US20190250137A1

US20190250137A1 - System and method for detection of a contaminated beverage

Info

Publication number: US20190250137A1
Application number: US16/296,955
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael T. Abramson; Alex Nivorozhkin; Nelson Landrau; John C. MacDonald; Brendan Walker
Original assignee: Drinksavvy Inc
Current assignee: Drinksavvy Inc
Priority date: 2010-12-22
Filing date: 2019-03-08
Publication date: 2019-08-15
Also published as: US9989509B2; US20170160253A1; US20160146773A1; US10274475B2; US20150104861A1; US9285352B2

Abstract

An apparatus may be configured to test a beverage, the apparatus may include but is not limited to, a food container, wherein the food container includes a material. An indicator may be combined with at least a portion of the material of the food container, wherein the indicator may be associated with a brand profile that may identify a brand of the food, wherein the indicator may visibly react when the indicator is contacted with the food to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food, and wherein the visible reaction may be shown on at least the portion of the material of the food container via the indicator combined with at least the portion of the material of the food container.

Description

RELATED CASES

This application is a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 15/434,557, filed on Feb. 16, 2017, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 15/013,513, filed on Feb. 2, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/573,443, filed on Dec. 17, 2014, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/951,846, filed on Mar. 12, 2014, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/922,332, filed on Dec. 31, 2013 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/919,102 filed on Dec. 20, 2013 and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/535,446, filed on Nov. 7, 2014, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/204,708, filed on Aug. 7, 2011, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/977,009, filed on Dec. 22, 2010 by Michael T. Abramson, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTION OF A CONTAMINATED BEVERAGE”, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference

BACKGROUND

In some situations, a user (e.g., consumer, seller, buyer, wholesaler, etc.) may believe they are selling/purchasing/ingesting a particular brand of a consumable (e.g., food, beverage, etc.), when they actually may be selling/purchasing/ingesting a different brand of the consumable.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one example implementation, an apparatus configured to test a food for brand verification may include but is not limited to, a food container, wherein the food container includes a material. An indicator may be combined with at least a portion of the material of the food container, wherein the indicator may be associated with a brand profile that may identify a brand of the food, wherein the indicator may visibly react when the indicator is contacted with the food to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food, and wherein the visible reaction may be shown on at least the portion of the material of the food container via the indicator combined with at least the portion of the material of the food container.
One or more of the following example features may be included. The indicator may visibly react when the indicator is at least one of contacted with a substance in the food included in the brand profile and contacted with the food lacking the substance in the food included in the brand profile. At least the portion of the material of the food container may include a film, and wherein the film may include the indicator. The brand profile may include a threshold level of a substance to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food. The brand profile may include at least one substance to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food. The indicator may be combined with at least the portion of the material of the food container via embedding. The indicator may be combined with at least the portion of the material of the food container via chemical bonding. The food container includes at least one of a bowl, a plate, and a food storage container. At least the portion of the material of the food container may comprise a second material, and wherein the indicator may be combined with at least a portion of the second material. The indicator may be at least one of pre-attached and post-attached to at least the portion of the material of the food container. At least the portion of the material of the food container may include a molecularly imprinted polymer. At least the portion of the material of the food container may include a holographic support medium. At least the portion of the material of the food container may comprise a logo. The indicator may be chemically bonded to a monomer of a polymer of at least the portion of the material of the food container. The indicator may be chemically bonded to a monomer of a co-polymer of at least the portion of the material of the food container. The indicator may be chemically bonded as a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) to at least the portion of the material of the food container.
In one example implementation, an apparatus configured to test a food for brand verification may include but is not limited to, a material. An indicator may be combined with at least a portion of the material, wherein the indicator may be associated with a brand profile that may identify a brand of the food, wherein the indicator may visibly react when the indicator is contacted with the food to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food, and wherein the visible reaction may be shown on at least the portion of the material via the indicator combined with at least the portion of the material.
One or more of the following example features may be included. The indicator may visibly react when the indicator is at least one of contacted with a substance in the food included in the brand profile and contacted with the food lacking the substance in the food included in the brand profile. At least the portion of the material may include a film, and wherein the film may include the indicator. The brand profile may include a threshold level of a substance to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food. The brand profile may include at least one substance to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food. The indicator may be combined with at least the portion of the material via embedding. The indicator may be combined with at least the portion of the material via chemical bonding. The material may include at least one of a bowl, a plate, a stirrer, a utensil, and a food storage container. At least the portion of the material may comprise a second material, and wherein the indicator may be combined with at least a portion of the second material. The indicator may be at least one of pre-attached and post-attached to at least the portion of the material. At least the portion of the material may include a molecularly imprinted polymer. At least the portion of the material may include a holographic support medium. At least the portion of the material may comprise a logo. The indicator may be chemically bonded to a monomer of a polymer of at least the portion of the material. The indicator may be chemically bonded to a monomer of a co-polymer of at least the portion of the material. The indicator may be chemically bonded as a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) to at least the portion of the material.
In another example implementation, a method for producing an apparatus configured to test a food for brand verification may include but is not limited to selecting an indicator that may show a visible reaction when contacted with a substance in the food. The selected indicator may be combined with at least a portion of the material of the food container, wherein the indicator may be associated with a brand profile that may identify a brand of the food, wherein the indicator may visibly react when the indicator is contacted with the food to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food, and wherein the visible reaction may be shown on at least the portion of the material of the food container via the indicator combined with at least the portion of the material of the food container.
One or more of the following example features may be included. The selected indicator may be patterned on at least the portion of the food container. Combining the selected indicator to at least the portion of the food container may include at least one spraying, dipping, rolling, stamping, printing, and evaporating. Combining the selected indicator to at least the portion of the food container may include applying a film to at least the portion of the food container, wherein the film may include the selected indicator. The selected indicator may visibly react when the selected indicator is at least one of contacted with a substance in the food included in the brand profile and contacted with the food lacking the substance in the food included in the brand profile. At least the portion of the material may include a film, and wherein the film may include the selected indicator. The brand profile may include a threshold level of a substance to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food. The brand profile may include at least one substance to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food. The selected indicator may be combined with at least the portion of the material via embedding. The selected indicator may be combined with at least the portion of the material via chemical bonding. The material may include at least one of a bowl, a plate, a stirrer, a utensil, and a food storage container. At least the portion of the material may comprise a second material, and wherein the selected indicator may be combined with at least a portion of the second material. The selected indicator may be at least one of pre-attached and post-attached to at least the portion of the material. At least the portion of the material may include a molecularly imprinted polymer. At least the portion of the material may include a holographic support medium. At least the portion of the material may comprise a logo. The selected indicator may be chemically bonded to a monomer of a polymer of at least the portion of the material. The selected indicator may be chemically bonded to a monomer of a co-polymer of at least the portion of the material. The selected indicator may be chemically bonded as a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) to at least the portion of the material.
In another example implementation, a method for producing an apparatus configured to test a food for brand verification may include but is not limited to selecting an indicator that may show a visible reaction when contacted with a substance in the food. The selected indicator may be combined with at least a portion of a material, wherein the indicator may be associated with a brand profile that may identify a brand of the food, wherein the indicator may visibly react when the indicator is contacted with the food to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food, and wherein the visible reaction may be shown on at least the portion of the material via the indicator combined with at least the portion of the material.
One or more of the following example features may be included. The selected indicator may be patterned on at least the portion of the material. Combining the selected indicator to at least the portion of the material may include at least one spraying, dipping, rolling, stamping, printing, and evaporating. Combining the selected indicator to at least the portion of the material may include applying a film to at least the portion of the material, wherein the film may include the indicator. The selected indicator may visibly react when the selected indicator is at least one of contacted with a substance in the food included in the brand profile and contacted with the food lacking the substance in the food included in the brand profile. At least the portion of the material may include a film, and wherein the film may include the selected indicator. The brand profile may include a threshold level of a substance to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food. The brand profile may include at least one substance to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food. The selected indicator may be combined with at least the portion of the material via embedding. The selected indicator may be combined with at least the portion of the material via chemical bonding. The material may include at least one of a bowl, a plate, a stirrer, a utensil, and a food storage container. At least the portion of the material may comprise a second material, and wherein the selected indicator may be combined with at least a portion of the second material. The selected indicator may be at least one of pre-attached and post-attached to at least the portion of the material. At least the portion of the material may include a molecularly imprinted polymer. At least the portion of the material may include a holographic support medium. At least the portion of the material may comprise a logo. The selected indicator may be chemically bonded to a monomer of a polymer of at least the portion of the material. The selected indicator may be chemically bonded to a monomer of a co-polymer of at least the portion of the material. The selected indicator may be chemically bonded as a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) to at least the portion of the material.
The details of one or more example implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and further advantages of the disclosure may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals indicate identically or functionally similar elements, of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 3a is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container with a protective film that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 3b is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container with a protective film that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 3c is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container with a section of protective film removed that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 3d is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container with a section of protective film removed that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container with a protective film that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 5a is an illustrative procedure for using the beverage container in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5b is an illustrative procedure for using the beverage container in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6a is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative portion of a beverage container that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 6b is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative portion of a beverage container that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative material of a beverage container that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram showing example techniques/procedures for preparing one or more materials with attached indicators that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram showing an example technique/procedure for attaching indicators to the surface of a beverage container that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram showing an example SAM on a material that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram showing an example immunoassay indicator that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram showing an example Molecularly Imprinted Polymer indicator that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure; and

FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram showing example beverage containers that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Testing

As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, there are well known techniques and testing materials that may be used to detect the presence of (e.g., drugs) in a liquid, e.g., placed in a beverage by a person. For example, as noted above, a device or testing strip may comprise one or more reagent indicators deposited on an absorptive carrier (e.g., filtration paper). Different reagent indicators may be used for detecting different drugs. For example, flunitrazepam, which is commonly known as Rohypnol or “Ruffles”, is a member of a class of compounds known as benzodiazepines. A reaction with Zimmermann's reagent, or a reaction with a platinum/potassium iodide test system, for example, can illustratively detect this class of compound. 4-Hydroxybutanoic acid, also known as gamma hydroxy butyrate (GHB), is a commonly known anesthetic. GHB can illustratively be identified in a reaction system with, e.g., bromo cresol purple. Ketamine is another anesthetic which can illustratively be identified using, e.g., cobalt thiocyanate. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other reagent indicators (or any other types of indicators including but not limited to immunoassays, antibodies, membrane/non-membrane receptors, and others discussed throughout, etc.) suitable for testing a beverage (or any other ingestible/non-ingestible item) are also contemplated for these drugs and different drugs and/or substances. As such, the reagent indicators described are example only and should not be taken to limit the scope of the disclosure.
In some testing systems, visual indications from the testing material (e.g., the reagent) may be observed when a drug is detected. One type of visual indicator may be color change. For example, if a sample of a beverage is introduced to a testing area with the reagent, a color change from white to a violet/purple color may be observed at the reagent within 30 seconds or less if Rohypnol is present in the sample. If a violet/purple color is not observed within 30 seconds, the beverage analysis may be considered negative for Rohypnol. As another example, if the sample is introduced to a testing area with a reagent to detect GHB, a color change from white to a yellow/orange color may appear within 30 seconds or less if GHB is not present in the sample. However, if GHB is present, a purple/black color may appear within 30 seconds or less. In an embodiment, any color change would appear in response to detecting the presence of a drug, rather than having a color change appear in response to detecting that the drug is not present. While not required, the example embodiment may be helpful to avoid confusion, for example, should the user forget what each color indicates.
Notably, while some examples of reagents and tests are described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other reagents, tests, color combinations, calorimetric indicators, etc., for similar and/or other drug types may be well known in the art and may be used with embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. As such, the described detection methods and devices (e.g., color combinations, test strips, particular reagents, etc.) or other functional equivalents that have similar properties (e.g., capable of carrying out none, some or all the example objectives of the disclosure) are contemplated. Accordingly, the specific testing materials described should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure.

