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EP 3 332 885 A1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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Date of publication: |
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13.06.2018 Bulletin 2018/24 |
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Date of filing: 06.12.2016 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC):
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(84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
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AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL
NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR |
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Designated Extension States: |
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BA ME |
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Designated Validation States: |
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MA MD |
(71) |
Applicant: Industro International Co., Ltd. |
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Taichung City 411 (TW) |
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(72) |
Inventor: |
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- Huang, Kuo-Chan
411 Taichung City (TW)
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(74) |
Representative: Lang, Christian |
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LangPatent Anwaltskanzlei
IP Law Firm
Rosenheimer Straße 139 81671 München 81671 München (DE) |
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Remarks: |
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Amended claims in accordance with Rule 137(2) EPC. |
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(54) |
APPARATUS FOR PROTECTIVELY HOLDING AN ELONGATED OBJECT DURING BENDING AND STRETCHING
OF THE ELONGATED OBJECT |
(57) An apparatus is provided for protectively hold an elongated object during bending
and stretching of the elongated object. The apparatus includes a shell, sleds and
roller sets. The shell includes a wall, support portions longitudinally extending
on an internal face of the wall, and grooves separated from one another by the support
portions. Each of the sleds is inserted in a corresponding one of the grooves. Each
of the roller sets includes rollers attached to a corresponding one of the sleds.
Each of the rollers includes a tread. The treads together provide an axial tunnel.
A surface of the elongated object is in contact with the concave treads of the rollers
when the elongated object is rolled in the axial tunnel during bending or stretching
of the elongated object.
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BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to deformation of an elongated object and, more particularly,
to an apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object during bending and stretching
of the elongated object.
2. RELATED PRIOR ART
[0002] It is sometimes desired to bend an elongated object such as a rod and a tube. For
example, a straight plastic tube can be heated and softened before it is bent. A bent
plastic tube can be heated and soften before it is stretched. However, such heating
is often not even so that a portion of a plastic tube is excessively soft while another
portion of the plastic tube is excessively hard. It is troublesome to bend or stretch
the portion of the plastic tube that is excessively soft or hard.
[0003] A straight metal tube can be bent by forging or another proper method for fabrication
in a mechanical or hydraulic mold. For example, Taiwan Patent Application Publication
No.
353988 discloses a mold 10 for use with a machine 6 to bend a tube 5. The mold 10 includes
a desired number of pairs of semi-circular leaf springs 1 and 2 provided on two rods
3 and 4 so that the mold 10 is flexible. The tube 5 is inserted in the mold 10 before
the tube 5 is bent by the machine 6. The leaf springs 1 and 2 can be removed from
the flexible rods 3 and 4 after the tube 5 is bent by the machine 6. However, the
use of the mold 10 is not without any problem. Firstly, it is troublesome to place
the pairs of leaf springs 1 and 2 on the flexible rods 3 and 4 or remove the pairs
of leaf springs 1 and 2 from the flexible rods 3 and 4 because of the large number
of pairs of leaf springs 1 and 2. Secondly, the tube 5 might be scratched by some
of the leaf springs 1 and 2.
[0004] The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the
problems encountered in prior art.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0005] It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus for
protectively holding an elongated object during bending and stretching of the elongated
object.
[0006] To achieve the foregoing objective, the apparatus includes a shell, sleds and roller
sets. The shell includes a wall, support portions longitudinally extending on an internal
face of the wall, peripheral tunnels each extending in a corresponding one of the
support portions, and grooves separated from one another by the support portions.
Each of the sleds is inserted in a corresponding one of the grooves. Each of the roller
sets includes rollers attached to a corresponding one of the sleds. Each of the rollers
includes a tread. The treads together provide an axial tunnel. A surface of the elongated
object is in contact with the concave treads of the rollers when the elongated object
is rolled in the axial tunnel during bending or stretching of the elongated object.
