Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A Pack
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a pack for a tobacco industry product such as
smoking
articles. In particular, the invention relates to a hinged-lid pack having a
base
containing a bundle of smoking articles and a lid mounted to the base for
rotation
between open and closed positions to enable access to the bundle of smoking
articles to
be obtained.
io Background
Smoking articles, such as cigarettes, are sold in packs. Known packs often
comprise an
outer carton made from cardboard which has a base and a hinged lid. The base
contains
a bundle of smoking articles. The smoking articles are wrapped in a flexible
barrier layer having an extraction opening to facilitate removal of a smoking
is article from the pack by a consumer when the lid is open. The opening is
closed
by a flexible cover which extends over the extraction opening and which may be
peeled back by a consumer once the lid has been pivoted into an open position
to
reveal the extraction opening. A peripheral region of the cover may be coated
with a non-permanent re-sealable adhesive where it overlaps the barrier layer
20 around the edge of the opening so that the cover can be peeled back and
replaced
a number of times to re-seal the pack and maintain freshness of the smoking
articles remaining in the pack.
It is also known to provide an insert within the pack. The insert is received
25 between the front wall of the pack and the barrier layer that is wrapped
around
the tobacco industry product. The insert may have information relating to the
product printed or otherwise applied to it. The insert is usually longer than
the
height of the front wall of the base so that an upper edge portion of the
insert is
visible to a consumer upon opening the lid and can be grasped to enable it to
be
30 extracted from the pack.
Summary
In accordance with embodiments of the invention, there is provided a pack
comprising
a base having a front wall and containing a tobacco industry product wrapped
in a
35 barrier layer to form a bundle, a lid mounted to the base for rotation
between open and
closed positions, and an extraction opening in the barrier layer defined by a
removable
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section through which tobacco industry products may be extracted from the
bundle,wherein a label is attached to said removable section and has a
peripheral
portion that extends beyond the extraction opening and peels away from the
barrier
layer together with said removable section to open the extraction opening,
wherein a
flexible insert is attached to the label such that, when the label is peeled
away from the
barrier layer, the insert is at least partially extracted from the pack.
In some embodiments, the insert is received within the bundle and has a
portion that
lies behind said removable section of the barrier layer.
The portion of the insert may be indirectly attached to said label by being
attached to
said removable section. Alternatively, the pack may comprise an aperture in
said
removable section, and the portion of the insert that lies behind said
removable section
may be directly attached to said label through the aperture.
Preferably, the portion of the insert is attached using a peelable adhesive
and the pack
is configured so that the insert is initially extracted from said bundle as
the label is
peeled away from the barrier layer into an intermediate position, further
peeling of the
label beyond said intermediate position causing the label to peel away from
said insert
to leave the insert partially extracted from the pack.
In some alternative embodiments, the insert is received between the bundle and
the
front wall of the pack and has a portion that extends between the label and
the barrier
layer.
The portion extending between the label and the barrier layer has an outer
surface
which is preferably attached to an underside surface of the label so that the
label is at
least partially extracted from the pack when the label is peeled away from the
barrier
layer.
In a preferred embodiment, the inner surface of the portion extending between
the
label and the barrier layer is releasably attached to the barrier layer when
the lid is
closed.
Most preferably, the portion of the insert attached to the underside surface
of the label
is attached using a peelable adhesive and the pack is configured so that the
insert is
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initially extracted as the label is peeled away from the barrier layer into an
intermediate
position, further peeling of the label beyond said intermediate position
causing the
label to peel away from said insert to leave the insert partially extracted
from said pack.
In any of the embodiments according to the invention, the label may have a
portion
which is attached to an inside surface of the lid, so that the label is peeled
away from
the barrier layer simultaneously with opening of the lid.
In alternative embodiments, the label may have a tab depending from a lower
edge of
io the periphery of the label which is substantially free of adhesive and
which extends over
said portion of the insert.
The portion of the insert can be attached to at least a part of a surface of
the tab facing
the barrier layer. The portion of the insert may also extend beyond said tab
and can be
attached to a peripheral region of the label from which the tab protrudes in
addition to,
or instead of, being attached to the tab.
Preferably, there is a gap between an edge of the extraction opening and an
upper end
of the insert when the pack is closed so that the label adheres directly to
the barrier
layer in this gap.
The insert preferably has a length such that it is fully extracted from the
base before or
when the lid reaches its open position.
In some embodiments, a portion of the insert is adhered to the label using
permanent
adhesive. In this case, the portion may be separable from the remainder of the
insert by
a line of weakness.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only,
with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of a pack according to an embodiment of the
invention, with its lid pivoted into an open position to reveal a wrapped
bundle of
smoking articles received within it, prior to peeling back of a label that
covers an
extraction opening, and in which an insert is received within the bundle;
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FIGURE 2 shows an inner frame in an unfolded condition and which is received
within
the wrapped bundle received within the pack of Figure 1;
FIGURE 3 shows an end view of the inner frame of Figure 2, after it has been
folded
about a charge of smoking articles and prior to being wrapped to form the
bundle for
insertion into the pack of Figure 1;
FIGURE 4 shows a perspective view of a pack according to another embodiment of
the
invention with the lid open, and which differs only from the embodiment of
Figures 1 to
3 in that a lower edge of the label is attached to the inside surface of the
front wall of the
lid so that the label peels back to reveal the extraction opening
simultaneously with
io opening of the lid;
FIGURE 5 shows a slightly modified version of the pack shown in Figure 4;
FIGURE 6 shows a cross-sectional side elevation of an upper portion of a pack
according to Figures 4 or 5 with the lid closed;
FIGURE 7 shows a cross-sectional side elevation of another version of the
upper
is portion of the pack according to Figure 4 or 5 with the lid closed;
FIGURE 8 shows a perspective view of a pack according to another embodiment of
the
present invention in which an insert is received in the base of the pack
between the
front wall of the base and the wrapped bundle, with the lid of the pack being
open and
the insert being partially extracted from the base;
20 FIGURE 9 shows a partial cross-sectional side elevation of an upper
portion of the pack
shown in Figure 8 with the lid in an almost completely open position and the
insert
almost fully extracted from the base of the pack;
FIGURE ma shows a partial cross-sectional side elevation of the upper portion
of the
pack shown in Figures 8 and 9, with the lid in a closed position; and
25 FIGURE lob is a partial cross-sectional side elevation of part of the
upper portion of
the pack shown in Figure ma, but with the lid of the pack in a slightly open
position.
Detailed Description
Reference is made herein to a 'tobacco industry product'. This refers to any
item made
30 in, or sold by the tobacco industry, typically including a) cigarettes,
cigarillos, cigars,
tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own cigarettes, (whether based on tobacco,
tobacco
derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes);
b) non-
smoking products incorporating tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco,
reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes such as snuff, snus, hard
tobacco, tobacco
35 heating devices and electronic cigarettes. This list is not intended to
be exclusive, but
merely illustrates a range of products which are made and sold in the tobacco
industry.
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To enable a consumer to readily peel back a label covering an extraction
opening in a
barrier layer wrapped about a group of tobacco industry products, and which is
releasably adhered to the barrier layer around the periphery of the extraction
opening
using a re-stick adhesive, the label is provided with a tab that depends from
a lower
edge of the label to which no re-stick adhesive is applied. This tab can be
grasped by a
consumer to make it easier to peel the cover away from the access opening once
the lid
of a pack containing a wrapped bundle has been opened.
/o It is common to provide an insert in the pack that lies between a front
wall and the
wrapped bundle of smoking articles or more specifically, between an inner
frame which
is attached to and extends from the open end of the base of the pack, and the
wrapped
bundle. When the lid is opened, a visible portion of the insert may be grasped
by a
consumer and pulled upwardly to extract the insert from the pack. However, it
is often
/5 difficult to provide an insert in the pack during assembly and insertion
of the wrapped
bundle of smoking articles into the pack and/or the insert is difficult to
remove from
the pack. Embodiments of the present invention therefore seek to provide an
improved
pack that seeks to overcome one or more of these issues.
