Claims:We claim:
1. A device for obtaining great accuracy in concurrent machining of ventilation fillers in dynamoelectric machine rotor conductors, the device comprising:
a holder plate (60) having a plurality of milled cutter paths (62) for providing a cutting path and a plurality of milled filler rod grooves (61) for holding filler rods (80) perpendicular to the cutter paths (62) and to a cutter movement;
a base plate (50), having a parallel top (55) and bottom (56) faces, acting as lap welded base (58) for the holder plate (60);
a plurality of bolt holes (52) on the base plate (50) used by a plurality of clamping elements (59) for securing the base plate (50) on a machine table (70);
a plurality of top plates (40) threaded fastened over and across filler rods milled filler rod grooves (61) to additionally secure the filler rods (80) from rattling or from vibrations during filler cutting process; and
a coolant path (53) for providing a coolant path during machining.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the depth (69) of the filler rod grooves (61) is selected in such a way that the depth (69) ensures to accommodate the filler rods (80).
3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the depth (69’) of the cutter paths (62) accommodates the maximum cutter depth (C) in the holder plate (60) attained by a slitting saw cutter (92) while cutting the fillers through controlled forward movement.
4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the depth (69’) of the cutter paths (62) is always larger than the depth (69) of the filler rod grooves (61) to prevent a cutter (92) from hitting the holder plate (60).
5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein to mill the filler rod grooves (61) on the holder plate (60), a milling cutter of actual filler rod size added very close manufacturing tolerances is used.
6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selection of the width of a milling cutter is maximum cutter path (62) width added gaps of not less than 1 mm on either side.
7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base plate (50) is made using alloy steel blank (51).
8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of clamping element (59) are T-bolts.
9. A method of implementing the device as claimed in any of the claims 1-8, the method comprising:
securing the base plate (50) in T-slots (72) on a flat planar top surface (71) of said machine table (70) by threaded affixing the plurality of clamping elements (59), such that when the clamping elements (59) are tightened in the T-slot the shoulders of bolt head (59B) are pressed into contact with corresponding surfaces of the T-slot;
affixing the holder plate (60) on the base plate (50) by lap welding (58) or by other means in a way that the grooved cutter paths (62) are longitudinal to the cutter movement while the milled filler rod grooves (61) are perpendicular to cutter (91, 92) movement;
individually inserting the filler rods (80) longitudinally in every filler rod grooves (61) such that one distal end (82) of the filler rods (80) butts with end support (67) to lock its further forward movement in the filler rod grooves (61) such that partial filler rod (61), from its top surface (81), is upwardly protruding out in relation to adjacent surface (68);
fastening the plurality of top plates (40) over and across using a plurality of threaded bolts (41) that passes through holes (42) on the plurality of top plates (40) and access corresponding threaded holes (43) in the holder plate (60) such that tightening of said power screws adequately compresses filler rods (80) to additionally secure the filler rods (80) from rattling or from vibrations during filler cutting process, along with groove sides (66).
positioning the cutters (91, 92) accurately with respect to the cutter path (62) and the caulking groove (65) position and with respect to each other on arbor using spacer; and
transacting all the fillers in entirety as a plurality of slitting saw cutters (92) simultaneously move in the cutter path (62) while synchronously plurality of smaller relative diameter milling cutters (91) concurrently mills off the caulking groove (65) over said fillers.
10. The device as claimed in claim (1-8) and the method of implementing the device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the number of fillers that can be machined can be increased further by increasing the number of filler rods that can be held in the said device.

, Description:DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONCURRENT MACHINING OF VENTILATION FILLERS IN DYNAMOELECTRIC MACHINE ROTOR CONDUCTORS
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure, in general, relates to a dynamoelectric machine and, in particular, relates to a device and a method for obtaining great accuracy in concurrent machining of ventilation fillers in dynamoelectric machine rotor conductors.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
[0003] In large size turbo-generators, the rotor windings have recently been cooled by placing the coolant gas in direct contact with the conductor to more effectively dissipate the heat from the windings. The heat removing capacity is selected such that approximately identical temperature is obtained for all conductors. In a rotor cooled in this manner, all or part of the windings is cooled by admitting cooling gas to passages within the main conductor insulation by means of ports located in the end turn portions, under the retaining rings. Cold gas enters the overhang from under the retaining rings through the special chamber in the end shields and ducts under the fan hub and is further carried through the rotor conductor end windings to an intermediate portion of the rotor, and then exhausts to the air gap through pole face slots.
