Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02900923 2016-11-28
CARTON WITH ARTICLE PROTECTION FEATURE
10001]
Background of the Disclosure
100021 The present disclosure generally relates to cartons for holding
beverage containers or
other types of articles. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to
cartons having an article
protection flap and/or access feature that protects the containers or articles
from breakage.
Summary of the Disclosure
100031 In general, one aspect of the disclosure is directed to a carton
for containing at least one
article. The carton comprises a plurality of panels at least partially forming
an interior of the
carton. The plurality of panels comprises a first panel and a second panel,
the first panel and the
second panel being in face-to-face contact to at least partially form the
interior of the carton. The
first panel comprises at least one article protection flap for protecting the
at least one article. The
at least one article protection flap is foldably connected to the first panel
and moveable between a
first position that is substantially parallel to the first panel and a second
position wherein the
article protection flap is folded relative to the first panel. The second
panel comprises at least one
access feature for positioning the at least one article protection flap from
the first position to the
second position.
100041 In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a blank
for forming a carton for
containing at least one article. The blank comprises a plurality of panels for
at least partially
forming an interior of the carton formed from the blank. The plurality of
panels comprising a first
panel and a second panel, the first panel and the second panel are for being
in face-to-face contact
to at least partially form the interior of the carton formed from the blank.
The first panel
comprises at least one article protection flap for protecting the at least one
article. The at least one
article protection flap is foldably connected to the first panel and moveable
between a first
position that is substantially parallel to the first panel and a second
position wherein the article
protection flap is folded relative to the first panel.
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[0005] In another aspect, the disclosure is generally direct to a method of
forming a carton. The
method comprises obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising
a first panel and a
second panel. The first panel comprising at least one article protection flap
foldably connected to the
first panel, and the second panel comprising at least one access feature. The
method comprises
positioning the plurality of panels to at least partially form an interior of
the carton comprising
positioning the first panel and the second panel to be in face-to-face
contact, and loading the at least
one article in the interior of the carton. The method further comprises
accessing the at least one article
protection flap through the access feature and folding the at least one
article protection flap relative to
the first panel after the loading the at least one article. The folding
comprises moving the article
protection flap from a first position that is substantially parallel to the
first panel to a second position
wherein the article protection flap is folded relative to the first panel.
[0006] Other aspects, features, and details of the present disclosure can
be more completely
understood by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary
embodiments taken in
conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims.
[0007] Those skilled in the art will appreciate the above stated advantages
and other advantages and
benefits of various additional embodiments reading the following detailed
description of the
embodiments with reference to the below-listed drawing figures. Further, the
various features of the
drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of
various features and
elements in the drawings may be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate
the embodiments of
the disclosure.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0008] Fig. 1 is a plan view of an exterior surface of a blank for forming
a carton according to a first
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0009] Fig. 2 is an end perspective of the partially assembled carton of
the first embodiment.
[0010] Fig. 3 is a perspective of an assembled carton of the first
embodiment.
[0011] Fig. 4 is a side perspective of an assembled carton of the first
embodiment.
[0012] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an interior surface of the bottom
panel of the carton of the first
embodiment showing article protection flaps.
[0013] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the interior surface of the bottom
panel of the carton of the first
embodiment showing the article protection flaps in a second position.
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[0014] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the interior surface of the bottom
panel of the carton of the
embodiment showing the article protection flaps in a second position.
[0015] Fig. 8 is a plan view of an exterior surface of a blank for forming
a carton according to a
second embodiment of the disclosure.
[0016] Fig. 9 is an end perspective of the partially assembled carton of
the second embodiment.
[0017] Fig. 10 is a side perspective of an assembled carton of the second
embodiment showing
access features.
[0018] Fig. 11 is a side perspective of an assembled carton of the second
embodiment.
[0019] Fig. 12 is a plan view of an exterior surface of a blank for forming
a carton according to a
third embodiment of the disclosure.
[0020] Fig. 13 is a plan view of a second bottom panel of the carton of the
embodiment of Fig. 12
showing the access features.
