GB2463096A

GB2463096A - Elasped time indication means

Info

Publication number: GB2463096A
Application number: GB0816002A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jason Brown
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-09-03
Filing date: 2008-09-03
Publication date: 2010-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 2028-09-03
Also published as: GB0816002D0; GB2463096B

Abstract

An elapsed time indication means for a perishable product is activated on opening the packaging of the product. After a predetermined safety time limit the indication means changes to a second state to indicate that the time has elapsed. The means may take the form of a liquid in a tube, which evaporates over the given time by capillary action (fig. 1). The means may be a digital electronic device with an alarm. The means change colour over time.

Description

I

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to health and safety and is more particularly concerned with health and safety in regard to consumable products such as food anddrink.

Many products have packaging labelled with date information, indicating the lifr of a product during which it may be safely consumed. In addition to such an expiry date being provided on a particular packaging for a product, often there is use by' date information provided stating that, once the packaging of the product has been opened or product access seal broken, the product should be consumed within a set time limit, in order to safely avoid a health issue. hi addition, storage conditions may be advised for the product (such as refrigeration) in order for the set time limit to apply after openingfbreaking a seal. Thus, for example, information may have been provided on a carton of orange juice that it needs to be consumed after 3 days of opening (in refrigerated conditions) in order to avoid the possibility of any health problem arising due to consumption after that date.

However, it tends to be disadvantageous that the consumer may not always remember the exact date and time on which the product packaging was opened (or access seal broken) and thus may not be able to reliably determine whether or not a product can be consumed safely within the advised safety, set time limit or not. Clearly, this could lead to the consumer discarding the product prematurely in fear of consuming an unsafe or contaminated product and, more importantly, could lead to a miscalculation on the part of the consumer, so that the consumer may eat or drink the product in the belief that the set time limit has not already expired. Thus, the product is consumed unsafely after the lapsing of the set time limit with consequential risk to health.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned problem is much more acute in the catering trade, for example, in restaurants where it is even more important to ensure that fresh or uncontaminated food and drink is served to customers. It is possible that thousands of pounds worth of consumable products may be wasted or thrown away prematurely by the catering trade. To serve food and drink where there is a risk of food poisoning should pose an unacceptable risk to such a business and thus could lead to an unnecessarily over-cautious practice with regard to opened food/drink packaging.

Clearly, where food outlets such as restaurants are not as cautious as they should be there would seem to be a tendency that more people may be served contaminated food and drink than need be the case if lapse of the set limit could be reliably determined.

It is believed that is should be possible to provide a more reliable indication to the consumer of whether a product is safe to consume or not within a set time limit after the product packaging has been opened or product access seal broken.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to at least alleviate one or more of the aforementioned or other disadvantages associated with the safe consumption of a conswnable product.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus comprising elapsed time indication means adapted for a perishable or degradable consumer product, the arrangement being such that, in use of the elapsed time indication means on or in relation to the consumable product, on opening of packaging of the consumer product or accessing of the consumable product, the elapsed time indication means is activated to a first indication state indicating that the product has been accessed or packaging opened and, after a pre-determined safety time limit for safe consumption of the product has elapsed, the time indication means occupies a second state indicating that said safety time limit has elapsed.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a consumable product contained in packaging (or packaging for a consumable product), said packaging including an elapsed time indication means as related in the immediately preceding paragraph.

In one embodiment, in use, on opening of the packaging or accessing the consumable product, the elapsed time indication is automatically activated, or a seal broken allowing the elapsed time indication means to be activated by hand e.g. by removing or pulling a tab means of the elapsed time indication means.

It is possible that the elapsed time indication means will occupy one or more states in between the first and second indication states during the passage of time, which further state or states may be time correlated to indicate the length of time left for the safety time limit to lapse. In this way it should be possible to monitor the amount of time the packaging has been opened or product accessed up to lapse of the set time limit. A graduated scale or measured time indicator may be used for such monitoring and the scale/indicator may be analogue or digital.

The elapsed time indication means may be of any suitable format and may be a separate item that can be attached to any chosen or selected packaging as needed or may be already attached to or be an integral part of product packaging. Where the elapsed time indication means is separate to the packaging it may be self-adhesive to render it readily attachable to the packaging or may be readily attachable by any other means (such a tie or cord means).