[0004] To guide the cold gas towards the center of the rotor so as to exhaust the same to the air gap, the slot wedge above the conductor consists of plurality of openings as per ventilation design and fillers of suitable dimensions and configuration are caulked, an act of shearing near the edges of the object to restrict its movement or to lock it, in the conductors with the help of filler groove to restrict and redirect the gas flow towards the said air gap.
[0005] As large as 2044 such rectangular cross-section fillers of variable small lengths i.e. less than 100 mm in length and having filler groove on one of its surfaces are required for the ventilation circuit of a turbogenerator rotor to work without error. These fillers are required to be machined in close tolerances as the filler withstands high centrifugal forces during generator operation.
[0006] Loosely fitted fillers tend to rattle and to migrate axially during starting, stopping as well as during the rotor operation. These movements are obviously undesirable and it is required that the filler is restrictedly located in the slot at its design location.
[0007] Not only it is desired to have synchronous and concurrent method of machining these variable-length fillers to save significant time and with lesser resources but also with means that makes this achievable with an arrangement having low initial cost and upkeep, great and continuing accuracy inherent in its design and operation, ruggedness and simplicity in its construction and operation, all to the ultimate end of faithfully, consistently and simultaneously reproducing ventilation fillers for dynamoelectric machines.
[0008] Therefore, there is a need for a device or an apparatus for obtaining great accuracy in concurrent machining of ventilation fillers in dynamoelectric machine rotor conductors.
OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0009] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfy, are listed hereinbelow.
[0010] It is a general object of the present disclosure to provide a device and a method for synchronous and concurrent method of machining variable length fillers that resolves issues with prior art such as poor filler manufacturing quality.
[0011] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a device and a method for synchronous and concurrent method of machining variable length fillers which provide enhanced ergonomics and reduced operator fatigue.
[0012] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a device and a method for synchronous and concurrent method of machining variable length fillers which synchronizes a number of operations as were in the prior art to significantly reduces machining time and expensive delays in machining of individual fillers.
[0013] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a device and a method for synchronous and concurrent method of machining variable length fillers of the above character having a minimum number of structurally durable parts cooperatively assembled in a compact organization.
[0014] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a device and a method for synchronous and concurrent method of machining variable length fillers of atleast one-half coil, i.e., 7 conductors at a time which reduces cycle time considerably
SUMMARY
[0015] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to a device and a method for obtaining great accuracy in concurrent machining of ventilation fillers in dynamoelectric machine rotor conductors. The concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0016] In an embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a device for obtaining great accuracy in concurrent machining of ventilation fillers in dynamoelectric machine rotor conductors. The device includes a holder plate having a plurality of milled cutter paths for providing a cutting path and a plurality of milled filler rod grooves for holding filler rods perpendicular to the cutter paths and to a cutter movement; a base plate, having parallel top and bottom faces, acting as lap welded base for the holder plate; a plurality of bolt holes on the base plate used by a plurality of clamping elements for securing the base plate on a machine table; a plurality of top plates threaded fastened over and across filler rods milled filler rod grooves to additionally secure the filler rods from rattling or from vibrations during filler cutting process; and a coolant path for providing coolant path during machining.
[0017] In an aspect, the depth of the filler rod grooves is selected in such a way that the depth ensures to accommodate the filler rods.
[0018] In an aspect, the depth of the cutter paths accommodates the maximum cutter depth in the holder plate attained by a slitting saw cutter while cutting the fillers through controlled forward movement.
[0019] In an aspect, the depth of the cutter paths is always larger than the depth of the filler rod grooves to prevent a cutter from hitting the holder plate.
[0020] In an aspect, to mill the filler rod grooves on the holder plate, a milling cutter of actual filler rod size added very close manufacturing tolerances is used.
[0021] In an aspect, the selection of the width of a milling cutter is maximum cutter path width added gaps of not less than 1 mm on either side.
[0022] In an aspect, the base plate is made using alloy steel blank.
[0023] In an aspect, the plurality of clamping elements is T-bolts.
[0024] In another embodiment, the present disclosure further relates to a method of implementing the inventive or proposed device of the present subject matter. The method includes securing the base plate in T-slots on a flat planar top surface of said machine table by threaded affixing the plurality of clamping elements, such that when the clamping elements are tightened in the T-slot the shoulders of bolt head are pressed into contact with corresponding surfaces of the T-slot; followed with affixing the holder plate on the base plate by lap welding or by other means in a way that the grooved cutter paths are longitudinal to the cutter movement while the milled filler rod grooves are perpendicular to cutter movement; individually inserting the filler rods longitudinally in every filler rod grooves such that one distal end of the filler rods butts with end support to lock its further forward movement in the filler rod grooves such that partial filler rod, from its top surface, is upwardly protruding out in relation to adjacent surface; fastening the plurality of top plates over and across using a plurality of threaded bolts that passes through holes on the plurality of top plates and access corresponding threaded holes in the holder plate such that tightening of said power screws adequately compresses filler rods to additionally secure the filler rods from rattling or from vibrations during filler cutting process, along with groove sides; positioning the cutters accurately with respect to the cutter path and the caulking groove position and with respect to each other on arbor using spacer; and transecting all the fillers in entirety as a plurality of slitting saw cutters simultaneously move in the cutter path while synchronously plurality of smaller relative diameter milling cutters concurrently mills off the caulking groove over said fillers.
