Abstract
A restaurant and public eating area high chair is a high chair intended for use by infants and small children in restaurants and public eating areas. A restaurant and public eating area high chair consists of two front legs, two back legs, a seat, a backrest, a front bar, and side rails that are high enough to keep the child from falling off of the seat. The foldable restaurant and public eating area high chair is comprised of the same parts as prior art restaurant and public eating area high chairs, but is built in such a way so that it can fold flat. Folding flat makes the restaurant and public eating area high chair easy to carry, easy to store, and safer to use than prior art restaurant and public eating area high chairs.
Claims
1. A restaurant and public eating area high chair comprising: two front legs pivotably connected at an upper pivot joint at upper ends to upper ends of two rear legs, the high chair having an open configuration where the front and rear legs are pivoted apart so that bottom ends thereof are spaced apart and a closed configuration in which the bottom ends are close together; lateral front supports fixedly connecting the two front legs and lateral rear supports fixedly connecting the two rear legs, one of the lateral rear supports forming a backrest near the upper ends of the rear legs; a front bar pivotably connected to even height locations on the rear legs about a first lateral axis, the front bar extending forward from the first lateral axis in two side arms connected by a horizontal bar extending laterally across the high chair and having a laterally centered barrier extending downward therefrom, wherein in the open configuration of the high chair the side arms of the front bar are substantially horizontal and in the closed configuration the front bar is pivoted upward such that the horizontal bar is located above the first lateral axis and in contact with the backrest; and a seat sized to support a child sitting thereon, the seat being pivotably connected to both of the side arms of the front bar along a second lateral axis and pivotably connected to even height locations on the front legs about a third lateral axis, wherein in the open configuration of the high chair the seat is substantially horizontal with the horizontal bar of the front bar extending above a front edge thereof and the barrier prevents a child sitting in the seat from sliding out forward off the seat, and in the closed configuration the seat is pivoted forward such that a rear edge of the seat is located above the front edge.
2. The high chair of claim 1, wherein the front legs angle upward above the seat on each side toward the upper pivot joint and form side rails high enough to keep the child from sliding laterally out of the chair while sitting in the seat.
3. The high chair of claim 1, wherein the barrier is formed by a rounded U-shaped bar that depends down from the horizontal bar of the front bar to a location close to the seat.
4. The high chair of claim 1, wherein the barrier is formed by a crotch strap that detachably connects the horizontal bar of the front bar to a connector on the seat.
5. The high chair of claim 1, wherein the backrest is a molded component that forms the upper ends of the rear legs.
6. The high chair of claim 1, wherein there are two lateral supports aside from the backrest, one connected between and at lower ends of the front legs and a second one connected between and at lower ends of the rear legs.
7. The high chair of claim 1, wherein one of the lateral supports is connected between the front legs at a height just below the seat so as to function as a footrest.
8. The high chair of claim 1, further including a locking mechanism for securing the high chair in the open configuration, including a quick-release button located on a laterally outside surface of one or both of the front legs.
9. The high chair of claim 8, wherein the locking mechanism includes a lock pin which alternately engages and disengages a hole in one or both of the side arms of the front bar.
10. The high chair of claim 9, wherein the lock pin is non-weight bearing when the chair is in its open configuration.
11. A restaurant and public eating area high chair comprising: two front legs pivotably connected at an upper pivot joint at upper ends to upper ends of two rear legs, and a seat secured between the two front legs, the high chair having an open configuration where the front and rear legs and chair form an A-frame as seen from a side, and a closed configuration where the front and rear legs come together in a flattened vertical shape as seen from a side and the seat pivots to be substantially in line with the flattened shape; a backrest extending between and fixedly connected near the upper ends of the rear legs; a front bar pivotably connected to even height locations on the rear legs about a first lateral axis, the front bar extending forward from the first lateral axis in two side arms connected by a horizontal bar extending laterally across the high chair and having a barrier extending downward therefrom, wherein in the open configuration of the high chair the side arms of the front bar are substantially horizontal and in the closed configuration the front bar is pivoted upward such that the horizontal bar is located above the first lateral axis and in contact with the backrest; and a seat sized to support a child sitting thereon, the seat being pivotably connected to both of the side arms of the front bar along a second lateral axis and pivotably connected to even height locations on the front legs about a third lateral axis, wherein in the open configuration of the high chair the first, second and third lateral axes are substantially horizontally aligned with the second lateral axis located between the first and third lateral axes, and in the closed configuration the second lateral axis is located above the first lateral axis which is located above the third lateral axis.
