Nestable Air Filter Frame Using Single Strip Folding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air filter frame designs either compromise on manufacturing efficiency or fail to provide cost-effective nesting capabilities for reduced shipping costs, which are essential for bulk delivery and storage.
Innovation Solution
A nestable air filter frame design utilizing a single strip of material that forms multiple major frame segments and corners, featuring score lines and cut-out portions to facilitate efficient assembly and nesting, allowing for cost- and time-efficient production while enabling reduced shipping volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a strip-frame design with four discrete strips is used to achieve nesting capability, then shipping costs are reduced, but manufacturing productivity decreases due to the need to assemble four separate pieces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines four discrete frame strips into a single integrated frame piece by forming a continuous strip with folded sections that create the corner joints. This merging eliminates the need to assemble multiple separate pieces while maintaining the nesting capability, thus resolving the contradiction between reduced shipping costs and manufacturing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The single frame strip is segmented into functional sections including upstream/downstream panels and side walls that are folded at specific angles. This segmentation allows the frame to be formed from one continuous piece while maintaining the structural integrity and nesting properties of traditional multi-piece frames.
2Productivity
If a hinged corner joint design is used to improve manufacturing efficiency, then assembly speed increases, but nesting capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The frame strip employs asymmetric folding angles where side walls are folded at angles between 80-100 degrees relative to panels, creating a compressed profile that enables nesting. This asymmetric geometry allows the frame to maintain structural integrity while achieving the compact form factor needed for nesting, unlike symmetric hinged designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame design utilizes three-dimensional folding to transform a flat strip into a spatial structure with overlapping panels. By folding side walls at angles and creating layered panel arrangements, the frame achieves nesting capability through dimensional transformation rather than simple planar hinging.
3Volume of stationary object
If side panels are extended at non-perpendicular angles to enable nesting, then shipping volume is reduced, but frame structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame design incorporates dynamic folding angles that optimize both nesting and structural properties. Side walls are folded at angles between 80-100 degrees rather than fixed perpendicular angles, allowing the structure to adapt between its functional state (providing robust retention) and nested state (reducing shipping volume).
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates generally to air filter frames. In some embodiments, the air filter frames are nestable. Nestable air filter frames of the type described herein offer significantly reduced shipping volume, and thus shipping costs, while also providing cost-effective manufacturing. Some embodiments relate to an air filter frame including a single strip of framing material forming at least two of the four major frame segments and the frame corner between the two major frame segments. In some embodiments, a single strip of framing material forms at least three of the four major frame segments and two of the frame corners.