FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of hair accessories, hairbrushes and hairbrush configurations for optimal usages.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Hairbrushes are well known in the art for detangling, styling and simply combing a user's hair. There are many known hairbrushes having a wide variety of styles, shapes, configurations, and construction available in the marketplace. The shape and configuration of each hairbrush is very much “purpose specific”. For example, a flatter style brush is the typical design used for detangling hair. A round brush is designed to be used for styling and curling hair, especially by a professional stylist, primarily with a hair dryer. A paddle brush is used to straighten hair and tame fly- aways and often used with a blow dryer. While there have been vast improvements in hairbrush technology over the years, the basic principle of using a flatter style brush for detangling and a round brush for styling has continued to be the commercial norm. As such, multiple brushes and designs are purchased to achieve specific end goal for each design and shape.

What most hairbrushes do have in common is a plurality of bristles protruding from a brushing head or working surface of a brush head. Most hairbrushes employ only a single type of bristle. In the case of detangling brushes, the bristles are most commonly thinner in dimension as to bend and release when encountering a knot or snag and the brush bristles are typically spaced apart on a pad (for example: thermoplastic rubber (TPR) pad), which is affixed onto the base brush head. The TPR pad gives the bend and flexibility required for the pull forces of detangling. The head of a hairbrush is generally integral with the handle. In regard to styling brushes, they are several types: flat, round or halfmoon shape but what they all have in common is a thicker bristle to be able to withstand the concentrated direction of heat that is used by a user with a blow dryer. Generally with a round or vented brush design, the round brush is generally elongated cylindrical shape with no TPR pad holding and securing the bristles in place. The bristles are fastened to the brush head directly into the barrel of the brush.

It is an object of the present invention to improve known hairbrush configurations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a versatile and dual use hairbrush for both detangling and styling, which uncompromisingly retains all of the properties required for each task.

It is an object of the invention to provide a modified round hairbrush for use in both detangling and styling, which uncompromisingly retains all of the properties required for each task.

It is an object of the invention to provide a detangling hairbrush, without the necessity of a bristle pad/rubber pad/TPR pad to provide detangling bend and flexibility.

With these objects in mind, the present invention comprises dual function styling and detangling hairbrush comprising a head, a handle and an array of bristle clusters disposed around the head. The head has a cylindrical shape, and is hollow and vented. The head and handle are conjoined and unimoulded. Each bristle cluster comprises a plurality of styling bristles and a detangling bristle.

The styling bristles of each bristle cluster are configured to help to hold hair during styling.

The detangling bristle of each bristle cluster is configured help detangle knots or tangles in hair.

The styling bristles in each bristle cluster comprise boar bristles.

The detangling bristle of each bristle cluster may comprise plastic, nylon or rubber. The detangling bristle of each bristle cluster may be super-heat resistant.

The detangling bristle is longer than the styling bristles in each cluster, extending beyond the length of the styling bristles.

The detangling bristle of each bristle cluster may have a length of at least 18mm.

The detangling bristle of each bristle cluster may have a diameter of at least 0.8mm. The boar bristles of each bristle cluster may have a length of at least 8mm.

The head may comprise vent holes to vent the head.

The motivation around the innovation of this invention is the expense and inconvenience of requiring multiple hairbrushes, for both personal and business (i.e. hairdressing) use. As noted, up to now, round hairbrushes were not designed as detanglers, and would therefore get tangled or frequently pull the hair during the blow dry process as they were only designed to style with hot air blow dryers. Flatter designs or paddle type hairbrushes primary function is designed for removing knots and snags, but in the recent decade there are certain brush companies that have focused on the detangling aspect of detangling hair with little to no pain or breakage using different concepts and designs, while jockeying for market position.

The hairbrush of the present invention innovatively employs detangling bristles coupled with styling bristles to gently persuade each tangle out with little to no pain or breakage while detangling and shining the hair. At the same time, the design of the product of the invention, as a round hairbrush without the restriction of rubber TPR pads, is enabled to use high heats for styling.

