TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED CONTAINER AND RELATED METHODS

Abstract

A storage container is provided. The container may be insertable into a cold-storage dewar or other cold-storage container and may have multiple compartments. A payload item may be inserted into a tray and placed in one compartment for cold storage. Temperature buffering material may be inserted into one or more other compartment to provide for increased holding time at or near a desired temperature.

Claims

1. A storage container comprising: an external wall comprising a cylinder defining an outer periphery of the storage container; and a pair of inner walls, each comprising a planar chord extending between two locations on an inner surface of the external wall, the inner walls dividing the cylinder into sections, wherein an outer void is defined between at least one of the inner walls and the external wall, the outer void configured to receive a temperature buffering material, and wherein an inner void is defined between the inner walls, the inner void configured to receive an item rack to receive and secure an item in the item rack.

2. The storage container of claim 1, wherein the temperature buffering material comprises a scaffold exposed to a temperature modulating substance.

3. The storage container of claim 2, further comprising a liner configured to (1) receive and envelope the temperature buffering material and (2) configured to be inserted into the outer void.

4. The storage container of claim 3, wherein the liner comprises a removable lid.

5. The storage container of claim 2, wherein the scaffold comprises one or more of an aerogel, fiberglass, or cotton.

6. The storage container of claim 1, wherein the storage container further comprises a lid configured to cover the outer void while leaving the inner void uncovered.

7. The storage container of claim 6, wherein: the lid is porous; the external wall is non-porous; and the inner wall is non-porous.

8. The storage container of claim 1, wherein the item rack comprises a handle that extends out of the storage container when the item rack is inserted into the storage container.

9. The storage container of claim 1, wherein the storage container is received into a double-walled vacuum flask.

10. The storage container of claim 1, further comprising the item rack disposed inside the inner void and supporting an item for cold storage.

11. A method of using a storage container for cold storage of an item, wherein the storage container has (i) an external wall comprising a cylinder defining an outer periphery of the storage container and (ii) a pair of inner walls, each comprising a planar chord extending between two locations on an inner surface of the external wall, the inner walls dividing the cylinder into sections, the method comprising: inserting a temperature buffering material into an outer void of the storage container defined between at least one of the inner walls and the external wall and configured to receive the temperature buffering material; inserting an item rack having an item received and secured therein, into the inner void; and placing the storage container into a dewar.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the temperature buffering material comprises a scaffold exposed to a temperature modulating substance.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a liner configured to (1) receive and envelope the temperature buffering material and (2) configured to be inserted into the outer void.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the liner comprises a removable lid.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the scaffold comprises one or more of an aerogel, fiberglass, or cotton.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the storage container further comprises a lid configured to cover the outer void while leaving the inner void uncovered.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein: the lid is porous; the external wall is non-porous; and the inner wall is non-porous.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the item rack comprises a handle that extends out of the storage container when the item rack is inserted into the storage container.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the dewar is a double-walled vacuum flask configured to receive the storage container.

20. A storage container comprising: an external wall having a closed cross-sectional shape in at least one plane and defining an outer periphery of the storage container; and a pair of inner walls, each comprising a plane between two locations on the external wall, the inner walls dividing the closed cross-sectional shape into a plurality of sections, wherein an outer void is defined between at least one of the inner walls and the external wall, the outer void configured to receive a temperature buffering material, and wherein an inner void is defined between the inner walls, the inner void configured to receive an item rack to receive and secure an item in the item rack

21. An item rack for supporting an item in a container, the item rack comprising: a handle; a guiding section adjacent to the handle and comprising a pair of narrowing incline faces to guide an item into the item rack; a compression section adjacent to the guiding section and providing a pair of parallel compression faces to ameliorate dislodging of the item from the item rack; an enlarging section adjacent to the compression section and comprising a pair of widening inclined faces; a retaining section adjacent to the enlarging section and providing a pair of parallel retaining faces spaced more widely apart than the pair of parallel compression faces; and a floor joining the parallel retaining faces together and providing a lowermost portion of the item rack disposed opposite from the handle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] To facilitate further description of the embodiments, the following drawings are provided in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of an example storage container;

