WO2001084525A2

WO2001084525A2 - Child tracking system

Info

Publication number: WO2001084525A2
Application number: PCT/IB2001/000763
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jody Rigas
Original assignee: Jody Rigas
Priority date: 2000-05-04
Filing date: 2001-05-04
Publication date: 2001-11-08
Also published as: WO2001084525A3

Abstract

A new child tracking system (90), through an I.D. card (1), that quickly assists police and/or authorities in finding a missing child or in caring for an injured child furnishing instant personal and medical information in the event of an emergency. The device has a base (67) with an inner and an outer surface. At least one card (1) having two surfaces is placed on the inner surface of the base (67) and at least one surface of the card (1) is capable of depicting information. The card (1) does not cover the entire inner surface of the base (67). A transparent sheet (70) is provided having an inner and outer surface and arranged such that the transparent sheet (70) covers the card (1) placed on the base (67). Either the transparent sheet (70) or the base (67) has an adhesive (68), not requiring heat activation, on the inner surface for attaching the transparent sheet (70) to the card (1) and the base (67). A release liner (81) covers the adhesive (68). The base (67) may be transparent and the card (1) contains titled categories each followed by an area for information to be added. Created from a non-toxic soy-based ink.

Description

TITLE CHILD TRACKING SYSTEM DESCRIPTION Field of the invention This invention generally relates to a portable identification system. More specifically, this invention relates to a portable information system used to identify personal and medical information about the bearer. Description of the prior art In an emergency situation, often the people reacting to the emergency panic or do not have sufficient information to aid those trying to help. In moments where the one responsible for the person is panicking, the identification card described herein will make it quick and easy for them to provide information about the person. The identification card asks for specific pertinent personal and medical information. The cards are to be filled in with the appropriate identifying information. The cards can be filled in using an ink marking pen. The identification cards have a designated area to attach a photo .

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the invention to provide a system that will furnish instant personal and medical information in the event of an emergency.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a child tracking system, through the child I.D. cards, that will quickly assist police and/or authorities in finding a missing child or in caring for an injured child. Another object of the present invention is to make child I.D. kits easy to acquire and easy to utilize.

It is a further object of the present invention to make laminated I.D. cards in minutes without any special equipment. The information on the I.D. card can be handwritten and the I.D. card is then adhesively sealed.

Another object of the present invention is to make it easy for a child's laminated I.D. card to be attached to his/her outer or inner garments.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an I.D. card wherein the possibility of duplication, tampering or stealing is minimized.

The above objects are achieved by a portable information device according to the invention comprising:

- a base having an inner and an outer surface;

- at least one card having two surfaces, said at least one card being placed on the inner surface of the base; at least one surface of the card capable of depicting information, said card not covering the entire inner surface of the base;

- a transparent sheet having an inner and outer surface and arranged such that the transparent sheet covers the card placed on the base, said transparent sheet having an adhesive on the inner surface for attaching the transparent sheet to the card and the base, said adhesive not requiring heat activation; and,

- a release liner covering the adhesive.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, a portable information device comprises: - a base having an inner and an outer surface, said base having an adhesive on the inner surface, said adhesive not requiring heat activation;

- at least one card having two surfaces, said at least one card being mounted on the adhesive of the inner surface of the base; at least one surface of the card capable of depicting information, said card not covering the entire inner surface of the base;

- a transparent sheet having an inner and outer surface and arranged such that the transparent sheet covers the card placed on the base and adheres to the adhesive on the inner surface of the base; and,

- a release liner covering the adhesive.

Preferably, the portable information device comprises a means for receiving a fastener, and said base may be transparent.

The card advantageously contains titled categories each followed by an area for information to be added. The titled categories may be created from a non-toxic soy- based ink.

The base and the transparent cover sheet is preferably pre-sealed at one end.

Further characteristics and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments.

Brief description of the drawings

Other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention appear more clearly on reading the following best mode for carrying out the invention, given by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- FIG. 1 is a planar, top view of one surface of the card, depicting typical information the card could contain. - FIG. 2 is a planar, top view of one surface of the card, depicting typical information the card could contain.

- FIG. 3 is a planar, top view of one surface of the card, depicting typical information the card could contain.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the transparent sheet, release liner and base.

- FIG. 5 is a front view of the identification card positioned between the base and transparent sheet. - FIG. 6 is a planar view of a laminating pouch and a typical attachment member used to attach the portable information device to a person's clothing.

