Patent Publication Number: US-7581293-B1

Title: Gel liners

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
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   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
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   REFERENCE TO APPENDIX 
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   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to a casket liner, and more specifically relates to a casket liner wherein any fluid absorbed by said liner is transformed into a gel. 
   B. Discussion of the Prior Art 
   The Laphan et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,550) discloses a method of constructing a liquid impervious casket liner. However, the casket liner of the Laphan Patent is directed to preventing the introduction of liquids into the casket from outside, as opposed to a casket liner that absorbs liquids derived from within the casket, and converting said absorbed liquid into a gel. 
   The Rojdev Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,464) discloses a liquid retaining system for a casket shell. However, the liquid retaining system of the Rojdev Patent does not transform absorbed liquids into a gel. 
   The Davidian Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,581) discloses a metal casket having an impervious plastisol liner. However, the plastisol liner of the Davidian Patent is designed to coat the metal surface of the casket in order to prevent corrosion of the interior surface of the casket associated with organic acids whereas the present invention seeks to absorb liquids that accumulate from within the casket, and to transform said liquids into a gel. 
   The Wolfe Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,367) discloses another liner tray for a casket. However, the liner tray of the Wolfe Patent consists of a non-corrosive liner that simply collects the organic acids of the deceased and prevents said organic acids from corroding the surface of the casket, as opposed to a liner that absorbs the organic acids and transforms them into a gel. 
   The Davidian Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,043) discloses a method of preventing corrosion in a casket in which the casket is coated with a composition comprising sodium bicarbonate. However, the coating of the Davidian Patent is designed to prevent the corrosion of a casket, but it does not transform the accumulated liquids into a gel nor does it contain an adhesive backing. 
   The Rankin et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 313,526) illustrates a design for an infant seat liner, which is not directed to a casket nor discloses a means of transforming accumulated liquids into a gel. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is a casket liner comprising a top layer, a middle layer, and a bottom layer containing a plurality of adhesive strips along the bottom surface of the bottom layer. The top layer consists of a dry weave. The middle layer contains the reacting chemicals. The invention includes flaps along the perimeter, each of which contains the same three layers mentioned above. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention: 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a top, isometric rendering of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a bottom, isometric rendering of the invention; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the invention along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a top view of the invention in use with a deceased individual. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
   Detailed reference will now be made to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 . A casket liner  10  (hereinafter invention) consists of a dry weave top layer  11 , a middle layer  12 , and a bottom layer  13 . The top layer  11  is made of an absorbent material comprising polyester, cotton, or paper. 
   The middle layer  12  contains a poly (sodium acrylate) homopolymer or sodium salt containing polyacrylic acid. The middle layer has a plurality of flaps  14  along the perimeter of the invention  10 . The flaps  14  are designed to expand coverage to the bottom portion of each side of a casket  30 . The middle layer  12  is composed of a porous fabric comprising polyester, cotton, or paper. 
   The poly (sodium acrylate) homopolymer or sodium salt containing polyacrylic acid of the middle layer  12  is designed to interact with fluids that are associated with a decomposing human body that may or may not contain an embalming fluid, such as formaldehyde. The use of formaldehyde as an embalming fluid generates a formic acid that is corrosive to the interior surface of the casket. More importantly, the use of formaldehyde along with other embalming fluids may contaminate the surrounding soil. In addition to formaldehyde, the decomposition of a human body generates organic acids that are also corrosive when they contact the side of the casket. The invention  10  seeks to overcome the corrosive effects of formic and organic acids, by using the middle layer  12 , which will absorb and transform the organic or formic acids into a gel (not depicted). The resulting gel will be contained within the middle layer  12 . 
   The top surface of the middle layer  12  is attached to the bottom surface of the top layer  11  by an attaching means comprising adhesive or sewing. 
   The bottom layer  13  contains a plurality of adhesive strips  15 . The adhesive strips  15  are designed to hold the invention  10  in a stationary position with respect to the bottom and sides of the casket  30 . The bottom layer  13  is composed of a non-pourous material comprising a durable plastic, cotton, paper, wood, metal, or rubber. 
   The top surface of the bottom layer  13  is attached to the bottom surface of the middle layer  12  by an attaching means comprising adhesive or sewing. 
   The adhesive strips  15  would come prepackaged with a removable strip  16  that would prevent premature exposure of the adhesives contained on the adhesive strips  15 . 
   The invention  10  would have an overall length of roughly 25 to 100 inches, and a range of width of 10 to 60 inches. 
   It shall be noted that those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the various embodiments of the present invention which will result in an improved invention, yet all of which will fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.