Platform for removing radioactive ampoules from carrying apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to a platform, which enables the irradiated radioactive substance ampoules to be simultaneously removed from an ampoule carrying apparatus, preferably from a multi-ampoule carrying apparatus, in a safe and rapid manner. The platform according to the invention comprises a body, a base, and at least one pusher adjacent to the base. The platform according to the invention is configured in a way to surround an ampoule carrying apparatus available in the state of the art. In other words, the ampoule carrying apparatus according to the state of the art is placed into the platform according to the invention in order to enable the removal of the radioactive ampoules.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] PLATFORM FOR REMOVING RADIOACTIVE AMPOULES FROM CARRYING APPARATUS

[0003] Subject of the Invention

[0004] The invention relates to a platform, which enables the irradiated radioactive substance ampoules to be simultaneously removed from an ampoule carrying apparatus in a safe and rapid manner.

[0005] State of the Art

[0006] Today, along with the increasing use of the radiation sources in numerous fields such as medicine, industry, agriculture, research, and education, the need for safe transport of the radioactive substances in a short time from their places of manufacture to various places of use and for removal of said radioactive substances from the carrying apparatus in a safe, rapid, and convenient manner has also increased. Various transport packages, varying according to the safe radioactivity levels, are used for transporting the radioactive substances.

[0007] Type B transport containers or packages are used for transporting the materials with high level of radioactivity. Type B packages provide high level of protection against radiation and the size of these packages may vary from small containers to big containers with a weight of hundreds of kilograms. These packages are the packages designed in such a way to provide adequate protection even in the case of an accident. However, even if the transport operation is completed without problem by taking adequate safety measures during the transport, there may still be a failure to ensure the radiation safety and thus the incidents may still occur during the removal of the radioactive ampoules from the carrying apparatus, and this in turn causes big problems in terms of safety and cost. The radioactivity values that are safe to transport vary according to the dimensions of the type B transport containers. The irradiated radioactive substances are transported by way of being placed into a carrying apparatus inside the high-cost type B containers and are manually removed from said carrying apparatus at the point of destination. In case a single ampoule is transported in the carrying apparatus, the process of manual removal of said ampoule poses the risks of the breakage of the ampoule and of the exposure to radiation.

[0008] In case at least two ampoules are transported in a carrying apparatus, the ampoules are manually removed one by one and this process constitutes drawback in terms of both radiation safety and time. A product, which enables one or more radioactive ampoule to be simultaneously removed from a multi-ampoule carrying apparatus and which is able to be used in a way complying with the radiation safety and respective rules, is not available in the state of the art. Accordingly, the needs of the persons working in this field in terms of the removal of the radioactive ampoules from the ampoule carrying apparatus are unable to be met. For this reason, there is a need for the development of the platforms, which enable one or more ampoule to be simultaneously removed in a safe and rapid manner from an ampoule carrying apparatus that carries at least one radioactive ampoule.

[0009] Object of the Invention

[0010] An object of the invention is to enable an irradiated radioactive substance ampoule to be removed in a safe manner from an ampoule carrying apparatus, eliminate the risk of breakage of the ampoule, and thus prevent the employees from being exposed to very high radiation doses. Owing to the pusher, which is included in the invention and which is configured in a way to correspond to the hole at the bottom of the ampoule holder in the ampoule carrying apparatus, each of the ampoules may be simultaneously removed in a safe manner from the carrying apparatus. Owing to the invention, it is possible to remove the ampoules from the carrying apparatus from behind the radiator guard and without the touch of the hands.

[0011] Another object of the invention is to shorten the time for removing at least one irradiated radioactive substance ampoule from the ampoule carrying apparatus. Since the pushers according to an embodiment of the invention are present in a number meeting the number of ampoules in the multi-ampoule carrying apparatus, each ampoule simultaneously contacts the respective pusher and all the ampoules are simultaneously removed from the carrying apparatus.

[0012] Owing to the platform according to the invention, one or more than one radioactive substance ampoule may be removed in one go by ensuring the radiation safety, and thus saving of time is achieved, the risk of the breakage of the ampoules during the removal is eliminated, and maximum protection is provided against the radiation, owing to the realization of the removal process without the touch of hands.

