Semiautomatic Emptying Device for Liquid Filter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid filters for internal combustion engines with replaceable filters often result in oil leakage and environmental contamination when changing the filter, especially when installed upright, as the oil escapes during removal and requires manual collection, leading to contamination of the threaded mounting flange and surrounding units.
Innovation Solution
A liquid filter design featuring a semiautomatic emptying device that opens a passage to drain the filter contents into an unpressurized area, such as the crankcase or oil pan, and automatically closes to prevent leakage and contamination, ensuring complete emptying and easy filter replacement without oil spillage, using a piston rod with a sealing member or radial gap seal for efficient sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the replaceable filter is installed upright with the opening facing downwardly, then the filter can be easily removed and replaced, but oil leaks out when the filter is unscrewed and contaminates the environment and surrounding units
Solution Approach 1:
The emptying device is activated before the filter element is removed to drain the oil from the housing vessel into the carrier module. This preliminary action ensures that when the filter is unscrewed, no oil remains to leak out, thus preventing environmental contamination while maintaining easy filter replacement
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier module acts as an intermediary container that temporarily receives the oil drained from the housing vessel. It includes a storage chamber with a drain opening that allows controlled emptying, preventing uncontrolled oil leakage during filter replacement operations
2Loss of substance
If a hollow cylinder is arranged in the interior of the replaceable filter to return oil back to circulation, then the absolute quantity of oil escaping is reduced, but the escaping oil still causes heavy contamination and requires collection
Solution Approach 1:
The emptying device with a drain opening extracts the oil from the housing vessel and directs it into the carrier module's storage chamber. This separation prevents the oil from escaping onto the mounting flange and surrounding units, eliminating the contamination problem while recovering all the oil
Solution Approach 2:
The downwardly oriented opening that initially caused the harmful oil leakage is converted into a beneficial feature by adding the emptying device. The same opening now serves as a controlled drain that directs oil into the carrier module, transforming the source of contamination into an efficient emptying mechanism
3Productivity
If the housing vessel is screwed open to empty the filter, then the oil can be drained, but manual collection is required and the process is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The emptying device enables the housing vessel to empty itself automatically by opening the drain opening into the carrier module. The oil drains under gravity without requiring manual collection containers or procedures, making the system self-serving and significantly reducing the time and effort required for filter replacement
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 semiautomatic emptying device effectively prevents oil leakage and contamination during filter replacement, ensuring environmental protection and immediate pressure buildup in the liquid circuit, reducing the need for a backflow check valve and facilitating easy operation without additional external forces.
Implementation Method 1
a semiautomatic emptying device for the replaceable filter which opens at least one passage to empty the replaceable filter when prompted by an external operation and automatically closes the at least one passage after the replaceable filter has been emptied
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid filter, particularly for the lubricating oil of an internal combustion engine, having at least one replaceable filter and a carrier module, in which the replaceable filter has a housing with an inlet and an outlet for the liquid to be filtered; a housing vessel with an opening pointing essentially downward is provided, and a filter medium is arranged in the housing between the inlet and outlet in a sealed manner. The replaceable filter with the opening pointing downward is attached in a sealed manner to the carrier module, and the carrier module has semiautomatic emptying device for the replaceable filter such that emptying of the replaceable filter is initiated by an external operation which opens a drain passage, and the drain passage is automatically closed again after the emptying process is completed.