IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,236,769
Granted Patent B1
US 12,236,769 · App. 17/986,089 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Decomposition alarm device

Inventor: Jennifer E. Benson (Cleveland, OH)
G08B21/18G08B23/00
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,236,769
App. No.
17/986,089
Filed
Nov 14, 2022
Granted
Feb 25, 2025
Kind
B1
Examiner
TANG, SON M
Art Unit
2688
USPC
340/573.1
Abstract

A decomposition alarm device has an enclosure having a conventional smoke detector shape, a first side of the enclosure having a mounting tab to mount the enclosure on a vertical surface, and a front face of the enclosure having a sound grille to allow sound from inside the enclosure to exit the enclosure. The device is calibrated to detect the presence of a decomposing body and emit an audible and visual alarm. This device prevents the remains of a decomposing body going unnoticed by other inhabitants in a household or building.

Claims (11)

1. A decomposition alarm device, comprising:

a plastic enclosure having a front face and a side, said enclosure being waterproof for enhanced environmental protection;

a sound grille located on the front face of the enclosure for emitting an audible alert;

an ionization chamber and a radiation detector disposed within the enclosure for detecting decomposition gases emitted by a deceased body;

an analog clock face on the front face of the enclosure, said clock face ceasing operation upon detection of said decomposition gases to document the time of detection;

an alarm horn configured to emit a unique sound distinct from conventional alarms;

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter for sending a wireless signal to a central manned position upon detection of decomposition gases;

a mounting tab on a side of the enclosure to enable mounting of the device on a vertical surface; and,

a power supply connection and a rechargeable battery for operation in the event of power failure.

2. The decomposition alarm device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an annunciator panel wirelessly connected to the device via said radio frequency transmitter, said annunciator panel having independent alarm indicators for each of a plurality of said decomposition alarm devices installed within a multi-unit dwelling, wherein activation of any decomposition alarm device causes a corresponding alarm indicator on the annunciator panel to illuminate, alerting authorized personnel of the presence of decomposition gases in the respective dwelling unit.

Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 63278545 · Nov 12, 2021
References Cited (29)
US 4162289A · Gomez · 1979 [cited by examiner]
US 4375637A · Desjardins · 1983 [cited by examiner]
US 5309145A · Branch · 1994 [cited by examiner]
US 6292687B1 · Lowell et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6593142B2 · Kelly et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6924147B2 · Kelly et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7560271B2 · Leech et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 8017352B2 · Leech et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8981926B2 · Al-Ali · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9131892B2 · Markel · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9572528B1 · Chang · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 10262525B2 · Carlin · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10458637B1 · Liu · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 11172339B1 · Hummer · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11244554B1 · Volodymyrovych · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20050190067A1 · Black · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20060042530A1 · Bodycomb · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20070124427A1 · Light · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20110187543A1 · Russo · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20170084156A1 · Myllymäki · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180082685A1 · Carlin · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180106048A1 · Staton · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180266163A1 · Combe · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190172333A1 · Combe · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190210053A1 · Cheng · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200160688A1 · Shimadzu · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200226914A1 · Lacy · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210204379A1 · Zhang · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210222877A1 · Combe · 2021 [cited by examiner]