Tolerance compensation of the filters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filter devices for extractor hoods often suffer from gaps due to manufacturing tolerances, allowing unfiltered cooking vapors contaminated with oils and fats to enter the hood, which reduces grease separation efficiency and increases cleaning effort.
Innovation Solution
A filter device with a housing unit and receiving section that incorporates adjusting and covering devices to ensure a closed filter surface, using spring devices and spacer elements to compensate for dimensional differences between filter devices and the receiving section, preventing gaps and maintaining a flush alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manufacturing tolerances are made tighter to prevent gaps between filter elements, then filter surface closure is improved, but manufacturing costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an outer frame as an intermediary component between the filter elements and the receiving section. This frame absorbs the dimensional tolerances through its adjustable structure, allowing filter elements with standard tolerances to be accommodated while still achieving a closed filter surface. The frame acts as a mediator that decouples the precision requirements from the final assembly fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs adjustable parameters in the outer frame structure, such as movable clamping elements and adjustable spacing mechanisms, that allow the frame to adapt to variations in filter element dimensions. By changing the geometric parameters of the frame dynamically rather than requiring fixed precise dimensions, the system accommodates standard tolerance filter elements while maintaining a closed filter surface.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple filter elements are arranged adjacently to maximize filter surface area, then filtration performance is improved, but gaps between elements may form allowing unfiltered vapors to pass through
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple filter elements into a unified assembly held within a single outer frame structure. This combination approach allows the individual filter elements to work together as an integrated system, where the frame ensures continuous contact between adjacent elements, preventing gaps while maintaining the cumulative filter surface area of all elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer frame serves as a mediating structure that physically connects and secures multiple filter elements to each other and to the receiving section. This intermediary framework ensures that filter elements remain in continuous contact, eliminating gaps between them while allowing each element to contribute to the overall filter surface area.
3Ease of operation
If filter elements are made detachable and reusable for ease of maintenance, then ease of operation is improved, but ensuring consistent alignment and closure after reinstallation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the outer frame with self-aligning features such as guide rails, positioning pins, or tapered interfaces that automatically guide filter elements into the correct position during reinstallation. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for precise manual alignment, allowing users to easily reinstall filter elements while ensuring consistent closure and alignment without requiring specialized tools or expertise.
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 solution ensures a completely closed filter surface, enhancing grease separation efficiency, reducing dirt inside the extractor hood, and minimizing manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for lower tolerances in part manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
The filter device (1) comprises at least one housing device (2) with at least one receiving section (3) for at least two filter devices (4, 5, 21)... at least one spring device (7), which is suitable and designed to push the filter devices (4, 5, 21) together
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
Filter device (1) comprising a housing device (2) with a receiving section (3) for at least two filter devices (4, 5, 21), with a filter surface ( 6) is formed. The filter device (1) comprises a cover device (50) and/or an adjustment device (7) which is suitable and designed to bring the filter devices (4, 5, 21) together to form an essentially closed filter surface (6).