Shipping Container Crushing and Compressing Foam Waste

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Solution Overview

Problem

Foam plastic and foam insulation waste materials are difficult to recycle due to their large size, which leads to increased storage space requirements and frequent emptying of waste containers during transportation, resulting in inefficient recycling and utilization.

Innovation Solution

A mobile shipping container equipped with a crushing apparatus and a compressing apparatus that move in the longitudinal direction, dividing the container into variable volume spaces to efficiently crush and compress foam plastic and foam insulation waste into smaller pieces and denser forms, allowing for increased capacity and efficient collection and transportation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If waste material is collected in large pieces, then recycling quality is maintained, but storage space is excessively consumed and emptying frequency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecycling qualityVSAvoidstorage space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The waste material is divided into smaller pieces through a crushing apparatus located inside the shipping container. This segmentation allows the same volume of container to hold significantly more waste material while maintaining recyclability, as the material is processed into manageable sizes that preserve its material properties for recycling purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The waste material is crushed and compressed before being transported to the recycling facility. This preliminary processing action reduces the volume of waste material that needs to be stored and transported, thereby decreasing the frequency of emptying operations while ensuring the material is ready for efficient recycling upon arrival.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Volume of stationary object

If waste material is crushed into smaller pieces, then storage capacity increases, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage capacityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The crushing apparatus and compressing apparatus are integrated into a single mobile shipping container, combining multiple functions (crushing, compressing, and storage) into one unified mobile unit. This merging approach increases storage capacity through on-site processing while avoiding the complexity of separate fixed facilities for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile shipping container serves multiple functions: it acts as a storage container, a crushing facility, and a compressing unit all in one device. This multi-functionality allows the system to increase storage capacity through integrated processing while minimizing the need for multiple separate complex devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If compression is applied to waste material, then transportation efficiency improves, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransportation efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The compression of waste material is performed on-site at the source before collection, rather than during transportation or at a centralized facility. This preliminary action increases transportation efficiency by reducing the volume to be transported, while the energy consumption is localized and does not require additional energy-intensive transportation of large volumes of uncompressed waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 solution enables the efficient collection, transportation, and storage of foam plastic and foam insulation waste by reducing volume, facilitating recycling and reprocessing, and allowing for on-site treatment and storage, thereby addressing the challenges of space and frequency issues in waste management.

Implementation Method 1

a first apparatus arranged into the shipping container for crushing the waste material into smaller pieces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

a second apparatus arranged into the shipping container for compressing the crushed waste material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP4215458A1Arrangement and method for collecting and crushing of waste material

Publication Date: 2023.07.26 FF FUTURE OY

Figure 1

AI summary

Arrangement and method for collecting and crushing waste material comprising foam plastic and/or foam insulation. The arrangement comprises a shipping container (1), a first apparatus (2) arranged into the shipping container for crushing waste material into smaller pieces, and a second apparatus (3) arranged into the shipping container for compressing crushed waste material. In the arrangement, the first apparatus (2) and the second apparatus (3) are arranged to move in the longitudinal direction of the shipping container (1), whereby the shipping container (1) is divided into three separate spaces (A, B, C) divided by the apparatuses, the volume of which spaces changes when the first apparatus (2) and/or the second apparatus (3) moves in the longitudinal direction of the shipping container.