Air filter and method of controlling the same
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SUZHOU BEIANG TECH LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-21
Smart Images
Figure CN120714342B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of air filtration technology, and in particular to an air filter and its control method. Background Technology
[0002] In recent years, with the increasing number of pet owners, pet air purifiers have gradually become popular in the market. Compared with ordinary air purifiers, pet air purifiers mainly have the added function of absorbing pet hair. This function of absorbing pet hair mainly relies on a specially designed pet-specific pre-filter, which is made by coating meltblown fabric onto a soft plastic mesh.
[0003] As air purifiers are used, the amount of lint adsorbed on the pre-filter increases, which can clog the air intake and reduce the machine's performance. Therefore, the pre-filter needs to be replaced. Most pet air purifiers use Velcro or similar methods to secure the pre-filter, which must be manually removed and replaced with a new one once clogged. This usually requires the user to do it themselves, which is not only inefficient but also risks secondary air contamination from lint or germs during the replacement process.
[0004] There is currently no effective solution to the problem that air filters in related technologies require manual disassembly and replacement after filter failure, which is not only inefficient but also causes filter material on the filter to easily fall off during the replacement process, leading to secondary air pollution. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The present invention provides an air filter and its control method, which at least solves the problem in the related art that air filters need to be manually disassembled and replaced after the filter screen fails, which is not only inefficient, but also causes the filter material on the filter screen to fall off during the replacement process, resulting in secondary air pollution.
[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, an air filter is provided, comprising: a flexible filter element that is rollable for filtering air flowing along an air passage; a winding shaft 21 for winding unused flexible filter element; and a recovery shaft 22 for recovering used flexible filter element; wherein the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 are respectively disposed on both sides of the air passage, and the flexible filter element between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 is disposed on the air passage.
[0007] As an optional solution, a filter element assembly 1 is also included, configured to perform functional filtration of air; the flexible filter element is a filter screen 23; the filter screen 23 includes an unused section 231 wound on the winding shaft 21, a filter section 232 between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22, and a used section 233 wound on the recovery shaft 22; the filter section 232 is disposed on the filter surface of the filter element assembly 1 and is configured to filter impurities from the air before it enters the filter surface.
[0008] As an optional solution, the filter element assembly 1 includes a filter element support 11 and a filter element 12 mounted on the filter element support 11. The filter element 12 is used to perform functional filtration on the air after the filter screen 23 has preliminarily filtered out air impurities. The filter element support 11 is provided with a plurality of rotating shafts 13 on the outer surface of the filter element 12. The axial direction of the rotating shafts 13 is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the filter screen 23 when it is retracted.
[0009] As an alternative, a first bearing 1311 is provided on the outer surface of the filter element support 11, and a corresponding rotating shaft 13 is mounted on the first bearing 1311.
[0010] As an optional solution, the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 are mounted on a filter screen mounting structure 24 provided on the filter element support 11. The filter screen mounting structure 24 includes a first fixing seat 241 and a second fixing seat 242, which are respectively used to install the two ends of the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22. The filter screen mounting structure 24 includes a first inner baffle 243 disposed on the inner side of the filter element support 11, and a second inner baffle 244 disposed between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 and the filter element 12, respectively. The first inner baffle 243 is used to prevent air from directly entering the inner side of the filter element support 11, and the second inner baffle 244 is used to prevent air from flowing from the filter element 12 to the filter screen mounting structure 24.
[0011] As an optional solution, the filter mounting structure 24 further includes an outer baffle 245 disposed between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22; the outer baffle 245 includes at least a first trimming edge 2451 and a second trimming edge 2452, the first trimming edge 2451 being used to trim the filter 23 output from the winding shaft 21, and the second trimming edge 2452 being used to trim the filter 23 wound on the recovery shaft 22.
[0012] As an alternative, the outer baffle 245 further includes a partition plate, one end of which is connected to the first inner baffle 243, and the other end of which is connected to the first flush edge 2451 and the second flush edge 2452. The partition plate is used to isolate the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22.
[0013] As an alternative, the second neat edge 2452 or the second inner baffle 244 is further provided with an anti-jamming structure; the anti-jamming structure is a cutting edge and / or comb teeth.
[0014] As an alternative, the outer baffle 245 is fixed on the filter element bracket 11 and is separated from the first inner baffle 243 and the second inner baffle 244; the winding direction of the recovery shaft 22 is the same as or opposite to the winding release direction of the winding shaft 21, so as to wind the used side of the filter screen 23 inward onto the recovery shaft 22.
[0015] As an optional embodiment, the filter element 12 is a non-wound, integrated filter element, and the filter element 12 is an open, non-closed cylindrical structure. The filter screen mounting structure 24 is disposed at the opening of the filter element 12. The filter element support 11 includes a top cover plate 14 and a bottom cover plate 15 disposed at both ends of the filter element 12 for fixing the filter element 12 and the filter screen mounting structure 24. The first fixing seat 241 is disposed on the top cover plate 14, and the second fixing seat 242 is disposed on the bottom cover plate 15. The first fixing seat 241 and the second fixing seat 242 are mounted on the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 through a rotation damper 246 and a second bearing 1312.