This duality of function is achieved, in part, by the careful and assiduous selection of detangling bristles, of specific lengths and gauges, and their clustering with the styling bristles, to provide the flexibility and bend (yet strength) for gentle hair detangling. It is suspected that by arranging each detangling bristle as a “quill centre” in the bristle cluster the detangling bristles are stiffened and supported by the surrounding styling bristles to an even greater degree than expected, due to the specific lengths and gauges described herein.

At the same time, the venting of the head (via vent holes) of the hairbrush serve to remove and account for excessive heat (including all of the necessary characteristics for heat resistance and heat use optimization in styling).

The combination and totality of features enables the hairbrush of the invention to act like both a detangling brush and a styling brush.

The conjoined and unimoulded head and handle form an elongated moulded body where the head and handle are integral. Advantageously, the smooth moulded body helps to prevent catching or snagging of hair.

These and other advantages will become apparent throughout this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described by way of a non-limiting embodiments with reference to the following Figures:

Figure 1 depicts a front plan view of an embodiment of a hairbrush in accordance with the invention;

Figures 2 and 8 depict a side plan view of the embodiment of the hairbrush in accordance with the invention;

Figure 3 depicts a back plan view of the embodiment of the hairbrush in accordance with the invention;

Figures 4 and 7 are a top plan view of the embodiment of the hairbrush in accordance with the invention, showing the head with bristle clusters extending therefrom; Figure 5 is a perspective view from the side of the embodiment of the hairbrush in accordance with the invention;

Figure 6 is a perspective view from the top of the embodiment of the hairbrush in accordance with the invention;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view through section AA of the embodiment of the hairbrush in accordance with the invention.

The Figures depict an embodiment of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below along with accompanying Figures that illustrate the principles of the invention. The invention is described in connection with such embodiments, but the invention is not limited to any embodiment. The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. These details are provided for the purpose of example and the invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the invention is not unnecessarily obscured.

I. TERMS

The term "product" means any hairbrush or component thereof, as described herein. Brush and hairbrush are used interchangeably. The term "method" means any process, method or the like, unless expressly specified otherwise.

Each process (whether called a method or otherwise) inherently includes one or more steps, and therefore all references to a "step" or "steps" of a process have an inherent antecedent basis in the mere recitation of the term ^' process ^' or a like term. Accordingly, any reference in a claim to a ^' step ^' or ^' steps ^' of a process has sufficient antecedent basis.

The term "invention" and the like mean "the one or more inventions disclosed in this application", unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “an aspect”, "an embodiment", "embodiment", "embodiments", "the embodiment", "the embodiments", "one or more embodiments", "some embodiments", "certain embodiments", "one embodiment", "another embodiment" and the like mean "one or more (but not all) embodiments of the disclosed invention(s)", unless expressly specified otherwise.

The term "variation" of an invention means an embodiment of the invention, unless expressly specified otherwise.

A reference to "another embodiment" or “another aspect” in describing an embodiment does not imply that the referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with another embodiment (e.g., an embodiment described before the referenced embodiment), unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms "including", "comprising" and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to", unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms "a", "an" and "the" mean "one or more", unless expressly specified otherwise.

The term "plurality" means "two or more", unless expressly specified otherwise. The term "herein" means "in the present application, including anything which may be incorporated by reference", unless expressly specified otherwise.

The phrase "at least one of, when such phrase modifies a plurality of things (such as an enumerated list of things) means any combination of one or more of those things, unless expressly specified otherwise. For example, the phrase "at least one of a widget, a car and a wheel" means either (i) a widget, (ii) a car, (iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car, (v) a widget and a wheel, (vi) a car and a wheel, or (vii) a widget, a car and a wheel. The phrase "at least one of", when such phrase modifies a plurality of things does not mean "one of each of" the plurality of things.

Numerical terms such as "one", "two", etc. when used as cardinal numbers to indicate quantity of something (e.g., one widget, two widgets), mean the quantity indicated by that numerical term, but do not mean at least the quantity indicated by that numerical term. For example, the phrase "one widget" does not mean "at least one widget", and therefore the phrase "one widget" does not cover, e.g., two widgets.

The phrase "based on" does not mean "based only on", unless expressly specified otherwise. In other words, the phrase "based on" describes both "based only on" and "based at least on". The phrase "based at least on" is equivalent to the phrase "based at least in part on".

