1. A method for delivering product safety information using an application
on a personal computing device, the method comprising:
receiving, as a result of a user-initiated action, at least a portion of a product name of a product,
searching a database of existing products for existing products matching the at least a portion of the product name,
presenting, to a user, if one or more matching products is found in the database of existing products, an option to select one of the one or more matching products to save,
receiving a selection from the user of one of the one or more matching products,
saving one of the one or more matching products selected by the user in an inventory in a memory, thereby creating a saved product,
comparing the saved product to one or more databases of past recalled products,
presenting, if a past recall of the saved product is found in the one or more databases, a notification to the user,
accessing one or more new recall databases continuously at specified intervals of time in order to identify new recalls issued against the saved product,
creating a visual alert to the user if a new recall is issued against the saved product.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-initiated action is selected from one of:
scanning a code associated with the product name, typing the at least a portion of the product name in a search field on the user interface, and
capturing a digital image of the product, identifying the product name through digital optical recognition.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining whether a particular new recalled product identified from the one or more new recall databases affects a number of sold products exceeding a threshold, and
if the number exceeds the threshold, sending an alert to a user who has saved at least one saved product, but who has not saved the particular new recalled product.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing manufacturer instructions regarding the return or replacement of the saved product that has had the new recall issued against it.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
requesting that the user acknowledge receipt of the visual alert, and
providing information about at least one replacement product available for purchase in response to the user acknowledging receipt of the visual alert.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing a view of a list on a user interface, of one or more products previously saved by the user, the list comprising at least the saved product, and
presenting, to the user, an option to select at least one of the one or more products for reporting a defect or incident related to a selected product,
receiving, from the user, through the user interface, information regarding the defect or incident related to the selected product,
sending a name of the selected product and the information regarding the defect or incident to one or more of:
an administrator interface of the application,
a governmental regulatory agency, and
a manufacturer of the selected product.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
presenting, if no matching product is found in the database of existing products, a new product request interface to the user, wherein the new product request interface allows the user to enter a name and manufacturer of a new product,
generating a new product validation request to add the new product to the database of existing products,
validating the new product,
adding the new product to the existing product database, and
adding the new product to the inventory.
8. A system for providing product safety information, the system comprising:
a personal computing device comprising;
a user interface for inputting at least a portion of a product name,
an application implemented on a hardware processor, the application comprising:
an existing product database comparison module,
a past recall database comparison module,
a new recall check and comparison module,
an alert module,
a memory for storing an inventory, and
a transceiver;
at least one existing product database,
at least one past recall database, and
at least one new recall database.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the application further comprises:
a reporting module.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein the personal computing device comprises a camera.
11. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium, encoded with processor readable instructions to perform a method for delivering product safety information using an application on a personal computing device, the method comprising:
receiving, as a result of a user-initiated action, at least a portion of a product name of a product,
searching a database of existing products for existing products matching the at least a portion of the product name,
presenting, to a user, if one or more matching products is found in the database of existing products, an option to select one of the one or more matching products to save,
receiving a selection from the user of one of the one or more matching products,
saving one of the one or more matching products selected by the user in an inventory in a memory, thereby creating a saved product,
comparing the saved product to one or more databases of past recalled products,
presenting, if a past recall of the saved product is found in the one or more databases, a notification to the user,
accessing one or more new recall databases continuously at specified intervals of time in order to identify new recalls issued against the saved product,
creating a visual alert to the user if a new recall is issued against the saved product.
12. The non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the user-initiated action is selected from one of:
scanning a code associated with the product name,
typing the at least a portion of the product name in a search field on the user interface, and
capturing a digital image of the product, identifying the product name through digital optical recognition.
13. The non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method includes:
determining whether a particular new recalled product identified from the one or more new recall databases affects a number of sold products exceeding a threshold, and
if the number exceeds the threshold, sending an alert to a user who has saved at least one saved product, but who has not saved the particular new recalled product.
14. The non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method includes:
providing manufacturer instructions regarding the return or replacement of the saved product that has had the new recall issued against it.
15. The non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method includes:
requesting that the user acknowledge receipt of the visual alert, and
providing information about at least one replacement product available for purchase in response to the user acknowledging receipt of the visual alert.
16. The non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method includes:
providing a view of a list on a user interface, of one or more products previously saved by the user, the list comprising at least the saved product, and
presenting, to the user, an option to select at least one of the one or more products for reporting a defect or incident related to a selected product,
receiving, from the user, through the user interface, information regarding the defect or incident related to the selected product,
sending a name of the selected product and the information regarding the defect or incident to one or more of:
an administrator interface of the application,
a governmental regulatory agency, and
a manufacturer of the selected product.
