Filtration system with rotating core driving thimble opening and closing water passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current refrigerator filtration systems face issues with internal leakage due to wear between the filter and connecting device, leading to displacement and leakage under high water pressure, and contamination of post-filtration water by pre-filtration water due to shared axial positions of inlet and outlet.
Innovation Solution
A filtration system with a rotating core that drives thimbles to open and close water passages, featuring a casing with a filter and connector connected within, utilizing sealing rings and springs to prevent leakage and contamination, and a design that separates pre- and post-filtration water paths through distinct inlet and outlet configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the filter and connector are made of plastic products with multi-spiral guide locking, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to wear at the locking position causing displacement and leakage under high water pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from plastic to metal (stainless steel or copper alloy) for the connector, fundamentally improving wear resistance and structural strength. This material parameter change resolves the contradiction by maintaining manufacturing feasibility while dramatically enhancing reliability under high pressure conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction where the connector uses metal materials (stainless steel or copper alloy) combined with sealing elements. This composite approach maintains ease of manufacture through standardized metal forming while achieving superior reliability through the inherent wear resistance and pressure tolerance of metal materials
2Device complexity
If the water inlet and water outlet are positioned at the same axial position, then the device complexity is reduced, but the harmful factors increase due to potential internal leakage contaminating post-filtration water with pre-filtration water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-axial positioning system to a multi-dimensional sealing architecture. By introducing radial sealing rings and multi-layer sealing structures at the same axial position, the system achieves effective separation of water flows without increasing axial complexity, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and prevention of internal leakage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sealing rings and sealing structures as intermediary elements between the water inlet and water outlet pathways. These sealing intermediaries prevent direct contamination between pre-filtration and post-filtration water while maintaining the simplified single-axial configuration, effectively addressing the harmful factor without increasing device complexity
3Ease of operation
If the filter is rotated during installation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates as the number of replacements increases causing gap formation and leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the connector from plastic to metal, which fundamentally improves the durability and wear resistance of the locking mechanism. This allows the filter to be rotated during installation while maintaining reliable sealing over multiple replacement cycles, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and long-term reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates pre-designed sealing structures and tolerance compensation features in the metal connector that cushion against wear and gap formation. These beforehand cushioning elements ensure that even after multiple rotations and replacements, the sealing performance remains reliable, preventing leakage while maintaining ease of installation
Data Source
AI summary
A filtration system with a rotating core driving thimble opening and closing water passage, including: a casing, a filter and a connector, wherein the filter and the connector are connected and fixed in the casing; the filter includes a filter element body and a carbon rod; the connector includes a connector core, a water intake thimble, a water outtake thimble; the connector core is provided with a water inlet boss on which a first arc groove is provided, and a water outlet boss on which a second arc groove is provided; the water intake thimble and the water outtake thimble are lifted and falls through the rotation of the connector core, so that a water intake passage and a water outtake passage are opened and closed.