Safety material and system

Abstract

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.

What we claim is: 
     
         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.