20 Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention that comprises a
rigid card pack 1
with a hinged lid 2 and a base 3 containing a group of cigarettes 4 (see
Figures 2 to 7)
wrapped in a barrier layer 5 to form a bundle 6 that protrudes from the open
end of the
base 3 of the pack 1. The bounds or edges 7 of an extraction opening 8, formed
from a
removable section 5a (see Figures 4 and 5) of the barrier layer 5, for
allowing access to
25 the cigarettes 4 is indicated by dotted lines extending from the
rearside of the barrier
layer 5 across the top of the bundle 6 and down the front as far as a lower
front wall
extraction opening edge 7a. The barrier layer 5, which wraps about the
cigarettes 4,
may be made of metallized plastics or of a plastics/metal foil laminate. A
label 9
overlies the extraction opening 8 and section 5a. The label 9 is a layer of
material
30 having on its undersurface facing the barrier layer 5, and section 5a, a
re-stick adhesive.
Alternatively, a permanent bonding adhesive may be applied to the portion of
the
undersurface of the label 9 that overlaps section 5a but does not extend
beyond it.
Where the label 9 extends beyond the edges 7 of the extraction opening 8, the
undersurface of the label 9 is provided with a coating of re-stick adhesive.
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The label 9 has a lower front wall edge lo and includes a tab ii extending
from the
lower front wall edge 10 which is at least partly free of restick adhesive so
that it may be
flicked up by the user and used to peel back the label 9 in order to open the
extraction
opening 8.
On first opening, the edge 7 of the extraction opening 8 separating section 5a
from the
remainder of the barrier layer 4 may be defined by lines of weakening in the
barrier
material 5 or by actual cuts (shown by dotted lines in Figure 1). When the
label 9 is
pulled back, the section 5a of the barrier layer 5, which remains adhered to
the
io underside of the label 9, separates from the remainder of the barrier
layer 5 along the
lines of weakening or cuts to open the extraction opening 8. The consumer is
then free
to remove cigarettes 4 from the bundle 6 through the extraction opening 8 and,
after
having done so, reseal or close the extraction opening 8 by bringing down the
tab 11 so
that the edge of the label 9 re-adheres to the barrier layer 5 in a region
surrounding the
/5 periphery of the extraction opening 8. The section 5a of barrier layer 5
formed by the
separation when the tab 11 is lifted is returned to its previous position
within the
extraction opening 8. Although there is a line of separation in the barrier
layer 5, it is
covered by the adhered edges of the label 9.
20 To ensure efficient adhesion, an inner frame 13, as shown in Figures 2
and 3, is
provided within the bundle 6 so that it extends partially around the
cigarettes 4 beneath
the barrier layer 5. The inner frame 13 provides a reaction surface underneath
the
barrier layer 5 against the resealing pressure exerted by the label 9 around
the
periphery of the extraction opening 8. As shown in Figure 2, the inner frame
13, which
25 may be made of card, has a front panel 16, two side flaps 17 and a top
flap 18. Score or
fold lines 19, 20 form corners as seen in Figure 3 when the wings 17 are
folded to right
angles with the panel 16. Top flap 18 is also folded to right angles. It can
be seen that
when the inner frame 13 has been folded there is an aperture 21 formed, which
corresponds to the extraction opening 8, and through which cigarettes 4 are
accessible,
30 as indicated in Figure 2. The aperture 21 extends to a base edge 23 in
the front panel 16.
As the tab ii can be relatively difficult to grasp, in a modified embodiment,
the label 9
and/or tab 11 is attached to the inside surface 24 of the front wall of the
lid 2 so that the
label 9 is peeled back to reveal the extraction opening 8 at the same time the
lid 2 is
35 opened. In particular, with the lid 2 in an open position, as shown in
Figure 4, section
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5a of the barrier layer 5 is drawn back to reveal the extraction opening 8 and
enable a
consumer to readily extract a cigarette 4 from the bundle 6.
To achieve simultaneous opening of the lid 2 and label 9, the label 9 has a
region
adjacent to its lowermost edge that is designated as a tab 25. The tab 25 is
folded back
on itself about a fold-line 26 that separates the tab 25 from the remainder of
the label 9
so that a surface 27 of the tab 25 lies against or faces an outer surface of
the label 9
when the lid 2 is closed. The opposite face 29 of the tab 25, which faces
outwardly, is
attached to an inner surface 24 of the lid 2 using a permanent adhesive. It
will also be
io appreciated that the outer surface 29 of the tab 25 can be permanently
adhered to the
inner surface 24 of the lid 2 without folding it back prior to gluing. In this
arrangement,
the tab 25 will be folded back relative to the remainder of the label 9 only
when the lid 2
is in an open position.