17. The non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method includes:
presenting, if no matching product is found in the database of existing products, a new product request interface to the user, wherein the new product request interface allows the user to enter a name and manufacturer of a new product,
generating a new product validation request to add the new product to the database of existing products,
validating the new product,
adding the new product to the existing product database, and
adding the new product to the inventory.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for making a plate-like fiber-reinforced composite product to be used as building or packing material, the method comprising the steps of
preparing a three-dimensional cohesive fiber mat of fibers bound together, the fibers having a thickness mainly ranging between 0.5 and 0.8 mm and a width between 0.3 and 2 mm, at least 80% of the fibers having a length of at least 100 mm,
providing the fiber mat with a moisture content of at or below 5%,
placing the fiber mat on a lower laminate,
applying a foaming hardening binding agent in liquid form on the fibers of the fiber mat so that a mixture of fiber mat and binding agent is obtained wherein the fibers are surrounded by the binding agent,
transferring and guiding the mixture between the lower laminate and an upper laminate between lower and upper pressing plates, said lower and upper laminate and said pressing plates being arranged to rotate endlessly at a rotation speed on an upper and, respectively a lower, side of the mixture thereby transferring the mixture at the rotation speed of the pressing plates, the mixture comprising fibers close to an upper surface thereof and close to a lower surface thereof,
placing the mixture under a pressure between about 0.8 bar and about 5 bar and allowing the binding agent to foam up and expand and allowing the mixture to harden between the upper and the lower pressing plates into a hardened plate-like product having a thickness of 10 mm to 150 mm and comprising fibers close to the upper surface thereof and close to the lower surface thereof when transferring the mixture between the pressing plates, and
removing the laminates from the hardened product.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fiber mat before applying the binding agent thereto has a thickness of approximately 1.5 to 3 times the hardened product.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fiber mat is made of hygroscopic fibers.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foaming binding agent is applied onto a fiber mat having a moisture content of less than about 3%.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mixture of fibers and binding agent is subjected to a pressure of less than about 2 bar.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a material with a good adhesiveness is used as binding agent.
7. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein polyurethane is used as the binding agent.
8. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein a phenol-based material is used as the binding agent.
9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fibers comprise wood fibers.
10. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the fiber mat including the polyurethane is transferred between the pressing plates at a temperature ranging between 30 and 90 degrees Celsius.
11. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the binding agent is applied onto the fiber mat by spray nozzles.
12. An apparatus for making a plate-like fiber-reinforced composite product to be used as building or packing material, the apparatus comprising
an inlet end for receiving fibers surrounded by binding agent, an outlet end for providing the plate-like fiber-reinforced composite product manufactured in the apparatus,
an upper endlessly rotating belt comprising a plurality of upper pressing plates, which, controlled by at least two elongated control elements extending in an longitudinal direction of the apparatus, are arranged to move in an upper endless track, and a lower endlessly rotating belt comprising a plurality of lower pressing plates which, controlled by at least two elongated control elements extending in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus, are arranged to move in a lower endless track, whereby the upper pressing plates within an area of the upper endless track are arranged in a first substantially flat plane and the lower pressing plates within an area of the lower endless track are arranged in a second substantially flat plane, which is parallel to the first flat plane, whereby the upper and lower pressing plates within the area are arranged to transfer the fibers surrounded by the binding agent between them,
feed means for feeding an upper laminate and a lower laminate in said area, the upper laminate is arranged to be supported in said area against the upper pressing plates and to move at the same speed as the upper pressing plates, and the lower laminate is arranged to be supported in said area against the lower pressing plates and to move at the same speed as the lower pressing plates,
collecting means for collecting the upper and lower laminate from the plate-like composite product manufactured in the apparatus,
application means at the inlet end for applying fibers including binding agent in liquid form onto the lower laminate, and
heating means for heating the mixture of fibers and binding agent, wherein
said area having a length of 5 m to 30 m and a width of 1 m to 5 m,
the apparatus comprising pressing means for creating a pressure of at least 0.8 bar towards the pressing plates,
the upper pressing plates of the apparatus being arranged at a distance of 10 mm to 150 mm from the lower pressing plates, and
said feeding means being adapted to rotate the upper laminate (12) and the lower laminate in endless paths.
13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the pressing plates comprise a flat surface turned against the laminates and gripping parts to co-operate with endless drive elements belonging to the feed means that are arranged to be controlled by the control elements.
14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the upper and lower laminate is made of polyethylene foil.
15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the application means comprise at least a spray nozzle arranged to sweep back and forth in the transverse direction in relation to the longitudinal direction of the apparatus.
16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the heating means comprise heating means arranged to heat the upper and lower pressing plates to a temperature ranging between 30 and 100 degrees Celsius.
17. A plate-like fiber-reinforced composite stable product comprising fibers surrounded by a binding agent to be used as building or packing material, the composite product comprising fibers close to the upper and lower surface of the product, wherein
the fibers are in a form resembling a three-dimensional cohesive mat,
the fibers having a thickness mainly ranging between 0.5 mm and 0.8 mm and a width between 0.3 mm and 2 mm, and at least 80% of the fibers having a length of at least 100 mm,
the fibers and binding agent having a weight ratio ranging between 0.8 and 2 and the plate-like product having a thickness of 10 mm to 150 mm.
18. A plate-like fiber-reinforced composite product as claimed in claim 17, wherein the binding agent is polyurethane.
19. A plate-like fiber-reinforced composite product as claimed in claim 18, wherein the product is not covered.