Barrier Bag Environment Monitor

Abstract

The present invention provides a structural means to monitor the environmental status on the inside of a sealed barrier bag. The device is installed in the wall of a barrier bag and allows for external transmission of internal sensor data where the sealed barrier bag would normally operate as a faraday cage. This arrangement allows the environment to be ascertained or monitored without unsealing the bag, which would potentially introduce additional unwanted environmental factors.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to environmental monitoring technology. Specifically, the present invention is a sensor suite for use in but not limited to aluminum barrier bag environmental monitoring during storage and transit.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The integrity of critical equipment during transit and storage, up to the point of installation, is a fundamental aspect of many modern industries. This equipment has several vulnerabilities to the environments of our world and it can undergo damage from corrosion, heat, EM interference, light, dust, and other contaminants. Companies have several strategies to protect their assets, such as the aluminum bags.

[0003] Barrier bags, often referred to as anti-static bags, have been a fantastic solution for mitigating the baseline risks highlighted above. These bags form a barrier that dramatically reduce risks when transporting these materials and also aid in handling assets in less-than-ideal environments. As we have alluded above, there are additional environmental risks that can cause damage to these devices. One example is humidity, which can build up inside barrier bags and increase the risk for damage from the additional vapor content. Another common consideration is temperature, where exposure to temperatures outside of a certain range can put the equipment at risk for a loss of structural integrity or other forms of breakdown. In addition to environmental risks, impacts can adversely affect sensitive components. Each of these and many other risks may even do their damage without the awareness of the shipper or end-user, resulting in errors with no obvious cause and which may be difficult to predict before a catastrophic failure.

[0004] Sensors stored with the equipment in its barrier bag can be used to determine and track environmental fluctuations. However, a sealed barrier bag makes transmitting that information nearly impossible, due to its anti-conductive nature, effectively, forming a Faraday cage around the bag's internal environment. Unsealed bags have significantly higher exposure to airborne risk vectors such as humidity. Getting the readings from the sensor after unsealing the bag may be useful but can expose the contents to elevated environmental risk. Further, operating this way will generally break the integrity of any important seals and often require significant labor to perform the checks.

[0005] The present invention provides an approach to the sensor timing issue. Basically, the invention is a device which is installed into the wall of a barrier bag. The internally exposed sensors can monitor the conditions of the bag's internal environment. Those sensors can utilize transmitters on the outside facing portion of the device such that environmental information and history can be accessed prior to unsealing the bag. The casing of the device maintains the seal of the internal environment and provides structure on which the sensors and transmitters can reside. Ultimately, the present invention allows for barrier bag environments to be monitored more effectively and allow handlers to act on better information.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is an underside view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a right side view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] FIG. 3 is a front side view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 4 is an overhead view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 5 is a left side view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 6 is a rear side view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 7 is an upper left off-set view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 8 is a lower left off-set view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 9 is an upper right, rear off-set view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 10 is a lower right, rear off-set view for an embodiment of the present invention.DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

[0016] All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0017] The device 10 comprises of an upper casing 1, a lower casing 2, a circuit board, one or more sensors, and one or more transmitters. The circuit board is attached to the lower casing. The lower casing has an opening 3 where the bottom side of the attached circuit board has sufficient exposure to the internal environment of a bag. Further, the lower casing includes two or more legs 4, extending downward along opposing sides, which allow the circuit board to be elevated off of any surface underneath. The one or more sensors may be situated on the under-side of the circuit board, to allow them direct access to the internal environment of a barrier bag. Other sensors which do not need environmental access, such as accelerometers, may be positioned on either side of the attached circuit board.

[0018] The one or more transmitters are also positioned on the circuit board, which would be the upper side of the circuit board in most embodiments. The one or more sensors are electronically connected to the one or more transmitters through the circuit board enabling the information provided by the sensors to be transmitted externally. Some embodiments may further comprise electronically connected non-transitory storage media and / or a microprocessor to store and utilize the sensor data, respectively.