[0025] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The illustrated embodiments of the subject matter will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and methods that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein, wherein:
[0027] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a line representation of the slot containing conductors which are connected at their ends to form the rotor winding;
[0028] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a line representation of the laying structure of individual turns of a winding in rotor slot, ventilation duct, and its insulation in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates a line representation of the ventilation circuit in a turbo-generator rotor in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0030] FIG. 6 illustrates a line representation of a base plate in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0031] FIG. 7 illustrates a line representation of a holder plate in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0032] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate the line representation of the proposed device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0033] FIG. 10 illustrates a method of implementing the proposed device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0034] The present disclosure relates to an improved device for obtaining great accuracy in concurrent machining of ventilation fillers in dynamoelectric machine rotor conductors required to ensure adequacy of winding cooling for dynamoelectric rotors, such as the rotor of a hydrogen-cooled generator having direct-cooled windings, along with a method that is simple, economical, foolproof and inherently free from tendency to error or fall out of adjustment.
[0035] The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such detail as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
[0036] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
[0037] Further, before describing the present subject matter in detail the method and device of concurrent machining of ventilation fillers in dynamoelectric machine rotor conductors, it should be observed that the present invention resides primarily in a novel and non-obvious combination of hardware elements and method steps. Accordingly, these elements and steps have been represented by conventional elements and steps in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
[0038] The present invention is directed to solve the above-described problems of the prior art and to provide a method and a device of concurrent machining of ventilation fillers in dynamoelectric machine rotor conductors in accordance with the present invention and to enable accuracy in manufacturing such fillers easily, ergonomically and in short time.
[0039] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 in detail, which illustrates a general construction of an alternating current (AC) generator rotor, the field windings are embedded and wedged into rotor slots 11 in a peripheral surface 12 of a rotor 10. The rotor slots 11 cover only part of the peripheral surface 12 and are disposed on either side of poles 13, the whole field winding forming a spiral around each pole center. The peripheral/outer surface 12 of the rotor 10 is generally divided, in the circumferential direction, between winding regions 11 and pole regions 13. Each winding region is provided with a plurality of axially extending slots 11, separated by teeth 15, where the slots 11 containing conductors which are connected at their ends to form the rotor winding.
[0040] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 in detail, the rectangular cross-section copper conductors 25 have annular ventilating ducts 21, and thus providing a longitudinal channel 22 for hydrogen flow in rotor 10 (shown in FIG. 5). Further, a plurality of individual conductors 25 placed, one over the other, in the slot 11 on rotor’s peripheral surface 12 and are bent to obtain half turns. Further, these half turns are brazed in series to form a coil on the rotor model. Dovetailed shaped wedges 23 having intermittent openings 31, along with the top of the slot 11 over the entire length of outer conductor 25, secure the windings 20 against centrifugal forces arising due to rotation of the rotor 10. The winding is shown in more details in FIG. 5.
[0041] The individual turns 24 in a winding 20 are insulated from each other by a layer of glass strips 26 on the turn of copper and baked under pressure and temperature to give a monolithic inter-turn insulation. The coils 24 are insulated from rotor body 10 by U-shaped glass laminate 27. At the bottom of slot D-shaped liners 28 are put to provide a plane seating surfaces for conductors 25 and to facilitate easy flow of gas from one side to another.
[0042] To guide the cold gas towards the center of the rotor so as to exhaust the same to the air gap 29, the slot wedge 23 above the conductor 25 consists of a plurality of openings 31 as per ventilation design is shown in FIG. 5, and fillers 30 are caulked in the slot recess 32 to restrict and redirect the gas flow towards the said air gap 29 through a plurality of gas flow channels 29’.
[0043] However, power plant turbo-generators operates at 3000 revolutions per minute (rpm) and under high centrifugal forces therefore loosely fitted fillers 30 tend to rattle and to migrate axially during starting, stopping as well as during the rotor operation. Axial thrust, as generated while redirecting coolant gas from D1 to D2 route as shown in FIG. 5, from hot hydrogen gas, makes these fillers furthermore vulnerable to such migrations. These movements are undesirable for obvious reasons as these can create an imbalance in the rotor in operation. For these reasons, it is required that the fillers are manufactured under close tolerances.
