WO1991009376A1

WO1991009376A1 - Coding system for display of the expiration date of an item

Info

Publication number: WO1991009376A1
Application number: PCT/US1990/007280
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bruce H. Levin
Original assignee: Levin Bruce H
Priority date: 1989-12-12
Filing date: 1990-12-10
Publication date: 1991-06-27
Also published as: AU7161291A

Abstract

A coding system for displaying the expiration date of an item comprises a base member having two geometrically distinguishable color zones (22, 30). A first color zone (22) exhibits a color denoting the lease significant digit of the year of expiration. A second color zone (30) exhibits a color denoting an expiration time within the expiration year.

Description

CODING SYSTEM FOR DISPLAY OF THE EXPIRATION DATE OF AN ITEM

Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to a coding system for display of the expiration date of an item and, more particularly, to such a system employing visually distinguishable color zones as the parameters by which expiration dates are to be inferred by an observer.

Background of the Invention Substantially all manufacturers date their products, either directly or through alpha¬ numeric codes imprinted on the product or its packaging. Those manufacturers that make consumer goods often provide the date of manufacture ex¬ pressed conventionally or by an alphanumeric code. Food and pharmaceutical manufacturers often provide conventionally expressed expiration dates on each individual container, on the exterior of packages holding a group of containers, and where applicable, on the exterior of cartons holding a number of packages.

Unfortunately, the usual method of alpha¬ numeric date marking on individual containers, on packages and on cartons prejudices effective date monitoring because high visual acuity of monitoring personnel is required. Further, the conventional technique of expressing a date provides too much information which must be read from each product or container, absorbed, and compared with similarly expressed limiting data before action judgment can be made.

For example, a conventionally expressed date, 12 September 1989, has 15 characters. How¬ ever, only one character, the least significant digit of the year or the year "ones" digit 9 is required to specify the year within a range of years likely to be found on merchandise in an average inventory. Further, only one additional character is required to express the month, January through September being expressed as the numer¬ als 1-9 and October, November and December, being expressed as the letters A, B and C in the Hexa- decimal Base.

In large warehouses, inventory must frequently be monitored in poor light and from a distance. Unfortunately, Arabic numerals and English letters for dating inventories which must be observed in dim light and at a distance are not well adapted to the purpose because of the simi¬ larity between certain groups of digits and the ease with which one digit within a group can be confused with another. For example, in the group consisting of the numerals 3,6,8 and 9 any one in the group can easily be misread for another in that group. Further, even when a box in storage is marked with an external expiration date, many sides of each box must be dated to provide a reasonable opportunity for a monitor to observe an approaching or past expiration date and take appropriate action.

Addressing a similar problem arising on a smaller scale, doctors and pharmacists working with pharmaceuticals have, on occasion, found that the pharmaceuticals which they store and dispense have remained in their stock beyond the expiration date provided by the manufacturer on the label of the container for the pharmaceutical product. These dates are generally printed in small type in a lower corner of a label which is glued or otherwise attached to the pharmaceutical container or stamped on the lid or other surface of the container. Further, the position of the expiration date on the container is generally located such that when bottles are stored in racks, which is the tra¬ ditional way for pharmacies to store them, the expiration dates are not easily readable without physically examining each individual container. In order to insure that outdated medication is not used, it is necessary for personnel to periodically check on a regular basis virtually all the bottles or other containers of medication within the phar¬ macy. This requires personnel lifting each and every bottle or container of medication from a rack, box or storage facility in order to individually check the expiration date on each bottle. This is a lengthy and time consuming project and is costly in terms of manpower. Hospital and pharmacy employees may conduct this duty sub-optimally, carelessly or omit it entirely, increasing the likelihood, or even probability, that a patient will receive an out-of-date or expired medication. While prescription pills and capsules are always marked by their manufacturer by color or print codes, such as trademarks or manu¬ facturer's initials or code numbers, so that they can be readily identified as to manufacturer, and, sometimes, type of drug and amount by reference to a source book, such as the "Physicians Desk Reference" "(PDR") , these color and manufacturer designations generally do not provide an expiration date reference. Therefore, when pharmaceuticals, such as capsules, have been dispensed and separated from their original container on which the expiration date was printed, there is no way to determine their expiration date.

Similar problems are encountered with respect to automobile registration and inspection dates and to expiration of credit cards, library cards and driver licenses.

