Patent Publication Number: US-6698285-B1

Title: Measurement device for absorbent/adsorbent objects

Description:
CLAIMED PRIORITY 
     The present patent application relies on the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/184,917, filing date of Feb. 25, 2000. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an instrument to measure the quantity of liquid obtained in a novel adsorbent/absorbent material used in association with packaging systems and/or a cleaning pad for industrial and medical applications. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Prior attempts to control leaking materials have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,600 (Inventors: Cullen et al.). Cullen et al. disclose a packet for absorbing and immobilizing a liquid. The packet looks like a sugar packet (See FIG. 3 of the ′600 patent) by having an outer layer and inner contents. When the packet is to be used, it is inserted within an outer container, like a Federal Express package. In most instances, the packet falls to the bottom edge, in particular a corner, of the outer container. See Col. 2, lines 46 of the ′600 patent. Along with the packet, an inner container of a liquid, like a test-tube of blood (See FIG. 5 of the ′600 patent) is inserted into the outer container. According to the ′600 patent, the bottom edge of the inner container should contact the packet. Thus, when the blood spills from the inner container, the blood may contact the packet. 
     If the blood contacts the packet, the blood dissolves the outer layer. The packet has an inner layer of polyvinyl acetate and an outer layer of starch paper or any other liquid-degradable material. The polyvinyl acetate has to be the inner layer in order for the packet to be formed. See col 2, lines 9-11 of the ′600 patent. 
     When the outer layer dissolves, the inner contents are released and form a gel-like substance by absorbing the blood. The inner content is sodium polyacrylate having the formula (C3H3O2Na)n. It is obtainable under the trademark WATER LOCK J-550 from Grain Processing Corporation. 
     A problem with the Cullen et al. attempt to. immobilize a liquid, is that the packet is so small that it is possible that the liquid may never contact the packet. For example, if the packet is located at the bottom of the outer container, as Cullen et al. suggest, and the liquid leaks to the top of the outer container, the packet will never immobilize the liquid since the liquid never contacts the packet. Thereby, the liquid spills from the outer container and provides little protection to the handler of the package. These results could be extremely deleterious to the handler. For example, if the liquid is HIV contaminated and that liquid contacts a cut on the handler, that handler could become infected. This problem is solved by the present invention. 
     A closer reference is U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,087, assigned to Technicor, Inc. -the owner of this application. In the ′087 patent, the invention “relates to a packaging container designed to transport an inner container containing a liquid. The packaging container has at least one sealing multi-layer comprising a first water soluble film and an absorbent material. The inner layer of the packaging container is the water-soluble film that forms the boundary between the cavity that hold the inner container and the packaging container. When the liquid leaks from the inner container while in the packaging container, the liquid dissolves the water-soluble film. When the film is dissolved, the absorbent material is released to absorb and immobilize the liquid material. This immobilization prevents the liquid from escaping from the packaging container.” Abstract of the Invention. The present invention discloses another embodiment of that invention which was not fully disclosed in the ′087 patent. 
     A problem with these systems was that it was difficult, if not impossible, to determine the amount of liquid that was obtained from the pad or container. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device for measuring the amount of liquid absorbed and/or adsorbed by a packaging unit, or cleaning pad, which is designed to absorb and/or adsorb liquid that is being transported and was spilled or released. The packaging unit or pad has at least one sealing multi-layer comprising a first water soluble film and an absorbent material or an adsorbent material (hereinafter referred to as “absorbent/adsorbent material”). When the liquid contacts the water soluble film, the liquid passes through the water-soluble film. When the liquid contacts the absorbent/adsorbent material, the absorbent/adsorbent material immobilizes the liquid material. This immobilization prevents the liquid from escaping from the absorbent/adsorbent material. The pad/packaging unit is then measured by the instant device to determine the amount of liquid obtained. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of packaging containers. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line  2 — 2 . 
     FIGS. 3 to  18  are alternative embodiments of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 18 a  is an exploded view of FIG. 18 of element  150 . 
     FIGS. 19 a  and  19   b  show alternative structures of the absorbent/adsorbent material  16  and alternative uses thereof. 
     FIG. 20 is a scale for the present invention. 
