Pressurized medium assembly

Abstract

A pressurized medium assembly includes a first working chamber and a second working chamber. The first and second working chambers are adapted to together produce a load. The pressurized medium assembly includes a first control arrangement adapted to provide a fluid communication between the first working chamber and a pressure line in an on/off manner. The pressurized medium assembly further includes a second control arrangement adapted to provide a fluid communication between the second working chamber and a pressure line. The second control arrangement is adapted to proportionally regulate the pressure in the second working chamber.

Claims

1. A pressurized medium assembly comprising a first working chamber and a second working chamber, the first and second working chambers being adapted to together produce a load, the pressurized medium assembly comprising a first control means being configured to provide a fluid communication between the first working chamber and a pressure line in an on/off manner such that the first working chamber can be pressurized to a finite number of pressure levels, the pressurized medium assembly further comprising a second control means configured to provide a fluid communication between the second working chamber and a pressure line, wherein the second control means is configured to proportionally regulate the pressure in the second working chamber.

2. The pressurized medium assembly according to claim 1, wherein the effective area of the first working chamber is larger than the effective area of the second working chamber.

3. The pressurized medium assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second working chamber is a retracting chamber.

4. The pressurized medium assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second control means comprises a 2/2-way proportional valve.

5. The pressurized medium assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second control means comprises a proportional pressure control valve.

6. The pressurized medium assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pressurized medium assembly comprises, in addition to the first working chamber, at least one more working chamber adapted to be in fluid communication with a pressure line in an on/off manner.

7. The pressurized medium assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pressurized medium assembly comprises an actuator comprising at least two of the working chambers.

8. The pressurized medium assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pressurized medium assembly further comprises a third working chamber, the pressurized medium assembly further comprising a third control means configured to provide a fluid communication between the third working chamber and a pressure line, the third control means being configured to proportionally regulate the pressure in the third working chamber.

9. The pressurized medium assembly according to claim 8, wherein the pressurized medium assembly comprises a single spool valve configured to form a part of the second control means as well as the third control means.

10. A pressurized medium steering system for an articulated vehicle, the pressurized medium steering system comprising a pressurized medium assembly according to claim 1.

11. A vehicle comprising at least one of a pressurized medium assembly according to claim 1 and a pressurized medium steering system comprising a pressurized medium assembly according to claim 1.

12. A method for controlling a pressurized medium assembly comprising a first working chamber and a second working chamber in order to produce a load, the method comprising: controlling a fluid communication between the first working chamber and a pressure line in an on/off manner such that the first working chambers is pressurized to a finite number of pressure levels; providing a fluid communication between the second working chamber and a pressure line; and proportionally regulating the pressure in the second working chamber.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the pressurized medium assembly further comprises a third working chamber, the method further comprising, providing a fluid communication between the third working chamber and a pressure line, and proportionally regulating the pressure in the third working chamber.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the second working chamber is a extending chamber and the third chamber is a retracting chamber, the method further comprising: alternating between proportionally regulating the second chamber and proportionally regulating the third chamber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a more detailed description of embodiments of the invention cited as examples.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle;

(4) FIG. 2 illustrates a digital pressurized medium assembly;

(5) FIG. 3 illustrates load levels obtainable by the FIG. 2 assembly;

(6) FIG. 4 illustrates a pressurized medium assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(7) FIG. 5 illustrates load levels obtainable by the FIG. 4 assembly;

(8) FIG. 6 illustrates a pressurized medium assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

(9) FIG. 7 illustrates load levels obtainable by the FIG. 6 assembly;

(10) FIG. 8 illustrates a pressurized medium assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(11) FIG. 9 illustrates a pressurized medium assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

(12) FIG. 10 illustrates a pressurized medium assembly according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

(13) FIG. 11 illustrates an implementation of a proportional control means;

(14) FIG. 12 illustrates another implementation of a proportional control means;

(15) FIG. 13 illustrates a pressurized medium assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

(16) FIG. 14 illustrates a pressure control sequence of a pressurized medium assembly;

(17) FIG. 15 illustrates a pressurized medium assembly according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

(18) FIG. 16 illustrates a pressurized medium steering system.

