阅读说明：本技术 一种具有防护机构的合金箔膜转运装置及其使用方法 (Alloy foil film transfer device with protection mechanism and use method thereof ) 是由 王奇 王敏雪 立群 谷爱俊 程晓龙 洪万里 于 2020-12-16 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明公开了一种具有防护机构的合金箔膜转运装置及其使用方法,包括转运台,转运台的底部固定连接有若干条支撑腿,其顶部两侧均固定连接有侧板,侧板的底端开设有转运口,其一侧设置有一对辊架,辊架固定连接在转运台上,并呈对称设置,且每对辊架之间均通过辊轴活动连接有转运辊,两个转运辊之间传动连接有转运带,转运带的表面设置有人字形防滑纹,且转运带上放置有转运箱,其中一块侧板的侧壁安装有电机,电机的输出端固定连接有丝杠,丝杠末端贯穿另一块侧板,且丝杠的下方设置有移动机构。本发明具有结构设计合理,转运方便,可在转运过程中对合金铝箔进行防护,并且稳定性高,合金铝箔不易发生打滑和位移等特点。(The invention discloses an alloy foil film transfer device with a protection mechanism and a use method thereof, and the transfer device comprises a transfer table, wherein the bottom of the transfer table is fixedly connected with a plurality of support legs, two sides of the top of the transfer table are fixedly connected with side plates, the bottom end of each side plate is provided with a transfer port, one side of each side plate is provided with a pair of roller frames, the roller frames are fixedly connected to the transfer table and symmetrically arranged, transfer rollers are movably connected between each pair of roller frames through roller shafts, a transfer belt is connected between the two transfer rollers in a transmission manner, the surface of the transfer belt is provided with herringbone anti-skid grains, a transfer box is arranged on the transfer belt, the side wall of one side plate is provided with a motor, the output end of the motor is fixedly connected with a lead screw, the tail end of the. The invention has the characteristics of reasonable structural design, convenient transportation, high stability, difficult occurrence of slippage and displacement of the alloy aluminum foil and the like, and can protect the alloy aluminum foil in the transportation process.)

1. The utility model provides an alloy foil membrane transfer device with protection machanism, includes transfer table (1), its characterized in that: the bottom of the transfer table (1) is fixedly connected with a plurality of supporting legs (2), the two sides of the top of the transfer table are fixedly connected with side plates (3), a transfer opening (4) is formed in the bottom end of each side plate (3), one side of each side plate is provided with a pair of roller frames (5), the roller frames (5) are fixedly connected onto the transfer table (1) and symmetrically arranged, transfer rollers (6) are movably connected between the roller frames (5), a transfer belt (7) is connected between the two transfer rollers (6) in a transmission manner, herringbone anti-skidding lines are arranged on the surface of the transfer belt (7), transfer boxes (8) are placed on the transfer belt (7), one of the side plates (3) is provided with a motor (9), the output end of the motor (9) is fixedly connected with a lead screw (10), and the tail end of the lead screw (10) penetrates through the other side plate (3), and a moving mechanism is arranged below the lead screw (10).

2. An alloy foil film transfer device with a shielding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: the moving mechanism comprises a moving block (11), a transmission hole (12) matched with a lead screw (10) is formed in the surface of the moving block (11), the lead screw (10) penetrates through the transmission hole (12), a hydraulic cylinder (13) is installed at the bottom of the moving block (11), a lifting frame (14) is fixedly connected to the bottom end of an output shaft of the hydraulic cylinder (13), and an electromagnet (15) is installed at the bottom of the lifting frame (14).

3. An alloy foil film transfer device with a shielding mechanism according to claim 2, wherein: the top of the moving block (11) is fixedly connected with a plurality of pairs of wheel frames (16), each pair of wheel frames (16) is movably connected with a limiting wheel (17) through a wheel shaft, a transverse plate (18) is fixedly connected between the inner walls of the top ends of the side plates (3), a plurality of limiting grooves (19) matched with the limiting wheels (17) are formed in the bottom surface of the transverse plate (18), and the limiting wheels (17) are attached to the groove walls of the limiting grooves (19).

