阅读说明：本技术 一种用于饮料瓶的分类装置 (A sorter for beverage bottle ) 是由 余小兵 于 2019-10-23 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明公开了一种用于饮料瓶的分类装置,涉及垃圾分类设备技术领域。本发明包括箱体,箱体的底部开有一侧门,箱体的底面内壁上均布放置有三个回收桶；箱体的顶部内壁固定安装有一下料斗；下料斗的底部连通有一过料箱；过料箱的底部通过折叠帆布与过料框相连通；过料框与固定安装在箱体侧面内壁上的气缸活塞杆相连接。本发明金属传感器检测金属饮料瓶,电容传感器根据介质常数这一特性来区分塑料和玻璃饮料瓶,并结合传动机构驱动分隔组件往复转动来实现饮料的单个下落,在气缸的作用下,实现分类后的饮料瓶进入到相应的回收桶内；此过程可有效的对饮料瓶进行细致化分类,并减轻了人们的劳动压力,提高了饮料瓶的回收利用率。(The invention discloses a classification device for beverage bottles, and relates to the technical field of garbage classification equipment. The invention comprises a box body, wherein the bottom of the box body is provided with a side door, and three recovery barrels are uniformly distributed on the inner wall of the bottom surface of the box body; a blanking hopper is fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the top of the box body; the bottom of the discharging hopper is communicated with a material passing box; the bottom of the material passing box is communicated with the material passing frame through a folding canvas; the material passing frame is connected with a cylinder piston rod fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the side surface of the box body. According to the metal sensor for detecting the metal beverage bottle, the capacitance sensor distinguishes plastic beverage bottles from glass beverage bottles according to the characteristic of dielectric constant, the transmission mechanism is combined to drive the separation assembly to rotate in a reciprocating mode to achieve single falling of the beverages, and classified beverage bottles enter corresponding recovery barrels under the action of the air cylinder; the process can effectively classify the beverage bottles in detail, reduces the labor pressure of people and improves the recovery rate of the beverage bottles.)

1. A classification device for beverage bottles comprises a box body (1), wherein a side door is arranged at the bottom of the box body (1), and three recovery barrels (2) are uniformly distributed on the inner wall of the bottom surface of the box body (1); the method is characterized in that:

a blanking hopper (3) is fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the top of the box body (1); the bottom of the discharging hopper (3) is communicated with a material passing box (4); the bottom of the material passing box (4) is communicated with the material passing frame (5) through a folding canvas (401); the material passing frame (5) is connected with a piston rod of a cylinder (6) fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the side surface of the box body (1);

wherein, the side surfaces of the periphery of the material passing box (4) are fixedly provided with an installation box (7); a plurality of group clamping interfaces (402) are symmetrically arranged on one opposite side surface of the material passing box (4); the top of the material passing box (4) is provided with a group of correlation photoelectric switches (403); the side surface of the material passing box (4) is respectively provided with a metal sensor (404) and a capacitance sensor (405);

the correlation photoelectric switch (403), the metal sensor (404), the capacitance sensor (405) and the air cylinder (6) are respectively electrically connected with the microprocessor;

a plurality of separation assemblies (8) are rotatably connected between the top surface and the bottom surface of the mounting box (7); the plurality of separating assemblies (8) are connected through a transmission mechanism (9);

the separation assembly (8) comprises a rotating rod (801), a fixing ring (802), a supporting plate (803) and a spacing plate (804); a plurality of fixing rings (802) are uniformly distributed and fixed on the peripheral side surface of the rotating rod (801) along the axial direction; a supporting plate (803) is fixed on the peripheral side surface of the fixing ring (802); two spacing plates (804) are fixed on the other fixing ring (802), and the two spacing plates (804) form a V-shaped support plate;

the supporting plate (803) is positioned below the included angle of the V-shaped supporting plate; and the supporting plate (803) and the spacing plate (804) are respectively positioned in a group of card interfaces (402).

