Swimming Pool Filter Cartridge with Outer Mesh Envelope

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing filtration systems for swimming pools, spas, and natural pools require significant effort to extract clogged filtration elements due to trapped debris, and existing solutions either allow debris to enter the pool or fail to effectively retain impurities during extraction.

Innovation Solution

A filtration assembly with a filtration element having open ends and an outer filter casing with a fine filtration mesh to retain impurities, minimizing extraction effort and ensuring debris is caught during removal, featuring a hollow cylindrical filter cartridge made of accordion-pleated nonwoven material with a rigid or semi-rigid filter envelope.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the lower part of the cartridge is closed to retain debris, then debris retention is improved, but extraction effort increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedebris retentionVSAvoidextraction effort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The filtration system is divided into two distinct components: a filtration element (cartridge) that captures debris during operation, and an outer filter envelope that captures debris during extraction. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in one phase of the filtration process, resolving the contradiction between debris retention and extraction ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The outer filter envelope acts as an intermediary structure that surrounds the filtration element. During extraction, this envelope captures any debris released from the filtration element, preventing it from entering the pool while allowing the filtration element to be easily removed with open ends.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the lower part of the cartridge is opened to ease extraction, then extraction effort is reduced, but debris enters the pool

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction effortVSAvoiddebris entering pool
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The outer filter envelope serves as a protective intermediary that surrounds the filtration element during extraction. It captures any debris that may be released when the filtration element is removed with open ends, preventing this debris from entering the pool while allowing easy extraction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful function of debris retention during extraction is extracted from the filtration element itself and transferred to the outer filter envelope. This allows the filtration element to be simplified with open ends for easy removal, while the envelope handles the debris containment function during this specific phase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If a folding system is added to empty water from the filtration element, then water evacuation is improved, but debris is released into the tank

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater evacuation efficiencyVSAvoiddebris release into tank
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful effect of debris release during water evacuation is extracted from the filtration element and transferred to the outer filter envelope. The envelope's fine-mesh filtration captures any debris that escapes during the folding water evacuation process, allowing efficient water removal without contaminating the pool.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The outer filter envelope acts as an intermediary barrier between the filtration element's water evacuation process and the pool environment. It allows water to pass through while capturing any debris that may be released during the folding action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If the filter casing has a fine filtration mesh to retain impurities, then impurity retention is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpurity retentionVSAvoidfilter assembly structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The outer filter envelope performs multiple functions: it provides structural support for the filtration element, acts as a secondary filtration barrier during extraction, and contains debris that escapes from the filtration element. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by consolidating several protective functions into a single component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The outer filter envelope is constructed as a flexible cylindrical structure with fine-mesh filtration, similar to a sock filter. This thin-film approach provides effective impurity retention without adding significant structural complexity, as the envelope can be simply inserted and removed as a single piece.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 solution reduces the effort required to extract filtration elements while effectively retaining impurities, ensuring they are not reintroduced into the pool, with the filter casing's fine mesh ensuring efficient filtration and debris retention.

Implementation Method 1

an outer filter casing located around the filtration element, said filter casing having a porous or non-porous closed bottom and having a sufficiently fine filtration mesh to retain at least some and ideally all of the impurities released by the filtration element during its extraction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP3669961B1Filtering assembly for maintenance of a swimming pool
Publication Date: 2021.08.04 INNOVATION POOL FACTORY
  • EP3669961B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3669961B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates mainly to a filtration assembly (16) for a swimming pool, spa or natural basin, characterized in that it comprises: - a filtration element (15) capable of ensuring fine filtration of water from the swimming pool, spa or natural basin, said filtration element (15) having an open lower axial end (15.1) and an open upper axial end (15.2), or a closed lower axial end (15.1) and an open upper axial end (15.2), or an open lower axial end (15.1) and a closed upper axial end (15.2), and - an outer filter envelope (18) situated around the filtration element (15), said filter envelope (18) having a closed bottom (22) porous or non-porous and having a filtration mesh fine enough to retain at least part and ideally all of the impurities released by the filtration element (15) during its extraction.