Beverage Container

The present disclosure overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a system and method for detection of a contaminated beverage, e.g., using the beverage container itself as a testing material. That is, at least a portion of the beverage container itself is the testing material. For example, in one embodiment, the inside of the beverage container itself is not only the surroundings of the beverage container that holds the beverage, but the inside of the beverage container itself is also the testing material that may react when contacted with a mixture of the beverage and a drug placed in the beverage by a person, such as Rohypnol, Ketamine, GHB (Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate), GBL (Gamma Butyrolactone), 1,4-butanediol, etc. Using the beverage container as the testing material illustratively may be implemented in some embodiments by (i) removing and then replacing a portion of the beverage container with the testing material, (ii) directly attaching the testing material to a portion of the beverage container (with or without removing the portion), or (iii) any combination thereof. The reaction of the testing material, e.g., color change of the beverage container, may then rapidly alert or signal to the user that the beverage in the beverage container is contaminated before too much, if any, of the contaminated beverage has been consumed.
According to one embodiment, only select portions of the beverage container, such as the rim or the inside/outside of the beverage container, are lined with the testing material. However, the entirety of the beverage container may also be lined with the testing material. Moreover, it is contemplated that the entirety of the beverage container could be configured as the testing material shaped as the beverage container in an alternative embodiment. In the latter embodiment, it may be necessary to fortify the testing material so as to enable the testing material to act as a beverage container (e.g., to prevent leaking through the testing material). The film described in greater detail below may be used to fortify the testing material. However, other conventional techniques similar to those used on conventional paper or cardboard beverage containers described below may also be used and are well known in the art.
Advantageously, by using the beverage container itself as the testing material (e.g., where the beverage container functions as both a beverage container and as the testing material), the user is provided with a (near) effortless and continuous monitoring of the beverage within the beverage container without such illustrative burdens required by the prior art, such as, inter alia, remembering to bring a testing kit (disguised or otherwise) with a sufficient number of testing strips, remembering to test the beverage, and remembering to re-test the beverage at different times. As another advantage, even if the user cannot distinguish between the effect of an alcoholic beverage and the effect of ingesting a contaminated alcoholic beverage, other onlookers may still notice the reaction of the beverage container and provide a warning to the user. Additionally, the testing material of the beverage container (e.g., any unused portions) may also be used to test other beverages of different users, such as an acquaintance that may not be in possession of either the disclosed beverage container or their own tests.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container 100 that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure. As used herein, the term “beverage container” is defined as any conventional container configured to hold a consumable beverage (e.g., soda, water, beer, etc.) from which a user would drink, such as a cup (e.g., disposable, reusable, paper, plastic, etc.), a glass, a mug, a can (e.g., an aluminum can), a bottle (e.g., a soda bottle), etc. Illustratively, in an example embodiment, the beverage container may be disposable, such as the kind sold by Solo® Cup Company headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill. The beverage container may comprise a base 110 (e.g., a lower portion), an upper portion which may comprise a rim 120, a sidewall 112, and testing material 130. The testing material illustratively may be affixed to the beverage container using an adhesive or other similar material which is well known in the art; however, any suitable material may be used. In an alternative embodiment, a portion of the beverage container 100 may be removed 135 and then replaced with the testing material (e.g., by directly attaching the testing material to the removed portion using an adhesive). A sidewall 112 with an inner surface and an outer surface may extend from the base to the upper portion. According to one embodiment, the testing material 130 is at least a portion of the beverage container 100 (e.g., the inner surface of the beverage container's base 110 and/or the rim 120, and/or the sidewall 112 as indicated by the dashed lines). This may be further illustrated in FIGS. 6a and 6b where the testing material 630 is shown as the inner wall surface 615. However, the testing material may also be the outer surface of the beverage container or any other portion of the beverage container. However, it is likely that the user may have to be more proactive about testing if the testing material is on the outside of the sidewall, since in some embodiments, the outside wall does not contact the testing material without help from the user. Nonetheless, this situation may be obviated if the testing material is placed on the outer portion of the sidewall where some of that portion has been removed 135. Any descriptions or illustrations used throughout where the testing material is a specific portion of the beverage container (e.g., the inner surface of the sidewall) should be taken as example only.
According to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, the testing material 130 lining the beverage container 100 remains a single color (e.g., white) as a default base color when no illicit drugs, such as those noted above, are detected. As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, any other color (including clear or transparent) may be used as the default base color. Preferably, the base color is one that will be readily noticeable to the user or other onlookers if the base color should change, even if the user is in a dimly lit area, such as a dance club or a bar. For example, if the beverage container is white, then a positive drug detection color of black may be easier to notice. As can be appreciated, the use of a clear or transparent beverage container may be easier for the user (or an onlooker) to see a color change of the testing material (e.g., the beverage container) than a less transparent beverage container. Advantageously, because the illustrative embodiments of the beverage container functionally are also the testing material, should a drug be introduced to the (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) beverage in the beverage container, the testing material 130 located in the base 110, the rim 120, or the sidewall 112, will automatically (e.g., without a requirement for the user to do anything if the beverage is in the beverage container) contact the beverage and change color to alert the user of the contamination with minimal action, if any, required by the user. This is advantageous as there is little or no need for the user to actively test or re-test the beverage before being warned about the contamination. Thus, the user may be alerted before too much, if any, of the contaminated beverage has been consumed.
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container 200 that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure. The beverage container may comprise a base 210, a rim 220, a sidewall 212, and a testing material 230. According to one embodiment, the testing material may be part of the inner/outer lining of the beverage container's base 210, sidewall, or rim 220, as indicated by the dashed lines. According to yet another embodiment, the testing material 230 lining the beverage container may be divided up into different sections (e.g., drug/section 1-4). Each section may comprise a distinct testing material specific to an individual drug. For example, drug/section 232 may be configured to detect GHB, while drug/section 234 may be configured to detect GBL. Accordingly, not only may the user be able to discern that a drug has been introduced to their beverage, but also which drug. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that more or less drug/sections may be used. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the drug/sections may be divided other ways besides vertically in any direction or pattern (e.g., horizontal, diagonal, shapes, symbols, letters/words, etc.). Thus, the use of only four sections and in any particular configuration should be taken as an example only. In an example embodiment, the sections are organized vertically so that the beverage is capable of drug detection regardless of the level of beverage within the beverage container.
In an alternative embodiment, the beverage container 200 may also comprise separate and specific indicators, such as indicator(s) 240. For example, when a particular drug/section detects a drug, the indicator 240 may give an additional warning by changing color on the inside of the beverage container and/or on the outside of the beverage container. Illustratively, this may be accomplished by creating a clear or transparent section specifically for indicators 240, resulting in a distinguishable or otherwise dramatic contrast between the outside of the beverage container (e.g., red) and the indicator 240 (e.g., black). Alternatively, this may be accomplished using a more absorptive testing material that is capable of delivering a sample of the beverage up to the indicators 240.
FIG. 3a is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container 300 with a protective film that may advantageously be used in accordance with the present disclosure. According to one or more illustrative embodiments of the disclosure, the testing material may be coated or coupled with a film (e.g., wax) 340. The wax film may slow or fully prevent the beverage contained within the beverage container from contacting and reacting with the testing material 330 lined, for example, within the inner surface of the base 310 (e.g., lower portion) of the beverage container, the sidewall 312, and/or the rim 320. The film may illustratively comprise a porous substance or other semi permeable material (e.g., membrane) that, over time (e.g., 5 minutes), allows the beverage in the beverage container to pass through the film to contact and react with the testing material. Notably, regardless of how long it takes the beverage to reach the testing material, the time required to notice a reaction (e.g., a color change if the drug is present) may depend on the amount of the beverage relative to the concentration of the drug that is present. According to an alternative embodiment of the disclosure, as noted above, the testing material illustratively may be affixed, united, or otherwise secured to the beverage container using an adhesive, glue, epoxy, or other functional equivalent that has similar properties, before the protective film is applied; however, it is contemplated that the protective film itself may be used in place of or in addition to the adhesive to affix or otherwise secure the testing material to the beverage container. However, any suitable technique or material used to secure the testing material to the beverage container or otherwise make the material of the beverage container comprise the testing material may also be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. For example, in an alternative embodiment, a portion of the beverage container 300 may be removed 335 and then replaced with the testing material (e.g., by directly attaching the testing material over the removed portion secured to a non-removed portion 136). In the latter embodiment, it may be beneficial to apply another coating of a liquid resistant wax on the outer most side of the testing material to prevent dripping. Alternatively, a window 337 may be placed over the outer most side of the removed section.
Examples of different wax types and techniques for coating beverage containers are very well known in the art. For example, one example technique may involve directing a relatively narrow spray band of atomized wax towards the interior surfaces of the containers. Matheson goes on to describe that the spray band is volumetrically asymmetrical and is oriented relative to the interior surfaces of the container such that its volumetric asymmetry is directed towards the bottom circumferential seam between a tubular sidewall and bottom wall of the containers. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that any suitable technique for applying the wax (or other material) to one or more illustrative embodiments of beverage container may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
While some examples of the disclosure are discussed using a wax film, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other protective film or coating material may be used. For example, a thermoplastic polymeric material, such as polyethylene, may also be used. Yet another example may be the use of biopolymers, which may generally be described as polymers produced by living organisms. Cellulose, starch, chitin, proteins, and peptides are some examples of biopolymers. Another example of a biopolymer is zein, which is alternatively used as a coating for various foods, such as fruit, to slow the aging process produced by water evaporation. Zein has a number of characteristics that may be valuable for use in the present disclosure. For instance, zein is a natural film-forming polymer, which may provide some of the described resistance to water or other liquid penetration. Zein is also typically non-allergenic and edible. It is also classified as “GRAS” (generally recognized as safe) by the FDA. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of biopolymers or other suitable material capable of carrying out the objectives of the disclosure may also be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, M14-TS, which is well known to those skilled in the art as a water ammonia solution of shellac mixed with Carnauba emulsion and added inerts may also be used.
As will be discussed in greater detail with regard to FIG. 3c , the lining may be removed by the user to expose the testing material to the beverage. As such, another example of the lining material may also be similar to “scratch-off” lottery game pieces. As such, the use of a wax, biopolymer, etc. as the film or coating should not be considered to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any suitable material (e.g., fluid-impervious or semi-fluid impervious characteristics or functional equivalent that has similar properties) is contemplated that may prevent the beverage contained within the beverage container from immediately contacting and reacting with the testing material of the beverage container (e.g., which may subsequently be readily (e.g., without much difficulty) removed by the user).
In another embodiment, as seen from FIG. 3b , there may be different types of wax film materials each covering a particular section of the testing material, thereby allowing for varying times when the beverage may pass through the film to the testing material, e.g., depending on the type and thickness of film used. For instance, one section 332 of the testing material may be generally protected (e.g., covered) by a more porous or semi permeable film material that may allow the beverage in the beverage container to pass through the film to the testing material 330 quicker than another section 334 of the testing material 330 that is generally protected by a less porous film material. As such, the beverage container would first “automatically” (e.g., without a need for the user to do anything once the beverage is in the beverage container) “self-test” the beverage at section 332 at a first predetermined time and then “automatically” self “re-test” the beverage at section 334 at a second predetermined time according to how much less porous the film is at each respective section. As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, other factors in addition to how porous the film is, such as temperature, surface area to volume ratio, etc., may also affect the rate at which the beverage may pass though the film to the testing material. Illustratively, each section may be capable of testing the same drugs (e.g., X, Y, Z), thus, each drug (e.g., X, Y, Z) may be covered by the “re-test” at each section. While only two different rates (e.g., a quicker and a slower rate) are described, those skilled in the art will recognize that any number of different sections 336 and 338 (and different rates) may be used either separately or simultaneously depending on the different types of film used. Thus, the use of only two different rates (for two different types of film) is an example and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the disclosure.
In alternative embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 6b , multiple applications (e.g., layers/coatings, 615, 617, etc.) of the same film material may be applied to a particular section to achieve the desired result of varying (e.g., slowing) the rate that the beverage in the beverage container, and therefore any drug mixed in the beverage, will pass through the film to contact the testing material. It is also contemplated that different wax types may also be applied to the same section to vary the rate. Thus, other similar methods or combinations thereof to slow or increase the rate at which the beverage in the beverage container will contact the testing material may also be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.
Advantageously, because each section may have a known estimated time for when the beverage may pass though the film, it may be possible to discern an approximate time when a drug was placed in the beverage container. For example, assume a first section 332 of the beverage container is estimated to allow the beverage to pass though the film in about 10 minutes. Further assume that a second section 334 of the beverage container is estimated to allow the beverage to pass though the film in about 20 minutes. Further assume that once the testing material at the first section 332 is initially exposed to an uncontaminated beverage for more than, e.g., a couple minutes, then that testing material for section 332 may no longer be able to react (e.g., change color) even if subsequently exposed to a contaminate, since the reagent(s) in the testing material may be too diluted/saturated. Thus, in the example, if the first section 332 does not show a reaction, but the second section 334 does show a reaction, then it is likely that the beverage was contaminated sometime between the 10 minute period and the 20 minute period. Therefore, by comparing (i) the section which does show a reaction to (ii) the previous section that does not show a reaction, it may be possible to discern an approximate time when a drug was placed in the beverage container. This may aid in determining who drugged the beverage (e.g., who had access to the beverage within the 10 minute time span).
FIG. 3c is a schematic block diagram of the illustrative beverage container 300 similar to that of FIG. 3a with at least one section of protective film removed 350 that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the user may be required to actively remove the wax lining 350 before the beverage will be exposed to the testing material. However, in an alternative embodiment, should the user desire to test the beverage for contaminants at an earlier time rather than waiting for the beverage to pass through the film 350 (as discussed with regard to FIG. 3b ), the user may instead choose to, e.g., “scratch” away or otherwise remove the wax lining, thereby enabling the user to more immediately expose the beverage to the newly revealed testing material. By enabling the user to selectively remove portion(s) of the film as desired, the beverage container advantageously provides multiple locations for individual test sites and at different times. For example, the user may remove the wax lining (e.g., upper left portion) in the rim 320 at T1. If the testing material shows the beverage is not contaminated, the user may continue drinking the beverage. However, if the user begins to feel strange and questions whether or not the beverage has been contaminated, the user may subsequently remove the wax lining (e.g., upper right portion) in the rim 320 at T2. As noted above, using substances such as zein as the film may be beneficial as it is non-allergenic and edible. Thus, there may be no known consequence if the user were to accidentally scratch the film into the beverage and ingest it.
Advantageously, according to one embodiment, any remaining area of wax film coating the testing material may be an area capable of being used to test the beverage. That is, any area where the wax has not been removed is illustratively a viable area to test the beverage regardless of any previous tests conducted at other locations. As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the viability of using an area where the film has not yet been removed may depend on different factors, such as whether the beverage sampled through the removed portion of the film may “leak” to the testing material under the film that has not yet been removed. One example embodiment to protect against “leaking” may be to have the testing material separated by areas of non-testing material that may be used to prevent or otherwise curtail the undesired migration of the beverage entering from the removed portion of the film. For example, sections 332 and 336 may have film covering testing material, whereas sections 334 and 338 may comprise non-testing material used as a “bumper” to prevent the beverage from crossing sections. However, allowing such cross section leaking may be beneficial for other reasons, such as an alternative way to distribute the beverage in the beverage container throughout to other portions of the testing material without further effort by the user, or as a way to maintain samples of the beverage for later use (e.g., evidence in a police investigation).
FIG. 3d is a schematic block diagram of the illustrative beverage container 300 similar to that of FIG. 3c with at least one section of protective film removed that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure. According to one embodiment, assume that the beverage in the beverage container has been contaminated with, e.g., GHB. As noted above in FIG. 3c , the section(s) of protective film have been removed 350, for example, by the user to test the beverage for contamination. As a result of removing the wax film from locations of the beverage container, those corresponding areas of testing material 330 are now exposed 360 to the beverage in the beverage container and therefore exposed to the GHB. As such, to alert the user of the contamination, the exposed area of test material 360 may display a visual alert (e.g., color change, pattern, shapes, symbols, letters/words, etc.). Notably, as discussed above with regard to FIG. 3c , only the exposed area of test material 360 is affected (e.g., visually) since only those areas have the film removed, thereby exposing the testing material to the GHB in the beverage. However, the beverage may enter through any of the exposed areas to other portions of unexposed testing material, thereby providing the visual affect to those areas in addition to the exposed areas.
FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container 400 with a protective film that may be used in accordance with the present disclosure. According to one embodiment, the beverage container may be a can (e.g., aluminum can) such as the kind typically used to hold soda, beer, and other beverages. The beverage container illustratively comprises drug testing material in various locations. For example, the testing material (e.g., exposed/unexposed 460/470 respectively) may be directly affixed to at least any top portion of the beverage container, or alternatively, on the outer sidewall. Some of the beverage may tend to pool on that surface (e.g., the “sunken” perimeter portion of the top of the can) as a result of the motions involved while drinking from the beverage container. Thus, it may be less cumbersome for the user to test the beverage by using the portions of the beverage already pooled on the top, for example, in an embodiment where the beverage container is a closed top beverage container.
According to another illustrative embodiment, assume that the beverage in the beverage container 400 has been contaminated with, e.g., Rohypnol. Similarly to FIG. 3c , some section(s) of protective film have been removed (e.g., exposed area of test material 460), for example, by the user to test the beverage held by the beverage container. On the other hand, some section(s) of protective film have not yet been removed (e.g., unexposed area of test material 470). As a result of removing the wax film from these locations of the beverage container, those corresponding areas 460 of testing material are now capable of being exposed to the beverage and therefore exposed to the Rohypnol. As such, to alert the user of the contamination, the exposed area of test material 460 displays a visual alert (e.g., color change, striped or other pattern, etc.). Notably, according to the embodiment, any remaining area of wax film coating the testing material (e.g., unexposed area of test material 470) may still be an area capable of being used to test the beverage at a subsequent time (e.g., depending on how porous the film coating the unexposed area is).
According to another embodiment, a portion of the beverage container 400 may be removed and then replaced with the testing material. In the embodiment, it may be beneficial to apply another coating of a liquid resistant wax on the outer most side of the testing material to prevent dripping. In the illustrative embodiment, the testing material may be part of the inside of the beverage container, where any indication of contamination from the testing material may be viewed through a display window 480. Preferably, the display window 480 should be of a sufficiently transparent or translucent material, e.g., plastic or otherwise, that allows a user to sufficiently discern a change in the testing material caused by beverage contamination within the beverage container. This may be advantageous in embodiments such as those where inside of the beverage container comprising the testing material is not otherwise viewable by the user (e.g., closed top beverage containers). Alternatively, the display window may be configured such that when no contamination is detected in the beverage contained within the beverage container, the display window is disguised as, for example, a logo of the beverage container.
FIG. 5a is an illustrative procedure for using the beverage container in accordance with the present disclosure described herein where the (e.g., wax) film is readily removable by the user. This illustrative procedure assumes a beverage is currently contained within the beverage container. The procedure 500 a starts at step 505 a, and continues to step 510 a, where at least a portion of the wax film is removed, e.g., by the user. As noted above, the wax film prevents the beverage contained within the beverage container from immediately contacting and reacting with the testing material lined, for example, within the inner surface of the sidewall 312, the base 310, the rim 320, or the top (e.g., as similarly shown by example in either FIG. 3a-d and/or FIG. 4 above). Thus, should the user desire to test the beverage for contaminants, the user need only, e.g., “scratch” away or otherwise remove the wax lining, thereby exposing the beverage to the newly revealed testing material. In alternative embodiments, as noted above, the scratching step is not necessarily required, since the beverage may be automatically tested according to, e.g., how porous the (wax) film is. Notably, in embodiments where no such film is present, step 510 a and 560 a may be skipped. Once the testing material is exposed to the beverage, it is determined whether the testing material indicates that the beverage is contaminated (e.g., with a drug) in step 520 a. If yes, the procedure moves to step 530 a where the testing material indicates that the beverage is not safe to drink. Any type of indication or alert is contemplated where the user is made aware of the outcome of the test. For example, the indication may be visual (e.g., a color change in the test material). However, any suitable means of indication may be used. The procedure then ends at step 540 a.
However, if at step 520 a the determination is no, the procedure moves to step 550 a where the testing material indicates that the beverage is safe to drink. Such an indication, if any, may be the absence of a visual indicator. However, any suitable indication (e.g., visual or otherwise) may be used. The beverage container may comprise multiple locations for individual testing by scratching away the wax film from different locations as desired. This may be useful in such situations where the user is unsure about the accuracy of the previous test and would like to re-test the beverage using another location. This may also be useful, for example, where a beverage has tested negative for contamination at time T1, but the user believes that the beverage may have been subsequently contaminated at time T2. The procedure then moves to step 560 a where the user may select an unused test material portion for another test. The procedure then loops back to step 510 a.
