Theft alarm activating absorbent pad

• US 5,428,346 A
• Filed: 05/28/1993
• Issued: 06/27/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sealed Air Corporation (Sealed Air)
• Original Assignee: Sealed Air Corporation (Sealed Air)
• Inventors: Franklin, Boyd M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US08/069,120
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572, 340/551, 340/693, 206/204, 239/56, 312/31
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2211/00 Anti-theft means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/264 for absorbing liquids

Abstract

An absorbent pad comprising an upper layer of liquid impervious material, a lower layer through which liquid penetrates, an intermediate absorbent layer encapsulated between the upper and lower layers and a theft alarm activator encapsulated between the upper layer and a liquid impervious cover layer sealed to said upper layer.

Claims

1. An alarm activating absorbent pad for inhibiting theft of a product package in which such pad is used, said pad comprising

an upper layer, at least a portion of which is formed of liquid impervious material,

a lower layer, at least a portion of which is formed of liquid permeable material,

an intermediate layer of absorbent material for absorbing liquid therein,

said upper and lower layers being secured together at least partially around their periphery outwardly of said intermediate layer,

means for triggering a theft alarm system positioned adjacent to said liquid impervious portion of said upper layer, and

a liquid impervious layer covering said theft alarm triggering means and the periphery of said covering layer being sealed to said upper layer to confine said theft alarm activating means between said upper layer and said covering layer,

whereby said absorbent pad is adapted to be placed in a product package to absorb liquid while inhibiting theft of the product package.

2. An absorbent pad according to claim 1 wherein said upper layer is formed entirely of a liquid impervious material.

3. An absorbent pad according to claim 1 wherein said lower layer is formed of a liquid impervious material and has a plurality of perforations therein through which liquid penetrates.

4. An absorbent pad according to claim 1 wherein said lower layer is formed of wet strength tissue paper.

5. An absorbent pad according to claim 1 wherein said theft alarm triggering means comprises a thin strip formed of material responsive to an induced electrical or flux field.

6. An absorbent pad according to claim 5 wherein said theft alarm triggering strip and said covering layer are mounted on the outside surface of said upper layer.

7. An absorbent pad according to claim 5 wherein said theft alarm triggering strip and said covering layer are mounted on the inside surface of said upper layer.

8. An absorbent pad according to claim 5 wherein said theft alarm triggering strip comprises a thin flat strip of magnetic material.

9. An absorbent pad according to claim 5 wherein said theft alarm triggering strip comprises a wire of magnetic material of predetermined length.