Anti-Crown Support Grid for Vehicle Air Filter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air filters in vehicle engine systems face deformation and increased pressure drops due to air flow-induced deflection forces, especially in adverse climates, which can lead to mechanical failure.
Innovation Solution
An air filter assembly with an anti-crown support grid and alignment features that provide mechanical reinforcement to the filter media, including a peripheral seal frame and support ribs, to resist deformation and maintain airflow integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If filter media is used to capture particulate contaminants, then filtration effectiveness is improved, but air flow restriction and pressure drop increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filter element is divided into multiple pleated panels that are separated by spacer members. This segmentation creates channels that guide air flow through the filter media while preventing media-to-media contact, thereby maintaining filtration effectiveness while reducing unnecessary flow restriction.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a flat filter media configuration to a three-dimensional pleated structure with spacers creating depth. This dimensional change increases the effective filtration surface area while maintaining adequate air flow channels, allowing more contaminants to be captured without proportionally increasing flow restriction.
2Productivity
If air flow through filter media is increased, then productivity is improved, but deflection forces and media deformation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filter media is segmented into multiple panels separated by spacers. This segmentation distributes the air flow-induced deflection forces across multiple independent panels rather than concentrating them on a single continuous sheet, reducing the overall deformation and crown formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer members are positioned at specific locations between filter media panels to provide localized structural support. This creates regions of enhanced stiffness where needed to resist deflection forces while maintaining open flow channels, allowing the structure to have varying local properties optimized for both strength and flow.
3Reliability
If filter media surface area is increased to improve filtration, then contamination capture is improved, but susceptibility to snow and ice blockage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter element is segmented into multiple panels with gaps between them created by spacer members. This segmentation prevents snow and ice accumulation on one panel from blocking the entire filter surface, as air flow can continue through the gaps to reach other panels, thereby maintaining filtration effectiveness while reducing blockage susceptibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An air filter element is provided with an anti-crown support grid on a clean side of the filter media. The support grid includes at least one side rail provided along periphery portions of the grid and at least one support rib spanning between and secured at opposing ends to the side rails. A plurality of frame attachment members extend outwardly from the support rails and are configured for embedding into the seal frame to secure the support grid to the frame. The support grid includes at least one alignment feature sized, configured and positioned to be receivable into a complimentary feature of a housing so as to positionally lock the filter element and the housing.