阅读说明：本技术 一种智能家居用厨房橱柜 (Intelligence kitchen cabinet for house ) 是由 彭焕玲 于 2021-01-19 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明公开了一种智能家居用厨房橱柜,包括橱柜箱,所述橱柜箱顶部的右侧固定连接有放置板,所述橱柜箱顶部的左侧固定连接有清洗槽,所述清洗槽的底部连通有连接管。本发明通过橱柜箱、放置板、清洗槽、连接管、单向阀、固液分离箱、分隔滤网、输水管、储水箱、液位传感器、粉碎箱、固定箱、电机、第一粉碎辊、主动齿轮、从动齿轮、第二粉碎辊、排污管、排水管、自动控制阀、出污管、抽水泵、输送软管、分流管、喷头、加热箱、除湿箱、除湿风机、加热丝、吹风机、送风管、三通阀、输送管、保温管、温度传感器、箱门和控制器的配合使用,能够将产生的厨余垃圾进行粉碎处理后向外排出,通过设置单向阀能够防止异味向外散发。(The invention discloses an intelligent household kitchen cabinet which comprises a cabinet box, wherein a placing plate is fixedly connected to the right side of the top of the cabinet box, a cleaning groove is fixedly connected to the left side of the top of the cabinet box, and a connecting pipe is communicated with the bottom of the cleaning groove. The kitchen garbage can discharge the generated kitchen garbage after being crushed by matching the cabinet box, the placing plate, the cleaning tank, the connecting pipe, the one-way valve, the solid-liquid separation box, the separation filter screen, the water conveying pipe, the water storage tank, the liquid level sensor, the crushing box, the fixing box, the motor, the first crushing roller, the driving gear, the driven gear, the second crushing roller, the blow-off pipe, the drain pipe, the automatic control valve, the sewage outlet pipe, the water suction pump, the conveying hose, the flow dividing pipe, the spray head, the heating box, the dehumidifying fan, the heating wire, the blower, the air supply pipe, the three-way valve, the conveying pipe, the heat preservation pipe, the temperature sensor, the box door and the controller, and can prevent peculiar smell from being emitted outwards by arranging.)

1. The utility model provides an intelligence kitchen cabinet for house, includes cabinet case (1), its characterized in that: the right side of the top of the cabinet box (1) is fixedly connected with a placing plate (2), the left side of the top of the cabinet box (1) is fixedly connected with a cleaning tank (3), the bottom of the cleaning tank (3) is communicated with a connecting pipe (4), the surface of the connecting pipe (4) is communicated with a one-way valve (5), the left top of the inner cavity of the cabinet box (1) is fixedly connected with a solid-liquid separation box (6), the inner cavity of the solid-liquid separation box (6) is fixedly connected with a separation filter screen (7), the bottom of the connecting pipe (4) is communicated with the top of the solid-liquid separation box (6), the bottom of the solid-liquid separation box (6) is communicated with a water conveying pipe (8), the left side of the inner cavity of the cabinet box (1) is fixedly connected with a water storage tank (9), the bottom of the water conveying pipe (8) is communicated with the top of the water storage tank (9, the cabinet comprises a cabinet box (1), wherein a crushing box (11) is fixedly connected to the right side of the bottom of an inner cavity of the cabinet box (1) through a supporting column, a fixed box (12) is fixedly connected to the rear side of the crushing box (11), a motor (13) is fixedly connected to the inner cavity of the fixed box (12), a first crushing roller (14) is fixedly connected to the output end of the motor (13), a driving gear (15) is fixedly connected to the surface of the first crushing roller (14) and is located in the inner cavity of the fixed box (12), a driven gear (16) is meshed to the right side of the driving gear (15), a second crushing roller (17) is fixedly connected to the inner cavity of the driven gear (16), a sewage discharge pipe (18) is arranged at the bottom of the inner cavity of the cabinet box (1), a drain pipe (19) is communicated to the bottom of the right side of a water storage tank (9), the right end of the drain pipe (19), the bottom of the crushing box (11) is communicated with a sewage outlet pipe (21), the bottom of the sewage outlet pipe (21) extends to the inner cavity of a sewage discharge pipe (18), a water suction pump (22) is placed on the right side of the bottom of the inner cavity of the water storage box (9), the top of the water suction pump (22) is communicated with a conveying hose (23), two sides of the top of the inner cavity of the crushing box (11) are respectively fixedly connected with a shunt pipe (24) through a fixing plate, the bottom of the shunt pipe (24) is communicated with a spray head (25), one end, far away from the water suction pump (22), of the conveying hose (23) is communicated with the shunt pipe (24), the right side of the bottom of the inner cavity of the cabinet box (1) is fixedly connected with a heating box (26), the top of the heating box (26) is fixedly connected with a dehumidifying box (27), the inner cavity of the dehumidifying box (27) is fixedly connected with a dehumidifying fan (28), and, bottom fixedly connected with hair-dryer (30) of heating cabinet (26) inner chamber, the play tuber pipe intercommunication of hair-dryer (30) has blast pipe (31), the right-hand member of blast pipe (31) runs through to the right side and the intercommunication of cabinet case (1) has three-way valve (32), the top intercommunication of three-way valve (32) has conveyer pipe (33), the top intercommunication of conveyer pipe (33) has insulating tube (34), the inner chamber of insulating tube (34) is provided with the water pipe, the top fixedly connected with temperature sensor (35) of insulating tube (34) inner chamber, there is chamber door (36) in the front of cabinet case (1) through hinge swing joint, left side fixedly connected with controller (37) at chamber door (36) front top.