12. The high chair of claim 11, wherein the front legs angle upward above the seat on each side toward the upper pivot joint and form side rails high enough to keep the child from sliding laterally out of the chair while sitting in the seat.
13. The high chair of claim 11, wherein the barrier is formed by a rounded U-shaped bar that depends down from the horizontal bar of the front bar to a location close to the seat.
14. The high chair of claim 11, wherein the barrier is formed by a crotch strap that detachably connects the horizontal bar of the front bar to a connector on the seat.
15. The high chair of claim 14, wherein the crotch strap doubles as a strap to hold the high chair in its folded form when coupled to a connector located behind the backrest.
16. The high chair of claim 11, wherein the backrest is a molded component that forms the upper ends of the rear legs.
17. The high chair of claim 11, further including lateral front supports fixedly connecting the two front legs and lateral rear supports fixedly connecting the two rear legs.
18. The high chair of claim 11, further including a locking mechanism for securing the high chair in the open configuration, including a quick-release button located on a laterally outside surface of one or both of the front legs.
19. The high chair of claim 18, wherein the locking mechanism includes a lock pin which alternately engages and disengages a hole in one or both of the side arms of the front bar.
20. The high chair of claim 19, wherein the locking mechanism is non-weight bearing when the chair is in its open configuration.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the high chair in its opened form standing upright.
(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the high chair in its folded form standing upright.
(3) FIG. 3 is a back view of the high chair in its folded form standing upright.
(4) FIG. 4 is a front view of the high chair in its folded form standing upright.
(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a prior art restaurant high chair standing upright.
(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of two of the currently-disclosed restaurant high chairs horizontally stacked standing upright in their folded configurations.
(7) FIGS. 7A and 7B are opened and folded frontal perspective views of an alternative high chair in accordance with the principles disclosed herein, FIG. 7C is an exploded perspective view of the alternative high chair, and FIG. 7D is an enlarged perspective view of a locking mechanism.
(8) FIGS. 8A and 8B are opened and folded rear perspective views of the alternative high chair.
(9) FIGS. 9A and 9B are opened and folded left side elevational views of the alternative high chair.
(10) FIG. 10 is an underneath perspective view of the alternative high chair.
(11) FIGS. 11A-11D are schematic views of a folding mechanism of the alternative high chair with FIG. 11A showing the schematic folding mechanism superimposed over a right side elevational view of the chair.
(12) FIGS. 12A-12C are enlarged perspective views of a mechanism for locking the alternative high chair in the opened position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(13) Refer to FIGS. 1-4. As defined by the text and drawings in the present disclosure, a restaurant and public eating area high chair contains two front legs 11, two back legs 10, a seat 17 with a backrest 14, a front bar 16, and side rails that are high enough to keep the child from falling out of the seat 17; here, the side rails are created by the top portion of the front legs 11. Not shown is a seat belt connected to the seat that buckles and tightens over the child's waist. When the high chair is opened and placed so that the front bar 15 meets the edge of a table, the child is able to use the table surface.
(14) The present invention has parts that are joined by both permanent joints and moveable joints. The permanent joints connect parts of the high chair that remain fixed in the opened and folded forms. The permanent joints are: the horizontal support bar 12 connecting both of the back legs 10, the horizontal support bar 12 and foot rest 13 connecting both of the front legs 11, the front bar 16 connecting to the front bar supports 15, and the backrest 14 connecting to both back legs 10. The moveable joints connect parts of the high chair that change position in relation to one another in the opened and folded forms. These joints are represented in FIGS. 1-4 by 20, 21, 22, 23. These joints allow for a pivoting motion connecting the back legs 10 and front bar supports 15, the back legs 10 and front legs 11, the front bar supports 15 and seat 17, and the front legs 11 and seat 17. Pivotal joint movement resulting from external force causes the different parts of the high chair to move in a circular motion in relation to one another.
