SHOWER HAIR CONTAINER

Abstract

A shower hair container may include an outer container, inner container, and a hair removal insert. The outer container and the inner container may be removably connected to one another and the inner container is positioned inside of the outer container. The inner container may include a space that may retain the hair removal insert. The inner container may also include a plurality of openings along a bottom surface to provide drainage. The hair removal insert may include a variety of different sized bristles. The shower hair container of the present disclosure may provide a way for users to discard their hair without it going down a shower drain and may prevent shower drains from clogging.

Claims

1. A shower hair container assembly comprising: an outer container; an inner container, wherein the inner container is selectively and removably connected to the outer container; a hair removal insert; and wherein the outer container is configured to be installed on a shower wall and remain installed on the wall when the inner container is emptied.

2. The shower hair container of claim 1, wherein when the inner and outer containers are connected, the inner container is positioned within the outer container, and within the inner container there is a space that retains the hair removal insert.

3. The shower hair container of claim 2, wherein the hair removal insert is selectively and removably connected with the inner container.

4. The shower hair container of claim 1, wherein the hair removal insert further includes bristles.

5. The shower hair container of claim 4, further comprising a first size bristle and a second size bristle, wherein the first size bristle and the second size bristle are adjacent to one another and different in size.

6. The shower hair container of claim 4, wherein the first size bristles and the second size bristles are configured to remove hair from a hand of a user.

7. The shower hair container of claim 4, wherein the first size bristles and the second size bristles are at a downward facing angle in relation to the hair removal insert.

8. The shower hair container of claim 1, wherein the inner container further comprises a plurality of apertures along a bottom surface of the inner container, wherein the apertures are configured to provide drainage.

9. The shower hair container of claim 1, wherein the inner container further comprises a set of protrusions that extend outwardly from the inner container.

10. The shower hair container of claim 9, wherein the set of protrusions are selectively engaged with the outer container to lock the inner container in place.

11. The shower hair container of claim 9, wherein the set of protrusions are flexible and may be moved inwards to remove the inner container from the outer container.

12. The shower hair container of claim 9, wherein the set of protrusions are located on an upper portion of a first sidewall of the inner container and on an upper portion of a second sidewall of the inner container.

13. The shower hair container of claim 9, wherein the set of protrusions are located on a lower portion of the first sidewall of the inner container and on a lower portion of the second sidewall of the inner container.

14. A method of assembling a shower hair container comprising: inserting a hair removal insert into an inner container; inserting the inner container into an outer container; and attaching the outer container to a surface inside of a shower.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising: inserting a set of protrusions on the inner container into a set of openings on the outer container.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising: locking the inner container in place in relation to the outer container wherein the inner container is locked in place when the protrusions are inserted into the openings.

17. A method of using a shower hair container comprising: engaging a hair removal insert into an inner container; engaging the inner container with the outer container; securing the outer container to a surface within a shower; gathering hair on a hand of a user; placing the hand inside of the shower hair container; contacting a plurality of bristles; and removing the hand from the shower hair container while the plurality of bristles retain the hair in the inner container.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the inner container is engaging with the outer container by engaging protrusion on the inner container with openings on the outer container.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising emptying the shower hair container.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein emptying the shower hair container comprises; disengaging the protrusions on the inner container from the openings on the outer container; pulling the inner container from the outer container; dumping the contents of the inner container into a trash receptacle; and reinserting the inner container into the outer container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] One or more exemplary embodiment(s) of the present disclosure is set forth in the following description, is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various example configurations and methods, and other example embodiments of various aspects of the invention. It will be appreciated that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one example of the boundaries. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that in some examples one element may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a top front perspective view of an outer container of a shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a bottom front perspective view of the outer container of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the outer container of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the outer container of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view of the outer container of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 6 is a top front perspective view of an inner container of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 7 is a bottom front perspective view of the inner container of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the inner container of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the inner container of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 10 is a rear elevation view of the inner container of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 11 is a top rear perspective view of the inner container of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 12 is a bottom rear perspective view of the inner container of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 13 is a top front perspective view of a hair removal insert of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 14 is a frontal view of the hair removal insert of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 14A is an enlarged frontal view of the hair removal insert of the region labeled as A in FIG. 14.

[0029] FIG. 15 is an elevation view of the hair removal insert of the shower hair container assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 15A is an enlarged elevation view of the hair removal insert of the region labeled as A in FIG. 15.

[0031] FIG. 16A is an exploded operational perspective view of the hair container assembly.

[0032] FIG. 16B is a partially assembled exploded operational perspective view of the hair container assembly.

[0033] FIG. 17 is an assembled operational rear perspective view of the hair container assembly.

[0034] FIG. 18 is an assembled operational top plan view of the hair container assembly.

[0035] FIG. 19 is an assembled cross section view take along line 19-19 in FIG. 18.

[0036] FIG. 20 is an assembled cross section view take along line 20-20 in FIG. 18.

[0037] FIG. 21 is an assembled front isometric view of the hair container assembly according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 22 is an assembled rear isometric view of the hair container assembly according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 23 is an exploded rear isometric view of the hair container assembly according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The figures depict a shower hair container assembly generally at 10. Shower hair container assembly 10 may include an outer container 12, and inner container 14, and a hair removal insert 16. The outer container 12 is configured to be installed on the shower wall and remain installed on the wall when the inner container 14 is emptied. The inner container 14 is selectively and removably connected to the outer container 12. When the containers are connected, the inner container 14 is positioned within the outer container 12. Within the inner container 14, there is a space that retains the hair removal insert 16. The hair removal insert 16 is selectively and removably connected with the inner container 14.

