Air Dryer Cartridge Fixing Interface Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fixing interfaces between air dryer cartridges and air treatment devices in vehicles require complex designs with central threaded portions and bayonet locking, necessitating specialized tools and trained personnel, leading to increased assembly complexity and potential mounting errors.
Innovation Solution
A simplified fixing interface featuring a circular ring-shaped metal sheet with a fixing flange and housing portion, utilizing separate locking elements such as pins, screws, or detents that engage with the flange and housing fixing elements to lock rotational degrees of freedom, eliminating the need for central threaded portions and bayonet locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fixing interfaces with central threaded portions and bayonet locking are used, then fixation reliability is improved, but device complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing interface is divided into separate functional elements: a fixing flange with fixing elements on the cartridge base, and corresponding housing fixing elements on the housing portion. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex integrated threaded portions and bayonet locking mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliable fixation through distributed fixing elements.
2Reliability
If conventional fixing interfaces with central threaded portions and bayonet locking are used, then fixation reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing interface is designed to be self-aligning and self-fixing. The fixing flange with its fixing elements automatically engages with the housing fixing elements when the cartridge is inserted, eliminating the need for specialized tools or trained personnel. The design allows operators to perform mounting and dismounting operations independently without requiring complex tooling or specialized knowledge.
3Ease of operation
If simplified fixing interfaces are used, then ease of operation is improved, but fixation reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing flange is equipped with multiple localized fixing elements distributed around its perimeter, each providing a specific fixation point. This local distribution of fixing functionality ensures that simplified mounting operations do not compromise overall fixation reliability. The multiple discrete fixing elements work together to create a robust connection that maintains reliability while enabling ease of operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a fixing interface (10) for fixing of at least one air dryer cartridge (12) and at least one air treatment device (14) for a vehicle, especially utility vehicle, with at least one cartridge base (12a) assignable to the air dryer cartridge (12), wherein the cartridge base (12a) comprises at least one fixing flange (12b) and a circular ring-shaped metal sheet (12k) in contact with the fixing flange (12b) in the mounted state; and with at least one housing portion (14a) assignable to at least one housing (14b) of the air treatment device (14) for fixing, in a mounted state, the fixing flange (12b) to the housing portion (14a), wherein the fixing flange (12b) comprises at least one first flange fixing element (16a) and wherein the housing portion (14a) comprises at least one first housing fixing element (18a), wherein the at least one first flange fixing element (16a) and the at least one first housing fixing element (18a), in the mounted state, are engaged with one another, wherein the fixing interface (10) further comprises at least one locking element (28), wherein the at least one locking element (28), in the mounted state, is engaged either directly and/or indirectly with the at least one first flange fixing element (16a) and/or the at least one first housing fixing element (18a) such that at least one degree of freedom of the fixing flange (12b) with regard to the housing portion (14a) or vice versa is locked. The present invention further relates to an air dryer cartridge for an air treatment device for a vehicle, especially utility vehicle, with at least one fixing interface (10) as mentioned above and also relates to an air treatment device for a vehicle, especially utility vehicle, with at least one fixing interface (10) and with at least one air dryer cartridge (12) as mentioned above, respectively.