CONTAINER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

A container management system including a lid assembly configured to engage/disengage a collar of a container to close and open an aperture thereof, wherein the lid assembly includes an interior lid compartment in communication with an interior portion of the container when the lid assembly engages the collar, a reactive substance configured to undergo a physical change in response to a change of an environment condition at the aperture when the lid assembly engages the collar. The physical change of the reactive substance turns the lid assembly from a first operative condition wherein the lid assembly can be disengaged from the collar to open the aperture to a second operative condition wherein a portion of the lid assembly cannot be disengaged from the collar and closes the aperture.

Claims

1. A container management system comprising a lid assembly configured to engage and disengage a collar of a container to close and open an aperture of the container, wherein the lid assembly comprises: an interior lid compartment in fluid communication with an interior portion of the container through the aperture of the container when the lid assembly engages said collar; a reactive substance contained in the interior lid compartment and configured to undergo a change in at least one of its physical properties in response to a change of an environment condition at said aperture when the lid assembly engages said collar; wherein said change in at least one of the physical properties of the reactive substance turns said lid assembly from a first operative condition wherein said lid assembly can be disengaged from said collar in order to open said aperture to a second operative condition wherein at least one portion of said lid assembly is prevented from disengaging from said collar and closes said aperture.

2. The container management system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of the physical properties of the reactive substance is selected among volume, state of matter, adhesiveness.

3. The container management system according to claim 1, wherein said reactive substance comprises hydrogels or immunosensors or magnetoelastic sensors or gas sensors.

4. The container management system according to claim 1, wherein said lid assembly comprises a lid casing containing said interior lid compartment and having an upper portion and a lateral portion the lateral portion being configured to engage and disengage said collar.

5. The container management system according to claim 4, wherein said lid assembly comprises a membrane associated with said lid casing, said membrane being permeable to at least one gaseous substance and impermeable to said reactive substance, said reactive substance being arranged between said membrane and the upper portion of the lid casing.

6. The container management system according to claim 4, wherein said lid assembly comprises a lid internal cap arranged inside said lid casing and comprising an upper wall facing the upper portion of the lid casing and a lateral wall configured to couple with a radially inner surface of the collar.

7. The container management system according to claim 6, wherein said lid assembly comprises a membrane associated with said lid casing, said membrane being permeable to at least one gaseous substance and impermeable to said reactive substance, said reactive substance being arranged between said membrane and the upper portion of the lid casing, wherein said membrane defines at least one portion of said upper wall.

8. The container management system according to claim 6, wherein in the second operative condition of the lid assembly said reactive substance prevents said lid internal cap from disengaging from the collar.

9. The container management system according to claim 6, wherein said change in at least one of the physical properties of the reactive substance is a change of an adhesiveness of the reactive substance, the reactive substance coupling by adhesiveness said lid internal cap to said lid casing in the first operative condition of the lid assembly and decoupling said lid internal cap from said lid casing in the second operative condition of the lid assembly.

10. The container management system according to claim 6, wherein said lid internal cap and said collar are coupled through a bayonet coupling when the lid assembly engages said collar.

11. The container management system according to claim 6, wherein said lid internal cap and said collar comprise respective lower abutment surfaces configured to abut to each other when the lid assembly engages said collar in order to prevent the lid internal cap to fall inside the container in the second operative condition of the lid assembly.

12. The container management system according to claim 4, wherein in the second operative condition of the lid assembly said reactive substance irremovably couples said lid casing to said collar.

13. The container management system according to claim 12, wherein said lid assembly comprises a lid expansion space defined between said interior lid compartment and the lateral portion of the lid casing, said change in at least one of the physical properties of the reactive substance being a volume increase of the reactive substance and the reactive substance filling said lid expansion space in the second operative condition of said lid assembly.

14. The container management system according to claim 13, wherein said collar comprises an anchoring surface facing said lid expansion space when the lid assembly engages said collar, the reactive substance being far from said anchoring surface in the first operative condition of the lid assembly and engaging said anchoring surface in the second operative condition of the lid assembly.

15. The container management system according to claim 14, wherein said anchoring surface is annular and wedge shaped along an axial direction.

