Filter Unit with Rotatable Head and Bracket for Easy Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filter units in refrigerators and water purifiers require complex and error-prone replacement processes, with a risk of inlet and outlet port interchange and tube separation, and lack easy opening and closing mechanisms for the filter door.
Innovation Solution
A filter unit design featuring a rotatable filter head, a filter bracket with coupling parts, and a filter door that opens and closes the filter housing, along with anti-separation projections and guide projections to prevent port interchange and ensure secure tube coupling, facilitating easy filter replacement and preventing bending of the filter door.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the filter is installed in a filter case with inlet and outlet ports, then the filter can purify water, but the replacement process becomes complex and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The filter head is designed with asymmetric inlet and outlet ports positioned at different locations, making it impossible to install the filter incorrectly. The inlet port is positioned higher than the outlet port, creating a unique orientation that prevents port interchange errors during replacement
Solution Approach 2:
The filter assembly is divided into separable components including the filter head, filter case, and filter element. This segmentation allows the filter element to be easily removed and replaced independently, simplifying the replacement process while maintaining connection reliability through dedicated coupling structures
2Ease of operation
If the filter head is fixed in position, then the structure is simple, but the filter cannot be easily replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The filter head is designed with rotatable coupling structures that allow it to be dynamically adjusted and removed from the filter case. The connection mechanism includes movable elements that enable easy detachment and reattachment, transforming a static structure into a dynamic one that facilitates simple filter replacement operations
3Reliability
If the inlet and outlet ports are positioned freely, then the design is flexible, but the ports may be interchanged causing errors
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet and outlet ports are positioned asymmetrically on the filter head, with the inlet port located higher than the outlet port. This asymmetric positioning creates a unique geometric configuration that prevents the ports from being interchanged during installation, ensuring correct assembly while maintaining design flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The filter head and filter case are designed with pre-positioned ports and coupling structures that guide correct assembly before the filter is installed. The ports are preliminarily configured in specific locations that prevent incorrect connection, ensuring assembly accuracy is established before operation begins
4Ease of operation
If the filter door is made flexible for easy opening, then the operation is convenient, but the door may bend during use
Solution Approach 1:
The filter door assembly is segmented into the door body, hinge mechanism, and latch components. This segmentation allows the door to be designed with sufficient rigidity in its structure while maintaining ease of operation through the hinge and latch mechanisms, preventing bending during use
Solution Approach 2:
A hinge mechanism serves as an intermediary element between the filter door and the filter case, allowing the door to open and close easily without requiring the door itself to be flexible. The hinge provides the necessary movement while the door maintains its structural rigidity, preventing bending during operation
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a filter unit which may easily replace a filter, and a refrigerator including the same.To this end, a filter unit according to the present disclosure includes a filter which purifies water, a filter head which is disposed on one end portion of the filter, and includes an inlet port which supplies raw water to the filter and is formed to protrude from one side thereof, and an outlet port which discharges pure water purified by the filter and is formed to protrude from the other side thereof, a filter housing which is formed with a filter accommodation space in which the filter is accommodated, a filter bracket which is coupled to the filter housing, and includes an inlet port coupling part to which the inlet port is coupled rotatably, and an outlet portion coupling part to which the outlet port is coupled rotatably, and a filter door which is coupled to the filter housing to open and close the filter accommodation space.