 provides a peelable closure seal wbich fails
during microwave cooking adjacent the second, free ends
of bottom, top and side walls 20, 22, and 26 or in other
words, adjacent the second end of bag 18. This peelable
seal failure allows trapped steam to vent from the
package, as well as allowing the consume;r to open bag 18
after microwave cooking and prior to eating. In the most
preferred form, end 28 is formed in a manner as shown and
described in U.S. Patent No. 5,189,272, and iincludes first
and second V-shaped adhesive strips 34 and 36. Strip 34 is
located on bottom w.all 20 having first and second,
straight legs 34a and 34b interconnected by their first
ends at an angle in the order of 140 and having their
15. second ends extending to. the interconnection of pleats
26a and 26c to=bottom wall 20, respectively. Strip 36
overlies strip 34 and is located on top wall..22==-having
first and second, straight legs 36a.and 36b
interconnected by their first ends at an angle in the
order of 140 and having their second ends extending to
=the interconnection of pleats 26b and 26d to top wall 22,
respectively. The distance or spacing of the second ends
of legs 34a, 34b, 36a, and 36b from the second, free ends
of walls 20, 22, and 26 is greater than the distance or
spacing of the first ends and intersections of legs 34a,
34b, 36a, and 36b from the second, free ends of walls 20,.
22, and 26. It can then be appreciated that leg 34a
adheres and seals pleat 26a to bottom wall 20, leg 34b
adheres and seals pleat 26c to bottom wall 20, leg 36a
adheres and seals pleat 26b to top wall 22, and leg 36b
adheres and seals pleat 26d to top wall 22. Further,
strips 34 and 36 adhere and seal bottom wall 20 to top
wall 22 at their central portions 37 intermediate the
interconnections of pleats 26a and 26b and of pleats 26c,
and 26d.
Areas 38a, 38b, 38c and 38d are formed and defined by
the material between the free ends of walls 20, 22, and 26
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
_g_
1 and strips 34 and 36 and located on the opposite side of
strips 34 and 36 forming the peelable seal than end 24,
with areas 38a, 38b, 38c, and 38d being free of adhesive
and unsealed in the preferred form. Due to the angular
orientation of legs 34a, 34b, 36a, and 36b, areas 38a,
38b, 38c, and 38d are of a triangular configuration.
Further, since the first ends of legs 34a, 34b, 36a, and
36b are located in the central portions 37 of bottom and
top walls 20 and 22 having widths extending beyond pleats
26a, 26b, 26c, and 26d and since legs 34a, 34b, 36a and
36b extend therefrom in a linear manner at an obtuse
angle to the opposite edges of pleats 26a, 26b, 26c, and
26d, areas 38a, 38b, 38c, and 38d are of a large size for
grasping by the consumer and specifically are considerably
larger than flaps formed by adhesive extending at small
angles relative to each other and only through the pleats
such as when a box-like shape is desired as disclosed in
U.S. Patent 5,044,777.
However, it should be appreciated that end 28 can be
a variety of types and configurations according to
preferred aspects of the present invention such as but
not limited to the types shown in U.S. Patent Nos.
3,973,045; 4,450,180; 4,691,374; 4,864,090; 4,973,810;
and 5,044,777.
Attention is now directed to a susceptor pad 30 that
extends over a portion of bottom wall 20 spaced from end
wall 24 and end 28. Susceptor pad 30 can be formed in
any suitable manner known in the art such as a metalized
plastic film adhered to bottom wall 20, as a paper backed
susceptor, or as a coating applied or printed to bottom
wall 20. Further, although susceptor pad 30 is shown as
overlying bottom wall 20 and thus located inside of bag
18, susceptor pad 30 can be located outside of bag 18
with bottom wall 20 overlying susceptor pad 30. Further,
placement of susceptor pad 30 can occur at the material
convertor or on the manufacturing lines.
It can then be appreciated that bag 18 can be
manufactured as current bags are manufactured for example
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
-10-
1 of the type shown and described in U.S. .Patent Nos.