The term "represent" and like terms are not exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. For example, the term "represents" do not mean "represents only", unless expressly specified otherwise. In other words, the phrase "the data represents a credit card number" describes both "the data represents only a credit card number" and "the data represents a credit card number and the data also represents something else".

The term "whereby" is used herein only to precede a clause or other set of words that express only the intended result, objective or consequence of something that is previously and explicitly recited. Thus, when the term "whereby" is used in a claim, the clause or other words that the term "whereby" modifies do not establish specific further limitations of the claim or otherwise restricts the meaning or scope of the claim.

The term "e.g." and like terms mean "for example", and thus does not limit the term or phrase it explains.

The term "respective" and like terms mean "taken individually". Thus, if two or more things have "respective" characteristics, then each such thing has its own characteristic, and these characteristics can be different from each other but need not be. For example, the phrase "each of two machines has a respective function" means that the first such machine has a function and the second such machine has a function as well. The function of the first machine may or may not be the same as the function of the second machine.

The term "i.e." and like terms mean "that is", and thus limits the term or phrase it explains. For example, in the sentence "the computer sends data (i.e., instructions) over the Internet", the term "i.e." explains that "instructions" are the "data" that the computer sends over the Internet.

Any given numerical range shall include whole and fractions of numbers within the range. For example, the range "1 to 10" shall be interpreted to specifically include whole numbers between 1 and 10 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, . . . 9) and non-whole numbers (e.g. 1.1, 1.2, . . . 1.9).

Where two or more terms or phrases are synonymous (e.g., because of an explicit statement that the terms or phrases are synonymous), instances of one such term/phrase does not mean instances of another such term/phrase must have a different meaning. For example, where a statement renders the meaning of "including" to be synonymous with "including but not limited to", the mere usage of the phrase "including but not limited to" does not mean that the term "including" means something other than "including but not limited to".

Numerous embodiments are described in the present application and are presented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments are not, and are not intended to be, limiting in any sense. The presently disclosed invention(s) are widely applicable to numerous embodiments, as is readily apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the disclosed invention(s) may be practiced with various modifications and alterations, such as structural and logical modifications. Although particular features of the disclosed invention(s) may be described with reference to one or more particular embodiments and/or drawings, it should be understood that such features are not limited to usage in the one or more particular embodiments or drawings with reference to which they are described, unless expressly specified otherwise.

No embodiment of method steps or product elements described in the present application constitutes the invention claimed herein, or is essential to the invention claimed herein, or is coextensive with the invention claimed herein, except where it is either expressly stated to be so in this specification or expressly recited in a claim.

II OVERVIEW

The invention provides a hairbrush which addresses a duplication problem, more specifically, having to buy and use two different brushes to achieve two different tasks (namely detangling and styling, most specifically heat styling).

III DETAILS

Head

The head has a generally cylindrical shape.

The head is hollow. Being hollow helps to reduce the weight of the head. Being hollow helps to improve air flow through the head to dissipate heat.

The head is vented.

The head may comprise vent holes to vent the head. The head vent holes help reduce the weight of the head. The head vent holes allow for air flow through the head to help dissipate heat from the hair and hairbrush. The head may comprise an aperture at a distal end of the head and an internal cavity. As such, the head may have an open cylinder configuration.

Handle

The handle may comprise vent holes to vent the handle. The handle vent holes help to reduce the weight of the handle, making the hairbrush “lightweight” and more comfortable to use. The handle vent holes allow for air flow through the handle to help cool the user’s hand.

The handle may be formed from a soft rubber material allowing a comfortable grip for long term handling.

Body

The head and handle are conjoined and unimoulded forming a unitary body (being formed of a unimould and meaning the head and handle are integrally formed). As a result there are no connecting joints and so hair will not get caught between the handle and head of the hairbrush at any such connecting joints.

Bristles

As noted herein, an adaptation which enables the dual functionality of the hairbrush of the invention is the selection of bristle length and gauge that allows the detangling bristle to flex and have the ability to bend when approaching a knot or tangle in the absence of a pad as found on detangling brushes. It is most preferred that the detangling bristle length is, at least 18mm. Preferably 18-19mm.