[0021] Fig. 14 is a plan view of a first bottom panel of the carton of the
embodiment of Fig. 12 with
the article protection flaps in the first position.
[0022] Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference
numbers throughout the
drawings.
Detailed Description of the Exemplary Embodiments
[0023] The present disclosure generally relates to cartons that contain a
single article or a plurality of
articles such as containers, bottles, cans, etc., and protection features of
such cartons that protect the
article or articles or containers from breakage, damage, or deformation. The
article(s) can be used for
packaging food and beverage products, for example, or any other item. The
article(s) can be made
from materials suitable in composition for packaging the particular food or
beverage item, or other
item, and the materials can include, but are not limited to, glass or other
breakable material; aluminum
and/or other metals; plastics such as PET, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, PVC,
EVOH, and Nylon;
paperboard; and the like, or any combination thereof, or any other suitable
material.
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[0024]
Cartons according to the present disclosure can accommodate articles of any
shape. For the
purpose of illustration and not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the
disclosure, the following
detailed description describes food product containers (e.g., glass jars or
beverage bottles) as disposed
within the carton embodiments. The containers could also be beverage
containers (e.g., glass
beverage bottles) without departing from the disclosure. In this
specification, the terms "lower,"
"bottom," "upper" and "top" indicate orientations determined in relation to
fully erected and upright
cartons.
[0025]
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the exterior side 101 of a blank, generally indicated
at 103, used to
form a carton 105 (Fig. 3) according to a first exemplary embodiment of the
disclosure. The carton
105 can be used to house a plurality of articles such as containers C (Fig.
5). In the illustrated
embodiment, the containers C are glass containers. In the illustrated
embodiment, the carton 105 is
sized to house twelve containers C in a single layer in a 3x4 arrangement, but
it is understood that the
carton 105 may be sized and shaped to hold containers of a different or same
quantity in more than
one layer and/or in different row/column arrangements (e.g., 1x6, 2x6, 4x6,
3x8, 2x6x2, 3x4x2, 2x9,
3x4, etc.), or just a single article.
[0026]
The blank 103 has a longitudinal axis Li and a lateral axis L2. In the
embodiment of Fig. 1,
the blank includes a first bottom panel 109 and a second bottom panel 107. The
second bottom panel
107 foldably connected to a first side panel 111 at a lateral fold line 121.
The first bottom panel 109
is foldably connected to a second side panel 113 at a lateral fold line 123. A
top panel 125 is foldably
connected to the first side panel 111 at a lateral fold line 127, and foldably
connected to the second
side panel 113 at a lateral fold line 129.
[0027]
The second bottom panel 107 is foldably connected to a first bottom end flap
131 and a
second bottom end flap 133. The first side panel 111 is foldably connected to
a first side end flap 135
and a second side end flap 137. The second side panel 113 is foldably
connected to a first side end
flap 139 and a second side end flap 141. The top panel 125 is foldably
connected to a first top end
flap 143 and a second top end flap 145. In one embodiment, when the carton 105
is erected, the end
flaps 131, 135, 139, 141, close the first end 151 of the carton 105, and the
end flaps 133, 137, 141,
145 close the second end 153 of the carton 105. In accordance with an
alternative embodiment of the
present disclosure, different flap arrangements can be used for closing the
ends 151, 152 of the carton
105.
[0028]
The end flaps 131, 135, 139, 141 extend along a first marginal area of the
blank 103, and are
foldably connected at a first longitudinal fold line 157 that extends along
the length of the blank. The
end flaps 133, 137, 141, 145 extend along a second marginal area of the blank
103, and are foldably
connected at a second longitudinal fold line 159 that also extends along the
length of the blank 103.
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The longitudinal fold lines 157, 159 may be, for example, substantially
straight, or offset at one or
more locations to account for blank thickness or for other factors.
[0029] In
the embodiment of Fig. 1, the blank 103 has handle features for forming a
handle 161. In
the illustrated embodiment, the handle features comprise a handle flap 163
foldably connected to a
respective first side panel 111 at a longitudinal fold line 165. The blank 103
can have other features
for forming the handle 161, or the blank and/or carton 105 can have a handle
that is alternatively
shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from the disclosure.