[0042] When container 10 is assembled, and installed on the wall of a shower enclosure, a user may place their hair-containing hand into the container 10 to remove and deposit hair therein. Then, when it is time to empty the container 10, the user shall disconnect the inner container 14 from the outer container 12 that remains affixed to the shower wall. The inner container 14 and the hair removal insert 16 may then be taken to a waste receptacle or trash can to enable a user to remove the insert 16 from inner container 14 and remove the retained hair for disposal in the trash can.

[0043] FIG. 1 through FIG. 5 depict that the outer container 12 has an upper end 18 and a lower end 20 defining a vertical direction there between. Outer container 12 includes a first side 22 and a second side 24 defining a transverse direction there between. Outer container 12 also includes a front 26 opposite a back 28 defining a transverse direction there between. The container 12 is formed from a hollow body 30 that thereby defines the upper and lower ends 18, 20, the first and second sides 22, 24, and the front and rear 26, 28.

[0044] In one particular embodiment the body 30 of container 12 may be a unibody. The body 30 may be integrally extruded, molded, printed, or additively manufactured, removably machined, or formed as a unitary, monolithic member substantially fabricated from a rigid or semi-rigid, manmade, material. In one example, a polymer material, such as plastic, may form a substantial majority of the components or elements used to fabricate the body 30 and the various components integrally formed, molded, or extruded therewith. Plastics are polymeric materials with diverse properties. They can be molded or shaped due to their plasticity, which combines low density, low electrical conductivity, transparency, and toughness. Some exemplary plastics include high-volume, low-cost plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polystyrene. The body 30 should withstand typical handling from an operator pressing the body 30 against a shower wall without damaging the body 30. While it is contemplated that body 30 and its additional components described herein are uniformly and integrally extruded, molded, or formed, it is entirely possible that the components of the body 30 be formed separately from alternative materials as one having routine skill in the art would understand. In another example, the body 30 may be formed from a semi-rigid elastomeric material or rubber material configured to withstand deformation upon impact or bending by the operator (i.e., a person in the shower). Furthermore, while the components of the body 30 are discussed below individually, it is to be clearly understood that the components and their corresponding reference elements of the body 30 are portions, regions, or surfaces of the body and all form a respective element or component of the unitary body 30. Thus, while the components may be discussed individually and identified relative to other elements or components of the body 30, in this exemplary embodiment, there is a single body 30 having the below described portions, regions, or surfaces.

[0045] The body 30 of container 12 may include an outer surface 32 and an inner surface 34. The inner surface 34 may define and bound an inner space 36 that is configured to receive the inner container therein as described herein.

[0046] The body 30 may include a plurality of wall sections. For example, there may be a frontal wall 38, a rear wall 40, a first side wall 42 and a second side wall 44. The frontal wall 38 finds a portion of the outer surface 32 and a portion of the inner surface 34 of the body 30. Frontal wall 38 is curved between the first side wall 42 and the second side wall 44. The manner in which the frontal wall 38 is curved results in the outer surface 32 at the frontal wall 38 being convexly curved and the inner surface 34 at the frontal wall 38 being concavely curved. Thus, the frontal wall 32 may have a bowed appearance when viewed from the front and the container 12 or assembly 10 is installed on a shower wall.

[0047] First side wall 42 and second side wall 44 are mirror images of each other. Each of the side walls 42, 44 has a convexly curved outer surface defining a portion of outer surface 32 of the body 30 and a concavely curved inner surface that defines a portion of the inner surface 34 of the body 30. The first side wall 42 defines a first opening 46 that extends laterally through the thickness of the body in the first side wall 42 adjacent and upper end thereof. The second side wall 44 defines a second opening 48 that extends laterally through the thickness of the body at the second side wall 44 near the upper end thereof. As will be described in great detail herein, the first and second openings 46, 48, are used to retain corresponding or complimentary tabs on the inner container 14 to provide a selective connection of the inner container 14 to the outer container 12.

[0048] The lower end of the body is open and enables access to the inner space 36. Similarly, the top end of the body is open to provide access to the interior space 36. The upper end of the body 30 may define a lip at a flange 50 that surrounds the perimeter of the opening to the inner space 36. The flange 50 may be a downwardly extending flange that extends inwardly toward the center of the opening and the center of the inner space 36 in a cantilevered manner from the outer perimeter of the upper end of the body. The flange 50 terminates at an inner terminal edge 52 that has a profile similar to that of the body.

[0049] With regards to the profile of the body 30, it is shown that the exemplary embodiment is generally oval with a plainer rear wall 40. The flat rear wall results in a plainer exterior surface defining a flat rear portion of the outer surface 32 of the body 30 and a flat inner surface that defines a portion of the inner surface 34 of the body. The flat rear wall 40 enables the outer container 12 to be mounted against a wall in a manner that would position the rear wall 40 parallel to the shower wall upon which it is mounted. The rear wall 32 may include a plurality of apertures 54 that extend transversely through the body 30. The apertures 54 may be formed as keyhole-shaped apertures that are configured to receive suction cups there through. Namely, a suction cup ordinarily has a suction cup head and a connector defining a neck. The neck of the connector is inserted transversely through the widened portion of the aperture 54 and then moved upwardly into the narrow portion of the keyhole-shaped aperture 54 in order to mount or connect the suction cup to the outer container 12. Although the shown embodiment depicts four apertures 54, it is to be understood that any number of apertures could be utilized depending on the application specific needs of assembly 10. Additionally, in lieu of suction cups used to mount the assembly 10 to the shower wall, another type of connection mechanism could be utilized. For example, a mechanical connection, such as a screw, or a chemical connection, such as an adhesive, could be utilized in lieu of the suction cups.

[0050] The body 30 may also include an upwardly protruding rear section 55 that defines the top end 18 of container 12. The upwardly protruding section 55 may extend upwardly from flange 50 at the back 28 of the outer container 12. The upwardly protruding section 55 may operate as a backstop or backboard to assist in guiding hair being inserted into the top opening of the body 30 into the inner space 36 and downwardly along the angled or downwardly tapered surface of flange 50.

[0051] FIG. 6-FIG. 12 depict that the inner container 14 is shaped generally similar to that of the outer container 12 such that the inner container 14 is received within the inner space 36 of container 12. Inner container 14 includes a body 56 defining an outer surface 58 and an inner surface 60. Body 56 may be formed as the same material and in the same unibody manner as the body 30 of container 12. The inner surface 60 collectively defines an inner space 62 that is configured to receive hair therein when the assembly 10 is installed on a shower wall. Body 56 includes a frontal wall 64, a rear wall 66, a first side wall 68 and a second side wall 70. Inner container 14 also includes a bottom wall 72. Front wall 64 includes a convexly curved outer surface and a concavely curved inner surface similar to that of outer container 12. There may be a pair of opposing flanges offset from the inner surface of the frontal wall 64 within the inner space 62 of the body 56. Flanges 74 operate as retention flanges to hold or secure the hair removal insert 16 in its operating position within the inner space 62 of the body 56. The retention flanges 74 extend vertically from the upper end of the body 56 towards the bottom wall 72. In one particular embodiment the flanges 74 extend fully in the vertical direction from the upper end of the body 56 to the bottom wall 72. Between the flanges and the inner surface of the front wall 64 a slot 76 is formed. The slot 76 enables the hair removal insert 16 to be received therein such that the hair removal insert 16 can be slid downwardly in the vertical direction into the slot 76 as will be described in greater detail herein. When the hair removal insert 16 is inserted into the slot 76 it is positioned slightly offset from the inner surface of the frontal wall 64 within the inner space 62 of the body 56. Additionally, when the hair removal insert 16 is within the slot 76, it is also offset from the rear wall 66 of the body 56.

[0052] The first side wall 68 and the second side wall 70 are each formed with protrusions near the upper end thereof, respectively, that are configured to be inserted through the openings 46, 48 in the outer container 12. More particularly, a first protrusion 78 is formed near the upper end of the first side wall 68 and a second protrusion 80 is formed near the upper end of the second side wall 70. Each side wall may be formed with slits 82 that extend parallel to each other downward from the upper end of the side wall. The slits 82 are on each side of the protrusion 78 and the protrusion 80. The slits 82 define a flexible portion 84 on the first side wall 68 and a flexible portion 86 on the second side wall 70. The flexible portions are configured to flex inwardly in towards the inner space 62 of the body 56 as the inner container 14 is moved upwardly from the lower end of the outer container 12 until the protrusions mate with respective openings 46, 48 in the body 30 of container 12. Thereafter, once the protrusions 78, 80 are aligned with openings 46, 48 in container 12, the flexible portions 84, 86 will bias the protrusions outwardly in order to connect the inner container 14 with the outer container 12. To assist with the flexing of the flexible portions 84, 86, each protrusion may include a tapered upper end 88. Thus, the upward movement of the container 14 through the bottom opening of the container 12 will cause the protrusions 78, 80 and their respective flex portions 84, 86, to flex inwardly in response to the upward movement of the container 14.

[0053] The rear wall 66 of the body 56 of inner container 14 may be formed with a recessed region 90 aligns with the rear wall 40 of the outer container 12 when the inner container is selectively installed. The recessed region 90 offsets a portion of the rear wall 66 from rear wall 40 on the outer container 12. The purpose of the recessed region 90 is to accommodate the connectors on the suction cups that are inserted through the keyhole-shaped apertures 54 in the rear wall 40 of the outer container 12. Thus, the recessed region ensures that the inner container 14 does not interfere with the suction cups connected to the outer container 12 during installation and removal of the inner container 14 relative to the outer container 12 as the outer container remains affixed to the wall during the selective and repeated removal and installation of the inner container 14. The recessed region may extend from the upper end of the exterior surface 58 of rear wall 66 towards the bottom wall 72. In one particular embodiment, the recessed region 90 extends nearly fully from the upper end of the rear wall 66 to the bottom wall 62.

[0054] Bottom wall 72 may include a plurality of drain apertures 92 that extend in the vertical direction entirely through the thickness of the bottom wall 72. The drain apertures 92 permit water and soap to drain out of the inner container 14 when it is installed on the outer container 12. The number of drain apertures 92 may be selected by the manufacturer of assembly 10 based on the application specific needs thereof. Some of the apertures may form an aesthetically pleasing pattern or configuration to the observation of the user.

[0055] FIG. 13-FIG. 15A depict the hair removal insert 16. Hair removal insert 16 includes a body 94 defined by four perimeter edges. In one particular embodiment, the four perimeter edges define a square configuration. However, the square configuration of the perimeter of the body 94 is not intended to be limiting and the shape of the body 94 may take any shape depending on the application specific needs of assembly 10. In the shown embodiment, there is a first perimeter edge 96, a second perimeter edge 98, a third perimeter edge 100, and a fourth perimeter edge 102. Body 94 may define a first surface 104 opposite a second surface 106. There may be a plurality of fingers or bristles that extend outwardly in a cantilevered manner from the first surface 104. In one embodiment, there may be two different types of bristles or fingers extending in a cantilevered manner from the first surface 104. A first type of bristle 108 may be adjacent a second type of bristle 110. The first shaped bristle 108 may be smaller than the second shaped bristle 110.

[0056] In one particular embodiment, there may be groups of first shaped bristles 108 and groups of second shaped bristles 110. For example, as shown in FIG. 14A, there are a plurality of first shaped bristles 108 that are adjacent a plurality of second shaped bristles 110. In one particular example, the group of the first shaped bristles 108 may be composed of three first shaped bristles 108 and the group of the second shaped bristles 110 may be composed of two second shaped bristles 110.