[0013] Description of the Figures

[0014] Figure 1: View of the body (A. View of the body along with the base, B. Sectional view of the body, C. Top view of the body)

[0015] Figure 2: Top view of the base

[0016] Figure 3: View of the pusher (A. View of the pusher along with the connection point, B. Base cross-section showing the gaps through which the pusher passes)

[0017] Figure 4: View of the ampoule carrying apparatus placed into the platform during the use (A. Exterior view of the apparatus, B. Sectional view of the apparatus, C. Side view of the apparatus)

[0018] Figure 5: View of the state in which the ampoule carrying apparatus is placed into the platform during the use (A. Exterior view, B. Sectional view)

[0019] Description of the Reference Numerals in the Figures

[0020] 1: body

[0021] 2: base 3: pusher

[0022] 4: connection point

[0023] 5: ampoule holder

[0024] 5.1: hole

[0025] R: symmetry axis

[0026] D: fixing hole

[0027] Y: threaded structure housing

[0028] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0029] A platform, which enables the irradiated radioactive substance ampoules to be simultaneously removed from an ampoule carrying apparatus, preferably from a multiampoule carrying apparatus, in a safe and rapid manner, is disclosed in the invention.

[0030] The platform according to the invention is configured in a way to surround an ampoule carrying apparatus available in the state of the art. In other words, the ampoule carrying apparatus according to the state of the art (Figure 4) is placed into the platform according to the invention in order to enable the removal of the radioactive ampoules (Figure 5). Said ampoule carrying apparatus is not a part of the invention; however, the invention has been developed to enable the removal of the ampoules in a convenient, rapid, and safe manner especially from said ampoule carrying apparatus. The components of the present invention are configured in a way to enable the removal of at least one ampoule from the ampoule carrying apparatus.

[0031] The platform according to the invention for the removal of a radioactive ampoule from an ampoule carrying apparatus comprises

[0032] • a body (1), which is configured to surround the ampoule carrying apparatus,

[0033] • a base (2),

[0034] • at least one, preferably at least two, pushers (3), which are adjacent to the base (2) and which are configured in a position corresponding to at least one hole (5.1) located at the bottom of at least one ampoule holder (5) in the ampoule carrying apparatus, and, • connection points (4), which provide the connection of at least one pusher (3) with the base (2) and which are present in a number equal to the number of pushers (3). As will be understood from Figure 5, when the ampoule carrying apparatus is positioned into the platform according to the invention, at least one pusher (3) corresponds to the hole (5.1) at the bottom of the ampoule holder (5) in the ampoule carrying apparatus and enables the removal of the ampoules by pushing the radioactive ampoules out of the apparatus. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, there are present at least two, preferably four, pushers (3). The embodiment with at least two pushers (3) enables the simultaneous, rapid, and safe removal of at least two ampoules from a multiampoule carrying apparatus.

[0035] The pusher (3) according to the invention is manufactured from an inflexible material so that it can safely pass through the hole (5.1) in the ampoule carrying apparatus and it can remove the ampoule without the breakage of the same. In order to remove the ampoule from the ampoule carrying apparatus, first the apparatus is positioned into the platform, and then, the apparatus is pressed towards the base of the platform so that at least one pusher (3) can push at least one ampoule. For this reason, it is necessary to manufacture the pusher (3) from a material that is resistant to the force that is applied. According to an embodiment of the invention, the pusher (3) is manufactured from a metal, preferably steel. According to another embodiment of the invention, the pusher (3) is manufactured from a plastic with a rigid structure.

[0036] In case the pusher (3) is not manufactured from a sufficiently rigid material, said pusher (3) may bend and be broken while said pusher (3) is pushing up the ampoule. Therefore, it is necessary to manufacture the pusher (3) from a material resistant to the bending forces or to ensure that a resistant material is available at the end of said pusher (3) that is to contact the ampoule.

[0037] Some of the type B containers used for transporting the radioactive ampoules are cylindrical. Accordingly, the carrying apparatus positioned into said cylindrical type B containers also have the shape of a cylinder. The multi-ampoule carrying apparatus, which has a cylindrical or different shape and in which the ampoules are placed, is positioned at the center of the container in a way to be at an equal distance from the outer surfaces of the container, so that the safety may be ensured in terms of radioactivity. Each ampoule is positioned in a way to be at an equal distance from the symmetry axis of the transport container, and hence, from the symmetry axis of the carrying apparatus, so that the safety may be ensured in terms of radioactivity.

[0038] Because the platform according to the invention is configured in a way to surround the ampoule carrying apparatus, in other words, because the ampoule carrying apparatus is positioned into the platform according to the invention to enable the removal of the ampoules it contains, at least one pusher (3), which is adjacent to the base (2) and which is configured in a way to correspond to the hole (5.1) at the bottom of the ampoule holder (5) in the ampoule carrying apparatus, is further configured in a way to be at an equal distance from the symmetry axis (R) of the platform. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the body (1) of the platform has a cylindrical shape.

[0039] Each of said at least one pusher (3) is configured at an equal distance from the symmetry axis (R) of the platform, and in this way, the pusher (3) is enabled to correspond to the hole (5.1) in the ampoule carrying apparatus that is to be positioned into the platform.