Further, the handle 161
can be omitted without departing from the disclosure.
[0030] In
the first embodiment, the blank 103 includes nine article protection flaps 171
arranged in a
3x3 arrangement in the first bottom panel 109, but the blank 103 could have
more or less than nine
article protection flaps 171, and the flaps could be otherwise arranged in
other suitable row/column
arrangements or in a random configuration on the first bottom panel 109,
including a single row or
single column configuration, or any other suitable configuration. In the
embodiment of Fig. 1, the
middle row of article protection flaps 171 are oriented 180 degrees relative
to a row of article
protection flaps that are closer to side edges 173, 175. In other embodiments,
the article protection
flaps 171 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured without
departing from the
disclosure.
[0031] As
shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the article protection flaps 171 are each foldably
connected to the
second bottom panel 109 at a respective lateral fold line 177 and are each at
least partially defined by
a line of weakening 179 in the first bottom panel 109. In one embodiment, the
line of weakening 179
is a cut, but the line of weakening could comprises other forms of weakening
(e.g., a tear line that
comprises cut lines separated by breakable nicks, a tear line that is formed
by a series of spaced apart
cuts, etc.) that allows the article protection flap 171 to separate from the
bottom panel 109 without
departing from the disclosure. As shown in Fig. 5, the cut 179 has a first
portion 181 that is generally
curved and extending from a first end 185 of the fold line 177 and a second
portion 183 that is
generally curved and extending from a second end 187 of the fold line 177.
Both the first portion 181
and the second portion 183 of the cut 179 extend away from the fold line 177
and form a respective
rounded corner 180, 182 of the cut 179. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the article
protection flap 171
comprises a second fold line 184 extending from the middle of the first fold
line 177. A first portion
176 and a second portion 178 of the article protection flap 171 are foldably
connected along the
second fold line 184. In one embodiment, a slit or cut 188 is positioned
adjacent the second fold line
184. In the first embodiment, the second fold line 184 is a longitudinal fold
line that is generally
parallel to and extends in the longitudinal direction Li of the blank 103. The
fold lines 177, 184, and
cuts 179, 188 could be otherwise shaped, arranged, configured, and/or omitted
such that the article
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protection flap 171 has any other suitable shape or configuration without
departing from the
disclosure.
[0032] In
one embodiment, the blank 103 includes nine access features 189 for
positioning the article
protection flaps 171 to a second position while substantially covering the
apertures 168 formed from
the activation of the article protection flaps 171. The access feature 189
also helps prevent foreign
matter from entering the carton 103 while the article protection flaps 171 are
activated. The access
features 189 are arranged in a 3x3 arrangement, but the blank 103 could have
more or less than nine
access features 189, and the access features could be otherwise arranged in
other suitable row/column
arrangements or in a random configuration on the first bottom panel 107,
including a single row or
single column configuration, or any other suitable configuration. In the
embodiment of Fig. 1, the
middle row of access features are oriented 180 degrees relative to a row of
access features that are
closer to a respective fold line 157, 159. In other embodiments, the access
features could be
otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured without departing from the
disclosure.
[0033] As
shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the access features 189 are at least partially defined
by a line of
weakening with three portions 191, 193, and 195; however the access feature
189 can comprise more
or less lines of weakening without departing form the disclosure. In one
embodiment, the lines of
weakening are cuts, but the line of weakening could comprises other forms of
weakening (e.g., a tear
line that comprises cut lines separated by breakable nicks, a tear line that
is formed by a series of
spaced apart cuts, an opening, etc.) that allows the access feature 189 to
open without departing from
the disclosure. The access feature 189 has a first portion 191 that is
generally straight and extending
the length of and in alignment with lateral fold line 177 of the article
protection flaps 171. The access
feature 189 has a second portion 193 that is generally straight and extends
perpendicular from the
center of the first portion 191. The third portion 195 of the access feature
189 is generally oblique
and extends from the edge of the second portion 193 toward the first portion
191. In other
embodiments, the blank 103 can include access features 189 that are different,
similar, or identical to
the access features without departing from the disclosure.
