Find an Invention:
Web www.inventionconnection.com

go to contact information

The Problem To Be Solved:

There are many industries where it's critical to track the expiration date of a product, commodity, or process. The most common method is to have expiration dates or sell-by dates printed on items like perishables, medications or baby food. In many cases instead of having dates printed on them it is up to the user to track the deadlines with manual inspection and written logs. But these methods are often cumbersome, time and labor consuming, and not always accurate.

In the consumer arena where people must juggle work, family and day to day tasks, it's important to be able to keep track of a large multitude of deadlines including bill payments, aging food products, automobile tire rotations & oil changes, car maintenance and registration, medical and dental appointments, vacations, meetings or sports activities, etc. for all family members. Most people currently use calendars and electronic planners that help but which, due to limited time constraints, don't always get updated and used consistently. So keeping track of deadlines is often a hit and miss process which creates a lot of stress.

Time Dot^TM Features and Benefits:

The Time Dot^TM is a simple-to-use disposable device used for tracking deadlines, expiration dates and elapsed time. Time Dot^TM is a small round item approximately the size of a quarter [though it can also be larger or smaller, as well as manufactured as a rectangle] which is activated by the user and sticks to most surfaces. Once activated, it utilizes an electro-chemical process to change color and signal the end of the desired elapsed time.

The elapsed time periods can range from minutes and hours, to days or months. The common duration periods can be made in 30, 60, and 90 day durations, with shorter or longer timeframes easily customized for clients with specialized needs. Once used, they are disposable.

"Smart" Time Dot^TM version: Additionally, there are many stages in the food industry during the processing, transportation, retail shelving, etc. where spoilage can occur due to temperature changes. A special "smart" version can be made for items like refrigerated foods, which reacts to temperature increases by automatically shortening the expiration date. If for example the temperature increases, normal shelf-life of a refrigerated item shortens although the printed sell-by date does not change. How many people have purchased milk products within the printed sell-by date only to find it to be spoiled when opened?

The uses for Time Dot^TM are wide in scope including the following:

Medical uses:
blood banks, supplies and other medical products and medications which need to be refrigerated. The "Smart" Time Dot^TM would help ensure properly tracking the lifespan and status of these sensitive products.

Industrial uses:
most industrial, commercial and institutional equipment needs to be maintained according to a predetermined schedule, such as ventilation, heating, cooling and lighting equipment

Retail uses:
with the "Smart" Time Dot^TMversion, supermarket retailers can avoid selling milk, poultry, eggs, beef and other perishable foods that might be spoiled, due to being subjected to increased temperatures during shipping
retailers of electronic products including televisions, stereos, kitchen appliances, as well as furniture, automobiles, etc. can easily track their inventory deadline dates in order to discount and sell them before they incur interest charges from the manufacturers
restaurants, school cafeterias, etc. can use the Time Dot^TM to help ensure the freshness of their food items

Consumer uses:
to track automobile maintenance due dates [oil changes, brakes, belts & blades]
to track how long containers of food have been in the refrigerator
to track events such as doctor and dentist appointments, or birthdays and anniversaries
to determine when bills need to be paid

Business uses:
to track files and folders that need periodic attention in the office
they can be used by states on car license plates to help law enforcement easily determine expired car registrations

Target market:

Medical facilities, food manufacturers, retailers and warehouses, consumers.

Note: Product is patented, US6,822,931 B2 & US6,801,477 B2.
Additional Patents and C.I.P's Pending

Inventor is seeking:

Partners For Development, Manufacturing, Marketing, Licensing & Financing.

Contact information

Important Notice: Please note that the InventionConnection.com web site is strictly a premier showcase for inventions and is a networking venue where interested parties can find each other. The Invention Connection® has been online for 10 years and the InventionConnection® and Invention Convention® have jointly been acting as networking venues for over 20 years. All exhibitors are independent entrepreneurs, small companies or individuals who represent themselves and can be directly contacted by interested parties. InventionConnection.com does not participate nor get involved in any transactions between buyers and sellers and does not receive any royalty percentages. Invention Connection® does not act as licensing agents, Invention Connection® does not evaluate or market products, Invention Connection® is not an invention development firm, and Invention Connection® does not represent inventors nor take any percentages of royalties. The results of any contacts will vary for exhibitors depending on the merits of each invention, the experience of inventors in negotiating, what level of the invention process the inventor is at, what the inventor is looking for, as well as the dedication and commitment of the inventor, etc.