(19) It should be noted that the appended drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that the dimensions of some features of the present invention may have been exaggerated for the sake of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(20) The invention will below be described for a vehicle in the form of a wheel loader 1 such as the one illustrated in FIG. 1. The wheel loader 1 should be seen as an example of a vehicle which could comprise a pressurized medium assembly according to the present invention. However, the pressurized medium assembly of the present invention may be implemented in a plurality of different types of vehicles. Purely by way of example, the pressurized medium assembly could be implemented in a truck, a lorry, a tractor, a car, a bus or any type of work machine.

(21) FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a digital pressurized medium assembly 10. The FIG. 2 digital pressurized medium assembly 10 comprises an actuator 12 which in FIG. 2 is exemplified as a double acting cylinder with a first working chamber 14 and a second working chamber 16. The first working chamber 14 is an extracting working chamber and the second working chamber 16 is a retracting chamber. Moreover, the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 is adapted to produce a load in a first direction X.

(22) Moreover, the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 illustrated in FIG. 2 comprises a first fluid line 18 which is in fluid communication with a pump 20 adapted to provide fluid at a predetermined non-zero positive pressure P. Moreover, the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 comprises a first control means 22, or first controller, adapted to provide a fluid communication between the first working chamber 14 and the first fluid line 18 in an on/off manner. To this end, the first control means 22 may comprise a first shut-off valve 22, such as an electrically and/or hydraulically controlled on/off valve, located between the first working chamber 14 and the first fluid line 18.

(23) In a similar vein, the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 comprises a second control means 24, or second controller, adapted to provide a fluid communication between the second working chamber 16 and the first fluid line 18 in an on/off manner. To this end, the a second control means 24 may comprise a first shut-off valve 24, such as an electrically and/or hydraulically controlled on/off valve, located between the first second chamber 16 and the first fluid line 18.

(24) FIG. 2 further illustrates that the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 comprises a second fluid line 26 which is in fluid communication with a tank 28. Each one of the first 22 and second 24 control means are adapted to provide on/off fluid communication between each one of the first and second chambers 14, 16 and the second fluid line 26. To this end, the first control means 22 may comprise a second shut-off valve 22, such as an electrically and/or hydraulically controlled on/off valve, located between the first working chamber 14 and the second fluid line 26. Moreover, the second control means 24 may comprise a second shut-off valve 24, such as an electrically and/or hydraulically controlled on/off valve, located between the second working chamber 16 and the second fluid line 26.

(25) When a fluid communication between one of the working chambers 14, 16 and the second fluid line 26 is established, that working chamber assumes an atmospheric pressure state, i.e. a zero positive pressure state.

(26) The control means of the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 can be controlled such that each one of the working chambers either assumes the zero positive pressure state (hereinafter denoted by 0) or the predetermined non-zero positive pressure P state (hereinafter denoted by 1). As such, the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 can assume the four load states that are presented in Table 1.

(27) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Load states of the FIG. 2 digital pressurized medium assembly 10 State # first working chamber 14 second working chamber 16 A.sub.1 0 1 A.sub.2 0 0 A.sub.3 1 1 A.sub.4 1 0

(28) Since the second working chamber 16 is a retracting chamber, the A load state results in that the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 produces a negative load 1_i in the first direction X. The A2 load state results in a zero load 1_2 whereas the A3 and A4 load states results in positive loads L3, L4.

(29) FIG. 3 illustrates the pressure state (0 or 1) for each one of the working chambers 14, 16 for each one of the load states Ai-A4. Moreover, the loads U, L2, L3, LA obtained from the four load states A!, A2, A3, A4 are illustrated in FIG. 3. As may be gleaned from FIG. 3, the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 is adapted to produce discrete load levels. As such, if a load LR is requested from the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 which requested load L is located between two of the discrete loads, e.g. L3 and L4 in the example illustrated in FIG. 3, that are possible to obtain from the digital pressurized medium assembly 10, there is a risk that the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 will oscillate between the two load states A3, A.