     FIG. 21 is a shipping container for FIGS. 1-17 and other articles thereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,087, which is commonly assigned, is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     One version of the packaging container  10  for adsorbing/adsorbing and immobilizing a liquid (not shown) is shown at FIG.  1 . In this. embodiment, the container  10  is within a roll  9  with a plurality of other containers  10 . Each container  10  includes a multi-layer film wherein the outer layer  12  is shown. The outer layer  12  is any suitable material such as paper, cardboard, wood, or plastic, but preferably a water-insoluble material. Examples of some water-insoluble materials that can be used for the outer layer  12  include thermoplastic resin films, laminated films prepared from two or more thermoplastic resin films, and laminated films prepared from a thermoplastic resin film and paper, metallic foil, woven fabric or unwoven fabric. Preferable thermoplastic resins include polymers and copolymers of olefins, such as ethylene, propylene, butene, pentene, hexene, and the like; polymers and copolymers of vinyl compounds such as vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, vinylacetate, vinyl alcohol, acrylic ester, methacrylic ester, acrylonitrile, styrene and the like, polymers of diolefins such as butadiene, isoprene, and the like; copolymers of the above-mentioned olefins, or vinyl compounds; polyamides; and polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate and the like. 
     The container  10  has at least two sides - a top side  42  and a bottom side  44 . The bottom side  44  is either the same length as the top side  42 , as shown in FIG. 1, or longer than the top side  42 , as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, so the bottom side  44  has a flap  40 . The flap  40  is designed to fold over onto a portion of the top side  42 , as shown in FIG.  15 . In contrast, when the bottom side  44  is the same length as the top side  42 , the bottom side  44  connects to the top side  42  as shown in FIG.  17 . 
     In either embodiment, the inner layer  41  of the flap  40  contacts the top side  42  by various conventional methods. One method, which is shown in FIGS. 2-9, uses a conventional sealant material  90 . Such a sealant material  90  includes polyvinyl acetate, ethylvinyl acetate or glue. These sealant materials  90  can be film-like as shown in FIG. 2 or a dot matric coating as shown in FIG.  3 . In any case, these sealant materials  90  adhere to the top side  42  and/or underside  43  of the top side  42  by conventional sealing processes, such as crimping, adhesive, pressure sealing, or heat sealing to ensure the package  10  is tamper resistant and impact resistant. 
     Alternatively, the material need not have an adhesive  90  thereon if the material will be crimped, as shown in FIGS. 10-11. 
     Another method to seal the package container  10 , and make it tamper resistant and impact resistant, is merely heat sealing or pressure sealing the edges of the package  10  together with the tab  40  as shown in FIGS. 14-15, or without a tab  40  as shown in FIGS. 16-17. 
     Reverting to FIG. 1, the packaging container  10  is used to transport liquids or gelatin materials, hereinafter liquid material (not shown), from one place to another. The liquid material (not shown) can be a biological, a radioactive, a pesticide, and/or a chemical agent. 
     A vial  30  contains the liquid (not shown). The vial  30  is any type of container that can securely hold the liquid material (not shown) and fit within the container  10 . The vial  30  can be a rigid material such as glass, metallic, ceramic, plastic or the like, or a flexible material like a conventional flexible plastic material. The vial  30  should be sealable for transportation purposes. An example of the seal includes a cap  36  which holds the liquid (not shown) sealed within the vial  30 . Sometimes, the liquid (not shown) leaks from the vial  30 . When this occurs, the inner layer of the container  10  controls the leaking. 
     Turning to FIG. 2, the container  10  has the outer layer  12 , a cavity  50  to hold the vial  30 , an absorbent/adsorbent material  16 , and a first layer of a water-permeable material  14 . The layers  12  and  14  are superimposed upon each other and seal together at the peripheral edges  66  of the container  10 . At the peripheral edges  66 , the layers  12 ,  14  are sealed together by conventional methods, such as heat sealing, pressure sealing, crimping, and/or adhesive. Between layers  12 ,  14  is the absorbent/adsorbent material  16 . The absorbent/adsorbent material  16  is contained within the two layers  12 ,  14  until the liquid permeates through the first layer  14 , which can dissolve or allow a liquid to penetrate therethrough. 
