Fluted Filter Element With Edge-Only Sealing Beads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filter elements with fluted media packs face inefficiencies in material usage and fluid flow management, particularly in designs with single flow faces as inlets and outlets, leading to excess sealing bead material and reduced filtration media availability.
Innovation Solution
A filter element design featuring alternating flute peaks and valleys with diagonal gaskets and sealing beads only on elongate edges, along with pleat folds that extend in the cross-machine direction, reduces sealing bead material usage and enhances fluid flow efficiency by eliminating seals between pleat folds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sealing beads are placed between all pleat folds to prevent fluid leakage, then sealing reliability is improved, but sealing bead material consumption increases and filtration media availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for sealing beads between pleat folds by designing the fluted media pack geometry so that fluid flow paths naturally prevent leakage without requiring additional sealing material in those locations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies sealing beads selectively only at specific locations (elongate edges and corners) where sealing is actually needed, rather than uniformly across all pleat folds, optimizing both sealing reliability and material efficiency
2Reliability
If sealing beads are placed between all pleat folds to prevent fluid leakage, then sealing reliability is improved, but filtration media availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the unnecessary sealing beads from between pleat folds, thereby extracting material that would otherwise be consumed and making more filtration media available for the actual filtration function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent concentrates sealing functionality at critical locations (edges and corners) where it is most needed, allowing the majority of the media pack to be dedicated to filtration without compromising sealing reliability
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional filter element design with single flow faces is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but fluid flow efficiency decreases and material usage becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flow paths into multiple independent flow faces (first flow face with first plurality of flutes, second flow face with second plurality of flutes) that can operate simultaneously, increasing fluid flow efficiency without significantly complicating the manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a third flow face perpendicular to the first and second flow faces, creating a three-dimensional flow path configuration that enhances fluid flow efficiency by utilizing additional spatial dimensions for flow paths
Data Source
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AI summary
A filter element has a sheet of filter media having a first elongate edge and a second elongate edge. The sheet of filter media defines a plurality of pleats, a first set of pleat folds and a second set of pleat folds, where each of the plurality of pleats extend between the first set of pleat folds and the second set of pleat folds. The first set of pleat folds each extend from the first elongate edge to the second elongate edge, and the second set of pleat folds each extend from the first elongate edge to the second elongate edge. Each of the plurality of pleats defines a repeating wave pattern of flute peaks and flute valleys alternating from the first set of pleat folds to the second set of pleat folds. Each of the flute peaks and flute valleys extend from the first elongate edge to the second elongate edge.