WO1996013240A1

WO1996013240A1 - A containment device for storing a body of a deceased person within a coffin

Info

Publication number: WO1996013240A1
Application number: PCT/AU1995/000713
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anthony Farrugia
Original assignee: Anthony Farrugia
Priority date: 1994-10-26
Filing date: 1995-10-26
Publication date: 1996-05-09
Also published as: AUPM906794A0

Abstract

A containment device (1) for storing a body of a deceased person in a coffin. The device comprises a liquid impermeable envelope (2), fastening means (4) for closing an opening (5) in the envelope after the body has been placed therein and a gas outlet means (8) to allow for egress of gases from the envelope when closed.

Description

"A CONTAINMENT DEVICE FOR STORING A BODY OF A DECEASED PERSON WITHIN A COFFIN"

The following invention relates to a containment device for storing a body of a deceased person within a coffin.

During the process of decomposition of a body of a deceased person various gases and liquids egress from the body. In instances where the body is held in, for example, a crypt such egress can cause fouling of the crypt and present a potential health hazard. Further problems may also occur in the case where the crypt is not suitably sealed and thereby lead to general fouling of the environment outside the crypt.

It is known to provide an external casket protector around the coffin to seal such liquids therewithin. Such a casket protector is also known to have a valve for allowing gases to pass out of the casket protector to be subsequently exhausted from the crypt. The use of such a casket protector is generally suitable for closed crypts but some mausoleums contain open crypts to allow friends or relatives to look at and/or touch the coffin. In such a situation, it would not generally be considered as appropriate to have an exterior casket protector.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a containment device for storing a body of a deceased person in a coffin, the device comprising a liquid impermeable envelope, fastening means for closing an opening in the envelope after the body has been placed therein and a gas outlet means to allow for egress of gases from the envelope when closed.

Preferably the device also comprises absorption means arranged on an interior wall of the envelope for absorbing liquids released from the body during decomposition. Preferably, the gas outlet means and fastening means are integral. More particularly, the fastening means preferably comprises an air permeable zip, a hook and loop type fastener, such as a velcro fastener, or adhesive tape.

Preferably, the opening is arranged to extend lengthwise of the envelope, in a wall of the envelope opposite the absorption means, such that the body when placed within the device rests on the absorption means and the envelope can be closed without the need to further move or disturb the body.

Preferably, the envelope is formed of plastics and more preferably spunbonded polyolefin, a material manufactured by DuPont (UK) Ltd. under the name "Tyvek".

Preferably, the absorption means is formed of an absorbent polymer material or the like, one example of which is known to be referred to as "S.I.L". material.

Although the above described device allows for egress of gases, the coffin itself in which the device is in use arranged also needs to have some means to prevent excessive accumulation of the gases to avoid possible damage that may otherwise be caused by pressure increase within the coffin. Accordingly, in another aspect of the present invention there is provided a coffin comprising a pressure release means to allow for egress of such gases.

Preferably, the pressure release means comprises a one way pressure release check valve.

The invention also provides a method of storing the body of a deceased person comprising:

a. positioning the body in a containment device in the form of an envelope having an opening through which the body is introduced into the envelope, the device further having means for closing the opening and gas outlet means for egress of gasses from the envelope when closed, and b. closing said envelope by means of said means for closing.

In the last described method the method may further comprise, either before or after said positioning and closing, positioning the device in a coffin, and closing the coffin.

The invention will now be more fully described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatical perspective view of a device in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatical perspective view of the device of Figure 1 arranged in a coffin in accordance with another aspect of the present invention; and

Figure 3 is a transverse cross section of the containment device of Figure 1.

A containment device 1 is shown in Figures 1 and 3 as comprising a liquid impermeable envelope 2, formed of plastics such as a Tyvek material, fastening means 4 for closing an opening 5 in the envelope and a gas outlet means 8 to allow for egress of gases from the envelope when closed. The fastening means 4 is shown as comprising a zip 6 which is air permeable to thereby also form the gas outlet means 8. The zip 6 includes an attachment portion 7 that secures the zip to the envelope 2, and the air permeability of the zip 6 may result from air gaps between the teeth of the zip or by virtue of the attachment portion 7 itself being air permeable.