2. The smart home kitchen cabinet according to claim 1, wherein: separate filter screen (7) and set up for the slope, the one side of separating filter screen (7) extends to the inner chamber of smashing case (11), the right side of solid-liquid separation case (6) and the left side of smashing case (11) all set up with the logical groove of separating filter screen (7) looks adaptation, and the top fixed connection who leads to the groove inner chamber has photoelectric sensor (38).

3. The smart home kitchen cabinet according to claim 1, wherein: the bottom of the inner cavity of the crushing box (11) is fixedly connected with inclined plates (39), and the number of the inclined plates (39) is two.

4. The smart home kitchen cabinet according to claim 1, wherein: the controller (37) comprises a PID temperature controller, and the controller (37) is electrically connected with the heating wire (29) through a lead.

5. The smart home kitchen cabinet according to claim 1, wherein: controller (37) and level sensor (10) pass through wire electric connection, controller (37) and motor (13) pass through wire electric connection, controller (37) and automatic control valve (20) pass through wire electric connection, controller (37) and suction pump (22) pass through wire electric connection, controller (37) and dehumidification fan (28) pass through wire electric connection, controller (37) and hair-dryer (30) pass through wire electric connection, controller (37) and temperature sensor (35) pass through wire electric connection.

6. The smart home kitchen cabinet according to claim 1, wherein: the front end of the first crushing roller (14) penetrates through an inner cavity of the crushing box (11) and is movably connected with the inner cavity of the fixed box (12) through a bearing, the rear end of the second crushing roller (17) is movably connected with the inner cavity of the fixed box (12) through a bearing, and the front end of the second crushing roller (17) penetrates through the inner cavity of the crushing box (11) and is movably connected with the inner cavity through a bearing.

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of intelligent home furnishing, in particular to an intelligent home furnishing kitchen cabinet.

Background

The intelligent home is the embodiment of thing allies oneself with under the internet influence, the intelligent home is connected together various equipment in the family through internet of things, multiple functions and means such as providing household electrical appliances control, lighting control etc. and programmable timing control, the kitchen is as a scene of living commonly used, also be the commonly used place of intelligent application, but current kitchen cupboard does not possess the refuse handling function, can not outwards discharge after smashing kitchen rubbish, kitchen rubbish blocks up the blow off pipe easily, and can not protect the kitchen water pipe not to freeze in winter, bring the influence for normal domestic water, need an intelligent kitchen cupboard to solve above problem.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide an intelligent household kitchen cabinet, which has the advantages of treating kitchen waste and protecting a kitchen water pipe from icing, and solves the problems that the existing kitchen cabinet does not have a waste treatment function, can not discharge the kitchen waste after being crushed, easily blocks a sewage discharge pipe by kitchen waste, can not protect the kitchen water pipe from icing in winter, and influences normal household water consumption, and an intelligent kitchen cabinet is needed to solve.

