Timing device

• US 9,703,264 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elegio BV
• Original Assignee: Elegio BV
• Inventors: Freijsen, Marion, Finlan, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W
• Application Number:
  US13/578,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20130010574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,342 Days
• Field of Search: 368 10, 368113, 368114, 368327, 116206
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 1/00 Apparatus which can be set and started to measure-off predetermined or adjustably-fixed time intervals without driving mechanisms, e.g. egg timers
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 1/02 by consuming prefixed quantities of materials, e.g. by burning candle
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 13/04 using electrochemical means
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0291 Labels or tickets undergoing a change under particular conditions, e.g. heat, radiation, passage of time
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0292 tamper indicating labels
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/08 composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The timing device is a lifetime monitor for indicating when the usable lifetime of a product has ended or for indicating the timing for regular usage of a product. The timing device has a timing initiator, a power supply in the form of a membrane zinc air battery and a visual or audible indicator. The timing initiator is a tear-off air blocking membrane which lets in air when the tear off film is removed. The timing device is capable of indicating a predetermined passage of time which is substantially independent of ambient temperature.

Claims

1. A timing device comprising a timer, an informative device, and a trigger and wherein the timing device is adapted for attachment to a product container;

the trigger is connected to the timer and adapted to automatically activate the timer the first time the product container is opened; and

the timer is connected to the informative device which is configured to confirm expiration of a predetermined duration of time since the product container has been opened representative of the end of useful life of the product,

and wherein the timer is a flexible zinc air battery, the flexible zinc air battery containing a selected amount of components which are exhausted at the end of the predetermined duration of time.

2. A timing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the timing device is a multi-laminar product.

3. A timing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the timer is substantially independent of ambient temperature.

4. The timing device of claim 1, wherein the trigger comprises an adhesive tab adapted to overlie and be attached to the opening junction of the product container.

5. The timing device of claim 1, wherein the trigger is attached to an air valve.

6. The timing device of claim 1, wherein the informative device includes a display which has a permanent visual message that is obscured until elapse of the predetermined duration of time.

7. The timing device of claim 1, wherein the informative device includes a display for displaying a visual message generated after expiration of the predetermined duration of time.