public function flatten($array, $return = array())
	{
		//loop through the multi-dimensional array flattening the array value
		foreach ($array as $key => $value) 
		{
			//flatten is array element is a value or element
			if( is_array($value) || is_object($value))
			{
				//return 
				$return = self::flatten($value, $return);

			}
			else
			{
				$return[] = $value;

			}

		}

		//set the value of the $outputElement
		$this->outputElement = $return;

		//return this self same class
		return $this;

	}