Modular Air Filter Assembly With Reconfigurable Mounting and Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air filter assemblies are often designed specifically for a particular machine model, limiting their adaptability and requiring replacement of the entire assembly instead of individual components, and they lack flexibility in airflow direction and mounting configurations.
Innovation Solution
A modular air filter assembly with a configurable inlet, outlet, and mounting assembly, featuring brackets and supports that allow for radial orientation and multiple attachment points, enabling flexible installation and airflow direction adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If air filter assemblies are designed with fixed or molded components for a particular machine model, then manufacturing precision and structural integrity are improved, but adaptability and ease of repair deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The air filter assembly is divided into separate modular components including the housing, inlet, outlet, and mounting brackets that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for manufacturing precision while enabling flexible reconfiguration for different machine models through selective assembly of compatible parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting brackets are designed with universal features that enable the same bracket design to be used across multiple machine models. The brackets include standardized attachment points and interfaces that can accommodate various housing configurations, allowing a single bracket design to serve multiple functions and applications while maintaining structural integrity.
2Ease of manufacture
If air filter assemblies use fixed or molded components, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but ease of repair and component replacement deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly uses clearly defined separate components with standardized interfaces rather than integrated molded parts. This segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity for each individual component while enabling easy repair through independent replacement of damaged parts such as mounting brackets, inlets, or outlets without replacing the entire assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design enables individual components to be replaced independently when damaged or worn. Healthy components can be recovered and reused in the repaired assembly, reducing waste and repair costs. For example, only the damaged mounting bracket needs to be replaced while the housing, filter element, and other components remain in service.
3Manufacturing precision
If air filter assemblies have fixed positioning of supports, outlet, and dust ejector tube, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to different machine models deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting brackets are designed with adjustable positioning capabilities rather than fixed positions. The brackets can be mounted at different locations on the housing and configured in various orientations to accommodate different machine model requirements. This dynamic adjustability maintains positioning precision for each specific application while enabling adaptability across multiple machine models.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system provides adjustment in multiple dimensions including radial orientation, axial position, and angular orientation. This multi-dimensional adjustability allows the same bracket design to be precisely positioned for different machine models by varying the mounting location and orientation rather than requiring different bracket designs for each model.
Data Source
AI summary
Modular air filter assemblies having a configurable inlet, a configurable outlet, and a configurable mounting assembly are described herein. The modular filter assembly includes a tube extending along a central axis between a first end and a second end. The tube defines a curved surface. The modular filter assembly further includes an inlet extending radially outward of the curved surface relative to the central axis. The modular filter assembly includes two or more brackets. Each of the two or more brackets are configured to attach to a curved surface of the tube at a plurality of radial orientations relative to the central axis.