阅读说明：本技术 车门把手组件 (Vehicle door handle assembly ) 是由 葛鹏 赵龙相 苏阿特·卡亚 亚历山德罗·米里 于 2021-05-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于车辆的门把手组件,该门把手组件包括壳体、把手和压缩机构。把手以可旋转的方式附接至壳体并且能够在静止位置与下压位置之间旋转。压缩机构构造成允许把手在静止位置与下压位置之间旋转。压缩机构包括柱塞和偏置构件。柱塞联接至壳体或把手中的一者,并且柱塞能够在当把手处于静止位置时的第一位置与当把手处于下压位置时的第二位置之间平移。偏置构件联接至壳体或把手中的一者,并且偏置构件构造成将柱塞在第一位置与第二位置之间偏置。(A door handle assembly for a vehicle includes a housing, a handle, and a compression mechanism. The handle is rotatably attached to the housing and is rotatable between a rest position and a depressed position. The compression mechanism is configured to allow the handle to rotate between a rest position and a depressed position. The compression mechanism includes a plunger and a biasing member. The plunger is coupled to one of the housing or the handle, and the plunger is translatable between a first position when the handle is in a rest position and a second position when the handle is in a depressed position. A biasing member is coupled to one of the housing or the handle, and the biasing member is configured to bias the plunger between the first position and the second position.)

1. A door handle assembly for a vehicle, the door handle assembly comprising:

a housing;

a handle rotatably attached to the housing and rotatable between a rest position and a depressed position; and

a compression mechanism configured to allow the handle to rotate between the rest position and the depressed position, the compression mechanism comprising:

a plunger coupled to one of the housing or the handle and translatable between a first position when the handle is in the rest position and a second position when the handle is in the depressed position; and

a biasing member coupled to one of the housing or the handle and configured to bias the plunger between the first and second positions.

2. The door handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle extends from a proximal end to a distal end, and the handle is rotatably attached to the housing at a location closer to the proximal end than the distal end.

3. The door handle assembly of claim 2, wherein when the handle is in the depressed position, the handle urges the plunger to the second position at or near the distal end and the biasing member to a compressed position.

4. The door handle assembly of claim 2, wherein the handle is configured to rotate from the rest position to the depressed position by a user applying a force to the handle at or near the distal end.

5. The door handle assembly of claim 2, wherein the handle is configured to be rotated to an extended position in which the handle is spaced apart from the plunger by a user applying a force to the handle at or near the proximal end.

6. The door handle assembly of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the handle is substantially parallel to an outer surface of the housing when the handle is in the rest position.

7. The door handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the compression mechanism further comprises a damper secured to the plunger and configured to engage the handle.

8. The door handle assembly of claim 7, wherein the plunger includes a central bore and the damper is disposed in the central bore.

9. The door handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the compression mechanism further comprises a plunger housing coupled to the housing and configured to receive the plunger and the biasing member.

10. The door handle assembly of claim 9, wherein the plunger housing includes at least one tab and the housing includes at least one slot configured to receive the at least one tab to secure the plunger housing to the housing.

11. The door handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle is rotatable about a first axis and the biasing member is compressible along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

12. A compression mechanism for allowing rotation of a handle between a rest position and a depressed position, the compression mechanism comprising:

a plunger adjacent the handle and translatable between a first position when the handle is in the rest position and a second position when the handle is in the depressed position; and

a biasing member adjacent the plunger and compressible between a third position when the handle is in the rest position and a fourth position when the handle is in the depressed position.

13. The compression mechanism of claim 12, further comprising a damper secured to the plunger and engaged with the handle.

14. The compression mechanism of claim 13, wherein the plunger includes a central bore and the damper is disposed in the central bore.

15. The compression mechanism of claim 13, wherein the biasing member defines a central cavity into which the damper and the plunger extend.

16. The compression mechanism of claim 12, further comprising a plunger housing configured to receive the plunger and the biasing member.

17. The compression mechanism of claim 12, wherein the biasing member is compressed from the third position to the fourth position by the plunger exerting a force on the biasing member.

18. A method for operating a door handle assembly for a vehicle, the method comprising:

applying a first force on a distal end of a handle to move the distal end toward the vehicle; and

releasing the first force on the distal end of the handle to allow the handle to return to a rest position.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising applying a second force on a proximal end of the handle to move the handle toward the extended position.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising applying a second force on the distal end while moving the distal end toward the vehicle, the second force opposing the first force.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to vehicle door handle assemblies.

Background

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.

