阅读说明：本技术 一种地铁轨道养护设备 (Subway track maintenance equipment ) 是由 李亚 葛小西 李攀科 李慧娟 杨媛媛 李柯 邵欣明 孙洋 于 2021-01-06 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及养护设备,更具体的说是一种地铁轨道养护设备。包括槽道架、前口、边部、调节座、轮轴、导轮、基座Ⅲ、电机Ⅰ、拧头和驱动机构,所述槽道架的前端设有前口,槽道架后端的左右两端均朝内设有一体连接的边部,调节座在槽道架上的运动轨迹上部为半圆,下部为与所述半圆相切的两条垂直线,基座Ⅲ固接在调节座的后端,基座Ⅲ的后部安装电机Ⅰ,电机Ⅰ的输出轴上固接拧头,拧头的右端设有正六边形凹槽。拧头可以运动至钢轨的外侧与内侧,利用拧头将钢轨上朝上的松动的螺栓拧紧；通过调节推杆在钢轨上的相对位置,可以对钢轨的侧端面与上下端面上的螺栓进行敲击,以查看螺栓是否晃动,若螺栓晃动说明螺栓松动,随后利用拧头将螺栓拧紧。(The invention relates to maintenance equipment, in particular to subway rail maintenance equipment. Including channel frame, fore-mouth, limit portion, regulation seat, shaft, guide pulley, base III, motor I, twist head and actuating mechanism, the front end of channel frame is equipped with the fore-mouth, and both ends all are equipped with the limit portion of an organic whole connection inwards about channel frame rear end, adjust motion trail upper portion of seat on channel frame to be the semicircle, the lower part be with two tangent perpendiculars of semicircle, the third rigid coupling of base is at the rear end of adjusting the seat, and motor I is installed at the rear portion of base III, and the head is twisted to the rigid coupling on motor I's the output shaft, and the right-hand member of twisting the head is equipped with regular hexagon recess. The screwing head can move to the outer side and the inner side of the steel rail, and the loosened bolt on the steel rail is screwed by the screwing head; through adjusting the relative position of push rod on the rail, can strike the bolt on the side end face of rail and the upper and lower terminal surface to whether the bolt rocks, if the bolt rocks the explanation bolt and becomes flexible, utilize afterwards to screw up the bolt with the twisting head.)

1. The utility model provides a subway rail maintenance equipment, includes channel frame (103), front opening (104), limit portion (105), adjusts seat (3), shaft (303), guide pulley (304), base III (4), motor I (402), twists head (403) and actuating mechanism, its characterized in that: the front end of the channel frame (103) is provided with a front opening (104), the left end and the right end of the rear end of the channel frame (103) are both provided with an integrally connected edge part (105) inwards, the adjusting seat (3) is fixedly connected with four wheel shafts (303), the axes of the four wheel shafts (303) are respectively positioned on four corners of a virtual square, the four wheel shafts (303) are respectively fixedly connected with a guide wheel (304), the four guide wheels (304) are correspondingly clamped and slid on the two edge parts (105) in pairs, the driving mechanism can drive the adjusting seat (3) to move on the channel frame (103), the upper part of the movement track of the adjusting seat (3) on the channel frame (103) is a semicircle, the lower part of the movement track is two vertical lines tangent to the semicircle, the base III (4) is fixedly connected at the rear end of the adjusting seat (3), the rear part of the base III (4) is provided with a motor I (402), and the output shaft of the motor, the right end of the screwing head (403) is provided with a regular hexagon groove.

2. The subway rail maintenance equipment of claim 1, wherein: the subway rail maintenance equipment further comprises an electric push rod IV (401), wherein the electric push rod IV (401) is fixedly connected to the rear portion of the base III (4), and a movable end of the electric push rod IV (401) is fixedly connected with a motor I (402).

3. The subway rail maintenance equipment of claim 2, wherein: the subway rail maintenance equipment further comprises a horizontal frame (1), an electric push rod I (101) and a longitudinal frame (102), wherein the electric push rod I (101) is fixedly connected to the upper end of the horizontal frame (1), the longitudinal frame (102) is fixedly connected to the lower end of the horizontal frame (1), and a channel frame (103) is fixedly connected to the lower end of the longitudinal frame (102).