[0011] FIG. 2 shows a partially exploded view of an example storage container;

[0012] FIG. 3 shows a view of an example storage container with a partially-inserted item rack;

[0013] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of an example storage container and dewar system;

[0014] FIG. 5 shows a method of using an example storage container;

[0015] FIG. 6 shows a view of an example storage container and an item rack removed from the storage container;

[0016] FIG. 7 shows a cutaway view of an item rack inserted into a storage container;

[0017] FIG. 8 shows a view of the item rack inserted into the container without a cutaway depicted; and

[0018] FIG. 9 shows detailed aspects of an example item rack, in accordance with various embodiments.

[0019] For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Temperature-controlled storage and shipping can be considered a subset of the overall supply chain. Temperature-controlled storage and shipping containers can be useful in shipping temperature-sensitive foods, medical substances, and scientific research materials by preventing them from becoming spoiled or degraded during transit. Many packages can benefit from an uninterrupted series of temperature-controlled production, storage and distribution activities, along with the associated equipment and logistics, which maintain the shipment in the desired temperature range. The need for a successful and thriving temperature-controlled storage and shipping network has never been more apparent.

[0021] Many containers for specimens transported via temperature-controlled storage and shipping networks are ill-equipped for the coarseness of the shipping process. Oftentimes, packages are jostled, tossed, stored sideways or upside down, crushed, or subjected to any number of potentially damaging forces. While various void fill materials can be used to cushion the contents of packages, these traditional approaches function poorly in the cold chain. Further, many carriers can leave temperature-controlled storage and shipping containers in locations outside of a desired temperature range for extended periods of time. While insulated containers (e.g., dewars) can be used in these situations, these traditional approaches may not maintain temperatures in the desired range for long enough and can be difficult to transport due to their size and/or weight. Therefore, disclosed herein is a novel storage container that can both protect an item from shipping while at the same time maintain an item in a desired temperature range for an extended period of time.

[0022] Turning to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary storage container 100. Generally speaking, all or a portion of storage container 100 can be made from a variety of different materials. For example, storage container 100 can be made of metal, wood, plastic, ceramic, and/or some other rigid or semi-rigid material. In various embodiments, elements of the storage container can be made from a thermal insulating and/or thermal conducting material. In many embodiments, storage container 100 can comprise an internal wall 101, an external wall 102, and a bottom wall 119 (not shown). Generally speaking, internal wall 101 can be located proximate to a center and/or interior of container 100, external wall 102 can be located near a periphery and/or exterior of container 100, and a bottom wall 119 can be located on a bottom of container 100. In many embodiments, external wall 102 can circumscribe, encompass, and/or surround internal wall 101. In various embodiments, there can be multiple internal walls. In some embodiments, external wall 102 and/or bottom wall 119 can be insulated from an environment surrounding the container. In this way, a hold time of container 100 (e.g., a time period during which the contents of the container remain within a target temperature range) can be increased. Generally speaking, bottom wall 119 can comprise a substantially planar surface and conform to a shape of one or more cross sections of internal wall 101 and/or external wall 102. In this way, a bottom wall 119 can prevent items, racks, and temperature buffering materials from exiting or falling out of container 100 through a bottom plane of the container. Internal wall 101 and/or external wall 102 can come in a variety of shapes. For example, internal wall 101 and/or external wall 102 can have a substantially planar shape, a substantially arcuate shape, be joined at one or more corners, and/or be joined with itself. In this way, voids can be formed in container 100 that more specifically conform to a shape of an item, rack, or temperature buffering material stored in the voids.

[0023] In various embodiments, internal wall 101 and/or external wall 102 can define one or more voids and/or compartments. For example, inner void 103 and/or outer void 104 can be created by internal wall 101 and external wall 102. While inner void 103 is shown with an oblong (e.g. stadium) cross section and outer void 104 is shown with a circular sector cross section, the shape of an internal and outer void can vary. For example, a central void can comprise a triangular cross section and an outer void can comprise a circular sector cross section, a central void can comprise a circular cross section and an outer void can comprise an annular cross section, a central void can comprise a square or rectangular cross section and an outer void can comprise a multiply-connected rectangular polygon cross section, or many other combinations of shapes. In this way, an inner void can be customized for an item and/or item rack stored within the inner void.