[0034]
Figs. 2-7 show one exemplary method of forming the carton 105 and the article
protection
features 171. At various stages of the erecting process, glue or other
adhesive can be applied to
various portions of the blank 103. As shown in Fig. 2, the blank 103 can be
formed into a sleeve 102
having open ends 104, 106 by folding the first bottom panel 109, second bottom
panel 107, side
panels 111, 113, and top panel 125 along respective fold lines 121, 123, 127,
129. The first bottom
panel 109 and second bottom panel 107 are positioned in face-to-face contact
to form an interior of
the carton 105. The access features 189 are positioned in registration with
the article protection flaps
171. The first bottom panel 109 can be adhesively secured to the second bottom
panel 107 by glue
lines 106 or other suitable adhesive. Containers C can be placed into an
interior space 108 of the
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sleeve 102. One of the ends 151, 153 can be closed prior to loading the
containers C or both of the
ends 151, 153 can be closed after loading the containers into the interior
space 108. The closing of
the first end 151 is described below, but it is understood that the second end
153 can be closed in a
similar manner. Alternatively, the second end 153 could have different flap
closing sequence or
arrangement and the article protection features 171 and access features 189
could be otherwise
shaped, arranged, configured, and/or omitted without departing from the
disclosure.
[0035] As
shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the first end 151 is closed by first inwardly folding
the side end
flaps 135, 139. The bottom end flap 131 is upwardly folded and the top end
flap 143 is downwardly
folded to close the end 151 of the carton 105. In one embodiment, the second
end 153 is closed in a
similar manner as the first end 151. The bottom end flap 133 is upwardly
folded and the second top
end flap 145 is downwardly folded to close the end 153 of the carton 105.
[0036] In
the first embodiment, the loaded and closed carton 105 of Fig. 4 is further
processed so that
the article protection flaps 171 are activated. The access features 189 are
adjacent to and in alignment
with the article protection flaps 171 such that the article protection flaps
171 are engaged through the
bottom access features 189 and moved to a position where the flaps 171 are
located between the
containers C. The engaged article protection flaps 171 tighten the packing of
the container C in the
carton 105 which helps minimize article breakage. The article protection flaps
171 are foldably
connected to the bottom panel 109 and moveable between a first position (Figs.
5) that is substantially
parallel to the bottom panel 109 and a second position (Figs. 6-7) wherein the
article protection flaps
171 are folded relative to the bottom panel 109 and are located between
adjacent containers C. In one
embodiment, the article protection flaps 171 are raised or activated to the
position of Fig. 7, and the
article protection flaps 171 have features for preventing the folding of the
article protection flaps 171
from the second position back to the first position. It is understood that the
article protection flaps
171 will be activated to the second position (Figs. 6-7) after the ends 151,
153 of the carton 105 have
been closed. Alternatively, the article protection flaps 171 could be
activated prior to closing one or
both of the ends 151, 153 of the carton 105 without departing from the
disclosure.
[0037]
The article protection flaps 171 can be accessed through the access feature
189 by an actuator
of a carton forming machine, some of which will be described below in further
detail. The activation
of a single article protection flap 171 will be described in detail herein,
but it is understood that the
other article protection flaps can be activated in a similar or different
manner without departing from
the disclosure. Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged portions of the interior surface
108 of the bottom panel 109,
with Fig. 5 showing the interior surface of the bottom panel 109 prior to
activation of the article
protection flap 171, and Fig. 6 showing the interior of the bottom panel 109
after activation of the
article protection flap 171 with a container C removed to show the positioning
of the article protection
flaps. In one embodiment, the actuator for forming the article protection flap
171 presses through
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second bottom panel 107 via the access feature 189 and presses against the
fold line 187 (Fig. 5) of
the article protection flap 171 to initiate separation of the article
protection flap from the bottom panel
109 along the cut 179. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the article protection flap
171 is pivoted upward
relative to the bottom panel 109 at the fold line 177. As the article
protection flap 171 is activated, the
first portion 176 and the second portion 178 are folded relative to each
other. In one embodiment, the
first portion 176 and the second portion 178 of the article protection flap
171 are folded inwardly
along second fold line 184. As such, the article protection flap 177 provides
two layers of material
(e.g., the inwardly folded first portion 176 and second portion 178) between
adjacent containers C in
the carton 105.
