Fuel Filter Frame Resin Spring Maintains Sheet Interval

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing fuel filters face a decline in filtration performance due to the bending of the frame member, which causes the filter material sheets to narrow, leading to noise generation and difficulty in fuel circulation, especially at the bending portion.

Innovation Solution

A fuel filter design featuring a filter member with a base frame and a resin spring having a cantilever shape, where the resin spring approaches the filter material sheet from the base end to the end portion, ensuring the interval between the sheets is maintained, and an end rib protrudes to prevent the sheets from being scraped, thus maintaining filtration performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If ribs are formed in the bending portion of the frame member to maintain sheet separation, then the frame member becomes difficult to bend, but without ribs the sheet portions are scraped and filtration performance declines

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiltration performanceVSAvoidbending capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The frame member is segmented into multiple functional components: the base frame providing structural support, and multiple resin springs providing localized sheet separation. This segmentation allows the base frame to be bent while the resin springs independently maintain sheet intervals at critical locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The resin springs are strategically positioned at specific locations where sheet separation is most critical, particularly near bending portions. This local quality approach ensures that ribs are not needed throughout the entire bending portion, maintaining both bending capability and filtration performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If the filter member is bent to conform to the fuel tank shape, then the filter member can be installed and conform to the tank, but the interval between sheet portions is narrowed causing noise and fuel circulation difficulty

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconformability to fuel tankVSAvoidnoise and fuel circulation resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The resin springs are made of elastic material that can dynamically adjust to the bending of the filter member. As the filter member bends to conform to the fuel tank, the resin springs compress and expand to maintain adequate sheet intervals throughout the bending process, preventing noise and fuel circulation issues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The physical parameters of the resin springs (elasticity, compression resistance) are specifically designed to maintain sheet separation under varying conditions. When the filter member bends, the resin springs change their compression state to compensate for the narrowing interval, ensuring consistent performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design effectively prevents the filtration performance from declining by ensuring the interval between the filter material sheets is maintained, preventing foreign material generation and ensuring smooth fuel circulation, even when the filter member is bent.

Implementation Method 1

a resin spring having a cantilever shape formed in the base frame... The end portion of the resin spring presses a bent area of the first frame from inside the filter member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2631463B1Fuel filter
Publication Date: 2018.01.17 NIFCO INC
  • EP2631463B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2(b)
  • EP2631463B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2631463B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

A fuel filter includes a filter member formed in a bag shape by a filter material sheet; and a frame member disposed inside the filter member. The frame member includes a base frame spreading out inside the filter member, and a cantilever spring formed in the base frame. The base frame includes first frames extending in a long-side direction, and second frames connected to the first frames and extending in a short-side direction perpendicular to the long-side direction. The first frames include a bent portion which is bent between portions wherein adjacent second frames are connected. A base end portion of the cantilever spring is connected to a second frame, and an end portion of the cantilever spring is disposed between adjacent second frames.