(15) Assume that the quick-release buckle 24 connecting the crotch strap 18 to the seat 17 is connected when the high chair is in its opened form FIG. 1. To change from the opened form FIG. 1 to the folded form FIGS. 2-4, the child must first be removed from the high chair. Then, the quick release buckle 24 connecting the crotch strap 18 to the seat 17 must be unbuckled. Once unbuckled, one can place one's hand on the backrest 14 and another hand on the front bar 16. While tilting the high chair on its front legs 10 and pulling the front bar 16 back towards the top of the backrest 14, the seat 17 rotates forward ninety degrees, until it is perpendicular with the floor. When the seat 17 has rotated forward ninety degrees, the high chair has reached its folded form FIGS. 2-4. In its folded form, the front legs 11 touch the horizontal support bar 12 that is connected to the back legs 10 while the front bar supports 15 touch the top of the backrest 14. Refer to FIG. 3. At this point, the crotch strap 18 can be re-buckled to the second female quick release buckle 25 that is permanently connected to the back of the backrest 14, securing the high chair in its folded form.
(16) Refer to FIGS. 2-4. Assume the quick release buckle 24 connecting the crotch strap 18 to the backrest 14 is connected when the high chair is in its folded form. To change from the folded form FIGS. 2-4 to the opened form of FIG. 1, the high chair must be placed close to where it is intended for use. Once placed, the quick release buckle 25 connecting the crotch strap 18 to the backrest 14 must be unbuckled. At this point, one can place one's hand on the backrest and another hand on the front bar 16. While balancing the high chair on its front legs 11 and pushing the front bar away from the backrest 14, the seat 17 is forced to rotate ninety degrees back, until it is parallel with the floor as in FIG. 1. As the seat 17 rotates, the bottom of the back legs 10 and the bottom of the front legs 11 are forced apart. Once the seat 17 has rotated ninety degrees, the back legs 11 and front legs 10 are at their maximum distance from each other, and the back legs 10 can be rested on the floor. To ensure that the seat 17 does not continue to rotate forward past ninety degrees, there are front bar support stoppers 19 that protrude from the inside of the upper portion of the front legs 11.
(17) Refer to FIG. 1. The rotating joints 21 and the rotating joints 23 are the pivot points of a circular motion, where the rotating joints 21 and the rotating joints 23 rotate around the rotating joints 22. Since the distance between the rotating joints 21 and the rotating joints 22 are stationary, and the distance between the rotating joints 22 and the rotating joints 23 is stationary, when the rotating joints 21 and the rotating joints 23 are at their farthest from each other, the high chair has reached its opened form, and cannot open anymore FIG. 1. At this point, the rotating joints 21, the rotating joints 22, and the rotating joints 23 converge into a straight line. When the disclosed invention is collapsing, the rotating joints 21 and the rotating joints 23 are pushed towards each other, pivoting around the rotating joints 22. At this point, the back legs 10 and the front legs 11 move together and the seat 17 rotates forward, until it reaches its folded form. FIGS. 2-4.
(18) When the restaurant high chair is opened, the distance of the crotch strap 18, from the front bar 16 to the female end of the quick release buckle 24, is the same as the distance from the front bar 16 to the female end of the quick release buckle 25 on the back of the backrest 14 when the restaurant high chair is closed. This allows the crotch strap 18 to be buckled and unbuckled in both the opened form FIG. 1 and folded form FIGS. 2-4 without having to adjust length of the crotch strap 18.
(19) When a child is using the high chair, it must be in its opened form of FIG. 1. When open, the crotch strap connects from the front bar 16 to the front of the seat 17 with a quick release buckle 24. When the high chair is opened FIG. 1, the crotch strap 18 must be fastened to the female end of the quick release buckle 24. This protects the child from sliding under the front bar 16. This also protects the child by ensuring that the high chair does not fold while moving the child to and from the seat. After disconnecting the crotch strap 18 from the front seat 17, the chair can be folded. Once folded, the crotch strap 18 is connected to the female end of the quick release buckle 25 on the back of the backrest 14. This keeps the high chair in its folded form when not in use. When folded as in FIG. 2, the crotch strap keeps the high chair from opening by connecting to the female end of the quick release buckle 25 on the back of the backrest 14 FIG. 3.