Bristle gauge/dimension is likewise important to achieve the functional duality as defined herein. Typically, detangling bristles have 0.7mm or smaller bristle dimension but within the scope of the invention, the gauge of the detangling bristle is at least 0.8mm, to dispense with a TPR pad. Preferably 0.8-0.9mm. In regards to bristle fastness, the measurement for the strength of how resilient both the detangling and styling bristles are to pulling/measured strength of resistance, it is preferred to employ bristles with a fastness of no less than 3lbs (1.36kg).

The styling bristles comprise boar bristles. A boar bristle is formed from the actual hair of a boar (hog). Boar styling bristles are considered ideal because they close the cuticle layer, the outside armor of the hair and create shiny hair. Boar styling bristles are natural, soft, flexible bristles that gently brush the hair. As a natural element these boar styling bristles also attract oil and other product in the hair which is then attached to the hair follicle and it allows the smoothing out of product in the hair as well. In addition, the boar styling bristles address the moisture in the follicles and work to pull out the moisture. Boar styling bristles help to increase shine during heat styling treatments (for example, a blow dry and styling process).

The length of the styling bristles is selected to allow the plurality of styling bristles in each cluster to hold hair during styling. Preferably, the boar bristles clustering around each detangling bristle comprises at length of, at least 8mm. Preferably, within a range of 8-9mm.

The detangling bristle may otherwise be known as a “nylon detangling bristle”. This name represents a category for all types of bristles made of plastic, nylon, rubber, or similar materials. Nylon detangling bristles can be soft and flexible or stiff and firm and offer little to maximum control, depending on how closely the bristles are placed and how flexible the material.

The nylon detangling bristles as used herein may be monofilament bristles. Each of the monofilament bristles can be a man-made moulded or extruded synthetic structure. Each monofilament bristle can be formed of any suitable rigid or semi-rigid material, such as thermoplastic elastomer or similarly heat resistant material.

In a preferred aspect, the detangling bristles are nylon and are specifically formed of super heat resistant nylon which are able to withstand increased and a wide variety of heat ranges. Such nylon and heat tolerances are well known in the art and making a selection of nylon detangling bristles within an appropriate range is within the purview of one skilled in the art. In one preferred example, the monofilament bristles can each be extruded and cut to length from a nylon material. Each monofilament nylon bristle can have a stalk, a free end, and a secured end. The secured ends can be formed to create a hook thereon. The free ends can be formed with an optional ball on the tip of the stalk.

In one example, (referred to herein as the flame cut nylon detangling bristle tip) each monofilament nylon detangling bristle can be heated and bent to form the hook and the free end can be dipped in a secondary material, such as an epoxy paint, to form the ball on the tip. Brushes that are used for styling typically have no epoxy ball tip as increased heat will increase the chances for the epoxy ball tip to fall off and will make the user/consumer believe the brush is falling apart. As such, the hairbrush of the present invention comprises may have a “flame cut” bristle tip where the nylon bristle is cut with heat flame and the tip of the bristle is enlarged. The enlarged tip is then covered in black epoxy ball tip so if and when the ball tip falls off due to heat it will always retain the appearance of a ball tip because the flame cut process leaves an enlarged tip with or without the epoxy.

In an example, the dual function styling and detangling hairbrush of the invention comprises a handle and an integral, conjoined generally cylindrical head, with an array of bristles disposed therearound in clusters, wherein each cluster comprises a core of one super-hear resistant nylon bristle, having a length of at least 18mm and a gauge/diameter of at least 0.8mm and a plurality of boar bristles therearound. In a preferred aspect, each boar bristle has a length of at least 8mm.

As will be evident to those having ordinary skill in the art, the configuration and construction of the monofilament detangling bristles can vary within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Each detangling bristle can be individually moulded. Each monofilament detangling bristle can be the same as the other monofilament detangling bristles on the hairbrush or the hairbrush can include two or more different types of monofilament detangling bristles that are different in length, diameter, material, shape, and/or the like as long as the minimum length and gauge requirements are met, as described herein. The arrangement of the various bristles on the hairbrush can also vary within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Preferably, the nylon detangling bristles for use within the hairbrush of the invention are ionic and thereby ionize the process when brushing the hair. Furthermore, it is preferred that that bristles are anti-static.

As may be seen better in the Figures, it is preferred that the hairbrush of the invention comprises a multitude of bristle clusters, each having several to a plurality of natural boar bristles with a nylon “quill” type bristle in the center.

Figures

Various aspects of the invention will now be described with specific reference to the Figures, where like numerals denote the same components across all Figures.

Referring to the drawings (Figures 1 to 9), there is provided an embodiment of hairbrush of the present invention generally represented by reference numeral 10. The hairbrush 10 is shown as a round vented brush of a generally elongated cylindrical shape.

One skilled in the art should appreciate that hairbrush 10 has a head 12. The head 12 may be formed in a variety of diameters and lengths. For example, in the embodiment depicted in Figures 1 to 9, the head has a diameter D4 of approximately 35mm. In the embodiment depicted in the Figures 1 to 9, the head has a length H1 of approximately 103 mm. Preferably, the smaller the diameter, the tighter the curl of the hair, when the function of the brush is styling. Relatively narrow diameters are especially effective for creating curls while conversely relatively larger diameters create looser curls. The head 12 is extends about halfway on the hairbrush 10 from an end to about a midpoint. The head 12 has a length suitable to detangle, comb or style hair in a comfortable manner and further to have an adequate number of bristle clusters 14 disposed in surrounding fashion thereon (more on these below).

As shown in the Figures, the head 12 has a generally cylindrical shape with a circular profile. The hairbrush 10 has a handle 15 which may be an elongated cylindrical member. The handle 15 is lightweight to allow manipulation of the head. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the handle has an ergonomic flat, almost paddle-like shape widening at a bottom 22 and narrowing at a neck 24. In the embodiment depicted in Figures 1 to 9, the handle has a maximum diameter D6 of approximately 25.6mm and the neck has a diameter D5 of approximately 13.2mm. The neck may have a length of approximately 11mm. One skilled in the art should appreciate that the handle 15 may alternatively be generally rectangular or have any other shape known in the art.

The handle 15 is integrally formed with the head 12, meeting at the neck 24, to form a one-piece body. The body has a longitudinal axis AA. As shown in the Figures, the profile of the body is smooth and flush. As such, there is no joint, protrusion, ridge or indent along the body, particularly at the neck portion 24 where the head 12 meets the handle 15. The flush one-piece body helps to avoid any snagging of hair during use. In this embodiment, the body is manufactured in a one-piece moulding procedure. The body comprises a unitary material. For example, the body comprises a rubber type material that has a soft texture to the touch.

The handle may have any suitable length. In the embodiment depicted in the Figures, the body may have a length L1 (combined length of the head 12 and the handle 15) of approximately 229mm.

In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the hairbrush 10 comprises vent holes. The vent holes are apertures formed in the body of the hairbrush. The vent holes help to reduce the weight of the hairbrush to allow the hairbrush to be more easily handled by the user. The vent holes allow for air flow. In the embodiment shown, the vent holes comprise head vent holes 18 formed in the head 12 and handle vent holes 26 formed in the handle 15.

The head vent holes 18 disposed in the head 12 preferably facilitate drying of the hair when using hairbrush 10 with the hair dryer. The head vent holes 18 preferably permit the heated air to traverse through the head 12 and out the opposite side of the head 12 to contact and dry the hair that is being brushed on the opposite side. This decreases an amount of time necessary to dry the hair as the head vent holes 18 facilitate the circulation of the heated air relative to an instance where the head 12 blocks an air flow path. Here, the path of the heated air traverses through a front side of the head and out a rear side of the head.

In the embodiment shown, the head vent holes 18 have a generally circular profile. The head vent holes 18 may have any suitable diameter. In the embodiment depicted, the head vent holes have a diameter D3 of approximately 5mm. The head vent holes 18 are arranged in rows with the bristle clusters 14. The rows extend longitudinally along the head 12.

