Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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VOLATILE MATERIAL-CONTAINING COMPOSITIONS HAVING AN END OF
SERVICE INDICATOR
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to volatile material-containing compositions
having an end
of service indicator and methods of indicating the end of service of a
volatile material emitted
from a volatile material-containing composition.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Volatile material-containing compositions are used for various purposes. Such
purposes
include, but are not limited to releasing into a room or other space, volatile
materials such as
perfumes or scented materials, insecticides, air fresheners, deodorants,
aromacology,
aromatherapy, or any other volatile that acts to condition, modify, or
otherwise charge the
atmosphere or to modify the environment.
There are several drawbacks to known compositions used for these purposes. One
significant drawback is the fact that it can be difficult for a user to
determine when the volatile
material has been depleted. For the purpose of this application, we will refer
to the situation
where a volatile has been depleted to the point of no longer providing the
benefit intended by the
manufacturer as "end of service." Determining end of service can be difficult
because the carrier
of the volatile may still be present, thus leaving no visual indication that
the volatile material has
been depleted. This situation is complicated when multiple perfume ingredients
are involved.
Commonly, the more highly volatile perfume ingredients (referred to as the
"top notes" and the
"middle notes") are depleted before the less volatile bottom notes. This
results in a confusing
situation for the user, since the device still emits a scent, but the scent
character is different
(predominately "bottom notes"). In this case, the user may not have a visual
or clear olfactory
indication of end of service, since a scent is still emitted. Unfortunately, a
predominately "bottom
note" scent is usually not as desirable as the full perfume profile. Often,
the user would prefer to
replace the volatile-containing composition at this point. Therefore, a need
still exists for means
to visually indicate the end of service of a volatile-containing material.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to volatile material-containing compositions having an
end of
service indicator and methods of indicating the end of service of a volatile
material emitted from a
volatile material-containing composition. Several non-limiting embodiments are
described
herein, each of which may constitute an invention in its own right or together
with other
components. In one non-limiting embodiment, the volatile material-containing
composition
comprises a carrier, at least one volatile material, and at least one volatile
dye. The composition
has a first state when energy is not applied to the composition, and a second
energized state when
energy is applied to the composition. The volatile material and volatile dye
are emitted at a first
level from the volatile material-containing composition in the first state and
the volatile material
and volatile dye are emitted from the volatile material-containing composition
at a second higher
level in the second state. The volatile material-containing composition
returns to the first state
when energy is no longer applied to the volatile material-containing
composition. Preferably, the
composition releases less than 10 mg/hour of the volatile material and less
than 10 g/hour of the
volatile dye at 25 C and 50% relative humidity (RH).
Methods of providing a visual indication of the depletion of a volatile
material from a
volatile material-containing coniposition are also disclosed.
Numerous other enlbodiments are also possible, including, but not limited to
those
described in the following detailed description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to volatile material-containing compositions having an
end of
service indicator and methods of indicating the end of service of a volatile
material emitted from a
volatile material-containing composition. Several non-limiting embodiments are
described
herein, as are several components of the system, each of which may constitute
an invention in its
own right or together with other components.
The volatile materials can be emitted in various facilities, which include but
are not
limited to rooms, houses, hospitals, offices, theaters, buildings, and the
like, or into various
vehicles such as trains, subways, automobiles, airplanes and the like.
The term "volatile materials" as used herein, refers to a material that is
vaporizable. The
terms "volatile materials", "aroma", and "scents", as used herein, include,
but are not limited to
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pleasant or savory smells, and, thus, also encompass scents that function as
insecticides, air
fresheners, deodorants, aromacology, aromatherapy, or any other volatile that
acts to condition,
modify, or otherwise charge the atmosphere or to modify the environment. It
should be
understood, however, that perfumes, aromatic materials, and scents will often
be coinprised of one
or more volatile materials (which may form a unique and/or discrete unit
comprised of a
collection of volatile materials).
The term "volatile dyes," as used herein, refers to soluble or insoluble
coloring matter that
is vaporizable. The chemical composition can be a single component or mixture.
Preferably, the
volatile dye is readily vaporizable at a relatively low temperature. For
example, it is preferable
that the volatile dye have a vapor pressure at room temperature greater than
1x10-5 torr.
