Vacuum Cleaner Filter Cassette With Wiper Rib for Fan Dust Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum cleaners face challenges in protecting the fan from dust due to dust accumulation on the air duct walls, which can lead to fan damage when filter cassettes are removed, and existing sealing solutions complicate handling and allow dust to enter the fan.
Innovation Solution
A filter cartridge with a wiper rib that contacts the air duct wall during removal, guiding dust onto the filter material and bridging gaps between the air duct and filter holder, preventing dust from entering the fan and simplifying handling by allowing easy withdrawal without tilting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal is added to the filter cartridge to improve dust protection, then fan protection from dust is improved, but handling of the filter cartridge is worsened due to high friction and canting
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from a traditional seal and integrated into the wiper rib structure. The wiper rib performs both the sealing function and the wiping function through a single integrated component, eliminating the need for separate sealing elements that would increase friction and handling difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The wiper rib is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it seals the gap between the filter cartridge and air duct, wipes dust from the air duct wall, and guides the filter cartridge during insertion and removal. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate sealing components.
2Reliability
If a lip seal is arranged circumferentially to improve sealing, then dust protection is improved, but device complexity and handling difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from a complex circumferential lip seal arrangement and simplified into a single wiper rib structure that achieves sealing through its wiping action and geometric configuration, significantly reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The wiper rib acts as an intermediary element between the filter cartridge and air duct wall, creating a sealing effect through its positioning and contact with the wall, rather than requiring a complex seal structure.
3Ease of repair
If the filter cartridge is designed as a separate replaceable part, then maintenance is improved, but dust from the intermediate area can damage the fan during removal
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper rib performs preliminary wiping action during the removal process itself, cleaning dust from the air duct wall as the filter cartridge is being pulled out. This preliminary action prevents dust from falling onto the fan before the filter is completely removed.
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harm of dust falling onto the fan during removal is converted into a benefit by using the removal motion itself to activate the wiper rib, which then wipes dust onto the filter or away from the fan area, turning the removal process into a cleaning process.
4Reliability
If the wiper rib contacts the air duct wall during removal, then dust is removed and fan protection is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper rib is designed with specific geometric parameters (length, angle, position) that allow it to contact the air duct wall effectively across a range of tolerances. By optimizing these parameters, the system achieves reliable dust wiping without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The wiper rib is designed to contact the air duct wall over a sufficient portion of the removal distance to achieve effective dust removal, without requiring perfect contact throughout the entire removal process. This partial action approach reduces manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining effectiveness.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The filter cassette (100) has filter receiving structure (110) for receiving a filter material, and inserted in an air duct (130) of the vacuum cleaner along the air flow direction (134). The skimming rib (120) is adjoined in a portion at an edge (112) of the filter receiving structure and attached to a wall (132) of the air duct, when a filter cassette main portion is provided in the air duct. An independent claim is included for vacuum cleaner.