Decoupled Shielding Platform for Temporary Radiotherapy Vaults

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing radiotherapy facilities face significant challenges in modernizing due to the lengthy process of removing old equipment and installing new, modern units, resulting in extended facility downtime, disruption of patient treatment, and financial losses, as existing vaults require extensive construction and renovation.

Innovation Solution

A temporary, building code-compliant radiotherapy facility with prefabricated modules and a unique foundation design that allows for rapid assembly and disassembly, incorporating a radiation shielding vault with a flowable granular fill and a decoupled foundation system to support the shielding material, enabling quick setup and teardown without disrupting ongoing treatments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing radiotherapy facilities undergo modernization with new equipment installation, then equipment performance and patient treatment quality are improved, but facility downtime extends for three to five months causing treatment disruption and financial losses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment performanceVSAvoidfacility downtime

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the radiotherapy facility into two independent segments: the existing permanent facility and a new temporary modular facility. This segmentation allows the permanent facility to undergo modernization while the temporary facility continues patient treatments, eliminating the need for complete facility shutdown and reducing downtime from 3-5 months to a minimal transition period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The temporary modular radiotherapy facility serves as an intermediary solution during the transition period. It provides a functional replacement that maintains treatment continuity while the permanent facility is being modernized, acting as a bridge between the old and new permanent facilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If existing vaults are renovated with modern equipment, then treatment quality and safety are improved, but construction and renovation processes extend over several months disrupting ongoing treatments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment safetyVSAvoidtreatment throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The solution segments the treatment delivery function from the permanent facility structure by introducing a portable temporary facility that can be deployed independently, allowing the permanent facility to be renovated without stopping treatment production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The temporary modular facility is designed and prepared in advance with all necessary radiation therapy equipment and shielding, ready for immediate deployment. This preliminary preparation ensures that treatment can continue without interruption during the permanent facility's renovation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If a temporary radiotherapy facility is deployed during modernization, then treatment continuity is maintained, but rapid assembly and disassembly capabilities are required to minimize downtime

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment continuityVSAvoidassembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The temporary facility is divided into modular components that can be independently manufactured, transported, and assembled. This modular segmentation simplifies the assembly process and enables rapid deployment compared to constructing a complete facility from scratch.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The temporary facility is designed for temporary use only, after which it is disassembled and removed once the permanent facility modernization is complete. This approach avoids the need for long-term maintenance and allows complete recovery of the site for the new permanent facility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

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 continuous radiotherapy services during equipment transitions by providing a fully functional, compact, and cost-effective temporary facility that can be rapidly erected and redeployed, minimizing downtime and financial losses while ensuring patient safety and compliance with building codes.

Implementation Method 1

radiation shielding vault with a flowable granular fill

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadiation shielding: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS11982081B2Relocatable radiation vault and methods of assembly and use

Publication Date: 2024.05.14 RAD TECHNOLOGY MEDICAL SYSTEMS LLC

AI summary

A temporary radiotherapy facility for use during renovation, upgrading, and/or modernization of an existing facility. The radiotherapy facility includes a central vault room containing a radiation emitting device and a platform for holding a quantity of radiation shielding material above the central vault room. The platform is supported by shear walls that are disposed outside the sidewalls of the central vault room such that the radiation shielding material is supported and suspended above the central vault room without being in contact with or bearing upon the central vault room or affecting the height or level of the central vault room.