2. A sorting device for beverage bottles according to claim 1, wherein said transmission mechanism (9) comprises a sprocket (901), a tension sprocket (902), a guide sprocket (903) and a transmission chain (904); the plurality of rotating rods (801) are arranged in a rectangular shape, and a chain wheel (901) is fixedly installed at the bottom of each rotating rod (801); a plurality of tensioning chain wheels (902) are mounted on the inner wall of the bottom surface of the mounting box (7); the bottom of the side edge of the material passing box (4) is respectively provided with a guide chain wheel (903);

the plurality of chain wheels (901), the plurality of tension chain wheels (902) and the plurality of guide chain wheels (903) are connected through a transmission chain (904), the transmission chain (904) is connected with a driving chain wheel fixed on an output shaft of a motor, and the motor is electrically connected with the microprocessor.

3. A sorting device for beverage bottles according to claim 1, wherein said microprocessor is electrically connected to an accumulator, said accumulator being electrically connected to a solar panel module through a solar controller, said solar panel being fixedly mounted on the peripheral side of the box (1).

4. A sorting device for beverage bottles according to claim 3, wherein said box (1) has a set of chutes on the inner wall of its bottom, and said recycling bin (2) has several sliding blocks (201) fixed to its bottom for sliding engagement with said chutes.

5. A sorting device for beverage bottles according to claim 1, wherein a support assembly (10) is provided below said mounting box (7), said support assembly (10) comprising a support ring (1001) and support rods (1002); the support ring (1001) is connected with the inner wall of the side surface of the box body (1) through a plurality of support rods (1002).

6. A sorting device for beverage bottles according to claim 1, wherein on the side inner walls of said box (1) there are mounted opposed photoelectric sensors (101); the correlation type photoelectric sensor (101) is positioned above the recycling bin (2); the correlation type photoelectric sensor (101) is electrically connected with the microprocessor; and the microprocessor is in communication connection with the background monitoring platform through the communication module.

Technical Field

The invention belongs to the technical field of garbage classification equipment, and particularly relates to a classification device for beverage bottles.

Background

With the increasing living standard of people, various types of garbage are spread throughout our lives; if the garbage is not treated in time, the garbage will pollute the environment; at present, the work force of classifying and recovering garbage is large, and different types of garbage are mixed and difficult to classify; the garbage classification system is also carried out manually in Shanghai; and the waste of personnel such as beverage bottles is inevitably caused by classifying the large and easily-distinguished garbage with high recovery value by people.

Beverage bottle classification devices in the market can only simply classify beverage bottles into metal and nonmetal, and can not effectively classify the beverage bottles according to the characteristics of the beverage bottles, so that the labor pressure of secondary classification of people is increased, and the beverage bottle classification devices are not beneficial to later recycling; therefore, a classification device for beverage bottles is yet to be researched to finely classify the beverage bottles so as to reduce the labor pressure of people and improve the recycling rate of the beverage bottles.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide a sorting device for beverage bottles, which is characterized in that a metal beverage bottle is detected by a metal sensor, a plastic beverage bottle and a glass beverage bottle are distinguished by a capacitance sensor according to the characteristic of a dielectric constant, a transmission mechanism is combined to drive a separation component to rotate in a reciprocating manner to realize the single falling of the beverage, and the sorted beverage bottles enter corresponding recycling barrels under the action of an air cylinder, so that the problems of insufficient refinement and labor pressure reduction of people of the existing beverage bottle sorting device are solved.

In order to solve the technical problems, the invention is realized by the following technical scheme:

the invention relates to a classification device for beverage bottles, which comprises a box body, wherein the bottom of the box body is provided with a side door, and three recovery barrels are uniformly distributed on the inner wall of the bottom surface of the box body; a blanking hopper is fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the top of the box body; the bottom of the discharging hopper is communicated with a material passing box; the bottom of the material passing box is communicated with the material passing frame through a folding canvas; the material passing frame is connected with a cylinder piston rod fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the side surface of the box body; an installation box is fixedly installed on the side face of the periphery of the material passing box; a plurality of group clamping ports are symmetrically formed in one opposite side surface of the material passing box; the top of the material passing box is provided with a group of correlation type photoelectric switches; the side surface of the material passing box is respectively provided with a metal sensor and a capacitance sensor; the correlation photoelectric switch, the metal sensor, the capacitance sensor and the cylinder are respectively electrically connected with the microprocessor; a plurality of separation assemblies are rotatably connected between the top surface and the bottom surface of the installation box; the plurality of separating assemblies are connected through a transmission mechanism; the separation assembly comprises a rotating rod, a fixing ring, a supporting plate and a partition plate; a plurality of fixing rings are uniformly distributed and fixed on the peripheral side surface of the rotating rod along the axial direction; a supporting plate is fixed on the peripheral side surface of the fixing ring; two spacing plates are fixed on the other fixing ring, and the two spacing plates form a V-shaped support plate; the supporting plate is positioned below the included angle of the V-shaped supporting plate; and the supporting plate and the spacing plate are respectively positioned in a group of clamping ports.

Further, the transmission mechanism comprises a chain wheel, a tensioning chain wheel, a guide chain wheel and a transmission chain; the plurality of rotating rods are arranged in a rectangular shape, and a chain wheel is fixedly arranged at the bottom of each rotating rod; a plurality of tensioning chain wheels are mounted on the inner wall of the bottom surface of the mounting box; guide chain wheels are respectively installed at the bottoms of the side edges of the material passing boxes;

the chain wheels, the tension chain wheels and the guide chain wheels are connected through a transmission chain, the transmission chain is connected with a driving chain wheel fixed on an output shaft of the motor, and the motor is electrically connected with the microprocessor.

Furthermore, the microprocessor is electrically connected with a storage battery, the storage battery is electrically connected with the solar panel assembly through the solar controller, and the solar panel is fixedly installed on the peripheral side face of the box body.

Furthermore, a group of sliding grooves are formed in the inner wall of the bottom surface of the box body, and a plurality of sliding blocks which are in sliding fit with the sliding grooves are fixed at the bottom of the recycling bin.

Furthermore, a support assembly is arranged below the installation box and comprises a support ring and a support rod; the support ring is connected with the inner wall of the side face of the box body through a plurality of support rods.

Furthermore, a correlation type photoelectric sensor is arranged on the inner wall of the side surface of the box body; the correlation type photoelectric sensor is positioned above the recycling bin; the correlation type photoelectric sensor is electrically connected with the microprocessor; and the microprocessor is in communication connection with the background monitoring platform through the communication module.

According to the characteristics of the metal, glass and plastic beverage bottles, the beverage bottles are mechanically classified by combining the use of the sensor, so that the classification fineness of the beverage bottles is improved, the labor pressure of people is reduced, and the recovery rate of the beverage bottles is improved.

The invention has the following beneficial effects:

1. the metal beverage bottle is detected by the metal sensor, the plastic beverage bottle and the glass beverage bottle are distinguished by the capacitance sensor according to the characteristic of dielectric constant, the single falling of the beverage is realized by combining the driving mechanism to drive the separation component to rotate in a reciprocating manner, and the classified beverage bottles enter the corresponding recovery barrel under the action of the cylinder; the process can effectively classify the beverage bottles in detail, reduces the labor pressure of people and improves the recovery rate of the beverage bottles.

2. The beverage bottle sorting machine drives the separation component to rotate in a reciprocating mode through the transmission mechanism, and the supporting plate supports beverage bottles to be sorted through beverage bottles to be detected; after one beverage bottle is detected and classified, the rotating rod rotates, the detected beverage bottle on the supporting plate enters the corresponding recovery barrel, and the partition plate supports the beverage bottle to be classified; the beverage bottles can be detected and dropped individually by the circulation, so that the false detection of the classification device is avoided; the accuracy of beverage bottle classification is improved.

3. According to the invention, beverage bottles in the material box are detected by the correlation type photoelectric switch to serve as the trigger switch for starting the classification device, and the beverage bottles in the recovery barrel are detected by the correlation type photoelectric sensor to serve as the trigger mechanism for the microprocessor to communicate with the background monitoring platform, so that the beverages can be cleaned in time, and the labor efficiency of people and the intellectualization of the classification device are improved.

