Oil Filter Removal Tool With Flexible Seal Cover

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional oil filter removal tools made of rigid metal materials allow oil to leak during filter uninstallation, contaminating hands or tools due to gaps between the tool and the vehicle.

Innovation Solution

An oil filter removal tool with a main body and a cover portion made of different plastic materials, providing varying degrees of flexibility to ensure a secure fit and prevent leakage, where the cover portion is more flexible to seal against the vehicle, and the main body is less flexible for effective rotation and assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a rigid metal material is used for the filter removal tool, then the tool structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but gaps occur between the tool and the vehicle allowing oil to leak

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidoil leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies flexible material (such as elastic polymer) to form a cover portion that can deform and conform to the vehicle surface, creating a tight seal that prevents oil leakage. This flexible shell compensates for surface irregularities and maintains contact pressure against the vehicle, eliminating gaps that would allow oil to escape while still being manufacturable through molding processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameter of flexibility by using materials with different elastic moduli for different parts of the tool. The cover portion uses highly flexible material to seal against the vehicle, while the main body uses less flexible material for structural integrity and rotation. This parameter change allows the tool to adapt to surface variations and prevent oil leakage without compromising manufacturing feasibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a flexible material is used for the cover portion to seal against the vehicle, then oil leakage is prevented, but the main body needs to maintain rigidity for effective rotation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoil leakage preventionVSAvoidrotation capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by giving different flexibility characteristics to different parts of the tool. The cover portion is made of highly flexible material to conform to and seal against the vehicle surface, preventing oil leakage. The main body is made of less flexible, more rigid material to provide the necessary structural strength for rotation and torque transmission. This spatial differentiation of material properties allows both sealing and rotational functions to be optimized simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the tool into distinct functional portions: a cover portion for sealing and a main body for rotation and torque application. Each segment is optimized with appropriate material flexibility - the cover portion uses flexible material to prevent oil leakage, while the main body uses rigid material for effective rotation. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each function without compromise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the filter removal tool is made entirely of flexible material to prevent leakage, then sealing is improved, but the tool cannot effectively rotate and assemble with the filter cartridge

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidstructural integrity for rotation

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by giving different flexibility characteristics to different parts of the tool. The cover portion is made of highly flexible material to conform to and seal against the vehicle surface, preventing oil leakage. The main body is made of less flexible, more rigid material to provide the necessary structural strength for rotation and torque transmission. This spatial differentiation of material properties allows both sealing and rotational functions to be optimized simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite construction by combining materials with different mechanical properties in a single tool structure. The flexible cover portion and the rigid main body are integrated into one tool, creating a composite system that exhibits both sealing flexibility and rotational strength. This composite approach allows the tool to achieve functions that neither material could provide alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS11712788B2Oil filter removal tool

Publication Date: 2023.08.01 KTL INT

AI summary

An oil filter removal tool configured for removal of a filter cartridge is provided, including: a main body, including a driving portion configured to be connected with a driven portion of the filter cartridge so that the main body is rotatable with the filter cartridge; a cover portion, connected with the main body, including an opening corresponding to the driving portion, the opening being configured for assembling of the driven portion of the filter cartridge therewithin; wherein the main body has a first flexibility, the cover portion has a second flexibility, and the second flexibility is greater than the first flexibility.