Systems and Methods for Automated Garment Application and Defect Detection Along with Automated Garment Removal and Contaminant Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for donning and doffing protective gloves lack effective real-time defect detection and safe containment methods, which hampers contamination control and contact tracing during healthcare emergencies.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for real-time defect detection in protective gloves using computer vision algorithms and light transmission analysis, combined with automated donning and doffing systems that ensure containment and tracking of contaminants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automated donning systems are used to prevent contamination, then contamination control is improved, but real-time defect detection capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs defect detection on the protective garment before it is donned by the user. The garment is placed in a containment chamber where lighting and imaging systems detect defects such as pinholes, tears, or contamination on the outer surface before the user makes contact, thus maintaining both contamination control and defect detection capability
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If manual inspection methods are used to detect defects, then defect detection is possible, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary containment chamber between the defect inspection process and the user. The chamber includes transparent walls allowing visual inspection, while maintaining a barrier that prevents contamination transfer. Lighting systems illuminate the garment interior without requiring manual handling, thus enabling defect detection while eliminating contamination risk
3Ease of operation
If conventional doffing methods are used, then garment removal is simple, but contaminant containment and tracking are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors and imaging systems that continuously monitor the garment for contaminants during the doffing process. When contaminants are detected, the system provides feedback to adjust containment measures, such as activating sealing mechanisms or adjusting ventilation, thus maintaining both operational simplicity and contaminant containment reliability
4Manufacturing precision
If real-time defect detection is implemented, then manufacturing quality is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multi-functional imaging and lighting components that serve both defect detection and contamination inspection purposes. The same camera system and lighting arrays used for manufacturing quality control are reused in the automated donning and doffing sequences, thus achieving real-time defect detection without proportionally increasing system complexity
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 enables immediate detection of defects such as pinholes, variations in thickness, and contamination, allowing for real-time feedback and adjustments in manufacturing, and ensures safe containment and analysis of contaminants for effective infection control.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum device has the ability to prepare an article for use in the donning system by inflating the article by creating a pressure differential between the articles inner and outer surface, where atmospheric pressure is present on the inner surface of the article and a negative pressure, or vacuum is applied to the outer surface
Implementation Method 2
The technology disclosed herein may utilize systems and methods to non-destructively detect pinholes, other defects and variabilities, or the like, in elastomeric gloves at multiple points
Data Source
AI summary
This technology may relate to systems and methods for donning, doffing, testing, containing, and tracking protective garments for use in environments where there is a high likelihood of hazardous contamination to the user, patient, pharmaceutical culture, or the surrounding area or use in any other application where a protective garment is used. The technology disclosed may utilize systems and methods to non-destructively detect pinholes, other defects and variabilities, or the like, in elastomeric gloves at multiple points, including but not limited to the point of manufacture and immediately pre-donning of the glove. The technology disclosed may also relate to removing elastomeric garments, such as gloves, boots, prophylactic devices, in a manner that may prevent the spread of contaminants while preserving the integrity of those contaminants for analysis. It may also analyze those contaminants and place the results of that analysis in databases for contact tracing and other infection control measures.