In order to achieve the purpose, the invention provides the following technical scheme: an intelligent household kitchen cabinet comprises a cabinet box, wherein a placing plate is fixedly connected to the right side of the top of the cabinet box, a cleaning groove is fixedly connected to the left side of the top of the cabinet box, a connecting pipe is communicated with the bottom of the cleaning groove, a one-way valve is communicated with the surface of the connecting pipe, a solid-liquid separation box is fixedly connected to the left top of an inner cavity of the cabinet box, a separation filter screen is fixedly connected to the inner cavity of the solid-liquid separation box, the bottom of the connecting pipe is communicated with the top of the solid-liquid separation box, a water delivery pipe is communicated with the bottom of the solid-liquid separation box, a water storage box is fixedly connected to the left side of the bottom of the inner cavity of the cabinet, the bottom of the water delivery pipe is communicated with the top of the water storage box, a liquid level sensor is fixedly connected to the left top of the inner, the inner cavity of the fixed box is fixedly connected with a motor, the output end of the motor is fixedly connected with a first crushing roller, the surface of the first crushing roller is fixedly connected with a driving gear which is positioned in the inner cavity of the fixed box, the right side of the driving gear is engaged with a driven gear, the inner cavity of the driven gear is fixedly connected with a second crushing roller, the bottom of the inner cavity of the cabinet box is provided with a sewage discharge pipe, the bottom of the right side of the water storage box is communicated with a water discharge pipe, the right end of the water discharge pipe is communicated with the sewage discharge pipe, the surface of the water discharge pipe is communicated with an automatic control valve, the bottom of the crushing box is communicated with a sewage discharge pipe, the bottom of the sewage discharge pipe extends to the inner cavity of the sewage discharge pipe, a water suction pump is placed on the right side of the bottom of the inner cavity of, the bottom of the diversion pipe is communicated with a spray head, one end of the delivery hose, which is far away from the water suction pump, is communicated with the diversion pipe, the right side of the bottom of the inner cavity of the cabinet box is fixedly connected with a heating box, the top of the heating box is fixedly connected with a dehumidifying box, the inner cavity of the dehumidifying box is fixedly connected with a dehumidifying fan, the top of the inner cavity of the heating box is fixedly connected with a heating wire, the bottom of the inner cavity of the heating box is fixedly connected with a blower, an air outlet pipe of the blower is communicated with an air supply pipe, the right end of the blast pipe penetrates through the right side of the cabinet box and is communicated with a three-way valve, the top of the three-way valve is communicated with a delivery pipe, the top of the conveying pipe is communicated with a heat preservation pipe, the inner cavity of the heat preservation pipe is provided with a water pipe, the top of the inner cavity of the heat preservation pipe is fixedly connected with a temperature sensor, the front of the cabinet box is movably connected with a box door through a hinge, and the left side of the top of the front of the box door is fixedly connected with a controller.

Preferably, separate the filter screen and set up for the slope, the one side of separating the filter screen extends to the inner chamber of smashing the case, solid-liquid separation case's right side and the left side of smashing the case all set up with the logical groove of separating filter screen looks adaptation, and the top fixed connection who leads to the groove inner chamber has photoelectric sensor.

Preferably, the bottom of the inner cavity of the crushing box is fixedly connected with inclined plates, and the number of the inclined plates is two.

Preferably, the controller comprises a PID temperature controller, and the controller is electrically connected with the heating wire through a lead.

Preferably, the controller passes through wire electric connection with level sensor, the controller passes through wire electric connection with the motor, the controller passes through wire electric connection with automatic control valve, the controller passes through wire electric connection with the suction pump, the controller passes through wire electric connection with the dehumidification fan, the controller passes through wire electric connection with the hair-dryer, the controller passes through wire electric connection with temperature sensor.