4,450,180; 4,735,513; 4,878,765; 4,691,374; or 5,044,777.
In this regard, bag 18 can be formed by cutting a web of
material to length, folding that length of material to
form the tubular bag stock including bottom, top, and
side walls 20, 22, and 26, and then forming end wall 24
by folding and adhering bottom, top and side walls 20, 22,
and 26. It should be noted that the overlapping edges of
the web of material forming the tubular bag stock has
been omitted in Figures 1-3 for ease of illustration.
It should also be noted that the free, second ends of
bottom, top, and side walls 20, 22, and 26 are all of the
same length and specifically do not require any special
cuts and/or do not require extra components to form tabs
or flaps.
It can further be appreciated that bag 18 can be
filled with the desired food product as current bags are
filled for example of the type shown and described in
U.S. Patent 4,450,180. After filling, strips 34 and 36
can be adhered to walls 20, 22, and 26 utilizing standard
equipment presently utilized to form the peelable seal of
current bags. It of course should be appreciated that
the particular manner of manufacture and filling of bag
18 can be done in a variety of ways and manners such as
but not limited to the example set forth above.
For the sake of completeness, it will be assumed
that the contents of bag 18 are popcorn kernels and the
popped kernels have been generally indicated by the
reference numeral 40, having been popped when in the
microwave oven. Particularly, as with current bags, bag
18 in a collapsed condition is placed in a microwave oven
with bottom wall 20 resting upon the bottom surface of
the oven cavity. When subjected to microwave energy,
susceptor pad 30 converts microwave energy into heat,
with the heat and remaining microwave energy causing the
popping of the kernels and the creation of water vapor.
The water vapor and heated air cause side walls 26 to
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
-11-
1 expand to extend from their connecting edges at an
angular relation to each other and the inside surfaces of
pleats 26a, 26b, 26c,.and 26d being spaced from the inside
surfaces of.bottom and top walls 20 and 22, expanding-bag
18 and increasing=the interior volume inside of bag 18
for popped kernels 40. it can then be appreciated that
due to its flexible nature, bag 18 will expand to a
football like shape, including separating pleats 26a and
26b and pleats 26c and 26d adjacent to the second ends of
bottom, top and side walls 20, 22, and 26.
According to the.most preferred teachings of the
present invention, bag 18 is formed of a single layer of
greaseproof paper having a thickness allowing the single
layer to be flexed by the popping of the popcarn kernels
and also providing adequate greaseproof properties in
storage, transportation, or cooking throughout the thick-
ness of the paper to prevent wicking and leaking of grease
or oil through the single layer. It has been discovered
that by the selection of raw fibers as well as highly
refining the raw fibers in the process of making the
paper, the fibers themselves in the paper are resistant
to grease staining and gives the paper greaseproof
properties even when fold'ed or creased. Particularly,
the highly refined fibers have less tendency to fracture
revealing uncoated fiber ends which absorb grease, but
rather the bonds between the fibers tend to stretch, bend,
or fracture and thus not revealing fractured fiber ends.
Specifically raw fibers selected from the group of 100%
chemical softwood pulp such as 100% bleached Kraft
softwoods and which are highly refined to a freeness
level in the order of 150 to 250 cubic centimeters have
been found to provide adequate greaseproof properties
when formed into paper having a basis weight of 11.5 kg.
(25 lb.)/ream to 20.5 kg. (45 lb.)/ream and in the most
preferred form in the order of 16 kg. (35 lb.)/ream.
In the most preferred form, bag 18 is formed of a single
layer of paper, Code No. 220-3510 produced by Rhinelander
Paper Company, 515 W. Davenport Street, Rhinelander,
Wisconsin 54501.
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
-12-
1 Consequently, with the foregoing description in mind,
it should now be apparent that bag 18 according to the
teachings of the present invention is much more flexible
than current conventional popcorn bags because of its
single layer and elimination of the laminating adhesive.