4. An alloy foil film transfer device with a shielding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: the top both sides of transfer box (8) are all outwards outstanding, and its top is provided with case lid (20), the top fixedly connected with iron plate (21) of case lid (20), iron plate (21) are located electro-magnet (15) under, and its both sides all are provided with a location section of thick bamboo (22), a location section of thick bamboo (22) fixed connection is at the top of case lid (20), the equal fixedly connected with fixture block (23) in bottom both sides of crane (14).

5. An alloy foil film transfer device with a shielding mechanism according to claim 4, wherein: a location section of thick bamboo (22) all is the symmetry setting with fixture block (23), the cross section of fixture block (23) is circular, and its diameter equals with the internal diameter of a location section of thick bamboo (22), just fixture block (23) is located same straight line with the center of a location section of thick bamboo (22), the equal fixedly connected with locating lever (24) in bottom both sides of case lid (20), the top both sides of transfer box (8) have all been seted up with locating lever (24) matched with through-hole, the through-hole is located same straight line with the center of locating lever (24).

6. An alloy foil film transfer device with a shielding mechanism according to claim 4, wherein: the bottom fixedly connected with of case lid (20) has a plurality of springs (25), the bottom fixedly connected with protection casing (26) of spring (25), the both sides inner wall of protection casing (26) all is provided with one deck blotter (27).

7. An alloy foil film transfer device with a shielding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: a pair of baffle (28) of top fixedly connected with of transfer platform (1), baffle (28) are located the front and back end of transfer area (7) and are the symmetry setting, and its interval equals with the width of transfer area (7), just lateral wall surface that baffle (28) are close to transfer area (7) one side evenly is provided with a plurality of hemisphere block rubber.

8. Use of an alloy foil film transfer device with a shielding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by comprising the steps of:

s1: placing an alloy foil membrane to be transferred in a transfer box (8), then covering a box cover (20) on the top of the transfer box (8), and enabling a positioning rod (24) to penetrate through a through hole;

s2: after the box cover (20) is covered, the protective cover (26) can be covered above the alloy foil film under the elastic action of the spring (25) so as to protect the alloy foil film;

s3: the transfer roller (6) is driven to rotate by external driving equipment, and the transfer roller (6) drives the transfer belt (7) to move together with the transfer box (8) after rotating until the transfer box (8) is moved from one transfer port (4) to the other transfer port (4);

s4: after the transfer box (8) is transferred to a designated position, the motor (9) is driven to drive the moving block (11) and the lifting frame (14) to move together by means of the mutual matching between the screw rod (10) and the transmission hole (12) until the lifting frame (14) moves to the position right above the transfer box (8);

s5: after the lifting frame (14) moves to the position right above the transfer box (8), the hydraulic cylinder (13) is driven to drive the lifting frame (14) to move downwards until the clamping block (23) is inserted into the positioning cylinder (22), the electromagnet (15) is electrified, and the iron block (21) and the box cover (20) can be adsorbed at the bottom of the lifting frame (14) together through the magnetic field of the electromagnet (15);

s6: the hydraulic cylinder (13) is driven to drive the lifting frame (14) to move upwards until the box cover (20) is lifted away from the transfer box (8), and then a worker takes the alloy foil film out of the transfer box (8) for subsequent packaging and transportation;

s7: after the alloy foil film is taken out, a new alloy foil film is put into the transfer box (8), then the hydraulic cylinder (13) is driven to drive the lifting frame (14) to move downwards so as to enable the box cover (20) to be covered on the top of the transfer box (8) again, then the electromagnet (15) is powered off, and the hydraulic cylinder (13) is driven to lift the lifting frame (14) until the lifting frame (14) is lifted away from the box cover (20);

s8: and repeating the steps of S2-S7 to circularly transfer the alloy foil film.

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of household articles for daily use, in particular to an alloy foil film transfer device with a protection mechanism and a use method thereof.

