Liquid Additive Delivery Filter Design for Bubble Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for delivering liquid additives in motor vehicles face challenges such as freezing at low temperatures, potential damage from impurities, and the difficulty in preventing air bubbles from entering the delivery system, which can lead to inaccurate dosing and damage to components.

Innovation Solution

A device with a tank, suction point, and filter that separates an intermediate space from the tank's interior, ensuring that the suction point is positioned close to the top edge of the filter to minimize the volume above it, preventing air bubbles and allowing for complete tank emptying while maintaining precise dosing through capillary forces and a structured filter design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If the suction point is positioned deep in the tank to enable complete emptying, then the tank can be emptied more completely, but air bubbles are more likely to be sucked in

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveliquid additiveVSAvoidair bubble prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A filter element is introduced as an intermediary component between the suction point and the tank interior. The filter element extends downward into the tank and its lower end is positioned closer to the tank bottom than the suction point, creating a barrier that prevents air bubbles from reaching the suction point while still allowing liquid additive to be extracted through the filter's porous structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Weight of moving object

If the tank is made smaller to reduce weight and space, then vehicle weight and space requirements are reduced, but the risk of air bubble formation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetankVSAvoidair bubble prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The filter element serves as a mediator that enables the use of smaller tanks without increasing air bubble risk. By positioning the filter's lower end close to the tank bottom and extending it beyond the suction point, the filter creates a reliable barrier against air bubbles, allowing the tank to be minimized for weight and space efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a filter is added to remove impurities, then component damage from impurities is prevented, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveimpuritiesVSAvoidprovision device
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The filter element is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it filters impurities from the liquid additive, prevents air bubbles from reaching the suction point, and can be integrated into the existing tank structure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving impurity removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Weight of moving object

If the tank is minimized for weight and space, then vehicle weight and space are reduced, but ensuring complete emptying without air bubbles becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetankVSAvoidcomplete emptying
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The filter element acts as an intermediary that facilitates complete emptying of minimized tanks. By extending the filter's lower end close to the tank bottom and positioning it below the suction point, the filter ensures that liquid additive can be extracted completely even from small tanks while the filter's structure prevents air bubbles from being drawn in during the emptying process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 device ensures reliable delivery of liquid additives without air bubbles, allowing for complete tank emptying and precise dosing, preventing damage from freezing and impurities, and reducing the space and weight requirements for the tank.

Implementation Method 1

a suction point at which the liquid additive can be sucked out of the tank by a pump of the device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Implementation Method 2

preventing air bubbles and allowing for complete tank emptying while maintaining precise dosing through capillary forces and a structured filter design

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary forces: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentEP2964913B1Device for delivering a liquid additive
Publication Date: 2017.08.23 CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
  • EP2964913B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2964913B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP2964913B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

The invention relates to a device (1) for delivering a liquid additive (38), having a tank (2) for storing the liquid additive (38), a suction point (3) at which the liquid additive (38) can be sucked out of the tank (2) by a pump (4) of the device (1), a filter (5) which covers the suction point (3), at least partially delimits an intermediate space (6) between the filter (5) and the suction point (3) and separates the intermediate space (6) from an interior space (7) of the tank (2), wherein the filter (5) has a filter surface (8) with a top edge (9) and a bottom edge (10), wherein the top edge (9) and the bottom edge (10) are spaced apart from one another in a vertical direction (11) by 30 mm [millimeters] to 80 mm and the suction point (3) is positioned at most 5 mm below the top edge (9) in the vertical direction (11).