4. The subway rail maintenance equipment of claim 3, wherein: actuating mechanism includes base I (2), electric putter II (201), base II (202), electric putter III (203), connecting rod (204), pedestal (301) and moves pole (302), base I (2) rigid coupling is at the lower extreme of horizontal stand (1), the lower extreme rigid coupling electric putter II (201) of base I (2), the expansion end rigid coupling base II (202) of electric putter II (201), rigid coupling electric putter III (203) on base II (202), expansion end rigid coupling connecting rod (204) of electric putter III (203), pedestal (301) rigid coupling is at the front end of adjusting seat (3), move pole (302) and rotate to be connected on pedestal (301), connecting rod (204) rigid coupling is on moving pole (302).

5. The subway rail maintenance device of claim 4, wherein: the subway track maintenance equipment further comprises a base IV (501), a concave frame I (502), a motor II (503), an eccentric wheel (504), a concave frame II (505), a cylindrical roller (506), a limiting rod (507), a push rod (508) and a compression spring (509), wherein the base IV (501) is installed on the right side of the base III (4), the concave frame I (502) is fixedly connected to the left portion of the base IV (501), the upper end of the concave frame I (502) is fixedly connected with the motor II (503), the lower portion of an output shaft of the motor II (503) is rotatably connected to the lower end of the concave frame I (502), the eccentric wheel (504) is fixedly connected to the middle portion of the output shaft of the motor II (503), the concave frame II (505) is rotatably connected with the cylindrical roller (506), the cylindrical roller (506) is located on the right side of the eccentric wheel (504), the cylindrical roller (506) is in contact with the eccentric wheel (504), the front end of the concave frame II (505) is fixedly connected with the limiting rod (507, limiting rod (507) sliding connection is in the strip mouth, push rod (508) rigid coupling is at the right-hand member of concave frame II (505), and push rod (508) sliding connection has compression spring (509) in the right part of base IV (501), and the cover has compression spring (509) on push rod (508), and the both ends of compression spring (509) contact with concave frame II (505) and base IV (501) respectively.

6. The subway rail maintenance device of claim 5, wherein: the right end of the push rod (508) is fixedly connected with a hollow rubber column, the rubber column maintains the shape through inflation, and the rubber column can be compressed after being extruded.

7. The subway rail maintenance equipment of claim 6, wherein: the subway track maintenance equipment further comprises an electric push rod V (5), wherein the electric push rod V (5) is fixedly connected to the base III (4), and the movable end of the electric push rod V (5) is fixedly connected with the left end of the base IV (501).

8. The subway rail maintenance device of claim 7, wherein: the push rod (508) is located on the front side of the screw head (403).

9. The subway rail maintenance device of claim 8, wherein: the subway rail maintenance equipment further comprises a camera (510), wherein the camera (510) is fixedly connected to the base IV (501), and the camera (510) is located on the left front side of the push rod (508).

10. The subway rail maintenance device of claim 9, wherein: the subway rail maintenance equipment further comprises an LED lamp (511), wherein the LED lamp (511) is fixedly connected to the upper end of the camera (510), and a light source of the LED lamp (511) is located on the left side of the camera (510).

Technical Field

The invention relates to maintenance equipment, in particular to subway rail maintenance equipment.

Background

For example, the publication number is CN111979858A, the track maintenance device comprises a track side end rust removal module, a track upper end rust removal module and a track water spray dust removal maintenance module. The rail side end rust removal module comprises a first connecting rod, a first polishing blade, a first motor, a first lead screw, a second motor, a first bevel gear and a second bevel gear; the rail upper end rust removal module comprises a fixed rod, a sliding block, a movable plate, a second lead screw, a third motor, a third lead screw, a fourth motor, a second connecting rod, a fifth motor and a second polishing blade; the rail water spraying dust removing maintenance module comprises a water storage tank, a water pipe, a water spraying opening and a brush head. The maintenance process of rust removal and cleaning of the track can be completed only by traction of the locomotive; each module works independently and does not influence each other, and is coordinated and cooperative, so that the maintenance efficiency is high; the maintenance cost is reduced, the practicability is high, and the maintenance device can be widely applied to maintenance of various rail transit. The problems of incomplete manual maintenance and low efficiency in the prior art are solved; but the device cannot be used for overhauling bolts on the track.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide subway rail maintenance equipment which can be used for overhauling bolts on a rail.