[0019] When installed, the lower casing 2 protrudes through the barrier bag, such that the barrier bag is in 360° contact with the casing. The upper casing 1 is then attached to the lower casing 2, covering the attached circuit board. Fastening the upper casing 1 to the lower casing 2 forms a 360° seal of the barrier bag between the two casing sections. The upper casing 1 is structured such that this seal maintains the closed environment that would exist within a sealed barrier bag (i.e. no permanent holes). For most embodiments, this structure would be a solid material that allows transmission signals to normally pass through it, such as plastic. Some embodiments may attach the circuit board to the upper casing 1, instead of the lower casing 2. In most such embodiments, the sealing requirements would be the same and the opening 3 in the lower casing 2 would still be present. Embodiments of the fastening mechanism may include screwing the upper casing 1 onto the lower casing 2 (using torsion) or using fastener components, such as tabs or screws, to provide the necessary sealing force.

[0020] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0016]All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0017]The device 10 comprises of an upper casing 1, a lower casing 2, a circuit board, one or more sensors, and one or more transmitters. The circuit board is attached to the lower casing. The lower casing has an opening 3 where the bottom side of the attached circuit board has sufficient exposure to the internal environment of a bag. Further, the lower casing includes two or more legs 4, extending downward along opposing sides, which allow the circuit board to be elevated off of any surface underneath. The one or more sensors may be situated on the under-side of the circuit board, to allow them direct access to the internal environment of a barrier bag. Other sensors which do not need environmental access, such as accelerometers, may be positioned on either side of the attached circuit board.

[0018]The o...

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to environmental monitoring technology. Specifically, the present invention is a sensor suite for use in but not limited to aluminum barrier bag environmental monitoring during storage and transit.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The integrity of critical equipment during transit and storage, up to the point of installation, is a fundamental aspect of many modern industries. This equipment has several vulnerabilities to the environments of our world and it can undergo damage from corrosion, heat, EM interference, light, dust, and other contaminants. Companies have several strategies to protect their assets, such as the aluminum bags.

[0003] Barrier bags, often referred to as anti-static bags, have been a fantastic solution for mitigating the baseline risks highlighted above. These bags form a barrier that dramatically reduce risks when transporting these materials and also aid in handling assets in less-than-ideal environments. As we have alluded above, there are additional environmental risks that can cause damage to these devices. One example is humidity, which can build up inside barrier bags and increase the risk for damage from the additional vapor content. Another common consideration is temperature, where exposure to temperatures outside of a certain range can put the equipment at risk for a loss of structural integrity or other forms of breakdown. In addition to environmental risks, impacts can adversely affect sensitive components. Each of these and many other risks may even do their damage without the awareness of the shipper or end-user, resulting in errors with no obvious cause and which may be difficult to predict before a catastrophic failure.

[0004] Sensors stored with the equipment in its barrier bag can be used to determine and track environmental fluctuations. However, a sealed barrier bag makes transmitting that information nearly impossible, due to its anti-conductive nature, effectively, forming a Faraday cage around the bag's internal environment. Unsealed bags have significantly higher exposure to airborne risk vectors such as humidity. Getting the readings from the sensor after unsealing the bag may be useful but can expose the contents to elevated environmental risk. Further, operating this way will generally break the integrity of any important seals and often require significant labor to perform the checks.

[0005] The present invention provides an approach to the sensor timing issue. Basically, the invention is a device which is installed into the wall of a barrier bag. The internally exposed sensors can monitor the conditions of the bag's internal environment. Those sensors can utilize transmitters on the outside facing portion of the device such that environmental information and history can be accessed prior to unsealing the bag. The casing of the device maintains the seal of the internal environment and provides structure on which the sensors and transmitters can reside. Ultimately, the present invention allows for barrier bag environments to be monitored more effectively and allow handlers to act on better information.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is an underside view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a right side view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] FIG. 3 is a front side view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 4 is an overhead view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 5 is a left side view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 6 is a rear side view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 7 is an upper left off-set view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 8 is a lower left off-set view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 9 is an upper right, rear off-set view for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 10 is a lower right, rear off-set view for an embodiment of the present invention.DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

