Indoor shooting range

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Indoor shooting ranges face challenges in maintaining a safe operational environment due to the release of harmful metallic elements from ammunition, which can exceed safe concentration limits, limiting the duration people can safely remain inside and restricting the use of these facilities.

Innovation Solution

An indoor shooting range equipped with a detector unit to monitor metallic element concentrations and a control unit that adjusts the air ventilation system to maintain levels below predetermined Threshold Limit Values, ensuring a safe environment by actively managing air flow and potentially reducing energy consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the air ventilation system operates continuously at high rate to maintain low metallic element concentrations, then the safety for people present in the shooting range is improved, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The air ventilation system transitions from static continuous operation to dynamic variable operation. The control unit adjusts the ventilation rate based on real-time metallic element concentration measurements from the detector unit, allowing the system to maintain safety while consuming energy only when necessary.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The detector unit provides continuous feedback on metallic element concentrations to the control unit, which then adjusts the air ventilation system accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures safety is maintained while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption when concentrations are already below threshold levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the air ventilation system increases fresh air supply to reduce metallic element concentrations, then the health risk for people present is reduced, but the time required to achieve safe conditions increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehealth riskVSAvoidtime to achieve safe conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The detector unit continuously monitors metallic element concentrations before they reach hazardous levels. The control unit receives advance warning and proactively adjusts the ventilation system to prevent unsafe conditions from developing, rather than waiting for concentrations to become problematic and then taking corrective action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The ventilation system dynamically adjusts its operation based on real-time concentration levels. When concentrations approach threshold values, the system increases fresh air supply to rapidly reduce levels, then reduces ventilation when safe conditions are achieved, minimizing both health risks and time delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the indoor shooting range restricts occupancy time to ensure safety, then the health protection is improved, but the productivity of the shooting range decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehealth protectionVSAvoidproductivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The detector unit provides continuous feedback on metallic element concentrations, allowing the control unit to make real-time decisions about occupancy safety. This enables the shooting range to operate with extended hours and higher productivity while maintaining health protection, replacing the need for restrictive fixed time limits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The air ventilation system with integrated detection and control automatically manages air quality and safety conditions without requiring manual intervention or fixed operational restrictions. The system self-adjusts to maintain safe concentrations, enabling continuous or extended occupancy based on actual conditions rather than predetermined time limits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 system effectively maintains safe air conditions by controlling air ventilation to keep metallic element concentrations within safe limits, reducing health risks and allowing longer safe occupancy, while also optimizing energy use and preventing the distribution of harmful elements outside the range.

Implementation Method 1

said fresh air, in use, flows laminar through said interior space

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaminar flow: Laminar Flow

Implementation Method 2

the detector unit comprises an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectX-ray spectroscopy: X-Ray

Data Source

PatentEP3861277B1Indoor shooting range
Publication Date: 2023.11.01 ING & TECHN HANDELSONDERNEMING AUTRON
  • EP3861277B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3861277B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3861277B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Indoor shooting range comprising an interior space for firing ammunition, said indoor shooting range comprising: - an air ventilation system arranged for providing said interior space with fresh air; - a detector unit arranged for detecting a concentration of metallic elements, in said interior space, originating from ammunition fired in said interior space of said indoor shooting range; - a control unit, communicatively coupled to said air ventilation system and said detector unit, for controlling said air ventilation system taking into account a detected concentration, by said detector unit, of metallic elements originating from said ammunition fired in said interior space for maintaining said concentration of said metallic particles in said interior space below a predetermined value.