[0024] In many embodiments, container 100 can comprise a lid 105. In many embodiments, container 100 can comprise a plurality of lids 105. Generally speaking, lid 105 can be configured to cover an entrance to outer void 104. In some embodiments, lid 105 can sit within an/or occlude outer void 104. In these or other embodiments, lid 105 can sit on top of outer void 104 and/or have an overhand extending out over one or more of internal wall 101 and/or external wall 102. In many embodiments, lid 105 can be coupled to one or more of internal wall 101 and/or external wall 102. For example, lid 105 can be hingedly coupled to one or more of internal wall 101 and/or external wall 102 via hinge 106. In these embodiments, hinge 106 can swing up so that lid 105 is above void 104 when open and/or it can swing down so that lid 105 is within void 104 when open. There may be two lids 105, each on opposite corresponding sides of the container 100, each lid 105 providing a semicircular planar cover that occludes outer void 104. Thus one may appreciate that two different outer voids 104 may extend between outer wall 103 and an inner wall 101, and each inner wall 101 may define walls of an inner void 103 between the outer voids 104.

[0025] In various embodiments, lid 105 can have one or more cutouts 107. In these embodiments, cutouts 107 enable lid 105 to become porous, thereby allowing gas exchange between outer void 104 and an external environment. In this way, a buildup of pressure from gases emitted by a temperature preservative (e.g., CO.sub.2 or N.sub.2) can be avoided. In various embodiments, one or more of internal wall 101 and/or external wall 102 can be non-porous, thereby preventing a temperature preservative and/or the external environment from leaking and/or flooding into inner void 103 and contacting whatever item is held within.

[0026] In various embodiments, lid 105 can comprise a first locking mechanism 108. In various embodiments, first locking mechanism 108 can be configured to couple with a second locking mechanism 109. In this way, a position of lid 105 can be secured when container 100 is in use. While first locking mechanism 108 and second locking mechanism 109 are shown in FIG. 1 as a tab and slot configuration, first locking mechanism 108 and second locking mechanism 109 can come in a variety of forms. For example, first locking mechanism 108 and second locking mechanism 109 can comprise slot and pin, ball bearing and dugout, and many other locking mechanisms that do not obstruct the movement of lid 105.

[0027] In various embodiments, storage container 100 can comprise one or more handles 110. Handles 110 can extend out of one or more of internal wall 101 and/or external wall 102. Handles 110 may be metal. Handles 110 can be constructed from and/or coated with an insulating material. In various embodiments, handles 110 can pass through lid 105 via one or more handle cutouts 111. In this way, lid 105 can be actuated without being obstructed by handles 110. In this way, a user of container 100 can pick up item rack 115 (FIG. 3) using a bare hand and/or a lightly insulated glove.

[0028] Turning ahead in the drawings, FIG. 2 illustrates a partially exploded view of container system 200. In various embodiments, container system 200 can comprise container 100 and temperature buffering material 112. In various embodiments, temperature buffering material 112 can comprise liner 113 and/or lid 114. While system 200 uses the liner 113 and the lid 114, it should be understood that a temperature preservative and/or scaffold can be added directly to internal outer void 104 (FIG. 1) of container 100. Generally speaking, liner 113 can be configured to fit within outer void 104 (FIG. 1) and therefore can have a shape complementary to and/or smaller than outer void 104 (FIG. 1). In various embodiments, liner 113 can contain and/or envelope one or more of a scaffold and/or a temperature preservative. Generally speaking, a scaffold (not shown) can be configured to be exposed to a temperature modulating substance (such as a cryogen) and/or contain a temperature preservative (such as a cryogen), thereby extending a hold time (e.g., a time where an item can be held in a specific temperature range) of container 100. In some embodiments, a scaffold can comprise one or more of an aerogel, fiberglass, cotton, or some other material configured compatibly with a specific temperature preservative. In these or other embodiments, lid 114 can be configured to be removably coupled to liner 113, thereby sealing (e.g., in a porous or an airtight manner) liner 113 and retaining its contents. In many embodiments, lid 114 can be configured to sit adjacent to lid 105 when lid 105 is closed. In various embodiments, liner 113 and/or lid 114 can be made of material suitable for containing a specific temperature preservative. For example, if the temperature preservative is liquid nitrogen, liner 113 and/or lid 114 can be made from a material configured to withstand cold temperatures. As another example, if the temperature preservative is a hot pad, liner 113 and/or lid 114 can be made from a material configured to withstand elevated temperatures.

[0029] Turning ahead in the drawings, FIG. 3 illustrates a partially exploded view of container system 300 with a storage container having a partially-inserted item rack. In many embodiments, container system 300 can comprise container 100 and item rack 115. In various embodiments, item rack 115 can comprise a body 116 and/or a handle 117. Generally speaking, a shape and/or structure of the body 116 can be configured to receive and hold an item. For example, the body 116 as shown in FIG. 3 is configured to receive and hold a fluid bag and to provide protection to the bag to ameliorate risk of damage to the bag. Other bodies for item rack 115 can also be used. As other examples, a microcentrifuge rack and/or a test tube rack can be used as a body. Handle 117 can extend out of one or more of inner void and/or outer void. Handle 117 can be constructed from metal. Handle 117 can be constructed from and/or coated with an insulating material. In this way, a user of container 100 can remove item rack 115 using a bare hand and/or a lightly insulated glove.

[0030] With attention to FIG. 4, a container system 400 is shown. In many embodiments, system 400 can comprise a container 100 and/or an outer insulator 118. Generally speaking, outer insulator 118 can be configured to receive the container 100 and maintain the container 100 at a specified temperature. In some embodiments, the container 100 can be configured to extend a hold time of a container system 400 having an outer insulator 118 by providing additional temperature preservation for an item. While the outer insulator 118 is shown in FIG. 4 to be a double walled vacuum flask (e.g., a dewar), the outer insulator 118 can take a variety of forms based on a temperature range required for an item. For example, the outer insulator 118 can comprise a cooler configured to hold water ice.

[0031] Container 100 can be manufactured in a number of different ways. For example, one or more elements of container 100 can be extruded through a die and then coupled together using techniques suitable for the material (e.g., welding for metals, adhesives for many types of materials. As another example, one or more elements of container 100 can be created by rolling, pressing, and/or machining various metals. As a final example, container 100 can be printed using a 3D printer.

[0032] Having introduced various aspects of the storage container 100, with reference to FIGS. 1-3, now is a convenient time to discuss example configurations of the same. For instance, in various embodiments, a storage container 100 has an external wall 102 having a closed cross-sectional shape in at least one plane and defining an outer periphery of the storage container. The storage container may also have a pair of inner walls 101, each comprising a plane between two locations on the external wall 102, the inner walls 101 dividing the closed cross-sectional shape into a plurality of sections. The plurality of sections may include one or more outer void 104 and an inner void 103. For instance, an outer void 104 is defined between at least one of the inner walls 101 and the external wall 102, the outer void 104 configured to receive a temperature buffering material 112. The inner void 103 may be defined between the inner walls 101, the inner void 103 configured to receive an item rack 115 to receive and secure an item in the item rack 115.

[0033] Similarly, a storage container 100 may have an external wall 102 comprising a cylinder defining an outer periphery of the storage container 100. The storage container 100 may have a pair of inner walls 101, each comprising a planar chord extending between two locations on an inner surface of the external wall 102, the inner walls 101 dividing the cylinder into three sections. An outer void 104 is defined between at least one of the inner walls 101 and the external wall 102, the outer void 104 configured to receive a temperature buffering material 112. An inner void 103 is defined between the inner walls 101. The inner void 103 is configured to receive an item rack 115 to receive and secure an item in the item rack 115.

