Radioactive Liquid Container with Nested Outer Shell
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers for radioactive liquids face contamination issues during filling, as drops can land on the bottle edges or outer walls, posing a risk to handling staff and the environment, especially in medical applications where radioactive substances are used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring an inner shell for liquid storage, surrounded by an outer shell that encapsulates any accidental residues during filling, with a closure system allowing cannula insertion and a film connecting the top and bottom casings to prevent contamination and provide mechanical stability, using inert materials like glass or plastics for the inner shell and elastic materials for the casings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If glass bottles are used for storing radioactive liquids, then they are inexpensive and easy to sterilise, but contamination can occur on the bottle edges or outer walls during filling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the inner shell (glass bottle) is placed inside an outer shell (protective housing). The inner shell contains the radioactive liquid while the outer shell captures any spills or droplets that escape during filling, preventing environmental contamination. This nested arrangement allows the glass bottle to maintain its sterilisation advantages while adding a protective containment layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is divided into distinct functional segments: the inner shell for liquid storage, the outer shell for contamination capture, and intermediate sealing elements. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the inner shell can be sterilised independently while the outer shell provides the containment barrier against contamination.
2Device complexity
If a simple glass bottle closure is used, then it is easy to manufacture, but it cannot prevent liquid droplets from landing on the outer wall during filling
Solution Approach 1:
The closure system employs a nested configuration where the closure element is positioned within the inner shell structure, and the outer shell surrounds it. This nested arrangement ensures that any liquid droplets that escape during filling are captured by the outer shell before they can contaminate the external environment, while the closure itself remains relatively simple in design.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer shell acts as an intermediary barrier between the filling process and the external environment. It intercepts and contains any liquid droplets that escape from the inner shell or closure area, preventing them from reaching the outer wall or surrounding areas, thus protecting against contamination without complicating the closure mechanism.
3Reliability
If the container provides complete protection against contamination, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases with multiple shells and casings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a nested structure where components are arranged concentrically - the inner shell within the outer shell, with casings and sealing elements positioned between them. This nested arrangement provides multiple layers of protection against contamination while maintaining a compact and relatively simple overall structure, as each layer serves a specific protective function without requiring separate complex systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer shell and intermediate structures serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as a containment barrier for spills, provide structural support for the inner shell, and create a sealed environment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining high reliability for contamination protection.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a container for liquids, a method of filling it and the use of the container according to the invention for holding and storing radioactive substances. The container for a liquid comprises a cavity for holding the liquid, the cavity being bounded by walls (1) at the sides and at the bottom, an opening for filling the cavity with the liquid, a closure for closing off the cavity, the closure having a piercing region for inserting a cannula into the cavity, a bottom casing (20) which surrounds the walls of the cavity in the standing area, a top casing (10) which surrounds the pierceable closure with the exception of the piercing region, and a film (30) which extends from the top casing to the bottom casing and surrounds those areas of the walls of the cavity which are not already surrounded by the top casing or bottom casing.