In one embodiment, the elapsed time indication means includes a fluid medium that evaporates at a steady, known rate over time, when exposed to air. Thus, in the first indication state the fluid medium may be present and occupying a known volume and in the second indication state the fluid medium may have evaporated completely or to a known (graduated) level.

The elapsed time indication means may include a tubular member (preferably in the form of a narrow straw) containing the fluid medium and the fluid may be contained therein by capillary action (or by gravity) and, in use, one or both ends of the tube may be opened in order to allow the fluid to evaporate.

The elapsed time indication means may be positioned on packaging so that the fluid medium is automatically exposed to air as the packaging is opened or seal broken to access the product inside or a tab may be exposed which can be openited by hand to expose the fluid medium to air.

Alternatively or additionally, elapsed time indication means may be provided in the form of time/clock display means which may be conveniently a digital display activated (possibly automatically) on opening of product packaging. The time display may be arranged to count down backwards from a pre-set (or variable pre-setlable) time display.

The elapsed time indication means may comprise or include a light that changes state (first indication state to second indication state) on lapsing of the pre-.determined safety time limit (e.g. from steady to flashing or from steady on to off or vice verse).

The elapsed time indication means may comprise or include an audible alarm means that sounds after the pre-set time limit has elapsed in order to cater in particular for the visually impaired consumer.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a kit of parts including a plurality of elapsed time indication means adapted for a perishable or degradable consumer product, said plurality of elapsed time indication means including indicators pre..set (or presetable -. preferably variably) to different values of elapsed time (e.g. preset to indicate when 2 days have elapsed or when 3 days have elapsed) from opening of product packaging or accessing of the consumable product.

The kit may include time indicators of different types (for example fluid medium contained in a tube and/or a digital time display).

Preferably, the indicators may be attachable to packaging by self-adhesive means and each indicator may include a removable backing over an adhesive layer.

A plurality of elapsed time indicators of the same or different type maybe utilised with the packaging of a product to provide a back-up indication of when the safety time limit has lapsed in the event of failure of the first elapsed time indication means, for any reason.

Still further according to the present invention there is provided elapsed time indication means being adapted for use with a product that degrades or perishes after opening, said indications means having one or more of the following features:- 1) a tube with fluid that evaporates at a known rate or changes state (e.g. colour), possibly graduated to indicate when a particular time limit or limits (e.g. 1 day) has/have elapsed up to the safety time limit, 2) A warning signal triggerabie after a known time limit has elapsed, 3) Time correlated means indicating during the passage of time the amount of time left to lapsing of the safety time limit, 4) A time (digital) display that may be activated on opening of product packaging, 5) Any feature or combinations of features as herein described.

Still further according to the present invention there is provided a method of determining when a pre-determined safety time limit for consumption of a consumable product has elapsed, said method comprising indicating when a product has been accessed or product packaging opened and automatically indicating when the predetermined time limit has elapsed.

Many advantages of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings.

Embodiments of apparatus comprising elapsed time indication means for a consumable product, in accordance with the present invention, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following, much simplified, diagrammatic, FIGURES of the drawings, in which:-FIGURE 1 shows a first embodiment of elapsed time indication means in actual and enlarged size; FIGURE 2 shows a second embodiment of elapsed time indication means in actual and enlarged size; FIGURE 3 shows an enlarged detail of the elapsed time indication means shown in FIGURE 1 or FIGURE 2; FIGURES 4a and 4b shows plan and front elevational views of a third embodiment of elapsed time indication means, FIGURE 5 shows a cut-away perspective view of an elapsed time indication means in the general form as shown in FIGURE 1 or FIGURE 2 applied to packaging in the form ofajar; FIGURES 6a, 6b shows a cut-away perspective side an plan views of an elapsed time indication means in the general form as shown in FiGURE 1 or FIGURE 2 applied to packaging in the form of a drinks carton; FIGURES 7a and Th show a cut-away perspective side an plan views of a fourth embodiment of elapsed time indication means applied to packing in the form of a drinks carton; FIGURE 8a, 8b show a cut-away perspective side and plan views of a fifth embodiment of elapsed time indication means applied to packing in the form of a drinks carton; FIGURES 9a, 9b show a cut-away perspective side and plan views of the fourth embodiment of elapsed time indication means applied to packing in the form of ajar.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, elapsed time indication means I consists of a narrow tubular member 2 containing a fluid medium 3 filled up to level 3a. The tube I is of 50mm in length with an external diameter of 1mm and internal diameter of 0.5 mm. The tube 2 is sealed at each end 2a, 2b and provided with an adhesive coating 4 along one side covered by and adhesive backing strips. The upper end 2a is provided with a removable tab T which may be pulled down to break open the upper seal of the tube 2 and expose the fluid medium 3 to the ambient air. The fluid medium 3 may be any convenient tlwd (such as alcohol or an alcohol based medium) which evaporates at a regular and generally predetermined rate. The elapsed time indication means I is shown in actual size on the left of FIGURE 1 and to an enlarged scale (for ease of illustration) to the right of FIGURE 1.