[0007] Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent
from the following description referring to the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of two embodiments
referring to the drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object
during bending and stretching of the elongated object according to the first embodiment
of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is another cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus taken along a line A-A shown in
FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus taken along a line B-B shown in
FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus in another position than shown in
FIG. 4;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of an apparatus for protectively
holding an elongated object during bending and stretching of the elongated object
according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0009] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 8, there is an apparatus 10 for protectively holding
an elongated object during bending and stretching of the elongated object. The apparatus
10 includes a shell 20, four sleds 30, four roller sets 40, two rings 50 and 60, a
lock 70 and a cover 80 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0010] The shell 20 is preferably made of aluminum by extrusion and includes a wall 22,
four ribs 21 and four support portions 24. The ribs 21 are evenly arranged and extend
on an internal face of the wall 22. The support portions 24 are also evenly arranged
and extend on the internal face of the wall 22. Each support portion 24 includes a
peripheral tunnel 28 made therein. Each support portion 24 includes two faces extending
parallel to each other on the outside and two flanges 29 each extending on a corresponding
face. Each rib 21 is located in a corresponding peripheral tunnel 28. The wall 22
and the support portions 24 together provide a longitudinal space separated from the
peripheral tunnels 28. The longitudinal space looks like an "X" in a cross-sectional
view, i.e., it includes four grooves 26 in communication with an axial tunnel 14.
[0011] The shell 20 includes, at a first end 25, four screw holes 23 each made in a corresponding
support portion 24. The shell 20 includes, at the second end 27, four more screw holes
23 each made in a corresponding support portion 24.
[0012] Each sled 30 includes a back portion 32, two flank portions 34 and a fin 38. The
back portion 32 is formed on the flank portions 34. Each flank portion 34 includes
four apertures 36. The fin 38 is formed on the back portion 32.
[0013] Each roller set 40 includes four rollers 42 and four axles 48. Each roller 42 includes
a concave tread 44 and an axial aperture 46. The rollers 42 of each roller set 40
are placed between the flank portions 34 of a corresponding sled 30. Each axle 48
is inserted the axial aperture 46 of a corresponding roller 42 and a corresponding
aperture 36 of a corresponding flank portion 34, thereby connecting each roller set
40 to a corresponding sled 30.
[0014] Each sled 30 is movably inserted in a corresponding groove 26, between two corresponding
support portions 24. The concave tread 44 together render the axial tunnel 14 circular
in a cross-sectional view.
[0015] Each sled 30 further includes three elastic elements 90 for contact with two corresponding
flanges 29 to keep the sled 30 in the corresponding groove 26. Each elastic element
90 includes a coil spring 92 and a rod 94. The coil spring 92 is formed on a corresponding
flank portion 34 of a corresponding sled 30 by making a helical slot in the flank
portion 34. The rod 94 extends transversely at an end of the coil spring 92. Each
rod 94 includes two ends kept in contact with two corresponding flanges 29 because
the rod 94 is biased by the corresponding coil spring 92 that is loaded. Each sled
30 is movable in two senses of a direction M in the corresponding groove 26. The coil
springs 92 of each sled 30 are further loaded when the rollers 42 of the corresponding
roller set 40 are moved deeper in the corresponding groove 26 under a force. The coil
springs 92 of each sled 30 recover when the force stops.
[0016] The ring 50 includes a funnel-shaped portion 52 and several peripheral apertures
(not numbered). The peripheral apertures are located around the funnel-shaped portion
52 of the ring 50.
[0017] The ring 60 includes a funnel-shaped portion 62 and an annular lip 64. The funnel-shaped
portion 62 is formed at a center of the ring 60. The annular lip 64 extends around
the funnel-shaped portion 62.
[0018] The lock 70 includes a circular opening 72 and bosses 74 formed on an internal face.
The bosses 74 are preferably in the form of barbs.
[0019] The cover 80 includes a countersink hole 82 and four strip sets. The countersink
hole 82 is centrally made in the cover 80. Each strip set includes three strips 83,
strips 84 and 85. The strips 83, 84 and 85 extend from a face of the cover 80. The
strips 83, 84 and 85 extend longer than the shell 20. The strips 83, 84 and 85 are
separated from one another by slits 88. Each of the strips 83, 84 and 85 includes
a groove 81 in an internal face of the back portion. Each of the strips 83, 84 and
85 includes a recess 86 in an external face of the back portion.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 5, each of the strips 83, 84 and 85 includes a back portion extending
perpendicularly between two flank portions. The flank portions of each strip 83 are
made with height H1. The flank portions of each strip 84 are made with height H2.