/5 When the lid 2 is pivoted about hinge 4 into its open position, the
label 9 is also pulled
due to the connection between the tab 25 and the lid 2. This results in the
label 9 being
peeled back or rolled away from the extraction opening 8 with the section 5a
of the
barrier layer 5 also being lifted away from the extraction opening 8 together
with the
label 9. If the pack 1 is being opened for the first time, then region 5a will
also separate
20 from the remainder of the barrier layers along the line of weakening
that separates
region 5a from the remainder of the barrier layers, as the lid 2 is opened. As
the lid 2
opens, the tab 25 pivots relative to the remainder of the label 9 about the
fold-line 26.
It will be appreciated that, when the lid 2 is rotated about the hinge 4 back
into its
25 closed position, the label 9 will roll back across the extraction
opening 8 and the region
of the barrier layer 5a will re-position itself within the extraction opening
8. The
peelable adhesive coating the peripheral region of the label 9 will also re-
adhere to the
barrier layer 5 surrounding the extraction opening 8, thereby closing the pack
1.
30 In either of the embodiments of the pack 1 described above, an insert 32
is received in
the pack 1 and is located inside the bundle 6, i.e. so that it lies between
the smoking
articles 4 and a front wall of the barrier layers. If an inner frame 13 is
received in the
bundle 6, the insert 32 can be located either between the smoking articles 4
and the
inner frame 13 or, between the inner frame 13 and the barrier layer 5. The
insert 32 has
35 an upper end portion 32a that protrudes beyond a lower front wall edge
7a of the
extraction opening 8.
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To aid in extraction of the insert 32, an upper end portion 32a of the insert
32 is
adhered to the inside surface of the section 5a of the barrier layer 5 which
separates
from the remainder of the barrier layer 5 and is peeled back together with the
label 9
when the tab 11 is pulled (in the embodiment of Figure 1) or, when the lid 2
is opened
(in the embodiment of Figures 4 to 6). Figure 6 most clearly shows the
arrangement
when the upper end portion 32a of the insert 32 is adhered to the inside
surface of
section 5a (using an adhesive marked `A'). Alternatively, and irrespective of
whether
the label 9 is attached to the inside surface 24 of the lid 2, the section 5a
of the barrier
io layer 5 may be provided with an aperture 33 in it so that the upper
portion 32a of the
insert 32 can be adhered directly to the undersurface of the label 9 through
the aperture
33. The aperture 33 can be formed by making the section 5a stop short of the
lower
front wall extraction opening edge 7a, as most clearly illustrated in the
cross-sectional
side elevation of Figure 7. Irrespective of whether the insert 32 is attached
to the
/5 section 5a or to the label 9 through an aperture 33 in section 5a, it
will be appreciated
that the insert 32 will be pulled out of the bundle 6 when the label 9 is
peeled back,
either by pulling on the tab 11 or, by opening of the lid 2.
The adhesive, which is used to glue the insert 32 to the section 5a or to the
label 9, is
20 releasable so that the insert 32 can be peeled away and separated from
the section 5a or
label 9 and the insert 32 removed altogether. Whilst this may be done manually
after
peeling the label 9 to open the bundle 6, i.e. after the lid 2 has been
pivoted into the
open position as shown in Figure 4, in which the insert 32 is shown still
attached to the
inside surface of section 5a, it is envisaged that the friction that acts to
retain the insert
25 .. 32 within the bundle 6 and the strength of the releasable adhesive
sticking it to the
section 5a, or to the inside surface of the label 9, will be such that the
insert 32 will
initially be pulled out of the bundle 6 together with the label 9 but then the
adhesive
will separate prior to the label 9 being fully peeled back. This will leave
the insert 32 in
a partially extracted position, but unattached to section 5a or to the label 9
when the
30 label 9 has been fully peeled back, so that a consumer can easily grasp
the partially
extracted insert 32 and remove it from the bundle 6 without have to peel it
away from
section 5a or from the inside surface of the label 9 beforehand. Whilst Figure
4 shows
the insert 32 still attached to the label 9 with the lid 2 in an open
position, Figure 5
shows the alternate arrangement in which the insert 32 and label 9 have
separated from
35 each other prior to the lid 2 reaching the fully open position, so as to
leave the insert 32
partially extracted.