The fluid medium 3 will be retained in the tube 2 due to capillary action (although in an alternative embodiment the fluid may alternatively be retained by other means such as gravity) so that the contents should not spill if the tube is positioned in an upside-down or inverted orientation. It is to be appreciated that, whilst the fluid contents should not spill they will still be liable to evaporation.

Thus, the elapsed time indication means I can be activated to a first indication state when the tab T is pulled down to break the seal at the upper end 2a of the tube 2 to expose the fluid medium to atmosphere. After a pre-determined set time limit the fluid medium 3 will have evaporated completely or by a set amount so that the elapsed time indication means occupies a second state indicating lapsing of said set time limit.

A second embodiment of the elapsed time indication means 1' is shown in FIGURE 2; here the length of the tube 2' is 100mm so that the fluid medium 3' should take twice the length of time to evaporate (i.e. providing double the time limit set by the first elapsed time indication means for similar fluid mediums and similar atmospheric conditions). The ends of the tube 2' are designated 2a', 2b' and the tab is designated T' (not shown in the enlarged scale view on the right of FIGURE 2). The backing strip is designated 5' attached by adhesive layer 4'.

FIGURE 3 shows a detail of the upper 2a, 2a' of the elapsed time indication means 1, 1' shown in FIGURE 1 or FIGURE 2.

In use of the elapsed lime indication means 1 * 1', the adhesive backing strip 5 can be removed and the remainder of the apparatus can be attached to the packaging of a consumable (food or drinks) product (eg. see packaging in the form of a jar 3 in FIGURE 5 or in the form of a carton C in FIGURES 6a, ób) at a suitable location and orientation (for example, generally vertically on a wall of the packaging such as a drinks carton).

When the packaging (e.g. J, C) is opened, at the same time the tab T can be removed by the consumer thereby exposing the fluid medium 3, 3' to atmosphere, indicating that the product contained in the packaging J, C has been freshly opened or accessed.

The product may be stored in the packaging J, C in a refrigerator (not shown) and the evaporation time of the fluid 3,3' is a predetermined set time limit under known atmospheric pressure and temperature conditions, which is accordingly correlated with the use by' date of the product after opening. Where a use by' date for a product is e.g. 3 days after opening, elapsed time indication means will be chosen having fluid of a suitable volume and length to evaporate completely (or to a set marked or graduated level -not shown in the FIGURES of the drawings) at the expiry of the 3 day limit, thereby indicating that the product can no longer safely be consumed.

FIGURES 4a, 4b show views of a third embodiment of elapsed time indication means 1" in the form of a self-adhesive digital electronic display that may be activated on opening of product packaging (not shown) to which the indicating means 1" is attached.

II

FIGURE 5 shows a cut-away view ofajar.1 having a lid JI with elapsed time indication means a fixed to a side edge of the jar. Importantly, the removable tab T is connected via frangible extension piece T' (shown in dashed tines) to the lid JI so that as the lid is unscrewed and the jar J opened the extension piece is broken and can be pulled down to remove tab T and activate the elapsed time indication means 1, 1' FIGURES 6a, 6b show cut-away side and plan views of a drinks carton C (of a generally known type) having a frangible extension piece T" attached to tab T (shown in dashed lines). As the carton C is opened by depressing plastics swing flap Cl, extension piece T' is broken allowing tab I to be gripped and pulled back activating the elapsed time indication means 1, 1', which, in this instance, is arranged horizontally on the top wall C2 of the carton C. FIGURES 7a, 7b show a carton C fitted with a alternative elapsed time elapsed indication means I being a colour indicator of the general form used in a battery indicator i.e. the indicator changes colour over time (e.g. from red to blue indicating a certain length of time has elapsed). The indication means I. may be activated once frangible extension piece Ii has been broken.