16. A lid assembly for a container, comprising: an interior lid compartment; a reactive substance contained in the interior lid compartment and configured to undergo a change in at least one of its physical properties in response to a change of an environment condition at the interior lid compartment; wherein when the lid assembly is engaged to the container said change in at least one of the physical properties of the reactive substance turns said lid assembly from a first operative condition wherein said lid assembly can be disengaged from the container to a second operative condition wherein at least one portion of said lid assembly is prevented from disengaging from the container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0104] The present invention will be now described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all the embodiments of the invention are shown and wherein:

[0105] FIG. 1 shows a partial, schematic and exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a container management system according to the present invention;

[0106] FIG. 2 shows a partial, schematic and exploded perspective view of the container management system of FIG. 1 in a first operative condition thereof;

[0107] FIG. 3 shows a partial, schematic and exploded perspective view of the container management system of FIG. 1 in a second operative condition thereof;

[0108] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a partial section of the container management system of FIGS. 1 to 3;

[0109] FIG. 5 shows a partial and schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of a container management system according to the present invention;

[0110] FIG. 6 shows a partial, schematic and exploded perspective view of the container management system of FIG. 5;

[0111] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a partial section of the container management system of FIG. 5 in a first operative condition thereof;

[0112] FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a partial section of the container management system of FIG. 5 in a second operative condition thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0113] In the abovementioned Figures, a container management system according to the present invention is indicated with the reference number 10.

[0114] The container management system 10 comprises a container 11 configured to hold foodstuffs. The container 11 can be any receptacle suitable for safely containing a substance to eat or drink.

[0115] The container 11 can be a rigid or semi-rigid casing made of glass, plastic material or cardboard having any suitable shape, for example a prismatic or cylindrical shape.

[0116] The container 11 comprises a collar 12 surrounding an aperture 13 configured to allow the substance to exit from the container 11.

[0117] The collar 12, and thus the aperture 13, is provided on an upper wall 14 of the container 11. The collar 12 axially extends away from the upper wall 14 of the container 11. The collar 12 can be integral with the container 11 or can be a distinct body properly coupled to the container 11.

[0118] The collar 12 has a generic cylindrical shape, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 6.

[0119] The collar 12 comprises a radially outer surface 15.

[0120] Preferably, the radially outer surface 15 comprises, in at least one axial portion thereof, an outer threaded surface 16.

[0121] In the preferred embodiments of the invention, as those shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, the container management system 10 further comprises a lid assembly 17 configured to engage and disengage the collar 12 so as to close and open the aperture 13 of the container 11.

[0122] The lid assembly 17 comprises a lid casing 18 configured to be coupled to the collar 12 in order to close the aperture 13.

[0123] The lid casing 18 comprises an upper portion 19 and a lateral portion 20.

[0124] The upper portion 19 comprises a containment wall 21. In some embodiments, as for example the one shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the containment wall 21 is a solid wall, whereas in other embodiments, as for example the one shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the containment wall 21 comprises a window 22 which is preferably made of transparent material (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

[0125] The containment wall 21 is coupled to the lateral portion 20. Preferably, the containment wall 21 is integral with the lateral portion 20. In an alternative embodiment, the containment wall 21 may be connected to the lateral portion 20 via a thin-wall portion formed for example of resin, or may be pivotably connected to the lateral portion 20 via a hinge mechanism or the like.

[0126] As schematically shown for example in FIGS. 4, 7 and 8, the lateral portion 20 comprises a lateral wall 23 having a radially inner surface 25.

[0127] Preferably, the radially inner surface 25 comprises, in at least one axial portion thereof, an inner threaded surface 24.

[0128] The inner threaded surface 24 of the lateral portion 20 is counter-shaped to the outer threaded surface 16 of the collar 12, so that the lid casing 18 can be screwed and unscrewed from the collar 12. By rotating the lid casing 18 with respect to the collar 12, the threaded surfaces 16, 24 cause a roto-translational movement of the lid casing 18 with respect to the collar 12.

[0129] As shown in FIGS. 4, 7 and 8, a gasket 27 is provided at an axially inner surface 26 of the containment wall 21. The gasket 27 is configured to be engaged by the collar 12 when the lid casing 18 is coupled to the collar 12 in order to prevent liquid and gaseous substances contained in the container 11 from escaping through possible gaps between the lid casing 18 and the collar 12.

