Airtight Nested Packaging for Asbestos-Contaminated Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is no satisfactory solution for efficiently and safely decontaminating reusable equipment contaminated with asbestos, particularly equipment with complex internal electrical parts and difficult geometries, within construction site airlocks, to allow safe reuse.
Innovation Solution
A packaging system comprising an airtight inner and outer container, where the inner container is shaped to fit the equipment and can be connected to a vacuum cleaner, and the outer container supports the inner container, enabling safe transport to a dedicated decontamination unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If reusable equipment is packaged in an airtight container for transport from contaminated site, then health safety of operators is improved, but the complexity of packaging system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging system is divided into an inner container that directly contacts the equipment and an outer container that provides additional protection. This segmentation allows each container to have specialized functions: the inner container ensures airtight sealing for health safety, while the outer container provides structural support and handling features, thereby resolving the contradiction between safety and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner container is placed inside the outer container, creating a nested structure. This nesting approach maximizes protection while maintaining a compact form factor for transport. The inner container provides the critical airtight barrier, and the outer container adds structural integrity without significantly increasing overall complexity.
2Productivity
If equipment is decontaminated in a dedicated unit rather than airlock, then decontamination efficiency is improved, but the need for additional facilities increases
Solution Approach 1:
The decontamination process is extracted from the airlock environment and relocated to a dedicated decontamination unit. This extraction allows for specialized equipment and procedures to be implemented without the constraints of the airlock's dual-purpose design, thereby improving decontamination efficiency while containing the complexity increase to a separate facility.
Solution Approach 2:
The equipment is packaged in an airtight container before leaving the contaminated site, performing the containment action in advance. This preliminary packaging enables the equipment to be transported safely to a dedicated decontamination unit where more thorough and efficient decontamination can be performed, separating the containment function from the decontamination function.
3Reliability
If equipment is packaged at the site before transport, then containment reliability is improved, but the time required for packaging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inner container is prepared and positioned before the equipment needs to be packaged. This preliminary preparation of the packaging system allows for rapid containment of the equipment at the site, improving containment reliability while minimizing the time required for the actual packaging operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging system is designed to be self-contained and self-explanatory, with features such as pre-positioned sealing mechanisms and intuitive assembly structures. This self-service design reduces the time required for packaging while ensuring reliable containment, as the system guides the packaging process without requiring extensive external assistance or complex procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system allows for efficient and reliable decontamination of reusable equipment by maintaining airtight containment during transport, reducing health risks and facilitating decontamination processes.
Implementation Method 1
un upper portion (16) comprises a port (20) adapted to be connected to a vacuum cleaner adapted to place an interior of the inner container under depression
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
A packaging system for containing reusable equipment contaminated with asbestos, said reusable equipment (11) having a shape, wherein the packaging system comprises an airtight inner container (13) and an outer container (14), wherein the inner container (13) is adapted to surround, in an airtight manner, the reusable equipment (11), the inner container (13) comprising a rigid lower inner base (28) having at least one cavity (17) shaped to the shape of the reusable equipment (11), and an upper inner portion (16) assembled in an airtight manner to the lower inner base (28), wherein the outer container (14) is adapted to surround the inner container (13), the outer container (14) comprising a rigid lower outer portion (12) adapted to support the inner container (13).