[0044] To this end, the present disclosure proposes a device as shown in FIGS. 6-9 comprising of a base plate 50 and welded on it a holder plate 60.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 6, the base plate 50, made using alloy steel blank 51 and having parallel top and bottom faces 55 and 56, comprises of a plurality of bolt holes 52 used by a plurality of clamping element 59, generally T-bolts, consisting of a threaded shank 59A and a parallelepiped head 59B. T-slots are provided in the machine table 70 to receive said clamping element 59 for securing base plate 50 to the flat planar top surface 71 of said machine table 70. When said base plate 50 is to be fixed in the T-slot 72, clamping element 59 are tightened in the T-slot, whereby the shoulders S of the bolt head 59B are pressed into contact with the corresponding surfaces of the T-slot. Because shoulders are made carefully plane, the bolt will project at right angles with respect to the base plate 50 axis. A threaded nut 57 is thereafter used for threaded securing base plate 50 to the machine table 70 of a standard machine bed such as that of a horizontal milling machine. Coolant path 53 provides a dedicated flow channel for moving used coolant to the coolant recycle line.
[0046] Parallelepiped holder plate 60 having parallel top and bottom faces 63 and 64 and lap welded 58 over base plate 60 at common face 55,64, wherein the said holder plate 60 firmly holds the filler rods 80 from which a large number of subject ventilation fillers 30 of different lengths are cut through the known gang milling process.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 7, the said holder plate 60 is provisioned, on its peripheral face 63, with plurality of milled and grooved cutter paths 62 for providing a cutting path along X-axis or longitudinal to the cutter movement direction CM and, to hold filler rods 80, plurality of milled filler rod grooves 61 along Y-axis or perpendicular to cutter paths 62 and also to the cutter movement.
[0048] Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, the depth 69 of filler rod grooves 61 is selected in such a way that it ensures to accommodate the filler rod 80 in a way that partial filler rod, from its top surface 81, is upwardly protruding out in relation to adjacent surface 68 so that caulking groove 65 can be synchronously machined out of said protruded area of filler rod 80 using milling cutter 91 while plurality of slitting saw cutters 92, following cutter paths 62, transect through filler rod 80 to produce fillers 30.
[0049] The depth 69’ of cutter paths 62 is selected in such a way that it ensures to accommodate the maximum cutter depth C in holder plate 60 attained by the slitting saw cutter 92 while cutting the fillers through controlled forward movement CM. To ensure that cutter 92 does not hit the holder plate 60, it is imperative that depth 69’ of cutter paths 62 is always larger than the depth 69 of filler rod grooves 61.
[0050] To mill these filler rod grooves 61 on holder plate 60, it is advisable to use a milling cutter of actual grooves size as per individual filler rods 80 cross-section added very close manufacturing tolerances so that when individual filler rods 80 are longitudinally inserted in filler rod grooves 61, sides 66 of groove prevents filler rods 80 from rattling or from vibrations during filler cutting process. The width of milling cutter for milling cutter path 62 is selected as per cutter path 62 width added gaps of not less than 1 mm on either side. Milling Cutter 92 shall be used during filler cutting and it is advisable to mill entire width of cutter paths 62 is covered by a milling cutter.
[0051] First set of filler rods 80 are individually inserted longitudinally in filler rod grooves 61 such that one distal end 82 of filler rods 80 butts with end support 67 to lock its further forward movement in the groove 61 while the other end can be kept hanging in case the hang portion is small and can be supported, not shown here, if the hang portion is long.
[0052] After inserting the filler rods 80 as mentioned hereinabove, top plates 40 are threaded fastened over and across filler rods as shown in figure 9. A power screw such as a plurality of threaded bolt 41 passes through holes 42 on top plate 40 and access corresponding threaded holes 43 in holder plate 60 such that tightening of said power screws adequately compresses filler rod 80 to additionally secure, along with groove sides 66, filler rods 80 from rattling or from vibrations during filler cutting process.
[0053] It being imperative that the grooves 61, i.e., interface surfaces between filler rod 80 and groove sides 66 be free and clear of debris such as chips or cuttings.
[0054] Since a plurality of operations such as cutting of fillers of variable length from fastened filler rod and machining of caulking groove 65 are to be performed simultaneously and synchronously. The device as described hereinabove is to be used, but not limited to, on a horizontal milling machine and gang milling process is advised to be used hereinafter.