(20) FIGS. 7A and 7B are opened and folded frontal perspective views of an alternative high chair 100 in accordance with the principles disclosed herein, and FIG. 7C is an exploded perspective view of the alternative high chair. FIGS. 8A and 8B are opened and folded rear perspective views of the alternative high chair 100 and FIGS. 9A and 9B are opened and folded left side elevational views of the alternative high chair. In general, the alternative high chair 100 folds and functions much like the first-disclosed high chair, though the aforementioned crotch strap 18 is replaced by a solid guard. Further, all edges and corners have been rounded so as to be less angular and thus more comfortable and safe for the child as well as the worker who handles the chair.
(21) As with the earlier embodiment, the alternative high chair 100 contains two resting forms: opened as shown in FIGS. 7A/8A/9A and folded as shown in FIGS. 7B/8B/9B. This alternative high chair 100 is a chair intended for use by an infant or toddler wherein two front legs 102 and two back legs 104 support a seat 106 with a backrest 108, a front bar 110, and side rails 112 that are high enough to keep the child from falling off of the seat. As before, the upper portion of the front legs 102 create the side rails 112. The seat 106 is at a height that allows the child to use a table when the front bar 110 is pushed against it.
(22) As seen in the opened state of FIG. 7A and in the exploded view of FIG. 7C, the front bar 110 includes a generally horizontal front portion 114 that extends laterally and smoothly bends downward at corners 116 and then bends into two arms 118 that extend rearward to pivoting connections with the back legs 104. FIG. 7C shows a through hole 120 in one of the arms 118 which is engaged by a pivot bolt 122 connecting the front bar arms 118 to the rear legs 104. An upward movement arrow in FIG. 7A indicates the direction that the front bar 110 pivots when the chair converts from the open state to the folded state.
(23) As seen best in in FIG. 7C, the backrest 108 merges into upper ends of the back legs 104 via a molded shape that includes a laterally-extending back portion 124 that curves forwards at each side to form a pair of front-to-back-oriented side portions 126. The side portions 126 define upper ends of the back legs 104 which are in the form of elongated struts below the backrest 108. Two forwardly-directed flanges 128 commonly molded with and extending from the side portions 126 provide structure to form one-half of an upper pivot joint 130 between the front legs 102 and the back legs 104 (the other half of the pivot joint 130 being formed by upper ends 131 of the front legs 102). Pivot bolts 132 and associated fastening hardware are shown adjacent the upper ends of the front legs 102 in FIG. 7C.
(24) Still with reference to FIG. 7C as well as the detail of FIG. 7D, the seat 106 is also an ergonomically-molded part with slightly upwardly curved edges around all but the front edge to define a bucket of sorts. A pair of downwardly-projecting enlargements 134 at the front corners of the seat 106 provide through holes for a support bar 136 that is in turn secured at either end within recesses 138 formed on the insides of the front legs 102. Fastening bolts 140 extend inward from outside of the legs 102 to secure the support bar 136 in place. The fastening bolts 140 each attach to a locking element 142 having an inwardly-directed pin 144 that aligns with and projects inward through an aperture in the corresponding front leg 102. The pin 144 interacts with a hole 146 in the outside of one of the front bar arms 118 to lock the chair 100 in the open position, as will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 12A-12C.
(25) The seat 106 also has a pair of outwardly-projecting shaft stubs 147 on both lateral sides at a location near its back edge. The shaft stubs 147 insert and pivot within similarly shaped recesses 148 formed on laterally inside surfaces of both arms 118 of the front bar 110. The recesses 148 are located roughly at the midpoint from front-to-rear of the arms 118. The shaft stubs 147 and recesses 148 are aligned and define a middle one of three lower joints of the high chair 100 as will be explained below.
(26) In place of a crotch strap 18, as in the first embodiment, the alternative high chair 100 has a centered, generally U-shaped guard 150 extending down from the horizontal front portion 114 of the front bar 110 to a location near the front of the seat 106. This guard 150 projects down between the child's legs to keep the child from sliding under the front bar 110. The front bar 110 and guard 150 are each formed with smoothly curved surfaces and bends to protect the child from any injury due to impact or the child struggling to break free.
(27) The present invention also preferably includes a seatbelt that is shown at 152 in FIGS. 7A and 7C.
(28) FIG. 10 is an underneath perspective view of the alternative high chair 100 illustrating three horizontal axes defined by relatively pivoting parts of the high chair. FIGS. 11A-11D are schematic views of a collapsible architecture of the alternative high chair 100 with FIG. 11A showing the schematic folding mechanism superimposed over a right side elevational view of the chair.