[0016] As an optional solution, it also includes a filter status detection device 3, a controller 4, and a drive device 5; the filter status detection device 3 is connected to the controller 4, and the controller 4 is used to control the drive device 5 to drive the recovery shaft 22 to rotate and recover the filter screen of the filter section 232 when the filter screen 232 fails; the drive device 5 is connected to the controller 4 and is drivenly connected to the recovery shaft 22.
[0017] As an optional solution, the drive shaft of the drive device 5 is connected to the recycling shaft 22 via a coupling 6. The coupling 6 includes a first part 61 and a second part 62. The first part 61 is fixed on the recycling shaft 22 and is coaxially arranged with the recycling shaft 22. The second part 62 is fixed on the drive shaft and is coaxially arranged with the drive shaft. The first part 61 and the second part 62 are in contact and driven. The contact surfaces of the first part 61 and the second part 62 are provided with a plurality of convex and concave structures with matching shapes.
[0018] As an alternative, the concave-convex structure on the contact surface includes centrally symmetrical protrusions and grooves, both of which are arranged radially along the coupling 6; the protrusions and grooves are rectangular, trapezoidal, or V-shaped.
[0019] As an optional solution, the filtration status detection device 3 is a wind speed sensor; the wind speed sensor is located on the opposite side of the filter surface of the filter element assembly 1 and is used to detect the airflow velocity after filtration by the filter element assembly 1; when the airflow velocity is less than a first preset velocity, the controller 4 controls the drive device 5 to drive the recovery shaft 22 to rotate; when the airflow velocity is greater than a second preset velocity, the controller controls the drive device 5 to stop driving the recovery shaft 22 to rotate, wherein the first preset velocity is less than the second preset velocity.
[0020] As an optional solution, the filter status detection device 3 is a light sensor; the light sensor is disposed between the filter screen 23 and the filter element 12, and is used to detect the light transmittance of the filter screen 23; when the light transmittance is less than a first preset light transmittance, the controller 4 controls the drive device 5 to drive the recovery shaft 22 to rotate; when the light transmittance is greater than a second preset light transmittance, the controller controls the drive device 5 to stop driving the recovery shaft 22 to rotate, wherein the first preset light transmittance is less than the second preset light transmittance.
[0021] As an optional solution, the filtration status detection device 3 is a solid particulate matter sensor; the solid particulate matter sensor is installed inside the air duct after filtration by the filter element 12, and is used to detect the solid particulate matter content of the air after filtration by the filter element 12; when the solid particulate matter content is greater than a first preset content, the controller 4 controls the drive device 5 to drive the recovery shaft 22 to rotate; when the solid particulate matter content is less than a second preset content, the controller controls the drive device 5 to stop driving the recovery shaft 22 to rotate, wherein the first preset content is greater than the second preset content.
[0022] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling an air filter is also provided, comprising: receiving a replacement instruction for a flexible filter element, wherein the flexible filter element is rollable for filtering air flowing along an air path; controlling a recovery shaft 22 to rotate, pulling out unused flexible filter elements wound on a winding shaft 21, and recovering used flexible filter elements wound on the recovery shaft 22; wherein the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 are respectively disposed on both sides of the air path, and the flexible filter element between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 is disposed on the air path.
[0023] The air filter provided by this invention uses a flexible filter element wound around a winding shaft and led to a recovery shaft. The portion between the winding shaft and the recovery shaft performs actual filtration. When the filter element fails, the winding shaft and / or the recovery shaft can be driven to rotate and recover the failed portion, and the winding shaft can also rotate to move the unused flexible filter element to the area requiring filtration. Automatic replacement via a drive device ensures high efficiency and prevents the shedding of impurities adsorbed on the failed flexible filter element, thus avoiding secondary pollution. This solves the problem in related technologies where air filters require manual disassembly and replacement after filter failure, which is not only inefficient but also prone to secondary air pollution due to filter material easily falling off during replacement. Attached Figure Description
[0024] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other embodiments based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0025] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of an air filter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] Figure 2 This is an assembly diagram of an air filter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the filter component of an air filter according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a filter element assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a filter assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the filter component and protective net according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Enlarged view of point A.
[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a coupling according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0033] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of another coupling according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0034] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the control logic of an embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of an air filter control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] The reference numerals in the above figures are as follows.
[0037] 1. Filter element assembly; 11. Filter element support; 12. Filter element; 13. Rotating shaft; 1311. First bearing; 1312. Second bearing; 14. Top cover plate; 15. Bottom cover plate; 2. Filter screen assembly; 21. Winding shaft; 22. Recycling shaft; 23. Filter screen; 231. Unused section; 232. Filter section; 233. Used section; 24. Filter screen mounting structure; 241. First fixing seat; 242. Second fixing seat; 243. First inner baffle; 244. Second inner baffle; 245. Outer baffle; 2451. First neat edge; 2452. Second neat edge; 246. Rotation damper; 3. Filter status detection equipment; 4. Controller; 5. Drive device; 6. Coupling; 61. First split part; 62. Second split part; 7. Fan; 8. Filter component; 9. Protective net. Detailed Implementation
[0038] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the present invention. It should be understood that the drawings and embodiments of the present invention are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0039] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides an air filter, mainly comprising a fan 7, a filter element 8, and a protective net 9. The filter element 8 is nested within the protective net 9, and the fan 7 is installed above the filter element 8 and the protective net 9. The fan 7 draws air in, forming an air passage through the flexible filter element in the filter element 8, thereby filtering the air.