The purpose of the invention is realized by the following technical scheme:

a subway rail maintenance device comprises a channel frame, a front opening, an edge part, an adjusting seat, a wheel shaft, a guide wheel, a base III, a motor I, a twisting head and a driving mechanism, the front end of the channel frame is provided with a front opening, the left end and the right end of the rear end of the channel frame are both provided with an integrally connected edge inwards, the adjusting seat is fixedly connected with four wheel shafts, the axes of the four wheel shafts are respectively positioned on four corners of a virtual square, the four wheel shafts are respectively fixedly connected with a guide wheel, the four guide wheels are correspondingly clamped and slid on the two edge parts in pairs, actuating mechanism can drive and adjust the seat and move on the channel frame, adjusts the motion orbit upper portion of seat on the channel frame and be the semicircle, the lower part be with two tangent perpendicular lines of semicircle, III rigid couplings of base are in the rear end of adjusting the seat, and motor I is installed at III's of base rear portion, and the head is twisted to the rigid coupling on the output shaft of motor I, and the right-hand member of twisting the head is equipped with the regular hexagon recess.

The subway rail maintenance equipment further comprises an electric push rod IV, wherein the electric push rod IV is fixedly connected to the rear portion of the base III, and a movable end of the electric push rod IV is fixedly connected with a motor I.

The subway rail maintenance equipment further comprises a horizontal frame, an electric push rod I and a longitudinal frame, wherein the electric push rod I is fixedly connected to the upper end of the horizontal frame, the longitudinal frame is fixedly connected to the lower end of the horizontal frame, and a channel frame is fixedly connected to the lower end of the longitudinal frame.

Actuating mechanism includes base I, electric putter II, base II, electric putter III, connecting rod, pedestal and moves the pole, I rigid coupling of base is at the lower extreme of horizontal stand, and the lower extreme rigid coupling electric putter II of base I, the expansion end rigid coupling base II of electric putter II, rigid coupling electric putter III on the base II, the expansion end rigid coupling connecting rod of electric putter III, the pedestal rigid coupling is at the front end of adjusting the seat, moves the pole and rotates to be connected on the pedestal, and the connecting rod rigid coupling is moving the pole on.

The subway rail maintenance equipment also comprises a base IV, a concave frame I, a motor II, an eccentric wheel, a concave frame II, a cylindrical roller, a limiting rod, a push rod and a compression spring, base IV installs on base III's right side, I rigid coupling of concave frame is in base IV's left part, concave frame I's upper end rigid coupling motor II, the lower part of II output shafts of motor rotates the lower extreme of connecting at concave frame I, the eccentric wheel rigid coupling is at the middle part of II output shafts of motor, rotate on concave frame II and connect cylindrical roller, cylindrical roller is located the right side of eccentric wheel, cylindrical roller and eccentric wheel contact, the front end rigid coupling gag lever post of concave frame II, base IV's front end is equipped with the strip mouth, gag lever post sliding connection be in the strip mouth, the push rod rigid coupling is at the right-hand member of concave frame II, push rod sliding connection is in base IV's right part, the cover has compression spring on the push rod, compression spring's both ends contact with concave.

The right end rigid coupling of push rod is hollow rubber column, the rubber column keeps the form through aerifing, and the rubber column can compress after receiving the extrusion.

The subway track maintenance equipment further comprises an electric push rod V, wherein the electric push rod V is fixedly connected to the base III, and the movable end of the electric push rod V is fixedly connected with the left end of the base IV.

The push rod is positioned at the front side of the screwing head.

The subway rail maintenance equipment further comprises a camera, wherein the camera is fixedly connected to the base IV and is located on the left front side of the push rod.

The subway track maintenance equipment further comprises an LED lamp, wherein the LED lamp is fixedly connected to the upper end of the camera, and a light source of the LED lamp is located on the left side of the camera.