Further, benefits of the single layer of paper softening
during microwave cooking due to heat and steam give bag
18 more flexibility and less stiffness. Due to this
increased flexibility, bag 18 according to the preferred
teachings of the present invention inflates or expands
from its collapsed, storage condition to an inflated or
expanded condition having a larger interior volume than
the same size current conventional popcorn bags, with bag
18 of the present invention allowing the popped kernels
to pop with greater volume.
it can further be appreciated that the single
layer forming bag 18 according to the teachings of the
present invention provides economic advantages over
current multilaminate popcorn bags by reducing the amount
of paper material used for each bag 18 and also by
eliminating the adhesive and the laminating steps
required in multilaminate popcorn bags. Additionally,
with the reduction in the amount of paper material used
for each bag 18 and the elimination of the laminating
adhesive, less package material in the form of garbage
after the consumption of the popcorn is required to be
disposed of resulting in environmental advantages over
multilaminate popcorn bags.
When the amount of paper material utilized in the
formation of bags 18 is minimized, whether.of a
multilaminate and especially of a single-ply construction,
the consistent prevention of grease wicking and actual
leaking in the fold or creased areas is a problem. Bag
18 according to the most preferred teachings of the
present invention provides an added option of provisions
for built-in grease leak protection at the creases.
Particularly, in the most preferred form, grease
protectors 42a, 42b, 42c, and 42d are provided located
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
-13-
1 inside of bag 18 for sealing bottom wall 20 to pleat 26a,
top wall 22 to pleat 26b, bottom wall 20 to pleat 26c,
and top wall 22 to pleat 26d, respectively, adjacent to
their respective connecting edges, with grease protectors
42a, 42b, 42c, and 42d sticking or joining the inside
surfaces of bottom wall 20 to pleat 26a, top wall 22 to
pleat 26b, bottom wall 20 to pleat 26c, and top wall 22
to pleat 26d, respectively, together adjacent to their
respective connecting edges. Further, in the most
preferred form, grease protectors 44a and 44b are
provided located outside of bag 18 for sealing pleat 26a
to pleat 26b and pleat 26c to pleat 26d, respectively,
adjacent to their respective connecting edges, with
grease protectors 44a and 44b sticking or joining the
outside surfaces of pleat 26a to pleat 26b and pleat 26c
to pleat 26d, respectively, together adjacent to their
respective connecting edges. in the most preferred form,
grease protectors 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, 44a and 44b are
applied during the printing process in the form of strips
of preapplied heat seal adhesive on one or both sides of
the connecting edges or of strips of preapplied cohesive
on both sides of the connecting edges, such as Duraset 12,
or equivalent.
Grease protectors 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, 44a and 44b
are selected to actually seal the paper forming bag 18
together just above and adjacent the connecting edges.
Grease protectors 42a, 42b, 42c, and 42d actually block
the flow of grease to the folded or creased areas of the
connecting edges, and grease protectors 44a and 44b block
the flow of grease away from the folded or creased areas
of the connecting edges, thus preventing grease wicking
or leaking. Further, in the preferred form, the adhesive
or cohesive forming grease protectors 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d,
44a and 44b is selected to release or peel during
expansion or inflation of bag 18 during microwave cooking
such that the expanded or inflated volume of bag 18 will
CA 02448708 2003-12-08
-14-
1 not be reduced utilizing grease protectors 42a, 42b, 42c,
42d, 44a and 44b from the expanded or inflated volume of
bag 18 not utilizing grease protectors 42a, 42b, 42c,
42d, 44a and 44b.
it can then be appreciated that grease protectors
42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, 44a and 44b according to the
teachings of the present invention provide an added
grease barrier at the folded and creased areas where
grease wicking and leaking are especially a problem,
with grease protectors 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, 44a, and 44b
allowing minimization of the material andJor number of
layers forming bag 18 where grease wicking and leaking
are not such a problem.
Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be
embodied in other specific forms without departing from
the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of
which forms have been indicated, the embodiments
described herein are to be,considered in all respects
illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the
invention is to be indicated by the appended claims,
rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes
which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of
the claims are intended to be embraced therein.
What is claimed is:
