Patent Application
20090125684
This invention concerns a timer device and particularly such a device adapted to monitor time periods associated with foods and other substances which may have a finite time during which they are suitable for use.
Many materials such as foods and adhesives must be used within a recommended time period after opening or mixing, after which they are no longer suitable for use. Often, such materials do not undergo an obvious physical change as the period expires and this is particularly true with prepacked foods. It is therefore left to the user to remember back to the time which the material was opened, each time they come to use it. This exercise is unreliable and results in useable material being discarded prematurely or, what is worse, unusable material being used in error. With food, this presents a health risk. With adhesives, product liability risk exists should the bond strength be compromised because of extensive storage.
An object of the present invention is to provide a timer device which may be used to monitor a plurality of time periods, for example, when foodstuffs or adhesives have been opened or mixed, and where, at the expiry of such periods such materials should be discarded. Thus, users need not take the trouble to try to remember the periods during which certain products have been opened. The invention is not limited to packaged materials and their usable period from opening, since some materials have a finite useable time from manufacture or from removal from cold storage, even though they remain unopened.
According to the present invention there is provided a timer device capable of monitoring a plurality of time periods, each time period being associated with a tag having a means of identification, the device being capable of being activated in response to such means of identification start a respective time period associated with that tag so the progression of the associated time period can be determined.
The timer device may have a key pad for manual entry of a unique code as a means of identifying a selected one of such tags.
The unique code associated with at least one such tag may be an alpha/numeric code which may be entered on the key pad of the timer device.
The timer device may have a means of retrieving or setting the lengths of the respective time periods associated with the respective tags.
The time periods may be selected as a number of days.
The time periods may be selected as a number of hours.
A current elapsed period of a selected time period may be determined.
A current remaining period of a selected time period may be determined.
Each tag or at least one of such tags may be associated with the timer device such that upon activation or removal of such tag from a base location, the associated unique code is entered automatically and a respective time period is started, and wherein upon deactivation or replacement of the tag to the base location the timing is automatically stopped.
Each tag or at least one of such tags may be removably mounted on the timer device such that upon removal, the associated identification is entered automatically and a respective time period is started, and wherein upon replacement of the tag to the base location the timing is automatically stopped.
At least one such tag may be magnetically mountable upon an object to be timed.
At least one such tag may have a clip for removable attachment to an object to be timed.
At least one such tag may have means enabling adhesive attachment to an object to be timed.
The timer device may include means to display a list of currently activated time periods associated with a plurality of such tags.
The timer device may have means to actuate a visual and/or audible alarm when a respective time period has elapsed.
The alarm means may be operable to be actuated when a proportion of a respective time period has elapsed.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
a and 3b show respectively front and side views of a timer unit with a data entry key pad, and attached to upright surface.
Referring in more detail to the drawings,
a and 3b shows a timer unit 8 attached to a refrigerator door 9 or the like by means of magnets 10. The unit 8 includes a display panel 11 which, for example, may have a alpha/numeric LCD display visible from the front of the unit. A key pad 12 enables entry of data and switching of the display.
The timer unit internally comprises a microprocessor, read only memory, random access memory, power source and input/output drivers, with programming and associated circuitry to enable functionality as will be described in relation to
To describe how a timer device made in accordance with the invention may be operated, it will be assumed that a plurality of tags 1 are provided, typically some 8 or 10 in number and that the device is arranged, in its simplest form, for manual selection of the respective time periods associated with the tags.
Assuming there are six tags for use with the timer device, then it shall be possible for each tag to have an identifying number, say 1 to 6, and for each tag, the timer device must be selectable for a certain length of time which may be a number of months, weeks, days or hours.
It is therefore intended that a particular tag may be selected and placed upon the lid 2 of a food jar which has been opened. The user will have determined that the contents of the jar will remain useable for a period of time, say ten days. Therefore the user will select a period of ten days by operating ‘plus’ and ‘minus’ keys on the key pad 12 against that particular tag code. Thus the timer will start timing that 10-day period. The user may, at any time during that period, press the code key for the associated tag and determine the elapsed time and/or the time remaining until the product becomes unusable.
When a number of such tags are in use and a corresponding number of time periods are running, it shall be possible to select a list of such periods on the display so that the user can access that information at any time in order, perhaps, to use up food products most economically. Thus, at the press of a specific key a list of all tag numbers that are in use with their corresponding times of opening, expiry time and time left before expiry, may be displayed. The list is preferably in ascending order of time left before expiry to help the user plan meals to minimise waste of material.
The timer may be operated such that when a predetermined proportion of a selected period has elapsed, or when there is a predetermined proportion thereof remaining, an alarm will sound or a visual warning will be displayed to indicate that that particular food or material with the corresponding tag number must be used within a certain final period such as a day or a number of hours. Again, this will help the user to reduce wastage. The same, or a different, audible or visual alarm may sound or be displayed at the end of the selected period.
All of these options may be made available by appropriate selection of modes provided by the microprocessor and user keys.
The current date or time may also be displayed as an additional convenience.
Preferably, the tags and the timer unit, or at least a facia thereon, may be washable and preferably are dishwasher proof.
Referring now to
Time elapsed within the system is recorded as
t
s
=t
c
−t
o where
ts=time since opening
tc=current date and time
to=date and time of opening
The period remaining is calculated as
t
1
=t
o
−t
c
+t
e where
t1=time left before expiry
to=date and time of opening
tc=current date and time
te=expiry time
It is not intended to limit the invention to the above examples only. For example, the tag number or identifying code of a particular tag can be entered in a number of different ways such as a radio link between each tag and the timer unit using low data rate, short range RF identification transmitters in the tags and an antenna and receiver in the timer unit.
Alternatively, an electrical or magnetic switching connection between the tags and the timer unit may be provided such that by removing a tag from a predetermined contact position on the housing a switch is actuated to cause entry of the associated tag number and to start the timer. Returning the tag to the housing would again actuate the switch to end the timing process and erase the relative data from the memory.
If required, the tags may be disposable and provided in the form of stickers to be applied to a product container where the stickers bear a number or other identifying code which can be entered on the timer when placed on a product. In this example, the user must take care not to use tags bearing the same code, simultaneously. This can be avoided using combined alpha/numeric codes and/or other identifying features such as colours or shapes.
The tags may be physically associated with the timer device either being mounted on the housing itself, switchable or unswitchable, or by mounting magnetically on, for example, a refrigerator door, next to or adjacent the timer unit.
While the timer device is perhaps most useful in a domestic environment for providing information concerning the remaining period of usefulness of an opened food product, nevertheless it can also be used commercially, or in laboratories, where perishable products such adhesives or other chemical substances are used.
Still further, the device may be used for other tagging purposes such as the time elapsed since an object or person has commenced a particular operation, or departed from a particular location.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0421009.2 | Sep 2004 | GB | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/GB05/03280 | 8/22/2005 | WO | 00 | 3/21/2007 |
