Mechanically Coded Water Filter Cartridge for Approved Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water filter cartridges in kitchen appliances lack a reliable mechanism to ensure only approved filter types are used, leading to insufficient water treatment, potential machine defects, and operational safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A water filter cartridge with a polygonal contour connection element that fits securely with a complementary connection structure on the water tank, providing a form-fitting seal and fixing mechanism, ensuring only compatible cartridges can be used, and incorporating additional coding and fixing structures for enhanced security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter cartridge is used without a coding or encryption element, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability of ensuring only approved filter types are used deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection element is given an asymmetric polygonal cross-section that must match a corresponding asymmetric connection structure on the water tank. This asymmetric design ensures that only the correct filter cartridge type can be physically connected to the tank, preventing the use of incompatible or unapproved filters while maintaining simple manufacturing processes.
2Reliability
If a polygonal contour connection element with form-fitting seal is implemented, then the reliability and operational safety are improved, but the ease of manufacture and device complexity are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into a single connection element: the polygonal contour serves as both the coding/encryption element for ensuring compatibility and the form-fitting seal for creating the liquid-tight connection. This integration ensures operational safety through both mechanical compatibility and sealing while avoiding the need for separate coding and sealing components, thereby simplifying manufacturing.
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 solution ensures reliable operation of kitchen appliances by guaranteeing only approved filter cartridges are used, preventing defects and ensuring proper water treatment, while also enhancing operational safety and warranty compliance.
Implementation Method 1
the two complementary, polygonal connection structures are in a sealing effect with respect to one another when the filter cartridge is inserted. The sealing effect can preferably be produced by a form-fitting seal between these two polygonal connection elements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A filter cartridge, a tank for water-carrying appliances, in particular household appliances or appliances for the preparation of food and/or beverages such as beverage vending machines, especially coffee machines, drinking water dispensers, cooking and baking appliances, steam appliances, especially steam irons, steam cleaners, high-pressure cleaners, air purifiers and conditioners, or the like, a device, and adapters for connecting them are proposed. The device includes a suction port on the tank for drawing water from the tank using means for generating a vacuum, and a filter port for connecting a filter cartridge inside and/or outside the tank, ensuring that only the approved filter type is used. A tank according to the invention is characterized by mechanical coding structures with a polygonal cross-section of the circumferential surface at the filter connection element to prevent the use of a filter cartridge that does not correspond to the tank.