Vehicle Undercarriage Absorbent Diaper for Accident Fluid Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle accidents result in significant hydrocarbon fluid leakage, posing environmental and health risks, and existing methods fail to effectively contain spills during transportation and storage, leading to legal liabilities and property contamination.
Innovation Solution
A fluid absorbent diaper with a large, rectilinear absorbent planar member and bungee straps is affixed to the vehicle at the ruptured container location, capable of absorbing up to 28 gallons of hydrocarbons, allowing for safe transport and storage by preventing fluid spillage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a vehicle with a ruptured fluid container is transported without containment measures, then transportation and storage are simple and quick, but hydrocarbon fluid spills during transport and storage causing environmental contamination and legal liabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The containment system is segmented into multiple functional components: an absorbent planar member for fluid absorption, multiple bungee straps for securing, and anchoring mechanisms for attachment. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system manageability.
Solution Approach 2:
The absorbent diaper is applied to the vehicle at the accident scene before transportation begins. This preliminary action ensures that fluid containment is already in place during the initial moments of transport, preventing spillage from occurring during loading or early transit phases.
2Quantity of substance
If a large absorbent planar member is used to cover the entire vehicle undercarriage, then fluid absorption capacity is maximized, but the size and handling difficulty of the containment device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The absorbent planar member is divided into multiple absorbent mats that are joined together. This segmentation allows the large surface area needed for full undercarriage coverage to be constructed from smaller, more manageable individual mats, making the overall system easier to handle and apply.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple absorbent mats are joined together to form a continuous large-area absorbent planar member. This merging of smaller units creates the necessary coverage area for maximum fluid absorption capacity while maintaining the practical advantages of assembling from smaller components.
3Reliability
If multiple bungee straps are used to secure the diaper to various vehicle parts, then the diaper remains firmly attached during transport, but the complexity of proper installation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bungee straps are designed to engage with multiple types of vehicle features (wheel wells, bumpers, frame members) using the same basic attachment mechanism. This universality allows a single strap design to secure the diaper to various vehicle parts, simplifying the installation process while maintaining reliable attachment across different vehicle types.
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 absorbent diaper effectively contains hydrocarbon spills during transport and storage, reducing legal liabilities and environmental contamination, while maintaining vehicle safety and property integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The diaper has an absorbent planar member being at least about half the size of the vehicle undercarriage
Implementation Method 2
The mats may be made from polypropylene, preferably recycled
Data Source
AI summary
A method of transporting a vehicle that has a ruptured fluid container from an accident includes affixing a fluid absorbent diaper to the vehicle at the location of the ruptured fluid container. The diaper has an absorbent planar member being at least about half the size of the vehicle undercarriage and a plurality of spaced bungee straps extending from edge portions of the member. The vehicle can then be transported and/or stored without risk of spillage of hydrocarbon fluid or battery acid.