| Type | Self-defense chemical spray |
|---|---|
| Inventor | Alan Lee Litman |
| Inception | 1960s |
| Manufacturer | Mace Security International |
| Available | Available |
| Website | mace |
Mace is the brand name of an early type of aerosol self-defense spray invented by Alan Lee Litman in the 1960s. The first commercial product of its type, Litman's design packaged phenacyl chloride (CN) tear gas dissolved in hydrocarbon solvents into a small aerosol spray can,[1] usable in many environments and strong enough to act as a deterrent and incapacitant when sprayed in the face.[citation needed]
A generic trademark, its popularity led to the name "mace" being commonly used for other defense sprays regardless of their composition,[2][3] and for the term "maced" to be used to reference being pepper sprayed.[4] It is unrelated to the spice mace.
- ^ Leu, Chelsea (1 July 2017). "What's Inside Triple-Action Mace? Chili Peppers and UV Dye". Wired. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Gerhardt, Nick. "27 Trademarked Names That Have Become Commonly Used Terms". The Family Handyman. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
- ^ Quirk, Mary Beth (July 19, 2014). "15 Product Trademarks That Have Become Victims Of Genericization". Consumerist. Consumer Reports.
- ^ Clankie, Shawn (1999). "Brand Name Use in Creative Writing: Genericide or Language Right?". In Buranen, Lise; Roy, Alice Myers (eds.). Perspectives on Plagiarism and Intellectual Property in a Postmodern World. SUNY Press. pp. 260–261. ISBN 978-0-7914-4080-3.