(29) As with the first disclosed embodiment, and with reference back to FIGS. 7-9, the alternative high chair 100 has parts that are joined by both permanent joints and moveable joints. The permanent joints connect parts of the high chair that remain fixed in the opened and folded positions. The permanent joints are: a horizontal support bar 160 connecting lower ends of the back legs 104, a horizontal support bar 162 connecting lower ends of the front legs 102, and the backrest 108 connecting upper ends of both back legs 104.
(30) The moveable joints connect parts of the high chair 100 that change position in relation to one another in the opened and folded forms. In addition to the upper pivot joint 130 between the front legs 102 and the back legs 104, these joints are represented in FIGS. 7-11 by the symbols A, B, C. Specifically as seen in FIGS. 11A and 11B, and the underside view of FIG. 10, the pivot joints include a rear joint A, a middle joint B and a front joint C. These joints allow for pivoting motion between the back legs 104 and front legs 102 (upper pivot joint 130), the back legs 104 and front bar arms 118 (rear joint A), the front bar arms 118 and seat 106 (middle joint B), and the front legs 102 and seat 106 (front joint C). Pivotal joint movement resulting from external force causes the different parts of the high chair 100 to move in a circular motion in relation to one another.
(31) To change from the opened form of FIGS. 7A, 11A and 11B to the folded form of FIGS. 7B and 11D, the child must first be removed from the high chair. Then, quick-release buttons 170 are depressed on both sides of the front legs 102 to unlock the chair 100, as indicated by arrow 172 in FIG. 7A. With reference to FIG. 7D, the locking elements 142 each include a hinge 174 about which an outer portion rocks to alternate between a position where the pin 144 is pivoted inward into engagement with the hole 146 in the front bar 110 and a position where the pin is retracted from the hole, following depression of the associated button 170.
(32) While quick-release buttons 170 are depressed, the operator can tilt the chair 100 on its front legs 102 or its back legs 104 and pull up on the front bar 110 back towards the top of the backrest 108 as seen from the right side of the chair in FIG. 11B, the front bar 110 rotates upward or CCW. By tilting the high chair onto its front legs 102 or its back legs 104, the legs are able to come together. This is because the weight of the chair 100 pushes the bottom ends of the front legs 102 and the bottom ends of the back legs 104 away from each other when it is resting in its opened form FIGS. 7A/8A/9A, thus keeping the high chair in its open position. When the weight of the high chair is removed from either both front legs 102 or both back legs 104, the non-weight-bearing legs can move freely about their pivot joint 130. By virtue of the seat 106 pivoting near its front end about the front legs 104 and about a mid-portion of the front bar arms 118 of the front bar 110, the seat 106 rotates forwardly or CW. This is helped by the forward rotational force applied to the seat 106 by the rising front bar 110, by virtue of the interaction of the shaft stubs 147 pivoting in the recesses 148 (FIG. 7C), about middle joint B.
(33) FIG. 11C shows further pivoting of the front bar 110 and seat 106, and FIG. 11D shows the entire chair 100 folded flat. Ultimately, the seat 106 rotates forward nearly ninety degrees, until it is perpendicular with the floor, as seen in FIG. 7B. When the seat 106 has rotated forward ninety degrees, the high chair has reached its folded form FIGS. 7B/8B/9B. In its folded form, the front legs 102 touch the horizontal support bar 160 that is connected to the back legs 104 while the front bar arms 118 touch the top of the backrest 108.
(34) Conversely, to change from the folded form of FIGS. 7B/8B/9B to the opened form of FIGS. 7A/8A/9A, the high chair must be placed close to where it is intended for use. At this point, one can place one's hand on the backrest 108 and another hand on the front bar 110. While balancing the high chair on its front legs 102 and pushing the front bar away from the backrest 108, the seat 106 is forced to rotate ninety degrees back, until it is parallel with the floor as seen in FIG. 7A. As the seat 106 rotates, the bottom of the back legs 104 and the bottom of the front legs 102 are forced apart. Once the seat 106 has rotated ninety degrees, the back legs 102 and front legs 104 are at their maximum distance from each other, and the back legs 104 can be rested on the floor. The seat 106 will not continue to rotate forward past ninety degrees, as the front bar 110 contacts and is supported underneath by the support bar 136 under the seat 106 that in turn is connected at each end to the front legs 102. Additionally, the seat 106 is connected at middle pivot B to the horizontal arms 118 of the front bar 110, and so the seat 106 is fully supported. When in use, the weight of the high chair 100 pushes the bottom ends of the front legs 102 and the bottom ends of the back legs 104 away from each other when it is resting in its opened form FIGS. 7A/8A/9A. When the high chair 100 is in use, the weight of a child on the seat 106 further forces the high chair to remain open. Because the high chair requires no weight on either the front legs 102 or the back legs 104 in combination with an upward motion of the front bar 110 to fold shut, the risk of it unintentionally folding while in its opened form FIGS. 7A/8A/9A is eliminated.
