Egg-Shaped Filter Engagement Protrusion for Watertight Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water filter systems lack a secure and efficient mechanism for interfacing the filter unit with the filter head assembly, leading to potential leaks and cross-contamination of unfiltered and filtered water.
Innovation Solution
A filter unit design featuring a body portion with an engagement protrusion having an egg-shaped cross-section and angled movement sections for both linear and rotational alignment, along with seals and key members for secure engagement with the filter head assembly, ensuring watertight sealing and easy installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple interface mechanism is used between filter unit and filter head assembly, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential leaks and cross-contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement protrusion is designed with an asymmetric egg-shaped cross-section that includes a rounded first end and a flattened second end. This asymmetric geometry enables the protrusion to engage with the corresponding engagement recess in a specific orientation, ensuring proper alignment between the filter unit and filter head assembly. The asymmetric shape provides natural guidance during installation while maintaining reliable sealing through the optimized contact surfaces.
2Reliability
If a secure engagement mechanism is implemented, then reliability is improved, but device complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement protrusion integrates multiple functions into a single component: it provides mechanical engagement through its egg-shaped geometry, ensures proper orientation through asymmetric features, and maintains sealing through integrated contact surfaces. By combining these functions into one protrusion element rather than using separate components for each function, the design achieves secure engagement while minimizing overall interface complexity.
3Reliability
If an egg-shaped engagement protrusion with angled movement sections is used, then reliability is improved through secure engagement, but manufacturing precision requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement protrusion features localized geometric characteristics with different radii of curvature at different regions. The rounded first end has a larger radius providing smooth engagement initiation, while the flattened second end has a smaller radius for precise positioning. This local variation in geometric quality allows each region to perform its specific function optimally while the overall egg-shaped profile remains manufacturable with standard tolerances.
Data Source
AI summary
A filter unit includes a body portion and an engagement protrusion that extends from the body portion with a first water containment seal. At least one cross-section of the engagement protrusion at a location of the first water containment seal, taken perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of the body portion, includes an egg-shaped outer perimeter with a single axis of symmetry. At least one engagement surface traverses around at least part of the body portion. The at least one engagement surface has a linear movement section for linear movement of the body portion. The linear movement section transitions to a rotational movement section for rotational movement of the body portion. The rotational movement section is angled relative to the linear movement section. A water inlet path and a water outlet path extend through a portion of the engagement protrusion defined by the at least one cross-section.