(30) The invention will, in the following, be exemplified by embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the embodiments are included in order to explain principles of the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

(31) FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention. As such, FIG. 4 illustrates a pressurized medium assembly 10 comprising a first working chamber 14 and a second working chamber 16. The first 14 and second 16 working chambers are adapted to together produce a load. The FIG. 4 assembly 10 comprises a double acting cylinder 12 which in turn comprises the first working chamber 14 and the second working chamber 16. In the implementation illustrated in FIG. 4, the first working chamber 14 is an extracting working chamber and the second working chamber 16 is a retracting chamber. Moreover, the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 is adapted to produce a load L in a first direction X. Preferably, the effective area of the first working chamber 14 is larger than the effective area EA2 of the second working chamber 16.

(32) Moreover, the pressurized medium assembly 10 illustrated in FIG. 4 comprises a first fluid line 18 which is adapted to contain a fluid at a first pressure level P. To this end, the first fluid line 18 may preferably be adapted to be in fluid communication with a first pressure source 20. The first pressure source is in the FIG. 4 implementation a pump 20. The first pressure source 20 is adapted to provide fluid at least the first pressure level to the first fluid line 18.

(33) Purely by way of example, the fluid used in the first fluid line 18 may be a gas, such as air, or a liquid, such as oil.

(34) Moreover, the pressurized medium assembly 10 comprises a first control means 22, or first controller, adapted to provide a fluid communication between the first working chamber 14 and the first fluid line 18 in an on/off manner. To this end, although purely by way of example, the first control means 22 may comprise a first shut-off valve 22, such as an electrically and/or hydraulically controlled on/off valve, located between the first working chamber 14 and the first fluid line 18. In a similar vein, the digital pressurized medium assembly 10 comprises a second control means 24, or a second controller, adapted to provide a fluid communication between the second working chamber 16 and the first fluid line 18. However, in contrast to the FIG. 2 pressurized medium assembly 10, the second control means 24 is adapted to proportionally regulate the pressure in the second working chamber 16. To this end, although purely by way of example, the second control means 24 may comprise a first proportionally regulating valve 24 located between the second working chamber 16 and the first fluid line 18.

(35) FIG. 4 further illustrates that the pressurized medium assembly 10 comprises a second fluid line 26 which is adapted to contain a fluid at a second pressure level P2. The second pressure level P2 is different from the first pressure level Pi. Preferably, the second pressure level P2 is lower than the first pressure level P To this end, although purely by way of example, the second fluid line 26 may be in fluid communication with a second pressure source 28. The second pressure source 28 is adapted to provide fluid at least the second pressure P2 to the second fluid line 26. Instead of, or in addition to, being in fluid communication with a second pressure source 28, the second fluid line 26 may be in fluid communication with a tank (not shown in FIG. 4). In such an example, the second pressure level P2 in the second fluid line 26 is an atmospheric pressure state, i.e. a zero positive pressure state.

(36) Preferably, the fluid used in the second fluid line 26 may be the same as the fluid used in the first fluid line.

(37) Each one of the first 22 and second 24 control means are adapted to provide on/off fluid communication between each one of the first and second chambers 14, 16 and the second fluid line 26. To this end, the first control means 22 may comprise a second shut-off valve 22, such as an electrically and/or hydraulically controlled on/off valve, located between the first working chamber 14 and the second fluid line 26. Moreover, the second control means 24 may comprise a second shut-off valve 24, such as an electrically and/or hydraulically controlled on/off valve, located between the second working chamber 16 and the second fluid line 26.

(38) The first control means 22 of the pressurized medium assembly 10 illustrated in FIG. 4 can be controlled such that the first working chamber 14 either assumes the second pressure level P2 of the second fluid line 26 or the first pressure level P of the first fluid line 18.

(39) Moreover, the second control means 24 pressurized medium assembly 10 illustrated in FIG. 4 is adapted to proportionally increase the pressure in the second working chamber 16 from the second pressure level P2 of the second fluid line 26 to the first pressure level Pi of the first fluid line 18.

