WO2020148646A1

WO2020148646A1 - Body bag

Info

Publication number: WO2020148646A1
Application number: PCT/IB2020/050261
Authority: WO
Inventors: João CORDOVIL BÁRCIA; Steffen MARKUS RAETZER; Ricardo PÁRAMO PELÁEZ; Timothy Daniel HEAD; Jessica LIN BENNETT; Annuka BATHIJA; Daniel DOBOS; Ines KNÄPPER
Original assignee: Social Solutions Research Association
Current assignee: Social Solutions Research Association
Priority date: 2019-01-14
Filing date: 2020-01-14
Publication date: 2020-07-23
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-14

Abstract

The present application relates to a body bag with improved characteristics to store, transport and manage dead bodies. The presently disclosed body bag (1) comprises a valve (2), an absorber pad (3), handles (4) and a closing mechanism (5). The absorber pad (3) contains the fluids produced during decomposition, and the closing mechanism (5), in combination with the valve (2) and a pump, allows to extract air from inside the body bag (1), and therefore delaying decomposition. The disclosed body bag (1) primarily improves the transportation and conservation of victims in order to improve the success of their identification. The present technology is targeted at humanitarian actors after armed conflict and natural or man-made disasters, but can also be used in any sector where body bags are already being used such as health, military, police or civil defense.

Description

DESCRIPTION

"BODY BAG"

Technical field

This application relates to a body bag to store, transport and manage dead bodies.

Background art

The existing practice relevant to forensic science and more generically to Disaster Victim Recovery for identification and repatriation purposes wherein the present technology is inserted, is the process of identifying victims of natural or man-made disasters and war in the field. The main goal in such circumstances, other than to handle the human remains safely, securely and with respect and dignity, is to achieve a successful identification, whenever possible.

Locating and analyzing human remains in varying states of preservation, as well as doing so in a timely manner in such adverse circumstances is a difficult task. When the number of victims reaches significant numbers, such as in the hundreds observed in natural disasters, the difficulty of analysis and identification increases substantially.

One of the key tools to facilitate this process is through the use of body bags. The body bags currently in use have not been subject to alterations or improvements for decades and are primarily targeted at transporting the bodies rather than preserving them. In addition, current body bags have little effort put into the safety and comfort of field workers which already have to deal with extremely challenging environments.

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), currently body bags have inherent limitations such as the relatively fast decomposition rate of dead bodies kept in unrefrigerated conditions, which may impact upon their successful identification by forensic experts. In warm climates, the decomposition process is accelerated and has a direct impact in a short amount of time in the handling, documentation and identification of victims.

Existing body bags are made of a standard thick plastic and have a full-length zipper on them. Sometimes the zipper runs straight down the middle area of the bag, such as seen in document US8991019B1. Alternatively, the path of the zipper may be J-shaped, or C-shaped, such as seen in document US2007009185. Depending on the design, there are sometimes handles, to facilitate lifting. It is possible to write information on the plastic surface of a body bag using a marker pen, and this often happens either in situ, particularly when a large number of bodies are being collected, or at the mortuary. Alternatively, some designs of body bags have transparent label pockets as an integral part of the design, into which a name-card can be inserted. In any case, a conventional toe tag can easily be tied to one of the lifting handles if required. Body bags are not designed to be washed and re-used, since aside from the obvious hygiene concerns, re-use of body bags could easily contaminate evidence in the case of a suspicious death. As a result, body bags are routinely discarded and incinerated after one use.

Currently, the ICRC alone purchases 55, 000 body bags each year, at $15 USD each. Consequently, the ICRC has expressed the utmost need for the development of new and economically viable solutions that will improve the safety of the users and the transportation and conservation of victims remains. This will assist in the success of identification and limiting the spread of potential diseases that might arise from handling the remains.

Summary

The present application relates to a body bag characterized by having a trapezoidal shape and comprising:

a one-way valve;

an absorber pad on one of the inside surfaces;

cut out handles along the broader side of the body bag, and its opposite side;

a closing mechanism;

wherein the body bag is made of a cross laminated film and the closing mechanism is a hermetic zip sealing and is positioned on a strip of additional material on the longer side of the bag forming the opening of the body bag.

In one embodiment the absorber pad is made of a superabsorber polymer granulate.

In another embodiment the body bag comprises three handles at each side.