[0040] To address the problem in the aforementioned related technologies that air filters require manual disassembly and replacement after filter failure, which is not only inefficient but also prone to secondary air pollution due to filter material falling off during replacement, the present invention provides an air filter.
[0041] The air filter includes: a flexible filter element that can be rolled up for filtering air flowing through the air passage; a winding shaft 21 for winding unused flexible filter elements; and a recovery shaft 22 for recovering used flexible filter elements. The winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 are respectively disposed on both sides of the air passage, and the flexible filter element between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 is disposed in the air passage.
[0042] The aforementioned flexible filter element is a windable filter element, including filter screens, filter membranes, or filter cartridges. The filter element is configured to be flexible and windable, and unused flexible filter elements are wound onto the winding shaft 21. When in use, the flexible filter element is unwound from the winding shaft and led to the recovery shaft 22. This creates a section of unused flexible filter element between the recovery shaft 22 and the winding shaft 21. Placing this section of unused flexible filter element on the cross-section of the air passage allows for effective filtration of the air flowing within it.
[0043] After the flexible filter element fails due to a period of use, the winding shaft and / or the recovery shaft can be driven to rotate, unwinding the flexible filter element from the winding shaft and winding the failed flexible filter element back to the recovery shaft. This achieves automatic replacement of the flexible filter element, improves replacement efficiency, and avoids secondary pollution caused by the detachment of deposits from the flexible filter element during manual replacement.
[0044] It should be noted that the aforementioned air passages can be one or more. In an air filter, the air passage can consist of a housing, filter element, internal air ducts, etc., and is the channel through which air is intended to be filtered and circulated. These structures vary considerably between different air filters. However, to isolate filtered and unfiltered air, the air passage is generally relatively closed, possessing a certain degree of airtightness. Furthermore, it is clear that in practical applications, the flexible filter element used for air filtration needs to maintain a certain angle relative to the airflow direction within the air passage.
[0045] Generally, flexible filter elements are positioned perpendicular to the airflow direction in the air path. This ensures maximum airflow per unit area, thereby guaranteeing high air filtration efficiency. Theoretically, air filtration can also be achieved with the flexible filter element at a certain angle to the airflow direction, especially in cases where the air filter structure is complex.
[0046] As an optional implementation, the air filter also includes a filter element assembly 1 configured to functionally filter the air; and a flexible filter element, a filter screen 23. For example, in a pet filter, in addition to the functional requirement of filtering hair, there is also a need for functions such as deodorization and disinfection. Hair filtration can rely on a rollable filter screen 23. However, deodorization and disinfection still rely on a non-rollable filter element assembly 1.
[0047] The filter element assembly 1 can be installed in the air path according to the relevant hardware structure for air filtration. Placing the hair-filtering screen 23 in the air path before the filter element assembly 1 avoids hair affecting its function. Furthermore, the filter element assembly 1 has a longer lifespan, while the screen 23 has a shorter lifespan; automatic replacement by winding only the screen better meets actual usage needs and improves the user experience.
[0048] The aforementioned filter screen 23 includes an unused section 231 wound on the winding shaft 21, a filter section 232 between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22, and a used section 233 wound on the recovery shaft 22. The unused section 231 is pre-wound onto the winding shaft 21, similar to a roll of paper. It can be produced in rolls during manufacturing. The used section 233 is wound onto the recovery shaft 22 after it has become unusable.
[0049] When replacing the filter roll after all the filters 23 have failed, the recovery shaft 22 full of failed filters 23 and the empty winding shaft 21 can be disassembled. The new winding shaft 21 full of unused filters 23 and the empty recovery shaft 22 can be installed. One end of the filter 23 on the winding shaft 21 can be led out according to the structure set in the air circuit and finally led to the recovery shaft 22 for winding and fixing.
[0050] The recycling shaft 22 can be produced together with the winding shaft 21 and the unused section 231. That is, the last end of the unused section 231 wound on the winding shaft 21 is wound onto the recycling shaft 22. When replacing the filter roll after all the wound filter screens 23 have failed, the recycling shaft 22, the winding shaft 21 and the filter screens 23 can be replaced as a whole.
[0051] Filter section 232 is disposed on the filter surface of filter element assembly 1 and is configured to filter impurities from the air before it enters the filter surface. The filter surface of filter element assembly 1 can be understood as the surface on which air enters the filter element; filtration can be considered to begin when air passes through this filter surface. The filter surface of filter element assembly 1 can be composed of the filter surfaces of filter element 12 within it.
[0052] The filter element assembly 1 is configured to perform functional filtration of air; the filter section 232 is configured to filter impurities in the air that enters the filter element assembly 1 through the filter surface, and functional filtration begins after the air enters the filter surface of the filter element assembly 1.
[0053] Functional filtration includes fine filtration such as deodorization, odor removal, disinfection, sterilization, and microparticle filtration. Impurity filtration mainly filters larger impurities in the air, such as hair, lint, dander, and other shed fabric or biological tissues.