(40) As such, the embodiment of the pressurized medium assembly 10 illustrated in FIG. 4 can assume the load states that are presented in Table 2.

(41) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Load states of the FIG. 4 digital pressurized medium assembly 10 State # first working chamber 14 second working chamber 16 A.sub.1 P.sub.2 stepless increase from P.sub.2 to P.sub.1 A.sub.2 P.sub.2 P.sub.2 A.sub.3 P.sub.1 stepless increase from P.sub.2 to P.sub.1 A.sub.4 P.sub.1 P.sub.2

(42) The pressure in each one of the working chambers 14, 16 for each one of the four load states A1, A2, A3, A4 of Table 2, as well as the loads L obtainable therefrom, are illustrated in FIG. 5. Moreover, the discrete loads obtainable from the load states of the FIG. 2 system are indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 5.

(43) As may be gleaned from FIG. 5, by virtue of the fact that it is possible to obtain a stepless pressure increase, from the second pressure P2 of the second fluid line 26 to the first pressure of the first fluid line 18, in the second working chamber 16, it is possible to obtain a stepless load decrease from fourth load level L4 down to the third load level L3. Moreover, it is possible to obtain a stepless load decrease from the second load level L2 down to the first load level

(44) As such, by the embodiment of the pressurized medium assembly 10 as illustrated in FIG. 4, the risk of obtaining an oscillation between the two load states for a requested load LD is reduced as compared to the FIG. 2 system.

(45) Another embodiment of the pressurized medium assembly 10 may be obtained by arranging the second control means 24 such that it is adapted to proportionally decrease the pressure in the second working chamber 16 from the first pressure level of the first fluid line 18 to the second pressure level P2 of the second fluid line 26. Moreover, the second control means 24 of the present embodiment may comprise a second shut-off valve 24, such as an electrically and/or hydraulically controlled on/off valve, located between the second working chamber 16 and the first fluid line 18. The present embodiment may be used for obtaining a stepless load increase, e.g. from the third load level 1_3 to the fourth load level L4.

(46) FIG. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of the pressurized medium assembly 10. As compared to the FIG. 4 embodiment, the second control means 24 of the FIG. 6 embodiment is also adapted to proportionally, i.e. not in an on/off manner, control the fluid communication between the second working chamber 16 and the second fluid line 26.

(47) As such, the embodiment of the pressurized medium assembly 10 illustrated in FIG. 6 can assume the load states that are presented in Table 3.

(48) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Load states of the FIG. 6 digital pressurized medium assembly 10 State # first working chamber 14 second working chamber 16 A.sub.1 P.sub.2 stepless increase from P.sub.2 to P.sub.1 A.sub.2 P.sub.2 stepless decrease from P.sub.1 to P.sub.2 A.sub.3 P.sub.1 stepless increase from P.sub.2 to P.sub.1 A.sub.4 P.sub.1 stepless decrease from P.sub.1 to P.sub.2

(49) The pressure in each one of the working chambers 14, 16 for each one of the four load states A1, A2, A3, A4 of Table 3, as well as the loads L obtainable therefrom, are illustrated in FIG. 7. Moreover, the discrete loads obtainable from the load states of the FIG. 2 system are indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 7.

(50) As may be gleaned from FIG. 7, the fact that the second control means 24 is adapted to proportionally control the fluid communication between the second working chamber 16 and the second fluid line 26 implies that it is possible to obtain a load range that at least comprises sub-ranges in which the load L may be steplessly increased as well as steplessly decreased.

(51) FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the pressurized medium assembly 10. The FIG. 8 assembly 10 comprises an actuator 12 which in turn comprises a first working chamber 14, a second working chamber 16, a third working chamber 34, a fourth working chamber 36 and a fifth working chamber 38. Moreover, the FIG. 8 embodiment comprises a first fluid line 18, a second fluid line 26 as well as a first 20 and second 28 pressure source (or a tank). Details of the fluid lines 18, 26 as well as the pressure sources 20, 28 have been presented when discussing the FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 embodiments of the present invention hereinabove and are consequently not repeated here.

