Air Filter Drawer Prevents Contamination During Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air filter arrangements for internal combustion engines face the challenge of contamination from the housing entering the clean room outlet during filter insert replacement, as the filter insert is easily contaminated and can release dirt particles into the clean room exit when replaced carelessly.
Innovation Solution
A drawer or lining piece is integrated into the filter insert near the clean room exit to create a collection space for dirt, ensuring that contaminants are automatically removed during filter replacement, preventing them from entering the clean room outlet. This drawer is securely attached to the filter insert and housing, guiding it on predetermined paths and locking into place to maintain cleanliness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the filter insert is replaced easily and quickly, then the maintenance operation is simple and fast, but contamination from the housing can enter the clean room outlet during replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The drawer is extracted as a separate removable component from the filter insert assembly. It can be easily removed together with the filter insert, allowing the filter insert to be replaced quickly while the drawer is discarded or cleaned separately, thus preventing contamination from being transported into the clean room outlet
Solution Approach 2:
The drawer acts as an intermediary component between the filter insert and the housing interior. It lines the housing interior region and creates a collection space that intercepts contamination before it can reach the clean room outlet, serving as a protective mediator during filter replacement operations
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a drawer is added to create a collection space for dirt, then contamination is prevented from entering the clean room outlet, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter arrangement is segmented into distinct functional components: the filter insert, the drawer, and the housing. The drawer is further segmented with specific features (guides, latching mechanisms) that are integrated but remain separate from the main filter element, allowing for modular manufacturing and assembly while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure
Solution Approach 2:
The drawer is nested within the housing interior region and works in conjunction with the filter insert. The drawer's structure is nested within the available space, with its front side forming part of the housing interior lining. This nesting approach allows the drawer to be integrated into the existing housing structure without requiring significant additional space or complex external additions
3Stability of the object's composition
If the drawer is securely attached with locking mechanisms, then the drawer remains in place during operation, but the ease of filter insert replacement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The latching mechanism is designed to be dynamic rather than permanently fixed. The at least one latch can be easily engaged and disengaged, allowing the drawer to be securely held in the retracted position during normal operation but quickly released when filter replacement is needed. This dynamic characteristic allows the drawer to transition between stable and easily removable states
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding guides and latching mechanism are designed to work together in a self-aligning manner. As the filter insert is inserted or removed, the drawer automatically slides along the guides and the latch engages or disengages based on the position of the filter insert, reducing the need for manual intervention while maintaining secure positioning during operation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Within a housing with an untreated room entrance and a clean room exit, a filter insert is arranged at the clean room exit in such a manner that the interior of the filter insert forms a clean room and the space remaining in the housing outside the filter insert forms an untreated room. A housing interior lining is arranged on the filter insert in the vicinity of the clean room exit in order to prevent dirt from penetrating the clean room exit during changing of the filter insert.