[0130] A security seal 29 is provided between the lid casing 18 and the container 11 at a base portion of the collar 12, that is at the free edge of the lateral wall 23 which is axially opposite to the containment wall 21 when the lid casing 18 is coupled to the collar 12. The security seal 29 is configured to indicate that the container 11 has never been opened. The security seal 29 is annular shaped and radially surrounds the collar 12. The security seal 29 is coupled through a detachable flap to the abovementioned free edge of the lateral wall 23, so that at the first opening of the container 11 the detachable flap must be broken in order to allow the removal of the lid casing 18 from the collar 12.

[0131] The lid assembly 17 further comprises an interior lid compartment 31 configured to face the aperture 13 of the container 11 and in fluid communication with an interior portion of the container 11 through said aperture 13 when the lid assembly 17 engages the collar 12.

[0132] The interior lid compartment 31 is provided within the lid casing 18. In particular, the interior lid compartment 31 is defined between the upper portion 19 and the lateral portion 20 of the lid casing 18.

[0133] A membrane 32 delimits the interior lid compartment 31 within the lid casing 18. Such a membrane 32 is directly exposed to the content of the container 11, as it will be better illustrated in the following.

[0134] The membrane 32 comprises a bottom portion 33 opposite to the upper portion 19 of the lid casing 18, and a lateral portion 34 extending between the bottom portion 33 and the upper portion 19 of the lid casing 18. The membrane 32 is connected, for example at a peripheral edge thereof, to the lid casing 18 and defines a closed cavity defining the interior lid compartment 31.

[0135] A reactive substance 35 is contained within the interior lid compartment 31. Particularly, the reactive substance 35 is confined by the membrane 32.

[0136] The membrane 32 is permeable to one or more gaseous substances, such as for example amines, produced upon foodstuffs spoiling, so that these gaseous substances can reach the reactive substance 35.

[0137] In order to prevent the reactive substance 35 from directly contacting the foodstuffs provided within the container 11, the membrane 32 is impermeable to the reactive substance 35. In other words, the reactive substance 35 cannot exit from the closed cavity defined by the membrane 32.

[0138] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the reactive substance 35 is or comprises gels herein referred to as hydrogels.

[0139] The reactive substance 35 is configured to undergo a change in at least one of its physical properties when contacted by the gaseous substances produced upon foodstuffs spoiling, thus turning the lid assembly 17 from a first operative condition wherein said lid assembly 17 can be disengaged from the collar 12 in order to open the aperture 13 to a second operative condition wherein the lid assembly 17 is prevented from completely disengaging from the collar 12 and closes said aperture 13.

[0140] According to a first embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the switch of the lid assembly 17 from the first operative condition to the second operative condition thereof is triggered by a change of the adhesiveness of the reactive substance 35 and, in particular, by the fact that the reactive substance 35 stops to be adhesive. The reactive substance 35 is therefore in an adhesive initial condition when not contacted by the gaseous substances produced upon foodstuffs spoiling and in a not-adhesive final condition when contacted by the gaseous substances produced upon foodstuffs spoiling.

[0141] In this embodiment, the lid assembly 17 comprises a lid internal cap 39 which is arranged inside the lid casing 18.

[0142] The lid internal cap 39 comprises an upper wall 40 that faces the upper portion 19 of the lid casing 18 and a lateral wall 41 that faces the lateral portion 20 of the lid casing 18. The upper wall 40 is integral with the lateral wall 41.

[0143] The upper wall 40 preferably coincides with at least part of the membrane 32. In particular, as shown in FIG. 4, the upper wall 40 is defined by the bottom portion 33 of the membrane 32.

[0144] The lateral wall 41 is counter-shaped to a radially inner surface 38 of the collar 12. The lateral wall 41 is spaced apart from the radially inner surface 25 of the lateral portion 20 of the lid casing 18 by a distance that is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the collar 12. Preferably, a minimal dimensional difference or play can be provided between the diameter of the radially outer surface of the lateral wall 41 and the diameter of the radially inner surface 38 of the collar 12 in order to allow an easy insertion of the lid internal cap 39 within the collar 12 while maintaining a tight fitting between lid internal cap 39 and collar 12 and ensuring the sealing of the aperture 13.

