# US 5,704,476 A · Hazardous material containment and storage unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,704,476 A - Document ID: US5704476A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/356,649 - Filed: 1994-12-15 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1994-12-15 - Assignees: TEC Products, Inc. - Inventors: Tim Abbott - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704476A ## CPC - B65D 90/24: Spillage-retaining means, e.g. recovery ponds - G21F 5/00: Transportable or portable shielded containers - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - G21F: PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT; TREATING RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED MATERIAL; DECONTAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS THEREFOR (radiation protection by pharmaceutical means A61K8/00, A61Q17/04; in cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/54; combined with a reactor G21C11/00; combined with X-ray tubes H01J35/16; combined with X-ray apparatus H05G1/02) ## Abstract A hazardous material containment and storage unit is disclosed. The unit comprises a basin in which a plurality of molded plastic pods are positioned to form a support surface for placing containers of hazardous material such as conventional fifty-five gallon drums. Each pod may be molded form a collection basin so that only individual pods have to be removed and cleaned when a spill occurs. The containment tray formed by the basin and pods may be enclosed by a plurality of door structures pivotally attached to a door support arch. The vertical sides of the door support arch are positioned within recesses and attached to ledges on the outside surface of the basin. Each door structure has a top, side and front panel which covers a separate quadrant of the containment tray when the doors are closed. A pod for supporting a conventional drum in a generally horizontal orientation over the basin is also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A containment and storage device for hazardous material comprising: a) a basin for containing spillage of hazardous material, said basin having a bottom, a plurality of side walls integrally attached to and surrounding the periphery of said bottom, and at least one pair of parallel, transverse channels sized and configured to received the forks of a forklift beneath the bottom of said basin, thereby forming subchambers within said basin; b) a plurality of support pods positioned within said basin, each pod having a top support surface attached to a support member forming the side wall of the pod for supporting said top support surface above the bottom of said basin, the lower edge of said side wall being configured to rest on the top surface of at least one transverse channel and the bottoms of the adjacent subchambers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The containment and storage device of claim 1, wherein said support pods are substantially unattached to said basin and are manually removable therefrom. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The containment and storage device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said support pods further comprises a floor integrally attached to said side wall and configured to form a secondary containment chamber and a means for directing spillage into said secondary containment chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The containment and storage device of claim 3, wherein said means for directing spillage into said secondary containment chamber is an aperture in the top surface of said support pod. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The containment and storage device of claim 3, wherein at least one of said pods comprises a spillage detecting means. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The containment and storage device of claim 5, wherein said spillage detecting means comprises a spillage reservoir. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The containment and storage device of claim 6, wherein said spillage detecting means further comprises at least one channel for directing spillage to said reservoir. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The containment and storage device of claim 1, wherein each of said support pod is an integrally molded monolithic unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The containment and storage device of claim 1, wherein said support pods are molded from polyethylene. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The containment and storage device of claim 1, wherein said device comprises four support pods and said basin has a substantially rectangular peripheral configuration. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The containment and storage device of claim 10, wherein each support pod is configured to support containers of hazardous material within one quadrant of said basin. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The containment and storage device of claim 3, wherein said support pods are substantially unattached to said basin and are manually removable therefrom. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The containment and storage device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said pods comprises a spillage detecting means. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The containment and storage device of claim 13, wherein said spillage detecting means comprises a spillage reservoir. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The containment and storage device of claim 14, wherein said spillage detecting means further comprises at least one channel for directing spillage to said reservoir. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The containment and storage device of claim 1, wherein said top surface is configured to support a cylindrical container with the container's vertical axis in a generally horizontal orientation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The containment and storage device of claim 16, wherein at least one of said support pods further comprises a floor integrally attached to said side wall and configured to form a secondary containment chamber and a means for directing spillage into said secondary containment chamber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 3) The containment and storage device of claim 3, wherein each of said support pods is an integrally molded monolithic unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The containment and storage device of claim 11, wherein said basin comprises a first and second pair of parallel transverse channels sized and configured to receive the forks of a forklift, said second pair of channels being oriented generally perpendicular to said first pair of channels. ### Claim 20 A containment and storage device for hazardous material comprising: a containment tray having a basin, said basin having a bottom and at least one side wall extending about the periphery of said bottom; a door support arch comprising a pair of vertical support sides and a top support attached to the upper end of each vertical support side, the lower end of each vertical support side being attached to said side wall of said basin; a plurality of door structures, each of said door structures being pivotally attached to a vertical support side. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The containment and storage device of claim 20, wherein said lower ends of said vertical support sides are attached to the exterior side of said basin side wall. ### Claim 22 A containment and storage device for hazardous material comprising: a containment tray having a basin, said basin having a bottom and at least one side wall extending about the periphery of said bottom; a door support arch comprising a pair of vertical support sides and a top support attached to the upper end of each vertical support side, the lower end of each vertical support side being attached to said side wall of said basin; a plurality of door structures, each of said door structures being pivotally attached to a vertical support side; wherein said lower ends of said vertical support sides are attached to the exterior side of said basin side wall and said lower ends are positioned within vertical support means on said side wall. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The containment and storage device of claim 22, wherein said vertical support means comprises a recess on the exterior side of said side wall. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The containment and storage device of claim 22, wherein said lower ends of said vertical support sides rest on ledge means attached to said side wall below said lower ends of said vertical support sides. ### Claim 25 A containment and storage device for hazardous material comprising: a containment tray having a basin, said basin having a bottom and at least one side wall extending about the periphery of said bottom; a door support arch comprising a pair of vertical support sides and a top support attached to the upper end of each vertical support side, the lower end of each vertical support side being attached to said side wall of said basin; a plurality of door structures, each of said door structures being pivotally attached to a vertical support side by hinge means positioned within a corresponding vertical channel on the exterior side of said vertical support side. ### Claim 26 A containment and storage device for hazardous material comprising: a containment tray having a basin, said basin having a bottom and at least one side wall extending about the periphery of said bottom; a door support arch comprising a pair of vertical support sides and a top support attached to the upper end of each vertical support side, the lower end of each vertical support side being attached to said side wall of said basin; a plurality of door structures, each of said door structures being pivotally attached to a vertical support side; wherein said basin comprises at least one pair of parallel, transverse channels sized and configured to receive the forks of a forklift beneath the bottom of said basin, thereby forming subchambers within said basin; and said containment tray further comprises a plurality of support pods positioned within said basin, each pod having a top support surface attached to a support member forming the side wall of the pod for supporting said top support surface above the bottom of said basin, the lower edge of said side wall being configured to rest on the top surface of at least one transverse channel and the bottoms of the adjacent subchambers. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The containment and storage device of claim 26, wherein at least one of said support pods further comprises a floor integrally attached to said at least one side surface and configured to form a secondary containment chamber and a means for directing spillage into said secondary containment chamber. ### Claim 28 A containment and storage device for hazardous material comprising: a containment tray comprising a basin having a substantially rectangular peripheral configuration, said basin having a bottom and a plurality of side walls extending about the periphery of said bottom; a door support arch comprising a pair of vertical support sides and a top support attached to the upper end of each vertical support side, the lower end of each vertical support side being attached to the center of corresponding parallel side walls; a plurality of door structures, each of said door structures having a side panel pivotally attached to a vertical support side along a first side edge of said side panel, a front panel attached to the second side edge of said side panel and a top panel having adjacent edges attached to the top edges of said side and front panels. ### Claim 29 A containment and storage device for hazardous material comprising: a containment tray comprising a basin having a substantially rectangular peripheral configuration, said basin having a bottom and a plurality of side walls extending about the periphery of said bottom; a door support arch comprising a pair of vertical support sides and a top support attached to the upper end of each vertical support side, the lower end of each vertical support side being attached to the center of corresponding parallel side walls; a plurality of door structures, each of said door structures having a side panel pivotally attached to a vertical support side along a first side edge of said side panel, a front panel attached to the second side edge of said side panel and a top panel having adjacent edges attached to the top edges of said side and front panels; wherein said device comprises four door structures and each of said door structures encloses one quadrant of the containment tray when said door structure are in a closed position. ### Claim 30 A containment and storage device for hazardous material comprising: a containment tray comprising a basin having a substantially rectangular peripheral configuration, said basin having a bottom and a plurality of side walls extending about the periphery of said bottom; a door support arch comprising a pair of vertical support sides and a top support attached to the upper end of each vertical support side, the lower end of each vertical support side being attached to the center of the exterior side of corresponding parallel side walls; a plurality of door structures, each of said door structures having a side panel pivotally attached to a vertical support side along a first side edge of said side panel, a front panel attached to the second side edge of said side panel and a top panel having adjacent edges attached to the top edges of said side and front panels. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The containment and storage device of claim 30, wherein said lower ends are positioned within vertical support means on said side wall and rest on ledge means attached to said side walls below said lower ends of said vertical support sides. ### Claim 32 A containment and storage device for hazardous material comprising: a containment tray comprising a basin having a substantially rectangular peripheral configuration, said basin having a bottom and a plurality of side walls extending about the periphery of said bottom and at least one pair of parallel, transverse channels sized and configured to receive the forks of a forklift beneath the bottom of said basin, thereby forming subchambers within said basin, and said containment tray further comprises a plurality of support pods positioned within said basin, each pod having a top support surface attached to at least one side surface for supporting said top support surface above the bottom of said basin, the lower edge of said side surface being configured to rest on the top surface of at least one transverse channel and the bottoms of the adjacent subchambers; a door support arch comprising a pair of vertical support sides and a top support attached to the upper end of each vertical support side, the lower end of each vertical support side being attached to the center of corresponding parallel side walls; a plurality of door structures, each of said door structures having a side panel pivotally attached to a vertical support side along a first side edge of said side panel, a front panel attached to the second side edge of said side panel and a top panel having adjacent edges attached to the top edges of said side and front panels. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The containment and storage device of claim 32, wherein at least one of said support pods further comprises a floor integrally attached to said at least one side surface and configured to form a secondary containment chamber and a means for directing spillage into said secondary containment chamber.