Compact Hospital Washing Plant Parallel Battery Layout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hospital washing plants are bulky and occupy a lot of space, making it difficult to install them in small premises while maintaining hygiene and sterility, as they require significant space for the pre-wash and heat disinfection machines to operate effectively.
Innovation Solution
A compact washing plant design where a first battery of pre-wash units operates in series and a second battery of washer and heat disinfection machines operates in parallel, with a rotating table to divert objects transversely from the pre-wash units to the heat disinfection machines, reducing the overall footprint by aligning the heat disinfection machines adjacent and parallel to the pre-wash units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the second battery of washer and heat disinfection machines is disposed perpendicular to the first battery of pre-wash units, then the objects can be directed directly from pre-wash to heat disinfection, but the plant occupies a very high bulk and requires significant installation space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial arrangement from a perpendicular layout (occupying large floor area) to a parallel layout where the second battery is disposed adjacent and parallel to the first battery along the same axis. This dimensional reconfiguration reduces the plant's footprint while maintaining operational efficiency through the introduction of a rotating table for object transfer.
2Area of stationary object
If the second battery is aligned parallel to the first battery, then the plant occupies less space, but a movement device is required to divert objects from the pre-wash units to the heat disinfection machines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rotating table as an intermediary device between the first and second batteries. This rotating table acts as a mediator that facilitates the transfer of objects from the pre-wash units to the heat disinfection machines, enabling the compact parallel arrangement while maintaining ease of object passage.
3Volume of stationary object
If a rotating table is used to divert objects, then the plant becomes more compact, but the movement means add to the device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a rotating table with selectable rotation capabilities, transforming a static object transfer system into a dynamic one. The rotating table can be rotated to different positions to direct objects to different destinations, providing flexibility and compactness while managing the complexity through controlled motion rather than fixed complex routing structures.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
Washing plant (10) to perform a washing cycle of objects that provides at least a pre-wash operation and an operation for the washing and heat disinfection of the objects. The plant (10) comprises a first battery (12) of pre-wash units (14, 16), disposed in series one after the other along a first axis of alignment (L) and a second battery (24) of washer and heat disinfection machines (26, 28, 30) disposed along a second axis of alignment (M), different from the first axis of alignment (L) so as to operate in parallel with each other and to perform the washing and heat disinfection of the objects. The second battery (24) is able to receive, along a direction of feed (F) transverse to the second axis of alignment (M), the objects subjected to pre-wash exiting from the first battery (12) along the first axis of alignment (L). The direction of feed (F) of the second battery (24) is also transverse to the first axis of alignment (L). Movement members (20) are also provided in order to divert the objects exiting from the first battery (12) and to direct them, aligned with the direction of feed (F), towards the second battery (24).