Of course, it is not necessary for any product in which the invention is practiced to achieve all of the above-described advantages at the same time.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below, and it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious for those skilled in the art that other drawings can be obtained according to the drawings without creative efforts.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the connection between the blanking hopper and the material passing box according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view of a partition assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the drive mechanism and the partition assembly of the present invention;

fig. 5 is a schematic view of the support of the beverage bottle of the present invention on the support plate;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the beverage bottle of the present invention falling from the partitioning assembly;

in the drawings, the components represented by the respective reference numerals are listed below:

1-box body, 2-recycling bin, 3-discharging bin, 4-material passing box, 5-material passing frame, 6-cylinder, 7-installation box, 8-separation component, 9-transmission mechanism, 10-support component, 11-beverage bottle, 101-correlation type photoelectric sensor, 201-sliding block, 401-folding canvas, 402-clamping interface, 403-correlation type photoelectric switch, 404-metal sensor, 405-capacitance sensor, 801-rotating rod, 802-fixing ring, 803-support plate, 804-spacing plate, 901-sprocket, 902-tensioning sprocket, 903-guide sprocket, 904-transmission chain, 1001-support ring and 1002-support rod.

Detailed Description

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "disposed," "open," "bottom," "top," "axial," "inner wall," "peripheral side," and the like are used merely for convenience in describing the invention and to simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referenced components or elements must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and thus are not to be considered as limiting the invention.

As shown in fig. 1-2, the invention is a classification device for beverage bottles, comprising a box body 1, wherein the bottom of the box body 1 is provided with a side door, the inner wall of the bottom surface of the box body 1 is uniformly provided with three recovery barrels 2, and the three recovery barrels 2 are respectively used for recovering metal beverage bottles, glass beverage bottles and plastic beverage bottles; a group of sliding grooves are formed in the inner wall of the bottom surface of the box body 1, two groups of sliding blocks 201 which are in sliding fit with the sliding grooves are fixed at the bottom of the recovery barrel 2, the number of each group of sliding blocks 201 is two, and the two groups of sliding blocks 201 are arranged in a rectangular shape; the spout and the sliding fit of slider 201 can effectual assurance recycling bin 2 be located the relative fixed position of box 1, when preventing to cross material frame 5 and remove recycling bin 2 top, beverage bottle 11 can not drop nearly in the recycling bin 2.

A support assembly 10 is arranged below the mounting box 7, and the support assembly 10 comprises a support ring 1001 and a support rod 1002; the support ring 1001 is connected with the inner wall of the side surface of the box body 1 through a plurality of support rods 1002; the acting force through the box body 1 is transmitted to the supporting ring 1001 through the supporting rod 1002 to provide supporting force for the lower surface of the mounting box 7; the stability of installation case 7, punishment in advance case 4 and lower hopper 3 is improved.

A blanking hopper 3 is fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the top of the box body 1; the bottom of the discharging hopper 3 is fixedly communicated with a material passing box 4 through a bolt; the bottom of the material passing box 4 is communicated with the material passing frame 5 through a folding canvas 401; the material passing frame 5 is connected with a piston rod of a cylinder 6 fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the side surface of the box body 1; beverage bottles 11 to be classified are stacked in the blanking hopper 3 and enter the material passing box 4, and after being classified, the beverage bottles enter the recovery barrel 2 from the folding canvas 401 and the material passing frame 5; the microprocessor controls the cylinder 6 to push the material passing frame 5 to move, and the material passing frame 5 is positioned above the corresponding recovery barrel 2, so that the beverage bottle 11 can enter the corresponding recovery barrel 2 conveniently; the folding canvas 401 provides a space for extending the movement of the material passing frame 5, and the folding canvas 401 can provide a function of guiding and sliding down the falling beverage bottle 11.