FiGURES 8a, 8b show a carton C fitted with an alternate elapsed time indication means in the form of an indicator light L, that may be arranged to be activated once frangible extension piece LI is broken as the plastics a flap Cl is depressed. The light may be arranged to go out after a predetermined time (e.g. 3 days) indicating expiry of the safety, set time limit for consumption. Alternatively, the light may remain unlit until the expiry of the set time limit when a light is activated to glow a particular colour e.g. red, indicating that drinks product may be unsafe to consume. Indicator light 1 may be replaced or supplemented by an audible alarm indicator (particularly important for the blind or visually impaired consumer) which sounds after expiry of a set time limit.

FIGURES 9 and 9b show ajar J fitted with an elapsed time indication means 1' of the same general type as in FIGURES 7a and 7b connected to tab extension piece iT. The arrangement is such that the indication means I' becomes activated after the extension piece JT is broken.

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may be replaced or supplemented by an equivalent or generic term, For example, the term elapsed time indication means' could be replaced by set time limit indicator'.

Further, it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions relating to the elapsed time indication means or packaging including the elapsed time indication means or combinations thereof might be individually patentably inventive. The singular may include the plural and vice versa. Additionally, any range mentioned herein for any parameter or variable shall be taken to include a disclosure of any derivable sub-range within that range or of any particular value of the variable or parameter arranged within, or at an end of, the range or sub-range.

It is possible for a large scale operation that a signal could be generated to allow monitoring of the time that a product packaging has been opened, via a computer link, and after the set time limit has expired to generate a warning signal that may also be computer linked.

It is possible that the elapsed time indication means may be utilised with a degradable product other than food or drink consumable in a few days (e.g. cooking oil) or e.g. any product (not necessarily food or drink) that degrades over time after opening.

To Summarise:-The elapsed time indication means I', 1' should help to render food products consumable within the given period for the product after opening. 11 a food product packaging is labelled consume within 3 days of opening' then the time indication means should enable the 3 days to be accurately measured.

Due to the chemical make of the elapsed time indication means 1', 1 up to 3 days e.g. can be timed to actually mean 3 days, after the product has been opened, whether the product is opened at midnight or 5am, the count down will begin.

The elapsed time indication means 1', 1' can, due to the chemical make up, measure the (exact) amount of time any given product has been opened. Most food produce nowadays carry the same instructions "consume within 3 days of opening or consume within 7 days, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks of opening" but with no real mechanism to measure this, until now.

A chemical liquid 3 is placed in a small tube/straw 2, the straw being sealed both ends. Once the seal is broken on either end of the straw, the liquid, which is retained

H

via capillary action, will begin to evaporate.

Based upon the liquid make up, the liquid will evaporate over a given time i.e. days or weeks depending upon the strength of the liquid, the liquid may be in a coloured fom based inside a clear straw tube to enable clear identification of the evaporation. Once the liquid has evaporated this is the indication that the time frame allocated has being reached.

The time frame set will determine the period of days or weeks the food product is fresh to be used or indicate the use by' date after opening. Many food products provide a use by date but usually this cannot be determined accurately, particularly if the product has been opened in haste or by an individual who may be away during the food products use by' period.

Due to busy life styles and other important matters, we, as individuals, open food products and tend to forget the actual day or time the food product was opened. In some cases, the food product can be consumed within the given period of 3 days but with even up to 3 days of freshness, people can still forget when the product was opened:-whether it was 2 days, 3 days or 4 days ago. When the product has a 6 weeks use by date then this is more or less likely to be remembered.

The purpose of the elapsed time indication means is to aid both the consumer to ensure that the food product is used within the given period allocated to it whether that is days, weeks or months but also may help to reduce sicknesses caused by food bugs due to out of date food products.

