Filter Sector Assembly Support Plate Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing filter sector assemblies in fiber web production machines face challenges with reliable support, maintenance, and replaceability, leading to operational disturbances and increased maintenance time in disc filters.

Innovation Solution

A filter sector assembly design featuring a support plate with re-openable and re-fastenable attachment means, vertical reinforce ribs, and spacer plates to securely attach pairs of filter sectors to the core assembly, ensuring robust support and easy maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of repair

If filter sectors are attached individually to the core assembly, then each filter sector can be independently maintained, but the maintenance and replacement time increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilter sector maintainabilityVSAvoidmaintenance time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple filter sectors (typically 3-4 sectors) into a single assembly unit that is attached to the core assembly as one piece. This merging approach allows the entire assembly to be removed and replaced as a single unit, dramatically reducing maintenance time compared to removing and replacing individual sectors. The assembly includes a support structure with attachment means that secures multiple sectors simultaneously, enabling quick replacement without disturbing individual sector connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If filter sectors are securely attached to ensure reliable support, then operational stability is improved, but replacement and maintenance become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilter sector support reliabilityVSAvoidfilter sector replaceability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic attachment means that can be quickly opened and closed. The support structure includes attachment mechanisms (such as clamps, clips, or quick-connect devices) that provide secure holding during operation but can be rapidly released when maintenance is needed. This dynamic characteristic allows the system to transition between a securely attached state during operation and an easily removable state during maintenance, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of repair.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If multiple filter sectors are supported by a single support plate, then the number of attachment points is reduced, but the structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of attachment pointsVSAvoidfilter sector assembly strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent distributes the support and attachment functions across multiple dimensions and levels. The support plate or support structure is designed with vertical ribs, horizontal support elements, and multi-level attachment points that work together in three-dimensional space. This dimensional distribution allows a single support plate to securely hold multiple sectors without requiring excessive attachment points, as the strength is derived from the spatial arrangement and structural geometry rather than simply increasing the number of connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4382186B1Filter sector assembly of a disc filter
Publication Date: 2025.03.26 VALMET TECH OY
  • EP4382186B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4382186B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a filter sector assembly of a disc filter, which disc filter comprises a fiber suspension containing bath, a filter sector assembly rotatably supported with relation to the bath, a core assembly adapted to rotate on a horizontal axis, and a plurality of filter sectors spaced along the core assembly and supported on the core assembly. The filter sector assembly (50) comprises two adjacent filter sectors (10A; 10B) and a support plate (30). The two adjacent filter sectors (10A; 10B) are attached as a pair of filter sectors (10A; 10B) by the support plate (30) to the core assembly (21; 21A, 21B) of the disc filter.