Description of a preferred embodiment For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the present invention, reference will be made to the present invention as illustrated in the drawings. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitations of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations as using could provide additional alterations which would fall within the spirit and scope of the invention described herein. Some of the possible alterations will be mentioned in the following description. The drawings will be described in detail. For the ease of the reader, like reference numerals designating identical or similar part will remain consistent through the drawings .

In its most preferred embodiment, the portable information device 90 is part of a child I.D. kit that includes at least one card 1, similar to that shown in Figs. 1-3. It would be readily recognized by one skilled in the art, however, that the card 1 could contain more, less, different or no personal and medical information than what is shown. In addition, one skilled in the art will recognize that more than one card can be used in the instant invention. Ideally, the card 1 would be filled in with information, as detailed below. In addition, it is recommended that one card 1 would be kept with the person responsible for the child, while the other card 1 would be kept with the child. One skilled in the art can readily discern, however, that the cards 1 could be kept and/or disbursed in any number of ways. In the preferred embodiment, a child's I.D. card 1 would include the following categories listed thereon and would have spaces or lines beside each category where the required information can be filled in: the child's name 10 and address 11, the parent's name 12, the parent's phone number 13, and three names and phone numbers of people to contact in an emergency: the first name 14, the first name's phone number 15, the second name 16, the second name's phone number 17, the third name 18, the third name's phone number 19, as shown in Fig. 1. One of ordinary skill in the art would discern that more, less or different personal or medical informational categories could be included upon the card 1 or that no informational categories need be included. The inclusion of no informational categories would allow the user to insert information that he/she views as important. An additional embodiment of card 1 could include only blank lines and/or blank space.

The card 1 in the preferred embodiment, also has a designated area 9 to attach a photo of the child.

In the preferred embodiment, the card 1 has two surfaces upon which information can be held. As shown in Fig. 2, the following informational categories would be included on the second surface of the card 1 in the preferred embodiment: medical conditions 20, allergies 21, name of doctor 22, doctor's phone number 23, insurance information 24, date of birth 25, height 26, weight 27, hair color 28, eye color 29, and other 30. Ideally, other 30 is to be filled in by the user with any other information that he/she feels is important. One of ordinary skill in the art would discern that more, less or different personal or medical informational categories could be included upon the second surface of the card 1 or that no informational categories need be included. As mentioned above, the inclusion of no informational categories allows the user to insert the information that he/she views as important. An additional embodiment of the card 1 could include only blank lines and/or blank space .

Another embodiment of the card 1 contains the following informational categories: ambulance phone number 60, hospital phone number 61, fire department phone number 62, police phone number 63 and poison control center's phone number 64 , as shown in Fig. 3. Again, one of ordinary skill in the art would discern that more, less or different informational categories could be included upon the card 1 or that no informational categories need be included. As mentioned above, to allow the user to insert only the information that he/she views as important, the card 1 could include only blank lines and/or blank space.

In the preferred embodiment, all of the writing, including, but not limited to, the informational categories and any lines, is printed in non-toxic soy- based ink that is safe for small children. Such inks are well known to those well skilled in the printing arts. Of course, one skilled in the art would recognize that a variety of other inks could be used for printing any of the information included on the card.

Ideally, in the preferred embodiment, in addition to the card 1, the child I.D. kit would include a base 67, a transparent sheet 70 with one surface thereof covered by an adhesive 68, a release lining 81 covering the adhesive 68, a receiving member adapted to receive a fastener 74 and a fastener 83, as shown in Figs. 4-6. The adhesive 68 does not require the use of heat to activate the adhesive.

In order to protect the card 1 from damage and wear, the card 1 is sealed between the transparent sheet 70 and the base 67 by the adhesive 68 covering one surface of the transparent sheet 70, as shown in Fig. 5. Adhesives that do not require the use of heat activation are well known to those skilled in the art. To complete the kit, the user first fills in any appropriate information on the card 1, as detailed above, and then places the card 1 onto the base 67, which is larger in size than the card 1. In a more preferred embodiment, the base 67 is transparent to allow clear view of both surfaces of the card 1; from the front through the transparent sheet 70, and from the back through the clear base 67. This would enable the user to include information on both surfaces of the card 1, as in the preferred embodiment described above. It would be clear to one skilled in the art, however, that the base 67 need not be transparent and the user need not be able to include information on both surfaces of the card 1.