The subway rail maintenance equipment has the beneficial effects that:

the screwing head can move to the outer side and the inner side of the steel rail, and the loosened bolt on the steel rail is screwed by the screwing head; through adjusting the relative position of push rod on the rail, can strike the bolt on the side end face of rail and the upper and lower terminal surface to whether the bolt rocks, if the bolt rocks the explanation bolt and becomes flexible, utilize afterwards to screw up the bolt with the twisting head.

Drawings

The invention is described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the overall construction of a subway rail maintenance apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial schematic view of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a second partial schematic structural view of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a third schematic view of a portion of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fourth schematic view of a portion of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the present invention;

fig. 7 is a partial structural diagram six of the present invention.

In the figure: a horizontal frame 1; an electric push rod I101; a longitudinal frame 102; a chute frame 103; a front opening 104; an edge portion 105; a base I2; an electric push rod II 201; a base II 202; an electric push rod III 203; a connecting rod 204; an adjusting seat 3; a pedestal 301; an active rod 302; an axle 303; a guide wheel 304; a base III 4; an electric push rod IV 401; a motor I402; a screw head 403; an electric push rod V5; a base IV 501; a concave frame I502; a motor II 503; an eccentric 504; a concave frame II 505; a cylindrical roller 506; a limit rod 507; a push rod 508; a compression spring 509; a camera 510; the LED lamp 511.

Detailed Description

In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", and the like, indicate orientations or positional relationships based on those shown in the drawings, and are used only for convenience in describing the present invention and for simplicity in description, and do not indicate or imply that the referenced devices or elements must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and thus, are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The first embodiment is as follows:

as shown in the figure, the subway rail maintenance equipment comprises a channel frame 103, a front opening 104, side parts 105, an adjusting seat 3, wheel shafts 303, guide wheels 304, a base III 4, a motor I402, a screw head 403 and a driving mechanism, wherein the front opening 104 is arranged at the front end of the channel frame 103, the integrally connected side parts 105 are arranged at the left end and the right end of the rear end of the channel frame 103 inwards, the adjusting seat 3 is fixedly connected with four wheel shafts 303, the axes of the four wheel shafts 303 are respectively positioned on four corners of a virtual square, the four wheel shafts 303 are respectively and fixedly connected with one guide wheel 304, the four guide wheels 304 are correspondingly clamped and slid on the two side parts 105 in pairs, the driving mechanism can drive the adjusting seat 3 to move on the channel frame 103, the upper part of the movement track of the adjusting seat 3 on the channel frame 103 is a semicircle, the lower part of the movement track is two vertical lines tangent to the semicircle, the base III 4 is fixedly connected to the rear end of the, a screwing head 403 is fixedly connected to an output shaft of the motor I402, and a regular hexagon groove is formed in the right end of the screwing head 403. The channel frame 103 is surrounded on the steel rail, the lower part of the channel frame 103 is close to the bottom of the steel rail, the position of the adjusting seat 3 is changed to change the orientation of the screwing head 403, so that the screwing head 403 can move to the outer side and the inner side of the steel rail, for example, the adjusting seat 3 is right above the channel frame 103, the starting motor I402 drives the screwing head 403 to rotate, and the screwing head 403 is used for screwing up the upward loose bolt of the steel rail.

The second embodiment is as follows:

as shown in the figure, the subway rail maintenance equipment further comprises an electric push rod IV 401, the electric push rod IV 401 is fixedly connected to the rear portion of the base III 4, and a movable end of the electric push rod IV 401 is fixedly connected with a motor I402. The electric push rod IV 401 is started to change the distance between the screw head 403 and the steel rail, and then the screw head 403 is sleeved on the bolt or removed from the bolt.

The third concrete implementation mode:

as shown in the figure, the subway rail maintenance equipment further comprises a horizontal frame 1, an electric push rod I101 and a longitudinal frame 102, wherein the electric push rod I101 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the horizontal frame 1, the longitudinal frame 102 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the horizontal frame 1, and a channel frame 103 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the longitudinal frame 102. The horizontal frame 1 is used for being installed on a mobile chassis walking on a subway track, so that an operator does not need to bend down to operate and can control the horizontal frame on the mobile chassis, and the mobile chassis can be other mobile equipment. Starting I101 electric putter drives the level frame 1 and goes up and down, and then changing the position of adjusting the relative rail of seat 3, and then realizing the overall regulation, and electric putter IV 401 carries out further careful regulation, the operation of being convenient for.