FIG. 5b is an illustrative procedure for using the beverage container in accordance with the present disclosure where at least a portion of the (e.g., wax) film is not required to be removed by the user. FIG. 3b is an example embodiment which may apply to the procedure. This illustrative procedure assumes a beverage is currently contained within the beverage container. The procedure 500 b starts at step 505 b, and continues to step 510 b, where a first section of the beverage container 332 is selected to check for a visual indication of contamination of the beverage within the beverage container. As noted above, the film prevents the beverage contained within the beverage container from (immediately) contacting and reacting with the testing material lined, for example, within the inner or outer surface of the base 310, the rim 320, the sidewall 312, or the top (e.g., as similarly shown by example in either FIG. 3a-d and/or FIG. 4 above). Thus, should the user desire to test the beverage for contaminants, the user need only, e.g., “scratch” away or otherwise remove the wax lining, thereby exposing the beverage to the newly revealed testing material. However, this scratching step is not necessarily required in order to test the beverage due to the porous nature of the film as described above. For example, as discussed above, each section may allow for varying times when the beverage may pass through the film to the testing material, e.g., depending on the porous nature, type, and/or amount of the film used at each section. Once the testing material of the first section of the beverage container is exposed to the beverage, e.g., either by removing the film or due to the porous nature of the film, it is determined at T1 whether the beverage container at the first section indicates that the beverage is contaminated with a drug in step 520 b. If yes, the procedure moves to step 530 b where the beverage container indicates that the beverage is not safe to drink. Any type of indication or alert is contemplated where the user is made aware of the outcome of the test. For example, the indication may be visual (e.g., a color change in the test material). However, any suitable indication technique may be used. The procedure then ends at step 540 b.
However, if at step 520 b the determination is no, the procedure moves to step 550 b where the beverage container at section one indicates that the beverage is safe to drink. Such an indication may be the absence of a visual indicator. For example, if the beverage container is white by default, and if the visual indicator is a color change, then the beverage container remaining the default color (e.g., white) may be considered an absence of a visual indicator. However, any suitable indication method or technique may also be used. The procedure then moves to step 560 b where the user may wait and select/view the next section to check for a visual indication showing whether the beverage is now contaminated at T2. Notably, as discussed above, the next section of the beverage container may automatically re-test the beverage, or allow the user to remove the film to more immediately expose the beverage to the testing material. The procedure then loops back to step 520 b.
In an example embodiment, the beverage container is the testing material and vice versa (e.g., replacing a portion of the beverage container with the testing material, directly attaching the testing material to a portion of the beverage container, etc. as illustratively discussed with regard to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3a ), as opposed to prior testing devices/kits like the one described above where the testing material is part of an entirely separate component, and where the separate component must then be connected to the beverage container. As such, the user illustratively is not required to remember to bring a test kit component or to use the test kit. However, in alternative embodiments, the testing material may also be provided separately from the beverage container (e.g., with or without the wax lining applied to the testing material) to be affixed or bonded to the beverage container at a later time (e.g., using an adhesive or other suitable material). For example, one side of the testing material may comprise the adhesive, while the other side may comprise the wax lining. In the embodiment, it may be advantageous to have the adhesive be resistant to liquid so as to prevent the beverage from circumventing the wax film to the testing material. Providing the testing material separately may be useful, inter alia, for example, where the beverage container (e.g., beer glass, porcelain coffee mug, etc.) is not conventionally disposable as is, e.g., a paper cup. For instance, a public bar using their own glasses to serve alcohol may benefit from an embodiment where the separate replaceable testing material lines the glasses instead of requiring the bar owner to acquire the disposable beverage containers, where the testing material is “built-into” the beverage container. That is, a used testing material in the non-disposable beverage containers may be replaced with a new testing material.
FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container 700 that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. An indicator (e.g., recognition site for one or more substances) may be combined (e.g., incorporated) onto a polymer from which the beverage container is made. Illustratively, this may be accomplished, e.g., by direct modification of the polymer 720 from which the plastic (and/or other material) in the beverage container (e.g., wall surface 715) is made. While FIG. 7 is described in terms of the polymer in a specific portion of the beverage container, e.g., wall surface 715, any or all portions of the beverage container may also be used (including within wall 715). As such, the description of using any specific portion of the beverage container should be taken as example only. A polymer, as is known to those skilled in the art, is broadly described as a linear (although it need not be linear) molecule comprising repeating structural “units” (e.g., monomers). For example, polyvinyl chloride, or PVC (e.g., white plastic typically used to make pipes for cold water return in homes), may be described as a polymer comprising repeating units of vinyl chloride monomers that are linked, e.g., serially via chemical bonds to form a long, “spaghetti-like” molecule. A polymer generally may contain pendant chemical groups on each repeat unit at which an indicator may be incorporated. Illustratively, according to one or more embodiments, the indicator may be pre-attached to the monomer prior to polymerization and/or post-attached after the polymer has been made.
Although FIG. 7 illustrates “linear” polymers typically used in industry, those skilled in the art will appreciate that linear polymers also can be cross-linked to form two-dimensional and three-dimensional polymers. As such, any particular description of a “linear” polymer or otherwise should be taken as example only and not to otherwise limit the scope of the disclosure. Cross-linking is a technique known to those skilled in the art, for example, to make plastics derived from polymers stronger and less flexible. Cross-linking may illustratively be accomplished by incorporating monomers that have pendant chemical groups that are reactive such that the pendant chemical groups on different sections of the linear polymer chain react with one another on contact to form a chemical bond. Cross-linking of the linear polymer chains in that manner results in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional polymer. Cross-linking requires that at least some of the pendant chemical groups on the linear polymer are reactive such that they cross-link the polymer chains. That can be accomplished using different methods known to those skilled in the art.
For example, a first illustrative method is to prepare the polymer using a mixture of at least two different monomers, one of which may contain the indicator or a reactive chemical group that will bind to the indicator, the other of which contains a reactive chemical group that is capable of cross-linking the polymer chains by forming a chemical bond. That concept may be illustrated in FIG. 10 described further below for a block co-polymer. In that example, the sections 1015A of polymer are generated from monomers containing the indicator as a pendant group. Incorporating reactive pendant groups into the sections 1015B of polymer would result in a cross-linked polymer. In this illustrative embodiment, some of the monomers contain the indicator, and some contain the cross-linking groups. The first illustrative method may differ, for example, from that described in another illustrative method described below, in which the monomers contain both the indicator and a reactive chemical group capable of cross-linking. While some specific examples of accomplishing cross-linking are illustratively described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other cross-linking methods may also be used. As such, any particular cross-linking example should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure. For example, cross-linking may be accomplished using block co-polymers where the monomers containing the indicator and those containing the cross-linking groups are segregated. Cross-linking also may be achieved by simply mixing the different monomers such that the resulting polymer chain contains a random, disordered arrangement of the different monomers instead of segregated sections of like monomers. Cross-linking by forming a chemical bond between pendant reactive chemical groups may be accomplished by having the pendant chemical groups react with one another via chemical reactions that differ from those used to link the monomers into polymers. As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, there are many commonly known reactive groups for this. Cross-linking reactions also generally require two different reactive chemical groups for a reaction to occur between the two groups. Generally, according to one or more illustrative embodiments, one type of reactive chemical group is not reactive with itself. There are known examples where chemical groups do react with themselves, and are contemplated with one or more illustrative embodiments.
Another illustrative example method is to prepare a polymer using at least two different monomers, one of which features a pendant group comprising both the indicator and also a reactive chemical group capable of cross-linking, and the other of which comprises the indicator and a chemical group capable of cross-linking. In this illustrative method, the monomers contain both the indicator and the reactive cross-linking group in the same pendant group. This concept may be illustrated in FIG. 8 where 805 is the indicator/recognition site, and 810 is the linker illustratively comprising the cross-linking group. Both illustrative (or other known) methods may result in formation of a linear polymer containing the indicator than can undergo cross-linking via reaction of the cross-linking groups to form a two-dimensional or three-dimensional cross-linked polymer.
According to one or more illustrative embodiments, such as the one shown in FIG. 8, indicator 805 may be attached (e.g., combined) onto a backbone 815 of a polymer 800 (e.g., a pure polymer) of a beverage container via linker 810. One or more indicators 805 exposed on the surface of the beverage container may be available to react with any specific drug (or other specific substance) that comes into contact with the surface (indicators). The repeat unit (e.g., the monomer starting material that may be used to make the polymer) is indicated in brackets, where n indicates the number of repeat units in the polymer.
FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram showing example techniques/procedures 900 for preparing polymers of a beverage container with attached (e.g., combined) indicators 905 that may be used according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Illustrative example 1, according to one or more embodiments, comprises using a monomer (e.g., the starting material used as the repeat unit in the backbone of the polymer) that may contain a selected indicator bound to the monomer via a chemical bond (e.g., pre-attachment). As alluded to throughout, the appropriate indicator(s) may be selected depending on, e.g., the specific/particular substance(s) that is to be detected. The chemical bond may consist of any type of chemical bonding interaction such as an electrostatic bond, a covalent bond (a normal chemical bond between two atoms (e.g., that are not metals)), an ionic bond (a bond between positively and negatively charged ions), or a weaker intermolecular bond/force (e.g., hydrogen bond, dipole-dipole bond, ion-dipole bond, van der Waals bond, etc.) that results in attachment of the indicator to the monomer. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any other pre-attachment techniques may also be used that results in attachment of the indicator to the monomer. As such, any particularly disclosed pre-attachment technique should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure. Formation of the corresponding polymer via polymerization of the monomer (e.g., a chemical reaction between the monomers that links them together) may create a plastic (and/or other material) with surface-exposed indicators. Forming polymers via a chemical reaction between monomers (e.g., radical polymerization, cationic polymerization, anionic polymerization, or other types of polymerization reactions, etc.) is well-known in the art.
Illustrative example 2, according to one or more embodiments, comprises using a monomer with a reactive linking group to which the indicator can be attached after the polymer is prepared (e.g., post-attachment). Post-attachment of the indicator to the reactive linking groups on the backbone 915 of the polymer may be achieved, for example, by reacting/exposing the polymer to indicator 905. For attachment to occur, the indicator should preferably contain a reactive group that will form a chemical bond with the reactive linking groups. The chemical bond may consist of any type of chemical bonding interaction such as an electrostatic bond, a covalent bond (a normal chemical bond between two atoms (e.g., that are not metals)), an ionic bond (a bond between positively and negatively charged ions), or a weaker intermolecular bond/force (e.g., hydrogen bond, dipole-dipole bond, ion-dipole bond, van der Waals bond, etc.) that results in attachment of the indicator to the polymer (e.g., of the beverage container). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any other post-attachment techniques may also be used. As such, any particularly disclosed post-attachment technique should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure. Notably, example 2 (e.g., attaching an indicator to the polymer/plastic after the beverage container has been manufactured) offers a potential advantage of requiring less of the indicator, e.g., since attachment of the indicator will (mostly, if not entirely) occur only on the surface of the beverage container, rather than within the interior of plastic/polymer. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that attachment (e.g., post-attachment) of the indicator may occur at different phases of the manufacturing process (e.g., any time between the beginning and end of manufacturing of any portion of the beverage container that may eventually be used to create a beverage container of the present disclosure. For example, according to one or more illustrative embodiments, post-attachment during the manufacturing process time to the finished plastic container (e.g., after the polymer/plastic is processed to form a beverage container) may result in attachment of the indicator on the surface of the beverage container. However, some indicator also may diffuse into the finished plastic and become attached within the interior of the plastic as well as on the surface. According to one or more alternative embodiments, attachment (e.g., post-attachment) of the indicator may be carried out during the manufacturing process time after the polymer is prepared but before the polymer is processed to form, e.g., a beverage container. Post-attachment to the polymer (not the finished plastic) may illustratively result in attachment of the indicator at all or most of the linker sites. In that case, the indicator may be present both at the surface and within the plastic when it is prepared from the polymer comprising the post-attached indicator.
Both examples, whether carried out before and/or during and/or after the beverage container has been manufactured/created, may result in a polymer (e.g., when a polymer is illustratively used) with attached indicators exposed at least at the surface (and/or according to one or more embodiments, within the interior of the plastic). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in any illustrative embodiment throughout where appropriate, the indicator may be applied/attached/combined, incorporated, etc. to any portion of the surface of (and/or within) the beverage container and may be done using any technique that brings the indicator into contact with the plastic/polymer (or other usable material) such that the indicator is enabled to react to form a chemical bond (e.g., via spraying, dipping, rolling, stamping, printing, evaporating, etc.). Moreover, other differing techniques are also contemplated. For example, in some embodiments, surface treating fillers that may be compatible with the base polymer such that the filler particles may be coated with the indicators may be used. The fillers may be mixed with the base polymer for processing and/or as an interior layer. Thus, any description of any particular indicator “attaching” (e.g., combining/incorporating, etc.) technique described throughout, or otherwise (e.g., carona treatment, electromagnetism, using ferrous compounds, etc.) (or combination thereof) should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure.
Similarly to the illustrative description of, e.g., FIG. 2 above, such techniques may allow application of the indicator onto defined regions/sections of the beverage container to enable different (or identical) indicators to be patterned on its surface. According to one or more illustrative embodiments, testing material of the beverage container may be made using either example for multiple drugs rather than a single drug, e.g., by incorporating a “cocktail” mixture of different indicators into or onto the surface of the polymer/plastic via pre-attachment and/or post-attachment and/or by patterning different indicators in different and/or same locations on the surface of the polymer/plastic. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the material of the beverage container may be made to test/monitor for a single drug or multiple drugs. As used throughout, unless otherwise suggested, the term indicator may be used to denote one or more indicators.
Notably, the ability of the human eye to detect a colorimetric response (e.g., change in color) of the beverage container (e.g., via a colorimetric response of the indicator) may depend on multiple factors. For example: the amount (e.g., concentration) of the drug in the beverage, the amount (e.g., concentration) of the indicator(s) present on or in the material of the beverage container, the amount of the drug that binds to the indicator(s), the sensitivity of the indicator to the drug and the corresponding response of the indicator (e.g., ability to cause a dramatic “detectible” color change). As such, if the response is “detected” on the chemical level but not sufficiently so that it may be detected by the human eye, or if the response is detected by the human eye but the response is desired to be more prominent, more indicators may be added onto or within the material of the beverage container and/or the thickness of the coating with the indicator(s) may be increased. Advantageously, taking at least the above factors into consideration, the present disclosure makes it is possible to vary the concentration of the indicator, not only to detect nearly any relevant drug concentration (e.g., a concentration resulting in a noticeable effect to whomever consumes the drug), but also as a tool to measure when at least a minimum concentration of a substance is reached. As an example, the beverage container may be used to detect whether or not a city water supply contains too much, e.g., fluoride or other substance (e.g., when a concentration threshold has been met), or if a maximum dosage of a medication has been reached, etc.
According to one or more alternative embodiments that may help a visual reaction be more detectible to the human eye, the beverage container may be made to fluoresce in response to detecting a drug in the beverage. This may be particularly advantageous in situations where the surrounding environment is dark or where a UV light source (e.g., black light or similar 254 nanometer or other UV wavelength light) may readily be available (e.g., night club, fraternity party, etc.). As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a fluorescent response may depend on the indicator, the materials used to anchor the indicator to the beverage container, and possibly the contents of the beverage. The concept of using a fluorescent indicator may not differ in implementation from other embodiments described throughout, in that, generally, e.g., a different type of indicator (e.g., fluorescent) is used instead. One potentially functional difference may be that fluorescent indicators may not be specific for a particular compound (e.g., a drug) the way, say, Zimmerman's Test Reagents are selected for detection of diazepam (e.g., that reagent is specific for that class of compounds). Fluorescent indicators, however, tend to react with any UV absorbing compound. Thus, the use of fluorescent indicators may produce higher amounts of false positives. With that being said, the use of fluorescents may be used as a means of making indicators that are selected specifically for a particular compound be more visible on the surface of the beverage container, rather than being used as the drug/substance indicator itself (e.g., as a contrasting background for the selected drug indicators). Other examples of visual changes may include the use of, e.g., infrared, ultraviolet, chemiluminescence, phosphorescence, 4D “smart objects” such as the kind developed by MIT that may self-assemble or change shape when confronted with a change in its environment (e.g., the presence of a particular substance), etc. or any other type of visual that may help detect the presence of one or more substances.
An illustrative technique that may be used to implement the fluorescent embodiment(s) is called Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), which is well known in the art, used to create a TLC plate. The concept of TLC may be applied to the material of the beverage container. That is, the material in the wall of the beverage container may contain an absorbent material (e.g., paper, plastic, silica gel, alumina, zeolite, or other porous/absorbent material, etc.) with an embedded and/or attached (chemically bonded) fluorescent indicator. Alternatively, the material in the wall of the beverage container may contain an embedded and/or attached (chemically bonded) fluorescent indicator on the surface in the absence of an absorbent material. In addition, the material in the wall of the beverage container preferably has a light color so that a change in color under a UV lamp may be seen better with the human eye. Advantageously, TLC plates are generally white.
Compounds on the TLC plate may also be visualized on the TLC plate in other ways. For example, if the compound is highly colored, it may appear as a colored spot all on its own without using a UV lamp. As another example, compounds on a TLC plate may also be visualized by exposing the plate to a chemical reagent that reacts with the compound on the plate, causing a color change. However, the latter an approach may not be the most preferable since the walls of the beverage container may need to be sprayed with a chemical reagent, which may bring up safety issues. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any method of using fluorescents (and/or any other techniques to create a better contrasting background) with the beverage container may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
In some embodiments, enhancements, such as adding pigments or light-scattering sensors to the polymer, may help to provide sufficient color density. Other example techniques, such as varying the surface (texture) of the material, may also help to provide sufficient color density.
According to one or more illustrative embodiments, a “drop” of a solution containing a compound or mixture of compounds may be placed onto the surface of a thin layer (e.g., less than 1 mm) of fine silica gel (glass) particles that are bonded to plastic or glass-backed plate. The TLC plate may then be placed, e.g., vertically, into a beaker containing an organic solvent. On contact with the TLC plate, the solvent may wick up the TLC plate in a manner similar to water wicking up a paper towel. Illustratively, as the solvent moves up the plate, it interacts with the compounds spotted on the silica gel, pulling them up the plate. The compounds are attracted to the silica gel and to the solvent as it moves by. As the compounds are dragged along the plate by the solvent, they may move at different rates, causing them to separate based on differences in their polarity. Once the solvent moves most of the way up the plate, the plate is removed from the solvent and dried. UV light may then be used to visualize (see) the separated compounds. A 254 nanometer ((nm) wavelength light) UV lamp is held over the TLC plate, where the compounds appear as colored spots on the plate.
While one or more illustrative embodiments are described in terms of a (pure) polymer, it is contemplated that a co-polymer (or cross-linked co-polymer noted above) may also be used. FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of a co-polymer 1000 of a beverage container that may be used with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Repeat units of the different polymer segments are indicated in brackets, where n and m indicate the number of repeat units in each segment. A co-polymer differs from a pure polymer, e.g., in that it may feature alternating segments of two or more different polymers (e.g., polymer A and polymer B). Therefore, some or all of the disclosure applied to the pure polymer may also be applied to a co-polymer. For instance, similarly to the description of FIG. 8, indicator 1005 may be attached (e.g., secured, affixed, combined, incorporated, etc.) onto the backbone of a co-polymer (e.g., 1015A of polymer A) via linker 1010, and similar to the above disclosure of FIG. 9, indicator 1005 may be introduced on the polymer either via pre-attachment and/or post-attachment. Moreover, testing for multiple drugs rather than a single drug can be carried out by incorporating a “cocktail” mixture of different indicators into the plastic/co-polymer, e.g., by incorporating a range of different indicators into different and/or same segments and/or as mixtures within the same segment of the co-polymer.
The properties of the different segments, such as the lengths, may be varied to control the material properties of the corresponding plastic/polymer. For example, if polymer B segments impart specific desirable properties to the polymer (e.g., strength, handling of the material, etc.), then the relative amount of the polymer B segments may be increased (or decreased) while still allowing attachment of indicator 1005 on the polymer A segments. While polymer backbone 1015B is described without an indicator, this need not be a requirement. For example, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other indicators (e.g., fluorescent) may still be attached, or alternatively as noted above, reactive chemical cross-linking groups may illustratively be attached to create a stronger plastic/polymer. As such, the use of only a single polymer with indicators (or otherwise) should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure.
FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container 1100 that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. According to one or more embodiments, the material of wall 1115 of the beverage container may be coated with, for example, a second material 1120 (e.g., polymer) comprising an indicator (not shown) to combine or otherwise make the material of the beverage container comprise the testing material. According to another illustrative embodiment, the material of the walls of the beverage container may be coated with, for example, a flexible adhesive film 1120 containing the indicator to make the material of the beverage container comprise the testing material. A thin layer of a polymer or co-polymer (or other appropriate material) containing the indicator may be deposited onto wall 1115. The indicator-polymer coating 1120 may be prepared at least according to any of the examples described herein (e.g., pre-attachment and/or post-attachment), however, any currently established or future established means that may enable combining the material of the beverage container with the testing material (e.g., indicators) may also be used.
As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, incorporating indicators into the material from which the walls of the container are made, or incorporating indicators into a material that is applied as a coating to the walls of a beverage container are possible non-limiting examples of implementing the present disclosure. Thus, as used throughout, the beverage container may be considered to comprise a material (e.g., “the material of the beverage container”), whether being, e.g., a material in or of the wall of the beverage container (e.g., 720, 1125, 1325, etc.) (e.g., at any phase of the manufacturing process time of the beverage container and/or material of the beverage container), or whether being, e.g., a material (e.g., 1120, 1320, or SAM, etc.) (e.g., at any phase of the manufacturing process time of the beverage container and/or material of the beverage container) that is to be later applied/coated/layered/adhered, etc. onto the beverage container.
According to one or more alternative embodiments, different indicators may be introduced by applying a plurality of thin layers of polymer coatings 1120 that each contain the same or different indicator. Thus, the description of using a specific number of layers should be taken as example only. Preferably, the over-layers of polymer coatings (e.g., coatings closer to the inner surface of the beverage container in contact with the beverage held within the beverage container) are permeable to the beverage and to the different drugs being detected in order for the drugs to penetrate to the layer/coating containing the selected corresponding indicator to maximize response of the indicator.
According to yet another embodiment, a thin plastic/polymer and/or other material (e.g., including but not limited to materials described throughout containing the indicator) may be combined or applied to the surface of a plastic/metal/glass/paper container as a flexible film with an adhesive backing. Similarly to one or more other embodiments, the flexible adhesive film need not coat the entire surface of the beverage container uniformly, and may be applied horizontally as a strip either around the inside of the container, or vertically running from top to bottom, or in any other orientations and/or patterning. Similarly to one or more other embodiments, the application of multiple adhesive films comprising different indicators or mixtures of indicators may allow testing for multiple substances (e.g., drugs, bacteria, or any other substance capable of detection).
FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative polymer 1200 comprising an embedded indicator that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Combining by embedding an indicator within a polymer (e.g., a water swellable polymer) may be similar to coating the material of the beverage container wall(s) with another material (e.g., polymer layer) to which indicators are attached/combined via a chemical bond as described above. However, according to another illustrative embodiment, instead of combining by attaching the indicator via a chemical bond to the polymer material (e.g., of the beverage container wall and/or of a layered coating of the beverage container wall), the indicator 1205 is embedded within the polymer 1210. Embedding organic compounds (e.g., indicator 1205) within plastics of polymers may be achieved, for example, by forming the plastic from the polymer in the presence of the organic compound in a concentration such that the compound becomes trapped, or embedded, within the plastic as it forms. Detection of a contaminated beverage may illustratively be achieved by allowing the contaminate (e.g., drug) in the beverage (while the beverage is within the beverage container) to diffuse into the polymer coating to reach the indicator.
Depending on the size of the indicator compared to the polymer in which it is embedded, it is possible that the indicator may leach out of the polymer at some appreciable rate. However, the rate of leaching will be low or nonexistent (e.g., over the time frame for drinking one or more beverages). According to one or more alternative embodiments, leaching may be reduced or completely obviated, for example, by making the indicator larger using known techniques (e.g., attaching a material to the indicator). As a result, the indicator may still manifest a color change in the presence of the appropriate substance, but the increased size of the indicator (compared to the material within which the indicator is embedded) may prevent it from leaching through the polymer. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any other suitable techniques for reducing and/or preventing leaching may also be used. Additionally, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other attaching/combining/incorporating techniques may also be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, any description of any particular indicator combining technique described throughout, otherwise known currently or in the future to those skilled in the art, or combination thereof, should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure.
FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram of an illustrative beverage container 1300 that may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. According to one or more illustrative embodiments, in no particular order, an indicator 1305 may be mixed into a porous material 1320, where a thin coating of the porous material may be deposited onto the wall surface 1315 (comprising material 1325) of a, e.g., plastic/metal/glass/paper, etc., beverage container. As such, the wall surface 1315, and therefore the beverage container, may illustratively comprise material 1320. Illustratively, the porous material may be any of a variety of organic and/or inorganic materials and/or hybrid organic/inorganic materials that exhibit porous behavior such that the material (e.g., 1320) is permeated by pores or channels that allow, for example, an indicator to be incorporated within or on the surfaces of the porous material, and drug (or other contaminate) molecules contained in a beverage which is also within the beverage container) to diffuse into the pores/channels and react with the indicator 1305.
Illustratively, any type of porous material 1320 may be used to carry out the functions of the disclosure. Thus, any description of particular porous material(s) should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure. For example, different classes of porous materials may include, but are not limited to porous synthetic polymers/co-polymers, porous biopolymers (e.g., cellulose and other polymers of carbohydrates (e.g., sugars)), polymers of amino acids (e.g., proteins/enzymes), polymers of nucleic acids (e.g., DNA/RNA), porous gels (e.g., hydrogels, organogels, zerogels), porous inorganic minerals (e.g., zeolites, silica gel, nanoporous silica, mesoporous silica, microporous silica, porous glass), and porous hybrid organic/inorganic materials such as coordination polymers commonly referred to as metal-organic frameworks. Porous materials derived from combinations (mixtures) of different types of porous materials are also contemplated (e.g., zeolites embedded within or attached to the surface of a synthetic polymer). According to one or more embodiments, indicator 1305 may be chemical bonded to the chemical constituents within or on the surface of porous material 1320 (as noted above), or the indicator may be embedded/trapped within porous material 1320 (as noted above).
Described below is an example of a coating consisting of a porous material containing an indicator using porous silica. As noted above, any appropriate type of porous material may be used to carry out the functions of the disclosure. Thus, any description of particular porous material(s) (e.g., porous silica) should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure. Porous silica comprises silica (SiO₂), which is a major component in, e.g., glass and sand. Porosity in silica may result at least in part from nano-scale or micro-scale pores/channels present in the material that permeate the structure, thereby allowing solvents such as water and/or other molecules present in water to diffuse into the pores/channels within the silica. Attaching and/or embedding indicators in porous silica offer several advantages. For instance, silica is cheap, easy to work with, forms thin films easily (e.g., TLC plates), may be dispersed as porous particles in polymers to form flexible films, and forms pores/channels that are very permeable to water and other aqueous solutions.
Notably, the chemical structures, physical properties, level of porosity, mechanical stability, etc. of porous silica may vary considerably. For example, crystalline porous silica with properties similar to glass would be more appropriate for bonding well to glass containers. Softer, more flexible films of porous silica particles dispersed in polymers or elastomers (e.g., rubbery gel materials) would be more appropriate for bonding well to plastic containers. As such, depending at least on such things as the material of the beverage container, a preferred porous material may be selected. As with the embodiments described throughout, porous silica and/or films containing porous silica may be applied uniformly to the surface of the beverage container and/or patterned on the surface in specific locations.
According to one or more alternative embodiments, indicators may be directly attached (e.g., secured, affixed, coupled, combined, incorporated, etc.) to a surface of the beverage container, e.g., as self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and/or as thin films. FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram showing an example technique/procedure 1400 for attaching indicators 1407 to the surface of, e.g., metal, glass, plastic or paper beverage container via chemical bonding between a reactive linking group 1410 and an attachment site 1405 on the surface (e.g., of the beverage container) according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Attachment site(s) 1405 on the surface illustratively represent an atom or group of atoms (e.g., in the case of a metal) or a chemical group (e.g., in the case of glass, plastic, and/or paper) that form a chemical bond with reactive linking group 1410 on indicator 1407. FIG. 14 may differ from one or more embodiments described throughout, for instance, as it involves attaching indicators directly to the surface of a metal (e.g., gold, silver, etc.), a silica (e.g., glass), a polymer (e.g., plastic or otherwise), and/or a paper material, etc. of a beverage container. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the implementation of SAMs is well known and may be implemented using any currently established or future established means, such as the illustrative examples described further below. Therefore, any specific implementations of SAMs described should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure. Generally, however, the process comprises an indicator 1407 with a linking group 1410 that will attach to the surface by forming a chemical bond (described above) or any other chemical bond/reaction with the surface 1415 that results in attachment of indicator 1407 to the surface of, e.g., metal, glass, plastic and/or paper as illustratively represented by 1420. That process is referred to as self-assembly and the resulting molecular film is referred to as a self-assembled monolayer, or SAM.
The term SAM generally refers to a molecular film that is a monolayer the thickness of, e.g., a single molecule. In some cases, however, the above process results in a multi-layer thin film that is the thickness of, e.g., two or more molecules (e.g., a bilayer, a trilayer, etc.). Multilayer films generally form when there is a strong attractive interaction (e.g., an intermolecular bond) between the portions of the molecules exposed on the surface of the SAM. As a result, additional layers may be able to bind on top of the first layer (e.g., the SAM). For example, the naturally occurring amino acid cysteine is known to form bilayers rather than monolayers when cysteine is exposed to gold surfaces. In the case of cysteine, the “over-layer”, or 2nd layer, may form because there is a strong attraction between the amino and acid organic groups in cysteine that cause a second layer to stick on the first layer. The result is a bilayer in which the first layer (e.g., the SAM) anchors the molecules firmly to the gold surface by forming a strong chemical bond; weak attractions between the surface and molecules in solution may cause a second layer to attach on top of the first. As a consequence, according to one or more illustrative embodiments, direct attachment of indicators to create SAMs may result either in a SAM (a monolayer) of attached indicators, or a bilayer or multilayer composed of two or more layers of attached indicators. Typically, a SAM is a monolayer and as such direct attachment of indicators to surfaces may be referred to as forming thin films. However, the term SAM (or thin film) may be interpreted to encompass either monolayers (SAMs), bilayers, other multilayer films, or any combination thereof.
As with one or more of the illustrative embodiments described throughout, SAMs may be applied uniformly to the surface of the beverage container and/or patterned on the surface in specific locations, e.g., by applying them with a roller, a stamp coated with a solution of the indicator, or by spraying them onto the surface (e.g., ink-jet printing). Illustratively, the application of an indicator with a roller or via spraying will do the same thing by patterning the indicator in the region on the surface in contact with the roller or under the nozzle of the sprayer. Illustratively, molecules that are desired to be positioned on surfaces with precise control may be patterned using microcontact printing, a technique developed by George Whitesides.
FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram showing an example SAM 1500 on a material 1525 (e.g., metal, glass, plastic, paper, etc.), where the SAM illustratively comprises an indicator 1505, chemical linker 1510 (e.g., hydrocarbon group), and (reactive) chemical group 1520 according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure.
An example of SAMs on gold is described below. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other metals with similar properties (e.g., silver, copper, etc.) may also be used. As such, the description of creating a SAM on any particular surface material 1525 (e.g., gold) should be taken as illustrative only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure. Illustratively, virtually any organic molecule that contains an exposed chemical group 1520, such as a sulfur-containing group (e.g., a thiol (SH) or a disulfide) may spontaneously bond to the surface of gold. Upon exposure to the gold surface, the sulfur-containing molecules may bind to the gold surface and may then form a uniform layer of molecules covering the gold surface that is the thickness of, e.g., a single molecule as it stands up from the surface. For example, dipping a gold-coated glass microscope slide into a solution of a thiol may produce a thin film of molecules attached to the gold surface via a gold-sulfur chemical bond. SAMs may be used as a means to attach a variety of different types of molecules (e.g., small organic molecules, proteins, DNA, polymers, sugars, etc.) to gold surfaces. Those skilled in the art will recognize that SAMs may be utilized to modify the surface properties of materials and for applications that may require attachment of molecules to surfaces. For example, SAMs may be used to attach and pattern biomolecules such as DNA on gold in order to create a “lab on a chip”. SAMs may also be used to pattern ion-selective organic molecules on gold in microfluidic devices to create sensors for blood analytes. Only a very thin layer (e.g., 0.1-100 nanometers thick) of gold may be required on the surface, and therefore is not cost prohibitive. Gold surfaces for making SAMs, generally, may be prepared by evaporating or plating a small amount of gold onto glass or silicon, as well as a wide variety of other known and suitable substrates. Attachment of indicator 1505 to a gold surface may require the presence of a (reactive) sulfur-containing group 1520 on the indicator. Sulfur-containing groups may be introduced onto indicator 1505 using known methods of organic synthesis. Gold generally is not transparent and may not bond well to other materials such as glass or plastic. However, if a thin enough layer of gold (e.g., less than 100 angstroms, or 0.1 nanometers) is applied, however, gold may become optically transparent. Moreover, adhesion of gold films on materials it does not stick (e.g., bond) well to may be improved by applying a thin layer of another metal, such as titanium or chromium, and then applying gold onto that metal.
An example of SAMs on glass is described below. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other materials with similar properties may also be used. As such, the description of creating a SAM on any particular surface material 1525 (e.g., glass) should be taken as illustrative only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure. Similar to the concept of SAMs of molecules (e.g., indicators) on gold, a similar concept may be applied on glass surfaces. For example, molecules with one or more reactive silanesilyl groups (groups such as trihalogenated silanes or trialkoxysilanes that contain reactive silicon atoms) may “spontaneously” form, e.g., a silicon-oxygen chemical bond to the glass surface such that the glass becomes covered with a “thin layer” (e.g., a monolayer one molecule in thickness) of the molecules. SAMs on glass are less costly to prepare and have the advantage that glass, and thus the SAM, is transparent. According to one or more embodiments, SAMs of indicators on glass may be preferred for attaching indicators to glass beverage containers.
An example of SAMs on plastic is described below. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other materials with similar properties may also be used. As such, the description of creating a SAM on any particular surface material 1525 (e.g., plastic) should be taken as illustrative only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure. SAMs of molecules (e.g., indicators) on plastics is similar to the principle for SAMs on gold and glass surfaces. For example, formation of a SAM on plastic may require that the polymer of the plastic contain one or more surface-exposed reactive groups and that the molecule to be attached contain one or more reactive groups that may form a chemical bond with the reactive groups on the plastic.
An example of SAMs on paper is described below. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other materials with similar properties may also be used. As such, the description of creating a SAM on any particular surface material 1525 (e.g., paper) should be taken as illustrative only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure. SAMs of molecules (e.g., indicators) on paper, or cellulose is similar to the principle for SAMs on glass and plastic surfaces. For example, formation of a SAM on paper may require that cellulose or other chemical constituents of the paper contain one or more surface-exposed reactive groups and that the molecule to be attached contain one or more reactive groups that may form a chemical bond with the reactive groups on the paper. A major chemical component in paper is cellulose, which is a biopolymer composed of the sugar glucose. Glucose contains many alcohol (OH, or hydroxyl) groups similar to the surface of glass. Therefore, molecules with reactive groups that form a chemical bond to the surface of glass (as noted above) may also form a chemical bond to the cellulose in paper.
Direct attachment of indicators onto metal, glass, plastic, and paper surfaces potentially offers advantages compared to other illustrative embodiments described throughout. For example, in no particular order, those potential example advantages may include: (1) no polymer or gel coating is required; (2) very small amounts of indicator are required to form SAMs; and (3) application of molecule/indicators can be controlled spatially on the surface more easily, e.g., using a well-known “stamping” technique or other suitable technique. In an embodiment using a SAM, the indicator has a high sensitivity and corresponding response that can be more easily observed by the human eye.
Due at least to various “quality control” purposes known to those skilled in the art, any of the above noted processes (or other processes) of making the material of the beverage container comprise the testing material preferably would not be carried out by an “individual” end user (e.g., individual, proprietor in a drinking establishment, etc.), but rather by, e.g., a manufacturing/laboratory process or the like. However, it is contemplated that one or more of the techniques described throughout may be performed (e.g., implemented) as an extension of one or more illustrative embodiments described above, by the end user given the appropriate equipment and instruction. For example, the end users may purchase a “spray”, which may illustratively comprise either a pure liquid indicator and/or a solution of the indicator dissolved in a suitable solvent. The end user may also purchase an applicator, such as a spraying apparatus, designed to deliver the spray to the appropriate beverage container. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any suitable applicator apparatus known to those skilled in the art and/or described throughout, that may be capable of delivering the spray (e.g., pure liquid indicator and/or a solution of the indicator dissolved in a suitable solvent) may also be used. Thus, the delivery of the indicator/solution need not actually be delivered literally in spray form. According to one or more embodiments, the applicator apparatus may comprise a pump-action bottle featuring a button, handle, bulb, dropper, etc. that the user may operate manually, such as, a spray device containing a compressed gas, or a spray bottle featuring a mechanical/electrical spraying mechanism, etc.
According to one or more illustrative embodiments, in the case of a pure liquid indicator, the indicator may be delivered by the spray to the surface as a substantially pure substance such that a small percentage of the indicator binds to the surface (e.g., the surface becomes saturated with bound indicator) leaving the majority of the indicator unbound as a residue on the surface. The residual indicator may then be rinsed off or inactivated upon contact with the beverage. According to one or more illustrative embodiments, in the case of an indicator dissolved in a suitable solvent, the indicator may be delivered by the spray to the surface as a mixture of indicator and solvent (e.g., water, or other solvent) such that a (small) percentage of the indicator binds to the surface leaving the majority of the indicator and the solvent unbound as a residue on the surface. Application of the indicator either as a pure liquid or as a solution will result in formation of a thin film of indicator on the surface, leaving residual indicator unbound on the surface (as well as solvent if a solution is used).
According to one or more alternative embodiments, an indicator may be contained in a “dishwasher tablet” (e.g., bag/pouch) means and/or “dishwasher additive” means (or the like), such as the kind conventionally used in dishwashers to clean dishes. For example, the Cascade dishwasher pouch design offered by Procter & Gamble may be altered to contain the indicator for later application. As such, the process(es) of making the material of the beverage container comprise the indicator testing material may be accomplished, e.g., by the end user, by “washing” the beverage container in a dishwasher in the presence of the tablet or additive. According to one or more illustrative embodiments, the tablet and/or additive containing the indicator with a reactive chemical group may be placed in the receptacle in a dishwasher where detergent or other additives normally are placed (or any other suitable location). Upon starting the dishwasher, water enters the dishwasher and the tablet/additive is released or exposed to the water. The tablet/additive then dissolves into the water to form a solution of additive in water. The solution of additive in water is then applied to the surface of the beverage container through the normal spraying and agitation process of the dishwasher. When the solution of indicator comes into contact with the surface of the beverage container, it reacts with the material of the beverage container and forms a chemical bond on the surface or is absorbed. Advantageously, the dishwasher provides the water to form an aqueous solution of the indicator contained in the tablet/additive, and also provides the spraying/agitating action that applies the solution to the surface of the beverage containers in the dishwasher. Another illustrative advantage to using a dishwasher (or machine with the similar relevant functions) is that most if not all residual indicator that does not bind to or is absorbed by beverage containers may be removed during the rinse cycle of the dishwasher. Alternatively, due at least to the reason discussed below, it may be advantageous to have a machine with similar functionality of a dishwasher, but that does not always use water. As another illustrative alternative embodiment, a dishwasher may comprise an “indicator” cycle, where a suitable solvent is introduced instead of water, and where water is used, e.g., only for the final rinse cycle.
As noted above, dishwashers generally involve the use of water. The indicator may not bind to the beverage container if the reactive chemical group in the indicator reacts with water. For example, attachment of organic compounds to glass may require the use of one or more trihalosilyl or trialkoxysilyl groups to form a chemical bond to the surface of glass. Those reactive chemical groups may react with water as well as, e.g., glass, since water is similar in reactivity to the alcohol groups exposed on the surface of glass. As a consequence, indicators with those reactive chemical groups may react with water when the tablet/additive dissolves. Trihalosilyl groups in particular are very sensitive to the presence of water. Nevertheless, it may still be possible to apply an indicator to glass containers in the presence of water. For example, trialkoxylsilyl groups generally react more slowly with water compared to trihalosilyl groups. Some of the indicator may then react with the glass containers as well as with water if a sufficiently high concentration of indicator is present and delivered by the tablet/additive. Moreover, only a very small amount of indicator is required to fully cover the surface of a beverage container. Thus, even if less than, e.g., 1% of the indicator reaches the surface, that may be sufficient to coat the entire surface of the container. This same issue may hold true for other reactive chemical groups necessary for form a chemical bond to other container materials such as metal, paper, plastic, etc. It may be necessary to use indicators with reactive chemical groups that are compatible with water in order to apply indicators to containers in a dishwasher setting.
While one or more embodiments may be described in terms of a polymer, those skilled in the art will recognize that any other appropriate material may also be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a polymer need not necessarily be referred to exclusively as a plastic, but may also encompass a large class comprising both natural and synthetic materials with a wide variety of properties. Furthermore, while one or more embodiments may be described in terms of a general polymer, those skilled in the art will recognize that any suitable polymer (e.g., metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), branched polymers such as star polymers, comb polymers, brush polymers, dendronized polymers, ladders, and dendrimers, etc.) may also be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, polymers that may be capable of forming quaternary cations (e.g., poly(vinyl pyridine), poly(ethylene imine), chitosan, etc.) may be used. In some embodiments, the surface of the material may be modified using such polymers (as well as via plasma treating the surface of the material in an ammonia atmosphere), which may allow for chemical bonding (e.g., electrostatic bonding) to the anionic sulfonate forms of certain indicators. As such, any particular description of using a particular material (e.g., gel, metal, paper, polymer, linear, non-linear, hybrids, etc., or otherwise), should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure.
While one or more illustrative embodiments are disclosed as testing for drugs (e.g., Rohypnol, Ketamine, GHB, etc.), those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure may also be used to detect other substances (e.g., contaminates) in a beverage container or otherwise (e.g., food utensils, food containers, such as dishes, air filters, contraception devices, feminine products, rubber (e.g., latex, non-latex) gloves, cloth/clothing, nail polish, lipstick, etc.). For example, detection of organisms may also be used to determine if a beverage (e.g., drinking water) is safe (e.g., if dangerous microorganisms are present). Generally, in the case of an organism, for example, the cell surface of the organism may act similarly to a drug. The appropriate indicator, for example, protein, antibody, chemical indicator, DNA, RNA, sugar, fatty acid, etc. may be selected that recognizes the cell surface of the specific organism. Alternatively, for example, if the organism releases/secretes a waste product, chemical signal, or other chemicals that can be recognized by an indicator, those compounds similarly may be monitored. Some organisms secrete chemicals that enable them to bind to different types of surfaces, which may also be monitored. Moreover, cranberry juice may either prevent the organisms from sticking to surfaces or actually kill them. However, in the case where a compound that did the opposite (e.g., to which they were attracted or stuck to), the organism may also be detectable with an indicator.
As another example, using, for instance, known DNA-based and protein based techniques, detection of one or more allergens (e.g., floral) and even food allergens, such as a peanut allergen (e.g., Ara h1 or Ara h2) and/or peanut proteins respectively, may be accomplished. Thus, according to one or more embodiments, a utensil (e.g., fork) may comprise a material with indicators (via, e.g., any of the techniques described throughout or otherwise) used to detect the presence of, e.g., peanuts, in a food.
Advantageously, for example, by using the beverage container itself as the testing material, the user is provided with a (near) effortless and continuous monitoring of the beverage within the beverage container without such illustrative burdens required by the prior art, such as, inter alia, remembering to bring a testing kit (disguised or otherwise) with a sufficient number of testing strips, remembering to test the beverage, and remembering to re-test the beverage at different times. As another example advantage, even if the user cannot distinguish between the effect of the alcohol and the effect of ingesting a contaminated beverage, other onlookers may still notice the reaction of the beverage container/testing material and provide a warning to the user. Additionally, the testing material of the beverage container (e.g., any unused portions) may also be used to test other beverages of different users, such as an acquaintance that may not be in possession of the disclosed beverage container or a testing kit.
In some embodiments, there may be more than one technique to produce any of the above-noted polymers, which may include, e.g., solutions of water swellable polymers. In some embodiments, these solutions may be used to produce such things as, e.g., films/polymer matrix, that may be impregnated (e.g., embedded) with any of the above-noted indicators, e.g., indicator dyes, food colors, etc.
In some embodiments, example “chemicals” that may be used may include, e.g., water (e.g., distilled water (e.g., food grade)), polyvinyl alcohol (e.g., Alfa Aesar), Eudragit S100 (e.g., Evonik), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) (e.g., ISP Tech. Inc.), plasdone K29/32, FDC Blue #1 (e.g., food grade), ethanol absolute (e.g., Aldrich) Pharmaceutical Grade, dibutyl sebacate (e.g., Acros), bromophenol blue sodium salt (e.g., MPBiomedicals), or other suitable materials.
In some embodiments, equipment that may be used may include, e.g., 250 ml screw top flask, Magnetic Spin Bar, Analytical Balance, Volumetric Pippette, or other suitable equipment. It will be appreciated that similar equipment used for larger scale production may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. As such, any equipment (described throughout) that may produce any portion of the present disclosure for any production sizes described throughout should be taken as an example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure.

