Electrochemical timer

Details Electrochemical timer Electrochemical timer

1998-09-03

2001-03-06

Roskoski, Bernard (Department: 2859)

Horology: time measuring systems or devices

Miscellaneous

C116S206000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06198701

ABSTRACT:

1 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1.1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrochemical devices, and, more specifically, to electrochemically-powered devices. Still more specifically, the present invention relates to electrochemically -powered timing devices. The invention has applications in the areas of time keeping and alarms.
1.2 The Related Art
Many aspects of our modem economy require managing ephemeral items. Goods such as foodstuffs have only a limited shelf-life before they become unsaleable or rancid. Substances such as blood can be placed in storage for only a relatively short time before becoming unusable. Files may contain information that is time-sensitive or hold papers that must be acted upon before the expiration of a specified period. The availability of a service or resource, such as access to the Internet or a parking stall, may be regulated or charged in terms of fixed chronological periods.
In each case noted above, there is a requirement of time management. In some cases this is performed by marking an item, e.g., with a “Sell By”, “Use By”, or “Process By” date that must be compared, usually manually, with the current date to determine availability or priority. In other cases, a meter, such as a stopwatch or countdown timer, is used to regulate charges or access. In general, however, the efforts required to manage time-sensitive items require a great deal of manual labor as some chronological indicator, such as a time stamp, must be read and compared to the current time before a determination of whether the time period in question has expired can be made.
In addition, the use of a fixed time period may be arbitrary and only crudely related to the relevant time period. For example, the rate at which foodstuffs spoil is a function of several variables, including temperature and humidity. However, present technology cannot provide freshness indicators sophisticated enough to account for such factors. Instead, a fixed period is provided for the sale of perishables even though that period may be suboptimal and lead to the needless destruction of great quantities of food.
Thus, technologies that can ease the determination of the expiration of a fixed time period have great practical utility. However, the application of current time keeping technologies such as electronic timers or alarms to the maintenance of goods sold in bulk or regulating access to services or resources is often cost prohibitive and/or cumbersome. For example, the construction of electronic devices for warning of the expiration of a time period requires various components and portable power sources that are relatively expensive to fabricate and assemble. Such devices also would likely be too bulky for the application to mass-produced goods perishables such as meat and dairy products. In addition, these devices cannot vary the rate of timing to account for external variables.
Thus, there is a need for a chronological device that is inexpensive to assemble, compact, lightweight, and provides a relatively succinct indication of the expiration of a time period. In addition, in some cases it would be preferable to provide timers that can also reflect ambient conditions such as temperature and humidity. The present invention meets these and other needs.
2 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides electrochemical timers that are compact, lightweight, inexpensive to manufacture and simple to use. More particularly, the present invention provides, in a first aspect, an electrochemical timer in which the consumption of reactive materials in an electrochemical reaction provides a visual indication of the passage of time. Thus, the present invention provides a timer in which the consumption of the energy source that powers the timer also provides the indication of the passage of time.
In one embodiment, the electrochemical timer of the present invention includes a first electrode, an electrolyte, and a second electrode. The first and second electrodes and the electrolyte are chosen such that when these components are brought into electrochemical contact, the first electrode is consumed at a predetermined rate. The electrodes and electrolyte are further configured such that the consumption of the first electrode can be monitored to provide an indication of the passage of time. In one embodiment, the passage of time is determined by viewing the consumption of the first electrode through a viewing window provided in a timer housing. A perceptible message or indicator can be provided. In one embodiment, this message or indicator appears during the consumption of the first electrode.
In a more specific embodiment of the timer of the invention, the timer includes a means for isolating the electrodes from electrochemical contact. In a still more specific embodiment, the means includes one or more containers that retain the electrolyte so that electrochemical contact between the first and second electrodes is enabled when the electrolyte is released from the container(s). In a still more specific embodiment, the containers are rupturable. In other embodiments, the timer of the invention includes a resistor. The resistor can be temperature- or pressure-sensitive.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides an indication or the increased risk of food spoilage. According to one embodiment of this aspect of the invention, a perishable foodstuff is provided in a food container. An electrochemical timer of the invention is affixed to the container. The timer is configured such that activation of the timer, e.g., by rupturing one or more electrolyte-containing capsules, causes the first electrode of the timer to be substantially consumed over the shelf-life of the foodstuff. The timer further includes a perceptible warning or indicator as the first electrode is consumed. The timer is activated to initiate the electrochemical reaction between the electrodes. Thus, the present invention provides an inexpensive, reliable, and relatively accurate means for determining the shelf-life of a perishable foodstuff.


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