In yet another embodiment the body bag further comprises a zipper at the opening.

In one embodiment the absorber pad has an absorbance of at least 10 liters per square meter. In another embodiment the handles comprise tubes on the outer side of the handles.

In yet another embodiment the cross laminated film is a polyolefin based material.

In one embodiment the cross laminated film is a composite material of polyolefin and aluminum.

General description

Identifying and repatriating victims after natural or man made disasters is a challenge. Failing to do so drives up costs of this process and adds to the distress, trauma and frustration to all involved in the process. If identification fails, a person may be lost forever in terms of identification, repatriation and the various legal process necessary post-mortem.

Thus, the present application discloses an improved development of body bags which improves the opportunity of giving victims their identity back, as well as providing a safer way to handle, store and transport human remains.

By retarding the speed at which bodies decompose, the present technology is able to increase the probability of a body to be correctly identified.

The key difference of the presently described body bag compared to existing solutions is that it can be hermetically sealed and have most of its air extracted.

Closing the seal will contain odors and liquids that are produced during the decomposition process. Once the oxygen is extracted from the bag, decomposition is slowed by reducing aerobic bacterial activity.

The present technology includes a passive liquid management system in the form of an absorber pad. By reducing the humidity inside the bag, the decomposition process is slowed even further. The absorber pad also provides additional protection against the side-effects of puncture. A passive temperature management in the form of a reflective surface further slows decomposition. The combination of these features provides time to forensics experts to arrive at the scene and proceed with the analysis and identification of the remains.

There are several additional benefits to the present technology regarding the working conditions of field workers. By eliminating odors emanating from and liquids which may leak on the those carrying the body bag, the trauma and discomfort involved in the transport and storage of dead bodies would be greatly reduced.

The present technology further comprises an optimized carrying system and is made of a lighter material which also allows for easier transportation. The cost of logistics associated with transport of body bags is considerably improved due to the lighter material and more compact design.

The fact that the body bag is impermeable and air-tight, coupled with an easier manipulation and insertion of bodies, the present technology reduces the potential for infection and contagion, particularly in places without the appropriate infrastructure to tackle scenarios with a potential pandemic threat. The proposed body bag also requires less steps and manual effort to place the body inside the bag, when compared to the present body bag. With the present technology it is not necessary to roll/bend the bag before placing it underneath the body and less handling of the body is required.

Additional digital features can enable geolocation of the bodies, as well as helping in eliminating errors during data capture. Geolocation can be achieved through the use of near distance locators such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) markers and antennas. In order for the signal to penetrate a few meters of soil and to not require a battery, passive low frequency markers and high power antennas would be recommended. Regarding data, it is proposed to transfer the current analogue procedure to an application that centralizes bag ID, pictures, geolocation, date and all additional relevant information to be used on the field. Moreover, it is possible to improve the matching procedure through, to help return missing individuals to their families and relatives through digital matching.

Brief description of drawings

The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and are a part of the specification. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples of the present technology and do not limit the scope of the invention .

Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of the presently disclosed body bag in a front view wherein the reference numbers are: body bag (1), valve (2), absorber pad (3), handles (4), closing mechanism (5) .

Figure 2 illustrates an embodiment of the presently disclosed body bag in a horizontal position wherein the reference numbers are: body bag (1), valve (2), absorber pad (3), handles (4), closing mechanism (5).

Description of embodiments

Now, preferred embodiments of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings. However, they are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

The present application relates to a body bag with improved characteristics that facilitate a reduction in the rate of decomposition of human remains and improves the success of their identification and handling. The present technology overcomes the drawbacks observed in the currently available body bags by introducing features that enable the body bag to be hermetically sealed and vacuumed.

Essentially, the presently disclosed body bag is made of a laminated material and comprises a sealable closing mechanism, a vacuum mechanism and a passive liquid management system. In combination, the essential features of the described body bag allow to contain and manage odors, liquids and humidity as well as provide protection against punctures.

Figure 1 and Figure 2 shows the body bag (1) of the present application comprising a valve (2), an absorber pad (3), handles (4) and a closing mechanism (5) .

In a preferred embodiment the closing mechanism (5) of the body bag (1) is a mechanism that comprises an airtight and watertight hermetic zip sealing. This closing mechanism allows to dispense of the use of the typical zipper used in standard body bags nowadays. A hermetic zip sealing provides a physical barrier to the emission of odors and liquids as well as providing protection against the entry of insects which accelerate decomposition. Preventing change in odors and liquid exposure is extremely important for the safety and well-being of field workers.