Preferably, the volatile dye has a Kovat's index (as determined by a DB-5
column) of from about
1000 to about 2000. More, preferably, the volatile dye has a Kovat's index of
from about 1000 to
about 1700.
Kovat's Index (KI, or Retention Index) is defined by the selective retention
of solutes or
perfume raw materials (PRMs) onto the chromatographic columns. It is primarily
determined by
the column stationary phase and the properties of solutes or PRMs. For a given
column system, a
PRM's polarity, molecular weight, vapor pressure, boiling point and the
stationary phase property
determine the extent of retention. To systematically express the retention of
analyte on a given
GC column, a measure called Kovat's Index (or retention index) is defined.
Kovat's Index (KI)
places the volatility attributes of an analyte (or PRM) on a column in
relation to the volatility
characteristics of n-alkane series on that column. Typical columns used are DB-
5 and DB-1.
By this definition the KI of a normal alkane is set to 100n, where n = number
of C atoms
of the n-alkane. It can be shown that they are related in the form shown
below.
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2500
2000
1500
KI
1000
~ ~= a KI
500
0
0 5 10 15 20 25
C # of n-alkanes
Figure 1. Kovat's Index of n-alkanes on GC columns
With this definition, the Kovat's index of a PRM, x, eluting at tinle t',
between two n-
alkanes with number of carbon atoms n and N having corrected retention times
t'õ and t'N
respectively will then be calculated as:
KI =100(ya + logt'x-logt'õ ) (1)
logt'N-logt'õ
On a non-polar to slightly polar GC stationary phases, KI of PRMs are
correlated with
their relative volatility. For example, PRMs with smaller KI tends to be more
volatile than that
with larger KI. Ranking PRMs with their corresponding KI values give a good
comparison of
PRM evaporation rates in liquid-gas partitioning systems.
The volatile dye provides a visual indication of end of service by evaporating
at a
correlating rate to one or more of the volatile materials. The evaporation of
the dye results in a
color change in the volatile material-containing composition. For example, in
a preferred
embodiment the volatile material-containing composition is initially blue in
color. As the
composition is used, the volatile dye will be depleted, resulting in a
reduction in the blue color.
Depending on the carrier and otlier factors, end of service may be indicated
by a complete loss of
color or reduced shade of color. In a preferred embodiment, the volatile
material-containing
composition is contained in a device that has a color code or color guide to
assist a user of the
device in interpreting color clianges in the composition.
The type of volatile dye and the amount used in the composition will vary
depending on
the desired indication. For example, in one embodiment, the depletion of the
volatile dye will
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correlate with the depletion of the "middle note" perfume ingredient of the
volatile material. In
another embodiment, the depletion of the volatile dye will correlate with the
depletion of the "top
note" perfume ingredient of the volatile material. In an alternative
embodiment, the depletion of
the volatile dye will correlate with the depletion of a volatile material that
is not a perfume.
In a preferred embodiment, the volatile dye is based off of the azulene
(Bicyclo (5.3.0)
Decapentaene) structure. An "azulene base structure" is a 10 carbon structure
wherein a seven
member ring is fused to a five member ring. Preferably, the volatile dye is
selected from the
group consisting of 6-methyl-azulene; 1-(1-azulenyl)-2,2,2-trifluoro-ethanone;
4,6,8-trimethyl-
azulene; 7-ethyl-1,4-dimethyl-azulene; 1,4-dimethyl-7-(1-methylethyl)-azulene;
azulene, and
mixtures thereof. More preferably, the volatile dye is selected from the group
consisting of 1,4-
dimethyl-7-(1-methylethyl)-azulene, azulene, and mixtures thereof.
In one non-limiting embodiment, the volatile material-containing composition
comprises
a carrier, at least one volatile material, and at least one volatile dye. The
composition has a first
state when energy is not applied to the composition, and a second energized
state when energy is
applied to the composition. The volatile material and volatile dye are emitted
at a first level from
the volatile material-containing composition in the first state and the
volatile material and volatile
dye are emitted from the volatile material-containing composition at a second
higher level in the
second state. The volatile material-containing coniposition returns to the
first state when energy
is no longer applied to the volatile material-containing composition.
