Gripping Element for Vehicle Air Filter Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air filtration devices for motor vehicles are difficult to extract from their housing casings without complicating the manufacturing process or increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a gripping element between the filter medium and the air channel wall during assembly, which can be easily inserted and welded, allowing for flexible orientation and reducing bulk, and manufactured from scrap material to simplify the manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a gripping element is added to facilitate extraction of the filtration device, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping element is merged with the filter medium and air channel wall assembly during the existing welding operation. The element is positioned between the filter medium and wall, and all three components are welded together in a single operation, integrating the gripping function into the existing structure without adding separate assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping element serves dual purposes: it provides extraction assistance while also being permanently integrated into the device structure through welding. The element's own material properties (flexibility, weldability) enable it to fulfill both its gripping function and structural integration requirements.
2Ease of operation
If a gripping element is added to facilitate extraction, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping element is incorporated into the existing welding process that joins the filter medium to the air channel wall. By positioning the element between these components and welding all three together in one operation, the patent avoids adding separate manufacturing steps, tooling, or quality control procedures that would increase costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping element can be manufactured from scrap material or offcuts from the filter medium production process. This approach converts waste material into a functional component, reducing material costs and potentially simplifying the supply chain.
3Volume of moving object
If the gripping element is made flexible to reduce bulk, then volume is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping element is designed as a flexible component that can be bent at least 90 degrees. This flexibility allows the element to be compacted or folded when the device is housed in its casing, minimizing the volume occupied by the gripping feature while maintaining its extraction function when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping element's material properties are selected to provide both flexibility for volume reduction and weldability for reliable assembly. The element can be manufactured from the same material as the filter medium, ensuring consistent material behavior during welding and flexible deformation during storage or installation.
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
Facilitates easy extraction of the filtration device from its housing casing without adding complexity or cost, while maintaining reliable assembly through methods like infrared welding.
Implementation Method 1
The welding can also be carried out by infrared radiation. In this case, at least one junction face of each wall is heated by a lamp emitting infrared radiation.
Implementation Method 2
The filter medium is assembled to the pipe walls during an assembly step, generally a welding step, such as mirror welding, consisting in heating until the start of fusion of the corresponding connecting parts of the filter medium and the walls and then pressing these connecting parts against each other to weld them together.
Data Source
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AI summary
The manufacturing process includes an assembly step of a filter medium (12) with an air duct wall (14, 16). A gripping element (20) is assembled between the filter medium (12) and the air duct wall (14, 16) during the assembly step. Preferably, the assembly step is selected from an infrared welding or mirror welding step.