The elapsed time indication means can also help all food products to better show how long the food product will remain fresh for consumption. The elapsed time indication means may have a chemical make up, such as an alcohol chemical base which will allow the evaporation process to be better timed.

Temperature is a common or important factor, so elapsed time indication means 1', 1 Will be applied to the product that seems to best suit its purpose i.e. whether it is stored within a cupboard at room temperature or refrigerator at a cooler temperature, the indication means 1', 1' will be made for each desired purpose to ensure that the particular product can be protected.

Through tests and trials, the time indication means 1', 1' will be timed accurately to ensure that the information given is within accordance to what is indicated by the food product. The indication means 1' , 1' can either be pre-manufactured into the food product at source or purchased off the shelf to enable users to apply the indication means directly to any food product they wish.

Alternatively, the indication means can be used on home-made food products if the user so wishes. The indication means may have a self adhesive back to enable it to be attached to a particular object or pre-fitted onto a container. Alternatively, the indication means can be fitted at source where it can be manufactured into e.g. the label of the product.

The approximate size of the indication means may vary e.g. from 50mm -100mm, the purpose of this is to ensure that it can meet many different food product sizes but also because based upon the chemical make up the size can be varied to suit.

The overall thickness of the straw may be 1mm with a internal diameter of 0.5mm; this should ensure that capillary pressure will keep the liquid retained whether the food product is upright or placed upside down.

The production costs of the indication means should hopefully be retained and at a very low level due to all the products that are required to manufacture/produce the indication means already readily available on the market.

The indication means may be produced and sold at costs that should make it more accessible and viable for both the consumer and producers of food products.

Food indicators The elapsed time indicator may alternatively or additionally comprise a device that counts down the given allocated time back to zero, indicating that the food product has completed the best before date from opening. The timer may be both a flashing indicator light that, once the time has been reached will remain solid, or on The timer, once the time has expired, may sound a small beep to indicate that the time has expired.

The food timer may be approximately 25 x 12.5 x 6mm and the indicator may be no larger than 10mm diameter; each indicator may be activated via a draw pin, which once released will activate the time.

Both these indicators will help those individuals, who are either hearing or visually impaired, to determine that the food product they are using has expired. Both devices may be very small to ensure both low cost production and remain an unobtrusive device upon the food product packaging Each device may be powered by any convenient means but ideally will only have enough energy within for the given period that the time requires.

Another elapsed time indication means may comprise a patch much like the straw and once exposed to air will change its colour within a give amount of time; it may change from a light colour to a dark colour to provide the first and second indication states.

This will also indicate that the food product when the respective colour is reached has come to its end date. Again to ensure that the device is cost effective it will be as small as reasonably possible to maintain a low cost production.

The food patch may remain sealed and exposed at the same time as the product is opened to activate the timing process.

Both products and that of the straw may be located within a manner as to not obstruct the passing of food or liquid, but also positioned to ensure that each device remains free from debris from the food/drink/consumable/product.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Apparatus comprising elapsed time indication means adapted for a perishable or degradable consumer product, the arrangement being such that, in use of the elapsed time indication means on or in relation to the consumable product, on opening of packaging of the consumer product or accessing of the consumable product, the elapsed time indication means is activated to a first indication state indicating that the product has been accessed or packaging opened and, after a pre-determined safety time limit for safe consumption of the product has elapsed, the elapsed time indication means occupies a second state indicating that said safety time limit has elapsed.
2. A consumable product contained in packaging, or packaging for a consumable product, said packaging including an elapsed time indication means as claimed in Claim 1.
3. A product, or packaging, as claimed in Claim 2, in which, in use, on opening of the : packaging or accessing the consumable product, the elapsed time indication is *...

0s* automatically activated, or a seal broken allowing the elapsed time indication means * ** :. to be activated by hand.

*
4. A product, or packaging, as claimed in Claim 3, in which the elapsed time ****** * indication means is activatable by removing or pulling a tab means of the elapsed time indication means.
5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, or a product or packaging as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 4 inclusive in which the elapsed time indication means can occupy one or more states in between the first and second indication states during the passage of time.
6. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in Claim 5, in which further state or states are time correlated to indicate the length of time left for the safety time limit to lapse.
7. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in Claim 6, having a graduated scale or measured time indicator to monitor the duration of time the packaging has been opened or product accessed up to lapse of the pre-set time limit.
8. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in Claim 7, in which the graduated scale / indicator is analogue or digital. :
9. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in any one of the preceding ClaimsSin which the elapsed time indication means is a separate item that can be attached to :.: : :* any chosen or selected packaging which is already attached to, or is an integral part of product packaging.

