Movable Filter Housing for Safe Ceiling-Mounted Air Intake Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
The replacement of air filters in ventilation systems is difficult due to their in-ceiling location, requiring users to navigate ladders and risk injury from falling grates and messy dust dispersion, with existing solutions failing to adequately address the interplay between grates and filters.
Innovation Solution
A movable filter housing system for air intakes, allowing vertical movement between a raised filtering position and a lowered accessible position, using extendable connectors and a control tool to facilitate safe and easy filter replacement without the need for ladders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the air intake is located in the ceiling to save space and improve aesthetics, then the ventilation system becomes more compact and visually appealing, but the filter replacement becomes difficult and dangerous requiring ladders and posing safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The filter housing is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be lowered to ground level for filter replacement and then raised back to the ceiling position. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by providing both ceiling-level compact installation and ground-level accessibility during maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
An extendable connector acts as an intermediary mechanism between the ceiling-mounted filter housing and the ground level. This connector enables the housing to be lowered and raised safely without requiring users to work on ladders, thus maintaining both space efficiency and operational safety.
2Reliability
If a fixed grate structure is used to secure the filter in the ceiling, then the filter is held in place during operation, but the grate swings down and hits the user when opened, creating safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The grate is replaced with a movable filter housing that can be lowered to ground level before opening. This eliminates the swinging motion hazard because the housing is positioned at ground level where it cannot swing down and hit the user, while still providing secure filter retention during normal ceiling-level operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter housing is lowered to ground level before the filter compartment is opened. This preliminary positioning action ensures that when the grate or cover is removed, it cannot swing down and injure the user because the entire assembly is already at ground level.
3Ease of operation
If the filter is unsecured during grate opening, then the filter can be removed, but the filter falls under gravity causing dust to scatter and create mess
Solution Approach 1:
The filter housing is lowered to ground level before the filter is removed. This preliminary action ensures that when the filter is unsecured and taken out, it remains at ground level where it cannot fall and scatter dust, thus enabling easy filter removal without creating mess.
Solution Approach 2:
By lowering the filter housing to ground level, the filter remains at a stable elevation throughout the removal process. This eliminates the gravitational potential energy difference that would cause the filter to fall and scatter dust, making the removal operation clean and controlled.
4Extent of automation
If complex motors or automated controls are used to move the filter housing, then the system becomes more automated and easier to operate, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The filter housing is designed to be manually lowered and raised by the user without requiring motors or automated controls. This self-service approach eliminates complex mechanical or electrical systems while still providing the beneficial movement capability, thus avoiding increased device complexity and cost.
Data Source
AI summary
An air intake of an air handling or HVAC system, such as located in a ceiling of a structure, includes a movable filter housing. The filter housing comprises a grate configured to support one or more air filters at a top side thereof. The filter housing is mounted via one or more extendable connectors and includes a control tool mount. Connection of a control tool to the filter housing allows a user to pull the filter housing downwardly to a lowered position for replacing the air filter(s). The filter housing may be biased upwardly to its use position and may include a latch or lock to secure it in the use position.