ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

UTILITY PATENT APPLICATION

Apparatus and Process for Flavoring a Smokable Article by

Christopher Dillon Dangler and

Richard Wayne Hall

Background

[0001] Smoking involves many senses, such as taste, feel, smell, and sight. The flavor of a smoking article is especially critical for the enjoyment of a smoker as it is related to almost all the senses of smoking. Additionally, a smokable article (e.g., CBD, cannabis, smoking herbs, or any other non-tobacco or tobacco items, etc.) may be flavored to mask the taste or odor of the tobacco smoke or decrease the social stigma associated with smoking.

[0002] The flavor of a smokable article is typically added at the end of the manufacturing process, and the flavor option is limited and typically not changeable. Taking the popular mint flavored cigarettes as an example, the mint flavor is generally added to the tobacco or the rolling paper during the cigarette manufacturing process. Some tobacco companies have developed unconventional flavor delivery mechanisms, such as using the flavored polymer filter pellet (polyethylene bead), adding flavor micro -encapsulation in the rolling paper or in the packaging, inserting flavor fibers into the filter, or using flavored tips. [0003] Thus, there is a need for an improved apparatus and process to infuse, augment, or otherwise impart different flavors to a smokable article. A need also exists for the ability of individual consumers to flavor their own smokable articles.

Summary

[0004] In view of the deficiencies described above, one object of present disclosure is to provide an improved apparatus and process for enhancing the flavor of a smokable article, and make it more desirable than a non-enhanced smokable article. The proposed apparatus and process is also easy and safe to operate, with a low cost.

[0005] In some embodiments, an apparatus for flavoring a smokable article via diffusion includes a closeable, sealable, or re-sealable container configured to hold the smokable article and a composition containing a flavor configured to be diffusible. The container can be airtight or non-airtight.

[0006] In some embodiments, an apparatus for flavoring a smokable article via diffusion includes a container configured to hold the smokable article and a flavor container. The flavor container includes a flavor container bag configured to hold a composition containing a flavor configured to be diffusible.

[0007] In some embodiments, a method for flavoring a smokable article using a flavor container includes selecting a flavor container, opening the flavor container, placing the smokable article into the flavor container, closing or sealing the flavor container, leaving the smokable article in the flavor container for a desired time period, and removing the smokable article from the flavor container.

[0008] In some embodiments, a method for flavoring a smokable article using a flavor container having a composition includes selecting a container, inserting the flavor container into the container, inserting the smokable article into the container, closing or sealing the container, leaving the smokable article in the container for a desired time period, and removing the smokable article from the container.

[0009] In some embodiments, a method for flavoring a smokable article using a flavor container having a composition, includes the steps of selecting a flavor container and composition, opening the flavor container, placing the flavor container and the smokable article into a container, closing or sealing the container, leaving the flavor container and the smokable article in the container for a desired time period, and removing the smokable article from the container.

[0010] These and other advantages and features, which characterize the disclosure, are set forth in the claims annexed hereto and forming a further part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the disclosure, and of the advantages and objectives attained through its use, reference should be made to the Drawings, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is described example embodiments of the disclosure. This summary is merely provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description, and is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for flavoring a smokable article according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another apparatus for flavoring a smokable article according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another apparatus for flavoring a smokable article according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of another apparatus for flavoring a smokable article according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example sequence of operations for flavoring a smokable article using the apparatus of FIG. 1.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example sequence of operations for flavoring a smokable article using the apparatus of FIG. 2.

[0017] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example sequence of operations for flavoring a smokable article using the apparatus of FIG. 3. Detailed Description

[0018] Turning now to the drawings, wherein like numbers denote like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a flavor container 100 for flavoring a smokable article. As used herein, the term “flavor container” is not to be construed to be limited to a pack or a bag-like item, but can be any type of container, airtight or not, small or large, of any configuration or shape as desired. For example, for small or hand-held sizes, it could include a bag, a pouch, a box, a tin, a bin, a bottle, a tube, ajar, or any other container of any size or shape. Indeed, in large-scale commercial embodiments, the flavor container 100 could be any type of room, including but not limited to a walk-in cooler, for example. In some embodiments, flavor container 100 may comprise a flavor pack bag 102 configured to hold a smokable article 104 and a composition 106 containing a flavor configured to be diffusible. As used throughout this specification and in the claims, the term “diffusion” and its cognates is intended to also include other forms and processes for transferring particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration, including, but not limited to, osmosis, infusion, diffusion, perfusion, suffusion, and the like. Indeed, the transferring of flavor particles could also be achieved by direct application to the smokable article 104, such as, for example, by aerolizing the flavor particles and applying (by spraying, as one example) them directly to the smokable article 104. The flavor pack bag 102 may be of various designs and compositions, including but not limited to, a bag, a tube, ajar, a bottle, a can, a bin, a tin, a pouch, a box, and so forth. In some embodiments, the flavor container 100 might not include a flavor pack bag 102, but instead might include a composition 106 or liner 108 that contains the flavor substance, as will be described herein.