[0054] As an optional implementation method, such as Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the filter element assembly 1 includes a filter element support 11 and a filter element 12 mounted on the filter element support 11. The filter element 12 is used for functional filtration of the air after the filter screen 23 has preliminarily filtered out air impurities. The filter element can be a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter element.
[0055] The filter element support 11 is provided with multiple rotating shafts 13 on the outer surface of the filter element 12. The axial direction of the rotating shafts 13 is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the filter screen 23 when it is recycled.
[0056] Since the filter element 12 itself has a certain hardness and strength, the filter element support 11 mainly forms the air passage of the filter element 12 through two cover plates. Specifically, the air enters the filter surface of the filter element 12 from the outside of the filter element support 11, passes through the cylindrical filter element 12 and enters the interior of the filter element support 11, and is drawn out by the fan 7 from the top inside the filter element support 11.
[0057] In addition, multiple rotating shafts 13 are provided on the outer surface, and the axis of the rotating shafts 13 is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the filter screen 23 during recycling. Since the filter surface of the filter element 12 is curved, the rotating shafts 13 can support the filter screen 23 on the one hand, and reduce the frictional resistance of the filter screen 23 during movement on the other hand, making the recycling of the filter screen 23 more convenient and faster.
[0058] As an optional implementation, a first bearing 1311 is provided on the outer surface of the filter element support 11, and a corresponding rotating shaft 13 is mounted on the first bearing 1311.
[0059] The rotating shaft 13 is mounted on the outer surface of the filter element support 11 via the first bearing 1311, thus supporting the filter screen 23. The main function of the filter element support 11 is to mount the filter element 12. It can be an integral structure or a split structure. The split structure can rely on the shape and strength of the filter element 12 itself to form part of the filter element assembly 1. The integral structure can have one or more filter element mounting positions to mount one or more filter elements 12 as part of the filter element assembly 1.
[0060] It should be noted that the filter element support 11 and the filter element 12 are hollow columnar structures. There are multiple rotating shafts 13. The central angle of the corresponding curved surface between adjacent rotating shafts 13 does not exceed a preset angle, such as 50 degrees or 60 degrees, to avoid the included angle being too large, which would cause the filter screen 23 to come into contact with the filter surface, resulting in greater resistance when the filter screen 23 moves, and making it easy for the attached substances on the filter screen 23 to fall off during movement.
[0061] As an optional implementation, the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 are mounted on a filter screen mounting structure 24 provided on the filter element support 11. This filter screen mounting structure 24 is used to mount the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22.
[0062] exist Figures 3 to 5 In the example, since the filter element assembly 1 is cylindrical, the air passage enters along the side of the cylindrical structure, and the filter screen can be arranged around the side of the cylindrical structure. The position where the winding shaft 21 is installed is actually the position where the recovery shaft 22 is installed. Therefore, a filter screen mounting structure 24 is provided on the filter element bracket 11 to simultaneously install the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22. This cleverly utilizes the advantages of the cylindrical structure, making the installation and removal of the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 more convenient.
[0063] Specifically, the filter mounting structure 24 includes a first fixing seat 241 and a second fixing seat 242, which are used to mount the two ends of the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22, respectively. The first fixing seat 241 and the second fixing seat 242 need to fix the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 relative to the filter element assembly 1. They can be directly fixed to the filter element bracket 11, or directly fixed to the base, or other parts of the air filter.
[0064] like Figure 3 As shown, both the first fixing seat 241 and the second fixing seat 242 are annular and are designed to work with the filter element 12. They can be fixed to the top cover plate 14 and the bottom cover plate 15 of the filter element bracket 11, respectively.
[0065] The aforementioned filter installation structure 24 also includes a first inner baffle 243 disposed inside the filter element support 11 of the cylindrical structure, and a second inner baffle 244 disposed between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 and the filter element, respectively. The first inner baffle 243 is used to prevent air from directly entering the inner side of the filter element support 11 of the cylindrical structure, thus preventing unfiltered air from entering the inner side of the cylindrical structure, polluting the filtered air, and reducing the air filtration efficiency.
[0066] The aforementioned second inner baffle 244 is used to block air from flowing from the filter element 12 to the filter screen mounting structure 24. Since the filter element assembly 1 has a certain thickness, air entering the filter element assembly 1 from the filter surface may overflow from the side, reducing the airflow of the filter element assembly 1. Therefore, the second inner baffle 244 is provided to block the non-filtration path side of the filter element assembly 1, ensuring the air filtration efficiency of the filter element assembly 1.
[0067] As an optional implementation, the filter mounting structure 24 also includes an outer baffle 245 disposed between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22. Since both the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 are mounted on the filter mounting structure 24 and are relatively close, but the winding shaft 21 leads out the filter 23 and the recovery shaft 22 winds the filter 23, their directions of movement are the same or opposite, which can easily lead to movement interference. Furthermore, the winding shaft 21 carries unused clean filter 23, while the recovery shaft 22 carries expired filter 23, which can easily cause contamination of the unused clean filter.
[0068] Therefore, the outer baffle 245 between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 can avoid motion interference on the one hand, and also prevent contamination of the unused filter screen 23 on the other hand.
