Vacuum Filter Bag Holding Plate With Flexible Sealing Flap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum cleaner filter bag holding plates struggle with complete closure due to dust particles or fibers accumulating at the opening, preventing effective sealing, especially when the bag is full.
Innovation Solution
A holding plate with a closure flap featuring a first area of higher hardness and a second area of lower Shore hardness, less than 1 mm thick, allowing the flap to bend and move through dust cakes for secure closure, with the second material comprising thermoplastic elastomers or elastomer-modified polypropylene, ensuring reliable sealing even when heavily filled.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the closure flap is made of thick soft plastic (1-3 mm) with Shore hardness less than 25 Shore-A, then coarse dirt particles are pressed into the soft plastic by the closing flap, but the closure flap cannot move through the filter cake when the bag is heavily filled
Solution Approach 1:
The closure flap is designed with non-uniform thickness, featuring a thin edge region (0.1-0.5 mm) at the closing edge for mobility and penetration through filter cake, while the main body maintains sufficient thickness for structural integrity. This local variation in thickness allows different regions of the same component to serve different functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure flap combines two different plastic materials with distinct properties: a harder material (Shore hardness 40-60) for the main body providing structural strength, and a softer material (Shore hardness 20-40) for the edge region providing flexibility and sealing capability. This composite structure resolves the contradiction between rigidity and flexibility.
2Ease of operation
If the closure flap edge is made thin and soft, then the closure flap can easily move through the filter cake, but the edge may be too weak to press dirt particles effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The closure flap is designed with non-uniform thickness, featuring a thin edge region (0.1-0.5 mm) at the closing edge for mobility and penetration through filter cake, while the main body maintains sufficient thickness for structural integrity. This local variation in thickness allows different regions of the same component to serve different functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure flap combines two different plastic materials with distinct properties: a harder material (Shore hardness 40-60) for the main body providing structural strength, and a softer material (Shore hardness 20-40) for the edge region providing flexibility and sealing capability. This composite structure resolves the contradiction between rigidity and flexibility.
3Reliability
If a thick soft plastic rim is used to press dirt particles, then sealing is improved, but the closure flap cannot penetrate through heavy filter cake when bag is full
Solution Approach 1:
The closure flap is designed with non-uniform thickness, featuring a thin edge region (0.1-0.5 mm) at the closing edge for mobility and penetration through filter cake, while the main body maintains sufficient thickness for structural integrity. This local variation in thickness allows different regions of the same component to serve different functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure flap combines two different plastic materials with distinct properties: a harder material (Shore hardness 40-60) for the main body providing structural strength, and a softer material (Shore hardness 20-40) for the edge region providing flexibility and sealing capability. This composite structure resolves the contradiction between rigidity and flexibility.
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
Ensures the closure flap can effectively seal the vacuum cleaner filter bag, maintaining dust-tight closure despite the presence of dust particles or fibers, ensuring efficient operation and easy cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
the second material at least partially has a thickness of less than 1 mm. Since the softer material in an edge area of the closure flap has a small thickness of less than 1 mm, the closure flap can still move through the filter cake that is formed
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The holding plate (1) has a through-passage opening (2), a base plate (4) and a cover flap (3) for closing the through-passage opening. The cover flap comprises a region (5) made of material of hardness and another region (6) made of another material of hardness. The latter region is partly arranged on the edge of the cover flap. The latter material has a thickness of less than 1 millimeter. The former or the latter material is plastic. The former material is a thermoplastic and the latter material is an elastomer, particularly thermoplastic elastomer.