Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 1 -
High pressure extraction capsule
Field of the invention
The present invention relates generally to preparing ready-
to-drink beverages that have the potential of treating or
preventing diseases or enhancing the health of a human. In
certain embodiments, the invention discloses a multi-
compartment capsule that is capable of extracting active
ingredients using high pressure in one compartment and mix
that extract with the ingredients of the downstream
compartment and extract the downstream ingredients at same
or lower pressures in order to provide a freshly mixed
extract for consumer use.
Background of the Invention
Herbs have been used in tea bag formats for decades now
with claims to improve well-being of consumers. Many
customers would select herbs over drugs since they are
natural ingredients that usually have no side effects.
However, the making of a drink from herbs requires tea bags
and some time for preparation of the drink. The herbs in
the tea bags are usually dried and preprocessed, which
reduces the potential of enhancing the health of the
consumer. Furthermore if the tea bag is stored for some
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191
PCT/EP2014/066415
- 2 -
time before preparing the drink the taste and health
enhancing quality of the herbs degrade as well.
During the past few years there has been a significant
increase in devices, methods and capsules used to prepare
ready-to-drink beverages. Companies like Nestle and Kourig
already have household products in the market that serve
consumers hot or cold tea and/or coffee.
Most of the capsules used for ready-to-drink beverages
contain a coffee filter or a coarse nonwoven material to
retain the ground particles. Membranes have also been
incorporated into capsules for various reasons.
For example in WO 2010112353 Al that focuses on a capsule
with filter for preparing a liquid nutritional or food
composition, usage of a weak membrane layer is described
that will rupture at a given pressure.
In WO 2009092629 Al a sterilizing grade membrane having a
0.2pm rated pore size and made of polyethersulphone,
cellulose acetate or polyamide is used to retain the
possible bacteria that are present in the beverage. They
also mention that it may be problematic to filter some
infant formulas since they contain probiotics; i.e. good
bacteria that helps digestion.
The document WO 2008117329 Al describes a capsule with a
perfectly flat top, containing a filter paper at the
entrance of the capsule in order to create a homogeneous
flow path into the capsule.
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 3 -
However, WO 2010128031 Al teaches away from such a concept
since such a large filter surface at the entrance of the
capsule requires a thick and rigid plastic support
underneath and those additional parts increases the price
of the capsule. Also mentioned is the environmental impact
of these additional plastic parts. It is claimed that the
filter surface should be much less than the mouth of the
capsule to minimize the plastic usage as support.
Furthermore the idea of cleaning the incoming water has
been introduced in order to increase the quality of the
water by filtering it from microorganisms and viruses.
However, in order to prepare the drink from a capsule a
liquid, e.g. water, must be injected into the capsule and
then remain in the capsule as long as required to extract
the active ingredients from the ground herbs and roots.
Afterwards, the solution comprising the liquid and the
active ingredients must be ejected from the capsule.
Usually this requires a device that is capable of holding
the capsule and providing the required liquid streams into
the capsule and out of the capsule after uptake of the
active ingredients. In order to ensure proper preparation
of the herb containing beverage the amount and pressure of
the liquid must be within predetermined ranges of
parameters.
It is an objective of this invention to provide for a
capsule that allows for easy preparation of beverages with
active ingredients from herbs and roots.
Summary of the invention
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 4 -
The present invention addresses, among other things, a
novel membrane based capsule design that includes a valve
system for ready to drink beverages.
For this, the invention relates to a high pressure
extraction capsule for single beverage preparation with a
porous hydrophobic membrane that acts as a barrier to fluid
flow up to a certain pressure and exceeding said pressure
allows for extracting the fluid with active ingredients but
still acts as a barrier to particles, particularly ground
herbs or roots, wherein the pore size of the membrane is
bigger than 0.45pm and wherein the hydrophobic membrane is
arranged to have a surface tension of less than 40
dynes/cm, i.e. less than 40 mN/m.