Preferably, the composition releases less than 10 mg/hour of the volatile
material and less
than 10 g/hour of the volatile dye at 25 C and 50% relative humidity (RH).
More preferably,
the composition releases less than 5 mg/hour of the volatile material and less
than 5 g/hour of
the volatile dye at 25 C and 50% relative humidity (RH). Even more preferably,
the composition
releases less than 1 mg/hour of the volatile material and less than 1 g/hour
of the volatile dye at
25 C and 50% relative humidity (RH).
Preferably, the composition contains up to about 0.1% of volatile dye by
weight. More
preferably, the composition contains up to about 0.08% of volatile dye by
weight. Preferably, the
composition contains at least about 0.001% of volatile dye by weight. More
preferably, the
composition contains at least about 0.003% of volatile dye by weiglit.
In one embodiment, a system for dispensing scents into the environment can be
provided
which comprises one or more components containing one or more scents or
aromatic materials.
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In such an embodiment, the system preferably comprises a dispensing device,
such as a device
and one or more aromatic material-containing articles of manufacture, or
"scent-containing
articles of manufacture", which may be provided in the form of fragrance
"cartridges". Each
cartridge can provide a single volatile composition, or a combination of
different volatile
materials, such as a combination of different scented materials. In certain
embodiments, each of
the cartridges provides a collection of scents that conveys, e.g., a theme, an
experience, a
physiological effect, and/or a therapeutic effect.
The volatile compositions of interest herein can be provided in any suitable
form. In
some embodiments, scents are provided by volatile compositions comprising
perfume, such as
perfume oils, that are incorporated onto or into a suitable carrier. The
carriers can be provided in
the following non-limiting forms: a solid, a liquid, a paste, a gel, beads,
encapsulates, wicks, a
carrier material, such as a porous material impregnated with or containing the
perfume, and
combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the carrier is in the form of a
pliable solid which
can be melted and have the perfume ingredients added thereto in order to form
a composition that
is in the form of a pliable solid structure or matrix at room temperature (73
F (25 C), 50% RH).
In certain embodiments, the volatile composition has a viscosity of from about
1,000 Cps
to about 1,000,000 Cps, or more, measured at a shear stress of 100 Pa in a
rotational rheometer,
like the AR2000 (TA instruments New Castle, Delaware, USA), using a 40-mm
diameter cone-
and-plate geometry at 25 C. Such a composition can exist as a gel up to at
least about 13,000
Cps. In certain embodiments when the composition is in the form of a pliable
solid, it can have a
viscosity of from about 100,000 to about 1,000,000 Cps.
In one non-limiting embodiment, at room temperature, the composition is in the
form of a
structure that is a structured polymeric pliable solid. Such a structure may
be porous or non-
porous. The structure may be homogeneous (which may also be referred to herein
as
"continuous"), or non-homogeneous. In many embodiments, it is desirable for
the structure to be
permeable to volatile materials contained therein. This will allow the
structure to release the
volatile materials contained therein when desired. In preferred versions of
such an embodiment,
the composition comprises a non-porous, homogeneous, permeable, structured
polymeric pliable
solid.
The volatile composition can be formed in a number of different manners. In
one
embodiment, the composition can be made by adding the volatile ingredient(s)
and volatile dye(s)
to a carrier, such as polyethylene glycol (or "PEG"). The volatile
ingredients, such as perfumes,
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and the volatile dyes are preferably iniscible with the carrier, and after
cooling, forms a pliable
solid-like at room temperature. PEG is available in various molecular weights.
While PEG's
having low molecular weights (or "MW") (e.g., molecular weights less than 400)
can be used as
solvents for perfumes, such PEG's are liquids at room temperature, and may be
used, but are not
preferred for use in the compositions described herein. In more preferred
embodiments of the
composition, the MW of PEG is greater than or equal to about 1,000, or greater
than or equal to
about 4,000. It is desirable that the MW of PEG be greater than or equal to
about 8,000. The
molecular weight of PEG may be as high as 24,000, or higher. All molecular
weights specified
herein are weight average molecular weights.