[0019] Smokable article 104 may be any pre-manufactured, manufactured, or homemade or homegrown smokable substances or items. For example, smokable article 104 can include, but is not limited to, traditional smokable articles like cigarettes, cigars, or cigarillos, and the like. Smokable article 104 can also include, but is not limited to, other items use for or in association with smoking, such as commonly available pre-rolled cones, pre-rolls, wraps, and rolling paper made from, e.g., hemp, rice cordia leaf, cellulose, wood pulp, flax, esparto, bamboo, palm leaves, etc. Additionally, other exemplary tobacco or cannabis-related substances may be tobacco, CBD, or cannabis formulations in a loose, leaf, or other form, such as moist snuff or dip products, cigarette or cigar or pipe ingredients, loose cannabis, herbs, blends or mixtures of any of the aforesaid, etc., as shown in FIGS. 1-3A. In different embodiments, smokable article 104 may be any tobacco or cannabis related substances, such as tobacco products, as well as cannabis and cannabis-derived products and other base alkaloids.

[0020] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2, an apparatus 200 for flavoring a smokable article may comprise a container 202 configured to hold both flavor container 100 including composition 106 and smokable article 104. In this way, smokable article 104 may avoid being directly contiguous to composition 106 to avoid the potential contamination. As mentioned above, flavor container 100, flavor pack bag 102, and/or container 202 may define a space for holding a quantity of smokable article 104 and/or composition 106. Flavor pack bag 102 and container 202 may be, despite using the terms “bag” or “container”, any sealable or re-sealable object of different forms, shapes, sizes, and materials that are capable of holding smokable article 104 and/or composition 106, including but not limited to, a bag, a tube, ajar, a bottle, a can, a bin, a tin, a pouch, a box, and so forth. And, use of the word “sealable” does not requires an air-tight seal. Indeed, for scaled-up versions of the embodiments, the flavor container 100 and/or container 202 can include items like walk-in refrigerators or other rooms of any size. In such larger spaces like refrigerators or rooms, the smokable articles could, for example, be placed in designated areas or hung or suspended in small or large quantities in certain areas or arrangements.

[0021] In some further embodiments as shown in FIG. 3, a flavor tube 300 is one example of a flavor container 100, and may comprise a tube 302 with a removable cap 304. In some embodiments, removable cap 304 may include on the interior side of the cap a flavoring composition 106. In this embodiment, the flavoring composition 106 may (as explained in more detail below) take the form of an absorbent pad made of food-grade or non-food-grade material that is capable of holding a flavor, for example by suturing the pad with the flavor. In such embodiments, when cap 304 is removed, tube 302 may be filled via its open end with smokable article 104. When tube 302 is sealed by cap 304, flavoring composition 106 of the cap 304 may then be configured to flavor smokable article 104 within tube 302. As it is usually desirable that removable cap 304 remain tight on tube 302 unless cap 304 is removed by the user intentionally, a retention mechanism (e.g., a threaded retention mechanism, snap-fit, press-fit, gasket, O-ring, etc.) between the neck of tube 302 and cap 304 may be provided to insure cap 304 can be retained against accidental removal and keep tube 302 tightly sealed until cap 304 is removed intentionally by the user. For example, tube 302 may have a threaded neck portion and an unthreaded body portion, and cap 304 may have threads for cooperation with the threaded neck portion of tube 302. It should be noted that cap 304 may be applied to seal tube 302 in various manners. For example, in some embodiments, cap 304 may be plugged into tube 302 directly instead of thread screwing thereto.

