Shower filter element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shower filter elements with compact designs are prone to blockage, leading to reduced water flow, frequent replacements, increased maintenance costs, and a short service life due to limited filter area and impurity holding capacity.
Innovation Solution
A multi-stage filter assembly with a first-stage micron-sized filter layer, a second-stage cylindrical support filter layer, and a third-stage composite carbon fiber layer, combined with a detachable design for easy maintenance, enhances filter area and impurity holding capacity, ensuring smooth water flow and prolonged service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the shower filter element adopts a compact global design with small occupied space, then the mounting convenience is improved, but the filter area and impurity holding capacity are limited causing frequent blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing the filter container inside the cylindrical support filter layer structure, creating a nested configuration where the third-stage filter element component is positioned within the second-stage structure. This allows maximizing the filter area within a compact external dimension, resolving the contradiction between small occupied space and sufficient filter area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-layer flat filter design to a multi-stage three-dimensional layered structure. By arranging filter elements in sequential stages (first-stage, second-stage, third-stage) with different orientations and positions, the filter area is expanded in multiple spatial dimensions while maintaining a compact overall footprint.
2Device complexity
If the filter element has limited internal space, then the device complexity is reduced, but the impurity holding capacity is limited leading to rapid accumulation of impurities and blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the filter element into three distinct stages: first-stage filter element composite layer, second-stage filter element composite layer, and third-stage filter element component. Each stage contains different filter materials and serves different filtration functions, allowing impurities to be captured at multiple levels rather than accumulating in a single location, thereby increasing overall impurity holding capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite carbon fiber layer combining carbon fiber with wrapping filter layer, and composite structures in each stage. These composite materials provide enhanced impurity holding capacity and diverse filtration mechanisms (physical filtration, adsorption) within the limited internal space, preventing rapid blockage.
3Reliability
If the filter element is frequently replaced, then the water flow smoothness is maintained, but the maintenance cost and user inconvenience increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables selective replacement of individual filter elements or stages rather than requiring replacement of the entire filter assembly. When one stage becomes blocked or depleted, only that specific stage needs to be replaced while other stages continue functioning, reducing overall replacement frequency and extending service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The detachable connection design between upper end cover, lower end cover, and filter assembly allows dynamic reconfiguration and selective replacement. This modular approach enables maintenance without replacing the entire system, adapting the filter element to actual usage conditions and extending its operational life while maintaining water flow quality.
4Productivity
If the filter element operates for extended periods, then the productivity is improved, but the blockage risk increases affecting bathing experience
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-stage structure performs preliminary filtration actions at each stage: the first-stage captures large particles, the second-stage composite carbon fiber layer adsorbs smaller impurities, and the third-stage provides final filtration. This preliminary action at multiple levels prevents impurity accumulation that would lead to blockage, enabling extended continuous operation without compromising reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The support filter layers and wrapping filter layers act as intermediary structures between different filtration stages. These intermediary elements distribute water flow evenly, prevent channeling, and provide structural support that maintains filtration efficiency over extended periods, reducing blockage risk while enabling continuous operation.
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 multi-layered filter structure effectively increases the filter area and impurity holding capacity, reducing blockage frequency, extending service life to 7-20 months, and maintaining consistent water flow and quality, while allowing for easy maintenance and cost reduction.
Implementation Method 1
a first-stage filter element composite layer, sequentially comprising an inner support layer, at least one micron-sized filter layer and an outer support layer from inside to outside
Implementation Method 2
a second-stage filter element composite layer, sequentially comprising a support filter layer and a composite carbon fiber layer from inside to outside, the composite carbon fiber layer comprising a carbon fiber layer and a wrapping filter layer wrapping a surface of the carbon fiber layer
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a shower filter element. The shower filter element includes a filter assembly and a detachable upper end cover and a detachable lower end cover which are located at two ends of the filter assembly, the filter assembly sequentially includes a first-stage filter element composite layer, a second-stage filter element composite layer and a third-stage filter element component from outside to inside, the first-stage filter element composite layer sequentially includes an inner support layer, at least one micron-sized filter layer and an outer support layer from inside to outside, the second-stage filter element composite layer sequentially includes a support filter layer and a composite carbon fiber layer from inside to outside, the third-stage filter element component includes a filter container and a filter material arranged in the filter container. The present application achieves the effects of effectively filtering impurities in water, improving a filter effect and efficiency.