Divided Filter Bag With Elastic Partition for Sustained Airflow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Filter bags for vacuum cleaners experience a significant decrease in air volume flow as they become filled with dust, leading to clogging of fine filter areas and reduced filtering performance.

Innovation Solution

A filter bag design with a divided interior, featuring a pre-filter chamber and a post-filter chamber separated by a dividing wall with a predetermined breaking point and adjustable air permeability, allowing for extended filter performance and complete filling without clogging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single-chamber filter bag is used, then the structure is simple, but the filter performance decreases significantly with increasing filling due to clogging of fine filter areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidfilter performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The filter bag is divided into a first chamber with a first filter material and a second chamber with a second filter material, separated by a partition wall. This segmentation allows different filtering stages to occur in separate chambers, preventing clogging of the fine filter area and maintaining filter performance throughout the filling process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Volume of stationary object

If the filter bag is filled to maximum capacity, then the storage volume is maximized, but the air volume flow decreases due to blockage of the fine filter area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage volumeVSAvoidair volume flow
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the filter bag into two chambers with different filter materials, the system can accommodate maximum filling while maintaining air flow. The first chamber captures larger particles that would otherwise block the fine filter in the second chamber, preserving productivity throughout the entire storage volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first chamber performs preliminary filtering of larger particles before air enters the second chamber. This preliminary action prevents clogging of the fine filter area, ensuring that air volume flow is maintained even when the filter bag is completely filled.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If a partition wall is added to create chambers, then filter performance is maintained, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilter performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Different filter materials are used in different chambers based on local requirements. The first chamber uses a coarser filter material suitable for pre-filtering, while the second chamber uses a finer filter material for final filtration. This local quality approach optimizes filter performance while managing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Productivity

If a coarser filter material is used, then dust particles can be pre-filtered effectively, but fine particles may pass through without proper filtration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepre-filtering efficiencyVSAvoidfine particle filtration
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The filtering process is segmented into two stages: the first chamber with coarser filter material handles pre-filtering of larger particles, while the second chamber with finer filter material captures fine particles. This segmentation allows each chamber to specialize in its particle size range, achieving both pre-filtering efficiency and fine particle filtration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different filter materials with appropriate pore sizes are selected for each chamber based on the local filtration requirements. The first chamber uses coarser material for efficient pre-filtering, while the second chamber uses finer material for precise fine particle capture, optimizing both productivity and manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 divided filter bag design maintains high filtering performance even with increased filling by preventing clogging of the fine filter area and ensuring continuous air flow, extending the effective filter surface and volume flow.

Implementation Method 1

a bag (1) with an interior, in particular for vacuum cleaners, with a bag made of air-permeable filter material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical filtration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

a dividing wall (7) has a density gradient and is designed to be more open on the inflow side than on the outflow side

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDensity gradient separation: Density Gradient

Implementation Method 3

coarser and finer dust can be held back and stored on the dividing wall

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravitational settling: Gravitation

Implementation Method 4

The dividing wall can be elastic and can be stretched as the filling increases, the air permeability being greater in the stretched state than in the unstretched state

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 5

the incoming air can flow through the bypass opening only by deflection, the air flowing through the bypass opening releases dust particles to a certain extent into the antechamber by centrifugal forces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentEP2177145B1Filter bag
Publication Date: 2011.12.28 WOLF PVG GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2177145B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2C
  • EP2177145B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~4

AI summary

The filter bag (1) has a sac formed from an air permeable filter material (2, 3), and an inlet opening (6) formed at the sac for air to be filtered. An inner cavity of the sac is divided into two chambers (9, 10), where the chamber (9) is used for coarse filtering of the air and the chamber (10) is used for fine filtering of the air that is released from the former chamber. A partition wall exhibits a density gradient, and is elastically formed.