The present invention resulted from an observation of these problems, and an identifi¬ cation and analysis of the above described factors contributing to them. The present invention is directed to a coding system which allows personnel to easily and quickly monitor the expiration date of items and documents and to determine even from a distance and without lifting or otherwise touching the applicable containers or items, the presence of those items and documents which have expired or will soon expire without the need for visual acuity and higher levels of cognition necessary to read, process and comprehend alphanumeric information residing thereon.

Summary of the Invention Briefly stated, the present invention comprises a coding system for displaying the expiration date of an item having limited life comprising a base positioned in an operative relationship to the item. The base comprises first and second geometrically distinguishable color zones, the first color zone exhibiting a color denoting the least significant digit of an expira- tion year and the second color zone exhibiting a color denoting an expiration time within the expiration year.

In a preferred embodiment, the base is a sheet-like material, such as paper or plastic, cut into a generally circular shape and having an inner circular second color zone and an outer annular first color zone. The base in one preferred embodiment has adhesive on one side to facilitate attachment to a container for the item.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illus- trating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and instrumentalities as shown. In particular, in all references to "base" the term is meant to include any or all materials exhibiting the geometric color patterns described and their equivalents whether planar or formed into containers or capsules for enclosing the dated items or material. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a container having a plurality of items and a traditional or standard a label identifying its contents;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of a coding system in accordance with the present invention showing a date marker or dater formed of a generally circular base having two, geometrically different color zones;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational of a date marker of the present invention including an adhesive coating; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a third em¬ bodiment of the present invention in which a circular dater is notched to allow it to be applied to the corner of a rectilinear box;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective showing a box having the dater of Fig. 4 operatively posi¬ tioned thereon;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention wherein the base, bearing and displaying the first and second color zones, has been formed into a container for items having a limited life;

Fig. 6a is a top plan view of the container of Fig. 6;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention wherein the base, displaying the first and second color zones, has been formed into a capsule containing a pharmaceutical having a limited life;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of a labeled container having dated items therein and a transparent dater of the present invention posi¬ tioned over the label on the container;

Fig. 8a is a fragmentary view of a portion of Fig. 8 showing an alternate arrangement of the dater; and

Fig. 9 is a calendar having on its face a first and a second color zone.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring now to the drawings wherein like references are used to indicate like elements, there is shown in Fig. 1 a side elevational view of a container 10 fabricated of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as glass or plastic having a lid or stopper 12 connected to a plug 14. A label 11 is fastened to the exterior of the container 10 in the usual manner for the purpose of identifying the nature, composition, manufacturer and expiration date of the items 16 positioned therein.

Although the terms "pharmaceutical" and/or "pharmaceutical product" are employed throughout the present specification as an example of a product or item having an expiration date which is to be identified by the color coding system of the present invention, it must be emphasized that the invention is not so limited. In addition, while items 16 are represented in Fig. 1 as pharmaceuticals in the form of pills or capsules, the items 16 contained within con¬ tainer 10 may be a liquid, tablet, capsule or powder, or any combination of these. Further, it must be emphasized and understood that wherever a pharmaceutical and/or pharmaceutical product is referred to herein as being the product or item to which any embodiment of the color coding system for date of the present invention is applied, it is expressly intended that the embodiment of the present invention be equally applicable to any other item, product or document including, but not restricted to, medical supplies and kits, fresh, frozen, canned or otherwise preserved food products, radioactive materials having short half- lives such as tritium, hardware products of any sort including, but not restricted to, auto parts, munitions, library books, and licenses or permits issued by any private or governmental authority and having an expiration date.

The term "dater" used throughout the present application is employed to designate any embodiment of a date marker of the present invention on any viewable surface. Typical dater embodiments include sheet-like bases, planar or otherwise, with or without adhesive to which the color coded system of the present invention is applied, whether the bases are separate from but include means for attachment to the items to be dated or the containers therefor, or are integral with or actually form the containers. Other embodiments of the present invention include applications of the dater to the surfaces of documents such as library cards and licenses to signify to an observer the expiration date of the subject matter. It should be noted that in most uses the dater of the present invention is employed to supplement, but not to replace, the conventional expiration dating systems used by the manufacturer. Fig. 2 is a first preferred embodiment of the present invention showing a plan view of a cir¬ cular dater 20. The term "circular" or "generally circular" when used to describe the form of the dater or of geometric figures embodying color zones within the dater, is expressly intended to include ellipses as well as regular or irregular polygons having three or more sides and combinations of these geometric figures.