Water intrusion pressure for a membrane is a function of
its surface tension and it pore size. Increasing amounts of
superhydrophobic chemistry and decreasing the pore size
will increase the water intrusion pressure. Therefore, by
arranging the membrane to have superhydrophobic
characteristics that equals a surface tension of less than
40 dynes/cm will provide for a valve effect that
facilitates usage of such membrane in a capsule.
The benefit of such a membrane is four fold. First, the
membrane provides for filtration of the ground herbs and
roots, which is already known from prior art. Secondly, the
membrane provides for retention of bacteria that can
potentially be introduced into the drink via the herbs or
roots or by the liquid that is used for fabrication of the
beverage. Thirdly, the membrane provides resistance to the
liquid flow, i.e. water flow, and allows for building up a
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 5 -
predetermined pressure to facilitate high pressure
extraction of active ingredients of the ground herbs and
roots. According to the invention a suitable membrane can
be capable of withstanding high pressures, e.g. like more
than 100 psi, i.e. more than approx. 690 kPa or 6.9 bar. By
adapting the hydrophobic characteristics and the pore size
the water resistance pressure can be predetermined to a
given value in the range between e.g. 15 psi and more than
100 psi, preferably between 50 psi and 75 psi (i.e. between
approx. 130 kPa / 1.3 bar and more than 690 kPa / 6.9 bar,
preferably between approx. 345 kPa / 3.5 bar and 517 kPa /
5.2 bar). The membrane then acts like a valve and prevents
water from crossing the membrane if the pressure is less
than the predetermined water resistance pressure. The water
that has been injected into the capsule will remain within
the capsule and extract the active ingredients from the
ground herbs and roots, resulting in a solution of active
ingredients in water. However, if the pressure that is
applied to the water upstream of the membrane is increased
and exceeds the pressure value of the predetermined water
resistance pressure, the membrane becomes permeable for the
solution and allows for discharging the solution from the
capsule. Fourthly, the hydrophobic membrane enables a user
friendly and clean capsule disposal step upon beverage
preparation for the end user, i.e. non-drip capsule. When
beverage preparation is complete and the water pressure is
released, depending on the material and surface tension of
the membrane, the membrane becomes hydrophobic again i.e.
the membrane valve closes. This property of the membrane
enables the upstream accumulated liquid, if any, to be
retained in the compartment, preventing a spill during the
disposal of the used capsule.
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 6 -
This novel capsule design eliminates the effects of packing
density of the ground herbs on extraction pressure build
up. Resistance to flow is created by the hydrophobic
membrane. Therefore, there is no need for a dense porous
structure created by the compacted microparticles of the
ground herbs and roots in order to retard the fluid within
the capsule for increased uptake of active ingredients.
High permeability is another important characteristic of
the membranes used in a ready to drink beverage. A membrane
with high permeability only requires coverage of a small
area in a capsule and therefore results in low
manufacturing cost. There is, however, a trade-off between
permeability and water intrusion pressure (pore size) for a
hydrophobic filtration membrane. Greater intrusion
pressures can be achieved by sacrificing permeability.
Therefore the preferred way of increasing water intrusion
pressure is manipulating the surface energy i.e. the
surface tension of the membrane.
Preferably the hydrophobic membrane is arranged to have a
surface tension of less than 35 dynes/cm, more preferably
approx. 30 dynes/cm. Such a superhydrophobic membrane can
have a large pore size but still act as a valve, i.e. at
the same time have a large water resistance pressure. As
soon as the water pressure exceeds the predetermined water
resistance pressure, the membrane opens and has a high
permeability, resulting in a large flow of solution through
the membrane and correspondingly short discharge times for
emptying the compartment.
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 7 -
For some applications it might be desirable to provide for
even more water resistance pressure. The hydrophobic
membrane can be arranged to have a surface tension of less
than 25 dynes/cm or even less than 20 dynes/cm.