The flank portions of each strip 85 are made with height H3. The height H1 is smaller
than the height H2, and the height H2 is smaller than the height H3. Reasons for difference
in the height of the flank portions of the strips 83, 84 and 85 are to be described.
[0021] Several screws 16 are inserted in the screw holes 23 at the first end 25 of the shell
20 via the ring 50, thereby detachably connecting the ring 50 to the first end 25
of the shell 20. The sleds 30 and the roller sets 40 are kept in the shell 20 by the
ring 50. The funnel-shaped portion 52 of the ring 50 is communication with the axial
tunnel 14.
[0022] Selectively, the fins 38 of the sleds 30 are inserted in the grooves 81 of the strips
83, 84 or 85 before the strips 83, 84 or 85 are inserted in the grooves 26. For example,
the fins 38 are inserted in the grooves 81 of the strips 83 before the strips 83 are
inserted in the grooves 26 and the strips 84 and 85 are inserted in the peripheral
tunnels 28. Each of the ribs 21 is inserted in a selected one of the slits 88 so that
the cover 80 cannot be rotated relative to the shell 20. Now, the recesses 86 are
placed out of the shell 20. The sleds 30 are movable in a radial position of the shell
22 within a small range because the thickness of the strips 83 is marginally smaller
than a gap between the wall 22 and the sleds 30. The cover 80 protects the ring 50
as the cover 80 is connected to the first end 25 of the shell 20. The countersink
hole 82 of the cover 80 is in communication with the funnel-shaped portion 52 of the
ring 50.
[0023] The lock 70 is placed at the second end 27 of the sell 20. The bosses 74 of the lock
70 can be inserted in the recesses 86 of the strips 83, 84 and 85 to lock the cover
80 to the lock 70. Thus, the cover 80 can be locked to the shell 20 by the lock 70.
[0024] Other screws 16 are inserted in the screw holes 23 at the second end 27 of the shell
20 via the ring 60, thereby detachably connecting the ring 60 to the second end 27
of the shell 20. The ring 60 retains the lock 70 near the second end 27 of the shell
20 but allows the lock 70 to rotate between a locking position and an unlocking position.
The annular lip 64 is inserted in the circular opening 72 to guide the lock 70. The
diameter of the funnel-shaped portion 62 gets smaller as the funnel-shaped portion
62 extends toward the cover 80.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6, the lock 70 is in the locking position. The bosses 74
are inserted in the recesses 86, thereby locking the cover 80 to the shell 20.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 7, the lock 70 is in the unlocking position. The bosses
74 are located out of the recesses 86 to allow detachment of the cover 80 from the
shell 20.
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 9, in a sense of direction indicated by an arrow head S,
a first section of an elongated object 12 is inserted in the axial tunnel 14 via the
countersink hole 82 of the cover 80. The first section of the elongated object 12
is moved out of the axial tunnel 14 via the funnel-shaped portion 62 of the ring 60.
[0028] A second section of the elongated object 12 is inserted in the axial tunnel 14. The
second section of the elongated object 12 is in contact with the concave treads 44
of the rollers 42 of the roller sets 40.
[0029] A third section of the elongated object 12 is bent in a sense of direction as indicated
by an arrow head C. Thus, the elongated object 12 can be smoothly bent to a desired
angle. The elongated object 12 can be metal tube or a metal rod.
[0030] The back portions 32 of the sleds 30 are supported by the flank portions of the strips
83 and the fins 38 are inserted in the grooves 81 of the strips 83 if the diameter
or external diameter of the elongated object 12 is large. The back portions 32 of
the sleds 30 are supported by the flank portions of the strips 84 and the fins 38
are inserted in the grooves 81 of the strips 84 if the diameter or external diameter
of the elongated object 12 is medium. The back portions 32 of the sleds 30 are placed
against the flank portions of the strips 85 and the fins 38 are inserted in the grooves
81 of the strips 85 if the diameter or external diameter of the elongated object 12
is small. Thus, the apparatus 10 is useful for protectively holding elongated objects
of various sizes.
[0031] Referring to FIG. 10, there is an apparatus 10 for protectively holding an elongated
object 12 during bending and stretching of the elongated object 12 according to a
second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is identical to
the first embodiment except for several things. Firstly, each sled 30 does not include
any coil spring. Secondly, each flank portion 34 includes three grooves 98 near the
flanges 29. Thirdly, compression springs 96 are used instead of the elastic elements
90. The compression springs 96 are inserted in the grooves 98. Each compression spring
96 includes an end abutted against the flanges 29 and another end in contact with
a closed end of a corresponding groove 98. The elastic elements 90 can bias and hence
turn the sleds 30 back to the normal position in the sense of direction indicated
by the arrow head M.
[0032] The present invention has been described via the illustration of the embodiments.
Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing
from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit
the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.
1. An apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object, the apparatus comprising:
a shell (20) comprising a wall (22), support portions (24) longitudinally extending
on an internal face of the wall (22), and grooves (26) separated from one another
by the support portions (24);
sleds (30) each inserted in a corresponding one of the grooves (26); and
roller sets (40) each comprising rollers (42) attached to a corresponding one of the
sleds (30), wherein each of the rollers (42) comprises a tread (44) so that the treads
(44) together provide an axial tunnel (14), and a surface of the elongated object
(12) is in contact with the treads (44) of the rollers (42) when the elongated object
(12) is rolled in the axial tunnel (14) during bending or stretching of the elongated
object (12).
2. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 1, wherein
the treads (44) of the rollers (42) are concave and together render the axial tunnel
(14) substantially circular in a cross-sectional view.
3. The apparatus for bending and stretching an elongated object according to claim 1,
further comprising a first ring (50) attached to an end (25) of the shell (20) and
a second ring (60) attached to another end (27) of the shell (20) to keep the sleds
(30) and the roller sets (40) in the shell (20), wherein each of the first and second
rings (50, 60) comprises a funnel-shaped portion (52, 62) in communication with the
axial tunnel (14).
4. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 3, further
comprising a cover (80) detachably connected to the shell (20) to cover the first
ring (50).
5. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 4, wherein
the cover (80) comprises strip sets each comprising at least one strip (83) extending
throughout a corresponding one of the grooves (26) and placed against a corresponding
one of the sleds (30).
6. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 5, wherein
each of the strips (83) comprises a groove (81), and each of the sleds (30) comprises
a fin (38) inserted in a corresponding one of the grooves (81).
7. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 5, further
comprising a lock (70) rotationally supported on the second ring (60) between a locking
position for locking the strips (83) of the cover (80) to the shell (20) and an unlocking
position for unlocking the strips (83) of the cover (80) relative to the shell (20).
8. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 7, wherein
each of the strips (83) comprises a recess (86), and the lock (70) comprises bosses
(74) inserted in the recesses (86) when the lock (70) is in the locking position and
movable in slits (88) between the strips (83) when the lock (70) is in the unlocking
position.
9. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 8, wherein
the shell (20) comprises peripheral tunnels (28) each made in a corresponding one
of the support portions (24), each of the strip sets comprises strips (83, 84, 85)
of various thickness, and a selected one of the strips (83) of each of the strip sets
extends throughout the grooves (26) while the other strips (84, 85) of each of the
strip sets extend throughout a corresponding one of the peripheral tunnels (28).
10. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 9, wherein
the shell (20) comprises ribs (21) each formed in a corresponding one of the peripheral
tunnels (28) and placed between the strips (84, 85) inserted in the corresponding
peripheral tunnel (28).
11. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 7, wherein
the lock (70) comprising a circular opening (72), and the second ring (60) comprises
an annular lip (64) inserted in the circular opening of the lock (70) to render the
lock (70) smoothly rotatable on the second ring (60).
12. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 1, wherein
the shell (20) further comprises flanges (29) for keeping the sleds (30) in the grooves
(26).
13. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 12,
further comprising elastic elements (90) for biasing the sleds (30) away from the
flanges (29).
14. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 13,
wherein each of the elastic elements (90) comprises a coil spring (92) formed on the
corresponding sled (30) and a rod (94) formed on the coil spring (92) and abutted
against the flanges (29).
15. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 12,
further comprising compression springs (96) each comprising an end abutted against
the corresponding sled (30) and another end placed against the corresponding flanges
(29).
Amended claims in accordance with Rule 137(2) EPC.
1. An apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object, the apparatus comprising
a shell (20) with a wall (22)
characterised in that
the shell (20) further comprises support portions (24) longitudinally extending on
an internal face of the wall (22) and grooves (26) separated from one another by the
support portions (24);
and the apparatus further comprises
sleds (30) each inserted in a corresponding one of the grooves (26); and roller sets
(40) each comprising rollers (42) attached to a corresponding one of the sleds (30),
wherein each of the rollers (42) comprises a tread (44) so that the treads (44) together
provide an axial tunnel (14), and a surface of the elongated object (12) is in contact
with the treads (44) of the rollers (42) when the elongated object (12) is rolled
in the axial tunnel (14) during bending or stretching of the elongated object (12).
2. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 1, wherein
the treads (44) of the rollers (42) are concave and together render the axial tunnel
(14) substantially circular in a cross-sectional view.
3. The apparatus for bending and stretching an elongated object according to claim 1,
further comprising a first ring (50) attached to an end (25) of the shell (20) and
a second ring (60) attached to another end (27) of the shell (20) to keep the sleds
(30) and the roller sets (40) in the shell (20), wherein each of the first and second
rings (50, 60) comprises a funnel-shaped portion (52, 62) in communication with the
axial tunnel (14).
4. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 3, further
comprising a cover (80) detachably connected to the shell (20) to cover the first
ring (50).
5. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 4, wherein
the cover (80) comprises strip sets each comprising at least one strip (83) extending
throughout a corresponding one of the grooves (26) and placed against a corresponding
one of the sleds (30).
6. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 5, wherein
each of the strips (83) comprises a groove (81), and each of the sleds (30) comprises
a fin (38) inserted in a corresponding one of the grooves (81).
7. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 5, further
comprising a lock (70) rotationally supported on the second ring (60) between a locking
position for locking the strips (83) of the cover (80) to the shell (20) and an unlocking
position for unlocking the strips (83) of the cover (80) relative to the shell (20).
8. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 7, wherein
each of the strips (83) comprises a recess (86), and the lock (70) comprises bosses
(74) inserted in the recesses (86) when the lock (70) is in the locking position and
movable in slits (88) between the strips (83) when the lock (70) is in the unlocking
position.
9. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 8, wherein
the shell (20) comprises peripheral tunnels (28) each made in a corresponding one
of the support portions (24), each of the strip sets comprises strips (83, 84, 85)
of various thickness, and a selected one of the strips (83) of each of the strip sets
extends throughout the grooves (26) while the other strips (84, 85) of each of the
strip sets extend throughout a corresponding one of the peripheral tunnels (28).
10. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 9, wherein
the shell (20) comprises ribs (21) each formed in a corresponding one of the peripheral
tunnels (28) and placed between the strips (84, 85) inserted in the corresponding
peripheral tunnel (28).
11. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 7, wherein
the lock (70) comprising a circular opening (72), and the second ring (60) comprises
an annular lip (64) inserted in the circular opening of the lock (70) to render the
lock (70) smoothly rotatable on the second ring (60).
12. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 1, wherein
the shell (20) further comprises flanges (29) for keeping the sleds (30) in the grooves
(26).
13. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 12,
further comprising elastic elements (90) for biasing the sleds (30) away from the
flanges (29).
14. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 13,
wherein each of the elastic elements (90) comprises a coil spring (92) formed on the
corresponding sled (30) and a rod (94) formed on the coil spring (92) and abutted
against the flanges (29).
15. The apparatus for protectively holding an elongated object according to claim 12,
further comprising compression springs (96) each comprising an end abutted against
the corresponding sled (30) and another end placed against the corresponding flanges
(29).
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only.
It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has
been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and
the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description