The circular dater 20 is formed on base material 56, shown in and discussed further in connection with Fig. 3. The circular dater 20 comprises three geometrically distinguishable zones, a first color zone 22, a second color zone 30 and a third, intermediate color zone 26.

The first color zone 22, also referred to as year color zone 22, comprises a generally annu¬ lar ring or band 22 having an outside diameter substantially congruent with the outside periphery of circular dater 20 and an inside diameter ap¬ proximately one-quarter of the outside diameter of the circular dater 20. In other embodiments, the inside diameter of the first or year color zone 22 may be greater or less than one-quarter the diam¬ eter of circular dater 20. However, the thickness of the annular first color zone 22 is preferably sufficient to afford ready recognition of the color exhibited. Year color zone 22 exhibits a color 24 denoting the least significant or ones digit of the year of expiration. For example, for the year 1985, year color 24 of first color zone 22 represents the year's one's digit, 5. Since most items are rarely warehoused or inventoried for more than a year or two, and since most licenses expire within a few years of issue, in the present em¬ bodiment, only five colors, each denoting either of two digits, are employed to represent all the year's one's digits as follows: Blue 0 and 5 Pink 1 and 6 Red 2 and 7 Violet 3 and 8 and Yellow 4 and 9

These colors can be remembered by the mnemonic, "Bad Pharmacists Recheck Vials Yearly." However, in other embodiments of the invention, other colors are used to identify years digits. In particular, the resistor-capacitor color code, standard in the electronic industry or some other readily identifiable and easily remembered code is suitable. In the case of the resistor-capacitor code, certain well-known acronyms have been developed to aid in remembering the color code. The resistor-capacitor color code is:

Black 0 Green 5 Brown 1 Blue 6 Red 2 Violet 7 Orange 3 Grey 8

Yellow 4 White 9 The second color zone 30, also referred to as the month or season color zone, has the general shape of a circle with a diameter of about one-half of the diameter of the circular dater 20. The second color zone 30 is positioned in the approximate center of the circular dater 20. In other embodiments, the diameter of second color zone 30 may be greater or less than one-half of the diameter of circular dater 20. The second color zone 30 exhibits color 32, also known as month or season color, depending on the embodiment. In the present embodiment, color 32 of color zone 30 is a season color and is selected from that group of colors most likely to remind a monitor or observer of the season. In this embodiment, grey denotes cold grey of winter, green denotes the lush green of spring, orange denotes the orange sun of summer and brown denotes the brown leaves of fall. In other embodiments, different colors may denote the seasons, season colors 32 being a matter of a user's choice.

The third color zone 26 has the general shape of an annular ring which is positioned between the first color zone 22 and the second color zone 30. The third color zone 26 has an inner diameter which is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the second color zone 30 and an outer diameter which is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the first or year color zone 22. In the present embodiment, the color 28 of the third color zone 26 is selected from the group consisting of black and white, though in other embodiments other colors, preferably selected to contrast with, to isolate and to emphasize the colors of color zones 22 and 30 are employed. If desired, the third color zone 26 could be clear or transparent.

In the embodiment of the present inven- tion shown in Fig. 2, circular dater 20 is posi¬ tioned on a base means or base comprising standard card stock 50 which, either before or after having the necessary textual matter 31 imprinted thereon, performs the function of a document, such as a library card or driver's license, having an expiration date which is easily monitored from a distance by monitoring personnel.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a preferred form of the base material 56 employed for the con- struction of several embodiments of the dater of the present invention. In one embodiment, the base material 56 is a polyester film having a thickness ranging typically from .003 inches to .050 inches (.076 to 1.27 mm). Other materials, such as paper, cardboard, plastics of various types or sheet metals of various other compositions and thick¬ nesses, are also suitable for use as the base material 56. Adhesive 58 is positioned on the rear side of the base for attaching the base to a container or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive 58 is a water soluble type but, in alternate embodiments, pressure sensitive adhe- sives 58 may also be used.

