Filter system, water conveying domestic appliance and method for filtering a fluid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filter systems in water-carrying household appliances suffer from rapid clogging due to the inability to adapt to changing operating conditions, leading to increased maintenance efforts and potential damage from continuous cleaning mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A filter system with a squeegee that employs an oscillatory movement with a variable squeegee area, automatically adjusting based on particle load, which includes a squeegee drive that reverses direction when resistance is detected, allowing particles to be deposited into a depot for easy removal and reducing wear on the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a squeegee continuously cleans the filter surface without adaptation, then the filter surface is kept clean, but the filter system clogs rapidly and maintenance effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The squeegee area is made dynamically adjustable through a variable positioning mechanism that allows the squeegee to adapt its active cleaning area based on particle accumulation levels. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to maintain reliable operation while preserving productivity by optimizing the cleaning scope to actual needs rather than operating continuously at fixed settings.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor system detects particle accumulation on the filter surface and provides feedback to the control unit, which then adjusts the squeegee positioning accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures the filter system maintains reliability by responding to actual contamination levels while avoiding unnecessary continuous cleaning that would reduce productivity.
2Reliability
If a squeegee constantly cleans the filter surface, then particles are removed, but the squeegee and drive mechanism suffer increased wear and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous operation, the squeegee is activated periodically based on sensor-detected particle accumulation thresholds. The variable positioning mechanism adjusts the squeegee area to match actual cleaning needs, enabling periodic rather than constant operation. This reduces wear on the squeegee and drive mechanism while maintaining filter reliability through targeted cleaning cycles.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the squeegee area is fixed, then the system structure is simple, but the system cannot adapt to changing particle load conditions
Solution Approach 1:
Sensor units detect particle accumulation and provide feedback to a control unit that adjusts the squeegee positioning. This feedback-based control system enables the filter system to adapt to varying particle load conditions while maintaining relatively simple overall structure through automated control rather than complex mechanical adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter system performs self-adjustment of the squeegee area based on sensor feedback, eliminating the need for manual intervention or complex external control systems. This self-service capability provides adaptability to changing conditions while keeping the device structure relatively simple through autonomous operation.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3C
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
A filter system (1) with a squeegee (2) for cleaning a filter surface (3) in a water-bearing household appliance is provided. The filter system (1) comprises a filter surface (3) designed to filter particles (9) from a fluid, a squeegee (2) designed to scrape a squeegee area (4) of the filter surface (3) to remove particles (9) from the squeegee area (4) and deliver the particles (9) to a reservoir (8), and a squeegee drive designed to move the squeegee (2) in an oscillating manner across the squeegee area (4) of the filter surface (3). The size of the squeegee area (4) is variable, particularly depending on the quantity of particles (9) scraped off.