     The first layer  14  is any conventional water permeable material, such as starch paper, polyvinyl acetate, water-soluble synthetic polymer films, water soluble semisynthetic polymer films, and water-soluble natural polymers. Examples of water soluble synthetic polymer films include partially saponified polyvinyl alcohol, polyethers, such as polyethylene oxide and the like, polyvinylpyrrolidone, ethylenically unsaturated acids, such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, and polymers formed from their salts thereof. 
     Examples of water soluble semisynthetic polymer films include cellulose derivatives, such as carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and starch derivatives such as cyclodextrin. As for the water-soluble natural polymers, those include carrageena, starch, gelatin, and chitin. 
     Layer  14  can also be conventional non-woven and/or woven materials of plastic, natural products, namely, wool or cotton, or synthetic materials. In this embodiment, the layer  14  retains the position of the absorbent/adsorbent material  16  and allows liquid (not shown) to penetrate through it. 
     In any case, liquid (not shown) passes through layer  14  when liquid (not shown) contacts it. The absorbent/adsorbent material  16  is then released. When released, the material  16  absorbs and/or immobilizes large volumes of aqueous solutions including dilute alkalis, dilute acids and body fluids. The material is, in some samples, sodium polyacrylate having the formula (C3H3O2Na)n and variations thereof. It is obtainable under the trademark WATER LOCK J-550 from Grain Processing Corporation Other similar material  16  can used from Gelock, Inc. of Ohio. 
     In some instances, it is desirable to add a conventional nullifying agent  18 , such as a biocide or equivalent thereof, to nullify a specific undesirable quality of the liquid (not shown). In some instances,. it is desirable to mix the absorbent/adsorbent material  16  and nullifying agent  18  together as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a second water permeable material  20  is located between the first layer  14  and the outer layer  12 . The second layer  20  is selected from the same group of materials as the first layer  14 . Moreover, the first layer  14  superimposes upon the second layer  20 .and the outer layer  12 , wherein each layer  12 ,  14 ,  20  seals together at the peripheral edges  66 . As shown in FIG. 4, the absorbent/adsorbent material  16  and nullifying agent  18  are mixed together between the first and second layers  14 ,  20 . 
     To ensure safe transport of the liquid (not shown), sometimes it is advisable to separate the two materials  16 ,  18 . In FIG. 5, the nullifying agent  18  is between the first layer  14  and the second layer  16  while the absorbent/adsorbent material  16  is between the second layer  16  and the outer layer  12 . In contrast, FIG. 6 shows the opposite configuration of FIG.  5 . 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a variation of FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively. The only difference between these figures is that FIGS. 7 and 8 both illustrate a third water permeable material  22 . The third layer  22  is selected from the same group of materials as the first layer  14 . Moreover, the first layer  14  superimposes upon the second layer  20 , third layer  22 , and outer layer  12 , wherein each interior layer  12 ,  14 ,  22 ,  20  seals together at the peripheral edges  66 . 
     Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG.  9 . FIG. 9 illustrates FIG. 4 without the water insoluble layer  12 . Obviously, as indicated by FIG. 9, alternative embodiments of the present invention also include those embodiments shown in FIGS. 4-8 without the water insoluble layer  22 . 
     Likewise, FIGS. 10 and 11 respectively illustrate embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 9 without any sealing material  90 . These embodiments can be sealed, for example by crimping or heat sealing. Obviously, as indicated by FIGS. 10 and 11, alternative embodiments of the present invention also include those embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3-8. 
     Turning to FIG. 1, packages  10  can be removed from roll  9  in sets, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, or individually, as shown in FIG. 9, along perforations  70 . Thereby, the user can select the desired number of packages  10  to be transported. 
     Turning to FIGS. 13 and 16, vials  30  are inserted into cavity  50 , preferably within an air pocket therein to provide further protection. The air pocket can be incorporated within cavity  50  by normal insertion of the vial into the cavity  50 , or by a conventional blower  801 . The blower pumps air into the cavity  50  to form the air pocket. The air pocket forms within the cavity  50  only after the package  10  is sealed as shown in FIG.  17 . 