[0034] Turning now to FIG. 5, a method 500 of using a storage container is also shown. The method may include inserting a temperature buffering material into an outer void of the storage container defined between at least one of the inner walls and the external wall and configured to receive the temperature buffering material (block 502). The method may include inserting an item rack having an item received and secured therein, into the inner void (block 504). Finally, the method may include placing the storage container into a dewar (block 506).

[0035] With reference now to FIGS. 6-9, an example embodiment of item rack 115 is shown in detail. FIG. 6 shows a container 100 and an item rack 115 removed from the container. The item rack has two handles 117, one on each side of an upper end of the item rack 115 for ready grasping and access. The item rack 115 has a body 116 for extending from the handles 117 and into the container 100. FIG. 7 shows a cutaway view of an item rack 115 inserted into the container 100 as discussed elsewhere herein. FIG. 8 shows a view of the item rack 115 inserted into the container 100 without a cutaway. Finally, FIG. 9 shows detailed aspects of an example item rack 115. The item rack 115 may be a formed piece of sheet metal. The item rack 115 may be a formed piece of plastic. The item rack 115 may be made of any suitable material.

[0036] Referring to FIGS. 6-9, but particularly to FIG. 9, the handle(s) 117 of the item rack 115 may have different portions. For instance, an extending flange 122 of the handle 117 may be a flange protruding upwardly (e.g., away from the container 100) in a direction away from an interior of the container when the item rack 115 is installed in the container. The extending flange 122 may support a lip member 120. The limp member 120 may be a flange that is bent at an angle relative to the extending flange 122. The lip member 120 may facilitate grasping of the handle 117, by a tool or by a hand, for insertion and removal of the item rack 115 from the container.

[0037] The body 116 of the item rack 115 may have different portions. For instance, the body 116 may have a guiding section 130. The guiding section 130 may be adjacent to the handle 117 and may aid in guiding an item being placed into the item rack 115. For instance, the guiding section 130 may be a section opened relatively widely and transitioning to a relatively narrower area to guide an item more easily into the item rack 115. The guiding section 130 may have a first edge section 131 and a second edge section 132. The first edge section 131 and the second edge section 132 may be adjacent to the handle(s) 117 and may be generally parallel to a wall of the container 100. The first edge section 131 and second edge section 132 may provide structural rigidity to the body 116 and initial guidance to an item being inserted into the item rack 115. The guiding section 130 may also have a first narrowing incline face 132 and a second narrowing incline face 133. The first narrowing incline face 132 and the second narrowing incline face 133 may be inclined toward one another at locations increasingly farther from the handle(s) 117 along the body 116. The combination of these two faces provides a narrowing ramp or funnel to guide an item into the item rack 115.

[0038] The body 116 may have a compression section 140. The compression section 140 may be adjacent to the guiding section 130. The compression section 140 may be a narrowest portion of the body 116 and may aid in retention of the item in the item rack 115 by at least one of pressing against the item from opposing sides, and/or providing a narrowed passage to ameliorate a tendency of the item to dislodge from the item rack 115. The compression section may have a first compression face 141 and a second compression face 142. The first compression face 141 and the second compression face 142 may be parallel. In various embodiments the compression faces 141, 142 may be parallel with an inner wall of the container. The compression section may thus provide a pair of parallel compression faces 141, 142 to ameliorate dislodging of the item from the item rack 115.

[0039] The body 116 may have an enlarging section 150. The enlarging section 150 may have a first widening incline face 151 and a second widening incline face 152. The first widening incline face 151 and the second widening incline face 152 may be inclined away from one another at locations increasingly farther from the handle(s) 117 along the body 116. The enlarging section 150 may provide a transition from the compression section 140 to a larger section in which all or part of an item may be retained. As such, the first widening incline face 151 may be a reflection of the first narrowing incline face 132 and the second widening incline face 152 may be a reflection of the second narrowing incline face 133.

