Thermoplastic Contaminant Detection via Sensor Pattern Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge lies in effectively detecting and verifying the presence of contaminants, such as organic and inorganic substances, in thermoplastic materials, particularly in post-consumer recycled plastics, to ensure safety and accuracy of recycled content percentages in products, as existing methods struggle to reliably assess contamination levels and adherence to regulatory standards.

Innovation Solution

A system utilizing sensors to detect multiple parameters in thermoplastics, generating outputs that characterize contaminants and percentage of post-consumer recycled content, and comparing these outputs to stored pattern signatures for verification, employing computer-driven mathematical models and neural networks to ensure real-time validation and documentation of contamination levels and recycled content accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If post-consumer recycled thermoplastic material is used to reduce environmental impact and energy consumption, then productivity and environmental benefits are improved, but contamination levels increase causing harmful leaching into packaged products

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecycling efficiencyVSAvoidcontaminant leaching

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of contaminants in recycled thermoplastic material before the material is used to package products. Sensors detect organic and inorganic contaminants, and the system determines whether contamination levels exceed thresholds, preventing contaminated material from entering the packaging supply chain

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback about contamination levels and recycled content accuracy to manufacturers, enabling them to adjust their recycling and manufacturing processes. The verification system compares detected parameters against stored pattern signatures to provide actionable information about material safety and composition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If manufacturers make broad marketing claims about recycled content percentages, then promotional effectiveness is improved, but verification accuracy deteriorates making it difficult to know if products meet regulatory requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemarketing claim effectivenessVSAvoidrecycled content verification

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual verification methods with automated sensor-based detection. Multiple sensors detect various parameters in the thermoplastic material, and computer-driven mathematical models analyze the data to determine recycled content percentages and contamination levels, providing objective verification of marketing claims

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the approach to verification by measuring multiple physical and chemical parameters simultaneously rather than relying on manufacturer declarations. The sensors detect parameters such as organic compounds, inorganic contaminants, and material composition, creating a comprehensive profile that verifies both recycled content and safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If multiple sensors detect various parameters in thermoplastic material, then measurement comprehensiveness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontaminant detection accuracyVSAvoidsensor system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system is designed with multi-functionality, where a single integrated system performs multiple detection functions. The same sensor array and processing system detect both organic and inorganic contaminants, measure recycled content percentages, and verify compliance with regulatory standards, reducing the need for separate specialized devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges multiple detection functions into a unified platform. Sensors detect various parameters simultaneously, and the computer-driven mathematical models integrate this data to provide comprehensive analysis of contamination, recycled content, and compliance in a single verification process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9630348B2Detection in thermoplastics

Publication Date: 2017.04.25 DANES KATHERINE D

AI summary

A method including steps of providing at least one sensor; detecting a plurality of parameters in a thermoplastic using the at least one sensor; generating a plurality of outputs in response to the detecting; and characterizing a contaminant or a percentage of post-consumer recycled thermoplastic content in the thermoplastic as a function of the plurality of outputs having been generated and a thermoplastic pattern signature.