Referring now to the embodiment of the present invention shown in the plan view of Fig. 4, circular dater 20 is substantially as described in connection with Fig. 2, including its formation of a base material 56 having an adhesive 58 positioned on the rear side. Radial cuts 60 and 62 positioned with an included angle 64 having a value of 90* provide an arcuate notch in circular dater 20, which is defined by cuts 60 and 62. The notched circular dater 20 is adapted to be smoothly posi¬ tioned on the corner of a rectilinear box 66 shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 shows a view in perspective of a box to which an alternate embodiment of the dater of Fig. 4 has been applied. The notched circular dater 20 is smoothly folded around edges 70 and 74 of the box 66 with cuts 60, 62 generally aligned along edge 68 of the box 66. In this manner, three sides of the box 66 are, with one dater 20 of the present invention, provided with visual means for remotely determining the expiration date of the items stored within. In the dater shown in Fig. 5, the outermost band comprises the first color zone 22 and the adjacent annular band comprises the second color zone 30. The central, circular color zone 22' is the same color as the first color zone 22 so that no matter how the dater 20 is viewed, the second color zone 30 is surrounded by the color of the first color zone 22.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a container 76 of the present invention, formed of a base material and having thereon a first color zone 22, displaying a year one's or least significant digit color 24, and a second color zone 30 exhibiting season color 32, thereby ensuring that the color code of the present invention is visible from all sides at a distance, permitting convenient monitoring, without handling, of the unexpired condition of the pharmaceutical or other item contained therein. If desired, the top 78, and even the bottom surfaces, of the container could include a dater of the type shown in Fig. 2 to permit monitoring when viewing from above or below the container. Alternatively, the top surface of the container top 78 could include a dater as shown in Fig. 6a, which is comprised of a first color zone 22 of a first color 24 and a second, adjacent color zone 30 of a second color 32. As will be appreciated, the first or outer color zone 22 extends onto the side surfaces of the container top 78 (see Fig. 6) . Referring now t Fig. 7 there is illus¬ trated a side elevational lew of a typical capsule 79 formed of a base material having located thereon, in a first geometric area, a first color zone 22 exhibiting a year's one's digit color 24 and, in a second geometric area, a second color zone 30 exhibiting a season color 32. Preferably, the first color zone 22 surrounds the second color zone 30. Though, in the present embodiment, the color zones are equally sized, circumferential bands extending around the capsule, their width could vary and they may be positioned on or extend to the ends of the capsule. The color zones 22 and 30 in the capsule 79 may be separated by a third color zone (not shown) , if desired. Fig. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 8, there is shown a side elevational view of a conventional contain¬ er 10 containing items not shown. Container 10 has on its periphery a standard label 11 on which is printed the usual identifying data pertinent to the items within container 10. Positioned on the container 10 and in part over the label 11 is a generally circular dater 20 of the present inven¬ tion, formulated of a translucent or transparent base material 56 having an adhesive 58 coated on the rear side. Positioned on or within the base material 56 is color 24 of the first color zone 22 denoting the year's one's digit and color 32 of the second color zone 30 denoting the season. These colors are selected from a group of dyes or other types of transparent or translucent colors so that in combination with transparent base 56 and adhesive 58 the circular dater 20 is sufficiently transparent to allow text positioned on the label 11 to be legible in those areas covered by transparent circular dater 20. The third color zone 26 in this transparent embodiment is clear, though it could have colors of sufficient trans¬ parency to allow the underlying text to remain discernible. Alternatively, a dater 20 similar to the one shown in Fig. 5 in which the first and second color zones are not separated by a third color zone and in which the center of the dater is the same color as the first color zone may be employed (see Fig. 8a) .

Fig. 9 is an illustration of a standard calendar 96 which is fabricated of paper, card¬ board, plastic or any other material of which calendars can be formed. The calendar 96 is intended to be positioned in view of a person having the duty of monitoring stock or items or documents embodying any version of the dater of the present invention. Imprinted on the calendar 96 are a series of information zones on which are positioned textual or numerical information plus colors corresponding to the information, which colors are also employed on the corresponding color zones of the dater of the present invention, to denote the desired expiration information. In Fig. 9, year information zone 110 is positioned in the upper right hand corner and displays the year ten's and one's digits 97. Displayed also in the year information zone 110 is color 24 which also appears on the first color zone 22 of items whose life expires in the indicated year. The same color is employed in the border 97 which surrounds the calendar. In a similar fashion, day date area 101 of the calendar 96 displays color 32 corresponding to the summer season of which the current month, July in Fig. 9, is a part. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention color 32 of the day date are 101 is a month color.

Fig. 9 displays in its upper left hand corner a third information zone 112, also referred to as prior period information zone 112. The prior period information zone 112 has textual matter such as a large "E" or "Exp," thereby reminding moni¬ toring personnel that the color 98 displayed therein corresponds to an immediately prior period and that the items or documents bearing that color in its second color zone 30 of its dater 20 must be used first, discarded or otherwise treated appropriately.