Example Preparation Procedure for a 12% Eudragit S100 Solution

It will be appreciated that 12% should be taken as an example only and not to limit the scope of the present disclosure, as other percentages may also be developed. It will also be appreciated that the specific amounts/types of materials used and/or procedures used may vary depending upon desired results. As such, any specific quantities (described throughout) and procedures (described throughout) should be taken as an example only and not to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, a 250 ml screw top flask equipped with a spin bar and cap may be charged with, e.g., 220 grams of ethanol. The ethanol may be stirred until a vortex has formed. To the rapidly stirring ethanol, e.g., 30 grams of Eudragit S100 may be gradually added over a period of, e.g., about a minute (e.g., to prevent agglomeration). Stirring of this mixture while gently heating may be continued until a homogenous solution forms (e.g., about 8 hours). After the solution forms, heating and/or stirring may be stopped and the solution may be left to age at, e.g., ambient temperatures over night.
In some embodiments, after aging the solution overnight, on the following day, approximately 12.5 grams of dibutyl sebacate may be added. After the addition of the sebacate, the mixture may be stirred until, e.g., a homogeneous mixture is achieved (e.g., about 5 minutes). After the polymer solution is made, the mixture may be stored in, e.g., the refrigerator until ready for use.

Example Preparation Procedure for a 20% Polyvinyl Alcohol Solution

In some embodiments, a second 250 ml screw top flask equipped with a spin bar and cap may be charged with, e.g., 200 ml of distilled water. The water may be stirred until a vortex is formed. To the rapidly stirring water, 50 grams of polyvinyl alcohol may be gradually added over a period of about a minute (e.g., to prevent agglomeration). Stirring of this mixture while heating at, e.g., 70° C. may be continued overnight (e.g., about 15 hours).
In some embodiments, there may be more than one technique to produce any of the above-noted polymers, which may include, e.g., films of the above-noted water swellable polymer solutions. These films that may be impregnated (e.g., embedded) with any of the above-noted indicators, e.g., indicator dyes, food colors, etc. and tested.
In some embodiments, example “chemicals” that may be used may include, e.g., water (e.g., distilled water (e.g., food grade)), 20% Polyvinyl Alcohol Solution (e.g., in water), 12% Eudragit S100 Solution (e.g., in EtOH), 20% Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone (PVP) Solution (e.g., in EtOH), 20% FDC Blue Solution (e.g., in Water), Ethanol Absolute (e.g., Aldrich) Pharmaceutical Grade, 0.3% Bromophenol Blue Solution (e.g., in EtOH), Tetraethyl Orthosilicate (e.g., Aldrich), Glutaraldehyde 50% Solution (e.g., Alfa Aesar) 12 Molar Hydrochloric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, and Sodium Bicarbonate, or other suitable materials.
In some embodiments, equipment that may be used may include, e.g., 3″×5″ Polycarbonate sheets, 2″×3″ glass slides, 1″×3″ glass slides, 1.5 Mil tape, Magnetic stirrer, Magnetic spin bar, pH Meter, or other suitable equipment. It will be appreciated that similar equipment used for larger scale production may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. As such, any equipment (described throughout) that may produce any portion of the present disclosure for any production sizes described throughout (irrespective of whether the equipment has the same and/or similar function) should be taken as an example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure.

Example Preparation Procedure of Eudragit S100 Films With Bromophenol Blue

In some embodiments, approximately 2 ml of the Eudragit S100 solution may be charged into a 20 ml scintillation vial equipped with a cap and magnetic spin bar. To the Eudragit solution in the vial, 200 ul of a 0.3% solution of bromophenol blue may be added. This mixture may then stirred until, e.g., a homogeneous solution formed.
In some embodiments, this solution may be cast on 3″×5″ Polycarbonate sheets and 2″×3″ glass slides (or other suitable surface) using, e.g., a 3.0 mil shim. The solution may be doctored over the surface of, e.g., the polycarbonate sheet using a 1″×3″ glass slide. After casting the films, the shims may be removed and the (wet) films may be left to slowly dry over a period of about an hour prior to making observations.
In some embodiments, the films may be evaluated by, e.g., soaking them in water at, e.g., pH 14, pH 8, pH 3, and pH 1, and observations may be made over a time period of at least two hours.

Example Preparation Procedure of Eudragit S100 Films with Brillian Blue

In some embodiments, approximately 2 ml of the Eudragit S100 solution may be charged into a 20 ml scintillation vial equipped with a cap and magnetic spin bar. To the Eudragit solution in the vial, 20 ul of a 20% solution of brilliant blue may be added. This mixture may be stirred until a homogeneous solution forms.
In some embodiments, this solution may be cast on 3″×5″ Polycarbonate sheets and 2″×3″ glass slides using a 3.0 mil shim. The solution may be doctored over the surface of the polycarbonate sheets using a 1″×3″ glass slide. After casting the films, the shims may be removed and the (wet) films may be left to slowly dry over a period of about an hour prior to making observations.
In some embodiments, the films may be evaluated by soaking them in water at, e.g., pH 14, pH 8, pH 3, and pH 1 and observations may be made over a time period of at least two hours.

Example Discussion Eudragit S100 Films Results

In some embodiments, the Eudragit material may work well. Films may dissolve at the appropriate pH, but might not dissolve quickly enough (t<5 minutes). Thus, depending on the desired rate of the dissolution of the polymer when the target pH is reached, alterations may be made to achieve varying quickness of dissolution.

Example Preparation Procedure of Polyvinyl Alcohol Films with Bromophenol Blue

In some embodiments, approximately 5 ml of the 20% PVA solution may be charged into a 20 ml scintillation vial equipped with a cap and magnetic spin bar. To the PVA solution in the vial, 500 ul of a 0.3% solution of bromophenol blue may be added. This mixture may be stirred until a homogeneous solution forms.
In some embodiments, this solution may be cast on 3″×5″ Polycarbonate sheets and 2″×3″ glass slides using a 3.0 mil shim. The solution may be doctored over the surface of the polycarbonate sheet using a 1″×3″ glass slide. After casting the films, the shims may be removed and the wet films may be left to slowly dry over a period of about an hour. After drying, the films may be placed in an oven pre-heated to, e.g., 135° C. One set of films may be heated for an hour and another set may be heated for 4 hours prior to making observations.
In some embodiments, the films may be evaluated by soaking them in water at pH 14 and a pH 1 and observations were made over a time period of at least an hour.

Example Results and Observations for Polyvinyl Alcohol Films with Bromophenol Blue

In some embodiments, the appearance of the one-hour films and four-hour films may be identical. Both films may be a cobolt blue in color and may be transparent and/or translucent. When the one-hour film is placed in the pH 1 water, the color of the film may gradually change from a deep transparent blue to a transparent yellow color (about 1-2 minutes).
In some embodiments, when the one-hour film is placed in pH 8 water, the color of the film may remain blue, but the PVA may begin to dissolve and within 5 minutes the PVA may dissolve.
In some embodiments, when the four-hour film is placed in the pH 1 water, the color of the film may gradually change from a deep transparent blue to a transparent yellow color, the PVA may begin to soften and dissolve after sitting in the acidic solution for about 3 minutes.
In some embodiments, when the four-hour film is placed in the pH 8 water, the color of the film may remain a deep transparent blue, the PVA may begin to soften and dissolve after sitting in the basic solution for about 3 minutes.

Example Discussion Polyvinyl Alcohol Films with Bromophenol Blue Results

In some embodiments, PVA films impregnated with indicator dyes may be feasible and may change colors so that these materials may be used as an insituo method for detecting changes in, e.g., pH. It will be appreciated that any of the polymers discussed throughout may include any of the indicators discussed throughout without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as will be discussed in greater detail below, materials, such as tetraethylortho Silicate (TEOS) and glutaraldehyde, may be used as cross linkers that may slow down or stop the dissolution of PVA in the test solution.