Wherein, the side surfaces of the periphery of the material passing box 4 are fixedly provided with an installation box 7 through bolts, the material passing box 4 is a rectangular hollow box body, one side surface is provided with a through hole, and the through hole is internally and fixedly provided with the installation box 7; a plurality of groups of card interfaces 402 are symmetrically arranged on one opposite side surface of the material passing box 4, two groups of card interfaces 402 are arranged on one side surface of the material passing box 4, the number of each group of card interfaces 402 is 2, and two groups of card interfaces 402 are also arranged on the other opposite side surface, and the number of each group of card interfaces 402 is 2; the card interface 402 provides a rotation space for the support plate 803 and the partition plate 804; a group of correlation photoelectric switches 403 are arranged at the top of the material passing box 4, and when the correlation photoelectric switches 403 detect that beverage bottles exist, the correlation photoelectric switches 403 send signals to the microprocessor, so that the automatic classification device works; the side surface of the material passing box 4 is respectively provided with a metal sensor 404 and a capacitance sensor 405; the metal sensor 404 can detect the metal beverage bottle and send data to the microprocessor; since the dielectric constant of the glass beverage bottle is 4.1 and the dielectric constant of the Plastic (PVC) is 3, the capacitive sensor 405 detects different data according to the dielectric constants of the glass beverage bottle and the plastic beverage bottle, and the data is transmitted to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor judges whether the glass beverage bottle and the plastic beverage bottle are used; in addition, people can input detection data of the nonmetal beverage bottles with different dielectric constants, which are detected by the capacitive sensor 405, into the microprocessor, so that the sample capacity can be increased, and the nonmetal beverage bottles with different materials can be classified; the classification refinement degree of the automatic classification device is improved.

The correlation photoelectric switch 403, the metal sensor 404, the capacitance sensor 405 and the cylinder 6 are respectively electrically connected with the microprocessor; the microprocessor is electrically connected with the storage battery, the storage battery is electrically connected with the solar panel assembly through the solar controller, and the solar panel is fixedly arranged on the peripheral side surface of the box body 1; solar energy is converted into electric energy by utilizing a solar panel to supply power to a microprocessor and a motor; the side inner wall of the box body 1 is provided with the correlation type photoelectric sensor 101, when a beverage bottle in the recovery barrel 2 is full, normal data transmission of the correlation type photoelectric sensor 101 is influenced, and therefore the correlation type photoelectric sensor 101 sends data to the microprocessor; in addition, the microprocessor can count the classified glass beverage bottles, plastic beverage bottles and metal beverage bottles and inform people of receiving the beverage bottles 11 by combining the number of the beverage bottles which can be accommodated in the recycling bin 2; the correlation type photoelectric sensor 101 is positioned above the recycling bin 2; the correlation type photoelectric sensor 101 is electrically connected with the microprocessor; the microprocessor is in communication connection with the background monitoring platform through the communication module, the background monitoring platform can be a computer or a mobile phone of a sanitation worker, and the like, so that the sanitation worker can conveniently recycle the beverage bottles 11 in the recycling bin 2, and the recycling efficiency of people is improved;

four separation assemblies 8 are rotatably connected between the top surface and the bottom surface of the installation box 7; the four separation assemblies 8 are connected through a transmission mechanism 9; the transmission mechanism 9 drives the separation component 8 to rotate in a reciprocating manner;

as shown in fig. 3 to 6, the partition member 8 includes a rotating rod 801, a fixing ring 802, a support plate 803, and a partition plate 804; two fixing rings 802 are uniformly fixed on the peripheral side surface of the rotating rod 801 along the axial direction; a supporting plate 803 is fixed on the peripheral side surface of a fixing ring 802; two spacing plates 804 are fixed on the other fixing ring 802, and the two spacing plates 804 form a V-shaped support plate; the supporting plate 803 is positioned below the included angle of the V-shaped supporting plate; and the supporting plate 803 and the spacing plate 804 are respectively located in a set of card interfaces 402; when the four supporting plates 803 support the beverage bottle 11 to be detected, other beverage bottles 11 to be detected fall on the beverage bottle 11 to be detected; the V-shaped support plate does not support other beverage bottles 11; after the rotating rod 801 rotates, the four supporting plates 803 do not support the beverage bottle 11 to be detected, and the V-shaped supporting plate supports other beverage bottles 11 to be detected; therefore, single beverage bottle detection and single falling are realized in a reciprocating mode, the false detection of the automatic classification device is avoided, and the detection precision is improved.

