Accommodating container and method for operating the same

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing storage containers fail to effectively prevent contamination from bacteria and viruses when objects are being inserted, as they do not maintain a separation between the receiving space and the outside environment during the insertion process.

Innovation Solution

A storage container design featuring an additional lock space that separates the receiving space from the outside environment when the outer door is open, with a telescopic sliding inner door that only connects with the receiving space when the outer door is closed, ensuring no continuous air connection and preventing bacterial or viral escape.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the outer door is opened to insert objects into the receiving space, then the ease of operation is improved, but the protection from contamination deteriorates because bacteria or viruses can escape directly from the receiving space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of inserting objectsVSAvoidcontamination from bacteria or viruses
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving container is divided into two separate spaces: a lock space for receiving objects and a receiving space for final storage. The inner door segments the communication path between these spaces, ensuring that when the outer door is open, objects pass through the lock space rather than directly accessing the receiving space, thus preventing contamination escape while maintaining ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lock space acts as an intermediary chamber between the external environment and the receiving space. When the outer door is opened, objects are deposited into this intermediate lock space first. The inner door controls access from this intermediary space to the receiving space, ensuring that the receiving space remains protected from direct exposure to the external environment during object insertion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If a direct connection between the receiving space and lock space is maintained for easy object transfer, then the productivity is improved, but the reliability of contamination prevention deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject transfer efficiencyVSAvoidcontamination prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The inner door provides dynamic control over the connection between the lock space and receiving space. The door remains closed during object insertion to maintain contamination prevention, and opens only after the outer door is closed to enable object transfer. This dynamic operation ensures both reliable contamination prevention and efficient object transfer at different operational phases

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system operates in periodic cycles: the inner door closes to prevent contamination, objects are inserted into the lock space, then the inner door opens to transfer objects to the receiving space, and finally closes again. This periodic action pattern ensures that object transfer efficiency and contamination prevention are both optimized at appropriate times in the operational cycle

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP3565769B1Accommodating container and method for operating the same
Publication Date: 2022.06.22 WITTING EWALD
  • EP3565769B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3565769B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3565769B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to an accommodating container (10) having an accommodating chamber (20) for accommodating articles (30), and having an outer door (40), which in the open state allows the articles (30) to be introduced into the accommodating container (10) and in the closed state closes off the accommodating container (10) in the outward direction, wherein an inner door (50) is arranged between the accommodating chamber (20) and the outer door (40) and forms, with the outer door (40), an airlock chamber (60), which is located above the accommodating chamber (20), and there is a control device (70) present, which makes it possible for the inner door (50) to be opened exclusively when the outer door (40) is closed and for the outer door (40) to be opened exclusively when the inner door (50) is closed.