Air Filter Pack Retention with Glass Fiber Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air filters used in sterilization furnaces for medical products, when oriented horizontally, face issues with reduced adhesion between the filter frame and pack, leading to potential deformation and leakage due to weight, and existing solutions fail to prevent filter pack movement and air leakage effectively.
Innovation Solution
An air filter design featuring a C-shaped filter frame with inwardly folded portions and a stopper to prevent filter pack movement, combined with ultra-fine glass fiber sheet and strip-shaped sealing materials embedded between the filter pack and separators to maintain sealing integrity, even under high temperatures and weight stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the air filter is used in horizontal direction in sterilization furnace, then the filter pack can be installed in landscape orientation, but the adhesion between filter frame and filter pack is reduced causing the filter pack to fall off due to own weight
Solution Approach 1:
A stopper is introduced as an intermediary component between the filter pack and the filter frame. The stopper fits into a groove formed in the downstream side of the filter frame, creating a mechanical interlock that prevents the filter pack from falling off when installed horizontally, while maintaining the adaptability for landscape orientation installation
2Stress or pressure
If load of final pressure or more is applied due to drift or turbulence, then the air filter can handle high pressure loads, but the filter pack is moved to contact folded portions of filter frame causing deformation and air leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper is positioned in advance on the downstream side of the filter frame to prevent the filter pack from moving forward under pressure loads. By providing this preliminary restraint, the filter pack is protected from contacting the folded portions of the filter frame, preventing deformation and maintaining sealing integrity even when subjected to drift or turbulence pressures
3Reliability
If sheet-shaped sealing material is used between filter frame and filter pack, then sealing is provided, but the sealing material cannot prevent filter pack movement under high temperature conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing and retention functions are segmented into two separate components: the sheet-shaped sealing material provides the sealing function, while the stopper provides the mechanical retention function. This segmentation allows the stopper to prevent filter pack movement under high temperature conditions where adhesion is reduced, while the sealing material maintains its sealing property independently
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(c)
Figure 2~3(c)
Figure 4~5
AI summary
To provide an air filter in which a filter pack is not moved in use as well as in which the filter pack does not fall off when used in horizontal direction. An air filter in which a sheet-shaped sealing material made of glass fibers is inserted into a zigzag-shaped end surface of a filter pack formed by folding a filter medium in zigzag shape and by inserting corrugated separators into folding spaces, and at least the zigzag-shaped end surface of the filter pack is surrounded by a filter frame having a C-shape in cross section and including folded portions formed by inwardly folding open ends, which includes a stopper between the folded portion in a downstream side and the filter pack and strip-shaped sealing materials made of glass fibers are embedded between the sheet-shaped sealing material and the filter pack so as to closely contact the separators in the folding spaces of the filter pack.