Background

The alloy foil film is a foil film product made of alloy, and the structure of the alloy foil film is a layer of thin metal sheet. After the production process, the alloy aluminum foil needs to be transported to a designated position for subsequent packaging and transportation. Current transfer equipment is because structural design's reason often all lacks protection machanism, and this makes alloy aluminium foil lack sufficient protection in the transportation to damage because of external force collision easily, and produce wearing and tearing easily, in addition, alloy aluminium foil's transportation poor stability, take place easily during the transportation and skid and the displacement, thereby lead to it to drop from the eminence.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to overcome the defects that the transfer equipment in the prior art is lack of a protection mechanism, an alloy aluminum foil is easy to damage in the transfer process, the transfer stability is poor, the alloy aluminum foil is easy to slip and displace to cause the alloy aluminum foil to fall from a high position and the like, and provides the alloy foil film transfer device with the protection mechanism. The alloy foil membrane transfer device with the protection mechanism has the advantages of being reasonable in structural design, convenient to transfer, capable of protecting an alloy aluminum foil in the transfer process, high in stability, not prone to slipping and shifting and the like.

In order to achieve the purpose, the invention provides the following technical scheme: the utility model provides an alloy paper tinsel membrane transfer device with protection machanism, includes the transfer station, a plurality of supporting legs of bottom fixedly connected with of transfer station, the equal fixedly connected with curb plate in its top both sides, the transport mouth has been seted up to the bottom of curb plate, and its one side is provided with a pair of roller frame, roller frame fixed connection is on the transfer station to be the symmetry setting, and every right all there is the transport roller, two through roller swing joint between the roller frame the transmission is connected with the transportation area between the transport roller, the surface of transporting the area is provided with chevron shape anti-skidding line, just the transport case has been placed on the transportation area, one of them the motor is installed to the lateral wall of curb plate, the output fixedly connected with lead screw of motor, the lead screw end runs through another curb plate, just the below of lead screw is provided.

Preferably, the moving mechanism comprises a moving block, a transmission hole matched with a lead screw is formed in the surface of the moving block, the lead screw penetrates through the transmission hole, a hydraulic cylinder is installed at the bottom of the moving block, a lifting frame is fixedly connected to the bottom end of an output shaft of the hydraulic cylinder, and an electromagnet is installed at the bottom of the lifting frame.

Preferably, the top of the moving block is fixedly connected with a plurality of pairs of wheel carriers, each pair of wheel carriers is movably connected with a limiting wheel through a wheel shaft, a transverse plate is fixedly connected between the inner walls of the top ends of the side plates, the bottom surface of the transverse plate is provided with a plurality of limiting grooves matched with the limiting wheels, and the limiting wheels are attached to the groove walls of the limiting grooves.

Preferably, the top both sides of transfer box are all outwards outstanding, and its top is provided with the case lid, the top fixedly connected with iron plate of case lid, the iron plate is located the electro-magnet under, and its both sides all are provided with a location section of thick bamboo, a location section of thick bamboo fixed connection is at the top of case lid, the equal fixedly connected with fixture block in bottom both sides of crane.

Preferably, a location section of thick bamboo all is the symmetry setting with the fixture block, the cross section of fixture block is circular, and its diameter equals with the internal diameter of a location section of thick bamboo, just the fixture block is located same straight line with the center of a location section of thick bamboo, the equal fixedly connected with locating lever in bottom both sides of case lid, the through-hole with locating lever matched with has all been seted up to the top both sides of transfer box, the through-hole is located same straight line with the center of locating lever.

Preferably, the bottom fixedly connected with of case lid has a plurality of springs, the bottom fixedly connected with protection casing of spring, the both sides inner wall of protection casing all is provided with the one deck blotter.

Preferably, a pair of baffle of top fixedly connected with of transfer platform, the baffle is located the front and back end in transfer area and is the symmetry setting, and its interval equals with the width in transfer area, just the baffle is close to the lateral wall surface in transfer area one side and evenly is provided with a plurality of hemisphere rubber piece.