[0040] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one fixing hole (D) is present on the body (1) as can be seen in Figure 1 and at least one fixing hole (D) is present on the base (2) as can be seen in Figure 2. According to this embodiment, the fixing holes (D) on the base (2) and the body (1) are configured in a way to match with one another. Consequently, the base (2) is attached to the body (1) by means of a connection member, preferably a screw, fitted through at least one fixing hole (D).

[0041] In order to enable the safe removal of one or more ampoule, said at least one pusher (3) in the platform according to the invention is, in an embodiment of the invention, mounted to the base (2) via at least one connection point (4), as can be seen in Figure 3. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the threaded structures are present at the ends of the pusher (3) that contact the base (2). Said threaded structures may be in the form of screws. As shown in Figure 2, said threaded structures are fixed in at least one threaded structure housing (Y) on the base (2), and in this way, the pusher (3) is enabled to remain stationary during the removal of the ampoule. According to another embodiment of the invention, the apparatus may be manufactured as a one-piece structure.

[0042] According to an embodiment of the invention, at least one mark, which facilitates the positioning of the ampoule carrying apparatus into the platform in one go, is present on the body (1) of the platform. According to an embodiment of the invention, said mark or marks indicate / s the locations of the ampoule holders in the ampoule carrying apparatus. According to another embodiment of the invention, said mark or marks is / are configured in a way to match with at least one other mark present on the ampoule carrying apparatus. When the ampoule carrying apparatus is positioned into the platform in such a way that the marks correspond to one another, the apparatus is enabled to fit in the platform in one go and the ampoules are enabled to be readily removed from their holders.

[0043] According to another embodiment of the invention, at least one recess, which is configured in a way to match with at least one protrusion present on the ampoule carrying apparatus, is present on the body (1) of the platform. When the ampoule carrying apparatus is positioned into the platform in such a way that the protrusion on the apparatus corresponds to the recess on the platform, the apparatus is enabled to fit in the platform in one go. As a result, the process of removal of the ampoules from their holders takes place in an easy and rapid manner.

[0044] According to an embodiment of the invention, at least one magnet is present in the bottom part of the platform that contacts the metal surface where the process of ampoule removal is performed. Said magnet enables the platform to be fixed to the metal surface where the process of ampoule removal is performed and to remain stationary during the positioning of the ampoule carrying apparatus into the platform and the removal of the ampoules. As a result, the pusher (3) readily fits in one go in the hole (5.1) at the bottom of the ampoule holder (5) and the ampoule is enabled to be removed from the holder in a safe manner.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A platform for the removal of a radioactive ampoule from an ampoule carrying apparatus characterized in that the platform comprises• a body (1), which is configured to surround the ampoule carrying apparatus,• a base (2), and• at least one pusher (3), which is adjacent to the base (2) and which is configured in a position corresponding to at least one hole (5.1) located at the bottom of at least one ampoule holder (5) in the ampoule carrying apparatus.

2. A platform according to Claim 1 characterized in that the platform further comprises the connection points (4), which provide the connection of at least one pusher (3) with the base (2).

3. A platform according to Claim 2 characterized in that the number of said connection points (4) is equal to the number of the pushers (3).

4. A platform according to Claim 2 or 3 characterized in that connection point (4) comprises a threaded structure at the end thereof contacting the base (2), in order to be mounted to the base (2).

5. A platform according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that base(2) comprises at least one threaded structure housing (Y) in order to enable the fixation of the threaded structure at the connection point (4).

6. A platform according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that pusher(3) is manufactured from a metal.

7. A platform according to Claim 6 characterized in that pusher (3) is manufactured from steel.

8. A platform according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that pusher (3) is manufactured from a plastic.

9. A platform according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that pusher (3) is configured in a way to be at an equal distance from the symmetry axis (R) of the platform.

10. A platform according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the platform comprises at least two pushers (3).

11. A platform according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the platform comprises four pushers (3).

12. A platform according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the platform comprises on the body (1) at least one mark, which facilitates the positioning of the ampoule carrying apparatus into the platform in one go.

13. A platform according to Claim 12 characterized in that at least one mark on the body (1) is configured in a way to match with at least one other mark present on the ampoule carrying apparatus.

14. A platform according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the platform comprises on the body (1) at least one recess, which facilitates the positioning of the ampoule carrying apparatus into the platform in one go.

15. A platform according to Claim 14 characterized in that at least one recess on the body (1) is configured in a way to match with at least one protrusion present on the ampoule carrying apparatus.

16. A platform according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the base (2) comprises at least one magnet in the bottom part thereof that contacts the metal surface where the process of ampoule removal is performed.

17. A platform according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the base (2) comprises at least one fixing hole (D) to enable said base (2) to be fixed to the body (1).

18. A platform according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the body (1) comprises at least one fixing hole (D) to enable said body (1) to be fixed to the base (2).

19. A platform according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the body (1) has a cylindrical shape.

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