[0057] FIG. 14 depicts that the groups of three first shaped bristles 108 may be arranged in a column thereby defining a vertical column of three-grouped first shaped bristles 108. Similarly, a plurality of second shaped bristles 110 may be aligned in a column to form a column of two-grouped second shaped bristles 110 on the first surface 104.

[0058] In their normal resting configuration, each of the bristles 108, 110 are downwardly angled when the second perimeter edge 98 is positioned above the first perimeter edge 96. As such, the hair removal insert 16 is configured to be inserted into the inner container 14 in the downward direction with the first edge 96 being positioned lower than the second perimeter edge 98. When the hair removal insert 16 is selectively inserted into the inner container 14, the third and fourth perimeter edges 102, 104 will be inserted into the slot 76 defined by the flanges 74 in the inner space 62 of the body 56 of inner container 14. The thickness of the body measured from the first surface 104 to the second surface 106 should be complimentary to that of the dimension of the slot 76.

[0059] In one particular embodiment, the hair removal insert 16 is a monolithic unibody member. The insert 16 is flexible. Thus, in its normal resting state, the second surface 106 is generally plainer and flat. However, when the fingers or bristles 108, 110 are manipulated during the hair retention operation, a user's hand may come in contact with the hair removal insert 16 so as to flex the body 94 of the insert 16 to be conformal with the inner surface 60 of the front wall 64 of the inner container 14.

[0060] FIG. 15 and FIG. 15A depict that the first shaped bristles 108 and the second shaped bristles 110 may have differing lengths. In the shown embodiment, the group of two first shaped bristles 108 are longer than the group of three second shaped bristles 110.

[0061] With continued reference to FIG. 15A, it is shown that the bristles within a respective group may also be angled relative to each other. For example, the group of two second shaped bristles 110 are not parallel and define an acute angle 112 there between.

[0062] The bristles 108, 110 cooperate to remove hair from a user's hand when the insert 16 is installed in the inner container 14. The downwardly biased neutral position of the bristles 108, 110 enables the terminal ends of the cantilevered bristles to grasp wet hair from the user's hand as it is removed from the assembly 10. The bristles will then retain the hair or water moving over the surface of the bristles will cause the hair to fall to the bottom of the inner container 14 and be retained on the inner surface of the bottom wall 72 as water drains through the drain apertures 92.

[0063] The body 94 of the hair removal insert 16 may be fabricated from a variety of materials. Some exemplary materials include but are not limited to silicone, plastic (polypropelene or PVC), or rubber. Silicone is a polymerized siloxane compound, consisting of chains made of alternating silicon (Si) and oxygen (O) atoms. While most industrial polymers contain carbon in their backbones, silicones are unique inorganic polymers. Silicones are known for their chemical inertness, resistance to water and oxidation, stability at extreme temperatures, flexibility, and heat resistance. Natural rubber, also known as latex, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene (C.sub.5H.sub.8). It contains minor impurities of other organic compounds. Natural rubber is stretchable, resilient, and waterproof.

[0064] FIG. 16A depicts the operation of assembling the assembly 10. The hair removal insert 16 will be oriented in a manner that positions the first perimeter 96 below the second perimeter edge 98. Then the third perimeter edge 100 will be aligned with one of the slots 76 in the inner container 14. The fourth perimeter edge 102 will be aligned with the other slot 76 formed in the inner container 14. Then, the insert 16 will be moved downward in the vertical direction as indicated by arrow 114. The downward movement of the insert 16, as indicated by arrow 114, causes the third perimeter edge 100 to slide within the slot 76 and the fourth perimeter edge 102 to slide within the other slot 76. The downward movement of the insert 16 continues until the second perimeter edge 98 is flush with or closely adjacent the upper end of the body of the inner container 14.

[0065] FIG. 16B depicts the installed orientation of the hair removal insert 16 relative to the inner container 14. Thereafter, the inner container 14, which now contains the hair removal insert 16 may then be installed in the outer container 12 as indicated by arrow 116. Arrow 116 represents that the inner container 14 is installed within the outer container 12 via an upward movement in the vertical direction, as indicated by arrow 116. To install the inner container 14 within the inner space 36 of the body 30 of the outer container 12, the user will align the inner container 14 below the bottom opening of the body 30. Then, in an upward movement, the upper end of the container 14 will be contacted with the lower end of the outer container 12. The complimentary shape of the inner container 14 will allow the inner container 14 to slide vertically upward into the inner space 36 of the outer container 12. During the upward sliding of the inner container into the outer container 12, the protrusions 78,80 will begin to flex inwardly. More particularly, the movement with upward force causes the tapered surfaces 88 on the protrusions 78, 80 to experience a resistive force. This resistive force causes the flexible portions 84, 86 on the respective sidewall 68, 70 to flex inwardly into the inner space 62 of the inner container 14. As the protrusions 78, 80 are flexed inward, the inner container is able to be pushed upwardly into the inner space 36 of the body 30 of the outer container 12. The inner container is continued to be pushed upwardly until the protrusions 78, 80 align with the openings 46, 48 formed in the side walls 42, 44 of container 12. When the first protrusion is aligned with the first aperture 46, the flexible portion 84 will spring or bias the protrusion 78 through the first opening 46. Similarly, when the second protrusion 80 is aligned with the second opening 48, the flexible portion 86 will spring or bias the second protrusion 80 through the second opening 48. When the protrusions 78, 80 extend through the openings 46, 48 respectively, the protrusions 78, 80 engage the edge defining the openings to thereby lock the inner container 14 to the outer container 12. This results in the fully assembled shower hair container assembly 10 depicted in FIG. 17-FIG. 20.