S..... * *

*..*.* *
10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims ito 4, or apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in any one of Claims 5 to 9, in which the elapsed time indication means is separate to the packaging and is self-adhesive to be attachable to the packaging, andl or is attachable by a tie or cord means.
11. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in any of the preceding Claims as the case may be in which the elapsed tinie indication means includes a fluid medium that evaporates, as the case may be, at a steady, known rate over time, when exposed to air.
12, Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in Claim 11, in which in the first indication state the fluid medium is present and occupying a known volume and in the second indication state the fluid medium has evaporated completely or to a known (graduated) level.
13. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in any of the preceding Claims as the case may be in which the elapsed time indication means includes a tubular member containing the fluid medium.
14. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in Claim 13, in which the fluid is S..... : contained therein by capillary action or by gravity. * S:.: : :*
15. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in Claim 14, in which, in use, one or both ends of the tube may be opened in order to allow the fluid to evaporate. S.... * *

S.....

*
16. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in any one of Claims 13 to 15, in which the tubular member is the form of a narrow straw.
17. Apparatus or a product or packaging in which, in use, the elapsed time indication means is positioned on the packaging so that the fluid medium is automatically exposed to air as the packaging is opened or seal broken to access the product inside or a tab is exposed which can be operated by hand to expose the fluid medium to air.
18. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in Claim 14, in which the elapsed time indication means is provided in the form of time/clock display means.
19. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in Claim 18, in which the time/clock display means is a digital display activatable upon opening of the product packaging.
20. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in Claim 19, in which the digital display is activated automatically.
21. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in any one of Claims 18 to 20, in * which the time display is arranged to count down backwards from a pre-set or * *** * variable pre-settable time display. * ** * * I ****
22. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, * as the case may be, in which the elapsed time indication means comprises or includes 11.1.1 * a light that changes state (first indication state to second indication state) on lapsing of the pre-determined safety time limit.

*
23. Apparatus or a product or packaging, as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, as the case may be, in which the elapsed time indication means comprises or includes an audible alarm means that sounds after the pre-set time limit has elapsed.
24. Apparatus comprising elapsed time indication means, substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURES 1 and 3, or to FIGURES 2 and 3, or to FIGURES 4a, 4b of the accompanying drawings, or a product or packaging substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURE 5, or FIGURES 6a, 6b, or FIGURES 7a, 7b or FIGURES 8a, 8b or FIGURES 9a, 9b of the accompanying drawings.
25. A kit of parts including a plurality of elapsed time indication means adapted for a perishable or degradable consumer product, said plurality of elapsed time indication means including indicators pre-set (or presettable -preferably variably) to different values of elapsed time from opening of product packaging or accessing of the consumable product. * **. * * . *. * S...
26. A kit as claimed in Claim 25 including time indicators of different types. d S* * . . S...
27. A kit as claimed in Claim 25 in which the indicators are attachable to packaging * by self-adhesive means.I..... S *
28. A kit as claimed in Claim 27 in which each indicator has a removable backing over an adhesive layer.
29. Elapsed time indication means being adapted for use with a product that degrades or perishes after opening, said indication means having one or more of the following features:- 1) a tube with fluid that evaporates at a known rate or changes state (e.g. colour), possibly graduated to indicate when a particular time limit or limits (e.g. 1 day) has/have elapsed up to the safety time limit, 2) A warning signal trigger-able after a known time limit has elapsed, 3) Time correlated means indicating during the passage of time the amount of time left to lapsing of the safety time limit, 4) A time (digital) display that may be activated on opening of product packaging, 5) Any feature or combinations of features as herein described.
30. A method of determining when a pre-determined safety time limit for consumption of a consumable product has elapsed, said method comprising indicating when a product has been accessed or product packaging opened and automatically S...: indicating when the predetermined safety time limit has elapsed.* w* . * S *5.. 5 :: .
31. A method as claimed in Claim 30 and substantially as herein described.I.....I..... * S