[0022] In some embodiments, composition 106 is preferably flat, with a thickness of from about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm, as shown in FIGS. 1-3. Composition 106 may be an absorbent pad made of a food-grade or non-food-grade material that is able to hold a flavor and to release (for example, time-release) the flavor inside of flavor pack bag 102, container 202, and tube 302. In some embodiments, composition 106 may be in the form of liner 108, which might be or include a reusable polymer crystal or other porous material impregnated with a flavor desired by the smoker. So, herein, composition 106 and liner 108 are often used interchangeably, where applicable. The porous material may be absorbent paper, cotton, synthetic fibrous material, or a combination of different materials and papers. For example, the liner 108 can be any of a wide variety of papers and materials, including, but not limited to, cotton or other fiber-based papers, wood-pulp based papers, rolling papers, papers made from hemp or other natural or synthetic fibers, and/or any type of generally thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibers derived from wood, rags, grasses, vegetable sources, natural or synthetic sources that is pressed into a thin sheet material. Preferably, the liner 108 (and/or the composition 106) is capable of absorbing a liquid substance, which liquid substance would comprise, or contain, the desired flavoring composition. For example, the porous material may be a paper towel as absorbent material, and the flavor may be affixed by saturating the paper towel with flavoring oil. Composition 106 may include one or more volatile flavors, and may have water added to it so that composition 106 serves to reduce drying of smokable article 104 during the flavor enhancing process by providing a stable moisture environment.

[0023] The embodiment shown in FIG. 3A shows use of a liner 108 instead of an absorbent pad in the cap 304. In this example, the same, or a similar, tube 302 is used as was shown in FIG. 3, but instead of the flavoring composition 106 being housed in the cap 304, the flavoring composition 106 is contained within a liner 108 that lines all or substantially all of the interior of the tube 302. In this manner, much more surface area of flavoring composition 106 exists to diffuse flavor into the smokable article 104. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A, the liner 108 wraps around the interior of the tube 302 to maximize the surface area exposed to the smokable article 104. This wrapping could go substantially all the way around the inner cylinder of the tube 302, or could overlap itself and traverse more than 360 degrees of the inner cylinder, or could traverse less than 360 degrees around the inner cylinder, all depending on the user’s desire. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 A, the liner wraps about 420 degrees around the inner cylinder of the tube 302. When the flavor container 100 is not a tube 302, the same principles apply, namely, the liner 108 can be made to wrap around all, substantially all, substantially more than all, or simply a portion of the interior of whatever size and shape the container 100 happens to be. For example, if the flavor container 100 is a rectangular box, the liner 108 can be placed inside the box in any orientation or arrangement, in single or multiple sheets, to achieve the desired surface area for diffusion. It is also to be recognized that in these types of embodiments, there might be physical contact between the liner 108 and the smokable article 104, in which case the type of the generic use of “diffusion” might additionally, or alternatively, be achieved by osmosis.

[0024] In other examples, when the smokable article 104 is, for example, a premanufactured cone, the cones could be placed in a flavor container 100 that is a room (for large scale production) or a flavor container 100 that is hand-held size (for smaller scale or personal use) for flavoring either before or after the paper is formed into the cone shape. It should be noted that flavor container 100, flavor pack bag 102, and container 202 may also, or alternatively, include a lid, cover, or cap (or door if large-scale manufacturing is employed) to releasably and and/or sealingly close flavor container 100 or container 202.

[0025] It should also be noted that in certain embodiments it is beneficial to have an opening of flavor pack bag 102, container 202, and tube 302 with an adequate size for easily placing and removing smokable article 104 and/or composition 106. Flavor pack bag 102, container 202, and tube 302 may be typically made of plastic, but may alternatively be made of any other suitable material, including but not limited to, paper, cardboard, fiberglass, nylon, plastic, cloth materials, and the like. Other materials may also be acceptable as long as flavor pack bag 102, container 202, and tube 302 are leak-proof and able to be sealed to prevent the flavor from being diluted by fresh air. The dimensions of flavor pack bag 102, container 202, and tube 302 may vary without departing from the disclosure, and may be adjusted according to the amount of smokable article 104 contained therein. For example, flavor pack bag 102, container 202, and tube 302 may be designed to be able to hold any numbers of smokable article 104 (e.g., 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and the like) or roughly same amount of loose smokable article 104 (e.g., chewing tobacco, loose cannabis, herbs, and the like). In some embodiments, flavor pack bag 102 and container 202 may be sealable or re- sealable plastic bags suitable for handheld manipulations and operations, such as those sold under the trademark Ziploc® and similar bags, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0026] As used herein, terms such as “seal”, “sealable”, “re-sealable”, “sealingly,” and the like are used to refer to a feature of flavor pack bag 102, container 202, and tube 302 whereby they are operable to be closed in a fashion that prevents excessive flavoring escape therefrom. Although the type of “seal” in some embodiments might involve an airtight seal, this is not required. While a modest rate of diffusion from the sealed flavor pack bag 102, container 202, and tube 302 may be accepted (i.e., not hermetically sealed or completely airtight), it should be understood that if the rate of flavor loss exceeds a certain threshold, the flavor of smokable article 104 after the described flavor enhancing process may become unacceptable.

