Deformable Filter Housing for Dust Extraction in Soil Cultivation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mobile soil cultivating machines face challenges in effectively removing caked, hardened mineral particle material from their filter devices due to high moisture content and abrasive dust, which impairs the filter's efficiency and leads to mortar-like hardening of the filter cake.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a deformation actuator arrangement within the filter housing that allows for orthogonal deformation of specific walls, utilizing materials with lower modulus of elasticity such as plastic or elastomers, and employing a pneumatic device to generate overpressure or negative pressure to detach and remove the hardened material, along with a conveying fan to ensure clean air reaches the fan and a cleaning device to manage filter cake.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a filter device is used to remove dust particles from extracted air, then air cleaning efficiency is improved, but the filter housing walls become contaminated with caked, hardened mineral particle material that is difficult to remove

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilter efficiencyVSAvoidcleaning difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The filter housing incorporates at least one deformable wall that can be actively deformed by a deformation actuator arrangement to detach caked material. This dynamic capability allows the housing to transition from a static containment structure to an active cleaning mechanism, resolving the contradiction between maintaining filter efficiency and enabling easy cleaning of the housing walls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The deformable wall changes its physical state from rigid to flexible during the cleaning process. By altering the mechanical properties of the wall (making it deformable rather than rigid), the system enables easy removal of caked material while maintaining structural integrity during normal operation, thus resolving the cleaning difficulty issue.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If moisture is injected into the working device housing to bind dust, then dust generation is reduced, but the filter cake hardens into a mortar-like substance that adheres strongly to the filter housing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust generationVSAvoidfilter cake adhesion
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system converts the harmful effect of moisture (which causes filter cake hardening and adhesion) into a beneficial cleaning mechanism. The deformable wall, when actuated, uses its flexibility to detach the moisture-hardened filter cake that would otherwise be difficult to remove, thus transforming the problem of hardened adhesion into an opportunity for effective cleaning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The deformable wall provides a dynamic solution to the static problem of hardened filter cake adhesion. By actively deforming the wall, the system can overcome the strong adhesion forces created by moisture binding, enabling periodic removal of the hardened material without requiring manual intervention or complex cleaning systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Strength

If conventional rigid filter housing walls are used, then structural strength is maintained, but caked material cannot be easily detached for cleaning

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing strengthVSAvoidmaterial detachment
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of making the entire filter housing rigid or flexible, the invention applies the deformable wall property locally to specific areas where material detachment is needed. This localized approach maintains overall structural strength while providing targeted flexibility for cleaning, resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of material detachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The filter housing transitions from a completely static rigid structure to a dynamic structure with selectively deformable walls. The deformation actuator arrangement enables controlled flexibility in specific regions, allowing the housing to maintain strength during normal operation while enabling easy material detachment during cleaning cycles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 solution enables simple and reliable detachment of caked material from the filter housing, maintaining filter efficiency, reducing abrasive wear on the conveying fan, and extending the service life of filter components by ensuring clean air is conveyed, thus improving operational reliability and reducing maintenance.

Implementation Method 1

a deformation actuator arrangement which interacts with at least one wall of the filter housing in such a way that, by actuating the deformation actuator arrangement, the at least one wall of the filter housing can be deformed orthogonally to its wall surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

employing a pneumatic device to generate overpressure or negative pressure to detach and remove the hardened material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 3

the filter body is designed to remove dust particles from the air flowing through the filter device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical filtration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 4

a conveying fan to ensure clean air reaches the fan

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical propulsion: Fan

Data Source

PatentEP3832020B1Soil treatment machine with filtered dust extraction with elastically deformable filter housing
Publication Date: 2023.05.17 WIRTGEN GMBH
  • EP3832020B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3832020B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3832020B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A mobile soil cultivation machine (10), such as a road milling machine, recycler, or surface miner, comprising: - a working device (12) for material removal from an area of ​​soil (U), and - an extraction device (40) configured to extract dust-laden air from at least one machine area at at least one extraction point (46) and to discharge the extracted air at a discharge point (50) different from the extraction point (46), wherein the extraction device (40) has a filter device (42) arranged along an operating flow path from the at least one extraction point (46) to the discharge point (50), wherein the filter device (42) comprises: - a filter housing (54), - a filter body (52) received in the filter housing (54), wherein the filter body (52) is configured to remove dust particles from the air flowing through the filter device (42), and wherein the filter device (42) includes a deformation actuator arrangement (44, 76a) shows,which interacts with at least one wall (86) of the filter housing (54) in such a way as to transmit force such that, by actuating the deformation actuator arrangement (44, 76a), the at least one wall (86) of the filter housing (54) can be deformed orthogonally to its wall surface.