To continue sealing the card 1, as in the preferred embodiment, the user next peels the release lining 81 away from the non-heat requisite adhesive 68 that covers one surface of the transparent sheet 70, thus exposing the adhesive 68 and then applies the transparent sheet 70, which is larger in size than the card 1, to the card 1 and the base 67, effectively sealing the card 1 between the base 67 and the transparent sheet 70. The adhesive 68 covers one entire surface of the transparent sheet 70 and thereby adheres not only to the base 67, but also to the card 1, itself. This prevents the card 1 from shifting, slipping or otherwise moving within the sealed environment . In an alternative embodiment of the portable information device 90, the adhesive 68 can cover the inner surface of the base 67. In such an embodiment, to seal the card 1, the user removes the release lining 81 from the adhesive 68 that covers one surface of the base 67, exposing the adhesive 68. The user then places the card 1 onto the adhesive 68 covering the base 67. Once the card 1 is firmly in place, the user covers the card 1 and the base 67 with the transparent sheet 70. Because both the base 67 and the transparent sheet 70 are larger than the card 1, both have overlapping edges. The overlapping edges of the transparent sheet 70 adhere to the adhesive 68 covering the overlapping edges of the base 67, sealing the card. In this embodiment, the adhesive 68 covers one entire surface of the base 67 and thereby adheres not only to the transparent sheet 70, but also to the card 1, itself. This prevents the card 1 from shifting, slipping or otherwise moving within the sealed environment.

Another embodiment of the portable information device 90 includes a pressure sensitive, no-heat, clear plastic, laminating pouch, created by the base 67 and the transparent sheet 70 being pre-sealed together at one end 72 with the base 67 having a non-heat requisite adhesive 68 covering one surface thereof with a release lining 81 covering the adhesive 68 to prevent the base 67 from sealing to the transparent sheet 70 prematurely.

Still, another embodiment of the portable information device 90, shown in Fig. 6, includes a pressure sensitive, no-heat, clear plastic, laminating pouch, created by the base 67 and the transparent sheet 70 being pre-sealed together at one end 72 with the transparent sheet 70 having an adhesive 68 covering one surface thereof with a release lining 81 covering the adhesive 68 to prevent the transparent sheet 70 from sealing to the base 67 prematurely.

Fig. 6, further illustrates the means for receiving a fastener 74 together with a typical fastener 83 for attaching the device 90 to something, including but not limited to a child's clothing, a hook on a wall, etc. One skilled in the art would recognize that the fastener 83 can be made of a variety of materials, including but not limited to polyester, elastic, velcro, plastic, rope, rubber, etc. In the preferred embodiment, the fastener 83 is a closed loop made out of a pliable plastic that can be twisted through the means for receiving a fastener 74 and thereby becomes securely attached to the personal information device 90. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the closed loop could be made from a material other than plastic and could be attached to the personal information device 90 in a variety of different ways .

The description presented in the preferred embodiments is not intended to demonstrate all of the possible arrangements and modifications to the design. For those skilled in the art, changes will be apparent that will fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A portable information device (90) comprising:

- a base (67) having an inner and an outer surface;

- at least one card (1) having two surfaces, said at least one card (1) being placed on the inner surface of the base

(67) ; at least one surface of the card (1) being capable of depicting information, said card (1) not covering the entire inner surface of the base (67);

- a transparent sheet (70) having an inner and outer surface and arranged such that the transparent sheet (70) covers the card (1) placed on the base (67), said transparent sheet (70) having an adhesive (68) on the inner surface for attaching the transparent sheet (70) to the card (1) and the base (67), said adhesive (68) not requiring heat activation; and,

- a release liner (81) covering the adhesive (68) .

2. A portable information device (90) comprising:

- a base (67) having an inner and an outer surface, said base (67) having an adhesive (68) on the inner surface, said adhesive (68) not requiring heat activation;

- at least one card (1) having two surfaces, said at least one card (1) being mounted on the adhesive (68) of the inner surface of the base (67) ; at least one surface of the card being (1) capable of depicting information, said card (1) not covering the entire inner surface of the base (67);

- a transparent sheet (70) having an inner and outer surface and arranged such that the transparent sheet (70) covers the card (1) placed on the base (67) and adheres to the adhesive (68) on the inner surface of the base (67); and,

- a release liner (81) covering the adhesive (68) .

3. The portable information device (90) of claims 1 or 2 further comprising a means for receiving (74) a fastener (83) .

4. The portable information device (90) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said base (67) is transparent.

5. The portable information device (90) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said card (1) contains titled categories each followed by an area for information to be added.

6. The portable information device (90) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the base (67) and the transparent cover sheet are pre-sealed at one end.

7. The portable information device (90) of claim 5 wherein said titled categories are created from a non-toxic soy- based ink.