[0066] FIG. 17-FIG. 20 depict the fully assembled shower hair container assembly 10. To use the shower hair container assembly 10, the assembly 10 will be mounted on a wall. In the preferred embodiment, the outer container 12 of assembly 10 is connected to a wall of shower enclosure via suction cups being inserted into the keyhole-shaped apertures 54. Suction cups can then be used to secure the container to the wall. Although suction cups are described with respect to this preferred embodiment it is to be understood that any connection mechanism is entirely possible.

[0067] FIG. 21-23 depict a second embodiment of the shower hair container assembly 10. The second embodiment of the shower hair container assembly 10 is substantially similar to the first embodiment and similar numbers are used to describe the new features of the second embodiment. All elements of the second embodiment are similar to the first embodiment except the location of the protrusions 78. As shown in FIGS. 21-23, the first side wall 68 and the second side wall 70 are each formed with protrusions near the lower end thereof, respectively, that are configured to be inserted through the openings 46, 48 in the outer container 12. More particularly, a first protrusion 78 is formed near the lower end of the first side wall 68 and a second protrusion 80 is formed near the lower end of the second side wall 70. Each side wall may be formed with flexible portions 84,86 that are molded as a tab that is outwardly and downwardly extended from the side walls 68,70. The flexible portions are configured to flex inwardly while remaining outside of the inner space 62 of the body 56 as the inner container 14 is moved upwardly from the lower end of the outer container 12 until the protrusions 78, 80 mate with respective openings 46, 48 in the body 30 of container 12. Thereafter, once the protrusions 78, 80 are aligned with openings 46, 48 in container 12, the flexible portions 84, 86 will bias the protrusions outwardly in order to connect the inner container 14 with the outer container 12. To assist with the flexing of the flexible portions 84, 86, each protrusion may include a tapered upper end 88. Thus, the upward movement of the container 14 through the bottom opening of the container 12 will cause the protrusions 78, 80 and their respective flex portions 84, 86, to flex inwardly in response to the upward movement of the container 14. The flexible portions 84 will then rest inside a cut out 118 on the first side wall 42 of the container 12 and the flexible portion 86 will rest inside a cut out 120 on the second side wall 44 of the container 12. The cut outs 118, 120 are located on the lower end of the container and provide easy access to the flexible portions 84, 86 to allow a user to insert and remove the inner container 14 easily. The inner container 14 has have vertically extending ridges or ribs that are integrally formed in the outer surface 58 of the body 56 to provide additional support to the container.

[0068] Additionally, there may be a pair of opposing flanges offset from the inner surface of the frontal wall 64 within the inner space 62 of the body 56. Flanges 74 operate as retention flanges to hold or secure the hair removal insert 16 in its operating position within the inner space 62 of the body 56. The retention flanges 74 extend vertically from the upper end of the body 56 towards the bottom wall 72. In one particular embodiment the flanges 74 extend partially in the vertical direction from the bottom wall 72 towards the upper end of the body 56.

[0069] Further, there may be ridges or ribs along the inner surface 34 of the outer container 12 to provide more stability and strength to the assembly 10. The ridges or ribs may be vertical or horizontal or any combination thereof as one of ordinary skill in the art would understand to be effective in providing additional strength to the assembly 10. Also, the ridges may all be the same width or may have various widths. The width may be any reasonable width as determined by one skilled in the art who would understand what width may be most beneficial. The ridges or ribs may also be present on the inner container 14 or any other portion of the assembly 10 to provide more strength and durability to the assembly 10.

[0070] When the user is showering, hair may be dislodged from their head and be present on the user's hand. The user may then insert their hand containing the strands of hair through the top opening of the assembly 10. When the hand containing hair is inserted through the top opening of the assembly 10, the hand will come in contact with the hair removal insert 16. The flexibility of the hair removal insert 16 will cause it to flex such that the second surface 106 will bend to form a convex share complimentary to that to the concave shape of the inner surface 60 of the front wall 64 on the body 56 of inner container 14. The bristles 108, 110, which operate as fingers, will contact the user's hand to grab or remove the hair from the user's hand. The hair from the user's hand will then become entangled in the bristles 108, 110 such that when the user removes their hand from the top opening of the assembly 10, the hair will be retained therein.

[0071] The hair may be retained on the hair removal insert 16 or water moving through the top opening of the assembly 10 may cause the hair to fall from the bristles 108 or 110 and be trapped on the inner surface of the bottom wall 72 as water drains out through the drain apertures 92. Once the user decides that it is time to dispose of the hair retained within the shower hair container assembly 10, the user may start the disassembly process by pushing the protrusions 78, 80 inwardly into the inner space 62 of the inner container 14. The protrusions 78, 80 are continued to be moved inwardly until they clear or move past the inner surface of the outer container 12. Once this creates an unlocked orientation that allows the inner container to be slidably removed from the outer container 12. When the protrusions are unlocked and pressed inwardly, the user may push the protrusions downwardly so as to move the bottom wall 72 of the inner container 14 downward. The slight downward movement of the bottom wall will expose a lower portion of the inner container 14. The protrusions 78, 80 will be biased inward against the inner surface of the outer container 12. The user may then pull down on the inner container 14 until it is completely removed from the outer container 12. The outer container 12 remains affixed to the wall during the hair disposal process.

[0072] With the inner container 14 separated from the outer container 12 that remains affixed to the wall, the user may then remove the insert 16. Removal of the insert 16 may be accomplished in a manner opposite of that in which it was installed. For example, the user may grasp the second edge 98 and pull it vertically upward to slide the insert out of the slots 76. With the insert removed from the inner container 14, the insert may be rinsed and washed to remove any retained therefrom. The hair that was retained on the insert 16 may then be disposed in a trash can. If any of the hair was retained on the bottom wall 72 near the collection drain apertures 92, that hair may be removed and disposed. Thereafter the installation process may repeat so the assembly may be reused within the shower.