[0145] In this embodiment one or more gaseous substances, produced for example upon foodstuffs spoiling, can reach the lateral portion 34 of the membrane 32 through the minimal play between the radially outer surface of the lateral wall 41 of the lid internal cap 39 and the radially inner surface 38 of the collar 12. As an alternative or in addition to this minimal play, the lid internal cap 39 can include at least one opening or channel (not illustrated) properly sized for the passage of the gaseous substances from the aperture 13 of the container 11 to the bottom portion 33 of the membrane 32. The membrane 32 is thus directly exposed to the content of the container 11.

[0146] As shown in FIG. 1 and partially in FIG. 4, the collar 12 comprises two upper abutment surfaces 38a and one lower abutment surface 38b that project in a radially outer direction from the radially inner surface 38 of the collar 12. The upper abutment surfaces 38a are axially spaced from the lower abutment surface 38b, the lower abutment surface 38b being arranged to be closer to the upper wall 14 of the container 11 than the upper abutment surfaces 38a when the collar 12 is coupled to the container 11. As a consequence, a circumferential groove is provided between the upper abutment surfaces 38a and the lower abutment surface 38b.

[0147] The lower abutment surface 38b extends continuously along the whole circumferential extension of the radially inner surface 38 of the collar 12, while each upper abutment surface 38a extends continuously along less than the half circumferential extension of the radially inner surface 38 of the collar 12 so that they are spaced to each other, preferably equally, at both their facing free ends. In alternative embodiments, a plurality of upper abutment surfaces having a limited circumferential extent on the radially inner surface 38 of the collar 12 and spaced to each other, preferably equally, can be provided. In further alternative embodiments, one abutment surface extending continuously along less than the whole circumferential extension of the radially inner surface 38 of the collar 12 can be provided, so that two free ends of this abutment surface are spaced to each other.

[0148] Consistently, the lid internal cap 39 comprises one or more protruding elements 42 that protrude in a radially outer direction from the lateral wall 41 of the lid internal cap 39. Each protruding element 42 includes an upper abutment surface 39a and a lower abutment surface 39b that are axially spaced from each other. With reference to the protruding element 42 of the lid internal cap 39 shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, the upper abutment surface 39a is closer to the upper wall 40 of the lid internal cap 39 than the lower abutment surface 39b. The upper abutment surface 39a is substantially orthogonal to the lateral wall 41 and configured to axially abut against the abutment surface 38a of the radially inner surface 38 of the collar 12, so as to define an end stop for the extraction of the internal cap 39 into the collar 12. On the other hand, the lower abutment surface 39b is also substantially orthogonal to the lateral wall 41 and configured to axially abut against the lower abutment surface 38b of the radially inner surface 38 of the collar 12, so as to define an end stop for the insertion of the internal cap 39 into the collar 12. The cooperation between the lower abutment surfaces 38b, 39b allows to prevent the lid internal cap 39 to fall inside the container 11 in the second operative condition of the lid assembly 17.

[0149] In order to allow the extraction/insertion of the lid internal cap 39 from/into the collar 12, the latter comprises a guide member 43 (shown in FIG. 2) configured to cooperate with the protruding element 42 of the lid internal cap 39. In the illustrated embodiment, the guide member 43 is an axial rectilinear groove perpendicular to the aforesaid circumferential groove of the collar 12. In particular, the guide member 43 inserts itself on said circumferential groove at a location where the upper abutment surfaces 38a of the collar 12 are spaced to each other.