[0016] All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0017] The device 10 comprises of an upper casing 1, a lower casing 2, a circuit board, one or more sensors, and one or more transmitters. The circuit board is attached to the lower casing. The lower casing has an opening 3 where the bottom side of the attached circuit board has sufficient exposure to the internal environment of a bag. Further, the lower casing includes two or more legs 4, extending downward along opposing sides, which allow the circuit board to be elevated off of any surface underneath. The one or more sensors may be situated on the under-side of the circuit board, to allow them direct access to the internal environment of a barrier bag. Other sensors which do not need environmental access, such as accelerometers, may be positioned on either side of the attached circuit board.

[0018] The one or more transmitters are also positioned on the circuit board, which would be the upper side of the circuit board in most embodiments. The one or more sensors are electronically connected to the one or more transmitters through the circuit board enabling the information provided by the sensors to be transmitted externally. Some embodiments may further comprise electronically connected non-transitory storage media and / or a microprocessor to store and utilize the sensor data, respectively.

[0019] When installed, the lower casing 2 protrudes through the barrier bag, such that the barrier bag is in 360° contact with the casing. The upper casing 1 is then attached to the lower casing 2, covering the attached circuit board. Fastening the upper casing 1 to the lower casing 2 forms a 360° seal of the barrier bag between the two casing sections. The upper casing 1 is structured such that this seal maintains the closed environment that would exist within a sealed barrier bag (i.e. no permanent holes). For most embodiments, this structure would be a solid material that allows transmission signals to normally pass through it, such as plastic. Some embodiments may attach the circuit board to the upper casing 1, instead of the lower casing 2. In most such embodiments, the sealing requirements would be the same and the opening 3 in the lower casing 2 would still be present. Embodiments of the fastening mechanism may include screwing the upper casing 1 onto the lower casing 2 (using torsion) or using fastener components, such as tabs or screws, to provide the necessary sealing force.

[0020] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0016]All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0017]The device 10 comprises of an upper casing 1, a lower casing 2, a circuit board, one or more sensors, and one or more transmitters. The circuit board is attached to the lower casing. The lower casing has an opening 3 where the bottom side of the attached circuit board has sufficient exposure to the internal environment of a bag. Further, the lower casing includes two or more legs 4, extending downward along opposing sides, which allow the circuit board to be elevated off of any surface underneath. The one or more sensors may be situated on the under-side of the circuit board, to allow them direct access to the internal environment of a barrier bag. Other sensors which do not need environmental access, such as accelerometers, may be positioned on either side of the attached circuit board.

[0018]The o...

Claims

1. An apparatus for facilitating transmission through a barrier bag, the apparatus comprising:an upper casing;a lower casing;a circuit board;one or more sensors; andone or more transmitters;whereinthe lower casing is a structure comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, an exposure opening, and two or more legs;the exposure opening is an extrusion between the lower surface and upper surface, allowing access above the lower casing from below the lower casing;the two or more legs extend downward from the lower surface of the lower casing, elevating the lower surface to a position above any surface or platform below the lower casing on which the legs may rest;the circuit board is attached to the upper surface of the lower casing, positioned over the exposure opening such that the underside of the circuit board is environmentally accessible from below the lower casing through the exposure opening;one or more sensors are attached to the bottom of the circuit board, positioned such that the environment below the lower casing is environmentally accessible to the sensors through the exposure opening;one or more transmitters are attached to the top of the circuit board and attached in electronic communication with the one or more sensors attached to the circuit board;the lower casing is positioned to protrude upward through the wall of a barrier bag from within the barrier bag; andthe upper casing is attached to the lower casing and outer surface of the barrier bag along all points where the lower casing protrudes through the barrier bag, covering the circuit board and any components attached to the circuit board, and forming an environmental seal at the wall of the barrier bag along the perimeter of the intersection region between the barrier bag, upper casing, and lower casing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the upper casing is attached to the lower casing through a torsion screw mechanism.