From the forgoing description it can be seen that the present invention comprises a coding system requiring minimum visual acuity for clearly identifying current and outdated items and docu¬ ments. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concepts thereof. It is understood therefore that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed herein but is intended to cover all modifications which within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereto.

Claims

1. A coding system for displaying the expiration date of an item having a limited life comprising a base means for positioning in opera- tive relationship to the item the base means having first and second distinguishable color zones, the first color zone exhibiting a color denoting the least significant digit of an expiration year, and the second color zone exhibiting a color denoting an expiration time within the expiration year.

2. A coding system as recited in claim 1 wherein the time denoted by the color of the second color zone is selected from the group consisting of a month, a calendar quarter and a season.

3. A coding system as recited in claim 2, further including a container, the item having a limited life, being positioned within the container, and the base means being attached to the container.

4. A coding system as recited in claim 2, further including a container for containing the item having a limited life, the container being fabricated from the base means, the container bearing and displaying said color zones.

5. A coding system as recited in claim 4 wherein the item ha ing a limited life is a pharmaceutical product and the container is a capsule containing a dose of the pharmaceutical product, whereby the expiration date of the shelf life of each dose of the pharmaceutical product can be observed and the administration of stale or ineffective pharmaceutical products which have exceeded the shelf life can be prevented, even though individual capsules have been separated from their original packaging.

6. A coding system as recited in claim 3 comprising generally circular planar base means having a diameter and a center, said second color zone being generally circular and having a center and a diameter smaller than the diameter of the base means, said first color zone comprising an annular band with an inner diameter equal to or greater than the diameter of the second color zone and further providing that the centers of the first and second color zones are generally congruent with the center of the base means.

7. A system as recited in claim 6 wherein the inner diameter of the first color zone is greater than the diameter of the second color zone and further providing a third color zone positioned in the annular area between the outer periphery of the second color zone and the inner periphery of the first color zone.

8. A coding system as recited in claim 7 wherein said third color zone exhibits a color selected from the group consisting of white, black, and clear.

9. A coding system as recited in claim 7, including adhesive means, positioned on one side of the base means, for affixing the base means to the container.

10. A coding system as recited in claim 7 wherein the item having a limited life is a pharmaceutical or medical product.

11. A coding system as recited in claim 7 wherein the base means is formed of a paper material and further comprises means for mechanically fastening the base means to the container.

12. A coding system as recited in claim 11 wherein the item having a limited life is a pharmaceutical product.

13. A coding system as recited in claim 9 wherein the base means, adhesive means and the color zones are substantially translucent whereby textual material on the container underlying the base means remains readable.

14. A coding system as recited in claim 13 wherein the item having a limited life is a pharmaceutical product.

15. A coding system as recited in claim 10 wherein the time denoted by the second color zone is a season, the color for said second color zone being selected from the group consisting of grey for winter, green for spring, orange for summer and brown for fall, and further providing that the first color zone color denoting the year ones digit is selected from the group consisting of blue, pink, red, yellow and violet.

16. A coding system as recited in claim 1, further including a calendar separate from the base means, said calendar having a year designating area exhibiting the same color exhibited by the first color zone, and a time period designating area exhibiting a color denoting a time period exhibited by the second color zone, whereby an observer of the calendar is reminded of the colors denoting an expiration date of the item having the operative colors exhibited by the first and second color zones.

17. The process of identifying to monitoring personnel by a color code the expiration date of an item having a limited life comprising the steps of: a. providing a container for the item; b. establishing a relationship between a first color and a year of expiration; c. establishing a relationship between a second color and an intra-year time period of expiration; and d. applying the first and second colors to identifiable geometrically separate zones positioned on the container.

18. A coding system for visually dis¬ playing the expiration date of a document compris¬ ing at least two geometrically distinguishable color zones impressed on the document, said color zones including an inner color zone exhibiting a color denoting an intra-year period selected from the group consisting of a month and a season and an outer color zone substantially surrounding the inner color zone, said outer color zone exhibiting a color denoting the least significant digit of an expiration year.

19. A coding system for documents as recited in claim 18 wherein the intra-year period and the corresponding denoting color is selected from the group consisting of summer-orange, fall- brown, winter-grey and spring-green.