Some vehicles, such as automobiles, include door handles that are substantially flush with the exterior surface of the body, e.g., the door panel. In such applications, the door handle may be moved to an extended position or a ready position relative to the vehicle body so that a user may grasp the handle and open the door. In some instances, such as when moisture accumulates on the vehicle body and the temperature is below freezing, a layer of ice may form on the vehicle body, including the door handle. In this case, it may be difficult to move the door handle to the extended position due to ice build-up on the door handle and the vehicle body.

Disclosure of Invention

This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

One aspect of the present disclosure provides a door handle assembly for a vehicle. The door handle assembly may include a housing, a handle, and a compression mechanism. The handle may be rotatably attached to the housing and rotatable between a rest position and a depressed position. The compression mechanism may be configured to allow the handle to rotate between a rest position and a depressed position. The compression mechanism may include a plunger and a biasing member. The plunger may be coupled to one of the housing or the handle, and the plunger is translatable between a first position when the handle is in a rest position and a second position when the handle is in a depressed position. The biasing member may be coupled to one of the housing or the handle, and the biasing member may be configured to bias the plunger between the first position and the second position.

Implementations of this aspect of the disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations, the handle extends from the proximal end to the distal end. The handle may be rotatably attached to the housing at a position closer to the proximal end than the distal end. When the handle is in the depressed position, the handle may urge the plunger to the second position at or near the distal end and the biasing member to the compressed position. The handle may be configured to rotate from the rest position to the depressed position by a user applying a force to the handle at or near the distal end. The handle may be configured to be rotated to an extended position in which the handle is spaced apart from the plunger by a user applying a force to the handle at or near the proximal end.

In some implementations, an outer surface of the handle is substantially parallel to an outer surface of the housing when the handle is in the rest position.

In some implementations, the compression mechanism further includes a damper secured to the plunger and configured to engage the handle. The plunger may include a central bore. A damper may be disposed in the central bore.

In some implementations, the compression mechanism further includes a plunger housing coupled to the housing and configured to receive the plunger and the biasing member. The plunger housing may include at least one boss. The housing may include at least one slot configured to receive the at least one protrusion to secure the plunger housing to the housing.

In some implementations, the handle is rotatable about a first axis and the biasing member is compressible along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a compression mechanism for allowing rotation of a handle between a rest position and a depressed position. The compression mechanism may include a plunger and a biasing member. The plunger may be disposed adjacent the handle and the plunger may be translatable between a first position when the handle is in the rest position and a second position when the handle is in the depressed position. The biasing member may be disposed adjacent the plunger and compressible between a third position when the handle is in the rest position and a fourth position when the handle is in the depressed position.

This aspect may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations, the damper is secured to the plunger and engages the handle. The plunger may include a central bore. A damper may be disposed in the central bore. The biasing member may define a central cavity. The damper and the plunger may extend into the central cavity.

In some implementations, the compression mechanism includes a plunger housing configured to receive the plunger and the biasing member.

In some implementations, the biasing member is compressed from the third position to the fourth position by the plunger exerting a force on the biasing member.

Yet another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for operating a door handle assembly for a vehicle. The method may include applying a first force on the distal end of the handle to move the distal end toward the vehicle. The method may further include releasing the first force on the distal end of the handle to allow the handle to return to the rest position.

Implementations of the present disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations, the method includes applying a second force on the proximal end of the handle to move the handle toward the extended position.

In some implementations, the method includes applying a second force on the distal end while moving the distal end toward the vehicle, the second force opposing the first force.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

Drawings

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected configurations and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a user interacting with a door handle assembly according to the principles of the present disclosure mounted in a vehicle body;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the door handle assembly of FIG. 1 removed from the vehicle body;

FIG. 3 is a front plan view of the door handle assembly of FIG. 1 with the handle of the door handle assembly removed for visual clarity;

FIG. 4 is an exploded front detail view of the first compression mechanism of the door handle assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective detail view of the housing and first compression mechanism of the door handle assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the housing and a first compression mechanism of the door handle assembly of FIG. 1 taken through line 6-6 of FIG. 3, the first compression mechanism being in a first position;

FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the housing and the first compression mechanism of the door handle assembly of FIG. 1 taken through line 6-6 of FIG. 3, the first compression mechanism being in a second position;

FIG. 7 is an elevational, exploded detail view of a second compression mechanism of the door handle assembly of FIG. 1;

8-10 are rear perspective detailed views of the housing and second compression mechanism of the door handle assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view of the housing and a second compression mechanism of the door handle assembly of FIG. 1 taken through line 6-6 of FIG. 3, the second compression mechanism being in a first position;

FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view of the housing and a second compression mechanism of the door handle assembly of FIG. 1 taken through line 6-6 of FIG. 3, the second compression mechanism being in a second position; and

FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating a method for operating the door handle assembly of FIG. 1.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Detailed Description

Exemplary configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The exemplary configurations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Specific details are set forth, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the configurations of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example configurations may be embodied in many different forms, and that specific details and example configurations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, a door handle assembly 100 is generally shown. The door handle assembly 100 may be installed in or attached to a vehicle, such as in or attached to a door panel 10 of a body of the vehicle. In other implementations, the door handle assembly 100 may be mounted in a trunk door, hood, or any other suitable location on the vehicle. The door handle assembly 100 may facilitate opening a door of a vehicle, and as set forth in more detail below, the door handle assembly 100 may include certain features and functions to allow the user 12 to break ice that has frozen on the door handle assembly 100.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, the door handle assembly 100 includes a housing 102 and a handle 104. The housing 102 includes an outer rim 106 defining an outer surface 108 and a recess 110 configured to receive the handle 104. Outer surface 108 may abut a portion of door panel 10, such as the inner surface of door panel 10. The housing 102 may include a rod 112 disposed within the recess 110 and a biasing member 114 engaged with the rod 112 or wrapped around the rod 112. The rod 112 may define a first axis a₁. The housing 102 includes at least one mounting feature 116 to mount the housing 102 to the door panel 10.

With continued reference to fig. 1 and 2, the handle 104 extends from a proximal end 118 to a distal end 120. The handle 104 may include an aperture 122 configured to receive the stem 112 of the housing 102. The handle 104 may be about a first axis A defined by the rod 112₁Between a rest position (fig. 2, 6A and 11A), an extended position (fig. 1) and a depressed position (fig. 6B and 11B). In some implementations, the aperture 122 may be disposed closer to the proximal end 118 than the distal end 120 such that the handle 104 is about the first axis a at a location closer to the proximal end 118 than the distal end 120₁And (4) rotating. In some implementations, the handle 104 may rotate between the rest position, the extended position, and the depressed position in response to a force applied by the user 12, such as a force applied by the user 12 pressing against the handle 104 at or near the proximal end 118 or at or near the distal end 120. In other implementations, the handle 104 may rotate between these positions in response to mechanical, electrical, and/or electromechanical forces applied by the system of the vehicle, i.e., the handle 104 may rotate without any direct contact between the user 12 and the handle 104. In some of the other implementations, the first and second,the handle 104 may be rotated between these positions by a combination of a force applied by a system of the vehicle (e.g., mechanical, electrical, and/or electromechanical) and a force applied by the user 12 (e.g., by the user 12 pressing against the handle 104), e.g., the handle 104 may be rotated by the user 12 from a resting position to a depressed position and from the resting position to an extended position by a force applied by a system of the vehicle. The biasing member 114 may bias the handle 104 toward the rest position. In some implementations, the biasing member 114 may also be configured to maintain the handle 104 in the extended position, or any other suitable mechanism may maintain the handle 104 in the extended position.

The handle 104 may include an outer surface 124, the outer surface 124 being substantially parallel to the outer surface 108 of the outer rim 106 of the housing 102 when the handle 104 is in the rest position. The handle 104 may include an inner surface 126 opposite the outer surface 124. The inner surface 126 may face the recess 110 defined by the outer rim 106. As shown in the figures, the handle 104 may include a generally rectangular shape with rounded corners; however, it should be understood that other shapes including rectangular, oval, L-shaped, circular, or any other suitable shape are contemplated.

Referring to fig. 3-6B, the door handle assembly 100 may include a first compression mechanism 200. The first compression mechanism 200 is configured to allow the handle 104 to rotate between a resting position and a depressed position. The housing 102 includes a bracket 128, the bracket 128 defining an aperture 130 near a portion of the recess 110 that receives the distal end 120 of the handle 104, and at least a portion of the first compression mechanism 200 disposed within the aperture 130.

The first compression mechanism 200 includes a plunger 202, a damper 204, and a biasing member 206. In some implementations, as shown in fig. 5, the bracket 128 can include at least one slot 132 defining a lip 134. The plunger 202 may include a body 208 and a pair of legs 210 extending from the body 208. The legs 210 may each define a catch 212, the catch 212 configured to engage with the lip 134 such that the plunger 202 is coupled to the housing 102. In other implementations, the plunger 202 may be coupled to the handle 104, such as the inner surface 126 of the handle 104.

