SAFETY MATERIAL AND SYSTEM
Compositions and methods for deterring and/or visually identifying oral contact with objects that are hazardous upon oral contact or ingestion are disclosed. The compositions generally comprise a colourant and a carrier and may further comprise an aversive agent, a salivating agent, and/or an emetic. The compositions may be particularly useful for application to batteries, including button cells.
1 . A composition for application onto an object, wherein the composition comprises an aversive agent and a colourant.
2 . A composition as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising one or more of a salivating agent, a carrier, and an emetic.
3 . A composition as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein the object is hazardous upon oral contact or ingestion.
4 . A composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the object is a battery.
5 . A composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the object is a button cell.
6 . A composition comprising a colourant and a carrier, wherein the specific electrical resistance and overall viscosity of the composition are higher than 1.0×10 3 Ω·m and 2.0×10 −5 Pa·s, respectively, at 20° C.
7 . A composition as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising one or more of a salivating agent, an aversive agent, and an emetic.
8 . A composition as claimed in claim 7 , for application to an object.
9 . A composition as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the object is hazardous upon oral contact or ingestion.
10 . A composition as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9 , wherein the object is a battery.
11 . A composition as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10 , wherein the object is a button cell.
12 . A taste aversive composition comprising a colourant, an aversive agent, and a carrier.
13 . A composition as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising a salivating agent and/or an emetic.
14 . A composition as claimed in claim 12 or 13 , for application to an object.
15 . A composition as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the object is hazardous upon oral contact or ingestion.
16 . A composition as claimed in claim 14 or 15 , wherein the object is a battery.
17 . A composition as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 16 , wherein the object is a button cell.
18 . A composition for application to an object, wherein the composition comprises a colourant and a carrier, wherein the object is hazardous upon oral contact or ingestion, and wherein upon contact of the object with saliva, the colourant stains the saliva.
19 . A composition as claimed in claim 18 , further comprising one or more of a salivating agent, an aversive agent, and an emetic.
20 . A composition as claimed in claim 18 or 19 , wherein the object is a battery.
21 . A composition as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 20 , wherein the object is a button cell.
22 . A composition for application to or incorporation in an object, wherein the composition comprises a colourant, a salivating agent and a carrier, wherein the object is hazardous upon oral contact or ingestion, and wherein upon contact of the object with saliva, the colourant stains the saliva.
23 . A composition as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the composition comprises about 5 to about 10 percent of the composition by dry weight of the colourant, about 2 to about 6 percent of the composition by dry weight of the salivating agent and about 80 to about 90 percent of the composition by dry weight of the carrier.
24 . A composition as claimed in claim 22 or 23 , further comprising an aversive agent and/or an emetic.
25 . A composition as claimed in claim 22 or 23 , further comprising an aversive agent.
26 . A composition as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 25 , wherein the object is a battery.
27 . A composition as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 26 , wherein the object is a button cell.
28 . A method of preventing oral contact or ingestion of an object that is hazardous upon oral contact or ingestion comprising coating at least a portion of the external surface of the object with a composition as defined in any one of claims 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 , 12 , 13 , 18 , 19 and 22 to 25 .
29 . A method of visually identifying oral contact with an object that is hazardous upon oral contact or ingestion, comprising coating at least a portion of the external surface of the object with a composition as defined in any one of claims 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 , 12 , 13 , 18 , 19 and 22 to 25 , wherein upon oral contact with the object the composition releases the colourant and stains the oral area.
30 . A method as claimed in claim 29 , further comprising correlating the colour of the stained oral area with an external reference and thereby identifying the object.
31 . An object that is hazardous upon oral contact or ingestion having on at least a portion of its external surface a composition as defined in any one of claims 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 , 12 , 13 , 18 , 19 and 22 to 25 .
32 . An object that is hazardous upon oral contact or ingestion having incorporated in a component of the object, at least a portion of which is exposed to moisture upon immersion of the object, a composition as defined in any one of claims 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 , 12 , 13 , 18 , 19 and 22 to 25 .
33 . An object as claimed in claim 31 or 32 , which is a battery.
34 . An object as claimed in any one of claims 31 to 33 , which is a button cell.