[0150] In particular, as schematically shown in FIG. 4, the lid internal cap 39 and the collar 12 are coupled through a bayonet coupling when the lid assembly 17 engages the collar 12. The bayonet coupling is a fastening mechanism that comprises the protruding element 42 of the lid internal cap 39, the guide member 43 and the circumferential groove provided between the upper abutment surfaces 38a and the lower abutment surface 38b of the collar 12. The protruding element 42 slides into the circumferential groove, rotates around the same axis of rotation that allows the threaded surfaces 16, 24 to engage and disengage to/from each other, and axially retains the lid internal cap 39 coupled to the collar 12. The axial extent of the circumferential groove is greater than the axial extent of the protruding element 42, so that the latter is received with an axial play into the circumferential groove. The position of the protruding element 42 and of the circumferential groove is determined so as to allow the lid casing 18 to be screwed and unscrewed from the collar 12 only when the protruding element 42 reaches the circumferential groove, so that the protruding element 42 can slide into the circumferential groove when the lid casing 18 is screwed onto the collar 12.

[0151] In this embodiment the membrane 32 can detach from the lid casing 18 upon being subjected to a predetermined torsional force.

[0152] When the reactive substance 35 turns from its adhesive initial condition to its not-adhesive final condition upon being contacted by the gaseous substances produced upon foodstuffs spoiling, the reactive substance 35 turns the lid assembly 17 from its first operative condition (shown in FIG. 2) to its second operative condition (shown in FIG. 3).

[0153] In the first operative condition of the lid assembly 17, the lid internal cap 39 is made adhered to the lid casing 18 by the reactive substance 35 which, being in its adhesive initial condition, sticks the upper wall 40 (i.e. the membrane 32 in the example herein shown and described) of the internal lid 39 to the upper portion 19 of the lid casing 18. Thus, the lid assembly 17 can be disengaged from the collar 12 upon rotating the lid casing 18 respect to the collar 12, so as to open the aperture 13 and to have access to the content of the container 11.

[0154] Indeed, the rotation of the lid casing 18 causes a corresponding rotation of the lid internal cap 39. This allows the internal cap 39 to disengage from the collar 12. Particularly, the rotation of the internal cap 39 releases the bayonet coupling, thereby allowing the protruding element 42 to slide along the guide member 43, that is allowing the internal cap 39 to slide along the collar 12 and to disengage from the collar 12.

[0155] In the second operative condition of the lid assembly 17, the lid casing 18 can still be disengaged from the collar 12, but since the reactive substance 35 is in its not-adhesive final condition, the reactive substance 35 does not adhere to the upper wall 40 of the lid internal cap 39 (i.e. to the membrane 32 in the example herein shown and described). In this condition, the rotation of the lid casing 18 causes the membrane 32 to detach from the lid casing 18, so that the rotation of the lid casing 18 does not cause also the rotation of the lid internal cap 39. Thus, the lid internal cap 39 remains coupled to the collar 12 and cannot be disengaged from the collar 12 irrespective from the disengagement of the lid casing 18 from the collar 12, thereby preventing the aperture 13 from being opened.

[0156] It should be also noted that, even in case of disruption of the reactive substance 35, the coupling of the lid internal cap 39 to the collar 12 in the second operative condition is ensured by the cooperation between the upper abutment surfaces 38a, 39a. In more detail, when a partial change of the physical properties of the reactive substance 35 occurs, a weak residual adherence lasts between the reactive substance 35 and the upper wall 40 of the lid internal cap 39 at few points. At these few points of residual adherence, the membrane 32 is elastically attached to the lid casing 18 and the lid internal cap 39, therefore the rotation of the lid casing 18 causes a shorter rotation of the lid internal cap 39. Due to this shorter rotation, the protruding element 42 slides into the circumferential groove but does not reach the guide member 43. Then, when the threaded surfaces 16, 24 are disengaged from each other and a force is applied to disengage the lid casing 18 from the collar 12, the upper abutment surface 39a of the protruding element 42 of the lid internal cap 39 abuts against the abutment surface 38a of the radially inner surface 38 of the collar 12. As the lid casing 18 is forced to be disengaged from the collar 12 and the upper abutment surfaces 38a, 39a cooperate to each other, the membrane 32 definitely detaches from the lid casing 18. This allows the lid casing 18 to be disengaged from the collar 12 and the lid internal cap 39 to remain into the collar 12 preventing the aperture 13 from being opened.

[0157] According to a second embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the reactive substance 35 is confined by the membrane 32 and contained within the interior lid compartment 31. The membrane 32, in particular, is deformable.