Other suitable carriers are hydrogenated castor oil and high chain fatty
acids, particularly
those with a chain length of greater than or equal to 14 carbon atoms. In
certain embodiments, it
is desirable for the majority of the composition to comprise such a carrier
and the volatile
ingredient(s). Thus, such a carrier and the volatile ingredient(s) may
comprise more than about
20%, alternatively, more than about 50% of the composition, by weight. In
certain embodiments,
it may be desirable for the composition (and/or the carrier) to also be
substantially free of HPC
(hydroxy propyl cellulose).
It may be desirable to utilize a structurant with the carrier. A structurant
can be used for
any suitable purpose. Examples of such purposes include, but are not limited
to providing the
structure formed by the composition with greater stability. The structurant
can reduce the
tendency of the structure to release the volatile material(s) and volatile
dye(s) at low temperatures
(e.g., ambient or storage or shipping temperatures). Thus, the volatile
material(s) and volatile
dye(s) will not be released until energy is applied to the structure in order
to release the volatile
material(s) and volatile dye(s). Any suitable structurant can be used.
Suitable structurants
comprise any substance that includes a divalent cation. Substances that
comprise divalent cations
include, but are not limited to magnesium and calcium containing molecules
such as magnesium
and calcium chloride, magnesium and calcium carbonate. Other suitable
structurants include, but
are not limited to derivatives of castor oil, including, but not limited to
hydrogenated castor oil.
It may also be desirable for the composition to include at least one wax.
Waxes can be
used for any suitable purpose, including, but not limited to raising the
melting temperature of
structure formed by the composition for improved stability. Any suitable
wax(es) can be used. In
certain embodiments, it is desirable for the wax to have a melting point that
is greater than that of
the carrier. If the carrier is PEG, the melting point of the wax may, for
example, be greater than
about 50 C. Suitable waxes include, but are not limited to waxes that are
derivatives of the
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carrier, for example, derivatives of PEG. Waxes that are derivatives of the
carrier may be
preferred because the structurants that are capable of structuring the carrier
will also be able to
structure the waxes in order to further raise the melting point of the entire
matrix. It may also be
desirable that the wax does not have an affinity for the volatile material so
that it does not affect
the emission rate or delivery of the volatile material.
In one embodiment, the composition is formed by combining polyethylene glycol
(or
"PEG"), hydrogenated castor oil, and a low level of at least one wax, at least
one volatile
ingredient, and at least one volatile dye.
The volatile ingredient(s) can comprise a number of components or
compositions,
including, but not limited to: fragrances (or perfume oils), flavors,
pesticides, repellants, or
mixtures thereof.
The volatile ingredient(s) and volatile dye(s) can be combined with the
carrier material in
any suitable manner. Several suitable manners in which the volatile
ingredient(s) and volatile
dye(s) can be combined with the carrier material include, but are not limited
to: by entrapment;
the volatile ingredient(s) and volatile dye(s) can be dissolved in the carrier
material; the volatile
ingredient(s) and volatile dye(s) can be partially encapsulated or completely
encapsulated in the
carrier material.
The components of the composition can be incorporated into the composition in
any
suitable amounts. In some embodiments, it may be desirable for the
concentration of the volatile
material(s) to be greater than about 5% of the composition. More preferably,
the concentration of
the volatile material(s) is greater than about 10% of the composition. In some
embodiments, the
concentration of the volatile material(s), such as the perfume ingredients,
may be as high as about
75%, or more of the composition. In other embodiments, the amount of volatile
material(s) may
range range from about 25% to about 75% of the composition. In some
embodiments, the
composition contains up to about 0.1% of volatile dye by weight. In other
embodiments, the
composition contains up to about 0.08% of volatile dye by weight. In some
embodiments, the
composition contains at least about 0.001% of volatile dye by weight. In other
embodiments, the
composition contains at least about 0.003% of volatile dye by weight. The
carrier (such as
polyethylene glycol) may coinprise the balance of the composition. In some
embodiments, the
carrier may range from about 25% to about 75%, or more. In alternative
embodiments, the carrier
may be present in an amount that is less than this range. The structurant
(such as hydrogenated
castor oil) level may range from about 0 to about 15%, 20%, 30%, 40%, or more.