The head 12 is hollow to help further reduce the weight of the head and/or improve air flow through the head portion. In the embodiment shown, the head 12 comprises an open internal cavity with an aperture at the distal end of the head. The open cavity extends generally centrally through the head portion from the aperture towards the neck 24. As such, the head 12 has an open cylinder type configuration.

The handle vent holes 26 disposed in the handle 15 help decrease the weight of the handle 15. The handle vent holes also allow for air flow through the handle to help cool the user’s hand. In the embodiment shown, the handle vent holes 18 have a generally circular profile. The handle vent holes may have any suitable diameter. In the embodiment depicted, the vent holes adjacent the neck 24 have a diameter D1 of approximately 4.5mm, and the vent holes distal from the neck 24 have a diameter D2 of approximately 5mm. The handle vent holes 26 are arranged in rows. The rows extend longitudinally along the handle 15. As shown in the Figures, the handle vent holes 26 can be through holes extending from the front side of the handle to the opposing, rear side of the handle.

As shown in all of the Figures, but best seen in Figure 4, the head 12 includes a plurality of bristle clusters 14 extending outwardly therefrom. The bristle clusters are carried on a peripheral surface of the hairbrush body. For example, the bristles may be anchored in bristle openings 20 formed in the peripheral surface of the head.

In an embodiment, the head 12 may comprise a sleeve 16. The sleeve 16 is disposed around the head 12 in concentric relation to the brush head. Preferably, the sleeve 16 is formed from a thermally conductive material such as metal, copper, aluminium, or steel. However, one skilled in the art should appreciate that the sleeve 16 may be made from any thermally conductive material known in the art. The sleeve comprises vent holes corresponding to the head vent holes 18. As such, the sleeve vent holes are aligned with the head vent holes 18 when mounted on the head 12.

Bristle clusters 14 comprise a centre “quill” detangling bristle 28 surrounded by a plurality of styling bristles 30. The detangling bristle 28 is longer than the styling bristles 30 and protrudes above them. The bristle clusters 14 may be arranged in rows on the head 12. As shown in the Figures, the bristle clusters 14 may be arranged in a regular pattern. The bristle clusters 14 and head vent holes 18 may be arranged alternatively in a row. Alternatively, the bristle clusters may be arranged in a spiral pattern about the head. The bristle clusters may extend radially outward from a body of the hairbrush. For example, the bristle clusters may extend in a common radial plane extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis AA of the body of the hairbrush.

The detangling bristle 28 may comprise of plastic, nylon, rubber, or similar materials. The detangling bristle 28 may be heat resistant to withstand heat, for example heat from a blow dryer when styling the air using the hairbrush. The detangling bristle may be ionic. The detangling bristle may be anti-static. The detangling bristle may have any suitable length and diameter to provide a detangling effect. In the embodiment depicted in the Figures, the detangling bristle has a length of approximately 18mm and diameter of approximately 0.8mm.

As shown in the Figures, the detangling bristle 28 comprises a stalk 29, a free end 31 and a secured end 33. The secured end 33 may be formed by a heating and bending process to create a hook. The hook helps to secure the detangling bristle to the head. The free end 31 may comprise a ball 35 on the tip of the stalk 29. The free end 31 may be a flame cut bristle tip formed by cutting with heat. The flame cut bristle tip is enlarged by the flame cut process.

The styling bristles 30 in each bristle cluster 14 comprise natural boar bristles. The styling bristles 30 may have any suitable length to provide a holding effect when styling the hair. In the embodiment depicted in the Figures, the boar bristles in each bristle cluster have a length of approximately 8mm.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. Aspects of the present systems, methods and components can be modified, if necessary, to employ systems, methods, components and concepts to provide yet further embodiments of the invention. For example, the various devices and methods described above may omit some parts or acts, include other parts or acts, and/or execute acts in a different order than set out in the illustrated embodiments.

Further, in the methods taught herein, the various acts may be performed in a different order than that illustrated and described. Additionally, the methods can omit some acts, and/or employ additional acts.

These and other changes can be made to the articles in light of the above description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the invention is not limited by the disclosure, but instead its scope is to be determined entirely by the following claims.