Air Filter Connecting Unit With Segmented Thread
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air filter connecting units face limitations in holding force and ease of assembly, especially in tight engine spaces, due to the dependence of snap connection strength on joining angle and undercut, leading to limited manual assembly capabilities and torsional stresses.
Innovation Solution
An air filter connecting unit featuring a connecting flange with a circular receptacle having subdivided, resilient, curved inside thread segments and a connecting nipple with an advancing thread that ends in a free-running groove, allowing for reduced joining forces and enhanced axial security through rotatability and axial fixation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a snap connection with undercut is used to connect the connecting nipple to the flange, then the connection strength is improved, but the joining force required for assembly increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The thread flight is divided into multiple individual thread flight segments that are resilient and curved. These segments can deform independently during assembly, allowing the connection to be established with lower joining forces while maintaining strong holding capability through the cumulative effect of multiple segments engaging with the advancing thread.
Solution Approach 2:
The thread flight segments are designed with specific geometric parameters (curved shape, resilient properties, pitch, and profile) that enable them to deform elastically during assembly and then spring back to create secure engagement. This parameter optimization allows the connection to achieve high holding force without requiring high assembly force.
2Ease of operation
If the connecting nipple is made rotatable with respect to the flange, then the ease of operation is improved, but the axial stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system transitions from a static rigid connection to a dynamic system where the thread flight segments can deform and the connecting nipple can rotate within the free-running groove. The advancing thread on the flange provides axial constraint while allowing circumferential movement, creating a dynamically stable connection that adapts to operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The division of the thread flight into multiple resilient segments allows independent deformation of each segment during rotation and assembly. This segmentation enables the connecting nipple to rotate freely within the groove while the segments maintain axial engagement through their resilient curvature, separating rotational freedom from axial stability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the thread flight is subdivided into resilient curved segments, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thread flight is segmented into multiple curved resilient sections that can be manufactured as integrated features of the flange or nipple components. While the internal structure is more complex, the segmentation enables simpler assembly operations and reduces the need for separate fastening elements, potentially simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple thread flight segments are combined into a single integrated thread structure on the flange or nipple. This merging of multiple functional elements into one component reduces the total number of parts, simplifies assembly, and maintains the benefits of segmented deformation while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate components.
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 enables easy assembly with lower manual force requirements while achieving high holding forces and reducing torsional stresses, ensuring secure and ergonomic connections with improved rotatability and axial stability.
Implementation Method 1
at least one inside thread flight that is subdivided into individual, resilient, curved thread flight segments
Data Source
AI summary
An air filter connecting unit having a connecting flange (11) and a connecting nipple (20) that can be coupled to the connecting flange via a snap connection. The connecting flange (11) has a round receptacle (13) provided with an inside thread flight (12) that is subdivided into individual, resilient, curved thread flight segments (12.1, 12.2, . . . , 12.n). The associated connecting nipple (20) has a generally cylindrical construction and an advancing thread (22) which ends in a free-running groove (23) on the connecting nipple.