The wax level
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may range from about 0 to about 3%, 5%, or more. All percentages stated herein
are by weight of
the composition, unless stated otherwise. The amounts of the components are
typically selected
so that they total 100%. However, it is also possible for other components to
be added to the
composition, in which case the weights of the components such as the carrier,
volatile material(s),
volatile dye(s), structurant, and wax may total less than 100% of the
composition.
The structure (or matrix) comprising the composition can be thermally
triggered or
otherwise energized to emit the volatile material(s) and volatile dye(s). Such
a structure can
undergo a transition between a variety of different states depending on the
temperature to which
the structure is heated. For instance, in some embodiments, the composition
can exist in any of
the following phases: solid, gel, liquid, and mixtures thereof. Each phase of
the composition can
provide different volatilization characteristics. In the case of scented
materials, this can include
different volatilization rates, intensities, scent characters, emission
profiles, etc. In some
embodiments, the change in state of the composition'is reversible in that it
can change back to, or
toward, more solid states. In some einbodiments, it may be possible to vary
the form or state of
the composition from solid-like to gel-like by controlling the proportions of
the components of
the composition. For example, the composition will become less solid-like and
more gel-like with
the addition of additional structurant, such as hydrogenated castor oil. The
reversible
liquefication/gellation/solidification of the structure can be used to
regulate or control the release
of the volatile material. In most compositions, in the case of fragrance
compositions, at lower
temperatures, the more highly volatile perfume components (the "top notes")
will volatilize first.
In the case of certain embodiments of the compositions described herein, if
the composition is
heated above its melting point (until it becomes a liquid), the perception of
the volatile
composition will be more true to the desired essence of the character, scent,
flavor, etc. of the
volatile material since all of the components of the material will be emitted
at the same intensity
at the desired temperature and time from the highly volatile perfume
components (the "top notes")
to the less volatile ("bottom notes"). Thus, in certain embodiments, there is
minimum partitioning
of the volatile material composition and consistency of
character/concentration over time. In the
case of the examples set out herein, the melting point of the matrix is about
52 C. When energy is
no longer applied, the structure goes back to a wax-like solid state or
pliable solid which reduces
the tendency of the volatile material to escape.
In certain embodiments, it is desirable for the composition to be heated to a
temperature
that is in excess of the melting point of the carrier. The addition of perfume
ingredients will
typically lower the melting temperature of the composition. As perfume
ingredients are
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volatilized, the melting temperature of the remaining portion of the
composition will increase. If
the composition is always heated to a melting temperature above that of the
carrier, then this will
always provide sufficient energy to the composition in order to emit the
volatile components
therefrom.
The composition may provide certain advantages. It should be understood in
this regard,
however, that the composition need not provide any of these advantages unless
specified in the
appended claims. In some embodiments in the case of fragrance compositions,
the composition
can deliver a longer lasting aroma. For example, certain gels which have been
previously used to
contain volatile materials will release the more volatile perfume components
even without being
heated, or otherwise energized. This will reduce the longevity of such
compositions, and will
effect the character of the perfume that is emitted when the composition is
heated. In some
embodiments, the composition can retain the volatile material(s) better than
some other
compositions during periods when the volatile material(s) are not intended to
be emitted. In some
embodiments, the composition can be more compatible with the material of the
container in which
is placed (which may be referred to as "supporting material"). Often perfume
oils are not
compatible with plastics. However, when perfume oils are incorporated into the
composition
described herein, the composition may be more compatible with plastic
materials. Without
wishing to be bound to any particular theory, it is believed that the volatile
material-containing
composition described herein will have a greater surface tension than that of
the perfume oil, to
reduce or eliminate migration of the perfume oil from the composition, a
phenomenom known as
wicking. In some embodiments, the composition will have a surface tension of
higher than 20
dyne/cm and lower than 25 dyne/cm. In some embodiments, the composition will
have good
stability at elevated temperatures (e.g., up to about 120 F, or 50 C) and/or
high humidity (e.g., up
to; or greater than or equal to about 80% RH), even at high volatile material
concentrations. That
is, the composition will not change shape or physical state under such
conditions. In certain
embodiments, the composition provides a structure that will not change its
physical state (e.g.,
become more liquid) even when it absorbs water, such as humidity.