     Turning to FIG. 1, alternatively, the package  10  and/or vial  30  can have a security feature  80 . The security feature  80  can be a bar code system or illustrate the fingerprint, handprint, or thumbprint of the person who supplied the liquid (not shown) and/or who obtained the liquid (not shown). Preferably, the security feature  80  is positioned oh the outer layer,  12 ,  22 , or  20  of the. package  10 , on the vial  30 , or both. 
     The security feature  80  can also be an identification feature, which identifies the type of test to be conducted on the liquid (not shown); and/or identifies who supplied the liquid (not shown) or where the liquid (not shown) came from. 
     Another alternative to the identification system can be a color code system. A particular color on the outer layer  12 ,  22 ,  20  of the package  10 , the vial,  30 , or both which identifies which test should be conducted on the liquid (not shown). The color can cover the entire outer layer  12 ,  22 ,  20 , the vial  30 , or both or just a portion thereof. 
     In case the absorbent/adsorbent material  16  is activated and absorbs/adsorbs the liquid (not shown), the liquid (not shown) can be extracted from the absorbent/adsorbent material  16 , and the nullifying agent  18 . The extraction can be accomplished by conventional biological processes, for example, osmosis, chemical processes, or mechanical processes, i.e., centrifugation. Thereby, the liquid (not shown) can be analyzed whether the vial  30  is broken or not. 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention shown at FIG. 13, the package container  10  can be divided into having at least two cavities  50 ,  50   a  to hold two vials  30 ,  30   a . The container  10  is divided, not always equally, along edge  34  and/or perforations  70 . Edge  34  is formed in the same manner as the various layers of container  10  are joined at peripheral edge  66 . 
     The present invention  10  ensures that if for any reason liquid (not shown) leaks from vial  30 ,  30   a  the liquid (not shown) will permeate, and dissolve in some instances, at least a portion of the first layer  14  and contact the absorbent/adsorbent material  16  and/or nullifying agent  18  that completely surrounds the vial  30 ,  30   a . And once the liquid passes through the first layer  14 , the enclosed agent, either  16  and/or  18 , will nullify and/or absorb/adsorb the liquid (not shown). Thereby, the handler of the packaging container  10  will know that no liquid (not shown) should accidentally leak from it. 
     Alternative embodiments of the packaging system  10  are shown in the following embodiments thereof. 
     FIGS. 18 and 18 a  show a packaging system  10  having at least one lid  160  and a packaging container  150  with at least one exterior side  151 . The packaging container  150  has a first layer of a water permeable material  14  and a first water impermeable material  12 . The inner layer of the packaging container  150  is the first water permeable material  14  and the outer layer of the packaging container is the first water impermeable material  12 . The first water permeable material  14  and the first water impermeable material  12  are sealed together at the peripheral edges  170  of the exterior side  151 . A first absorbent/adsorbent material  16  is positioned between the first water permeable material  14  and first water impermeable material  12  and absorbs/adsorbs, depending on the material used therein, and immobilizes any liquid material that leaks from a vial (not shown) that is transported within the container  10 . 
     The lid secures to the packaging container  150  by conventional means such as a snap lid as shown in FIG. 18, or a screw lid, an indent lid, and an overlay lid (along with an indent lid). 
     Between the lid  160  and the packaging container  150  is a second absorbent/adsorbent material  16   a  (same or different material than element  16 ) positioned between a second water permeable material  14   a  (same or different material than element  14 ) and a second water impermeable material  12   a  (same or different material than element  12 ) that absorbs/adsorbs and immobilizes the liquid material that leaks from a vial (not shown). 
     In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 18, the second water impermeable material  12   a  and the second water permeable material  14   a  are sealed together with the absorbent/adsorbent material  16   a  contained within, at the peripheral edges of the at least one lid. In yet another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 18, the second water permeable material  14   a  and a third water permeable material  14   b  are sealed together with the absorbent/adsorbent material  16   a  contained within. This embodiment is then placed between the vessel (not shown) and the lid  160 . 
     Turning to FIG. 19 a , the absorbent/adsorbent material  16 ,  16   a , and/or  16   b , is planar in relation to the outer layer  12 . 