[0069] The outer baffle 245 includes at least a first trimming edge 2451 and a second trimming edge 2452. The first trimming edge 2451 is used to trim the filter screen 23 output from the winding shaft 21, and the second trimming edge 2452 is used to trim the filter screen 23 wound by the recovery shaft 22.
[0070] By using the first and second neat edges 2451 and 2452, the filter screen of the winding shaft 21 can be effectively pulled out, and the filter screen of the recovery shaft 22 can be effectively wound, thus effectively avoiding motion interference.
[0071] As an optional implementation, the outer baffle 245 also includes a partition plate, one end of which is connected to the first inner baffle 243, and the other end of which is connected to the first trimmed edge 2451 and the second trimmed edge 2452. The partition plate is used to isolate the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22.
[0072] As described above, in order to prevent the failed filter 23 on the recovery shaft 22 from contaminating the unused clean filter 23 on the winding shaft 21, a partition plate can be provided between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22. The partition plate is not shown in the attached drawings.
[0073] The isolation plate, together with the first inner baffle 243, the second inner baffle 244, and the first neat edge 2451, forms a semi-enclosed structure around the winding shaft 21, leaving only the portion of the filter screen 23 extending out as an opening. Similarly, the isolation plate, together with the first inner baffle 243, the second inner baffle 244, and the second neat edge 2452, forms a semi-enclosed structure around the recovery shaft 22, leaving only the portion of the filter screen 23 extending out as an opening, thus maximizing the isolation between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22. This prevents contamination of the unused filter screen 23.
[0074] As an optional implementation, the second neat edge 2452 or the second inner baffle 244 is also provided with an anti-jamming structure; the anti-jamming structure is a cutting edge and / or comb teeth.
[0075] Since filter screen 23 mainly filters animal hair or fibrous impurities that are easy to entangle and knot, filter screen 23 is prone to tangling and jamming during recycling, especially at the recycling shaft 22. Because there is an angle between the shape of filter screen 23 on recycling shaft 22 and its shape on rotating shaft 13, some hair is easily knotted and caught on the relevant structure during recycling, causing jamming.
[0076] To this end, an anti-jamming structure can be provided on the second neat edge 2452, or on the second inner baffle 244 on one side of the retraction shaft 22. The anti-jamming structure is a cutting edge and / or comb teeth. This is used to comb and cut the hair, preventing it from getting stuck.
[0077] As an optional implementation, the outer baffle 245 is fixed to the filter element support 11 and is separately disposed from the first inner baffle 243 and the second inner baffle 244. The arrangement of the baffle will occupy some space in the filter screen mounting structure 24. To address motion interference and contamination issues, the winding direction of the recovery shaft 22 can be reversed compared to the winding release direction of the winding shaft 21, so that the used side of the filter screen 23 is wound inward onto the recovery shaft 22.
[0078] In this way, the side of the filter screen 23 with impurities attached will be wound inward, while the other side without air impurities will face outward, which can also avoid secondary pollution to a certain extent. The winding direction of the recovery shaft 22 is opposite to the winding and releasing direction of the winding shaft 21, which means that the tangential direction of the movement of the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 on the side closest to each other is the same, which can also effectively avoid movement interference.
[0079] If the winding direction of the recovery shaft 22 is the same as the winding release direction of the winding shaft 21, the filter screen 23 will not have sections with excessively small radii of curvature. This allows for effective winding release and recovery, ensuring motion stability.
[0080] As an optional implementation method, such as Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the filter element 12 is a non-windable, integrated filter element with an open, non-closed cylindrical structure. The filter screen mounting structure 24 is located at the opening of the filter element 12. This allows the filter screen mounting structure 24 to be integrated with the filter element assembly 1 without requiring separate modifications to the structure, facilitating the modification of existing pet air filters, reducing interference, and lowering the cost of modification and product upgrades.
[0081] As mentioned above, in Figures 3 to 5In the application scenario, the filter element support 11 includes a top cover plate 14 and a bottom cover plate 15 disposed at both ends of the filter element 12 for fixing the filter element 12 and the filter screen mounting structure 24; a first fixing seat 241 is disposed on the top cover plate 14 and a second fixing seat 242 is disposed on the bottom cover plate 15; thus, the filter element 12, the filter screen mounting structure 24, the winding shaft 21, the recovery shaft 22 and the filter screen 23 are effectively installed, and interference with other parts is avoided.
[0082] The first fixed seat 241 and the second fixed seat 242 are mounted on the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 via a rotation damper 246 and a second bearing 1312. The second bearing 1312 facilitates the operation of the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22, while the rotation damper 246 effectively prevents excessive rotational resistance in case of jamming, thus ensuring that the drive device 5 continues to output torque and preventing damage to the drive device 5, the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22, and moving parts such as the filter screen.
[0083] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 10 As shown, the air filter also includes a filtration status detection device 3, a controller 4, and a drive unit 5. The filtration status detection device 3 is connected to the controller 4. The controller 4 is used to control the drive unit 5 to drive the recovery shaft 22 to rotate and recover the filter screen of the filtration section 232 when the filter screen 232 fails. The drive unit 5 is connected to the controller 4 and is driven by the recovery shaft 22.