[0027] The flavor associated with composition 106, which can any of the common types and compositions of flavor, including terpenes, extracts, synthetic flavors, natural flavors, essential oils, or liquors and the like, may be any of the hundreds or thousands of flavors desired by the smoker, including but not limited to, sweet grape, divine chocolate, bold cherry, smooth mint, fuzzy peach, rich honey, other fruit flavors, other mint flavors, herbs, spices, etc. All or any of these flavors may be incorporated, mixed, or singularly used in the interactive flavor enhancing process as described here. Composition 106 and/or liner 108 may be colored to indicate the particular flavor provided, with different colored composition 106 corresponding to different flavors.

[0028] In another embodiment, the flavor container 100 might have or include ventilation. Where the flavor container 100 is a hand-held item (such as, for example, tube 302), the ventilation might be in the form of one or more holes in the tube 302. Where, for example, the flavor container 100 is a large-scale room, the ventilation might be in the form of one or more vents to provide for the exchange of air within the room. In either case, the ventilation of the flavor container 100 can assist in the flavoring process for the smokable article 104. As but one example, a source of flavoring might be coupled to or near an inlet into the flavor container 100, and a fan can be used to blow air over or through the source of flavoring into the flavor container 100 and out of the one or more holes. Such a source of flowing, flavored air might be beneficial in the flavoring process. In addition, a heat source could also be used in the air stream to facilitate the flavoring process.

[0029] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of an example sequence 400 of operations for flavoring a smokable article using, for example, flavor container 100 of FIG. 1. Sequence 400 begins in block 402 by selecting flavor container 100 according to a smoker’s flavor preference. Next, the user opens the selected flavor container 100 in block 404 and places smokable article 104, such as a cigar, into flavor pack bag 102 in block 406. Consequently, flavor container 100 encloses both composition 106, such as a saturated absorbent material, and smokable article 104 in flavor pack bag 102. Then, flavor pack bag 102 is sealed tightly by the smoker in block 408. With flavor pack bag 102 being sealed, flavoring from composition 106 may be absorbed into smokable article 104. Lastly, after leaving smokable article 104 in flavor pack bag 102 for a desirable time period in block 410, the smoker removes smokable article 104 from flavor pack bag 102 in block 412. A demonstrated strong and distinct flavor indicates an example of a successful infusion of the flavor from composition 106 to smokable article 104. In some embodiments, the duration of the time period may be anything from a several seconds to several days, or longer (e.g., 24 hours, etc.), and the actual duration may be adjusted based on the desired intensity of the flavor by the smoker (until desired flavor infusion is achieved). For example, for a stronger flavor, sealed flavor pack bag 102 may be placed for a longer duration (e.g., several minutes to several days, or longer). Or, a greater surface area of flavor source (liner 108, etc.) is used.

[0030] FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of an example sequence 500 of operations for flavoring a smokable article using, for example, apparatus 200 of FIG. 2. Sequence 500 begins in block 502 by selecting flavor container 100 according to a smoker’s flavor preference. Next, in block 504, the user opens the selected flavor container 100 to allow the flavor to be diffusible, then the smoker places flavor container 100 including composition 106, such as a saturated absorbent material, together with smokable article 104, such as a cigar, into container 202 in block 506. Then, container 202 is sealed tightly by the smoker in block 508. With container 202 being sealed, flavoring from composition 106 of flavor container 100 may be absorbed into smokable article 104. Lastly, after leaving smokable article 104 in container 202 with flavor container 100 for a desirable time period in block 510, the smoker removes smokable article 104 from container 202 in block 512. A demonstrated strong and distinct flavor indicates an example of a successful infusion of the flavor from composition 106 to smokable article 104. In some embodiments, the duration of the time period may be anything from several seconds to several days, or longer (e.g., 24 hours, etc.), and the actual duration may be adjusted based on the desired intensity of the flavor by the smoker (until desired flavor infusion is achieved). For example, for a stronger flavor, sealed flavor pack bag 102 may be placed for a longer duration (e.g., several minutes to several days, or longer). Or, a greater surface area of flavor source (liner 108, etc.) is used.