According to an embodiment of the invention the pore size
of the hydrophobic membrane ranges from 0.45pm to 10pm,
preferably from 0.45pm to 5pm. Pore sizes below 0.45pm
reduce the permeability and result in undesired long
discharge times. However, pore sizes above 5pm or 10pm will
no longer effectively filter the most common bacteria that
should not remain in or be added into the beverage.
A particular capsule according to the invention comprises
an inlet port, a compartment for holding a substance with
active ingredients like, e.g. ground herbs or roots, an
outlet port and a hydrophobic membrane that separates the
compartment from the outlet port. The characteristics of
the hydrophobic membrane control the required pressure and
the retention period of the liquid within the compartment
and therefore the maximum uptake duration for transferring
the active ingredients of the ground herbs into the
solution.
In order to support the hydrophobic membrane a nonwoven
backing can be used. Particularly for membranes with a high
water resistance pressure it is advantageous to combine the
membrane with a supporting nonwoven that adds to the
strength of the membrane.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the
hydrophobic membrane is supported by a support means of the
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 8 -
capsule. Said support means may comprise a web-like support
structure or radially inward extending protrusions mounted
at side walls of the compartment that extend over the area
that is covered by the hydrophobic membrane. Such support
means can possess sufficient resisting power to hold the
membrane in place and to prevent any damage to the membrane
that might be incurred by excess pressure or a high liquid
throughput.
In order to enable new possibilities for easy preparation
of beverages that contain different ingredients the capsule
comprises a first compartment and a second compartment,
wherein the inlet port opens into the first compartment and
the second compartment opens out into the outlet port,
wherein a first membrane separates the second compartment
from the outlet port, wherein the first compartment is
separated from the second compartment by means of a second
membrane, and wherein, preferably but not necessarily, the
second membrane has a higher water resistance pressure than
the first membrane. A first ingredient that requires high
pressure for extracting the active ingredients into
solution can be placed in the first compartment and a
second ingredient with active ingredients that are best
dissolved at lower pressure is placed in the second
compartment. Depending on the location of the membrane
having higher water resistance pressure, e.g. first or
second compartment, the position of the ingredients can
also be swapped.
For preparation of the beverage a fluid like, e.g. water,
is filled into the capsule. At low pressure the water
cannot penetrate the second high pressure membrane and
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 9 -
remains in the first compartment. The water extracts the
active ingredients that are positioned in the first
compartment until the pressure is raised above the
predetermined water resistance pressure of the second
membrane, e.g. 5 bar. After that the second membrane
becomes permeable and allows for the water with the
dissolved or extracted active ingredients from the first
compartment to flow through the second membrane into the
second compartment.
In the second compartment there are substances with active
ingredients that efficiently dissolve at a lower pressure,
e.g. 0.1 bar. The first membrane that is positioned between
the second compartment and the outlet port has a water
resistance pressure of e.g. 0.1 bar that is much lower than
the water resistance pressure of the second membrane. The
solution that permeated from the first compartment only
stays for a short duration of time in the second
compartment for uptake of the active ingredients in this
compartment. The solution that now contains two different
active ingredients will then be ejected through the first
membrane. The first membrane may be hydrophilic, as it is
not necessary for the first membrane to withstand a high
pressure of the solution that comes from the first
compartment. The pore size of the first membrane can be
tailored in order to allow for efficient filtration of the
solution before leaving the capsule.
If the beverage shall comprise more than two different
active ingredients, the capsule may consist of three or
more compartments that are separated from each other by
means of membranes.
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 10 -
In a further embodiment of the capsule a flow distributing
member is arranged between two adjacent compartments. The
flow distributing member enhances turbulences of the water
flow through the compartments and supports dissolution of
the active ingredients as well as better mixing of the
solution within the compartments.
The flow distributing member can be a membrane. The pore
size and structure of the membrane can be arranged to
enhance flow distributing effects of the membrane.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be
set forth in the detailed description and claims, which
follow. Many modifications and variations of this invention
can be made without departing from its spirit and scope, as
will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is to be
understood that the foregoing general description and the
following detailed description, the claims, as well as the
appended drawings are exemplary and explanatory only, and
are intended to provide an explanation of various
embodiments of the present teachings. The specific
embodiments described herein are offered by way of example
only and are not meant to be limiting in any way.
