3D Adsorbent Filter Element for Stable Airflow Under Vibration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cabin filters for vehicles, particularly those used in construction and agricultural machinery, face challenges in maintaining compactness, effective air purification, and longevity in highly polluted environments due to issues with activated carbon settling and high pressure drop, leading to complex and space-consuming designs.

Innovation Solution

A filter element with a three-dimensional, disordered framework structure of thread-like sections, where adsorbent particles like activated carbon are firmly adhered, allowing for adjustable air permeability and adsorption capacity, and a self-supporting structure that remains stable under vibrations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If activated carbon is poured into a housing to create a filter, then the filter can be simple in structure, but the activated carbon settles and becomes dense locally under vibration, causing varying air permeability and loss of effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilter structureVSAvoidfilter effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a textile carrier medium (nonwoven fabric) as a flexible matrix to hold activated carbon particles. This textile structure prevents settling while maintaining flexibility and breathability, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and reliable performance under vibration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite structure combining textile fibers with activated carbon particles. This composite material integrates the mechanical stability of textile with the adsorption properties of activated carbon, preventing particle settlement while maintaining filter effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If activated carbon is tightly compressed to make it vibration-resistant, then the filter becomes suitable for vehicles, but the air permeability deteriorates and pressure drop increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration resistanceVSAvoidpressure drop
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by distributing activated carbon particles on the textile carrier medium rather than compressing the entire structure. This allows vibration resistance at the particle level while maintaining air permeability through the textile matrix, avoiding excessive pressure drop.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the porous structure of the textile carrier medium to maintain air permeability while holding activated carbon particles. The textile's inherent porosity allows air flow despite the presence of particles, preventing high pressure drop while ensuring vibration resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

3Quantity of substance

If the proportion of activated carbon is increased to filter high levels of pollutants, then the adsorption capacity improves, but the filter requires more space and becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveactivated carbon proportionVSAvoidfilter space
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses the textile carrier medium as a support structure that copies or replicates the function of holding activated carbon in a compact form. This allows high activated carbon content to be achieved without proportionally increasing filter volume, as the textile provides structural efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a compressed three-dimensional activated carbon block to a two-dimensional textile-based structure with particle distribution. This dimensional change allows higher particle concentration in a thinner profile, reducing overall filter space requirements while maintaining adsorption capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 solution provides a compact, vibration-resistant filter medium with adjustable pressure drop and high adsorption capacity, suitable for vehicles in polluted environments, ensuring extended service life and efficient air purification.

Implementation Method 1

the activated carbon acts as an adsorbent... contaminants attach to the activated carbon components

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

filter medium which has an air-permeable, disordered three-dimensional framework structure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPermeation: Permeation

Data Source

PatentEP4591964A1Filter with filter element and method for producing a filter element
Publication Date: 2025.07.30 SEKA UMWELTTECHNIK GMBH
  • EP4591964A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4591964A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4591964A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present invention relates to a filter comprising a filter element (10) with an adsorbent, wherein the filter element (10) comprises a filter medium (12; 112, 212) and the filter medium (12; 112, 212) has an air-permeable, disordered three-dimensional framework structure (18; 118; 218; 326) with a plurality of thread-like sections (22, 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d), wherein each thread-like section (22, 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d) has two opposite ends and has a contact point at at least one end, wherein the adsorbent comprises a plurality of adsorbent particles (20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d), and wherein at least a subset of the plurality of adsorbent particles (20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d; 318) adheres firmly to at least one thread-like section (22, 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d) inside the framework structure (18; 118; 218; 326). Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing such a filter.