Air Filter Element Asymmetric Conical Retaining Geometry

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air filter elements face challenges in reliable and accurate positioning within air filter housings, particularly during replacement by less qualified personnel, which can lead to operational inefficiencies and compromised seal integrity.

Innovation Solution

The air filter element features a holding arrangement with radially protruding bulges and a sealing arrangement with a sealing line that encircles the filter medium, along with recesses for precise alignment and a conical shape for easier installation, ensuring correct positioning and sealing between the raw and clean air sides.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the filter element is designed with simple geometry, then manufacturing is easier, but positioning accuracy and seal reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidpositioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The filter element incorporates an asymmetric conical shape with a wider top and narrower base, along with asymmetric positioning elements (protrusions and recesses) that are specifically oriented to ensure correct installation direction. This asymmetric design guides untrained personnel to install the filter correctly while maintaining simple manufacturing processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The filter element employs a conical geometry with curved surfaces instead of sharp edges or complex angular features. The conical shape with smooth curvature simplifies manufacturing while providing inherent alignment guidance during installation, improving positioning accuracy without requiring complex manufacturing steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Ease of manufacture

If the filter element is designed with simple geometry, then manufacturing is easier, but seal integrity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidseal integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing surface is designed with a conical curvature that matches the housing interface, providing continuous contact across the sealing surface. This curved geometry ensures uniform seal compression and reliable sealing between the raw air and clean air sides, while the conical shape itself is simple to manufacture using standard molding or forming processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Manufacturing precision

If positioning elements are added outside the sealing line, then positioning accuracy improves, but device dimensions increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidfilter element dimensions
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning protrusions and recesses are integrated directly into the conical body of the filter element, merging the positioning function with the structural form. No separate positioning elements or additional components are required outside the sealing line, maintaining compact dimensions while ensuring accurate positioning through the conical geometry and integrated features.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2802401B1Air filter element having a specific retaining geometry
Publication Date: 2019.12.18 MANN HUMMEL GMBH
  • EP2802401B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP2802401B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6
  • EP2802401B1 patent drawingFigure 7

AI summary

Disclosed is an air filter element (200) for insertion into an air filter housing, comprising an intake surface (275), a discharge surface (285), a filter medium (210), and a filter element-retaining device (240) which extends along at least a section of the periphery of the filter medium (210), between the intake surface (275) and the discharge surface (285), and which includes a retaining arrangement (270) that radially projects from the filter medium (210).