Air Filter Gasket Integration for Sealing and Waste Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air filtration systems for motor vehicles face challenges in manufacturing complexity, material waste, and recycling difficulties due to the use of polyurethane or thermoplastic resin seals, which also affect filtration efficiency and cost.
Innovation Solution
An air filtration system utilizing an accordion-folded filter element with a double seal mechanism, where the filter element is interposed between a tank and a cover with a gasket that creates a seal on both the dirty/clean air interface and the lid/tank interface, eliminating the need for additional sealing accessories and using a single material structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If polyurethane or thermoplastic resin seals are used on the filter element, then sealing performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the filter element and transferred to a separate gasket that is integrated with the cover. This eliminates the need for complex overmolding processes on the filter element while maintaining effective sealing between the filter element and the air filter box.
Solution Approach 2:
A separate gasket acts as an intermediary component between the filter element and the cover, providing the sealing function without requiring direct integration into the filter element structure. This simplifies both the filter element manufacturing and the overall assembly process.
2Reliability
If polyurethane or thermoplastic resin seals are used, then sealing performance is improved, but material waste and recycling difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is made from the same material as the cover (thermoplastic material), creating a homogeneous structure that can be manufactured in one piece through injection molding. This eliminates material waste from overmolding processes and simplifies recycling since the entire assembly can be processed together.
3Reliability
If overmolding process is used to create seals, then sealing performance is improved, but production investment and filtration surface loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is merged with the cover in a single injection molding process, creating an integrated component. This eliminates the need for separate overmolding equipment and processes for the filter element, reducing production investment while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
4Ease of manufacture
If non-woven media gasket is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but positioning difficulty and material loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is pre-formed as an integrated part of the cover during the injection molding process, with its position and shape predetermined by the mold design. This eliminates positioning difficulties during assembly while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
This system includes a filter element (3) consisting of a folded accordion-like sheet forming a set of parallel folds extending transversely between first and second longitudinal edges (31), said filter element being interposed between (i) a tank (4) having filter element support means and (ii) a cover (5) equipped with a seal (24) having first sealing means between the cover (5) and the filter element (3) and second sealing means between the cover (5) and the tank (4).