Sampling Tool Mechanical Seal for Rapid Hazardous Material Analysis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sampling tools for sealed containers are slow due to the need for sealant curing, making them unsuitable for situations requiring rapid analysis, especially when dealing with hazardous materials.
Innovation Solution
A sampling tool with a cutter shaft, drive mechanism, flexible seal, and clamp mechanism that allows for simultaneous drilling and sealing in a single direction, using a self-sealing connector for sample withdrawal, and optional features like a sleeve for stabilization and a syringe for efficient sample collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a liquid sealant is used to seal the hole after sampling, then the seal provides a reliable closure, but the process becomes slow due to the curing time required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical sealing mechanism (liquid sealant requiring curing) with a mechanical sealing mechanism (clamp member with threaded engagement). The clamp member mechanically compresses the seal against the container wall through threaded rotation, eliminating the need for chemical curing time while maintaining seal reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through the existing rotation of the cutter shaft. As the cutter shaft rotates in reverse after cutting, the threaded clamp member automatically engages and advances, compressing the seal without requiring separate manual intervention or additional curing time.
2Force
If the cutter shaft rotates in reverse to clamp the seal, then the sealing force is increased, but the drilling and sealing operations require separate direction changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic characteristics of the threaded clamp mechanism where the direction of rotation naturally transitions the system from drilling mode to sealing mode. The same rotational motion that drives the cutter forward automatically reverses to engage the clamp member, creating a seamless transition without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the drilling and sealing operations into a single continuous rotational action. The cutter shaft's rotation serves dual purposes: forward rotation for cutting and reverse rotation for clamping the seal, combining two previously separate operations into one unified process.
3Productivity
If a clamp mechanism is added to mechanically secure the seal, then the sealing speed is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cutter shaft serves multiple functions: it rotates the cutting head during drilling, transports the clamp member during advancement, and drives the clamping action during reverse rotation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each operation, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp member is positioned within the cutter shaft structure, and the seal is positioned within the clamp member's engagement zone. This nested arrangement allows multiple components to occupy overlapping spatial zones, reducing the overall footprint and structural complexity of the device.
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 quick and safe sampling by forming a secure seal without exposing the user or environment to the container's contents, allowing for rapid analysis and potential reuse of the sampling mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
the cutting head to cut a hole in wall of the container
Implementation Method 2
the seal extends at least partially through the hole... continued rotation of the cutter shaft pulls the cutting head back towards the hole to mechanically clamp the seal around the hole
Implementation Method 3
a self sealing connector which is in connection with an outlet of the passage and through which a sample may be withdrawn
Data Source
AI summary
A sampling tool (100, 200) for use in obtaining a sample of material from within a container comprises a cutter shaft carrying a cutting head (1, 101), the shaft including a passage which has an inlet located at or towards the cutting head (1, 101), a drive mechanism which is adapted to cause the cutter shaft to rotate in a first direction in turn to cause the cutting head to cut a hole in wall of the container and expose the inlet to the material contained within the container, a flexible seal (3, 103) carried by the cutter shaft which is located so that with the inlet in contact with the fluid the seal extends at least partially through the hole, a clamp mechanism which is operable once the seal is located in the hole such that continued rotation of the cutter shaft pulls the cutting head (1, 101) back towards the hole to mechanically clamp the seal (3, 103) around the hole; and a self sealing connector which is in connection with an outlet of the passage and through which a sample may be withdrawn into a suitable receptacle by drawing it through the passage.