The coinposition may, in some embodiments, also be advantageous in that it may
contain
relatively high levels of volatile material (e.g., from about 25% to about 75%
by weight of the
composition). The composition can also incorporate a large number, range,
spectrum (or
portfolio) of different volatile materials. This is possible due to the
ability to alter/adjust the
polarity of the carrier to match the polarity of the volatile material by
modifying the level of the
structurant (e.g., hydrogenated castor oil). For example, in the case of the
compositions described
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herein, the polarity of the volatile material(s) can be in the range of from
about 2 to about 5
Debyes, yet the compositions may still be stable under a wide range of storage
conditions. This
allows combinations of perfumes that are typically not compatible to be
incorporated into
compositions (for example, vanilla, coffee, cinnainon, which are very polar,
can be combined
with fruits (e.g., lemon), or other types of perfume ingredients that are at
the other end of the
polarity spectrum. In addition, the structure of the composition that
incorporates the volatile
material(s) may be reversible (that is, it can be converted from a more solid
state (e.g, a pliable
solid) to a more liquid state, and then back to a more solid state). This may
provide the
composition with handling, storing, and processability benefits. The term
reversible is used with
respect to a change in the physical state of the composition and not to the
ability to return to its
initial condition. It should be understood that the amount of volatile
components released or lost
during use is an irreversible process.
In a preferred embodiment, the volatile-containing composition of the present
invention is
contained in a device. Preferably, the device has a window that allows a user
of the device to
view the composition as it changes color. In addition, the device preferably
has a color code or
color guide to assist a user of the device in interpreting color changes in
the composition.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of providing a
visual
indication of the depletion of a volatile material from a volatile material-
containing composition.
The method comprises providing a volatile material-containing composition
comprising a carrier,
a volatile dye that is miscible in the carrier and at least one volatile
material that is miscible in the
carrier. The composition has a melting temperature that is lower than the
melting temperature of
the carrier. The composition has a first state when energy is not applied to
the composition, and
a second energized state when energy is applied to the composition. The
volatile material-
containing composition is heated to a temperature above that of the melting
temperature of the
carrier, resulting in a portion of the volatile material and the volatile dye
evaporating upon
heating. The evaporation of the volatile dye results in a color change in the
volatile materi-al-
containing composition. Preferably, when heat is no longer applied to the
volatile material-
containing composition, the composition returns to the first state.
In a preferred embodiment, the evaporation rate of the volatile dye is within
about 10% of
the evaporation rate of the volatile material. More preferably, the
evaporation rate of the volatile
dye is within about 8% of the evaporation rate of the volatile material. Even
more preferably, the
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evaporation rate of the volatile dye is within about 5% of the evaporation
rate of the volatile
material.
EXAMPLES
Table 1 provides some non-limiting examples of scented compositions that can
be made
according to the description herein.
Table 1
Perfume% PEG% Hydrogenated Wax % Azulene 1,4-Dimethyl-7-(1-
Castor Oil % methylethyl)-Azulene %
25 75 0 0 0.01 ---
50 45 5 0 0.02 ---
40 30 30 0 --- 0.0175
40 40 20 0 0.0175 ---
40 48 10 2 --- 0.02
50 42 5 3 --- 0.02
25 0 75 0 0.05 0.05
The disclosure of all patents, patent applications (and any patents which
issue thereon, as
well as any corresponding published foreign patent applications), and
publications mentioned
throughout this description are hereby incorporated by reference herein. It is
expressly not
admitted, however, that any of the documents incorporated by reference herein
teach or disclose
the present invention.
It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given
throughout this
specification will include every lower numerical limitation, as if such lower
numerical limitations
were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation given
throughout this
specification will include every higher numerical limitation, as if such
higher numerical
limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given
througliout this
specification will include every narrower numerical range that falls within
such broader numerical
range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.
While particular embodiments of the subject invention have been described, it
will be
obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications of
the subject invention
can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In
addition, while the
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present invention has been described in connection with certain specific
embodiments thereof, it
is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not by way of
limitation and the scope of
the invention is defined by the appended claims which should be construed as
broadly as the prior
art will permit.