[0055] Spacers, generally available in a very large number of different, thin sizes, can be juggled about so that gaps are created between adjacent cutters 91, 92 and that said cutters can be synchronously positioned as per the cutter path 62 for slitting saw cutter 92 and caulking groove 65 position for milling cutter 91. Through these spacers, more than the plurality of cutters 91,92 can be fitted to the arbor and the spacing between the said cutters can be set very accurately to whatever spacing is required.
[0056] While using the arbor, on which plurality of cutters 91, 92 are mounted, without locking key it is essential that resulting cutting forces are ensured to be in the direction that tightens the arbor locking nut rather than un-tightens it. Should the cutter come to lose it will stop cutting. This is not really a problem if the workpiece is being fed by hand. The problem then is if the machine table 70 is being fed automatically in which case there will be a non-cutting cutter being pushed very hard into a stationary lump of metal which will be catastrophic to the machine or to operator safety.
[0057] For synchronization of machining operations, cutter diameter of cutter 91 is kept relative to that of cutter 92 in a way that when plurality of slitting saw cutters 92 of diameter 94 simultaneously cut all the fillers in entirety while moving in cutter path 62, plurality of milling cutters 91 of diameter 93 concurrently mills off the caulking groove 65 over said fillers. As the machine spindle moves forward i.e. perpendicularly to filler rod axis, cutters 91, 92 repeats the machining process on all the filler rods of this as well as subsequent sets of filler rods and individual filler machining, as well as overall production quality, is permanently controlled.
[0058] FIG. 10 illustrates a method 100 implementing the proposed device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The order in which the method 100 is described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks may be combined in any order to implement the method 100, or an alternative method.
[0059] At block 102, the method 100 includes securing the base plate 50 in T-slots 72 on a flat planar top surface 71 of said machine table 70 by threaded affixing the plurality of clamping elements 59, such that when the clamping elements 59 are tightened in the T-slot the shoulders of bolt head 59B are pressed into contact with corresponding surfaces of the T-slot.
[0060] At block 104, the method 100 includes affixing the holder plate 60 on the base plate 50 by lap welding 58 or by other means in a way that the grooved cutter paths 62 are longitudinal to the cutter movement while the milled filler rod grooves 61 are perpendicular to cutter 91, 92 movements.
[0061] At block 106, the method 100 includes individually inserting the filler rods longitudinally in every filler rod grooves 61 such that one distal end 82 of the filler rods 80 butts with end support 67 to lock its further forward movement in the filler rod grooves 61 such that partial filler rod 61, from its top surface 81, is upwardly protruding out in relation to adjacent surface 68.
[0062] At block 108, the method 100 includes fastening the plurality of top plates 40 over and across using a plurality of threaded bolts 41 that passes through holes 42 on the plurality of top plates 40 and access corresponding threaded holes 43 in the holder plate 60 such that tightening of said power screws adequately compresses filler rods 80 to additionally secure the filler rods 80 from rattling or from vibrations during filler cutting process, along with groove sides 66.
[0063] At block 110, the method 100 includes positioning the cutters 91, 92 accurately with respect to the cutter path 62 and the caulking groove 65 position and with respect to each other on arbor using a spacer.
[0064] At block 112, the method includes transecting all the fillers in entirety as a plurality of slitting saw cutters 92 simultaneously move in the cutter path 62 while synchronously plurality of smaller relative diameter milling cutters 91 concurrently mills off the caulking groove 65 over said fillers.
[0065] Although the present discussion relates to a method and a device of caulking fillers in ventilation circuit of a turbo-generator rotor, more particularly, the method and the device shall enable caulking of such fillers, it will be appreciated that the device and methods discussed may be readily adapted for use with other similar procedures. The present disclosure proposes a mechanism to lock these fillers adequately at their design location with a provision to self-adjust against any deviation in size of the fillers to be caulked or other surface irregularities because of side packing etc. and prevents any filler looseness by properly caulking the same which greatly enhances the safety of the ventilation system and of the turbo-generator for that matter.
[0066] Further, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its scope.
[0067] Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Also, the various embodiments described herein are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments.
[0068] Further, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its scope.
[0069] Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Also, the various embodiments described herein are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments.
[0070] The above description does not provide specific details of the manufacture or design of the various components. Those of skill in the art are familiar with such details, and unless departures from those techniques are set out, techniques, known, related art or later developed designs and materials should be employed. Those in the art are capable of choosing suitable manufacturing and design details.
[0071] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that several of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined into other systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may subsequently be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as encompassed by the following claims.
[0072] The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended, encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the embodiments and teachings disclosed herein, including those that are presently unforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise from applicants/patentees and others.
[0073] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.