Water Dispenser Filter Locking Assembly for Precise Cartridge Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filter assemblies for water dispensers face challenges in achieving consistent and optimal alignment and fitting of the filter cartridge with the filter head, leading to suboptimal performance.
Innovation Solution
A filter assembly design featuring complementary engaging structures, including locking wings and flanges, that securely lock the filter cartridge to the filter head, ensuring proper alignment and easy replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional releasable connection structures are used between filter cartridge and filter head, then the filter cartridge can be removed and replaced, but alignment and fitting are not adequate and consistent, leading to suboptimal performance
Solution Approach 1:
The connection portion is divided into distinct functional elements: locking wings for secure engagement, flanges for alignment, and a seal for fluid tightness. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function optimally, ensuring consistent alignment and fitting while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal acts as an intermediary element between the filter cartridge and filter head, ensuring fluid tight connection while the locking wings and flanges provide mechanical alignment and secure engagement. This intermediary component enables reliable connection without compromising ease of installation.
2Reliability
If a secure locking mechanism is implemented to ensure optimal performance, then connection reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into a single integrated connection portion: locking wings provide secure engagement, flanges ensure alignment, and a seal maintains fluid tightness. This merging reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining connection security and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection portion is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides mechanical locking, alignment, and sealing functions. This universal design approach ensures reliable connection without requiring multiple separate mechanisms, thus avoiding increased device complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If complementary engaging structures with multiple locking wings are used, then alignment precision improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking wings and flanges are positioned asymmetrically on the connection portion to achieve precise alignment during installation. This asymmetric arrangement ensures that the filter cartridge aligns correctly with the filter head housing, improving alignment precision while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through a single molded component design.
Data Source
AI summary
A filter cartridge for a water dispenser includes a connection portion having a base connected to a filter portion for filtering water to be supplied to the water dispenser, a fluid connection extending upward from the base, and one or more locking wings connected to the base and extending outward on opposite sides of the base. The fluid connection is configured to be in fluid communication with the filter portion and configured to permit passage of the water into and/or out of the filter portion. Each locking wing has a lip extending outwardly such that a space is defined between an underside of the lip and an upper side of the base, and each locking wing is configured to engage a flange on a filter head and to receive the flange in the space to lock the filter cartridge in connection with the filter head.