Inflatable Portable Glove Box for Field Hazardous Material Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Law enforcement and security forces face challenges in safely handling potentially contaminating objects of nuclear, radiological, biological, and chemical nature during interventions, as existing glove boxes are rigid and not portable, requiring transportation to a laboratory for handling.
Innovation Solution
A flexible and portable glove box is designed with an inflatable base and frame, forming a sealed volume with transparent walls, allowing for on-site use outside the laboratory, equipped with customizable systems for power supply and object passage, and featuring inflatable gloves for safe handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid glove box is used, then the hermetic seal and controlled atmosphere are maintained, but the portability and flexibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible materials to create a portable glove box that can be collapsed for transport and inflated for use. The flexible base and outer casing maintain hermetic sealing through inflatable structures that create tension to seal the envelope, combining portability with the required sealed environment for safe handling of hazardous materials
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid glove box is used, then the structural stability is maintained, but the transportability and storage efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The glove box transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic inflatable structure. The base and frame are inflatable, allowing the device to be collapsed into a compact form for transport and storage, then inflated to provide structural stability during operation. This dynamic transformation resolves the contradiction between structural stability and transportability
3Ease of operation
If the glove box is made flexible and portable, then the on-site handling capability is improved, but the hermetic seal reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic inflation of the base and frame to create and maintain the hermetic seal. The inflatable structures generate internal pressure that tensions the flexible envelope, ensuring a reliable seal around the internal volume. This pneumatic mechanism allows the flexible glove box to maintain the same level of hermetic sealing as rigid boxes while enabling portability and on-site deployment
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 safe and efficient handling of hazardous objects in the field by providing a flexible, portable, and modular solution that maintains a controlled environment, enhancing operational safety and convenience for law enforcement and security forces.
Implementation Method 1
The base and a frame of the casing are inflatable: when inflated, the base forms a platform for horizontal use, on which the objects inside the internal volume rest stably, and the frame stretches the transparent walls of the casing, giving the internal volume of the glove box a functional shape
Data Source
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AI summary
The glove box (1), which is particularly suited to law enforcement or security operations, comprises a flexible base (10) that is inflatable and, when inflated, forms a flat work surface suitable for horizontal positioning. The glove box also comprises a flexible cover (20) extending from the base so that the base and cover together define an enclosed volume. This cover includes transparent walls (21) that separate the interior and exterior of the enclosed volume, an inflatable frame (22) that supports the walls so that, when the base and frame are inflated, the walls are taut, giving the enclosed volume an operational shape, and at least one pair of handling gloves worn securely against one of the walls.The base comprises a hollow main body, thus defining an inflation chamber which, when filled with a pressurized fluid, inflates the base. In its inflated state, the main body of the base forms a stable work surface, allowing objects within the enclosed volume to rest securely on its upper surface. When inflated, the base and its frame are more resistant to deformation than the walls.