Hollow Filter Element Leveling Elements for Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing designs for hollow filter elements and filter housings face challenges in simplifying the positioning and retention of the filter element within the housing, particularly during installation, which can be complex and require improved alignment and sealing mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of leveling elements on the filter element, which compensate for size differences on either end, allowing for easier orientation and alignment within the housing, and separate guiding and sealing functions, enhancing the assembly process and reducing pressure differences during fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the filter element has different radial extents on either end, then the filter element can be optimized for fluid flow and filtration efficiency, but the positioning and alignment of the filter element in the housing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces leveling elements as intermediary components that mediate between the asymmetric filter element and the housing. These leveling elements compensate for the different radial extents on either end of the filter element, providing a interface that enables easy positioning and alignment while preserving the asymmetric geometry needed for optimal fluid flow and filtration efficiency
2Reliability
If the filter element is designed with complex positioning mechanisms, then the retention and alignment in the housing can be improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the positioning function from the main filter element structure and implements it through separate, simple leveling elements. This separation allows the filter element to maintain its optimized asymmetric geometry while the leveling elements provide the necessary positioning and alignment functions, reducing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The leveling elements create an equipotential interface between the asymmetric filter element and the housing, allowing the filter element to be positioned correctly without requiring complex mechanical constraints or alignment mechanisms. The leveling elements equalize the interface conditions, simplifying the assembly process
Data Source
AI summary
A hollow filter element, including: a filter medium for filtering a fluid; wherein the filter element is a conical-oval rounded filter element; wherein the filter medium circumferentially surrounds an interior flow space of the filter element, wherein the filter medium circumferentially encloses around an element axis such that filter medium at least in one direction radial to the element axis is smaller on a first of the end sides of the filter medium than on a second of the end sides of the filter medium; wherein the filter medium has a first end body arranged at least on the smaller end side; wherein the first end body has at least one leveling element in the at least one direction of the smaller extent with respect to the element axis in a radially outer segment with respect to the element axis.