Movable Screening Wall for Sterilization Radiation Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sterilization methods for containers using electron radiation face challenges in ensuring safety from undesirable X-ray radiation while maintaining accessibility for maintenance purposes, as they often require a trade-off between screening effectiveness and operator access.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that incorporates a transport device for containers along a predefined path, equipped with a sterilization device generating charge carriers and a screening device with movable walls to surround the path, ensuring effective radiation screening while allowing for accessible maintenance openings by moving the second wall to form openings to the sterilization region.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a screening device surrounds the transport path to prevent radiation escape, then radiation safety is improved, but accessibility for maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The screening device incorporates a movable second wall that can be positioned in different locations. During normal operation, the wall is positioned to surround the transport path and screen radiation. During maintenance, the wall can be moved to allow operator access to the sterilization device, thus resolving the contradiction between radiation safety and maintenance accessibility
Solution Approach 2:
The screening device is divided into multiple walls (first wall, second wall, third wall) that can be independently positioned. The second wall is specifically designed to be movable, allowing the screening device to be segmented into fixed radiation-shielding portions and movable access portions, enabling both radiation protection and maintenance access
2Reliability
If the second wall is fixed to provide complete radiation screening, then radiation protection is improved, but maintenance access deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The second wall is designed as a movable component rather than a fixed structure. It can be dynamically repositioned between a screening position (providing complete radiation protection during operation) and an access position (allowing maintenance personnel to reach the sterilization device), thus resolving the contradiction between reliable radiation protection and ease of maintenance
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the screening device completely surrounds the transport path, then radiation safety is improved, but operator accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The screening device uses a movable second wall that can be repositioned along the transport path. During sterilization operations, the wall is positioned to provide complete radiation screening. During maintenance operations, the wall can be moved to create access openings, allowing operators to access the sterilization device while maintaining radiation safety during normal operation
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 effectively screens X-ray radiation during sterilization, enhancing safety and accessibility for maintenance, allowing for efficient sterilization of both inner and outer container surfaces while maintaining a radiation-proof environment.
Implementation Method 1
at least one sterilization device which bombards the containers with charge carriers for sterilization during a transport of the containers along the transport path
Implementation Method 2
The at least one sterilization device comprises a generating device for generating charge carriers. The apparatus further comprises a screening device for screening radiation
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for sterilizing containers, comprises a transport device which transports the containers along a predefined transport path and at least one sterilization device which bombards the containers with charge carriers for sterilization during a transport of the containers along the transport path. The at least one sterilization device comprises a generating device for generating charge carriers. The apparatus further comprises a screening device for screening radiation. The screening device surrounds the transport path of the containers at least in portions. The screening device comprises: a first wall adjacent the transport path of the containers; and a second wall below the transport path of the containers, wherein the second wall is movable relative to the transport path of the containers.