[0038] In
one embodiment, the upwardly folding of the article protection flaps 171
causes the
containers C in the carton 105 to move to accommodate the space required for
the article protection
flaps in the second position with the first portion 176 and second portion 178
folded relative to each
other. The movement of the containers C when the article protection flaps 171
are upwardly folded
and located between adjacent containers, tightens the packing of the
containers in the carton 105 so
that the movement of the containers is limited by the positioning of the
article protection flaps 171
and the respective end flaps 131, 135, 139, 143 and 133, 137, 141, 145 at the
closed ends 151, 153 of
the carton 105. The article protection flaps 171 are pressed against two
adjacent containers C to
initiate movement of the containers and provide the tightening feature of the
article protection flaps
171.
[0039] In
one embodiment, the configuration of the first portion 176 and the second
portion 178
prevents the article protection flap 171 from being downwardly folded from the
second or raised
position of Fig. 6 to the first or lowered position as shown in Fig. 5, when
the first portion 176 and the
second portion 178 of the article protection flap 171 are inwardly folded
relative to each other. Also,
an edge 134 of the second portion 178 of the article protection flap 171
formed by the rounded corner
182 of the cut 183 extends beyond the edge of the opening 168. The positioning
of the distal portions
of the first portion 176 and second portion 178, including the edges 132, 134
of the article protection
flap 171, relative to the edge 136 of the opening 168 prevents the article
protection flaps 171 from
being downwardly folded to the first position wherein the article protection
flaps 171 are substantially
parallel to the bottom panel 109. As such, once the article protection flaps
171 are raised to the second
position and positioned between adjacent containers C, the article protection
flaps stay in the
upwardly folded position providing cushioning and protection between adjacent
containers. In the
embodiment of Figs. 1-7, the article protection flaps 171 of the two outer
rows have a straight corner
196 that is truncated compared to the rounded corners 180, 182. The article
protection flaps 171
could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or configured to have other features
for preventing the
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article protection flaps from returning to the first or lowered position
without departing from the
disclosure.
[0040]
Figs. 8-11 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the disclosure that is
similar to the blank
103 of the first embodiment. Accordingly, like or similar features will be
indicated with like or
similar reference numbers. The blank 203 is for forming a carton 205 having
article protection flaps
271 foldably connected to the first bottom panel 209 and access features 289
in the second bottom
panel 207 of the carton 205 as discussed above for the first embodiment. In
the embodiment of Figs.
8-11, the article protection flaps 271 and access features 289 are arranged in
a 2 x 2 configuration.
The blank 203 has handle features 264 for forming a handle 261. In the
illustrated embodiment, the
handle features comprise handle flaps 263 foldably connected to a respective
top end flap 243, 245 at
a longitudinal fold line 265, and notches or openings 244 in the side end
flaps 235, 239, 237, and 241.
The openings 266 cooperate to provide an opening at a respective closed end
251, 253 to allow a
respective handle flap 263 to be inwardly folded so that the carton 205 can be
grasped at a respective
end. The blank 203 can have other features for forming the handle 261, or the
blank and/or carton
205 can have a handle that is alternatively shaped, arranged, and/or
configured without departing from
the disclosure. Further, the handle 261 can be omitted without departing from
the disclosure. The
blank 203 could have other features and could be otherwise shaped, arranged,
and/or configured
without departing from the disclosure.
