The "series" prefix of the Application Serial Number is not printed on the patent, so that the given application number is ambiguous without the filing date printed below it. Each series of patent applications spans a number of years, and most of the same application numbers (up to six digits) will appear in each series. For example, the series in effect at the time of filing the application for this patent was series 8, so that its identifying Application Serial Number is 08/073,096. However, the serial number that appears on this patent -- 73,096 -- also appears (so far) on three other utility patents -- 2 earlier in series 7 and 6, and one later in series 9 -- and on a design patent (series 29) for a "Lacrosse elbow pad."