Dry Charged Battery Shipping Crate Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing systems for shipping dry charged batteries face challenges with hazardous liquid electrolyte storage and transportation, leading to increased risks and costs due to the need for large volumes of acid, which creates logistical and safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A packaging and shipping system that includes a shipping crate with removable covers and a lower section to hold a dry charged battery shell, along with individually sized electrolyte bottles, each contained in a plastic bag and cardboard/paperboard box, allowing for efficient and safe transportation and storage of the required electrolyte for each cell, enabling on-site filling and subsequent recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If large volumes of electrolyte are shipped to storage/charging locations, then dry charged batteries can be filled and activated, but transportation risks and costs increase due to hazardous liquid classification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large volume of electrolyte into multiple small individual bottles (e.g., 16 bottles of 1 quart each instead of one large container). This segmentation allows the electrolyte to be shipped as non-hazardous materials while still providing sufficient quantity to fill multiple battery cells, thereby reducing transportation risks and costs associated with hazardous liquid classification.
2Quantity of substance
If large containers of electrolyte are used for filling battery cells, then sufficient electrolyte is available for activation, but storage and transportation issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The electrolyte is divided into multiple small portable bottles that can be easily stored and handled. Each bottle contains a manageable volume (e.g., 1 quart) that is sufficient for filling multiple battery cells. This segmentation eliminates the need for large storage containers and reduces storage complexity while maintaining adequate electrolyte supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows end-users to transport and store small bottles of electrolyte themselves without requiring specialized hazardous material storage facilities. The individual bottles are designed to be user-friendly and can be easily managed by the person activating the batteries, eliminating the need for complex centralized storage infrastructure.
3Quantity of substance
If hazardous liquid electrolyte is specially shipped, then battery activation can proceed, but cost increases due to special shipping requirements
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the electrolyte into small individual bottles containing limited quantities (e.g., 1 quart each), the patent enables shipping via standard non-hazardous material routes. This eliminates the need for expensive specialized hazardous material shipping services, thereby reducing transportation costs while still providing sufficient electrolyte volume for battery activation.
4Reliability
If individual electrolyte bottles are separately packaged, then protection during shipping is improved, but packaging complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individually packaged electrolyte bottles into a single integrated shipping container. Each bottle is separately protected (e.g., in plastic bags and cardboard boxes), but they are all contained within one unified crate that provides overall protection and simplifies handling. This merging approach maintains the protective benefits of individual packaging while reducing the complexity of managing multiple separate packages.
Data Source
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AI summary
A packaging and shipping system for dry charged batteries. The packaging system includes a shipping crate having a lower section that defines an open interior. The open interior is sized to receive a dry charged battery and a plurality of electrolyte bottles. Each of the electrolyte bottles contains a volume of electrolyte sufficient to fill one of the individual cells of the dry charged battery. Each of the electrolyte bottles are separately packaged and positioned within the open interior of the shipping crate. Upon reaching the desired destination, the shipping crate can be stored. When the dry charged battery is to be placed into use, the shipping crate is opened and the individual cells of the dry charged battery are filled with electrolyte from the plurality of electrolyte bottles. Once the dry charged battery has been activated, the empty electrolyte bottles can be placed back into the shipping crate and returned for recycling.