[0040] The body 116 of the item rack 115 may have a retaining section 160. The retaining section 160 may be adjacent to the enlarging section 150 and provide a portion of the body 116 that is farthest from the handle (s) 117. The retaining section 160 may include a first retaining face 161 and a second retaining face 162. The first retaining face 161 and the second retaining face 162 each may be generally parallel to a wall of the container 100. The first retaining face 161 may extend away from the first widening incline face 151 and the second retaining face 162 may extend away from the second widening incline face 152.

[0041] The first retaining face 161 and the second retaining face 162 may be joined by floor 163. The floor 163 may be a flange extending between and connecting the first retaining face 161 and the second retaining face 162. The floor 162 may close a lowermost portion of the body 116 (e.g., a portion farthest from the handle(s) 117) and provide a resting surface for an item in the item rack 115.

[0042] Thus, in various embodiments, an item rack 115 is provided for supporting an item in a container 100. The item rack 115 may include a handle 117. The item rack may have a guiding section 130 adjacent to the handle 117 and comprising a pair of narrowing incline faces 132, 133 to guide an item into the item rack 115. The item rack 115 may have a compression section 140 adjacent to the guiding section 130 and providing a pair of parallel compression faces 141, 142 to ameliorate dislodging of the item from the item rack 115. The item rack 115 may have an enlarging section 150 adjacent to the compression section 140 and comprising a pair of widening inclined faces 151, 152. The item rack 115 may have a retaining section 160 adjacent to the enlarging section 150 and providing a pair of parallel retaining faces 161, 162 spaced more widely apart than the pair of parallel compression faces 141, 142. A floor 163 may join the parallel retaining faces 161, 162 together and provide a lowermost portion of the item rack 115 disposed opposite from the handle 117.

[0043] The terms first, second, third, fourth, and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms include, and have, and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus.

[0044] The terms left, right, front, back, top, bottom, over, under, and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the apparatus, methods, and/or articles of manufacture described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein.

[0045] The terms couple, coupled, couples, coupling, and the like should be broadly understood and refer to connecting two or more elements mechanically and/or otherwise. Two or more electrical elements may be electrically coupled together, but not be mechanically or otherwise coupled together. Coupling may be for any length of time, e.g., permanent or semi-permanent or only for an instant. Electrical coupling and the like should be broadly understood and include electrical coupling of all types. The absence of the word removably, removable, and the like near the word coupled, and the like does not mean that the coupling, etc. in question is or is not removable.

[0046] As defined herein, two or more elements are integral if they are comprised of the same piece of material. As defined herein, two or more elements are non-integral if each is comprised of a different piece of material.

[0047] As defined herein, approximately can, in some embodiments, mean within plus or minus ten percent of the stated value. In other embodiments, approximately can mean within plus or minus five percent of the stated value. In further embodiments, approximately can mean within plus or minus three percent of the stated value. In yet other embodiments, approximately can mean within plus or minus one percent of the stated value.

[0048] Although temperature controlled containers and their related methods have been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure of embodiments is intended to be illustrative of the scope of the disclosure and is not intended to be limiting. It is intended that the scope of the disclosure shall be limited only to the extent required by the appended claims. For example, to one of ordinary skill in the art, it will be readily apparent that any element of FIGS. 1-9 may be modified, and that the foregoing discussion of certain of these embodiments does not necessarily represent a complete description of all possible embodiments. For example, one or more of the elements of FIG. 1 may include different structures and functions.

[0049] All elements claimed in any particular claim are essential to the embodiment claimed in that particular claim. Consequently, replacement of one or more claimed elements constitutes reconstruction and not repair. Additionally, benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described with regard to specific embodiments. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element or elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced, however, are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all of the claims, unless such benefits, advantages, solutions, or elements are stated in such claim.

[0050] Moreover, embodiments and limitations disclosed herein are not dedicated to the public under the doctrine of dedication if the embodiments and/or limitations: (1) are not expressly claimed in the claims; and (2) are or are potentially equivalents of express elements and/or limitations in the claims under the doctrine of equivalents.