[0158] The switch of the lid assembly 17 from the first operative condition to the second operative condition thereof is triggered by a change of the volume of the reactive substance 35 and, in particular, by the fact that the volume of the reactive substance 35 increases. The reactive substance 35 is therefore in an unexpanded initial condition when not contacted by the gaseous substances produced upon foodstuffs spoiling and in an expanded final condition when contacted by the gaseous substances produced upon foodstuffs spoiling.

[0159] In this embodiment, the lid assembly 17 comprises a lid expansion space 36 configured to receive the reactive substance 35 when it is in its expanded condition.

[0160] The expansion space 36 is defined between the lateral portion 20 of the lid casing 18 and the interior lid compartment 31 and is delimited in an axial direction by the upper portion 19 of the lid casing 18. In other words, the expansion space 36 is defined by the portion of lid casing 18 not occupied by the interior lid compartment 31. As shown in FIG. 7, the expansion space 36 is substantially an empty space when the reactive substance 35 is in its unexpanded initial condition. As shown in FIG. 8, the reactive substance 35 fills the expansion space 36 when the reactive substance is in its expanded final condition.

[0161] In this embodiment, the collar 12 comprises an anchoring surface 37 that faces the lid expansion space 36 when the lid casing 18 is engaged with the collar 12. The anchoring surface 37 is preferably annular and wedge shaped along an axial direction. The anchoring surface 37 is provided on a radially inner surface 38 of the collar 12 and radially projects into the lid expansion space 36 toward the interior lid compartment 31, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The anchoring surface 37 can be integral with the collar 12 or it can be a body connected to the collar 12.

[0162] FIGS. 7 and 8 show one anchoring surface 37 circumferentially extending from the whole collar 12. In embodiments not shown, the anchoring surface 37 can have a limited circumferential extension. In this case, more than one anchoring surface 37 circumferentially arranged on the collar 12 can be provided.

[0163] In this embodiment one or more gaseous substances, produced for example upon foodstuffs spoiling, can reach the membrane 32 for example through the lid expansion space 36.

[0164] When the reactive substance 35 turns from its unexpanded initial condition to its expanded final condition upon being contacted by the gaseous substances produced upon foodstuffs spoiling, the reactive substance 35 turns the lid assembly 17 from its first operative condition (shown in FIG. 7) to its second operative condition (shown in FIG. 8).

[0165] In the first operative condition, the anchoring surface 37 does not interact with the reactive substance 35, with the lid casing 18 and with the interior lid compartment 31, so that the lid assembly 17 can be disengaged from the collar 12 upon rotating the lid casing 18 respect to the collar 12, thereby opening the aperture 13 and having access to the content of the container 11.

[0166] In the second operative condition, the reactive substance 35 is in its expanded condition and fills the lid expansion space 36. The reactive substance 35 interacts with the anchoring surface 37 and couples the lid casing 18 to the anchoring surface 27 and thus to the collar 12. This prevents the lid casing 18 from being able to translate in the axial direction with respect to the collar 12. Thus, the lid assembly 17 cannot be disengaged from the collar 12, thereby preventing the opening of the aperture 13 and the access to the content of the container 11.

[0167] In this embodiment, the membrane 32 can be elastically deformable so that it can contain the reactive substance 35 also when the latter is in its expanded final condition, especially when the reactive substance 35 is a gel. Alternatively, the membrane 32 can break when the reactive substance 35 is in its expanded final condition, thereby no longer containing the reactive substance 35. In this alternative case the reactive substance 35 is solid at least in its expanded final condition. Any possible contamination of the content of the container 11 by the reactive substance 35 when it is in its expanded final condition is immaterial, since the content of the container 11 cannot be accessed and cannot be eaten or drunk.

[0168] In this embodiment, the reactive substance 35 can also bulges from the window 22 of the containment wall 21 (as shown in FIG. 8) when it is in its expanded condition, so as to give a tactile and visible hint about the fact that the lid assembly 17 is in the second operative condition and the content of the container 11 is no longer safe. To this end, the window 22 can be realized from an elastic material impermeable to the reactive substance 35.

[0169] Of course, one skilled in the art can provide for modifications and variants to the invention described above in order to satisfy specific and contingent requirements, all encompassed by the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.