A use method of an alloy foil film transfer device with a protection mechanism comprises the following steps:

s1: placing an alloy foil membrane to be transferred in a transfer box, then covering a box cover on the top of the transfer box, and enabling a positioning rod to penetrate through a through hole;

s2: after the box cover is covered, the protective cover can be covered above the alloy foil film under the elastic action of the spring so as to protect the alloy foil film;

s3: the transfer roller is driven to rotate by external driving equipment, and the transfer roller drives the transfer belt to move together with the transfer box after rotating until the transfer box is moved from one transfer port to the other transfer port;

s4: after the transfer box is transferred to a designated position, the motor is driven to drive the moving block to move together with the lifting frame by means of the mutual matching between the screw rod and the transmission hole until the lifting frame moves to the position right above the transfer box;

s5: after the lifting frame moves right above the transfer box, the hydraulic cylinder is driven to drive the lifting frame to move downwards until the fixture block is inserted into the positioning cylinder, the electromagnet is electrified at the moment, and the iron block and the box cover can be adsorbed at the bottom of the lifting frame together through the magnetic field of the electromagnet;

s6: the hydraulic cylinder is driven to drive the lifting frame to move upwards until the box cover is lifted away from the transfer box, and then a worker takes the alloy foil film out of the transfer box for subsequent packaging and transportation;

s7: after the alloy foil film is taken out, a new alloy foil film is put into the transfer box, then the hydraulic cylinder is driven to drive the lifting frame to move downwards so as to enable the box cover to be covered on the top of the transfer box again, then the electromagnet is powered off, and the hydraulic cylinder is driven to lift the lifting frame until the lifting frame is lifted away from the box cover;

s8: and repeating the steps of S2-S7 to circularly transfer the alloy foil film.

Compared with the prior art, the invention has the beneficial effects that:

1. the transfer box with the alloy foil film is reasonable in structural design and convenient to transfer, and the transfer box with the alloy foil film can be moved to a specified position through the mutual matching of the transfer roller and the transfer belt, so that the subsequent packaging and transportation of workers are facilitated;

2. the protective effect is good, the alloy foil film can be protected through the protective cover, so that the alloy foil film is effectively prevented from being damaged by external force impact in the transferring process, and the buffer cushion can play a role in buffering and damping so as to avoid the alloy foil film from colliding with the inner wall of the protective cover to generate abrasion in the transferring process;

3. the box cover can be adsorbed at the bottom of the lifting frame by electrifying the electromagnet, and the box cover can be lifted away from the transfer box by mutual matching of the hydraulic cylinder and the lifting frame, so that the alloy foil film can be taken out of the transfer box, and cyclic transfer is realized;

4. stability is high, can carry on spacingly to the transport case through the baffle to effectively avoid it to take place to skid and the displacement and drop from transporting the area in the transportation, the lateral wall surface of baffle evenly is provided with a plurality of hemisphere rubber piece, can play buffering absorbing effect, with avoid transport case and baffle direct contact and produce collision and wearing and tearing.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the overall structure of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the moving block;

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view of a transfer box and a box cover;

fig. 4 is a top view of the baffle.

Reference numbers in the figures: 1. a transfer table; 2. supporting legs; 3. a side plate; 4. a transfer port; 5. a roller frame; 6. a transfer roller; 7. a transfer belt; 8. a transfer box; 9. a motor; 10. a lead screw; 11. a moving block; 12. a drive bore; 13. a hydraulic cylinder; 14. a lifting frame; 15. an electromagnet; 16. a wheel carrier; 17. a limiting wheel; 18. a transverse plate; 19. a limiting groove; 20. a box cover; 21. an iron block; 22. a positioning cylinder; 23. a clamping block; 24. positioning a rod; 25. a spring; 26. a protective cover; 27. a cushion pad; 28. and a baffle plate.

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.

