Crankcase Ventilation Filter Assemblies with Sealing Features

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Solution Overview

Problem

Crankcase ventilation filter systems face challenges in effectively separating aerosolized oils and particulates from gas streams in engine systems, leading to inefficiencies and environmental concerns, as existing systems struggle to properly filter and manage these contaminants before venting or recirculation.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of crankcase ventilation filter assemblies with specific seal arrangements and rotational alignment features ensures proper cartridge installation and operation, utilizing filter cartridges with vertically spaced seals and a housing base/access cover spacer arrangement to facilitate secure engagement and efficient filtration of aerosolized oils and particulates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional filtration systems are used to separate aerosolized oils and particulates from crankcase ventilation gases, then filtration of contaminants is achieved, but the systems fail to ensure proper cartridge installation and sealing, leading to potential leakage and reduced filtration efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiltration efficiencyVSAvoidcartridge installation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cartridge employs asymmetric sealing features including a first seal at an upper end and a second seal at a lower end of the end cap, positioned at different axial locations. This asymmetric arrangement ensures proper cartridge orientation and installation, preventing incorrect placement while maintaining reliable filtration performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing elements are pre-positioned on the cartridge end cap before installation into the housing. This preliminary positioning of seals ensures that when the cartridge is installed, proper sealing is automatically achieved without requiring additional sealing steps or adjustments, improving both installation ease and filtration reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If crankcase ventilation gases are vented to the atmosphere without proper filtration, then system simplicity is maintained, but environmental concerns and pollution from aerosolized oils and particulates increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveventilation systemVSAvoidaerosolized oil and particulate emission

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The filtration system utilizes a filter element with porous structure that allows crankcase ventilation gases to pass through while trapping aerosolized oils and particulates. The porous material provides effective contamination removal while maintaining relatively simple system architecture, enabling environmental compliance without excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The system separates and removes harmful aerosolized oils and particulates from the crankcase ventilation gases before discharge to the atmosphere. By discarding the contaminants through the filter element while allowing clean gases to be vented, the system addresses environmental concerns while maintaining operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Reliability

If multiple sealing elements are added to ensure proper cartridge installation, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidcartridge structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing elements are integrated directly onto the cartridge end cap structure, merging the sealing function with the structural component. This combination approach provides reliable multi-point sealing (first seal at upper end, second seal at lower end) while avoiding the complexity of separate, distributed sealing components, thus improving sealing performance without proportionally increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 accurate cartridge installation, enhances filtration efficiency, and prevents accidental closure without the proper cartridge, thereby improving system performance and environmental impact by ensuring effective separation and management of contaminants.

Implementation Method 1

filter cartridges which comprise media positioned around a central cartridge axis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

filtration of other contaminants such as carbon soot material from the gas streams

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS9440177B2Crankcase ventilation filter systems; components; features; and, methods of assembly and use

Publication Date: 2016.09.13 DONALDSON CO INC

AI summary

Crankcase ventilation filter assemblies are described and shown. Components, features and methods of assembly and use are described. Many of the principles relate to preferred cartridge configurations for engagement with selected housings. Selected optional features described can be used to provide indication to a service provider that a proper cartridge is not positioned appropriately in the housing for use.