Recyclable HVAC Filter with 3D Depth Variation for Contaminant Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing HVAC filters fail to effectively prevent dirty air from entering air conditioning ducts and registers, leading to the output of contaminated air into rooms, especially problematic for individuals with respiratory issues.
Innovation Solution
A 100% recyclable HVAC ventilation filter with a three-dimensional shape and varying depth, featuring a cardboard frame and flexible filtering material, designed to fit snugly around HVAC registers and grills, enhancing air purification efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional flat HVAC filters are used, then the device complexity is low and manufacturing is simple, but the filtering efficiency is insufficient and dirty air enters ducts
Solution Approach 1:
The filter transitions from a traditional flat two-dimensional structure to a three-dimensional structure with varying depth. The filter includes a front surface, a back surface, and side surfaces that extend outward, creating depth variations that allow the filter to conform to the HVAC register cavity and improve particle capture efficiency while maintaining manageable structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The filter implements non-uniform depth distribution across its surface area. The filter depth varies at different locations, with deeper regions positioned to maximize contaminant capture in high-velocity airflow zones and shallower regions in areas where space is constrained, optimizing local filtering performance throughout the structure
2Reliability
If the filter is designed with uniform thickness, then manufacturing precision is easier to maintain, but the filter cannot effectively minimize contact with horizontal louvers and prevent dirty air entry
Solution Approach 1:
The filter employs a three-dimensional shape with varying depth instead of uniform thickness. This dimensional variation allows the filter to optimize its profile for minimizing contact with horizontal louvers and preventing dirty air entry into ducts, while the manufacturing process maintains precision through consistent depth control at critical locations
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the filter have different depth characteristics tailored to their specific functional requirements. The filter depth is optimized locally to achieve minimal contact with louvers in critical areas while maintaining adequate filtration capacity in other regions, balancing manufacturing precision with air purification efficiency
3Object-affected harmful factors
If existing filters are installed away from users, then the device complexity is low, but contaminants are dispersed into rooms and indoor air quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The filter is positioned and configured in advance to intercept contaminants before they can disperse into the room. The three-dimensional shape with varying depth is designed to fit snugly within the HVAC register cavity, creating an effective barrier that captures particles and prevents their release into the occupied space, improving indoor air quality at the source
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 filter effectively captures contaminants, ensuring clean air is delivered to rooms by minimizing contact with horizontal louvers and preventing dirty air from entering ducts, thus improving indoor air quality.
Implementation Method 1
a 100% recyclable HVAC ventilation filter with a three-dimensional shape and varying depth, featuring a cardboard frame and flexible filtering material, designed to fit snugly around HVAC registers and grills, enhancing air purification efficiency. The filter effectively captures contaminants, ensuring clean air is delivered to rooms
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) filter including a rectangular back frame having an opening in a middle of the rectangular back frame, wherein the rectangular back frame is made of a recyclable cardboard material; a continuous filtering material, the continuous filtering material having narrow depth around edges of the sheet and a larger depth in a middle of the continuous filtering material, wherein the continuous filtering material is made of a recyclable material; and a backing pattern adhered to edges of the rectangular back frame, the backing pattern to hold the continuous filtering material, wherein the backing pattern is made of a recyclable material.