Preferably, the front end of the first crushing roller penetrates through the inner cavity of the crushing box and is movably connected with the inner cavity of the fixed box through a bearing, the rear end of the second crushing roller is movably connected with the inner cavity of the fixed box through a bearing, and the front end of the second crushing roller penetrates through the inner cavity of the crushing box and is movably connected with the inner cavity of the fixed box through a bearing.

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

1. the invention can discharge the generated kitchen garbage after being crushed by matching the cabinet box, the placing plate, the cleaning tank, the connecting pipe, the one-way valve, the solid-liquid separation box, the separation filter screen, the water conveying pipe, the water storage tank, the liquid level sensor, the crushing box, the fixing box, the motor, the first crushing roller, the driving gear, the driven gear, the second crushing roller, the blow-off pipe, the drain pipe, the automatic control valve, the sewage outlet pipe, the water suction pump, the conveying hose, the shunt pipe, the spray head, the heating box, the dehumidifying fan, the heating wire, the blower, the air supply pipe, the three-way valve, the conveying pipe, the heat preservation pipe, the temperature sensor, the box door and the controller, can prevent the peculiar smell from being emitted outwards by arranging the one-way valve, can protect the water pipe from being frozen when the temperature is suddenly reduced by using the heating wire, the blower and, the problem of current kitchen cupboard do not possess the refuse treatment function, can not outwards discharge after smashing kitchen rubbish, the blow off pipe is blockked up easily to rubbish from cooking to can not protect the kitchen water pipe in winter not freezing, bring the influence for normal domestic water, need an intelligent kitchen cupboard to solve is solved.

2. According to the kitchen waste crushing device, the inclined separation filter screen is arranged, kitchen waste generated in a kitchen can be subjected to solid-liquid separation, the solid waste can smoothly enter the crushing box to be crushed, the crushed kitchen waste can be discharged downwards smoothly by the inclined plate, the heating temperature of the heating wire can be regulated and controlled by the controller with the PID temperature controller, the water can be automatically discharged outwards when the water level in the water storage tank is high by the liquid level sensor and the automatic control valve, the devices can be better regulated and controlled to work by the controller, and the kitchen waste can be better crushed by the first crushing roller and the second crushing roller.

Drawings

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

FIG. 2 is an external view of the structure of the present invention;

fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the holding tank of the present invention.

In the figure: 1. a cabinet case; 2. placing the plate; 3. a cleaning tank; 4. a connecting pipe; 5. a one-way valve; 6. a solid-liquid separation tank; 7. separating the filter screens; 8. a water delivery pipe; 9. a water storage tank; 10. a liquid level sensor; 11. a crushing box; 12. a fixed box; 13. a motor; 14. a first crushing roller; 15. a driving gear; 16. a driven gear; 17. a second crushing roller; 18. a blow-off pipe; 19. a drain pipe; 20. an automatic control valve; 21. a sewage outlet pipe; 22. a water pump; 23. a delivery hose; 24. a shunt tube; 25. a spray head; 26. a heating box; 27. a dehumidification box; 28. a dehumidification fan; 29. heating wires; 30. a blower; 31. an air supply pipe; 32. a three-way valve; 33. a delivery pipe; 34. a heat preservation pipe; 35. a temperature sensor; 36. a box door; 37. a controller; 38. a photosensor; 39. a sloping 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.

In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "front", "rear", "both ends", "one end", "the other end", and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, but do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be configured in a specific orientation, and operate, and thus, should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "disposed," "connected," and the like are to be construed broadly, such as "connected," which may be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected; can be mechanically or electrically connected; they may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.

The components used in the present invention are all standard components or components known to those skilled in the art, and the structure and principle thereof can be known to those skilled in the art through technical manuals or through routine experiments.