The fourth concrete implementation mode:

as shown in the figure, actuating mechanism includes base I2, electric putter II 201, base II 202, electric putter III 203, connecting rod 204, pedestal 301 and moves pole 302, base I2 rigid coupling is at the lower extreme of horizontal stand 1, and II 201 of the lower extreme rigid coupling electric putter of base I2, II 202 of the expansion end rigid coupling base of electric putter II 201, rigid coupling electric putter III 203 on II 202 of base, the expansion end rigid coupling connecting rod 204 of electric putter III 203, pedestal 301 rigid coupling is at the front end of adjusting seat 3, moves pole 302 and rotates to be connected on pedestal 301, and connecting rod 204 rigid coupling is on moving pole 302. The starting electric push rod III 203 drives the adjusting seat 3 to lift on the channel frame 103, and the starting electric push rod II 201 drives the adjusting seat 3 to move horizontally on the channel frame 103.

The fifth concrete implementation mode:

as shown in the figure, the subway rail maintenance equipment further comprises a base IV 501, a concave frame I502, a motor II 503, an eccentric wheel 504, a concave frame II 505, a cylindrical roller 506, a limiting rod 507, a push rod 508 and a compression spring 509, wherein the base IV 501 is installed on the right side of a base III 4, the concave frame I502 is fixedly connected to the left portion of the base IV 501, the upper end of the concave frame I502 is fixedly connected with the motor II 503, the lower portion of an output shaft of the motor II 503 is rotatably connected to the lower end of the concave frame I502, the eccentric wheel 504 is fixedly connected to the middle portion of the output shaft of the motor II 503, the concave frame II 505 is rotatably connected with the cylindrical roller 506, the cylindrical roller 506 is located on the right side of the eccentric wheel 504, the cylindrical roller 506 is in contact with the eccentric wheel 504, the front end of the concave frame II 505 is fixedly connected with the limiting rod 507, the front end of the base IV 501 is provided with a strip-shaped opening, the, the push rod 508 is sleeved with a compression spring 509, and two ends of the compression spring 509 are respectively contacted with the concave frame II 505 and the base IV 501. The push rod 508 is arranged beside the screw head 403, and the push rod 508 can move along with the movement of the screw head 403, which is realized by the movement of the base III 4, when the subway rail is maintained, the maintenance is usually carried out at night, the stroke is long, and the manual maintenance needs to bend over thousands of times at night to check whether the bolt is loosened. By adjusting the relative position of the push rod 508 on the steel rail, the bolts on the side end face and the upper and lower end faces of the steel rail can be knocked to check whether the bolts shake or not, if the bolts shake, the bolts are loosened, and then the bolts are screwed by using the screwing head 403. The starting motor II 503 drives the eccentric wheel 504 to rotate, the eccentric wheel 504 drives the cylindrical roller 506 to reciprocate left and right, then the push rod 508 can reciprocate left and right, the bolt is knocked by the push rod 508, the bolt is knocked repeatedly by the push rod 508 obliquely downwards during knocking, and the bolt is more easily shaken by obliquely knocking compared with knocking in the same direction as the axis direction of the bolt, so that the loosened bolt can be quickly checked.

The sixth specific implementation mode:

as shown in the figure, the right end of the push rod 508 is fixedly connected with a hollow rubber column, the shape of the rubber column is maintained by inflation, and the rubber column can be compressed after being extruded. The friction force generated when the rubber column strikes the bolt is large, so that the bolt is easy to shake, and the steel rail and the bolt are not damaged. The rubber column is beneficial to low manufacturing cost and can be replaced after being worn.

The seventh embodiment:

as shown in the figure, the subway track maintenance equipment further comprises an electric push rod V5, wherein the electric push rod V5 is fixedly connected to the base III 4, and the movable end of the electric push rod V5 is fixedly connected with the left end of the base IV 501. And starting the electric push rod V5 to drive the rubber column to be close to the bolt to be detected. The closer the distance, the greater the force of the knocking.