[0073] Having thus described some of the features of the assembly 10, reference is now made to some other features that could be utilized or incorporated into assembly 10. For example, some portions of the assembly 10 may contain electronics to manage the connection between an external source (e.g., smartphone) and a display screen and/or wireless speaker on the assembly 10. It may include a processor, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi module, power supply, and any other required components. For example, a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi module may establish wireless communication with the external source (smartphone) to receive data from the smartphone and transmit it to the connected devices (display screen and wireless speaker). The display screen can be equipped with a compatible receiver that can receive data wirelessly from the assembly 10. This receiver may be integrated directly into the display screen or connected to it via a cable. Once the display screen receives the data from the assembly 10, it can render the content (such as video, images, or text) for viewing. Similarly, the wireless speaker can be equipped with a compatible receiver to receive audio data wirelessly from the assembly 10. This receiver may also be integrated directly into the speaker or connected to it via a cable. Once the speaker receives the audio data from the assembly 10, it can play the sound through its built-in speakers.

[0074] To establish a connection between the smartphone and the assembly 10, the user would typically initiate a pairing process using the smartphone's Bluetooth or Wi-Fi settings. The assembly 10 would then appear as a discoverable device, allowing the smartphone to establish a connection with it. Once the smartphone is paired with the assembly 10, data (such as video and audio) can be transmitted wirelessly from the smartphone to the assembly 10. The assembly 10 then forwards this data to the display screen and wireless speaker, allowing the user to see and hear the content from their smartphone on the connected devices.

[0075] Assembly 10 may include a battery to power the display screen and wireless speaker using a battery, which may be rechargeable or replaceable. The assembly 10 could include a compartment or space designated for the battery. This battery could be a rechargeable lithium-ion battery or a replaceable battery, such as AA or AAA cells. Inside the assembly 10, there may be battery management circuitry responsible for charging (if rechargeable) and regulating power to both the display screen and the wireless speaker. This circuitry ensures that the battery is charged safely and efficiently, and it distributes power appropriately to the connected devices. The display screen and wireless speaker would each have their own connections to the battery management circuitry within the assembly 10. These connections would allow them to draw power from the battery as needed. The assembly 10 may also include features to monitor the battery life and provide notifications to the user when the battery needs recharging or replacing. This could be done through LED indicators, on-screen prompts, or notifications sent to a connected smartphone or device. To maximize battery life, both the display screen and wireless speaker should be designed to consume power efficiently. This includes using energy-saving display technologies (such as LED or OLED) for the screen and optimizing the amplifier and speaker components for low power consumption without sacrificing audio quality. Depending on the capabilities of the system, the user may also be able to control the playback and interact with the content using the smartphone or dedicated controls on the assembly 10. This could include functions such as play/pause, volume control, and navigating through different media files.

[0076] If a display screen is present on assembly 10, then it may perform other functions as well. For example, the circuitry associated with the assembly 10 may include a timer. This timer can function to display a countdown or count-up clock so the user knows how much time they have spent in the shower. Alternatively, the assembly 10 may be in wirelessly communication with a flowmeter or other sensor on a shower nozzle to display the amount of water dispensed from the shower or used during the shower. This can make the user aware of how much time they have been in the shower or how much water they have used during said shower.

[0077] The device, assembly, or system of the present disclosure may additionally include one or more sensors to sense or gather data pertaining to the surrounding environment or operation of the device, assembly 10, or system. Some exemplary sensors capable of being electronically coupled with the device, assembly 10, or system of the present disclosure (either directly connected to the device, assembly 10, or system of the present disclosure or remotely connected thereto) may include but are not limited to: accelerometers sensing accelerations experienced during rotation, translation, velocity/speed, location traveled, elevation gained; gyroscopes sensing movements during angular orientation and/or rotation, and rotation; altimeters sensing barometric pressure, altitude change, terrain climbed, local pressure changes, submersion in liquid; impellers measuring the amount of fluid passing thereby; global positioning sensors sensing location, elevation, distance traveled, velocity/speed; audio sensors sensing local environmental sound levels, or voice detection; photo/light sensors sensing ambient light intensity, ambient, day/night, UV exposure; TV/IR sensors sensing light wavelength; temperature sensors sensing shower temperature, ambient air temperature, and environmental temperature; radar sensors; lidar sensors; ultrasonic sensors; magnetic sensors, image sensors; and moisture sensors sensing surrounding moisture levels.

[0078] If sensors are utilized to gather data relating to the device, assembly 10, or system of the present disclosure, then sensed data may be evaluated and processed with artificial intelligence (AI). Analyzing data gathered from sensors using artificial intelligence involves the process of extracting meaningful insights and patterns from raw sensor data to produce refined and actionable results. Raw data is gathered from various sensors, for example those which have been identified herein or others, capturing relevant information based on the intended analysis. This data is then preprocessed to clean, organize, and structure it for effective analysis. Features that represent key characteristics or attributes of the data are extracted. These features serve as inputs for AI algorithms, encapsulating relevant information essential for the analysis. A suitable AI model, such as machine learning or deep learning (regardless of whether it is supervised or unsupervised), is chosen based on the nature of the data and the desired analysis outcome. The model is then trained using labeled or unlabeled data to learn the underlying patterns and relationships. The model is fine-tuned and optimized to enhance its performance and accuracy. This process involves adjusting parameters, architectures, and algorithms to achieve better results. The trained model is used to make predictions or inferences on new, unseen data. The model processes the extracted features and generates refined output based on the patterns it has learned during training. The results produced by the AI model are refined through post-processing techniques to ensure accuracy and relevance. These refined results are then interpreted to extract meaningful insights and derive actionable conclusions. Feedback from the refined results is used to improve the AI model iteratively. The process involves incorporating new data, adjusting the model, and enhancing the analysis based on real-world feedback and evolving requirements. Further, AI results can be used to alter the operation of the device, assembly, or system of the present disclosure based on feedback. For example, AI feedback can be used to improve the efficiency of the device, assembly, or system of the present disclosure by responding to predicted changes in the environment or predicted changes to the device, assembly, or system of the present disclosure more quickly than if only sensed by one or more of the sensors.

