Biodegradable Launchable Vessel for Cremated Remains
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for dispersing dry materials into water, such as cremated remains or chemicals, are hindered by wind interference, which poses safety risks and leads to material loss or uneven distribution, especially when rain complicates the process.
Innovation Solution
A launchable biodegradable vessel with a prolate spheroid shape and indentations for easy grip, capable of being sealed and launched using hand, catapult, or air cannon, made of dissolvable PVA plastic to ensure safe and efficient delivery over a greater distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If dry materials are dispersed directly into water without a vessel, then the process is simple, but wind causes material loss and safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the dry materials from the dispersion environment by enclosing them in a vessel. The vessel is divided into a body and a removable cap, allowing the materials to be sealed separately until the moment of dispersion. This segmentation protects materials from wind interference while maintaining ease of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The vessel acts as an intermediary carrier between the user and the water body. Instead of dispersing materials directly, the vessel transports and delivers them to the target location. This intermediary protects materials from wind during handling and ensures controlled dispersion only at the intended destination.
2Loss of substance
If a sealed vessel is used to protect materials from wind, then material loss is prevented, but the vessel cannot be launched from higher decks due to safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The vessel employs a prolate spheroid shape, which is aerodynamically optimized for projectile motion. This curved, streamlined form reduces air resistance and stabilizes flight trajectory, enabling safe launching from elevated positions without posing a hazard to lower decks. The spherical geometry also distributes impact forces evenly if contact occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The vessel's physical parameters (shape, size, mass distribution) are specifically designed to optimize launch characteristics. The prolate spheroid geometry and balanced mass distribution enable predictable ballistic trajectories when launched from catapults or air cannons, ensuring safe delivery from higher decks while maintaining material containment.
3Strength
If the vessel is made of durable material to protect materials during transport, then containment is improved, but biodegradability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The vessel utilizes composite material properties: PVA plastic provides the necessary strength and sealing capability for safe transport and launch, while incorporating biodegradable characteristics. The cap-to-body connection uses dissolvable pins made of the same biodegradable material, creating a composite system that balances durability during use with environmental safety after dispersion.
Solution Approach 2:
The vessel material parameters are specifically selected to achieve optimal balance between strength and biodegradability. PVA plastic's physical and chemical properties allow it to maintain structural integrity during handling and launch, then progressively degrade in the aquatic environment, transforming from a strong containment structure to an environmentally benign material.
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 vessel ensures cleaner handling and safer dispersion of materials by preventing backwash and waste, allowing for controlled release over a greater distance, enhancing user safety and emotional experience during sensitive operations like cremated remains dispersal.
Implementation Method 1
The vessel is made of a PVA plastic or other biodegradable material, which will dissolve when fully immersed in water.
Implementation Method 2
The vessel is made of a PVA plastic or other biodegradable material, which will dissolve when fully immersed in water.
Data Source
AI summary
A launchable biodegradable vessel for delivery of cremated remains or other dry materials into a body of water. The vessel is a prolate spheroid of size and shape designed specifically for easy handling and delivery by hand, or by an air cannon or other launching device to achieve greater and/or safer distance. The vessel is made of a dissolvable plastic or plant-based material that will break down in fresh or salt water. The vessel may be designed for faster dispersion of cremated remains or other dry materials once it makes contact with the water, by the placement of holes in its shell.