Filter Assembly Bypass for Clogged Waste Fluid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional filtering systems for waste fluid from household appliances, such as washing machines, often lead to functional failures or overflow when the filter element becomes clogged, posing maintenance challenges and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A filter assembly with a support structure featuring separate flooding areas and a valve system that allows unfiltered waste fluid to bypass a clogged filter element, ensuring continuous fluid expulsion and indicating clogging through a visible floating element, preventing overflow and facilitating maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter element is used to filter waste fluid, then contaminants are removed from the waste fluid, but the filter element becomes clogged over time causing functional failure or overflow
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into multiple flooding areas (first flooding area, second flooding area, third flooding area) that are spatially separated and functionally independent. Each area handles different stages of the bypass flow path, allowing the system to maintain drainage functionality even when the filter element is clogged, thus preventing functional failure while preserving filtration capability.
2Reliability
If the filter element is made more effective at blocking contaminants, then filtration performance improves, but the risk of complete clogging increases causing overflow
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass system acts as an intermediary pathway that activates when the primary filtration path is blocked. The valve serves as a mediator that directs flow between the unfiltered area and the first flooding area, ensuring that even when contaminants completely block the filter element, the system can still drain waste fluid through the bypass, preventing overflow while maintaining effective contaminant blocking capability.
3Reliability
If a bypass system is added to prevent clogging issues, then system reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass system is merged with the existing filter housing structure. The first, second, and third flooding areas are integrated into the support structure that already exists in conventional filter assemblies. The valve is incorporated into the same housing, combining the filtration and bypass functions into a single integrated unit, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
4Ease of operation
If maintenance operations are required when filter is clogged, then filtration effectiveness is maintained, but ease of operation decreases due to timely detection difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides visual feedback through the window that allows users to monitor the floating element's position. When the floating element rises to indicate the second flooding area, it provides immediate feedback that the filter element is clogged and maintenance is needed. This feedback mechanism makes it easy to detect clogging conditions timely while maintaining reliable filtration function.
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 filter assembly prevents machine failure and overflow, ensures safe operation by bypassing clogged filters, and simplifies maintenance by visually indicating when the filter needs cleaning or replacement.
Implementation Method 1
a first flooding area fluidly connected to said unfiltered area through a valve
Implementation Method 2
a floating element housed in said third flooding area and configured to be lifted when unfiltered waste fluid coming from said first flooding area overflows said second wall
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention relates a filter assembly (10) for filtering a waste fluid discharged by a household appliance. The filter assembly (10) comprises a filter element (12) defining an unfiltered area (22) receiving the waste fluid, a filter housing (18) receiving the filter element (12), wherein an outlet chamber (20) is defined between the filter element (12) and the filter housing (18) for receiving fluid passing through the filter element (12) and coming from the unfiltered area (22) and a support (14) for the filter element (12). There is provided an inlet (24) through which the waste fluid is supplied to the unfiltered area (22) and an outlet (26) fluidly connected to the outlet chamber (20), through which the waste fluid flows from the outlet chamber (20) to a drain. The support (14) comprises a first wall (50) defining a first flooding area (52) and a second flooding area (54) separated from the first flooding area (52) by the first wall (50). The first flooding area (52) is fluidly connected to the unfiltered area (22) through a valve (56) configured to allow unfiltered waste fluid to flow from the unfiltered area (22) to the first flooding area (52). The second flooding area (54) is apt to receive unfiltered waste fluid coming from the first flooding area (52) by overflowing the first wall (50) and the second flooding area (54) comprises at least one aperture (58) configured to allow unfiltered waste fluid to flow towards the outlet (26).