Compressible Filter Element for Vehicle Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional filter elements in motor vehicle intake systems, due to their compact and rigid design, limit the deformability of the intake system, posing a risk of injury to pedestrians in the event of a collision, as they are often placed in crash-relevant areas and restrict the system's ability to absorb impact.
Innovation Solution
A filter element utilizing a non-woven fabric with a specific fold configuration and reduced fold density, allowing for reversible deformation and reduced spacing between components, ensuring high filter performance while enabling problem-free deformability, which can be achieved by using synthetic fibers and thermoplastic materials with adjustable stiffness and bonding methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a compact and rigid filter element design is used, then filtering capacity is improved, but the deformability of the intake system is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional rigid paper filter medium with a flexible nonwoven fabric that can deform reversibly. This flexible fabric maintains filtering capacity while allowing the intake system to deform during collisions, thereby resolving the contradiction between filtering performance and deformability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the filter medium by using nonwoven fabric with specific pleating patterns and reduced pleat density. This allows the filter to achieve compactness and rigidity when needed for filtration while maintaining the ability to deform when required for safety, thus resolving the contradiction.
2Area of stationary object
If the filter element is positioned close to body components to save space, then installation space is optimized, but the risk of injury to road users increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the filter element dynamically adaptable by using a nonwoven fabric that can change its shape and volume in response to external forces. During normal operation, the filter maintains its filtering function; during collisions, it can deform to allow body components to move closer, thereby resolving the contradiction between space utilization and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible nonwoven fabric acts as a cushioning element that can deform during collisions to protect road users. By incorporating this deformable material beforehand, the system prepares for collision scenarios, allowing components to deform safely while maintaining filtering capacity during normal operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the pleat density is reduced to increase deformability, then the spacing between pleat crests increases, but the filter area may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the filter area by utilizing the three-dimensional pleated structure of the nonwoven fabric. The pleats create multiple folding layers that increase the effective filter area without increasing the overall footprint, allowing reduced pleat density while maintaining adequate filter surface area for performance.
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
The non-woven filter element significantly reduces the risk of injury by allowing a minimum 20% reduction in component spacing, maintaining high filter performance, and enabling the filter element to deform reversibly, thus enhancing safety and usability in crash scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
a nonwoven fabric possesses a particular elasticity that enables the reversible deformation of the filter element
Implementation Method 2
the crests of two adjacent pleats can be spaced further apart than those of a paper filter medium, thus reducing the pleat density. This greater spacing of the pleats allows them to fold
Data Source
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AI summary
The filter element useful in motor vehicle, comprises a first component (1), a second component (2) and a folded filter medium (3) arranged between the components, which are spaced apart through the filter medium. The filter medium is made of non-woven material and is folded in such a manner that a distance between the components is reversibly reduced (75 %) area wise during their force impact. The filter medium has a height, which is reduced around 75 %, and folds, whose fold faces are faced towards the components. The filter element useful in motor vehicle, comprises a first component (1), a second component (2) and a folded filter medium (3) arranged between the components, which are spaced apart through the filter medium. The filter medium is made of non-woven material and is folded in such a manner that a distance between the components is reversibly reduced (75 %) area wise during their force impact. The filter medium has a height, which is reduced around 75 %, and folds, whose fold faces are faced towards the components. The filter medium is made up of thermoplastic non-woven material that comprises synthetic fibers or different fibers of different flexural rigidity. The fold backs of two neighboring folds have a distance of 0.5-3 cm. The folds are provided with target bending passage. Two or more folds are connected with one another in defined distances in such a manner that the fold walls or fold flanks partly lie together. The components are made of a material, which is harder than the filter medium. The components are manufactured by injection molding-technique. One of the components has a passage (6). Sealants (7) are assigned to the passage, which functions as detent elements. Detent elements are assigned to the components, which are formed as single piece with the components. A target break means is assigned to the components. Flexible stabilization elements are assigned to the components. An arrangement is formed as engine air cleaner of a motor vehicle.