(52) FIG. 8 further illustrates that the each one of the first 14, the third 34, the fourth 36 and the fifth 38 working chambers are connectable to each one of the first and second fluid lines 18, 26 in an on/off manner.

(53) Moreover, the FIG. 8 embodiment comprises a second control means 24 adapted to proportionally control the fluid communication between the second working chamber 16 and the first fluid line 18. Furthermore, the FIG. 8 implementation of the second control means 24 is adapted to proportionally control the fluid communication between the second working chamber 16 and the second fluid line 26.

(54) The second working chamber 16 of the FIG. 8 pressurized medium assembly 10 has the largest effective area of each one of the five working chambers. This implies that steplessly variable load L may be obtained in a straightforward manner.

(55) However, in order to reduce the amount of power losses that may occur due to the proportional regulation of the second working chamber 16, it may be preferred that the second working chamber 16 is not the largest one of the working chambers of the pressurized medium assembly 10. In other words, it may be preferred that the effective area of at least the first working chamber 14 is larger than the effective area of the second working chamber 16.

(56) An example of such an embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 9. As may be gleaned from FIG. 9, the second working chamber 16, which second chamber 16 is proportionally controlled as has been discussed hereinabove, has a second effective area EA2 which is smaller than the first effective area EA of the first chamber 14. In the FIG. 9 embodiment, the second chamber 16 is instead the largest retracting chamber of the FIG. 9 pressurized medium assembly 10.

(57) Purely by way of example, the working chambers 14, 16, 34, 36, 38 of the FIG. 9 assembly 10 may have different effective areas. As a non-limiting example, the effective area of the first working chamber 14 may be at least approximately twice as large as the effective area of the second working chamber 16. Moreover, the effective area of the second working chamber 14 may be at least approximately twice as large as the effective area of the third working chamber 34. Furthermore, the effective area of the third working chamber 34 may be at least approximately twice as large as the effective area of the fourth working chamber 36. Additionally, the effective area of the fourth working chamber 36 may be at least approximately twice as large as the effective area of the fifth working chamber 38.

(58) As such, according to the above non-limiting example, the working chambers 14, 16, 34, 36, 38 may have effective areas according to the following ratios: 1:2:4:8:16.

(59) Moreover, a pressurized medium assembly could preferably comprise a third working chamber and the third control means adapted to proportionally regulate the pressure in the third working chamber.

(60) An example of an embodiment comprising two working chambers wherein the pressure in each one of the working chambers is proportionally regulated is illustrated in FIG. 10.

(61) As such, FIG. 10 illustrates a pressurized medium assembly 10 comprising five working chambers. In the FIG. 10 embodiment, each one of the two smallest working chambers 16, 34 have control means, viz the second control means 24 and a third control means 40, adapted to proportionally regulate the pressure in the second working chamber 16 and the third working chamber 34, respectively.

(62) In the above discussed embodiments of the pressurized medium assembly 10, the proportional control means have been exemplified as 2/2-way proportional valves.

(63) However, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 illustrate alternative implementations of proportional control means. For instance, FIG. 11 illustrates a single spool valve 44 that is adapted to proportionally regulate the pressure in two chambers 14, 34.

(64) Furthermore, FIG. 12 illustrates a proportional pressure control valve 46. One advantage of a proportional pressure control valve is that it implies a simplified control since the output of the valve is a controlled pressure. Moreover, a proportional pressure control valve may be controlled by one single actuator, e.g. solenoid, hydraulic signal or the like.

(65) FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of a pressurized medium assembly 10 which is similar to the FIG. 10 embodiment, with the exception that the FIG. 13 embodiment comprises proportional pressure control valves, viz the second control means 24 and the third control means 40.

(66) FIG. 14 illustrates a preferred method of controlling a pressurized medium assembly 10 which comprises a proportionally controlled extracting working chamber and a proportionally controlled retracting working chamber. The control method illustrated in FIG. 14 could for instance be used on the FIG. 10 and/or FIG. 13 embodiments that have been 5 discussed hereinabove.