In one embodiment, a regular zipper is additionally added to the body bag at the opening of the bag, depending of specific robustness requirements.

A vacuum mechanism is also provided to the body bag by means of a one-way valve (2) .

Through the aforementioned airtight closing mechanism (5), in combination with the valve (2) and a pump, it is possible to extract air from inside the body bag (1) . This features decreases the rate of oxygen inside the bag, which further delays decomposition. A regular electric vacuum can be used for the purpose of extracting air from inside be bag through the valve (2) . Optionally, a manual pump can be provided to perform the same task when electricity is not available .

One of the inside surfaces of the bag comprises a passive liquid management system, in the form of an absorber pad (3) . Said absorber pad (3) is made of a superabsorber polymer granulate. Additionally, in one embodiment the absorber pad (3) has an absorbency of at least 10 liters per square meter.

Once inside the bag, the body will rest atop of the absorber pad (3), which will contain the fluids produced during decomposition.

As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the handles (4) of the presently disclosed body bag (1) are reinforced cutouts in the laminate material. The addition of lightweight tubes to the outer side of the handle cutouts makes the handles more comfortable and easier to use. The handles (4) are disposed along the broader side and along its opposite side of the body bag ( 1 ) .

In one embodiment, the described body bag (1) comprises at three handles at each side.

The materials in which the body bag (1) can be made are cross laminated films. In one embodiment the laminated film is a polyolefin based material. In another embodiment the laminated film is a composite of polyolefin and aluminum. Ideally, the materials chosen combine several benefits such as robustness, flexibility, resistance to oils and chemicals, as well as providing tear and puncture resistance, and passive temperature management.

In one embodiment, the bag has a trapezoidal shape to allow the hermetic zip sealing to be installed on the longer side of the bag and in a straight line without increasing the overall length of the bag. At the same time this shape allows a human body to be placed in the center of the bag and an equal distribution of weight. The bag further comprises a strip of additional material, forming the opening of the bag, where the closing mechanism is attached without being directly against the bag, as can be seen in Figure 1 and Figure 2.

Besides all the advantages enumerated in the present application, the present technology aims to be compatible with X-ray technology, allowing to take X-rays without removing the body from inside the bag.

The body bags of the present application have been subject to two types of testing: iterative and subjective usability testing by the Forensic team of the ICRC and an objective scientific test by the University of Central Lancashire, an independent partner.

Two separate field tests in Thailand and the UK have been performed by the University of Central Lancashire during the first half of 2018 which returned very encouraging results. Especially in a 2-3 weeks scenario the bag delivered significantly better results, still allowing the collection of DNA samples.

There was also a minor usability test performed by a firefighter team at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) which validated some of

the initial design proposals.

The present technology is targeted at humanitarian actors after armed conflict and natural or man-made disasters, but the body bag has the additional potential to be used in any sector where body bags are already being used such as health, military, police or civil defense.

Example :

A trapezoid shaped body bag, made of Rolamit foil and a hermetic zip sealing as closing mechanism, an absorber pad ASAP Drytop™, and a valve for vacuum, weighted 30% less than a currently available standard body bag.

Claims

1. Body bag (1), characterized by having a trapezoidal shape and comprising:

a one-way valve (2) and a pump adapted to extract air from inside the body bag (1);

an absorber pad (3) on one of the inside surfaces;

cut out handles (4) along the broader side of the body bag, and its opposite side;

a closing mechanism (5);

wherein the body bag (1) is made of a cross laminated film and the closing mechanism (5) is a hermetic zip sealing and is positioned on a strip of additional material on the longer side of the bag forming the opening of the body bag (1) .

2. Body bag (1) according to the previous claim, wherein the absorber pad (3) is made of a superabsorber polymer granulate .

3. Body bag (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the body bag comprises three handles at each side .

4. Body bag (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the body bag further comprises a zipper at the opening .

5. Body bag (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the absorber pad (3) has an absorbance of at least 10 liters per square meter.

6. Body bag (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the handles (4) comprise tubes on the outer side of the handles (4) .

7. Body bag (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the cross laminated film is a polyolefin based material .

8. Body bag (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cross laminated film is a composite material of polyolefin and aluminum.