Integrated Air Dryer Cartridge and Sieve Element Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional air dryer cartridges and sieve elements in vehicle air treatment systems are cumbersome to mount and dismount, prone to misalignment due to vibrations, and require separate handling, leading to inefficiencies and contamination risks.

Innovation Solution

An integrated air dryer cartridge design that combines the air dryer and sieve element as a single unit, using connection means like bayonet connectors, threads, or clip mechanisms for secure and simultaneous mounting, ensuring proper alignment and reducing handling risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the air dryer cartridge and sieve element are mounted separately, then the sieve element can be positioned in the air treatment system, but the mounting process becomes cumbersome and prone to misalignment due to vibrations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting processVSAvoidalignment stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the air dryer cartridge and sieve element into a single integrated unit. The sieve element is fixed to the air dryer cartridge housing, allowing both components to be mounted simultaneously as one assembly. This eliminates the separate mounting operations and ensures proper alignment is maintained during installation and operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Manufacturing precision

If the sieve element is handled separately, then it can be positioned correctly, but contamination exposure and handling risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidcontamination exposure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By integrating the sieve element with the air dryer cartridge, the patent creates a single handled unit. This eliminates the need to handle the sieve element separately during installation and maintenance operations, thereby reducing exposure to contamination risks while maintaining positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If separate components are used, then each component can be optimized independently, but the device complexity increases and requires separate handling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent optimizationVSAvoidassembly structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the air dryer cartridge and sieve element into a single integrated assembly. This reduces the number of separate components that need to be handled, installed, and maintained, thereby simplifying the overall device complexity while still allowing each component to maintain its functional optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This integrated design simplifies the mounting process, prevents sieve element misalignment, and minimizes contamination exposure during handling, enhancing operational efficiency and safety.

Implementation Method 1

a desiccant 38 filled desiccant box 20 which is arranged in the housing 16

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

The task of the coalescing filter 26 during a compressed air conveying phase is to hold oil and dirt particles as well as emulsion droplets on an inflow surface, to store liquid oil and to convert the finest oil droplets and aerosols into liquid oil by a coalescing effect and to separate them

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCoalescence: Coagulation

Implementation Method 3

An optional compression spring 34 and a granulate cover 36 can also be provided in the upper area or lower area of the air dryer cartridge 10 to compress the desiccant 38 inside the desiccant box 20

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3789101A1Air drying device and sieve element
Publication Date: 2021.03.10 KNORR BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHIZEUGE GMBH
  • EP3789101A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3789101A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3789101A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A device for drying air of an air treatment system of a vehicle, comprising a housing, air drying means contained in the housing, an air inlet configured to receive air from the air treatment system and an air outlet for outputting air to the air treatment system, a connection means configured for mounting the device to the air treatment system, wherein the device is configured to be physically connected with a sieve element that can be arranged in a stream of air passing between the air treatment system and the device is described.