Container for vacuumed waste
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial vacuum cleaners with removable waste retaining tanks face issues of unoccupied volume, difficulty in assessing complete filling, and risk of under-filling or over-filling, especially with hazardous waste like radioactive materials, leading to potential waste loss and premature clogging.
Innovation Solution
A vacuumed waste tank with a flexible bag and a movable plate pushed by a spring, where the plate's position is detected by a non-contact magnetic sensor, allowing for accurate filling monitoring and preventing clogging, and equipped with a radioactivity detector for safe handling of nuclear waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a rigid filter canister is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the filling volume is reduced and premature clogging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid filter canister with a flexible bag that can expand to utilize the entire container volume. The flexible material allows the bag to conform to the container shape and expand as waste is collected, eliminating the volume loss associated with rigid structures and preventing premature clogging by allowing uniform distribution of waste throughout the available space.
2Reliability
If the filter canister is designed for single use, then hazardous waste containment is simplified, but under-filling or over-filling occurs leading to waste loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a detection device that provides real-time feedback on the filling level of the flexible bag. This feedback mechanism allows the system to monitor when the bag is approaching full capacity, enabling timely disposal before over-filling occurs. The feedback loop ensures precise filling level assessment while maintaining the simplicity of single-use hazardous waste containment.
3Productivity
If a flexible bag is used, then the filling volume is maximized and clogging is prevented, but the filling level is difficult to assess
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical level detection methods with a non-contact magnetic detection device. The detector uses magnetic field interactions to measure the position of the flexible bag wall, providing accurate filling level assessment without requiring mechanical contact with the bag. This substitution enables precise measurement while maintaining the advantages of flexible bag expansion.
4Measurement precision
If a movable plate with spring is added to detect filling level, then the filling level can be monitored, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the detection function from a complex mechanical assembly and implements it as a separate, simple magnetic detection device. The movable plate and spring mechanism is minimized to its essential function of transmitting bag wall position to the magnetic detector, while the actual measurement is performed by the independent detection device. This separation reduces overall system complexity by making each component simpler and more specialized.
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
Enables reliable estimation of filling levels, prevents waste loss, maintains radioactivity within safe limits, and facilitates remote dismantling, ensuring efficient storage and handling of hazardous waste without premature clogging.
Implementation Method 1
a movable plate slides, pushed back by a spring towards the bag
Implementation Method 2
the position sensing device is non-contact magnetic
Data Source
Figure 1~7
Figure 3~5
AI summary
At the bottom of a shell (5), a temporary storage can (4) for vacuumed waste comprises a dish (31) that is pushed upwards by a spring but lowers when flexible bags (13) located above the dish (31) fill up with waste. The position of the lid (13) is continuously monitored so that it is possible to stop the vacuuming operation only once the can is full enough but before getting clogged.