Wherein, as shown in fig. 4, the transmission mechanism 9 comprises a chain wheel 901, a tension chain wheel 902, a guide chain wheel 903 and a transmission chain 904; a plurality of rotating rods 801 are arranged in a rectangular shape, and a chain wheel 901 is fixedly arranged at the bottom of each rotating rod 801; eight tension sprockets 902 are mounted on the inner wall of the bottom surface of the mounting box 7; the bottom of the side edge of the material passing box 4 is respectively provided with a guide chain wheel 903, and the guide chain wheels 903 provide a guide function for the transmission chain 904; the tension chain wheel 902 prevents the chain wheel 901 and the transmission chain 904 from being meshed to generate a slipping phenomenon, and the stability of transmission is ensured;

the four chain wheels 901, the eight tension chain wheels 902 and the four guide chain wheels 903 are connected through a transmission chain 904, the transmission chain 904 is connected with a driving chain wheel fixed on the output shaft of the motor, and the motor is electrically connected with the microprocessor.

One specific application of this embodiment is:

when people place tubular objects mixed with metal beverage bottles, glass beverage bottles and plastic beverage bottles in the blanking hopper 3, the beverage bottles 11 slide to the material passing box 4 under the action of gravity and are supported by the supporting plate 803, and other beverage bottles 11 to be detected are stacked on the beverage bottles to be detected; the beverage bottle 11 is not supported by the V-shaped support plate formed by the two partition plates 804;

at this time, if the bijection type photoelectric switch 403 detects that there is a beverage bottle, the bijection type photoelectric switch 403 sends a signal to the microprocessor, and the automatic classification device performs a working state; the metal sensor 404 detects whether the beverage bottle is a metal beverage bottle, and if so, sends detection data to the microprocessor; if the beverage bottle is not a metal beverage bottle, the capacitive sensor 405 judges whether the beverage bottle is a glass beverage bottle or a plastic beverage bottle; since the dielectric constant of the glass beverage bottle is 4.1 and the dielectric constant of the Plastic (PVC) is 3, the capacitive sensor 405 detects different data according to the dielectric constants of the glass beverage bottle and the plastic beverage bottle, and the data is sent to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor judges whether the glass beverage bottle and the plastic beverage bottle are used;

when the beverage bottle 11 is judged to be one of the three materials, the microprocessor controls the cylinder 6 to act and moves the material passing frame 5 to the upper part of the corresponding recovery barrel 2; the microprocessor controls the motor to act, and the transmission mechanism 9 drives the separation component 8 to rotate forwardly for a certain angle; after the rotating rod 801 rotates, the four supporting plates 803 do not support the beverage bottles 11 to be detected, at this time, the beverage bottles roll down into the corresponding recycling bin 2 to be collected, and the partition plate 804 supports other beverage bottles 11 to be detected; the transmission mechanism 9 drives the separation assembly 8 to rotate reversely by a certain angle, when the four supporting plates 803 re-support the beverage bottle 11 to be detected, other beverage bottles 11 to be detected fall on the beverage bottle 11 to be detected, and at this time, the partition plate 804 does not support the other beverage bottles 11 to be detected; thereby realizing the cyclic reciprocating classification of the automatic classification device; when the beverage bottle in the recovery barrel 2 is full, normal data transmission of the correlation photoelectric sensor 101 is affected, so that the correlation photoelectric sensor 101 sends data to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor is communicated with the background monitoring platform to remind people to recover the beverage bottle 11; the classification refinement degree of the automatic classification device, the recovery rate of the garbage and the labor efficiency of people are effectively improved, and the labor pressure of people is reduced.

In addition, a plurality of discharging hoppers 3, material passing boxes 4 and related classification technical characteristics can be arranged in the same box body 1 so as to realize simultaneous classification of a plurality of beverage bottles 11 in one box body 1; the classification efficiency of the automatic classification device can be improved.

In the description herein, references to the description of "one embodiment," "an example," "a specific example" or the like are intended to mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the terms used above do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

The preferred embodiments of the invention disclosed above are intended to be illustrative only. The preferred embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise embodiments disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention. The invention is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.