Sealing Device Molding on Pleated Bellows End Fold
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing filter elements with sealing devices often result in sealing material expanding into folded regions of pleated bellows, rendering adjacent filter surface areas unusable for fluid filtration.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a casting shell assembly with a limitation element that contacts the inner side of the end fold of a pleated bellows, preventing the expansion of curable sealing material into neighboring folds, ensuring the filtration surface remains free of sealing material during curing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sealing material is introduced into the casting chamber to form a sealing device on the end fold, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but sealing material expands into neighboring folds reducing filtration surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The casting chamber is segmented from the expansion chamber by a limitation element. This segmentation allows the sealing material to be contained and cured in a controlled region (casting chamber) without expanding into the neighboring folds, thus preserving filtration surface area while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The limitation element acts as an intermediary barrier between the casting chamber and the expansion chamber. It allows the sealing material to expand controlledly within the casting chamber while preventing uncontrolled expansion into the neighboring folds, thereby resolving the contradiction between sealing effectiveness and filtration surface area.
2Reliability
If sealing material is allowed to expand during curing, then sealing device coverage is improved, but adjacent filter surface areas become unusable for fluid filtration
Solution Approach 1:
The casting chamber is divided into two functional zones: a casting chamber for introducing and curing the sealing material, and an expansion chamber for controlled expansion. This segmentation ensures the sealing material achieves adequate coverage for sealing while preventing excessive expansion that would reduce filtration capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the filter element are assigned different qualities: the end fold region receives sealing material for sealing effectiveness, while the neighboring fold regions are protected to maintain filtration capacity. The limitation element creates this local quality differentiation by restricting material expansion to specific zones.
3Area of stationary object
If limitation element is introduced to prevent sealing material expansion, then filtration surface area is preserved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The limitation element is designed as a thin, flexible component that can be easily integrated into the casting shell assembly. This minimizes the increase in manufacturing complexity while effectively preventing sealing material expansion to preserve filtration surface area.
4Productivity
If sealing material expansion is restricted, then neighboring folds remain free for filtration, but sealing material may not adequately cover end fold regions
Solution Approach 1:
The casting chamber is designed with sufficient volume to contain adequate sealing material for complete coverage of the end fold regions. The segmentation into casting chamber and expansion chamber ensures this material is available where needed without encroaching on the filtration surface area of neighboring folds.
Solution Approach 2:
The limitation element is positioned in advance within the casting chamber to define the boundaries of sealing material expansion. This preliminary action ensures that when sealing material is introduced, it will automatically be contained to the appropriate regions for adequate end fold coverage while protecting neighboring folds.
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
This approach ensures that only the end fold of the pleated bellows is covered with sealing material, maintaining the filtration efficiency of adjacent sections and allowing for the production of smaller filter elements with improved filtration performance.
Implementation Method 1
the sealing material can expand, during curing, into folded regions of the pleated bellows
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for molding a sealing device onto an end fold of a pleated bellows, wherein the end fold comprises an outer side and an inner side, the pleated bellows arranged in a casting shell assembly is embedded in a curable sealing material, limited at a rim of the pleated bellows by a casting chamber formed by the casting shell assembly. Expansion of the curable sealing material is reduced or prevented by a limitation element contacting the inner side of the end fold. A casting shell assembly has top and bottom casting shell parts forming a casting chamber to mold a sealing device onto the end fold of the pleated bellows by a sealing material. The bottom casting shell part has a channel for receiving the sealing material. The channel has an upwardly projecting limitation element for engaging an inner side of the end fold.