Referring to fig. 1-4, the present invention provides a technical solution: an alloy foil film transfer device with a protection mechanism comprises a transfer platform 1, wherein the bottom of the transfer platform 1 is fixedly connected with a plurality of supporting legs 2, two sides of the top of the transfer platform 1 are fixedly connected with side plates 3, the bottom end of each side plate 3 is provided with a transfer port 4, one side of each side plate is provided with a pair of roller frames 5, the roller frames 5 are fixedly connected to the transfer platform 1 and are symmetrically arranged, transfer rollers 6 are movably connected between each pair of roller frames 5 through roller shafts, a transfer belt 7 is connected between the two transfer rollers 6 in a transmission manner, the surface of the transfer belt 7 is provided with herringbone anti-skidding lines, transfer boxes 8 are placed on the transfer belt 7, alloy foil films to be transferred are placed in the transfer boxes 8, one transfer roller 6 is externally connected with driving equipment, the transfer roller 6 can be driven to rotate through the externally connected driving equipment, the transfer belt 7 is driven to move together with the transfer boxes 8, the top of the transfer, the baffle plates 28 are positioned at the front end and the rear end of the transfer belt 7 and are symmetrically arranged, the distance between the baffle plates is equal to the width of the transfer belt 7, the transfer box 8 can be limited through the baffle plates 28 so as to effectively avoid slipping and displacement in the transfer process and falling off from the transfer belt 7, the side wall surface of the baffle plate 28 close to one side of the transfer belt 7 is uniformly provided with a plurality of hemispherical rubber blocks, the rubber blocks have elasticity and can generate elastic deformation when being extruded, so that the effect of buffering and damping can be achieved, the collision and abrasion caused by the direct contact between the transfer box 8 and the baffle plates 28 can be avoided, the side wall of one side plate 3 is provided with the motor 9, the output end of the motor 9 is fixedly connected with the lead screw 10, the tail end of the lead screw 10 penetrates through the other side plate 3, the moving mechanism is arranged below the lead screw 10 and comprises a moving block 11, the surface of the, the lead screw 10 passes through the transmission hole 12, the lead screw 10 is driven to rotate by the driving motor 9, the movable block 11 can be driven to move left and right by the mutual matching between the lead screw 10 and the transmission hole 12, the top of the movable block 11 is fixedly connected with a plurality of pairs of wheel frames 16, a limiting wheel 17 is movably connected between each pair of wheel frames 16 through a wheel shaft, a transverse plate 18 is fixedly connected between the top inner walls of the side plates 3, the bottom surface of the transverse plate 18 is provided with a plurality of limiting grooves 19 matched with the limiting wheel 17, the limiting wheel 17 is attached to the groove wall of the limiting groove 19, the limiting wheel 17 can be driven to roll along the groove wall of the limiting groove 19 when the movable block 11 moves left and right, the stability of the movable block 11 can be greatly improved by the mutual matching between the limiting wheel 17 and the limiting groove 19 so as to prevent the movable block from shaking and inclining when the movable, the bottom of the lifting frame 14 is provided with an electromagnet 15, the lifting frame 14 and the electromagnet 15 can be driven to move up and down by driving a hydraulic cylinder 13, both sides of the top end of the transfer box 8 are protruded outwards, a box cover 20 is arranged above the electromagnet, the top of the box cover 20 is fixedly connected with an iron block 21, the iron block 21 is positioned under the electromagnet 15, the electromagnet 15 can generate a magnetic field after being electrified, so as to adsorb the iron block 21, both sides of the iron block 21 are provided with positioning cylinders 22, the positioning cylinders 22 are fixedly connected with the top of the box cover 20, both sides of the bottom of the lifting frame 14 are fixedly connected with fixture blocks 23, the positioning cylinders 22 and the fixture blocks 23 are symmetrically arranged, the cross section of the fixture block 23 is circular, the diameter of the fixture block 23 is equal to the inner diameter of the positioning cylinder 22, the centers of the fixture block 23 and the positioning cylinders 22 are positioned on the same straight line, the fixture block 23 can be inserted into the, so as to prevent the box cover 20 from shaking, the two sides of the bottom of the box cover 20 are fixedly connected with positioning rods 24, the two sides of the top of the transfer box 8 are respectively provided with a through hole matched with the positioning rod 24, the through hole and the center of the positioning rod 24 are positioned on the same straight line, the positioning rod 24 can be inserted into the through hole, the box cover 20 can be positioned by utilizing the mutual matching between the positioning rod 24 and the through hole so as to be fixed at the top of the transfer box 8, the bottom of the box cover 20 is fixedly connected with a plurality of springs 25, the bottom end of the spring 25 is fixedly connected with a protective cover 26, the protective cover 26 can be covered above the alloy foil membrane under the elastic action of the spring 25 so as to protect the alloy foil membrane, thereby effectively preventing the alloy foil membrane from being damaged by external force impact in the transfer process, the inner walls at the two sides of the protective cover 26 are both provided with a layer, so as to avoid the alloy foil film from colliding with the inner wall of the protective cover 26 during the transferring process to generate abrasion.