[0084] Thus, through the cooperation of the filter status detection device 3 and the controller 4, the filter 23 can be automatically replaced. This eliminates the need for manual monitoring and judgment of filter failure, which would otherwise result in low efficiency and poor accuracy.
[0085] In this embodiment, the driving device 5 can drive the winding shaft 21 and synchronously drive the recovery shaft 22 through a transmission mechanism, such as gears, or drive the recovery shaft 22 to pull the winding shaft 21 through the filter screen 23, or directly drive the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 synchronously. These are all optional solutions.
[0086] To simplify the transmission structure and avoid space occupation, the recycling shaft 22 can be directly driven. This will tighten the filter screen 23 while recycling, which not only facilitates recycling, but also effectively prevents the filter screen 23 from getting stuck and accumulating in a certain place due to the limited space between the filter component 8 and the protective net 9.
[0087] As an optional implementation method, such as Figures 6 to 9 As shown, the drive shaft of the drive device 5 is connected to the recovery shaft 22 via a coupling 6. The drive shaft drives the coupling 6 to rotate the recovery shaft 22.
[0088] like Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, the coupling 6 includes a first part 61 and a second part 62. The first part 61 is fixed on the recovery shaft 22 and is coaxially arranged with the recovery shaft 22. The second part 62 is fixed on the drive shaft and is coaxially arranged with the drive shaft. The first part 61 and the second part 62 are in contact transmission. The contact surfaces of the first part 61 and the second part 62 are provided with multiple concave and convex structures with matching shapes.
[0089] As an optional implementation, the concave-convex structure on the contact surface includes protrusions and grooves with central symmetry in shape, and both protrusions and grooves are arranged along the radial direction of the coupling; central symmetry means that the shape does not change when rotated 180 degrees. Such a structure can facilitate the manufacturing of the coupling. The grooves and protrusions on the first part 61 and the second part 62 can be manufactured in the same batch, and such a structure does not require too high manufacturing precision.
[0090] Both the protrusions and grooves are rectangular, trapezoidal, or V-shaped. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the protrusions and grooves are rectangular, which can be easily deformed into trapezoids. For example... Figure 9 As shown, the protrusions and grooves are V-shaped. Rectangular shapes have higher torque compared to V-shapes.
[0091] As an optional implementation, the filter status detection device 3 is a wind speed sensor; the wind speed sensor is located on the opposite side of the filter surface of the filter element assembly 1 and is used to detect the airflow velocity after filtration by the filter element assembly 1. Multiple wind speed sensors can be used, positioned at different locations. During control, the controller can calculate the average value of the multiple wind speed sensors as the airflow velocity to compare with a first preset flow velocity and a second preset flow velocity. This can improve accuracy and reduce the probability of false triggering.
[0092] When the air velocity is less than the first preset velocity, the controller 4 controls the drive device 5 to drive the recovery shaft 22 to rotate; when the air velocity is greater than the second preset velocity, the controller 4 controls the drive device 5 to stop driving the recovery shaft 22 to rotate, wherein the first preset velocity is less than the second preset velocity.
[0093] As an optional implementation, the filter status detection device 3 is a light sensor; the light sensor is disposed between the filter screen 23 and the filter element 12 and is used to detect the light transmittance of the filter screen 23; similar to the wind speed sensor, there can also be multiple light sensors.
[0094] When the light transmittance is less than the first preset light transmittance, the controller 4 controls the drive device 5 to drive the recovery shaft 22 to rotate; when the light transmittance is greater than the second preset light transmittance, the controller 4 controls the drive device 5 to stop driving the recovery shaft 22 to rotate, wherein the first preset light transmittance is less than the second preset light transmittance.
[0095] Light markers can also be set on the filter screen 23. For example, increasing the thickness can significantly reduce the light intensity of the light sensor, or perforation can significantly increase the light intensity. The light markers can be set at fixed intervals, and the length of the filter screen 23 movement can be calculated from the number of light markers that can be detected by the light sensor, thereby detecting whether the recycling has reached the preset length, which can be the length of the filter section 232.
[0096] If the light transmittance is not greater than the second preset light transmittance when the preset length is reached, there is a possibility of abnormal attachment of impurities, such as them getting caught on other structures or stuck on the protective netting. An anomaly report is required, and the user is notified to inspect and troubleshoot the issue.
[0097] As an optional implementation, the filter status detection device 3 is a solid particulate matter sensor; the solid particulate matter sensor is installed inside the air duct after the filter element 12 is filtered, and is used to detect the solid particulate matter content of the air after the filter element 12 is filtered.
[0098] When the solid particulate matter content is greater than the first preset content, the controller 4 controls the drive device 5 to drive the recycling shaft 22 to rotate; when the solid particulate matter content is less than the second preset content, the controller 4 controls the drive device 5 to stop driving the recycling shaft 22 to rotate, wherein the first preset content is greater than the second preset content.
[0099] When filter 23 fails, and there is a significant amount of deposited material, the aforementioned solid particles will accumulate on filter 23 and gradually diffuse into filter element 12 and its interior. However, when filter 23 is in normal use, solid particles will pass through the filter gaps between filter 23 and filter element 12, without causing high concentrations. By installing a solid particle sensor in the air duct inside filter element 12, the amount of deposited material on filter 23 can be determined by detecting the solid particle content, thus determining whether filter 23 has failed.