Brief description of the drawings
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate the
presently contemplated embodiments of the invention and,
together with the description, serve to explain the
principles of the invention.
CA 02921266 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 11 -
Figure 1 schematically depicts a cross sectional view of
capsule with one compartment, wherein an outlet port is
covered by a first porous hydrophobic membrane,
Figure 2 shows a schematic graph representation of the
resulting water resistance pressure as a function of the
amount of additional crosslinker used for modification of
the membrane surface,
Figure 3 schematically depicts a cross sectional view of a
capsule with two compartments separated by a second porous
hydrophobic membrane,
Figure 4 depicts a partial sectional view of the capsule
that is shown in figure 3,
Figure 5 depicts a partial sectional view of the capsule
from a different point of view,
Figure 6 depicts an exploded view of the capsule that is
shown in figures 3 to 5, and
Figure 7 depicts the capsule with a closing lid.
Description of the embodiments
All publications, patents and patent applications cited
herein, whether supra or infra, are hereby incorporated by
reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each
individual publication, patent or patent application was
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 12 -
specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated
by reference.
Before describing the present invention in further detail,
a number of terms will be defined. Use of these terms does
not limit the scope of the invention but only serve to
facilitate the description of the invention.
As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the"
include plural referents unless the context clearly
dictates otherwise.
For the purposes of this specification and appended claims,
all numeric values expressing quantities of ingredients,
percentages or proportions of materials, reaction
conditions, and other numerical values used in the
specification and claims, are to be understood as being
modified in all instances by the term "about", whether or
not the term "about" is expressly indicated.
Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the
numerical parameters set forth in the description and in
the following specification and attached claims are
approximations. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges
and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the
invention are approximations, the numerical values set
forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as
possible. Moreover, all ranges disclosed herein are to be
understood to encompass all subranges subsumed therein. For
example, a range of "1 to 10" includes any and all
subranges between (and including) the minimum value of 1
and the maximum value of 10, that is, any and all subranges
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 13 -
having a minimum value of equal to or greater than 1 and a
maximum value of equal to or less than 10, e.g., 5.5 to 10.
The terms "optional" or "optionally" mean that the
subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not
occur, and that the description includes instances where
the event occurs and instances where it does not.
The terms "filter medium", "filter media", "filtration
media", or "filtration medium" refer to a material, or
collection of material, through which a fluid carrying
active ingredients for a ready to drink beverage and/or a
microorganism contaminant passes, wherein microorganism is
deposited in or on the material or collection of material.
The terms "flux" and "flow rate" are used interchangeably
to refer to the rate at which a volume of fluid passes
through a filtration medium of a given area.
The term "capsule" refers to any container that is capable
of holding solids that can be exposed to a fluid flow.
Usually a capsule comprises a compartment with an inlet
port and an outlet port. According to the present invention
a membrane is arranged to act as a barrier between a
section within the compartment that holds the substances
with active ingredients and the outlet port.
The membranes are prepared from a broad range of polymers
and polymer compounds, including thermoplastic and
thermosetting polymers. Suitable polymers include, but are
not limited to, nylon, polyimide, aliphatic polyamide,
aromatic polyamide, polysulfone, cellulose, cellulose
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 14 -
acetate, polyether sulfone, polyurethane, poly(urea
urethane), polybenzimidazole (PBI), polyetherimide,
polyacrylonitrile (PAN), poly(ethylene terephthalate),
polypropylene, polyaniline, poly(ethylene oxide),
poly(ethylene naphthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate),
styrene butadiene rubber, polystyrene, poly(vinyl
chloride), poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinylidene fluoride),
poly(vinyl butylene), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA),
copolymers, derivative compounds and blends and/or
combinations thereof.