The specific implementation mode is eight:

as shown, the push rod 508 is located on the front side of the screw head 403.

The specific implementation method nine:

as shown in the figure, the subway rail maintenance equipment further comprises a camera 510, wherein the camera 510 is fixedly connected to the base iv 501, and the camera 510 is located on the left front side of the push rod 508. Can set up electronic screen by the operator, electronic screen links to each other with camera 510, conveys the operator with the picture that camera 510 shot, and then is convenient for carry out the maintenance to the track, especially the position that rail side end and bottom are difficult for observing.

The detailed implementation mode is ten:

as shown in the figure, the subway rail maintenance equipment further comprises an LED lamp 511, the LED lamp 511 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the camera 510, and a light source of the LED lamp 511 is located on the left side of the camera 510. The LED lights 511 provide illumination for the camera 510 and the location to be maintained.

The invention relates to a subway rail maintenance device, which has the working principle that:

the channel frame 103 is surrounded on the steel rail, the lower part of the channel frame 103 is close to the bottom of the steel rail, the position of the adjusting seat 3 is changed to change the orientation of the screwing head 403, so that the screwing head 403 can move to the outer side and the inner side of the steel rail, for example, the adjusting seat 3 is right above the channel frame 103, the starting motor I402 drives the screwing head 403 to rotate, and the screwing head 403 is used for screwing up the upward loose bolt of the steel rail. The electric push rod IV 401 is started to change the distance between the screw head 403 and the steel rail, and then the screw head 403 is sleeved on the bolt or removed from the bolt. The horizontal frame 1 is used for being installed on a mobile chassis walking on a subway track, so that an operator does not need to bend down to operate and can control the horizontal frame on the mobile chassis, and the mobile chassis can be other mobile equipment. Starting I101 electric putter drives the level frame 1 and goes up and down, and then changing the position of adjusting the relative rail of seat 3, and then realizing the overall regulation, and electric putter IV 401 carries out further careful regulation, the operation of being convenient for. The starting electric push rod III 203 drives the adjusting seat 3 to lift on the channel frame 103, and the starting electric push rod II 201 drives the adjusting seat 3 to move horizontally on the channel frame 103. The push rod 508 is arranged beside the screw head 403, and the push rod 508 can move along with the movement of the screw head 403, which is realized by the movement of the base III 4, when the subway rail is maintained, the maintenance is usually carried out at night, the stroke is long, and the manual maintenance needs to bend over thousands of times at night to check whether the bolt is loosened. By adjusting the relative position of the push rod 508 on the steel rail, the bolts on the side end face and the upper and lower end faces of the steel rail can be knocked to check whether the bolts shake or not, if the bolts shake, the bolts are loosened, and then the bolts are screwed by using the screwing head 403. The starting motor II 503 drives the eccentric wheel 504 to rotate, the eccentric wheel 504 drives the cylindrical roller 506 to reciprocate left and right, then the push rod 508 can reciprocate left and right, the bolt is knocked by the push rod 508, the bolt is knocked repeatedly by the push rod 508 obliquely downwards during knocking, and the bolt is more easily shaken by obliquely knocking compared with knocking in the same direction as the axis direction of the bolt, so that the loosened bolt can be quickly checked. The friction force generated when the rubber column strikes the bolt is large, so that the bolt is easy to shake, and the steel rail and the bolt are not damaged. The rubber column is beneficial to low manufacturing cost and can be replaced after being worn. And starting the electric push rod V5 to drive the rubber column to be close to the bolt to be detected. The closer the distance, the greater the force of the knocking. Can set up electronic screen by the operator, electronic screen links to each other with camera 510, conveys the operator with the picture that camera 510 shot, and then is convenient for carry out the maintenance to the track, especially the position that rail side end and bottom are difficult for observing. The LED lights 511 provide illumination for the camera 510 and the location to be maintained.

It is to be understood that the above description is not intended to limit the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above examples, and that various changes, modifications, additions and substitutions which are within the spirit and scope of the present invention and which may be made by those skilled in the art are also within the scope of the present invention.