[0031] FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of an example sequence 600 of operations for flavoring a smokable article using, for example, flavor tube 300 of FIG. 3 or of FIG. 3A. Sequence 600 begins in block 602 by selecting flavor composition 106 according to a smoker’s flavor preference. Next, the user opens a container, such as flavor tube 300 by removing cap 304 from tube 302 in block 604. In some embodiments, flavor tube 300 may be pre-equipped with the selected flavor composition 106. In some other embodiments, if desired, the user may insert the selected flavor composition 106 into the tube 302. This can be done, for example, by placing the selected flavor composition 106 within cap 304 as, for example, if a user desires to replace or change the selected flavor composition 106 within a given tube 302 in optional block 606 as indicated by the dashed borderline. Or, this can be done, for example, by inserting liner 108 into the tube 302. Next, the smoker places smokable article 104 into tube 302 in block 608. Consequently, the flavor composition 106 (or liner 108), such as a saturated absorbent material, and smokable article 104 are both contained within tube 302. Then, tube 302 is sealed tightly by reattaching cap 304 in block 610. With tube 302 sealed, flavoring from composition 106 may be absorbed into smokable article 104. Lastly, after leaving smokable article 104 in tube 302 for a desirable time period in block 612, the smoker removes smokable article 104 from tube 302 in block 614. A demonstrated strong and distinct flavor indicates an example of a successful infusion of the flavor from composition 106 to smokable article 104. In some embodiments, the duration of the time period may be anything from several seconds to several days, or longer (e.g., 24 hours, etc.), and the actual duration may be adjusted based on the desired intensity of the flavor by the smoker (until desired flavor infusion is achieved). For example, for a stronger flavor, sealed flavor tube 300 may be placed for a longer duration (e.g., several minutes to several days, or longer). Or, a greater surface area of flavor source (liner 108, etc.) is used. [0032] The sequences 400, 500, and 600 are discussed with reference to the exemplary flavor container 100, apparatus 200, and flavor tube 300 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3A. It will also be appreciated that sequences 400, 500, and 600 may be implemented with any suitable apparatus for flavoring a smokable article. In particular, these processes are not limited to hand-held sized apparatus, and are equally applicable to large scale operations wherein the flavor container 100 (or container 202) is a walk-in compartment or room, and the like. It should be evident that these sequences 400, 500, and 600 are by way of example, and that various changes may be made by adding, modifying, or eliminating details without departing from the fair scope of the teaching contained in this disclosure. Furthermore, although FIGS. 4-6 depict steps performed in a particular order for purpose of illustration and discussion, the method discussed herein are not limited to any particular order or arrangement. One skilled in the art, using the disclosure provided herein, will appreciate that various steps of the methods can be omitted, rearranged, combined and/or adapted in various ways.

[0033] In some embodiments, the method of the present disclosure for flavoring a smokable article may include putting a liquid solution consisting of the desired flavor in composition 106 or liner 108, such as, but not limited to, terpenes, synthetic flavors, natural flavors, essential oils with different flavors or other liquid flavor substances, into direct contact with the smokable article. The process may, beneficially, not require any special equipment. In some embodiments, the liquid solution containing the flavor may be sprayed onto the exposed surface of the smokable article using a normal sprayer, such as a compressed air sprayer. In some embodiments, the liquid solution containing the flavor may be injected into the smokable article using a normal syringe, such as a disposal plastic syringe. In some embodiments, the liquid solution containing the flavor may be squeezed onto the exposed surface of the smokable article using, for example, a squeeze bottle or an eye dropper.

[0034] In some embodiments, the method of using liquid solution for flavoring as described above may occur inside of container 100, flavor pack bag 102, container 202, and tube 302. In some embodiments, the flavoring process using liquid solution may be conducted by the user without flavor pack bag 102, container 202, and tube 302. This method using liquid solution has the advantages of improving the humectant performance of the smokable article, increasing the comfort level of the smoker, reducing dryness of smoking, as well as providing a more rapid, and perhaps bolder, flavor compared with the methods described in the sequences 400, 500, and 600.

[0035] In some embodiments, the method of flavoring the smokable article 104 can include selecting a flavor that is in liquid or aerosol form. The liquid flavor is then applied (e.g., by spraying) directly to the smokable article 104. The user can then optionally dry the smokable article 104 or allow the smokable article 104 to dry. The user can then smoke the flavored smokable article 104.

[0036] It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the embodiments discussed herein, and that a number of the concepts disclosed herein may be used in combination with one another or may be used separately. Therefore, the disclosure lies in the claims hereinafter appended.

[0037] While several embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present disclosure. [0038] All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.

[0039] The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”

[0040] The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.

[0041] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of’ or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0042] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

[0043] It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited.

[0044] In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of’ and “consisting essentially of’ shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.

[0045] It is to be understood that the embodiments are not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” “in communication with,” and “mounted,” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms “connected” and “coupled” and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. [0046] The foregoing description of several embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise steps and/or forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.

MR 2247275vl