Non-limiting examples of single or multilayered porous
substrates or support means include porous film membranes.
Porous film membranes are produced from a variety of
thermoplastic polymers, including polyamides, polysulfones,
polyvinylidene fluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene,
cellulose, cellulose esters, polyacrylonitrile, etc.
Methods of producing porous film membranes include solution
phase inversion, temperature-induced phase separation
(TIPS), vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS), solvent and
chemical etching, room temperature and heat-assisted
biaxial stretching, and combinations thereof.
Figure 1 schematically depicts one embodiment of the
present invention wherein a capsule 1 comprises an inlet
port 2 into a compartment 3 within the capsule and an
outlet port 4. A high pressure membrane 5 is attached to a
bottom 6 of the compartment 3 and covers the outlet port 4,
thereby separating the compartment 3 from the outlet port
4. Within the compartment 3 there are ingredients 7 like,
e.g. ground herbs and roots.
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 15 -
A fluid, e.g. water, can be injected through the inlet port
2 into the compartment 3. If the fluid is injected with a
pressure that is below a predetermined fluid or water
resistance pressure of the membrane 5, the fluid cannot
exit the compartment 3 and remains within the compartment
3. During this time, the fluid dissolves the solvable
active ingredients of the ingredients 7 like e.g. ground
herbs and roots and becomes a solution that contains the
already solved active ingredients.
If the pressure is increased above the predetermined water
resistance pressure of the membrane 5, the membrane 5
becomes permeable and the solution is ejected from the
compartment 3 through the membrane 5 and the outlet port 4.
Figure 2 shows the resulting water resistance pressure of a
polyethersulfone membrane 5 after surface modification with
a 4% hydrophobic Zonyl monomer as a function of the amount
of crosslinker used, e.g. hexanedioldiacrylate.
Figure 2 displays that by surface modification the water
intrusion pressure of a cast polyethersulfone (PES)
membrane can be easily varied from 15 psi to 75 psi,
without changing its pore size rating.
The resulting water resistance pressure was determined
according to the pressure gauge reading in an apparatus
were water is delivered from a pressurized tank into a 47mm
stainless steel membrane holder. Pressurized water is
applied upstream of the membrane and downstream side is
monitored for any water flow. The pressure at which water
CA 02921266 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 16 -
starts to flow downstream of the membrane is recorded as
the water intrusion pressure.
Flux is the rate at which fluid passes through the sample
of a given area and was measured by passing deionized water
through filter medium samples having a diameter of 47mm
(9.6cm2 filtration area). The water was forced through the
samples using about 25 in Hg vacuum on the filtrate end via
a side arm flask.
Bubble point test provides a convenient way to measure
effective pore size. Bubble point is calculated from the
following equation:
P=-27cos8 ,
r
where P is the bubble point pressure, 7 is the surface
tension of the probe fluid, r is the pore radius, and 0 is
the liquid-solid contact angle.
Membrane manufacturers usually assign nominal pore size
ratings to commercial membrane filters, which are based on
their retention characteristics.
Surface tension is used interchangeably with critical
wetting surface tension (CST) of a porous membrane. CST
is equal to the surface tension of the highest surface
tension solution which wet the porous membrane in 2 seconds
or less. The test is conducted as follows: One drop from an
eye drop type bottle is added to the porous membrane
surface and the time to wet, or penetrate the porous
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 17 -
surface, is measured. The surface is arbitrary deemed to be
wet by the test solution if the penetration of the surface
is 2 seconds or less. CST test solutions are prepared by
mixing water and isopropylalcohol in various ratios to
achieve surface tensions of 21 - 72 dynes/cm, and by mixing
water and sodium chloride in various ratios to achieve
surface tensions of 73 - 100 dynes/cm.
In figures 3 to 7 there is shown a capsule 1 with a first
compartment 3, a second compartment 8 and a third
compartment 16, wherein the inlet port 2 opens into the
first compartment 3, the second compartment 8 is between
the first compartment 3 and the third compartment 16, and
the third compartment 16 opens out into the outlet port 4.
