APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ADDITIONAL RADIATION SHIELDING TO A CONTAINER HOLDING RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS, AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME TO HANDLE AND/OR PROCESS RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
First Claim
1. An apparatus for providing additional radiation shielding to a container holding radioactive materials comprising:
- a tubular shell extending from a first end to a second end, the tubular shell constructed of a gamma radiation absorbing material and having an inner surface that forms a cavity;
a first opening in the first end of the tubular shell that provides a passageway into the cavity;
a second opening in the second end of the tubular shell that provides a passageway into the cavity, the second opening being larger than the first opening; and
a plurality of spacers extending from the inner surface of the shell.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method and apparatus for providing additional radiation shielding to a container holding radioactive materials. The invention utilizes a sleeve-like structure that is slid over a container holding high level radioactive materials to add radiation shielding protection. Because the sleeve-like structure and container are non-unitary and slidably separable from one another, crane lifting capacity is not affected. In one aspect, the invention is an apparatus comprising: a tubular shell constructed of a gamma radiation absorbing material and having an inner surface that forms a cavity having an axis, the cavity having an open top end and an open bottom end; a plurality of spacers extending from the inner surface of the shell toward the axis of the cavity, the spacers extending a first height from the inner surface of the tubular shell; and one or more flange members located at or near the open top end of the cavity extending from the tubular shell toward the axis of the cavity, the flange member extending a second height from the inner surface of the shell, the second height being greater than the first height.
35 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for providing additional radiation shielding to a container holding radioactive materials comprising:
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a tubular shell extending from a first end to a second end, the tubular shell constructed of a gamma radiation absorbing material and having an inner surface that forms a cavity; a first opening in the first end of the tubular shell that provides a passageway into the cavity; a second opening in the second end of the tubular shell that provides a passageway into the cavity, the second opening being larger than the first opening; and a plurality of spacers extending from the inner surface of the shell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for providing additional radiation shielding to a container holding radioactive materials comprising:
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a tubular shell constructed of a gamma radiation absorbing material and having an inner surface that forms a cavity having an axis, the cavity having an open top end and an open bottom end; a plurality of spacers extending from the inner surface of the shell toward the axis of the cavity, the spacers extending a first height from the inner surface of the tubular shell; and one or more flange members located at or near the open top end of the cavity extending from the tubular shell toward the axis of the cavity, the flange member extending a second height from the inner surface of the shell, the second height being greater than the first height. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for handling and/or processing radioactive materials comprising:
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a container having a first cavity for holding radioactive materials, the container having an outer surface and a top surface; a tubular shell having an inner surface that forms a second cavity for receiving the container, the tubular shell comprising at least one spacer extending from the inner surface of the shell toward an axis of the second cavity; the container positioned in the second cavity of the tubular shell, the at least one spacer maintaining the inside surface of the tubular shell in a spaced relationship from the outer surface of the container; and wherein the tubular structure is non-unitary and slidably removable from the container. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of handling and/or processing radioactive materials comprising:
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a) placing a container having a first cavity containing radioactive materials in a staging area, the container having an outer surface and a top surface; b) providing a tubular shell having an inner surface that forms a second cavity for receiving the container, the second cavity having an open top end and an open bottom end, the tubular shell also comprising at least one spacer extending from the inner surface of the shell toward an axis of the second cavity; and c) positioning the tubular sleeve above the container and lowering the tubular shell so that the container slidably inserts through the open bottom end and into the second cavity, the at least one spacer maintaining the inside surface of the tubular shell in a spaced relationship from the outer surface of the container so as to form a gap between the container and the tubular shell. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification