Pleated Vacuum Cleaner Filter Bag for Sustained Volume Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vacuum cleaner filter bags experience a decrease in volume flow as the filter bag fill level increases, leading to reduced dust absorption and suction power, particularly with high separation efficiency filters.

Innovation Solution

A vacuum cleaner filter bag with a bag wall made of at least partially pleated nonwoven material, where the folds are connected by a fixing device to maintain a predetermined distance and are either glued or welded, increasing the filtering area and dust storage capacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the filter bag fill level increases, then dust storage capacity increases, but volume flow decreases leading to reduced suction power

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust storage capacityVSAvoidvolume flow
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The filter material is pleated in the longitudinal direction, transforming a two-dimensional flat filter surface into a three-dimensional pleated structure. This dimensional change increases the effective filtering area without increasing the horizontal footprint, allowing more dust storage capacity while maintaining adequate volume flow through the increased surface area for filtration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The filter material is divided into multiple pleats that are fixed at intervals, creating segmented folding zones. This segmentation allows the filter material to expand and contract more effectively, maintaining porosity and airflow channels even when dust load increases, thus preserving volume flow while increasing dust storage capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If high separation efficiency filter material is used, then filtration efficiency increases, but pressure loss increases reducing suction power

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiltration efficiencyVSAvoidpressure loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

By pleating the filter material in the longitudinal direction, the filtration surface area is expanded without increasing the density of the filter media. This allows high separation efficiency to be achieved while maintaining lower pressure loss, as the increased surface area distributes the airflow more evenly across the filter medium.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The pleats are pre-formed and fixed in a relaxed state before use. When the filter bag is installed and air flow is applied, the pleats naturally expand to their full capacity, creating optimal airflow channels before dust accumulation begins. This preliminary structuring ensures that high filtration efficiency is maintained with minimal pressure loss throughout the filter's service life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 pleated nonwoven material design enhances dust storage capacity and maintains suction power even with high dust loads, reducing pressure loss and improving filtration efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

The folds of the at least partially pleated nonwoven material are connected to one another by means of a fixing device. The fixing device is also at least partially glued and/or welded to the folds of the at least partially pleated nonwoven material.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Data Source

PatentEP2662010B1Vacuum cleaner filter bag
Publication Date: 2014.08.06 EUROLIFTERS HLDG NV
  • EP2662010B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2662010B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2662010B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention comprises a vacuum cleaner filter bag with a bag wall made of filter material, which has a through-opening 102 through which air to be cleaned can flow into the vacuum cleaner filter bag, wherein the bag wall comprises an at least partially pleated nonwoven material and wherein the pleats 101; 201; 301; 501; 601; 701; 801 of the at least partially pleated nonwoven material are at least partially connected to one another by means of a fixing device 205; 307; 405; 505; 705; and wherein the fixing device is at least partially glued and/or welded to the pleats of the at least partially pleated nonwoven material.