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The upper end of the insert 32, which is received within the bundle 6, is
shown in
Figure 1 in dotted lines. A hatched area 34 also indicates where the upper end
32a of
the insert 32 is releasably glued to the inside surface of section 5a or,
directly to the
label 9, through an aperture 33 in section 5a, so that the insert 32 will be
at least
partially extracted from the bundle 6 when the label 9 is peeled by pulling on
the tab ii.
In any embodiment, the insert 32 may be rectangular in shape and it may have a
width
('W' in Figure 4) that is less than the width of the extraction opening 8
measured in a
io direction extending across the front wall of the bundle 6, to enable the
insert 32 to be
easily extracted through the extraction opening 8, initally by peeling back
the label 9
but also by pulling on the insert 32 directly once the insert 32 and label 9
or section 5a
have become separated from each other. The insert 32 may also be folded prior
to
insertion so that the width of a folded section of the insert 32 is less than
the width of
/5 the extraction opening 8, thereby enabling it to be easily removed
through the
extraction opening 8 prior to unfolding it.
Another embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to
Figures 8
to 10. In this embodiment, the insert 32 is received in the pack 1 and lies
between the
20 bundle 6 and the front wall 3a of the base 3 of the pack 1. The insert
32 has an upper
end 32a that protrudes beyond the upper edge 3c of the front wall 3a of the
base 3 of
the pack 1, when the pack 1 is closed, and extends between a periphery 9a of
the label 9
and the barrier layer 5. An outer surface of the upper end 32a of the insert
32 that faces
away from the barrier layer 5 is secured to the rear face of the label 9 using
adhesive. In
25 a preferred arrangement, the upper end 32a is detatchably secured to the
periphery 9a
of the label 9 using a releasable adhesive so that the insert 32 may be
completely
detatched from the label 9 once the lid 2 is open. However, it is also
envisaged that the
upper end 32a could be spaced from the remainder of the insert 32 by a line of
weakness (not shown) and that the remainder of the insert 32 may be detached
from its
30 upper end 32 a in order to remove it, leaving the upper end 32a behind
and attached to
the periphery 9a of the label 9.
The insert 32 has a rear surface 32c that faces the barrier layer 5. A
releasable and,
preferably, re-stickable adhesive may be applied to the rear surface 32c of
the upper
35 end 32a of the insert 32 so that, when the lid 2 is closed, the rear
surface 32c of the
upper end 32a adheres to the barrier layer 5. If adhesive is applied to a rear
surface 32c
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of the upper end 32a of the insert 32, it may be applied such that it does not
extend all
the way to a point at which the barrier layer 5 meets the top edge 3c of the
front wall 3a
of the base 3 of the pack 1 when the lid 2 is in its closed position, i.e.
there may be an
area between the adhesive applied to the rear surface 32c of the upper end 32a
of the
insert 32 and the top edge 3c of the front wall 3a to which no adhesive of any
kind is
applied. This may make it easier to pivot the lid 2 out of its closed position
during
initial opening of the lid 2.
The insert 32 has an upper edge 32e. Preferably, the upper edge 32e is spaced
from a
io lower edge 7b of the extraction opening 8 when the lid 2 is closed. A
releasable,
preferably re-stickable, adhesive may also be applied to the periphery 9a of
the label 9
in the region between the lower edge 7b of the extraction opening 8 and the
upper edge
32e of the insert 32, so that the periphery 9a of the label 9 will releasably
adhere to the
barrier layer 5 in this region.
As will be apparent from Figures 8 to 10, when the lid 2 is pivoted into its
open
position, the insert 32 is pulled upwardly and out of its pocket between the
bundle 6
and the front wall 3a of the base 3 of the pack 1, due to the connection
between the
upper end 32a of the insert 32 and the periphery 9a of the label 9. Figures 8
and 9 show
a pack 1 according to an embodiment of the invention in which the lid 2 has
almost
reached its fully open position and in which the insert 32 has almost been
completely
removed from the base 3. In some embodiments, the insert 32 may be completely
extracted from the base 3 once the lid 2 has reached its fully open position
and in other
embodiments it may be completely extracted from the base 3 when the lid 2 has
been
partially opened. It will be appreciated that the point at which the insert 32
is
completely removed from the base 3 of the pack 1 is dependent on the overall
length of
the insert 32. If the insert 32 is not fully extracted from the base 3 of the
pack 1, a
consumer may use their fingers to pull the remaining portion of the insert 32
from the
base 3 and either detatch it from the label 9 or, lift it up out of the way to
enable access
to the extraction opening 8 to be obtained. A consumer may then re-insert a
lower edge
32b of the insert 16 back into its pocket between the bundle 6 and the front
wall 3a of
the base 3 of the pack 1 when the pack 1 is closed, although it is anticipated
that a
consumer will be more likely to remove the sheet 32 altogether prior to
closing the lid 2
of the pack 1.
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As has already been described with reference to the embodiments of Figures 1
to 7, in
the embodiment of Figures 8 to 10 the releasable adhesive that attaches the
insert 32 to
the label 9 may also release when the lid 2 has been partially opened so as to
leave the
insert 32 partially extracted from the pack 1. This may happen when the force
required
to pull the insert 32 out of the pack 1 is greater than the strength of the
adhesive gluing
the insert 32 to the label 9, resulting in the insert 32 peeling away from the
label 9 as
the label 9 continues to peel away from the barrier layer 5.
Figure ma shows a cross-sectional side elevation of an upper portion of the
pack 1
/o shown in Figures 8 and 9 with the lid 2 closed, and from which it can be
seen that the
upper end 32a of the insert 32 is received between a lower edge of the label 9
and the
barrier layer 5, with the upper end 32a of the insert 32 stuck to the label 9
so that the
insert 32 will be extracted as the label 9 is peeled back. Figure lob shows
the pack 1 of
Figure ma after the lid 2 has just begun to open, to show how the insert 32 is
drawn out
is of the base 3 of the pack 1, in the direction of arrow X.
Whilst Figures 8 to lo show an embodiment in which the label 9 is stuck to the
inside
surface 24 of the lid 2, it will be appreciated that the label 9 may not be
stuck to the lid
2 in the embodiment of Figures 8 to 10. In this variation, the label 9 is
similar to the
20 label 9 of Figure 1 and the upper end 32a of the insert 32 extends
behind the tab 11 so
that it is stuck to at least a part of the tab ii and/or to the rear surface
of the label 9.
Preferably, part of a lower edge of the tab 11 is left free and is not stuck
to the insert 32
so that a user can still grasp the tab 11 to peel the label 9. When the tab 11
is pulled, the
insert 32 is lifted up together with the label 9 and so at least begins to
slide out of the
25 pack 1. As previously described, the insert 32 may remain attached to
the label 9 for
manual removal once the label 9 has been fully peeled back or, the glue
attaching the
insert 32 to the label 9 may separate before the label 9 has been fully peeled
back to
leave the insert 32 partially extracted. This can be achieved by controlling
the strength
of the adhesive that sticks the insert 32 to the label 9 and/or tab ii
relative to the force
30 required to overcome the friction holding the insert 32 within the pack
1. When the
label 9 is initially opened, the strength of the adhesive may be greater than
the
frictional force so that the frictional force is overcome and the insert 32
begins to slide
out of the pack 1 as the label 9 is peeled back. When the label 9 has reached
an
intermediate position, the frictional force may overcome the strength of the
adhesive
35 holding the insert 32 glued to the label 9 so that the insert 32 and
label 9 will separate
from each other prior to the label 9 reaching its fully open position. The
insert 32 is
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then left partially extracted from the pack 1 and easily accessible, and
removable from
the pack 1, by a consumer.
In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this
disclosure shows by way of illustration embodiments in which the
claimed invention(s) may be practiced and provide a superior pack for smoking
articles.
The advantages and features of the disclosure are of a representative sample
of
embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented
only to
assist in understanding and teach the claimed features. It is to be understood
that
/0 advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures,
and/or
other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the
disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the
claims,
and that other embodiments may be utilised and modifications may be made
without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Various
/5 embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially
of,
various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts,
steps, means, etc. In addition, the disclosure includes other inventions not
presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.