[0100] like Figure 11 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention also provides a method for controlling an air filter, comprising:
[0101] Step S111: Receive a replacement instruction for the flexible filter element, wherein the flexible filter element is rollable and used to filter the air flowing along the air path.
[0102] Step S112: Control the rotation of the recovery shaft 22 to pull out the unused flexible filter element wound on the winding shaft, and recover and wind the used flexible filter element back onto the recovery shaft 22; wherein the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 are respectively set on both sides of the air passage, and the flexible filter element between the winding shaft 21 and the recovery shaft 22 is set in the air passage.
[0103] The aforementioned air filter control method drives a recovery shaft to rotate and recover the failed parts, while simultaneously rotating a winding shaft to move unused flexible filter elements to the areas requiring filtration. This enables automatic replacement with high efficiency, and prevents the shedding of impurities adsorbed on the failed flexible filter elements, thus avoiding secondary pollution. This solves the problem in related technologies where air filters require manual disassembly and replacement after filter failure, which is not only inefficient but also prone to secondary air pollution due to filter material easily falling off during replacement.
[0104] The aforementioned recovery shaft 22 can be driven directly by the drive device 5, or indirectly by driving the winding shaft 21 to transmit power to the recovery shaft 22. Theoretically, if the filter screen 23 has high hardness, only the winding shaft 21 can be driven to move the filter screen 23. However, driving only the winding shaft 21 will still affect the operation of the filter screen 23 and the recovery of the filter screen 23 by the recovery shaft 22. Therefore, in this embodiment, the recovery shaft 22 is mainly driven.
[0105] The aforementioned replacement command can be sent by the user through an interactive device, or it can be sent by the controller after judging the result of the filter status detection device 3. This satisfies the needs of intelligent and automated use and improves the user experience.
[0106] It should be noted that the term "comprising" and its variations used in the embodiments of this invention are open-ended, meaning "including but not limited to". The term "based on" means "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment"; the term "some embodiments" means "at least some embodiments". The modifications of "one" and "a plurality" mentioned in the embodiments of this invention are illustrative and not restrictive, and those skilled in the art should understand that unless explicitly indicated otherwise in the context, they should be understood as "one or more".
[0107] The term "embodiment" in this specification refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment that may be included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily imply the same embodiment, nor does it imply independence or alternativeity from other embodiments. The various embodiments in this specification are described in a related manner, with reference to each other for similar or identical parts. In particular, for apparatus, device, and system embodiments, since they are substantially similar to method embodiments, the description is relatively simple, and relevant details are referred to in the description of the method embodiments.
[0108] The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the inventive concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. An air filter, characterized in that, include: A flexible filter element, which is rollable, is used to filter air flowing along an air passage. A winding shaft (21) is used to wind the unused flexible filter element; Recovery shaft (22) is used to recover used flexible filter elements; The winding shaft (21) and the recovery shaft (22) are respectively disposed on both sides of the air passage, and the flexible filter between the winding shaft (21) and the recovery shaft (22) is disposed on the air passage; The filter assembly (1) is configured to perform functional filtration of air; The flexible filter element is a filter screen (23); the filter screen (23) includes an unused section (231) wound on the winding shaft (21), a filter section (232) between the winding shaft (21) and the recovery shaft (22), and a used section (233) wound on the recovery shaft (22). The filter section (232) is disposed on the filter surface of the filter element assembly (1) and is configured to filter impurities from the air before it enters the filter surface. The filter assembly (1) includes a filter support (11) and a filter element (12) mounted on the filter support (11). The filter element (12) is used to perform functional filtration on the air after the filter screen (23) has preliminarily filtered out air impurities. The winding shaft (21) and the recovery shaft (22) are mounted on the filter screen mounting structure (24), which is located on the filter element support (11). The filter installation structure (24) includes a first inner baffle (243) and a second inner baffle (244). The first inner baffle (243) is disposed on the inner side of the filter element support (11), and the second inner baffle (244) is disposed between the winding shaft (21) and the filter element (12) and between the recovery shaft (22) and the filter element (12). The filter installation structure (24) further includes an outer baffle (245) disposed between the winding shaft (21) and the recovery shaft (22). The outer baffle (245) includes a first neat edge (2451), a second neat edge (2452) and a partition plate. One end of the partition plate is connected to the first inner baffle (243), and the other end of the partition plate is connected to the first neat edge (2451) and the second neat edge (2452).
2. The air filter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filter element support (11) is provided with multiple rotating shafts (13) on the outer surface of the filter element (12), and the axial direction of the rotating shafts (13) is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the filter screen (23) when it is recycled.
3. The air filter according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer surface of the filter element support (11) is provided with a first bearing (1311), and the corresponding rotating shaft (13) is installed on the first bearing (1311).
4. The air filter according to claim 2, characterized in that, The filter installation structure (24) includes a first fixing seat (241) and a second fixing seat (242), which are used to install the two ends of the winding shaft (21) and the recovery shaft (22), respectively. The first inner baffle (243) is used to prevent air from directly entering the inner side of the filter element support (11), and the second inner baffle (244) is used to prevent air from flowing from the filter element (12) to the filter screen mounting structure (24).
