Conductive Plastic Filter Housing Grounding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel filter devices with plastic housings suffer from electrostatic charging due to the lack of electrical conductivity, leading to potential damage from high electrical voltage pulses, requiring complex grounding solutions.
Innovation Solution
The filter device uses an electrically conductive plastic for both the filter housing and the heater housing, allowing indirect grounding via the heating device connected to the vehicle's electrical system, eliminating the need for a separate grounding line or complex attachment components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional plastic housing material is used for the filter housing, then manufacturing cost and weight are reduced, but electrostatic charging occurs leading to potential damage from high electrical voltage pulses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining electrically conductive fibers or particles with plastic material to create a composite housing material. This composite material maintains the manufacturing advantages of plastic while providing electrical conductivity to dissipate electrostatic charges, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical conductivity parameter of the plastic material by adding conductive fibers or particles. This parameter change transforms the material from electrically insulating to electrically conductive, enabling charge dissipation while maintaining the structural and manufacturing benefits of plastic housing material.
2Reliability
If electrically conductive fibers are embedded in the plastic housing and connected to ground via a separate grounding line, then electrostatic charge accumulation is prevented, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the grounding function with the existing housing structure by making the housing itself electrically conductive through embedded conductive fibers. This eliminates the need for separate grounding lines and attachment components, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable charge dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical containment, structural support, and electrical grounding simultaneously. By making the housing material itself conductive, the patent eliminates the need for separate grounding components, achieving multi-functionality and reducing overall device complexity.
3Reliability
If a separate electrically conductive attachment component is used to connect the filter housing to the vehicle body, then grounding is achieved, but the attachment system becomes technically complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the grounding function into the housing material itself, eliminating the need for separate attachment components for grounding purposes. The conductive housing material provides direct grounding path to the vehicle body through existing attachment points, simplifying the attachment system while ensuring reliable electrical grounding.
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 effectively dissipates electrostatic charges without additional wiring effort, preventing irreversible damage to the filter housing and reducing the risk of electrical interference with other vehicle components.
Implementation Method 1
the lack of electrical conductivity of such filter housings made of electrically insulating plastic has proven to be problematic... the fuel flowing through the filter housing for filtering purposes regularly causes a triboelectric-related electrostatic charging of the electrically insulating filter housing... electrically conductive plastic... effectively dissipates electrostatic charges
Implementation Method 2
DE 10 2011 018 233 describes a fuel filter with a heating module that can be detachably fastened to the filter housing of the fuel filter for heating the fuel to be filtered
Implementation Method 3
the fuel flowing through the filter housing for filtering purposes regularly causes a triboelectric-related electrostatic charging of the electrically insulating filter housing
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a filter device (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a filter housing (2) which at least partially comprises a first housing material made of an electrically conductive plastic, comprising a heating device (6) which can be detachably attached to or is attached to the filter housing (2), wherein the heating device (6) comprises a heater housing (7) which is at least partially formed from a second housing material made of an electrically conductive plastic and is electrically connected to the filter housing (2) in a state attached to it, wherein the heating device (6) has an electric heating element (8) with an electrical connection element (14) which can be connected to an external power supply unit or an electrical system (11) of a motor vehicle by means of an external electrical supply line (12) for the purpose of supplying it with electrical energy.- wherein the electrical connection element (14) is electrically connected to the filter housing (2) and the heater housing (7) for the purpose of dissipating electrical charge carriers accumulating on the filter housing (2) and/or the heater housing (7).