As shown in fig. 6A and 6B, the body 208 of the plunger 202 may include a contact surface 214 facing the inner surface 126 of the handle 104 and an inner surface 216 opposite the contact surface 214. The plunger 202 is translatable between a first position (fig. 6A) when the handle 104 is in the rest position and a second position (fig. 6B) when the handle 104 is in the depressed position. In some implementations, the plunger 202 is able to translate to a third position that is depressed further than the second position, e.g., the plunger 202 may be configured to be depressed or compressed even further (e.g., if the handle 104 is removed) than if the handle 104 could be directly interoperated with the plunger 202 by the user 12 (or other suitable source). Body 208 may define a central bore 218 having a lip 220. The central bore 218 may be configured to receive the damper 204.

The damper 204 includes a body 222, the body 222 defining a contact surface 224 facing the inner surface 126 of the handle 104 and an inner surface 226 opposite the contact surface 224. In some implementations, the contact surface 224 of the damper 204 may be substantially flush with the contact surface 214 of the plunger 202. In other implementations, the contact surface 224 of the damper 204 may be offset from the contact surface 214 of the plunger 202. An inner surface 226 of the body 222 may be configured to engage the lip 220 in the central bore 218 of the body 208 of the plunger 202. As shown in fig. 6A and 6B, the damper 204 may include a stem 228 extending from the body 222, the stem 228 including a lip 230, the lip 230 configured to engage the inner surface 216 of the body 208 of the plunger 202. The engagement of the inner surface 226 with the lip 220 and the engagement of the inner surface 216 with the lip 230 may secure the damper 204 to the plunger 202. Thus, as the plunger 202 moves between the first and second positions, the damper 204 may likewise move between the first and second positions.

Referring to fig. 6A and 6B, the bracket 128 may include a central portion 136 and a flange 138 extending from the central portion 136 to engage an inner surface 140 defining the aperture 130. The biasing member 206 is disposed in the aperture 130 and extends from the proximal end 232 to the distal end 234. The proximal end 232 may engage the inner surface 216 of the body 208 of the plunger 202 and the distal end may engage the flange 138. In some implementations, the biasing member 206 may be disposed about the central portion 136 of the bracket 128 such that the biasing member 206 is coupled to the housing 102 and such that a central cavity of the biasing member 206 receives the plunger 202 and the damper 204. In other implementations, the biasing member 206 may be coupled to the handle 104, such as the inner surface 126 of the handle 104. The biasing member 206 can be along a second axis a defined by the aperture 130 of the bracket 128₂And (4) compressing. Second axis A₂To the first axis A₁And is vertical. The biasing member 206 may be any suitable element such as a spring, compressed plastic, compressed foam, or the like.

Referring to fig. 7-11B, in some implementations, the door handle assembly 100 may include a second compression mechanism 300. The second compression mechanism 300 is configured to allow the handle 104 to rotate between a resting position and a depressed position. At least a portion of the second compression mechanism 300 is disposed within the aperture 130 of the bracket 128 of the housing 102.

The second compression mechanism 300 includes a plunger 302, a damper 304, a plunger housing 306, and a biasing member 308. In some implementations, the plunger 302 may be coupled to the housing 102. In other implementations, the plunger 302 may be coupled to the handle 104, such as the inner surface 126 of the handle 104. Plunger 302 includes a body 310, body 310 including a rim 312 extending from body 310. Rim 312 may extend through aperture 130, and the outer diameter of rim 312 may be substantially equal to the inner diameter of aperture 130. The rim 312 may include an outer surface 314 facing the inner surface 126 of the handle 104, and the rim 312 may define a central aperture 316 configured to receive the damper 304. Body 310 includes a stepped outer surface 318 adjacent rim 312 and an inner surface 320 opposite stepped outer surface 318. The stepped outer surface 318 may engage a portion of the bracket 128 and the inner surface 320 may engage the biasing member 308.

The plunger 302 includes a radial flange 322 extending from the body 310, and the radial flange may define a catch 324, the catch 324 configured to engage a portion of the plunger housing 306. The plunger 302 is translatable between a first position (fig. 11A) when the handle 104 is in a rest position and a second position (fig. 11B) when the handle 104 is in a depressed position. The rim 312 may include a first portion 352 having a first inner diameter and a second portion 354 having a second inner diameter greater than the first inner diameter. First portion 352 may be configured to engage a portion of damper 204.