A first membrane 9 separates the second compartment 8 from
the third compartment 16 and the outlet port 4. The first
compartment 3 is separated from the second compartment 8 by
means of a second membrane 10. Both compartments 3 and 8
contain ingredients 7 with solvable active ingredients that
will be solved by the fluid that streams through the
compartments 3 and 8. For some applications it might be
advantageous to insert additional ingredients 7 also into
the third compartment 16.
The second membrane 10 has a higher water resistance
pressure than the first membrane 9. According to the
embodiment shown in figures 3 and 4, the second membrane 10
has a water resistance pressure of 5 bar, whereas the first
membrane 9 has a water resistance pressure of 0.1 bar.
Therefore, the first compartment 3 contains ingredients 7
with active ingredients that require long exposure time or
high fluid pressure for effective dissolution. In the
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 18 -
second compartment 8 there are ingredients 7 with active
ingredients that easily dissolve at low pressure or short
exposure times. By way of example, the first compartment 3
may contain ground herbs and roots with active ingredients
that are difficult to dissolve, and the second compartment
8 may contain other ground herbs or roots that are easily
dissolved. According to another example the first
compartment 3 may contain ground coffee, whereas the second
compartment 8 contains milk powder. According to yet
another example the first compartment 3, the second
compartment 8 and the third compartment 16 may contain
three different ingredients for a dietary supplement drink.
The second membrane 10 is supported by a support disc 11
with many openings 12 that result in a web-like
configuration of the support disc 11. As shown in figure 4,
the first membrane 9 may be supported by radially inward
extending protrusions 13 that are arranged in order to
provide for a flat mounting support for the membrane 9.
It is also possible to support the first membrane 9 by a
support disc 11' that is similar to the support disc 11 for
the second membrane 10. The capsule 1 with support discs 11
and 11' are shown in figures 5 to 7.
For manufacturing the capsule 1 a housing 14 as well as the
first membrane 9 and the second membrane 10 are
prefabricated. The water resistance pressure of the first
membrane 9 differs from the water resistance pressure of
the second membrane 10 in a manner that the water
resistance pressure of the second membrane 10 is
CA 029216 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 19 -
significantly higher than the water resistance pressure of
the first membrane 9.
The first membrane 9 is introduced into the housing 14 and
mounted above the radially projecting protrusions 13.
Afterwards, the also prefabricated support disc 11 is
mounted in the housing 14 of the capsule 1 at a distance to
the first membrane 9. The second membrane 10 is mounted on
top of the support disc 11. The second membrane 10 is at a
distance to the first membrane 9 as well as at a distance
to the inlet port 3 of the capsule 1. The first membrane 9
then separates the housing 14 of the capsule 1 into the
third compartment 16 and the remaining first and second
compartment 3 and 8, whereas the second membrane 10
separates the housing 14 of the capsule 1 into the first
compartment 3 and the second compartment 8. Of course
instead of the radially projecting protrusions 13 an
additional support disc can be placed above the outlet port
4, if the first membrane 9 requires such a support.
The capsule 1 can be sealed with a closing lid 15 that is
only shown in figure 7. The closing lid 15 may be either
rigid or flexible and can be made of any suitable material.
The disclosure set forth above may encompass multiple
distinct inventions with independent utility. Although each
of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred
form(s), the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and
illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting
sense, because numerous variations are possible. The
subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and
nonobvious combinations and subcombinations of the various
CA 02921266 2016-02-12
WO 2015/022191 PCT/EP2014/066415
- 20 -
elements, features, functions, and/or properties disclosed
herein. The following claims particularly point out certain
combinations and subcombinations regarded as novel and
nonobvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and
subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or
properties may be claimed in applications claiming priority
from this or a related application. Such claims, whether
directed to a different invention or to the same invention,
and whether broader, narrower, equal, or different in scope
to the original claims, also are regarded as included
within the subject matter of the inventions of the present
disclosure.