The device 1 also comprises an absorption means 12 which is arranged on interior wall 10 and is formed of a super absorbent material such as S.I.L. material. In particular, the material may comprise material marketed as "Super Inner Liner" or "Zorb-Sheet" material, marketed by Ensure-A-Seal, 431 Manor Road, Delmont (a suburb of Pittsburgh), United States of America. The opening 5 is arranged opposite the absorption means 12 such that a body, when placed within the device 1, rests on the abso tion means 12 and the envelope can be closed without the need to further move or disturb the body.

In use of the device 1, the body of the deceased person can either be placed within the device before the device itself is arranged within a coffin, as shown in Figure 2, or the device 1 may firstly be arranged within the coffin and the body subsequently placed therein. The coffin 20 is shown as comprising a lid 22 and main body 24. After a deceased person and the device 1 are suitably arranged within the coffin 20, the envelope 2 is subsequently closed by fastening means 4 and the lid 22 of the coffin securely sealed to the main body 24. The coffin 20 can then be placed in either an open or closed crypt. Once decomposition of the body commences, liquids from the body will be absorbed by absorption means 12 and, in any event, held within the containment device 1 by virtue of the liquid impervious nature of the envelope 2. Gases emitted from the body will escape from the device 1 through the gas outlet means 8. To prevent excessive build up of such gases within the coffin, a valve 26 is provided in a wall 28 of the coffin 20. The valve 26 is preferably a one way pressure release check valve. The gases passing through the check valve can then be vented from the crypt by any suitable means.

As will be appreciated, the device and coffin of the present invention provide substantial advantages over the previous casket protector arrangements in that the exterior of the coffin can be readily viewed and/or touched whilst the coffin itself is protected from liquids resulting from decomposition of a body held therewithin.

The containment device 1 may be formed of any suitable material, preferably flexible material, such as material of this kind made by DuPont (UK) and marketed under the name "Tyvek".

As will also be appreciated, various modifications and variations, such as replacing the zip 6 with a hook and loop type fastener, such as velcro, or adhesive tape, can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A containment device (1) for storing a body of a deceased person in a coffin, the device comprising a liquid impermeable envelope (2), fastening means (4) for closing an opening (5) in the envelope after the body has been placed therein and a gas outlet means (8) to allow for egress of gases from the envelope (2) when closed.

2. A containment device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising absorption means (12) arranged on an interior wall of the envelope (2) for absorbing liquids released from the body during decomposition.

3. A containment device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the absoφtion means (12) is formed of an absorbent polymer material.

4. A containment device as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the opening (5) is arranged to extend lengthwise of the envelope (2), in a wall (10) of the envelope opposite the absoφtion means (12), such that the body when placed within the device

(1) rests on the absoφtion means (2) and the envelope (2) can be closed without the need to further move or disturb the body.

5. A containment device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the gas outlet (8) means and fastening (4) means are integral.

6. A containment device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the fastening (4) means comprises an air permeable zip (6), a hook and loop type fastener or adhesive tape.

7. A containment device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the envelope

(2) is formed of spunbonded polyolefin or other plastics material.

8. A coffin (20) comprising a pressure release means (26) to allow for egress of gases.

9. A coffin (20) as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pressure release means (26) comprises a one way pressure release check valve.

10. In combination, the coffin (20) of claim 8 or claim 9 having therein a containment device (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7.

11. A method of storing the body of a deceased person comprising:

a. positioning the body in a containment device in the form of an envelope having an opening through which the body is introduced into the envelope, the device further having means for closing the opening and gas outlet means for egress of gasses from the envelope when closed, and

b. closing said envelope by means of said means for closing.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising, either before or after said positioning and closing, positioning the device in a coffin, and closing the coffin.