Referring to fig. 1-3, an intelligent household kitchen cabinet comprises a cabinet case 1, a placing plate 2 is fixedly connected to the right side of the top of the cabinet case 1, a washing tank 3 is fixedly connected to the left side of the top of the cabinet case 1, a connecting pipe 4 is communicated with the bottom of the washing tank 3, a one-way valve 5 is communicated with the surface of the connecting pipe 4, a solid-liquid separation tank 6 is fixedly connected to the top of the left side of the inner cavity of the cabinet case 1, a separation filter screen 7 is fixedly connected to the inner cavity of the solid-liquid separation tank 6, the separation filter screen 7 is arranged in an inclined manner, one side of the separation filter screen 7 extends to the inner cavity of a crushing tank 11, through grooves matched with the separation filter screen 7 are formed in the right side of the solid-liquid separation tank 6 and the left side of the crushing tank 11, a photoelectric sensor 38 is fixedly connected to the top of the through grooves, kitchen garbage can be separated from solid and liquid generated, the bottom of the connecting pipe 4 is communicated with the top of the solid-liquid separation box 6, the bottom of the solid-liquid separation box 6 is communicated with a water conveying pipe 8, the left side of the bottom of the inner cavity of the cabinet box 1 is fixedly connected with a water storage tank 9, the bottom of the water conveying pipe 8 is communicated with the top of the water storage tank 9, the top of the left side of the inner cavity of the water storage tank 9 is fixedly connected with a liquid level sensor 10, the right side of the bottom of the inner cavity of the cabinet box 1 is fixedly connected with a crushing box 11 through a support column, the bottom of the inner cavity of the crushing box 11 is fixedly connected with inclined plates 39, the number of the inclined plates 39 is two, the crushed kitchen garbage can be ensured to be smoothly discharged downwards through the inclined plates 39, the rear side of the crushing box 11 is fixedly connected with a fixed box 12, the inner cavity of the fixed box 12 is fixedly connected with a motor 13, the, the rear end of the second crushing roller 17 is movably connected with the inner cavity of the fixed box 12 through a bearing, the front end of the second crushing roller 17 penetrates through the inner cavity of the crushing box 11 and is movably connected with the inner cavity through a bearing, the kitchen waste can be better crushed by arranging the first crushing roller 14 and the second crushing roller 17, the surface of the first crushing roller 14 and the inner cavity of the fixed box 12 are fixedly connected with a driving gear 15, the right side of the driving gear 15 is meshed with a driven gear 16, the inner cavity of the driven gear 16 is fixedly connected with the second crushing roller 17, the bottom of the inner cavity of the cabinet box 1 is provided with a sewage discharge pipe 18, the bottom of the right side of the water storage tank 9 is communicated with a drain pipe 19, the right end of the drain pipe 19 is communicated with the sewage discharge pipe 18, the surface of the drain pipe 19 is communicated with an automatic control valve 20, the bottom of the crushing box 11 is communicated with a sewage discharge pipe 21, the bottom of the sewage discharge pipe 21 extends to the, the top of the suction pump 22 is communicated with a delivery hose 23, two sides of the top of the inner cavity of the crushing box 11 are fixedly connected with a shunt pipe 24 through a fixing plate, the bottom of the shunt pipe 24 is communicated with a spray head 25, one end of the delivery hose 23 far away from the suction pump 22 is communicated with the shunt pipe 24, the right side of the bottom of the inner cavity of the cabinet box 1 is fixedly connected with a heating box 26, the top of the heating box 26 is fixedly connected with a dehumidifying box 27, the inner cavity of the dehumidifying box 27 is fixedly connected with a dehumidifying fan 28, the top of the inner cavity of the heating box 26 is fixedly connected with a heating wire 29, the bottom of the inner cavity of the heating box 26 is fixedly connected with a blower 30, an air outlet pipe of the blower 30 is communicated with an air supply pipe 31, the right end of the air supply pipe 31 penetrates through to the right side of the cabinet box 1 and is communicated with, the top of the inner cavity of the heat preservation pipe 34 is fixedly connected with a temperature sensor 35, the front of the cabinet box 1 is movably connected with a box door 36 through a hinge, the left side of the top of the front of the box door 36 is fixedly connected with a controller 37, the controller 37 comprises a PID temperature controller, the controller 37 is electrically connected with the heating wire 29 through a lead, the controller 37 is electrically connected with the liquid level sensor 10 through a lead, the controller 37 is electrically connected with the motor 13 through a lead, the controller 37 is electrically connected with the automatic control valve 20 through a lead, the controller 37 is electrically connected with the water pump 22 through a lead, the controller 37 is electrically connected with the dehumidifying fan 28 through a lead, the controller 37 is electrically connected with the blower 30 through a lead, the controller 37 is electrically connected with the temperature sensor 35 through a lead, the heating temperature of the heating wire 29 can be regulated and controlled by arranging the controller 37 with the PID temperature controller, and by arranging the liquid, when the water level in the water storage tank 9 is high, the water can be automatically discharged outwards, the controller 37 is arranged, the work of each device can be better regulated, and the generated kitchen waste can be crushed and discharged outwards through the matching use of the cabinet box 1, the placing plate 2, the cleaning tank 3, the connecting pipe 4, the one-way valve 5, the solid-liquid separation tank 6, the separation filter screen 7, the water conveying pipe 8, the water storage tank 9, the liquid level sensor 10, the crushing tank 11, the fixed tank 12, the motor 13, the first crushing roller 14, the driving gear 15, the driven gear 16, the second crushing roller 17, the sewage discharging pipe 18, the water discharging pipe 19, the automatic control valve 20, the sewage discharging pipe 21, the water suction pump 22, the conveying hose 23, the shunt pipe 24, the spray head 25, the heating tank 26, the dehumidifying tank 27, the dehumidifying fan 28, the heating wire 29, the blower 30, the air supply pipe 31, the three-way valve 32, the conveying pipe 33, the heat preservation pipe 34, the temperature sensor, can prevent through setting up check valve 5 that the peculiar smell from outwards giving off, through heater strip 29, hair-dryer 30 and temperature sensor 35's use can be when the temperature reduces suddenly the protection water pipe can not freeze, guarantee domestic water can normal use, it does not possess the refuse treatment function to have solved current kitchen cupboard, can not outwards discharge after smashing kitchen rubbish, surplus rubbish in kitchen blocks up blow off pipe 18 easily, and can not protect the kitchen water pipe not freezing winter, bring the influence for normal domestic water, need the problem that an intelligent kitchen cupboard solved.