[0079] A sensor model may be employed, once trained, in the device, assembly 10, or system of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the device, assembly 10, or system of the present disclosure can be used to teach a sensor model to predict sensor data for a specific scenario. Alternatively, sensor models can be utilized to generate the data to train the AI. The sensor model can be trained for any type of sensor, such as those types of sensors described above, and/or other sensor types. The elements described herein may be implemented as discrete or distributed components in any suitable combination and location. The various functions described herein may be conducted by hardware, firmware, and/or software. For example, a processor may perform various functions by executing instructions stored in memory.

[0080] The AI model and/or sensor model can include a deep neural network (DNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), another neural network (NN) or the like and can support generative learning. For example, the sensor model can include a generative adversarial network (GAN), a variational autoencoder (VAE), and/or another type of DNN, CNN, NN or machine learning model (e.g., natural language processing (NLP)). Generally, the sensor model can accept some encoded representation of a scene as input using any number of data structures and/or channels (e.g., concatenated vectors, matrices, tensors, images, etc.).

[0081] In a particular embodiment, the device, assembly 10, or system of the present disclosure can use the sensors to acquire a representation of the real-world environment (e.g., a physical environment in the shower enclosure) at a given point in time. Data from these sensors may be used to generate a representation of a scene or scenario, which may then be used to teach a sensor model. For example, a representation of a scene can be derived from sensor data, properties of objects in the scene or surrounding environment such as positions or dimensions (e.g., depth maps), classification data identifying objects in the scene or surrounding environment, properties or classification data of components of the device, assembly 10, or system of the present disclosure, or some combination thereof. Generally, the sensor model learns to predict sensor data from a representation of the scene, environment or operation of the device, assembly 10, or system of the present disclosure.

[0082] The sensor model architecture can be selected to fit the shape of the desired input and output data. Examples of architectures (e.g., DNNs) include, but are not limited to, perceptron, feed-forward, radial basis, deep feed-forward, recurrent, long/short term memory, gated recurrent unit, autoencoder, variational autoencoder, convolutional, deconvolutional, and generative adversarial. Some DNN architectures, such as a GAN, can include a convolutional neural network (CNN) that accepts and evaluates an input image and may include multiple input channels, which may be used to accept and evaluate multiple input images and/or input vectors.

[0083] The training system can include one or more servers (e.g., a graphics processing unit server) and data stores and may use a cloud-based deep learning infrastructure with artificial intelligence to analyze the sensor data received from the device, assembly 10, or system of the present disclosure and/or stored in the data store. The training system can also incorporate or train up-to-date, real-time neural networks (and/or other machine learning models) for one or more sensor models.

[0084] The device, assembly, or system of the present disclosure may include wireless communication logic coupled to sensors on the device, assembly, or system. The sensors gather data and provide the data to the wireless communication logic. Then, the wireless communication logic may transmit the data gathered from the sensors to a remote device. Thus, the wireless communication logic may be part of a broader communication system, in which one or several devices, assemblies, or systems of the present disclosure may be networked together to report alerts and, more generally, to be accessed and controlled remotely. Depending on the types of transceivers installed in the device, assembly, or system of the present disclosure, the system may use a variety of protocols (e.g., Wi-Fi, ZigBee, MIWI, BLUETOOTH) for communication. In one example, each of the devices, assemblies, or systems of the present disclosure may have its own IP address and may communicate directly with a router or gateway. This would typically be the case if the communication protocol is Wi-Fi. (Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of Wi-Fi Alliance of Austin, TX, USA; ZigBee is a registered trademark of ZigBee Alliance of Davis, CA, USA; and BLUETOOTH is a registered trademark of Bluetooth Sig, Inc. of Kirkland, WA, USA).

[0085] As described herein, aspects of the present disclosure may include one or more electrical or other similar secondary components and/or systems therein. The present disclosure is therefore contemplated and will be understood to include any necessary operational components thereof. For example, electrical components will be understood to include any suitable and necessary wiring, fuses, or the like for normal operation thereof. It will be further understood that any connections between various components not explicitly described herein may be made through any suitable means including mechanical fasteners, or more permanent attachment means, such as welding or the like. Alternatively, where feasible and/or desirable, various components of the present disclosure may be integrally formed as a single unit.

[0086] Unless explicitly stated that a particular shape or configuration of a component is mandatory, any of the elements, components, or structures discussed herein may take the form of any shape. Thus, although the figures depict the various elements, components, or structures of the present disclosure according to one or more exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that any other geometric configuration of that element, component, or structure is entirely possible. For example, instead of the a component being described with a particular shape, that component could instead be semi-circular, triangular, rectangular or square, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, decagonal, dodecagonal, diamond shaped or another parallelogram, trapezoidal, star-shaped, oval, ovoid, lines or lined, teardrop-shaped, cross-shaped, donut-shaped, heart-shaped, arrow-shaped, crescent-shaped, any letter shape (i.e., A-shaped, B-shaped, C-shaped, D-shaped, E-shaped, F-shaped, G-shaped, H-shaped, I-shaped, J-shaped, K-shaped, L-shaped, M-shaped, N-shaped, O-shaped, P-shaped, Q-shaped, R-shaped, S-shaped, T-shaped, U-shaped, V-shaped, W-shaped, X-shaped, Y-shaped, or Z-shaped), or any other type of regular or irregular, symmetrical or asymmetrical configuration.