A use method of an alloy foil film transfer device with a protection mechanism comprises the following steps:

s1: placing an alloy foil membrane to be transferred in the transfer box 8, then covering the box cover 20 on the top of the transfer box 8, and enabling the positioning rod 24 to penetrate through the through hole;

s2: after the box cover 20 is covered, under the elastic action of the spring 25, the protective cover 26 can be covered above the alloy foil film so as to protect the alloy foil film;

s3: the transfer roller 6 is driven to rotate by external driving equipment, and the transfer roller 6 drives the transfer belt 7 to move together with the transfer box 8 after rotating until the transfer box 8 is moved from one transfer port 4 to the other transfer port 4;

s4: after the transfer box 8 is transferred to a designated position, the motor 9 is driven to drive the moving block 11 to move together with the lifting frame 14 by means of the mutual matching between the screw rod 10 and the transmission hole 12 until the lifting frame 14 moves to the position right above the transfer box 8;

s5: after the lifting frame 14 moves to the position right above the transfer box 8, the hydraulic cylinder 13 is driven to drive the lifting frame 14 to move downwards until the clamping block 23 is inserted into the positioning cylinder 22, the electromagnet 15 is electrified at the moment, and the iron block 21 and the box cover 20 can be adsorbed at the bottom of the lifting frame 14 together through the magnetic field of the electromagnet 15;

s6: the hydraulic cylinder 13 is driven to drive the lifting frame 14 to move upwards until the box cover 20 is lifted away from the transfer box 8, and then a worker takes out the alloy foil film from the transfer box 8 for subsequent packaging and transportation;

s7: after the alloy foil film is taken out, a new alloy foil film is put into the transfer box 8, then the hydraulic cylinder 13 is driven to drive the lifting frame 14 to move downwards so as to cover the box cover 20 on the top of the transfer box 8 again, then the electromagnet 15 is powered off, and the hydraulic cylinder 13 is driven to lift the lifting frame 14 until the lifting frame 14 is lifted away from the box cover 20;

s8: and repeating the steps of S2-S7 to circularly transfer the alloy foil film.

The working principle is as follows: when the device is used, firstly, electrical components in the device are externally connected with a control switch and a power supply through leads, then an alloy foil membrane to be transported is placed in a transport box 8, then a box cover 20 is covered at the top of the transport box 8, a positioning rod 24 penetrates through a through hole, after the box cover 20 is covered, a protective cover 26 can be covered above the alloy foil membrane under the elastic action of a spring 25 so as to protect the alloy foil membrane, then an external driving device drives a transport roller 6 to rotate, the transport roller 6 drives a transport belt 7 to move together with the transport box 8 after rotating, until the transport box 8 is moved from one transport port 4 to the other transport port 4, after the transport box 8 is transported to a designated position, a driving motor 9 drives a moving block 11 to move together with a lifting frame 14 through the mutual matching between a lead screw 10 and a transmission hole 12 until the lifting frame 14 moves right above the transport box 8, when the lifting frame 14 moves to the position right above the transfer box 8, the hydraulic cylinder 13 is driven to drive the lifting frame 14 to move downwards until the clamping block 23 is inserted into the positioning cylinder 22, the electromagnet 15 is electrified at the moment, the iron block 21 together with the box cover 20 can be attracted to the bottom of the lifting frame 14 by the magnetic field of the electromagnet 15, then the hydraulic cylinder 13 is driven to drive the lifting frame 14 to move upwards until the box cover 20 is lifted away from the transfer box 8, and then the operator takes the alloy foil film out of the transfer box 8, subsequent packaging and transportation can be carried out, when the alloy foil film is taken out, the new alloy foil film is put into a transfer box 8, then the hydraulic cylinder 13 is driven to drive the lifting frame 14 to move downwards, so as to cover the box cover 20 on the top of the transfer box 8 again, and then the electromagnet 15 is powered off, and the hydraulic cylinder 13 is driven to lift the lifting frame 14 until the lifting frame 14 is lifted away from the box cover 20, so that the alloy foil film can be circularly transferred.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.