Example Procedure for Hydrolysis of TEOS

A 100 ml Erlenmeyer flask equipped with a stopper and magnetic spin bar may be charged with 23.3 grams of Tetraethylorthosilicate, 8.1 grams of distilled water, and 7 drops of concentrated HCL.
After the addition of the reactants is completed, the mixture may be stirred in the capped flask (e.g., while being heated on a hot plate set at, e.g., 50° C.) until the mixture goes from a cloudy suspension to a clear solution (e.g., 5 to 10 minutes).
When the mixture clarified, heating and stirring may be stopped and the freshly hydrolyzed TEOS may be left in the stoppered vial to cool to ambient temperatures.
The cooled TEOS may be stored under refrigerated conditions until ready for use.

Example Preparation Procedure of Polyvinyl Alcohol Films with TEOS and Bromophenol Blue

In some embodiments, approximately 7 grams of the 20% PVA solution may be charged into a 20 ml scintillation vial equipped with a cap and magnetic spin bar. To the PVA solution in the vial, 1 gram of the TEOS solution may be added. After the addition of the TEOS, the mixture may be stirred for about 5 minutes to insure a homogenous solution forms. After 5 minutes of stirring, to the PVA/TEOS solution (in the vial) 700 ul of a 0.3% solution of bromophenol blue may be added. This mixture may be stirred until a homogeneous solution forms.
In some embodiments, this solution may be cast on 3″×5″ Polycarbonate sheets and 2″×3″ glass slides using a 3.0 mil shim. The solution may be doctored over the surface of the polycarbonate sheet using a 1″×3″ glass slide. The solution may be doctored over the surface of the polycarbonate sheet using a 1″×3″ glass slide. After casting the films, the shims may be removed and the wet films may be left to slowly dry over a period of about an hour. After air drying for an hour, the films may be placed in an oven pre-heated to, e.g., 135° C. One set of films may be heated for an hour and another set may be heated for 4 hours prior to making observations.
In some embodiments, the films may be evaluated by soaking them in water at a pH 14 and a pH 1 and observations may be made over a time period of at least hour.

Example Polyvinyl Alcohol Films with TEOS and Bromophenol Blue Results Discussion

In some embodiments, PVA/TEOS films may be impregnated with indicator dyes, and may be viable and may change colors so that these materials may be used as an insituo method for detecting changes in pH. Although these experiments proved the viability, more work needs to be done in controlling the dissolution of these films. In some embodiments, as will be discussed in greater detail below, gluteraldehyde may be evaluated as a cross linking agent.

Example Preparation Procedure of Polyvinyl Alcohol Films with Glutaraldehyde and Bromophenol Blue

In some embodiments, approximately 4.5 grams of the 20% PVA solution may be charged into a 20 ml scintillation vial equipped with a cap and magnetic spin bar. To the PVA solution in the vial, 0.5 grams of a 50% aqueous solution of glutaraldehyde may be added. After the addition of the glutaraldehyde, the mixture may be stirred for about 5 minutes to insure that a homogenous solution forms. After 5 minutes of stirring, to the PVA/glutaraldehyde solution (in the vial), 500 ul of a 0.3% solution of bromophenol blue may be added. This mixture may be stirred until a homogeneous solution forms.
In some embodiments, this solution may be cast on 3″×5″ Polycarbonate sheets and 2″×3″ glass slides using a 3.0 mil shim. The solution may be doctored over the surface of the polycarbonate sheet using a 1″×3″ glass slide. After casting, the films the shims may be removed and the wet films may be left to slowly dry over a period of about an hour. After air drying for an hour, the films may be placed in an oven pre-heated to, e.g., 135° C. One set of films may be heated for an hour and another set may be heated for 4 hours prior to making observations. It will be appreciated that equipment (e.g., fans) may also be used for air drying.
In some embodiments, the films may be evaluated by soaking them in water at a pH 14 and a pH 1 and observations may be made over a time period of at least hour.

Example Discussion of Polyvinyl Alcohol Films with Glutaraldehyde and Bromophenol Blue

In some embodiments, PVA films cross-linked with gluteraldehyde and impregnated with indicator dyes may be used for making films that can survive the test solution. In some embodiments, as will be discussed in greater detail below, greater amounts glutaraldehyde under acidic conditions may be used. In some embodiments, addition of acid may facilitate the cross linking reaction.
In some embodiments, some of the PVA may not dissolve (e.g., when observed the following day), so the heating temperature may be increased to about 85° C. and stirring may be continued. About 4 hours later, a solution may be formed. The appearance of the solution may be clear and colorless. After the solution forms, heating and stirring may be stopped and the solution may be left to stand at ambient temperatures until ready for use.

Example Preparation Procedure for a 20% Polyvinyl Pyrrolidinone Solution

In some embodiments, a 20 ml scintillation vial equipped with a spin bar and cap may be charged with 20 grams of ethanol. The ethanol may be stirred until a vortex forms. To the rapidly stirring ethanol, 5 grams of polyvinyl pyrrolidinone may be gradually added over a period of about a minute (e.g., to prevent agglomeration). This mixture may be stirred while heating at ambient temperatures until a solution formed (about 30 minutes). After the solution forms, stirring may be stopped and the solution may be left to stand at ambient temperatures until ready for use.

Example Preparation of 0.3% Bromophenol Blue Indicator Solution

In some embodiments, a 20 ml scintillation vial equipped with a spin bar may be charged with 3 ml of ethanol and 10 mg of bromophenol blue. This mixture may be stirred until a dark yellow solution forms (about 30 minutes). After the solution forms, it may be stored in the capped vial at ambient temperatures until ready for use.

Example Preparation of 20% FDC Blue Food Coloring Solution

In some embodiments, a 20 ml scintillation vial equipped with a spin bar may be charged with 4 ml of distilled water and 1 gram of FDC blue #1 solid. This mixture may be stirred until a cobalt blue solution forms (about 30 minutes). After the solution forms, it may be stored in the capped vial at ambient temperatures until ready for use.

Example Discussion

In some embodiments, one or more of the polymer solutions may be used to make water swellable films impregnated with any of the indicators described throughout (e.g., acid base indicators, food dyes, etc.). In some embodiments, films may be used that may dissolve when the desired pH is achieved. In some embodiments, water swellable films impregnated with acid base indicators may be used. In some embodiments, any combination of any of the polymers described throughout may be used.
In some embodiments, there may be more than one technique used to determine the optimal amount of dye in the water swellable film (or other example polymer).
In some embodiments, example “chemicals” that may be used may include, e.g., 12% Eudragit S100 Solution (In EtOH), 20% Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone (PVP) Solution (In EtOH), Ethanol Absolute (Aldrich) Pharmaceutical Grade, 0.3% Bromophenol Blue Solution (In EtOH), HCl Solution, Sodium Hydroxide Solution, or other suitable materials.
In some embodiments, equipment that may be used may include, e.g., 3″×5″ Polycarbonate sheets, 2″×3″ glass slides, 1″×3″ glass slides, 1.5 Mil tape, Magnetic stirrer, Magnetic spin bar, pH Meter, or other suitable equipment.

Example Preparation Procedure of Eudragit S100 Films with Bromophenol Blue

In some embodiments, five 20 ml scintillation vials with caps and stirrers may be each charged with approximately 2 ml of the Eudragit S100 solution. To the Eudragit solution in the vials, the following amounts of a 0.3% solution of bromophenol blue may be added: to vial #1 25 ul, to vial 2 50 ul, to vial 3 75 ul, to vial 4 100 ul, and to vial 5 200 ul. The vials may be stirred until homogeneous solutions forms (about 5 minute).
In some embodiments, the solutions may be cast on 3″×2″ glass slides using a 1.5 mil shim. The solutions may be doctored over the surface of the glass slides using a 1″×3″ glass slide. After casting the films, the shims may be removed and the wet films may be left to slowly dry over a period of about an hour prior to making observations.
In some embodiments, the films may be evaluated by soaking them in water at pH 14 and pH 1 and observations may be made.
In some embodiments, the amount of dye present in the film so that a color change may be readily be seen may be in the vicinity of about, e.g., 1 to 100. Higher amounts may pose problems with leaching while lower amount may cause difficulties in seeing the results. As discussed above, techniques may be applied to reduce (or eliminate) the amount of leaching that may occur with, e.g., higher amounts of dye.
In some embodiments, there may be more than one technique to produce solutions of alternate water swellable polymer solutions. These solutions may be formulated with indicator dyes.
In some embodiments, example “chemicals” that may be used may include, e.g., water (e.g., distilled water (e.g., food grade)), Polyvinyl Alcohol (e.g., Alfa Aesar), Eudragit RL100 (e.g., Evonik), Ethanol Absolute (e.g., Aldrich) Pharmaceutical Grade
Bromophenol Thymol Blue Sodium Salt (e.g., Sigm-Aldrich), or other suitable materials.
In some embodiments, equipment that may be used may include, e.g., Magnetic stirrer, Magnetic spin bar, or other suitable equipment.

Example Preparation Procedure for a 10% 60K Polyvinyl Alcohol Solution

In some embodiments, a 250 ml screw top flask equipped with a spin bar and cap may be charged with 200 ml of distilled water. The water may be stirred until a vortex forms. To the rapidly stirring water, 25 grams of polyvinyl alcohol may be gradually added over a period of about a minute (e.g., to prevent agglomeration). Stirring of this mixture while heating at 80° C. may be continued 4 hours. After 4 hours, it may be observed that very little of the polymer has dissolved, so the heating temperature may be increased to 95° C. This mixture may be stirred at this temperature for an additional 5 hours. After 5 hours, an extremely viscous solution may form, then heating may be stopped and stirring may be continued overnight.
In some embodiments, after stirring overnight, stirring may be stopped and the solution may be left to stand at ambient temperature until ready for use. In some embodiments, e.g., the solution may be left to stand for two days in order to age the polymer and insure that it is sufficiently (e.g., totally) hydrated.

Example Preparation Procedure for a 12% Eudragit RL100 Solution

In some embodiments, a 250 ml screw top flask equipped with a spin bar and cap may be charged with 220 grams of ethanol. The ethanol may be stirred until a vortex has formed. To the rapidly stirring ethanol, 30 grams of Eudragit RL100 may be gradually added over a period of about a minute (e.g., to prevent agglomeration). Stirring of this mixture while gently heating may be continued until a homogenous solution forms (about 8 hours). After the solution forms, heating and stirring may be stopped and the solution may be left to age at ambient temperatures over night.
In some embodiments, after aging the solution overnight, 12.5 grams of dibutyl sebacate may be added. After the addition of the sebacate, the mixture may be stirred until a homogeneous mixture is achieved (about 5 minutes). After the polymer solution is made, the mixture may be stored in the refrigerator until ready for use.
In some embodiments, eudragit S100 may be used as the binding polymer.
In some embodiments, eudragit RL100 may be selected because it may be water insoluble yet water swellable. This property may make this polymer better for use as a binder for indicator dyes. This polymer may be used in the same manner as, e.g., PVA, etc.

Example Preparation of 0.3% Bromothymol Blue Indicator Solution

In some embodiments, a 20 ml scintillation vial equipped with a spin bar may be charged with 3 ml of ethanol and 10 mg of bromothymol blue. This mixture may be stirred until a dark yellow solution forms (about 30 minutes). After the solution forms, it may be stored in the capped vial at ambient temperatures until ready for use.

Example Discussion for 0.3% Bromothymol Blue Indicator Solution

In some embodiments, the indicator may be selected to detect pH changes in the range of 6.0-7.6. At pH levels below 6.0, the indicator may be yellow in color and at pH levels of 7.6 or greater, the indicator may be blue.
In some embodiments, there may be more than one technique to produce any of the above-noted polymers, which may include, e.g., films of the above-noted water swellable polymer solutions. These films that may be impregnated (e.g., embedded) with any of the above-noted indicators, e.g., indicator dyes, food colors, etc. and tested.
In some embodiments, example “chemicals” that may be used may include, e.g., water (e.g., distilled water (e.g., food grade)), 10% 60K Polyvinyl Alcohol Solution (e.g., in water), 12% Eudragit RL100 Solution (e.g., in EtOH), Ethanol Absolute (e.g., Aldrich) Pharmaceutical Grade, 0.3% Bromothymol Blue Solution (e.g., in EtOH), Tetraethyl Orthosilicate (e.g., Aldrich), Citric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrochloric Acid, or other suitable materials.
In some embodiments, equipment that may be used may include, e.g., 3″×5″ Polycarbonate sheets, 2″×3″ glass slides, 1″×3″ glass slides, 1.5 Mil tape, Magnetic stirrer, Magnetic spin bar, pH Meter, or other suitable equipment.

Example Preparation Procedure of Eudragit RL100 Films with Bromothymol Blue

In some embodiments, approximately 2 ml of the Eudragit RL100 solution may be charged into a 20 ml scintillation vial equipped with a cap and magnetic spin bar. To the Eudragit solution in the vial, 200 ul of a 0.3% solution of bromothymol blue may be added. This mixture may be stirred until a homogeneous solution forms.
In some embodiments, this solution may be cast on 3″×5″ Polycarbonate sheets and 2″×3″ glass slides using a 3.0 mil shim. The solution may be doctored over the surface of the polycarbonate sheet using a 1″×3″ glass slide. After casting the films, the shims may be removed and the wet films may be left to slowly dry over a period of about an hour prior to making observations.
In some embodiments, the films may be evaluated by soaking them in water at pH 14 and pH 1 and observations may be made over a time period of an hour. The films may be evaluated at pH 3, pH 7.6 and pH 8.1
In some embodiments, the material may be used to produce an in-situ method for detecting (e.g., pH changes) at least in aqueous solutions. In some embodiments, the rate of change may be improved by, e.g., letting more water into the polymer (e.g., swelling). For example, this may be done with the introduction of polymer systems that may be hydrophilic in nature. In some embodiments, Polyvinyl Pyrrolidinone may be used as a means of increasing the hydrophilicity of the films.

Example Preparation Procedure of Eudragit RL100 Films with Bromothymol Blue Blended with Polyvinyl Pyrrolidinone

In some embodiments, two 20 ml scintillation vials equipped with caps and magnetic spin bars may be each charged with approximately 2 ml of the Eudragit RL100 solution. To the first vial containing the Eudragit solution, 200 ul of a 10% PVP solution may be added and to the second vial, 2 ml of the 10% PVP solution may be added. After the addition of the 10% PVP is completed, the vials may be capped and stirred until a homogenous mixture occurs. To each vial may be added the following, e.g.: to the first vial, 200 ul of a 0.3% solution of bromothymol blue and to the second vial 400 ul of a 0.3% solution of bromothymol blue. After the addition of the dyes is completed, these mixtures may be stirred until homogeneous solutions forms.
In some embodiments, these solutions may be cast on 3″×5″ Polycarbonate sheets and 2″×3″ glass slides using a 3.0 mil shim. The solutions may be doctored over the surface of the polycarbonate sheet using a 1″×3″ glass slide. After casting the films, the shims may be removed and the wet films may be left to slowly dry over a period of about an hour prior to making observations.
In some embodiments, the films may be evaluated by soaking them in water at, e.g., pH 3, pH 7.6 and pH 8.1

Example Discussion for Eudragit RL100 Films with Bromothymol Blue Blended with Polyvinyl Pyrrolidinone

In some embodiments, this material in its present form may be used for producing an insituo method for detecting (e.g., pH changes) in aqueous solutions. In some embodiments, as will be discussed in greater detail below, high molecular weight PEG may be used as a means of increasing the hydrophilicity of the films.

Example Preparation Procedure of 60K Polyvinyl Alcohol Films with Bromothymol Blue

In some embodiments, approximately 5 ml of the 10% PVA solution may be charged into a 20 ml scintillation vial equipped with a cap and magnetic spin bar. To the PVA solution in the vial, 500 ul of a 0.3% solution of bromothymol blue may be added. This mixture may be stirred until a homogeneous solution forms.
In some embodiments, this solution may be cast on 3″×5″ Polycarbonate sheets and 2″×3″ glass slides using a 3.0 mil shim. The solution may be doctored over the surface of the polycarbonate sheet using a 1″×3″ glass slide. After casting, the films the shims may be removed and the wet films may be left to slowly dry over a period of about an hour. After drying, the films may be placed in an oven pre-heated to 130° C. One set of films may be heated for an hour and another set may be heated for 4 hours prior to making observations.
In some embodiments, the films may be evaluated by soaking them in water at a pH 14 and a pH 1 and observations may be made over a time period of at least an hour.

Example Procedure for Hydrolysis of TEOS

A 100 ml Erlenmeyer flask equipped with a stopper and magnetic spin bar may be charged with 23.3 grams of Tetraethylorthosilicate, 8.1 grams of distilled water, and 7 drops of concentrated HCL.
After the addition of the reactants is completed, the mixture may be stirred in the capped flask (e.g., while being heated on a hot plate set at 50° C.) until the mixture changes from a cloudy suspension to a clear solution (5 to 10 minutes).
When the mixture clarifies, heating and stirring may be stopped and the freshly hydrolyzed TEOS may be left in the stoppered vial to cool to ambient temperatures.
The cooled TEOS may be stored under refrigerated conditions until ready for use.

