PVC-Coated Weighted Bag Resists Fluid Ingress and UV Degradation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sand bags deteriorate due to water exposure, UV light, and chemical contamination, leading to leakage and reduced durability, which compromises containment structures and limits reuse and recycling.
Innovation Solution
A sealed weighted bag made from PVC-coated polymer-based textile, filled with slag material, which is resistant to UV exposure and impermeable to fluids, ensuring extended durability and recyclability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If sand bags are made from saturable or water permeable material to allow fluid containment, then the bag can retain fluid, but the bag material deteriorates and breaks due to increased stress from wetted sand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible impermeable bag made from PVC-coated polyester fabric to contain the filler material. This thin film approach provides fluid impermeability while maintaining flexibility for deployment, resolving the contradiction between fluid containment and material durability by replacing permeable natural materials with engineered synthetic membranes.
Solution Approach 2:
The bag is constructed from composite material combining polyester fabric with PVC coating, creating a material that is both mechanically strong and impermeable to fluids. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by integrating the structural properties of fabric with the impermeability of plastic coating.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional sand bags are exposed to UV light and chemicals, then they can be used in various environmental conditions, but the bag material deteriorates from UV exposure and chemical contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs PVC-coated polyester fabric where the PVC coating provides resistance to UV degradation and chemical contamination. This material parameter change from natural fiber to synthetic coated fabric enables the bag to withstand harsh environmental conditions while maintaining structural integrity over extended periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves away from disposable deteriorating sand bags to durable reusable weighted bags. The impermeable bag and stable filler material combination creates a long-lasting solution that can be recovered, stored, and reused, eliminating the short service life problem of conventional sand bags.
3Ease of manufacture
If manual closing methods are used to close sand bags after filling, then the bag can be sealed, but the closure allows leakage of sand or is non-permanent
Solution Approach 1:
The impermeable flexible bag design allows for reliable sealing through heat welding of the PVC-coated fabric edges. This creates a permanent seal that prevents sand leakage while maintaining ease of manufacture through automated welding processes, resolving the contradiction between simple closing and effective sealing.
4Quantity of substance
If sand bags are wetted by fluid ingress, then the bag retains fluid, but the weight of the bag substantially increases
Solution Approach 1:
The impermeable PVC-coated polyester bag prevents fluid ingress while containing the filler material, eliminating the weight increase problem. The bag maintains fluid containment capability through its impermeable membrane without absorbing water, thus avoiding the substantial weight increase associated with wetted conventional sand bags.
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 sealed weighted bag maintains structural integrity and longevity, preventing leakage and allowing for reuse and recycling, thereby enhancing the stability and lifespan of containment structures.
Implementation Method 1
The weighted bag is configured to be resistant to deterioration due to UV exposure
Implementation Method 2
The sealed bag is configured to be substantially impermeable to fluids
Implementation Method 3
the tubular bag body is formed by hot air welding
Data Source
AI summary
A weighted bag includes a filler material contained by a sealed bag configured to be substantially impermeable to fluids. The sealed bag may include a generally tubular bag body made from a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coated polymer-based textile where the tubular bag body is formed by hot air welding and the bag is sealed using sealing tape applied and bonded at each end of the tubular bag body. The weighted bag may be recovered after use and recycled for reuse in a subsequent installation. The filler material may include a slag, a slag-based material and/or low iron fines which may be residual material from the steel or iron producing industries.