[0087] Various inventive concepts may be embodied as one or more methods, of which an example has been provided. The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously, even though shown as sequential acts in illustrative embodiments.

[0088] Any flowchart and/or block diagrams in the Figures illustrate some exemplary architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[0089] While various inventive embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the inventive embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the inventive teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific inventive embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, inventive embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Inventive embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the inventive scope of the present disclosure.

[0090] All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.

[0091] The articles a and an, as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean at least one. The phrase and/or, as used herein in the specification and in the claims (if at all), should be understood to mean either or both of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with and/or should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., one or more of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the and/or clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to A and/or B, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as comprising can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc. As used herein in the specification and in the claims, or should be understood to have the same meaning as and/or as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, or or and/or shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as only one of or exactly one of, or, when used in the claims, consisting of, will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term or as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. one or the other but not both) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as either, one of, only one of, or exactly one of. Consisting essentially of, when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0092] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase at least one, in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase at least one refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, at least one of A and B (or, equivalently, at least one of A or B, or, equivalently at least one of A and/or B) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

[0093] While components of the present disclosure are described herein in relation to each other, it is possible for one of the components disclosed herein to include inventive subject matter, if claimed alone or used alone. In keeping with the above example, if the disclosed embodiments teach the features of A and B, then there may be inventive subject matter in the combination of A and B, A alone, or B alone, unless otherwise stated herein.

[0094] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the term effecting or a phrase or claim element beginning with the term effecting should be understood to mean to cause something to happen or to bring something about. For example, effecting an event to occur may be caused by actions of a first party even though a second party actually performed the event or had the event occur to the second party. Stated otherwise, effecting refers to one party giving another party the tools, objects, or resources to cause an event to occur. Thus, in this example a claim element of effecting an event to occur would mean that a first party is giving a second party the tools or resources needed for the second party to perform the event, however the affirmative single action is the responsibility of the first party to provide the tools or resources to cause said event to occur.

[0095] When a feature or element is herein referred to as being on another feature or element, it can be directly on the other feature or element or intervening features and/or elements may also be present. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being directly on another feature or element, there are no intervening features or elements present. It will also be understood that, when a feature or element is referred to as being connected, attached or coupled to another feature or element, it can be directly connected, attached or coupled to the other feature or element or intervening features or elements may be present. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being directly connected, directly attached or directly coupled to another feature or element, there are no intervening features or elements present. Although described or shown with respect to one embodiment, the features and elements so described or shown can apply to other embodiments. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed adjacent another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.

[0096] Spatially relative terms, such as under, below, lower, over, upper, above, behind, in front of, and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if a device in the figures is inverted, elements described as under or beneath other elements or features would then be oriented over the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term under can encompass both an orientation of over and under. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Similarly, the terms upwardly, downwardly, vertical, horizontal, lateral, transverse, longitudinal, and the like are used herein for the purpose of explanation only unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0097] Although the terms first and second may be used herein to describe various features/elements, these features/elements should not be limited by these terms, unless the context indicates otherwise. These terms may be used to distinguish one feature/element from another feature/element. Thus, a first feature/element discussed herein could be termed a second feature/element, and similarly, a second feature/element discussed herein could be termed a first feature/element without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0098] An embodiment is an implementation or example of the present disclosure. Reference in the specification to an embodiment, one embodiment, some embodiments, one particular embodiment, an exemplary embodiment, or other embodiments, or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least some embodiments, but not necessarily all embodiments, of the invention. The various appearances an embodiment, one embodiment, some embodiments, one particular embodiment, an exemplary embodiment, or other embodiments, or the like, are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiments. Furthermore, the use of any and all examples or exemplary language (e.g., such as, or the like) is intended merely to better illustrate or illuminate the embodiments and does not pose a limitation on the scope of that or those embodiments. No language in this specification should be construed as indicating any unclaimed element as essential to the practice of the disclosed embodiment.

[0099] If this specification states a component, feature, structure, or characteristic may, might, or could be included, that particular component, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to be included. If the specification or claim refers to a or an element, that does not mean there is only one of the element. If the specification or claims refer to an additional element or another element, that does not preclude there being more than one of the additional element or the another element.

[0100] As used herein in the specification and claims, including as used in the examples and unless otherwise expressly specified, all numbers may be read as if prefaced by the word about or approximately, even if the term does not expressly appear. The phrase about or approximately may be used when describing magnitude and/or position to indicate that the value and/or position described is within a reasonable expected range of values and/or positions. For example, a numeric value may have a value that is +/0.1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/2% of the stated value (or range of values), +/5% of the stated value (or range of values), +/10% of the stated value (or range of values), etc. Any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges subsumed therein. Further, recitation of ranges of values herein are not intended to be limiting, referring instead individually to any and all values falling within that range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value within such range is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein.

[0101] Additionally, the method of performing the present disclosure may occur in a sequence different than those described herein. Accordingly, no sequence of the method should be read as a limitation unless explicitly stated. It is recognizable that performing some of the steps of the method in a different order could achieve a similar result.

[0102] In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as comprising, including, carrying, having, containing, involving, holding, composed of, and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases consisting of and consisting essentially of shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively.

[0103] To the extent that the present disclosure has utilized the term invention in various titles or sections of this specification, or in the context of those sections, this term has been included as required by the formatting requirements of word document submissions (i.e., docx submissions) pursuant the guidelines/requirements of the United States Patent and Trademark Office and shall not, in any manner, be considered a disavowal of any subject matter.

[0104] In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.

[0105] Moreover, the description and illustration of various embodiments of the disclosure are examples and the disclosure is not limited to the exact details shown or described.