The damper 304 includes a body 326, the body 326 defining a contact surface 328 facing the inner surface 126 of the handle 104 and an inner surface 330 opposite the contact surface 328. In some implementations, the contact surface 224 of the damper 204 can include a plurality of protrusions or ridges 332 configured to engage the inner surface 126 of the handle 104. An inner surface 330 of body 326 may be configured to engage outer surface 314 of rim 312. As shown in fig. 11A and 11B, damper 304 may include a shank 334 extending from body 326, shank 334 including a lip 336 configured to engage first portion 352 of rim 312. The engagement of the inner surface 330 with the outer surface 314 and the lip 336 with the first portion 352 may secure the damper 304 to the plunger 302. Thus, as the plunger 302 moves between the first and second positions, the damper 304 may likewise move between the first and second positions.

Referring to fig. 7, the plunger housing 306 may include a body 338 defining a cavity 340 and a central bore 342. The cavity 340 may be configured to receive the plunger 302 and the biasing member 308. The central bore 342 may be configured to receive the shank 334 of the damper 304. In some implementations, as shown in fig. 8-10, the cradle 128 can include a first engagement member 142 and a second engagement member 144, and the plunger housing 306 can include a third engagement member 344 configured to engage the first engagement member 142 and a fourth engagement member 346 configured to engage the second engagement member 144. The engagement members 142, 144, 344, 346 may be any suitable engagement member such as a keyway, protrusion, catch, lip, projection, locking mechanism, or the like. In some implementations, the first engagement member 142 can be a stepped protrusion defining a slot or recess, and the third engagement member 344 can be a protrusion configured to engage the slot. In some implementations, the second engagement member 144 can be a protrusion and the fourth engagement member 344 can be a stepped protrusion defining a groove or recess configured to receive the protrusion of the second engagement member 144. Engagement of the engagement members 142, 144, 344, 346 may secure the plunger housing 306 to the housing 102.

Referring to fig. 11A and 11B, the biasing member 308 is disposed in the cavity 340 in the aperture 130 and extends from a proximal end 348 to a distal end 350. The proximal end 348 may engage the inner surface 320 of the body 310 of the plunger 302, and the distal end may engage the plunger housing 306. In some implementations, the biasing member 308 may be disposed about a portion of the plunger housing 306 secured to the housing 102 such that the biasing member 308 is likewise secured to the housing 102 and such that a central cavity of the biasing member 308 receives the plunger 302 and the damper 304. In other implementations, the biasing member 308 may be coupled to the handle 104, such as the inner surface 126 of the handle 104. The biasing member 308 may be disposed about a rim 312 of the plunger 302. The biasing member 308 can be along a second axis a defined by the aperture 130 of the bracket 128₂And (4) compressing. The biasing member 308 may be any suitable element such as a spring, compressed plastic, compressed foam, or the like.

Referring to FIG. 12, a method 400 for operating the door handle assembly 100 is generally shown. Without any force, the handle 104 is disposed in the rest position (fig. 6A and 11A), for example, by the biasing member 114. At 402, the user 12 may apply a first force at or near the distal end 120 of the handle 104 to move the distal end 120 toward the vehicle. In other implementations, at 402, a system of the vehicle may exert a first force (e.g., a mechanical force, an electrical force, and/or an electromechanical force) on the handle 104 to move the distal end 120 toward the vehicle. At this point, the handle 104 may be in a depressed position (fig. 6B and 11B) and may urge the plungers 202, 302 and dampers 204, 304 toward the second position, thereby moving the biasing members 206, 308 toward the compressed position. At 404, the user 12 (or a system of the vehicle) may release the first force on the distal end 120 of the handle 104 to allow the handle 104 to return to the resting position (fig. 6A and 11A). At 406, as shown in fig. 1, user 12 may apply a second force at or near proximal end 118 of handle 104 to move handle 104 toward an extended position in which handle 104 is spaced apart from compression mechanisms 200, 300. In other implementations, at 406, the system of the vehicle may exert a second force (e.g., a mechanical force, an electrical force, and/or an electromechanical force) on the handle 104 to move the handle 104 toward the extended position. At 408, user 12 may grasp and pull handle 104 to open the door of the vehicle. It should be understood that additional and/or different steps may be contemplated, and the order of the steps may be changed as appropriate.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example configurations only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular terms "a", "an" and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," "including," and "having" are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Unless specifically indicated as an order of execution, the method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their execution in the particular order discussed or illustrated. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.

When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged to," "connected to," "attached to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected, attached or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," "directly attached to" or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements (e.g., "between … …" and "directly between … …", "adjacent" and "directly adjacent", etc.) should be interpreted in a similar manner. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

The terms first, second, third and the like may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections. These elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed above could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example configurations.

The foregoing description has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected configuration, even if not specifically shown or described. The individual elements or features of a particular configuration may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.