(35) Referring to FIGS. 11A-11D, the rotating joints A and the rotating joints C are the pivot points of a circular motion, where the rotating joints A and the rotating joints C rotate around the rotating joints B. Since the distance between the rotating joints A and the rotating joints B are stationary, and the distance between the rotating joints B and the rotating joints C is stationary, when the rotating joints A and the rotating joints C are at their farthest from each other, the high chair has reached its opened form, and cannot open anymore FIG. 11A. At this point, the rotating joints A, the rotating joints B, and the rotating joints C converge into a straight line. When the chair 100 is folding, the rotating joints A and the rotating joints C are pushed towards each other, pivoting around the rotating joints B. At this point, the back legs 104 and the front legs 102 move together and the seat 106 rotates forward, until it reaches its folded form, as in FIG. 11D.
(36) With reference to FIGS. 12A-12C, a mechanism for locking the alternative high chair in the opened position is shown. As mentioned above, the locking elements 142 secured to the outside of each front legs 102 each carry an inwardly-directed pin 144 that aligns with and projects inward through an aperture in the front leg. FIG. 12B shows one of the pins 144 projecting inward from the leg 102. The pins 144 interact with the holes 146 in the outside of the front bar arms 118 to lock the chair 100 in the open position. FIG. 12A shows inward depression of the quick-release button 170 on the locking element 142 to unlock the chair 100, as indicated by arrow 172.
(37) Although not shown, a strap and buckles may be used to secure the high chair in its folded form. However, the alternative chair 100 desirably doesn't lock in the folded position. Friction and a slight over rotation keep the chair from opening when not in use. When the chair is in the open position, the locking pins 144 and holes 146 are a safety feature that keeps the chair from accidentally folding shut, but it is the weight of the child in the chair that actually keeps it open. In order to meet ASTM (https://www.astm.org) Standard Consumer Safety Specifications for High Chairs, a locking mechanism that keep a folding high chair in the open position, so that the chair doesn't accidentally get folded shut with a child using it.
(38) It is important to reiterate the way in which a child sitting in the seat 106 holds the chair 100 in its open, unfolded position. As best seen in FIG. 7A, the front bar 110 rests on the support bar 136 (FIG. 7C) which acts as the pivot axis for the front edge of the seat 106. Thus, both the front edge of the seat 106 and the front corners of the front bar 110 are held up by the support bar 136 and in turn the front legs 102. At the same time, the rear ends of the arms 118 of the front bar 110 are supported by the pivot bolts 122 fixed through the rear legs 104. Thus, the front bar 110 is completely supported from downward movement at both front and rear ends. Seeing as the seat 106 is pivotally connected on both lateral sides to the midpoint of the front bar 110 (shaft stubs 147 inserted into recesses 148), weight on the seat resists lifting of the front bar 110. The chair 100 cannot collapse without the front bar pivoting upward, and thus the seat effectively locks the chair in the unfolded position. One must lift the child out of the seat 106 to fold the chair 100.
(39) Additionally, the safety locking pins 144 that insert into the holes 146 in the outside of the front bar arms 118 are non-load-bearing. That is, the weight of the front arm 110 is borne by the fixed elevation support bar 136 under the front edge of the seat 106. Consequently, no weight is applied to the pins 144 when they are inserted into the holes 146.
(40) Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on the apparatus and procedures disclosed or claimed. Although many of the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of method acts or system elements, it should be understood that those acts and those elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives. Acts, elements and features discussed only in connection with one embodiment are not intended to be excluded from a similar role in other embodiments.