Example Preparation Procedure of 60K Polyvinyl Alcohol Films with TEOS and Bromothymol Blue

In some embodiments, approximately 7 grams of the 10% 60K PVA solution may be charged into a 20 ml scintillation vial equipped with a cap and magnetic spin bar. To the PVA solution in the vial, 1 gram of the TEOS solution may be added. After the addition of the TEOS, the mixture may be stirred for about 5 minutes to insure a homogenous solution forms. After 5 minutes of stirring to the 60KPVA/TEOS solution (in the vial) 500 ul of a 0.3% solution of bromothymol blue may be added. This mixture may be stirred until a homogeneous solution forms.
In some embodiments, this solution may be cast on 3″×5″ Polycarbonate sheets and 2″×3″ glass slides using a 3.0 mil shim. The solution may be doctored over the surface of the polycarbonate sheet using a 1″×3″ glass slide. After casting the films, the shims may be removed and the wet films may be left to slowly dry over a period of about an hour. After air-drying for an hour, the films may be placed in an oven pre-heated to 135° C. One set of films may be heated for an hour and another set may be heated for 4 hours prior to making observations.
In some embodiments, the films may be evaluated by soaking them in water at a pH 14 and a pH 1 and observations may be made over a time period of at least hour.

Example Discussion Polyvinyl Alcohol Films with TEOS and Bromophenol Blue Results

In some embodiments, PVA/TEOS films impregnated with indicator dyes may be used and may change colors rapidly enough so that these materials may be used as an insituo method for rapidly detecting changes in, e.g., pH. In some embodiments, greater amounts of Tetraethyl Ortho Silicate (TEOS) may be used to slow dissolution.
In some implementations, the polymer matrix may be based on a pH-independent, swellable, and water insoluble modified Eudragit RL100 (or other example films). Modifications to the example RL100 may be accomplished with, e.g., polyethylene glycol. This material may be added to the RL100 in order to increase the hydrophilicity of the polymer.
In some implementations, a thin (e.g., 1 micron) overlay coat of, e.g., Eudragit RL100, may be applied to the indicator film (e.g., after the film is cast). This may, e.g., reduce the potential of leaching of the indicator dye. This may also, e.g., increase the visibility of a color change due to detection of the target substance (e.g., GHB). Other benefits may be achieved by applying the overlay coat.
Under optimized conditions, the transparent detector strips may be cast from, e.g., ethanolic solutions of the polymer (e.g., ca. 10% solids). Casting conditions may include, e.g., 1.5-3 mil thick shims (40-80 micron). A glass slide to doctor the solution over the substrate surface. After casting, the wet films may be dried using a steady stream of heated air, although the wet films may also be dried by other techniques, such as by their natural environment (e.g., without a device to heat the air). The final film thickness of the dry films in some implementations may range from, e.g., 0.15-0.3 mil (4-8 micron), however it will be appreciated that other thicknesses may be used. In some implementations, simply by the properties of the film(s) discussed throughout or otherwise (e.g., testing material), adhesion to the glass substrate (or other substrate material) may be achieved without applying adhesion promoting treatments to the substrate. In some implementations, the adhesion promoting treatments may be used. In some implementations, the final dye concentration in the films may be about 1% of the total dry solids content in the film, just as an example.
In some implementations, due to the buffering effects of citric acid or other substances (e.g., carbonation/carbonic acid), a higher concentration of the contaminate may be required to bring any “meaningful” change of the pH (e.g., for beer over 4.5) to cause a color change. However, in some implementations, the properties of the polymer matrix may be adjusted to affect the desired shift in the pH.
For example, in some implementations, higher levels of PEG 3.5 may be used to help with “solubilizing” of the dye in the polymer matrix based on some effects of detergents reported for other matrixes incorporating the pH indictors. For instance, in some implementations, using 15% solution of PEG 3.5 may improve the shift in the target pH range, and an indicator (e.g., Bromophenol Blue) may display a color transition at pH 5.5 (yellow-to-lilac) that shift to blue-violet hues at a higher pH. For example, detection the pH transition in beer from pH 4.6-5 to 5.3-5.5 may be triggered by the addition of, e.g., 1 g of GHB in 16 oz of beer.
In some implementations, the base polymer solution may be prepared by, e.g., mixing 0.8 ml of 10% freshly prepared ethanol solution of Eudragit RL100 (<2 weeks old) and 0.2 ml of 10% ethanol solution of PEG 3.5 K. To this solution, 0.1 ml of the 1% ethanol (or propylene glycol for poorly soluble indicators) solution of a pH indicator may be added, vortexed and cast on the 1×3 inch glass slides, 1.5 mil wet (ca. 0.15 mil dry). The slides may be dried using, e.g., a hot air blower for 60 s. For the propylene glycol containing films, the drying time may be extended to 3 min. Films may be further aged for 1 hour at ambient conditions. The pH indicator load in the polymer films may be, e.g., ca. 1% (w/w).
In some implementations, the base polymer solution may be prepared by mixing 0.8 ml of 10% freshly prepared ethanol solution of Eudragit RL100 (<2 weeks old) and 0.2 ml of 15% ethanol solution of PEG 3.5 K. To this solution, 0.1 ml of the 1% ethanol solution of the Bromophenol Blue may be added, vortexed briefly and cast on the 0.5×1.5 inch white plastic strips, 1.5 mil wet (ca. 0.15 mil dry). The strips may be dried using, e.g., a warm air blower for 60 seconds. The films may be further aged for 1 hour at ambient conditions. The pH indicator load in the polymer films may be, e.g., ca. 1% (w/w).
In some implementations, a transition color-changing pH in the modified formulation may be established at, e.g., 5.3 (yellow-to lilac). Increasing pH may lead to color intensification and may shift to blue-violet hues starting at, e.g., pH 6-6.5. Several beer brands investigated when used freshly open bottles may display pH of 4.6-5.1 and maintain the yellow color of the film. Adding 1 g of GHB in 16 oz of beer may thus result in pH increases to 5.3-5.5 (e.g., target range for GHB) that may be detected by the new formulation. It will be appreciated that similar modifications may be made to adjust (e.g., increase, decrease) the target pH range depending on such things as the substance desired to be detected as well as the material causing the buffering. As such, the specific technique (and amount) of adjusting for the effects of buffering should be taken as an example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure.
In some embodiments, any of the polymers/films discussed throughout may be used for embedding indicators, chemically bonding indicators, or combination thereof, and in any fashion as described above or otherwise. For example, as may be shown by example only in FIG. 2, in some implementations, multiple indicators that are configured to test for the same substance (e.g., GHB), may be used simultaneously. For example, a first indicator for GHB (indicator X) may be used in section 232, a second indicator for GHB (indicator Y) may be used in section 234, and a third indicator for GHB (indicator Z) may be used in section 236, etc. This may make detection of GHB more accurate (e.g., if only one indicator changes, then perhaps it is a false positive, but if two or more indicators change, then there is a higher likelihood that GHB is present in the beverage).
Continuing with the above example, if indicators X, Y, Z are pH based indicators, then these indicators may help show a change in pH, which may indicate that GHB has been added in the beverage (although some or all indicators in this example or any other example throughout need not be pH based, and may be any combination of any of the indicators described throughout or otherwise). For example, assume that indicator X has a pH range of 3-5, indicator Y has a pH range of 5-7, and indicator Z has a pH range of 7-9. In the example, an uncontaminated mixed drink may have a pH range of 6, which may cause indicator Y to change color (e.g., as a false positive). However, if GHB is then added, the pH of the mixed drink may then be 7.5, causing indicator Z to change color. Thus, in the example, by using multiple indicators (e.g., pH indicators), it may be possible to discern false positives by identifying which indicators change color when the drink is made (e.g., the starting point where indicator Y changes color), and later identifying if any additional indicators later change (indicating the addition of GHB where indicator Z changes color). In some implementations, one or more sections (e.g., section 234) may be designed such that once the starting point is reached (e.g., when the initial pH reading of the drink is shown by the indicators when the drink is first made), section 234 may then be effectively “sealed off” from coming into contact with any additional portion of the beverage in the beverage container. In that example, if section 234 did not change color at the starting point, but then would have changed color with the addition of GHB, section 234 would not then change color since it would be sealed off from coming into contact with the GHB in the beverage. This may help the user remember what the starting point (e.g., pH) of the beverage is initially, such that any additional changes in the remaining indicators may be easier to determine that GHB has been added. In some implementations, section 234 may be labeled for the user as the starting point.
In some implementations, the indicator's specificity and robustness of detection of one or more substances, e.g., GHB, in various popular drinks including alcoholic beverages, food, or otherwise, may be improved. For instance, to improve the specificity of detection (e.g., the reduction or elimination of false positives and/or false negative), the material/indicators of the beverage container (e.g., cup, straw/stirrer, glass, etc.) may rapidly identify the presence of, e.g., GHB, at concentrations ranging from, by way of example only, 0.5 to 2 mg/ml. In some implementations, this may be achieved with, e.g., in the case of GHB detection, an indicator that is a GHB immunoassay (e.g., enzyme, antibody, etc.), as noted above. It will be appreciated that other immunoassay indicators may be developed for other substances (e.g., drugs, allergens, organisms, etc.), and as such, the use of a GHB immunoassay indicator should be taken as an example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure.
It will be appreciated that there may be numerous approaches to developing the above-noted GHB immunoassay indicator, but for simplicity purposes, the description will discuss integration (e.g., of the beverage container) with use of a lateral flow technology to identify the target substance(s)/chemical(s). For example, in some implementations, a capture/detection antibody pair indicator may be used, where the capture antibody may be immobilized (e.g., in the portion/section/reading window of the beverage container shown by example only in FIG. 2) while the labeled (e.g., non-toxic dye) detection antibody may be free in beverage solution. In the example, if the target (e.g., GHB) is present in the drink (e.g., beverage solution), it may be bound by the detection antibody to form a colored target-antibody pair. Further in the example, this colored complex may be “captured” by the immobilized antibody located in the above-noted reading window/portion of the beverage container containing the indicator. Further in the example, at least one antibody may pick up at least one part of the molecule, while the other one may pick up another. In some implementations/embodiments, binding to the target molecule may lead to immobilization of the colored antibody in the portion/section/reading window of the beverage container. In some implementations, absence of the target molecule may leave the detection window blank (e.g., no color change). Referring at least to FIG. 16, an example schematic of the above-noted GHB immunoassay indicator (e.g., GHB immunoassay indicator 1600) is shown. In some implementations, the beverage testing may be implemented by generating polyclonal antibodies against, e.g., GHB, for the purpose of developing the above-noted indicators for integration with the above-noted beverage container (or otherwise).
In some implementations, an immunization protocol may be designed to generate such antibodies. For example, in some implementations, the target compounds may be coupled to an immunogenic protein. In the example, a series of immunization and test bleeds to confirm the production of specific antibodies against the target(s) may be conducted. In some implementations, an immunization schedule may extend over a period of, e.g., 118 days. However, the titer testing may start at day 36. In some implementations, generation of the binding antibody(s) to GHB may include, e.g., preparation of the immunogenic constructs, testing the titers, modification of the immunogenic construct in iterative fashion (if necessary), purification of the target antibody(s), conjugation of the target antibody(s) to the dye, combining the reagent in a function assay on the cellulose-based filter. It will be appreciated that the use of cellulose-based filter is by example only, and that any of the above-noted materials (e.g., polymers) may be used to integrate the antibody indicator using one or more of the above-noted techniques without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
While there have been shown and described illustrative embodiments using a beverage container, it is to be understood that various other adaptations and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the embodiments have been shown and described herein where a wax film protecting the testing material prevents the beverage contained within the beverage container from immediately contacting and reacting with the testing material lined with the beverage container. However, the embodiments of the disclosure in their broader sense are not so limited to beverage containers, and may, in fact, be advantageously used to line, e.g., a beverage stirrer, or a beverage straw, or (food) utensil (e.g., fork, spoon, knife, chopsticks, etc.), food containers (e.g., bowls, plates, food storage containers, etc), contraception devices (e.g., condoms, etc.) and feminine products (e.g., tampons, sanitary napkin, etc.) to test for sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS/HIV, genital herpes, cervical cancer, genital warts, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and other diseases), rubber (e.g., latex, non-latex) gloves, such as those used by doctors, to test for the same or other patient related diseases, counter-tops to test for bacteria, such as salmonella, toilets, etc. For example, the straw may be lined with the testing material and the wax. As another example, a fork may be lined with (e.g., comprise) the testing material to determine if a substance (e.g., food allergen, bacteria, spoilage such as rotten meat or milk, etc.) is present in, e.g., food. This would allow, e.g., the straw, the stirrer, and the utensil, etc., to function as both a conventional straw/stirrer/utensil, etc. and as the testing material to attain none, some or all of above example advantages.
In some implementations, and referring at least to FIG. 17, the testing material may include, e.g., a molecularly imprinted polymer. A Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP), such as MIP 1700, may include a polymer that has been created using any known molecular imprinting technique (e.g., self-assembly method, covalent method, hierarchical imprinting method, polymerization packed bed method, ATRP, RAFT, etc.), that leaves cavities in a polymer matrix with affinity to a chosen “template” molecule (e.g., any of the above-described example substances or otherwise). The process may involve initiating the polymerization of monomers in the presence of a template molecule that is extracted afterwards, thus leaving complementary cavities behind. These polymers may have affinity for the original molecule.
In some implementations, the cavity may be filled with, e.g., a similar substance that at least has a similar taggant molecular structure capable of fitting in the cavity, which may include a colored material attached to the similar substance. For instance, when the testing material of beverage container comes into contact with the substance (e.g., GHB), the similar substance in the cavity with the attached colored material may “bleed” or leach out of the material (e.g., from the cavity) as it is replaced by the GHB. As such, a visible color change may be seen as the testing material itself (and therefore the beverage container itself) changes color as a result of the attached colored material leaching out of the beverage container. For instance, assume for example purposes only that the testing material (e.g., of the beverage container) without the attached colored material is, e.g., a white background, but when the similar substance with the attached colored material is in the cavity, there is a, e.g., red background. In the example, when GHB comes into contact with the testing material, the similar substance and the attached colored material may bleed out of the cavity, leaving the white background (or at least enough of the white background that it is visible to the naked eye to warn the user of contamination). In some implementations, the testing material of the beverage container may be considered the indicator. In some implementations, the similar substance, the attached colored material, and/or the testing material of the beverage container may be considered the indicator.
In some implementations described throughout, because the testing material of the beverage container may be constantly in contact with the beverage in the beverage container (or at least the remaining beverage excluding the portion of the beverage already consumed/drank by the user), the beverage container may constantly test and retest the same beverage portion (e.g., the remaining beverage portion in the beverage container), which may be different than requiring the user to actively sample and test only the portion of the beverage extracted from the beverage container (e.g., via a single use capillary tube or other single use devices), as sampling from a portion of the total beverage may only determine whether or not GHB has been added at a time before the extraction occurred, but not after.
In some implementations, the attached colored material may include food coloring or other food grade/safe to ingest material, since the bleeding of the attached color material may bleed into the beverage. In the example, this may allow the visible color change (e.g., bleeding) to be seen with the testing material for the beverage container itself without requiring a separate device to extract a portion of the beverage and separate it away from the rest of the beverage to try and view if the liquid (as opposed to the testing material of the beverage container itself) has changed color, since the color change in the liquid may be the result of toxic materials that should not be consumed. As a result, at least because the attached color material bleeding into the beverage itself may be safe to consume, the testing material of the beverage container itself that may change color as a result of the bleeding may be visible to the user (e.g., the color changing testing material may be on the inside of a plastic/glass cup, on the outside and/or inside of a straw/stirrer, etc.). In some implementations, the colored material may not be required to be attached to the similar substance if the similar substance itself already has a visible color to the naked eye where bleeding of the similar substance would have a similar effect as discussed above (e.g., leaving the white background (or at least enough of the white background that it is a visible color change to the naked eye to warn the user of contamination).
In some implementations, the similar substance (and/or the attached color material and/or an alternative attached material) may include a substance that has a very distinct (e.g., sour, bitter, sweet, etc.) taste to it. For example, the substance may include similar (e.g., food grade) material used in specialty nail polish made to break the habit of nail biting due to the bad taste of the material. In the example, when at least the bad tasting portion of the material is bled into the beverage (e.g., as a result of GHB displacing it from the cavity), the taste of the beverage itself may noticeably change to thereby provide an additional/alternative method of indication (e.g., taste) to alert the user if the beverage has been contaminated. In some implementations, the beverage container (e.g., drinking straw/stirrer) may include the bad tasting material at least on the inside of the straw, which may deliver a more concentrated (and noticeable) change in taste of the beverage when the bad tasting material is bled into the beverage and consumed by the user via the straw. In some implementations, the bad tasting material on the outside of the beverage container (e.g., straw). Other substances that may provide a noticeable change in taste may also be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
In some implementations, as noted throughout, other example contaminates/substances may be detected without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, another example substance may include 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol. 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol may generally be described as an example substance (e.g., “skunked substance”) that may be found in a “skunked” beverage (e.g., beer), which may occur when the beer is exposed to sunlight. Other “skunked substances” may be found in a skunked beverage as well, and may include “pre-skunked substances” (e.g., substances that may be created during the process of creating 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol or substances that may be created when beer is exposed to sunlight). The term skunked substances and pre-skunked substances may be used interchangeably. In the example, the beverage container (e.g., beverage container generally used with beer, such as a beer bottle, plastic cup, glass, etc.) may include the testing material to detect a substance, such as 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, or at least a threshold amount of 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, that may be present in a “skunked” beer, to provide a visual indication from the beverage container (e.g., including the cap/cover of the beverage container) when the beer has become skunked. In some implementations, this may be used, e.g., for quality control during the manufacturing and/or point of sale. It will be appreciated that other beverages may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
As another example, the testing material may include an oxidation-reduction indicator, such as a redox indicator (e.g., based on a specific electrode potential). In some implementations, the redox indicator may be independent or dependent upon pH and/or may produce a reversible and/or irreversible color change. For instance, a beverage (e.g., beer) may taste “stale” due to the level of oxidation, which may be increased by such things as having a beer go from cool to warm and back to cool, or simply being in an open container for too long. In the example, the beverage container (e.g., beverage container generally used with beer, such as a beer bottle, plastic cup, glass, etc.) may include the testing material to detect the level(s) of oxidation to provide a visual indication(s) from the beverage container (e.g., including the cap/cover/cork, etc. of the beverage container in some implementations) when the beer has become stale (e.g., based on a specific pre-determined electrode potential threshold). It will be appreciated that other beverages, including wine, fruit juices, milk, etc., may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
In some implementations, the visual indication may include varying levels of freshness/staleness and may include timing visuals. For instance, assume for example purposes only that when a bottle of wine is 6 months from expiring (e.g., going bad), the level of oxidation present in the wine is X percent, and when the bottle of wine is one month from expiring, the level of oxidation present in the wine is Y percent. In the example, the wine bottle (and/or cap/cover/cork, etc.) may include the testing material to detect one or more of the levels of oxidation to provide a visual indications from the wine bottle (or wine glass, etc.) when the wine has a level of oxidation at X percent and has 6 months (or less) to expiration, and/or when the wine has a level of oxidation at Y percent and has 1 month (or less) to expiration, and/or when the wine has a level of oxidation at Z percent and has expired. In some implementations, the visual indication may include, e.g., a message that the wine has expired, the time left until expected expiration, such as 6 months, 1 month, etc, change in the intensity of a pre-existing color, or other visual indication discussed throughout. This may provide one or more advanced and/or time indicative warnings to the user (via the visual indication) to use the wine before it expires and/or provide a warning to the user not to use the wine due to its expiration. It will be appreciated that any number of various other intervals (e.g., hours, days, weeks, months, years, etc. or combinations thereof) may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. It will also be appreciated that other substances indicative of wine (or other beverage/food) freshness may also be detected without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, trichloroanisole (TCA) or other molds, brettanomyces or other yeasts, acetic acid bacteria or other microbe, sulphur compounds, levels of cork taint, etc. may also be detected to indicate freshness without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
Another example contaminate/substance may include alcohol (e.g., ethanol). For instance, the testing material of the beverage container may include any known indicator that provides a visual indication when alcohol is detected. As discussed throughout, the beverage container may provide a visual indication in the presence of alcohol (e.g., in a qualitative and/or quantitative manner). In some implementations, the beverage container (via the indicator) may provide the visual indication in the presence of a pre-defined threshold level of alcohol and/or may provide the visual indication in the presence of any level of alcohol. In some implementations, alcohol may generally be defined as an organic compound whose molecule contains one or more hydroxyl groups attached to a carbon atom. In some implementations, as will be discussed below, alcohol may include ethanol alcohol, as well as congeners.
In some implementations, the example contaminate/substance may include congeners. A congener may generally be defined as a substance other than ethanol alcohol produced during fermentation and/or distillation of the beverage, e.g., during production. These substances may include but are not limited to things such as other alcohols (e.g., fusel alcohols/oils), aminos, acetone, acetaldehyde, esters, tannins, and aldehydes (e.g., propanol, furfural, glycols, ethyl acetate). Other non-limiting examples of congeners (e.g., alcohol congeners) may include, e.g., 2-methyl-1-butanol, sometimes called “active” amyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol, also known as isopentyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol, and n-propyl alcohol. methanol, propanlol, butanlol, butan-2-ol, isobutanol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol and 3-methylbutan-1-ol.
Congeners may be at least partially responsible for the taste, aroma and color of beverages (e.g., alcoholic beverages). For example, some beverages, such as rum, whisky (e.g., bourbon), some vodkas (e.g., incompletely rectified vodka), wine, beer (e.g., ales) and ciders, may have relatively high concentrations of congener alcohols as part of their flavor profile. However, in other beverages, such as korn, vodka, and lagers, the presence of congeners may be considered a fault. Just like each type of alcoholic beverage (or non-alcoholic beverage) may include their own specific “flavor profile” (e.g., the types and/or amounts of congeners and/or other ingredients in the beverage), each respective brand of alcoholic beverage (or non-alcoholic beverage) may have their own proprietary “brand profile” (e.g., the types and/or amounts of congeners and/or other ingredients in one brand of the beverage compared to another brand of the same/similar beverage). In some implementations, the “brand profile” may generally include anything (e.g., one or more substances) that may identify a beverage as a particular brand's beverage, which may include but is not limited to, e.g., distinguishing a particular brand's beverage from another brand's beverage, identifying whether a particular brand's beverage has been tampered with by, e.g., a person diluting the particular brand's beverage with another beverage (e.g., a similar beverage from a competitor, water, etc.), etc.
For instance, an indicator may be associated with a brand profile to identify a beverage brand's beverage. For example, and using only congeners for example purposes only, brand X's rum may have a brand profile including, e.g., congener A, congener B, and congener C. By contrast, brand Y's rum may have a brand profile including congener A, congener B, and congener D. In some implementations, the beverage container (e.g., cup, glass, bottle, etc.) for brand X may include a material with one or more indicators specific to some or all of brand X's brand profile (e.g., an indicator specific to one or more of congener A, congener B, and congener C). Assume for example purposes only that the brand X brand profile only includes congener C. In the example, assume that when a beverage matching the brand X brand profile is present in the beverage container (e.g., a beverage with congener C), a visual indication (e.g., at least a portion of the logo of brand X) would appear on the portion of the beverage container with the above-noted material with the congener C indicator specific to brand X's brand profile to show that the beverage is identified as the brand X beverage. Further in the example, assume that the same beverage container is now replaced with brand Y's rum, which may be a lower quality rum. In the example, the lack of congener C from brand Y's brand profile (and thus from brand Y's rum) may cause a visual indication (e.g., the logo of brand X) to disappear on the portion of the beverage container with the above-noted material with the congener C indicator specific to brand X's brand profile to show that the beverage is not identified as the brand X beverage. In the example, the beverage container for brand X may provide a visual indication, e.g., of fraud, to detect when another brand's rum (or other beverage) has been placed or diluted within the beverage container for brand X. It will be appreciated that non-beverage containers may similarly be used to provide a visual indication, e.g., of fraud without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
It will also be appreciated that the brand profile may include fewer indicators than there are substances in the brand profile and/or that the brand profile may include fewer substances than are actually present in the brand's beverage. For instance, in the above example, brand X's rum has a brand profile with three substances (e.g., congener A, congener B, and congener C), where brand Y's rum also has a brand profile with three substances (e.g., congener A, congener B, and congener D). In the example, because both brand's rum have congener A and congener B, having a brand profile with an indicator for congener C may be sufficient to identify the beverage as brand X's rum (e.g., and not brand Y's rum). In the example, it may not be necessary to have a brand X profile with an indicator associated with each substance present in brand X's rum (e.g., congener A, congener B, and congener C), and may, in some implementations, be sufficient to have a brand X profile with an indicator associated with only part of the substances present in brand X's rum (e.g., congener C) that identifies the beverage as brand X's rum. As such, any description of using any particular number of indicators associated with a brand profile, and/or having a brand profile that includes any particular number of substances present in the brand's beverage, should be taken as an example only and not to otherwise limit the scope of the disclosure.
In some implementations, other examples of brand profiles may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, the brand profile may include concentration threshold levels of congeners. For instance, assume for example purposes only that both the brand X brand profile and the brand Y brand profile have congener C and further assume that the brand X brand profile includes 4% of congener C, where the brand Y brand profile includes 10% of congener C. Further in the example, assume that the same beverage container for brand X's rum is now replaced with brand Y's rum. In the example, due to the threshold level (e.g., concentration) of congener C from brand Y's rum exceeding the 4% threshold from the brand X brand profile, the beverage container for brand X may provide a visual indication as noted above for example purposes only with the logo, e.g., of fraud, to detect when another brand's rum has been placed or diluted within the beverage container for brand X. As another example, the brand profile may include threshold levels of alcohol. For instance, assume for example purposes only that the brand X brand profile may include 40% alcohol (i.e., 80 proof), whereas the brand Y brand profile may include 35% alcohol (i.e., 70 proof). Further in the example, assume that the same beverage container for brand X's rum is now replaced and/or diluted with brand Y's rum or water. In the example, due to the threshold level (e.g., concentration) of alcohol from brand Y's rum (e.g., 35%) not meeting the 40% threshold from the brand X brand profile, the beverage container for brand X may provide a visual indication as noted above for example purposes only with the logo, e.g., of fraud, to detect when another brand's rum, water, or other beverage has been placed or diluted within the beverage container for brand X. In some implementations, the beverage container may include indicators such that the proof of any beverage (e.g., mixed drink) may be indicated on the beverage container as at least one aspect of the visual indication.
In some implementations, the visual indication may include the addition and/or removal of color of the beverage container without departing from the scope of the disclosure. It will be appreciated that the visual indication may apply to other aspects of the beverage container without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, patterns, symbols, words or otherwise may appear and/or disappear as the visual indication. As another example, the color change may be visible only when seen using, e.g., UV light (as discussed above) to provide a “silent alarm” for brand X representatives to inspect their products where they are sold without alerting the owner of the establishment who may be diluting brand X rum with, e.g., brand Y rum. As another example, different levels of the beverage container may include different threshold levels for a particular congener (e.g., the top portion may include a first threshold level for congener C, and the bottom portion may include a second threshold level for congener C). As such, the above description of any particular visual appearance/disappearance changes of any particular items and/or portions of the beverage container should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure.
As another example, the brand profile may include a “fraud” brand profile, which may include one or more congeners (or levels of one or more congeners or other substance) that are not present in the real brand profile (e.g., the “real” brand profile containing the actual types and/or amounts of congeners and/or other ingredients present in the brand X rum). For instance, and continuing with the above example where brand X's rum has a “real” brand profile with congener A, congener B, and congener C, the beverage container of brand X may include a “fraud” brand profile that includes an indicator for congener D, since congener D is not part of the “real” brand profile of brand X's brand profile. In the example, due to the presence of congener D, the beverage container for brand X may provide a visual indication, e.g., of fraud, to detect when another liquid (e.g., another brand's rum) has been placed or diluted within the beverage container for brand X. In some implementations, the beverage container for brand X (or any other equipment used during to produce brand X's rum) may be used for quality control during the production process. It will be appreciated that the brand profile may be applicable to any alcoholic and/or non-alcoholic beverage, and may include any substance types and/or amounts of congeners, non-congeners, alcohol concentrations, water, and/or other ingredients without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In some implementations, the brand profile may similarly be used to detect the above-noted “skunked” substances and/or oxidation level (e.g., staleness) of a beverage, which may similarly be used as a technique of identifying one brand over another.
In some implementations, and as noted above, the beverage container may include a test material capable of changing shape as the visual indication of detecting a substance, e.g., using 4D “smart objects” such as the kind developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that may self-assemble or change shape when confronted with a change in its environment (e.g., the presence of a particular substance). For instance, with the shape changing test materials (which may be used as at least part of the test material of the beverage container), the contact presence of, e.g., GHB, may cause the contraction and/or expansion at certain locations (e.g., joints, pressure points, hinges, etc.), that may cause the test material (and therefore the beverage container) to morph and change shape as desired.
In some implementations, and referring at least to FIG. 18, the change in shape may result in the creation of “bumps” 1802 on the inside and/or outside of the beverage container (e.g., beverage container 1800). This may provide the user with the ability to feel the visual indicator when the substance is detected, which may be beneficial in numerous example situations (e.g., where a color change may be difficult to see). In some implementations, the change in shape may cause, e.g., the straw (e.g., straw 1900) to narrow at least a portion of itself (e.g., via hinge(s) 1804 or swelling) to reduce or prevent (e.g., block) the beverage from being consumed through the straw. In some implementations, the change in shape may cause, e.g., a straw/cup to create holes to reduce its effectiveness to function and/or drain the beverage from the beverage container. It will be appreciated that various other example changes in shape may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. As such, the disclosure of the above shape changes should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure.
In some implementations, and referring at least to FIG. 18, the change in shape may result in the creation of “bumps” 1802 on the inside and/or outside of the beverage container (e.g., beverage container 1800). This may provide the user with the ability to feel the visual indicator when the substance is detected, which may be beneficial in numerous example situations (e.g., where a color change may be difficult to see). In some implementations, the change in shape may cause, e.g., the straw (e.g., straw 1900) to narrow at least a portion of itself (e.g., via hinge(s) 1804 or swelling) to reduce or prevent (e.g., block) the beverage from being consumed through the straw. In some implementations, the change in shape may cause, e.g., a straw/cup to create holes to reduce its effectiveness to function and/or drain the beverage from the beverage container. It will be appreciated that various other example changes in shape may be used without departing from the scope of the disclosure. As such, the disclosure of the above shape changes should be taken as example only and not to limit the scope of the disclosure.
The foregoing description has been directed to specific example embodiments of this disclosure and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The specific example embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the example principles of the disclosure and the example practical applications, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments with various modifications and/or any combinations of embodiments as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Thus, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure that other variations, substitutions, combinations (e.g., of various embodiment features being included or not included with any of the described embodiments as appropriate, irrespective of whether the particular embodiment is described as using the feature(s)), and modifications may be made to the described embodiments to create other embodiments, with the attainment of none, some or all of their example advantages. For example, a feature from disclosed embodiment X may be included in disclosed embodiment Y, even if disclosed embodiment Y is not discussed as including that feature. As another example, a feature from disclosed embodiment X may be removed from disclosed embodiment X, even if disclosed embodiment X does not discuss being without the feature. As another example, any features disclosed pertaining to drinkware embodiments (e.g., cup, glasses, bottles, cans, straws, stirrers, etc.) are contemplated as being equally applicable to the non-drinkware embodiments, and vice versa. As another example, the “brand profile” may be applicable to things other than beverages (e.g., food, pharmaceuticals/medications, currency, etc.). As another example, it is expressly contemplated that the components and/or elements described herein may vary without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure. For example, while specific types of (e.g., drug) testing materials have been discussed, any testing method, device or material (e.g., hydro-gel and/or other holographic support medium where a hologram may be made which may include, for instance, a native or modified matrix with viscoelastic properties that may be altered as a result of an interaction with a substance, electronic, etc.) suitable for use in the disclosure is contemplated. Additionally, while only a few drugs have been described for detection, it is contemplated that other drugs and substances, such as caffeine, pharmaceuticals/medications (e.g., sleep aids, cold aids, etc. and/or their individual ingredients), temperature, sulphides, lactates, ions, protons, or alcohol, may also be detected using an appropriate testing material. Additionally, different film material other than wax that is suitable for use in the disclosure is contemplated. Additionally, different locations of the testing material are also contemplated. For example, the entire beverage container (or at least a portion thereof) exclusively may be the testing material shaped as a beverage container. Accordingly, this description is to be taken only by way of example and not to otherwise limit the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is the object of the appended claims to cover all such variations, substitutions, combinations, and modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the disclosure. To avoid confusion, use of the term “include”, “includes”, and/or “including” may be used interchangeably with “comprise”, “comprises”, and/or “comprising” respectively, neither of which is meant to be closed-ended, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus configured to test a food for brand verification, comprising:

a food container, wherein the food container includes a material; and

an indicator combined with at least a portion of the material of the food container, wherein the indicator is associated with a brand profile that identifies a brand of the food, wherein the indicator visibly reacts when the indicator is contacted with the food to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food, and wherein the visible reaction is shown on at least the portion of the material of the food container via the indicator combined with at least the portion of the material of the food container.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the indicator visibly reacts when the indicator is at least one of contacted with a substance in the food included in the brand profile and contacted with the food lacking the substance in the food included in the brand profile.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least the portion of the material of the food container includes a film, and wherein the film includes the indicator.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the brand profile includes a threshold level of a substance to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the brand profile includes at least one substance to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the indicator is combined with at least the portion of the material of the food container via embedding.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the indicator is combined with at least the portion of the material of the food container via chemical bonding.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the food container includes at least one of a bowl, a plate, and a food storage container.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least the portion of the material of the food container comprises a second material, and wherein the indicator is combined with at least a portion of the second material.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the indicator is at least one of pre-attached and post-attached to at least the portion of the material of the food container.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least the portion of the material of the food container includes a molecularly imprinted polymer.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least the portion of the material of the food container includes a holographic support medium.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least the portion of the material of the food container comprises a logo.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the indicator is chemically bonded to a monomer of a polymer of at least the portion of the material of the food container.

15. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the indicator is chemically bonded to a monomer of a co-polymer of at least the portion of the material of the food container.

16. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the indicator is chemically bonded as a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) to at least the portion of the material of the food container.

17. An apparatus configured to test a food for brand verification, comprising:

a material; and

an indicator combined with at least a portion of the material, wherein the indicator is associated with a brand profile that identifies a brand of the food, wherein the indicator visibly reacts when the indicator is contacted with the food to show whether the food is identified as the brand of the food, and wherein the visible reaction is shown on at least the portion of the material via the indicator combined with at least the portion of the material.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the indicator visibly reacts when the indicator is at least one of contacted with a substance in the food included in the brand profile and contacted with the food lacking the substance in the food included in the brand profile.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein at least the portion of the material of the food container includes a film, and wherein the film includes the indicator.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the indicator is combined with at least the portion of the material of the food container via at least one of embedding and chemical bonding.