Collapsible Container Breach Detector with IR Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing breach detection systems for transportation containers lack efficient and economical solutions for monitoring breaches, tampering, and providing real-time data on unauthorized access, often requiring complex and costly setups.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained container breach detector system with a collapsible detector device, embedded sensors, and cellular communication capabilities, mounted within the container to detect door changes and transmit breach data via SMS or internet protocols, ensuring one-time use with an encapsulating composition that prevents reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a container breach detection system is implemented, then breach monitoring capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a disposable breach detector that is discarded after a single use. The detector is sealed in an encapsulating composition that, when breached, triggers the detection mechanism. This eliminates the need for complex reusable systems with rechargeable batteries and repeated calibration, providing reliable breach detection through a simple, low-cost, single-use design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential breach detection function from complex monitoring systems and implements it through a simple reflective mechanism. The detector contains a reflective element and a light sensor that work together to detect door breaches through changes in light reflection patterns, eliminating the need for complex electronics, power sources, and communication systems required in traditional monitoring systems.
2Reliability
If a self-contained detector with encapsulating composition is used, then one-time use reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an encapsulating composition in the form of a flexible seal that breaches upon container door opening. This thin-film encapsulation method is simpler to manufacture than rigid protective housings and allows for easy integration of the detector components. The flexible encapsulating layer can be applied as a coating or membrane that seals the detector components while enabling the one-time use functionality through controlled breaching.
3Volume of moving object
If the detector device is made collapsible, then volume efficiency is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a collapsible detector housing that transitions from an expanded protective state during transport to a compressed compact state during operation. The collapsible structure uses simple mechanical folding or compression mechanisms that reduce the overall volume of the detector without requiring complex active components. The housing collapses along predetermined lines or joints, providing volume efficiency while maintaining structural integrity through passive mechanical design.
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
Provides reliable, cost-effective, and volumetrically efficient breach monitoring, allowing users to determine when and where breaches occur, with durable construction and real-time data communication, while ensuring the system is used only once.
Implementation Method 1
at least one IR proximity and distance sensor, mounted onto the mounting plate within the sensor cavity and aligned with the reflector, that detects a proximity or distance change of the door internal face when the collapsible detector device changes from the collapsed configuration to the neutral configuration
Implementation Method 2
An encapsulating composition ensures that the self-contained container breach detector is used only once, and is not removed, recharged and reused, whereby removal of the encapsulating composition would damage its electrical system.
Data Source
AI summary
A container breach detector system, which has a self-contained container breach detector having a housing with a mounting plate. At least one retaining clip retains a collapsible detector device. The self-contained container breach detector is mounted onto a door frame of a transportation container to monitor breaches of the transportation container, whereby the collapsible detector device is in a collapsed configuration when the door is closed, and in a neutral configuration when the door is opened. The self-contained container breach detector further has an electrical system having at least one set of sensors having at least one IR proximity and distance sensor that detects a proximity or distance change of the door internal face when the collapsible detector device changes from the collapsed configuration to the neutral configuration indicating that the door is open.