3. The device of claim 1, further wherein one or more sensors are additionally attached to the top of the circuit board.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein at least one of the sensors attached to the top of the circuit bord is an accelerometer.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a microprocessor and a non-transitory storage device, wherein the microprocessor is attached to the circuit board, is in electronic communication with the one or more sensors, and records sensor data onto the storage device.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising an electronic display wherein the electronic display is in electronic communication with the microprocessor, the display is visible through the upper casing, and the microprocessor is configured to present information from the one or more sensors on the display.

7. An apparatus for facilitating transmission through a barrier bag, the apparatus comprising:an upper casing;a lower casing;a circuit board;one or more sensors; andone or more transmitters;whereinthe lower casing is a structure comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, an exposure opening, and two or more legs;the exposure opening is an extrusion between the lower surface and upper surface, allowing access above the lower casing from below the lower casing;the two or more legs extend downward from the lower surface of the lower casing, elevating the lower surface to a position above any surface or platform below the lower casing on which the legs may rest;the circuit board is attached to the lower surface of the upper casing;one or more sensors are attached to the bottom of the circuit board;one or more transmitters are attached to the top of the circuit board and attached in electronic communication with the one or more sensors attached to the circuit board;the lower casing is positioned to protrude upward through the wall of a barrier bag from within the barrier bag; andthe upper casing is attached to the lower casing and outer surface of the barrier bag along all points where the lower casing protrudes through the barrier bag, the circuit board attached to the upper casing is positioned over the exposure opening of the lower casing, and the attachment forming an environmental seal at the wall of the barrier bag along the perimeter of the intersection region between the barrier bag, upper casing, and lower casing.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the upper casing is attached to the lower casing through a torsion screw mechanism.

9. The device of claim 7, further wherein one or more sensors are additionally attached to the top of the circuit board.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein at least one of the sensors attached to the top of the circuit bord is an accelerometer.

11. The device of claim 7, further comprising a microprocessor and a non-transitory storage device, wherein the microprocessor is attached to the circuit board, is in electronic communication with the one or more sensors, and records sensor data onto the storage device.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising an electronic display wherein the electronic display is in electronic communication with the microprocessor, the display is visible through the upper casing, and the microprocessor is configured to present information from the one or more sensors on the display.

13. An apparatus for facilitating transmission through a barrier bag, the apparatus comprising:a barrier bag;an upper casing;a lower casing;a circuit board;one or more sensors; andone or more transmitters;whereinthe lower casing is a structure comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, an exposure opening, and two or more legs;the exposure opening is an extrusion between the lower surface and upper surface, allowing access above the lower casing from below the lower casing;the two or more legs extend downward from the lower surface of the lower casing, elevating the lower surface to a position above any surface or platform below the lower casing on which the legs may rest;the circuit board is attached to the upper surface of the lower casing, positioned over the exposure opening such that the underside of the circuit board is environmentally accessible from below the lower casing through the exposure opening;one or more sensors are attached to the bottom of the circuit board, positioned such that the environment below the lower casing is environmentally accessible to the sensors through the exposure opening;one or more transmitters are attached to the top of the circuit board and attached in electronic communication with the one or more sensors attached to the circuit board;the lower casing is positioned to protrude upward through the wall of the barrier bag from within the barrier bag; andthe upper casing is attached to the lower casing and outer surface of the barrier bag along all points where the lower casing protrudes through the barrier bag, covering the circuit board and any components attached to the circuit board, and forming an environmental seal at the wall of the barrier bag along the perimeter of the intersection region between the barrier bag, upper casing, and lower casing.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the upper casing is attached to the lower casing through a torsion screw mechanism.

15. The device of claim 13, further wherein one or more sensors are additionally attached to the top of the circuit board.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein at least one of the sensors attached to the top of the circuit bord is an accelerometer.

17. The device of claim 13, further comprising a microprocessor and a non-transitory storage device, wherein the microprocessor is attached to the circuit board, is in electronic communication with the one or more sensors, and records sensor data onto the storage device.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising an electronic display wherein the electronic display is in electronic communication with the microprocessor, the display is visible through the upper casing, and the microprocessor is configured to present information from the one or more sensors on the display

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