     Turning to FIG. 19 b , the absorbent/adsorbent material  16 ,  16   a ,  16   b , can be corrugated or attached to a material which is corrugated. Obviously, the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-16 can have the absorbent/adsorbent material  16 ,  16   a ,  16   b , be corrugated in some way or manner, or planar. The shape of the absorbent/adsorbent material  16 ,  16   a ,  16   b  depends on the configuration and amount of absorbent/adsorbent material  16 ,  16   a ,  16   b  needed. For example, the corrugated style provides greater absorbency/adsorbency due to the increased surface area to collect the liquid. 
     FIG. 19 b  illustrates an absorbent/adsorbent pad  180 . The difference with this pad  180  is that it has a sealable multi-layer film having at least a first layer of a water permeable material  14  and at least one layer of a water insoluble material  12 . The water insoluble material  12  and water permeable material  14  are superimposed and bonded to each other at the peripheral edges  66  of each material. The water permeable material  14  allows a liquid to penetrate through the first layer  14  when the pad  180  is applied to a liquid material. Between each material  12 ,  14  is a corrugated absorbent/adsorbent material  16  that absorbs/adsorbs and immobilizes the liquid material. 
     An alternative embodiment of FIG. 19 b  is FIG. 19 a . This embodiment illustrates pad  180  having the same elements as FIG. 19 b  except a multi-layered absorbent/adsorbent material  16  and a second absorbent/adsorbent material  890  which is commonly used within the medical industry, i.e., cotton, is used. This multi-layered material  16 - 890 , obviously can be used in the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-17, and maximizes the absorbency/adsorbency of the liquid. The pads  180  illustrated in FIGS. 19 a  and  19   b  can be used in medical, industrial, or hygienical applications. 
     Alternatively, the pads  180  and containers  10  may have identifiers  80 , described above, and transponders  108  incorporated in and/or thereon. The transponders are conventional units used to identify the pad  180  or container  10 . The transponders  108  can also contain information about the pad  180  or container  10 , i.e., initial weight of the pad  180  or container  10 , and help locate the pad  180  or container  10  if it is lost. Such transponders  108  are conventional tools known to those skilled in the art, such as those transponders disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,658,818, 5,725,578, and 5,726,630, which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     With a transponder  108  and/or identifier  80 , the technician who receives the pad  180  or container  10  would be able to determine the weight of the liquid that the absorbent/adsorbent material  16  immobilized. The technician would place the pad  180  or container  10  having a transponder  108  and/or identifier  80  onto a scale  700 , in particular a tray  702 , as shown in FIG.  20 . The scale  700  has a conventional digital unit with a display output  704 . The scale  700  may also have an input keypad  706  to enter the information into the scale set forth in the identifier  80 . Alternatively, or in addition thereto, the scale  700  may have a conventional bar code/transponder reader  708  that would read the bar code from identifier  80  or transponder  108 . The identifier  80  and/or transponder  108  may contain information such as the tare weight of the pad  180  or container  10 . This information is entered into the scale  700  by means of the keypad  706  or bar code/transponder reader  708 . By measuring the total weight of the pad  180  or container  10 , and taking into account the tare weight, the amount of liquid contained in the pad  180  or container  10  would be known. 
     This information would assist industrial and medical technicians in knowing how much liquid has spilled from the vial  30 ,  30   a , for example, into the container  10 . 
     Turning to FIG. 21, a shipping container  900  is shown. The container  900  has a top section  902  hinged to a bottom section  904 . The bottom section  904  has a plurality of slots  910  that receive pad  180  or container  10  or any other instrument having a bar code identifier  80  thereon (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Material  999 ”). Each slot  910  is staggered from the other slot  910  so the bar code identifier  80  of each Material  999  within the slots  910  is visible. The top section  902  has a corresponding structure to receive the Material  999 . Alternatively, the container  900  can have storage compartments  930  to store documents or other instruments thereof. 
     When a technician receives the container  900 , the technician opens the container  900  and can read each bar code identifier  80  of Material  999  with a conventional bar code reader (not shown) without removing the Material  999  from the container  900 . 
     With this embodiment, the technician will avoid unnecessary contact with the Material  999 . Thereby, whatever is contained within the Material  999  has a less chance of being contaminated or damaged by a technician. 
     While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, it will be appreciated that it is not limited thereto but may be otherwise embodied with the scope of the following claims.