(67) As may be gleaned from FIG. 14, when going from the lowest load to the highest load that can be produced by the assembly 10 the preferred control method alternately proportionally controls the pressure in the extracting working chamber 16 and the retracting working chamber 34, respectively.

(68) Preferably, one of the proportionally controlled working chambers is firstly controlled proportionally over its entire pressure range (i.e. between P-i and P2) before the other proportionally controlled working chambers is proportionally controlled, preferably also over its entire pressure range, before the first proportionally chamber is proportionally controlled again.

(69) It should be noted that although the embodiments of the invention which have been described hereinabove comprises two fluid lines 18, 26, it is envisaged that embodiments of the pressurized medium assembly 10 may comprise more than two fluid lines.

(70) For instance, FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment of the pressurized medium assembly 10 which comprises three fluid lines, viz a first fluid line 18, a second fluid line 26 and a third fluid line 48. The first fluid line 18 is adapted to be in fluid communication with a first pressure source 20, the second fluid line 26 is adapted to be in fluid communication with a second pressure source 28 and the third fluid line 48 is adapted to be in contact with a third pressure source 50. The first, second and third pressure sources 20, 28, 50 may preferably be adapted to provide separate pressure levels P^ P2, P3.

(71) Moreover, in a similar vein as has been discussed hereinabove, the pressurized medium assembly 10 illustrated in FIG. 15 comprises control means for selectively providing a fluid communication between one of the first, second and third fluid lines 18, 26, 48 and at least one of the working chambers 14, 36, 38 in an on-off manner.

(72) Furthermore, the FIG. 15 the pressurized medium assembly 10 comprises control means 24, 40 for proportionally regulating the pressure in at least one of the other working chambers 16, 34. As a non-limiting example, the proportionally regulating control means 24, 40 may be connected to only two of the first, second and third fluid lines 18, 26, 48. For instance, the proportionally regulating control means may be connected to the fluid line with the highest pressure and the fluid line with the lowest pressure.

(73) Moreover, the above discussed embodiments of the pressurized medium assemblies 10 comprise an actuator which in turn comprises the working chambers. However, it should be noted that pressurized medium assemblies 10 could instead, or in addition, comprise at least two actuators 52, 54 each one of which comprising at least one, though preferably at least two, working chambers.

(74) For instance, FIG. 16 illustrates a pressurized medium steering system 56 for an articulated vehicle (not shown in FIG. 16). The medium steering system 56 comprises a first actuator 52, or cylinder, which in turn comprises a first 14 and a second 16 working chamber. Moreover, the medium steering system 56 comprises a second actuator 54, or cylinder, with a third 34 and a fourth 36 working chamber. The first actuator 52 and the second actuator 54 are preferably connected to one another, for instance via a connection member 58, in order to provide a resultant torque at a common point 60.

(75) Purely by way of example, the working chambers 14, 16, 34, 36, 38 of the FIG. 8 pressurized medium steering system 56 may have different effective areas. As a non-limiting example, the effective area of the first working chamber 14 may be at least approximately twice as large as the effective area of the second working chamber 16. Moreover, the effective area of the second working chamber 16 may be at least approximately twice as large as the effective area of the third working chamber 34.

(76) Furthermore, the effective area of the third working chamber 34 may be at least approximately twice as large as the effective area of the fourth working chamber 36. As such, according to the above non-limiting example, the working chambers 14, 16, 34, 36 may have effective areas according to the following ratios: 1:2:4:8.

(77) Moreover, the pressurized medium steering system 56 comprises a first control assembly 62 for selectively providing a fluid communication between one a first and second fluid lines 18, 26 and at least one of the first, third and fourth working chambers 14, 36, 38 in an on-off manner. Furthermore, the FIG. 16 the pressurized medium steering system 56 comprises a second control means 24 for proportionally regulating the pressure in the second working chambers 16.

(78) Finally, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.