When the device is used, food materials or bowls are cleaned by using the cleaning tank 3, kitchen waste generated by cleaning is conveyed to the solid-liquid separation tank 6 through the connecting pipe 4, water and kitchen waste solids are separated through the separating filter screen 7, waste water falls into the water storage tank 9, the solid kitchen waste slides into the crushing tank 11, the photoelectric sensor 38 detects that an object conveys information to the controller 37 after passing through the object, the controller 37 controls the starting motor 13, the output end of the motor 13 drives the first crushing roller 14 to rotate, the first crushing roller 14 drives the driving gear 15 to rotate, the driving gear 15 drives the second crushing roller 17 to rotate, the solid kitchen waste is crushed by the cooperation of the first crushing roller 14 and the second crushing roller 17, the controller 37 controls the water pump 22 to operate during crushing, the water filtered in the water storage tank 9 is conveyed to the crushing tank 11 through the conveying hose 23 by the water pump 22, spray downwards through shower nozzle 25, make better the outside discharge of dirty pipe 21 of passing through of rubbish from cooking after smashing, cold air can fall suddenly when winter, temperature sensor 35 carries external temperature to controller 37 in real time this moment, controller 37 control heater strip 29 heats when external temperature reduces to the freezing point, and pass through blast pipe 31 with hot-air through hair-dryer 30, three-way valve 32 and conveyer pipe 33 carry to insulating tube 34 in, the protection of preventing frostbite to the water pipe, make the water pipe can not freeze, can add antiseptic solution through washing tank 3 behind the long-time use the device, rethread suction pump 22, conveying hose 23 disinfects crushing case 11 with the cooperation of shower nozzle 25, prevent to breed the bacterium.

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.