5. The air filter according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first trimming edge (2451) is used to trim the filter screen (23) output by the winding shaft (21), and the second trimming edge (2452) is used to trim the filter screen (23) wound by the recovery shaft (22).
6. The air filter according to claim 5, characterized in that, The isolation plate is used to isolate the winding shaft (21) and the recovery shaft (22).
7. The air filter according to claim 5, characterized in that, An anti-jamming structure is also provided on the second neat edge (2452) or the second inner baffle (244); The anti-jamming structure is a cutting edge and / or comb teeth.
8. The air filter according to claim 5, characterized in that, The outer baffle (245) is fixed on the filter element bracket (11) and is separated from the first inner baffle (243) and the second inner baffle (244); The winding direction of the recovery shaft (22) is the same as or opposite to the winding release direction of the winding shaft (21) so as to wind the used side of the filter screen (23) inward onto the recovery shaft (22).
9. The air filter according to claim 4, characterized in that, The filter element (12) is an integral filter element that cannot be wound up. The filter element (12) is an open, non-closed cylindrical structure. The filter screen mounting structure (24) is disposed at the opening of the filter element (12). The filter element support (11) includes a top cover plate (14) and a bottom cover plate (15) disposed at both ends of the filter element (12) for fixing the filter element (12) and the filter screen mounting structure (24). The first fixing seat (241) is disposed on the top cover plate (14), and the second fixing seat (242) is disposed on the bottom cover plate (15); the first fixing seat (241) and the second fixing seat (242) are mounted on the winding shaft (21) and the recovery shaft (22) by means of a rotation damper (246) and a second bearing (1312).
10. The air filter according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a filter status detection device (3), a controller (4), and a drive unit (5); The filter status detection device (3) is connected to the controller (4). The controller (4) is used to control the drive device (5) to drive the recovery shaft (22) to rotate and recover the filter screen of the filter section (232) when the filter screen section (232) fails. The drive unit (5) is connected to the controller (4) and is connected to the recovery shaft (22) via a transmission.
11. The air filter according to claim 10, characterized in that, The drive shaft of the drive device (5) is connected to the recovery shaft (22) via a coupling (6); The coupling (6) includes a first part (61) and a second part (62). The first part (61) is fixed on the recovery shaft (22) and is coaxial with the recovery shaft (22). The second part (62) is fixed on the drive shaft and is coaxial with the drive shaft. The first split body (61) and the second split body (62) are in contact transmission, and the contact surfaces of the first split body (61) and the second split body (62) are provided with a plurality of concave and convex structures with matching shapes.
12. The air filter according to claim 11, characterized in that, The concave-convex structure on the contact surface includes protrusions and grooves that are centrally symmetrical in shape, and the protrusions and grooves are arranged radially along the coupling (6). The protrusions and grooves are all rectangular, trapezoidal, or V-shaped.
13. The air filter according to claim 10, characterized in that, The filter status detection device (3) is a wind speed sensor; The wind speed sensor is located on the opposite side of the filter surface of the filter element assembly (1) and is used to detect the air flow rate after the filter element assembly (1) filters the air. When the air velocity is less than the first preset velocity, the controller (4) controls the drive device (5) to drive the recovery shaft (22) to rotate; when the air velocity is greater than the second preset velocity, the controller (4) controls the drive device (5) to stop driving the recovery shaft (22) to rotate, wherein the first preset velocity is less than the second preset velocity.
14. The air filter according to claim 10, characterized in that, The filter status detection device (3) is a light sensor; The light sensor is disposed between the filter screen (23) and the filter element (12) to detect the light transmittance of the filter screen (23); When the light transmittance is less than the first preset light transmittance, the controller (4) controls the driving device (5) to drive the recycling shaft (22) to rotate; when the light transmittance is greater than the second preset light transmittance, the controller (4) controls the driving device (5) to stop driving the recycling shaft (22) to rotate, wherein the first preset light transmittance is less than the second preset light transmittance.
15. The air filter according to claim 10, characterized in that, The filtration status detection device (3) is a solid particulate matter sensor; The solid particulate matter sensor is installed inside the air duct after the filter element (12) is filtered, and is used to detect the solid particulate matter content of the air after the filter element (12) is filtered; When the solid particulate matter content is greater than a first preset content, the controller (4) controls the drive device (5) to drive the recycling shaft (22) to rotate; when the solid particulate matter content is less than a second preset content, the controller (4) controls the drive device (5) to stop driving the recycling shaft (22) to rotate, wherein the first preset content is greater than the second preset content.
16. A method for controlling an air filter, comprising controlling the air filter according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that, include: Receive a replacement instruction for a flexible filter element, wherein the flexible filter element is rollable and used to filter air flowing along the air passage. Control the rotation of the recovery shaft (22) to pull out the unused flexible filter element wound on the winding shaft (21) and recycle the used flexible filter element on the recovery shaft (22); wherein the winding shaft (21) and the recovery shaft (22) are respectively arranged on both sides of the air passage, and the flexible filter element between the winding shaft (21) and the recovery shaft (22) is arranged on the air passage.