[0041]
Figs. 12-14 illustrate a blank 303 and carton 305 of a third embodiment of the
disclosure that
is similar to the blank 103 of the first embodiment, but the bottom panel 109
is detached and replaced
with an insert 309 with article protection flaps 371 arranged in a 4 x 3
configuration. The insert 309 is
inserted into the erected carton 305 and placed in face-to-face contact with
the bottom panel 307
before inserting the containers C. The bottom panel 307 comprises twelve
access features 389
arranged in a 4 x 3 configuration for registration with the article protection
flaps 371. Accordingly,
like or similar features will be indicated with like or similar reference
numbers between the
embodiments. The article protection flaps 371 and access features 389 can
otherwise be shaped,
arranged, and configured without departing from the disclosure.
[0042]
The cartons of any of the illustrated or non-illustrated embodiments of the
disclosure could
have other features (e.g., dispenser features, handle features, reinforcement
features, etc.) without
departing from the disclosure. Also, the cartons could be otherwise shaped,
arranged, or configured
and the cartons could be configured to hold articles other than beverage
containers without departing
from the disclosure.
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[0043] In
general, the blanks of any of the illustrated or non-illustrated embodiments
may be
constructed from paperboard having a caliper so that it is heavier and more
rigid than ordinary paper.
The blank can also be constructed of other materials, such as cardboard, or
any other material having
properties suitable for enabling the carton to function at least generally as
described above. The blank
can be coated with, for example, a clay coating. The clay coating may then be
printed over with
product, advertising, and other information or images. The blanks may then be
coated with a varnish
to protect information printed on the blanks. The blanks may also be coated
with, for example, a
moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blanks. The blanks can
also be laminated to or
coated with one or more sheet-like materials at selected panels or panel
sections.
[0044] As
an example, a tear line can include: a slit that extends partially into the
material along the
desired line of weakness, and/or a series of spaced apart slits that extend
partially into and/or
completely through the material along the desired line of weakness, or various
combinations of these
features. As a more specific example, one type of tear line is in the form of
a series of spaced apart
slits that extend completely through the material, with adjacent slits being
spaced apart slightly so that
a nick (e.g., a small somewhat bridging-like piece of the material) is defined
between the adjacent slits
for typically temporarily connecting the material across the tear line. The
nicks are broken during
tearing along the tear line. The nicks typically are a relatively small
percentage of the tear line, and
alternatively the nicks can be omitted from or torn in a tear line such that
the tear line is a continuous
cut line. That is, it is within the scope of the present disclosure for each
of the tear lines to be
replaced with a continuous slit, or the like. For example, a cut line can be a
continuous slit or could
be wider than a slit without departing from the present disclosure.
[0045] In
accordance with the exemplary embodiments, a fold line can be any
substantially linear,
although not necessarily straight, form of weakening that facilitates folding
there along. More
specifically, but not for the purpose of narrowing the scope of the present
disclosure, fold lines
include: a score line, such as lines formed with a blunt scoring knife, or the
like, which creates a
crushed or depressed portion in the material along the desired line of
weakness; a cut that extends
partially into a material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series
of cuts that extend partially
into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of
weakness; and various
combinations of these features. In situations where cutting is used to create
a fold line, typically the
cutting will not be overly extensive in a manner that might cause a reasonable
user to incorrectly
consider the fold line to be a tear line.
[0046]
The above embodiments may be described as having one or more panels adhered
together by
glue during erection of the carton embodiments. The term "glue" is intended to
encompass all manner
of adhesives commonly used to secure carton panels in place.
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[0047]
The foregoing description of the disclosure illustrates and describes various
embodiments. As
various changes could be made in the above construction without departing from
the scope of the
disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description
or shown in the
accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a
limiting sense. Furthermore,
the scope of the present disclosure covers various modifications,
combinations, alterations, etc., of the
above-described embodiments. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes
only selected
embodiments, but various other combinations, modifications, and environments
are within the scope
of the disclosure as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings,
and/or within the skill
or knowledge of the relevant art. Furthermore, certain features and
characteristics of each
embodiment may be selectively interchanged and applied to other illustrated
and non-illustrated
embodiments of the disclosure.
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