Separating Element Seal With Captive Holding Collar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid separators in motor vehicles and industrial motors face challenges in ensuring a seal-tight separation of oil from compressed air, with prior solutions involving complex or costly seal attachments that can lead to improper exchange and impaired functionality.
Innovation Solution
A separating element with a sealing element that is captively secured on the collar, featuring a separate L-shaped base member for sealing and a holding element that is positioned independently to avoid force transmission and facilitate easy detachment, allowing for cost-effective and reliable sealing without adhesive residues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seal is joined non-detachably with the collar of the separating element, then the seal-tight connection is ensured, but the exchange and maintenance of the seal becomes difficult and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is divided into functionally independent parts: a sealing portion with sealing surfaces and a holding portion with holding elements. This segmentation allows the sealing element to be detachably mounted on the collar while maintaining reliable sealing, enabling easy exchange by simply removing the holding portion without damaging the collar or seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is designed with detachable mounting capability, transitioning from a static non-detachable connection to a dynamic removable connection. The holding elements (such as clamping arms or lugs) enable the sealing element to be easily attached and detached from the collar, facilitating maintenance while ensuring operational reliability.
2Reliability
If the seal is fastened on the collar by means of an integrated fastening ring, then the seal is held securely, but the construction becomes relatively complex
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element integrates the sealing function and holding function into a single monolithic component. The holding elements (clamping arms or lugs) are formed as an integral part of the sealing element, eliminating the need for separate fastening rings or additional mounting components, thus simplifying the overall construction while maintaining secure holding.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides sealing surfaces for seal-tight connection and includes holding elements for secure mounting on the collar. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate fastening components, reducing construction complexity while achieving both reliable sealing and secure holding.
3Reliability
If the seal is attached by means of a formed portion in U-shape on the collar, then the seal is held on the collar, but a comparatively large amount of sealing material is required
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is segmented into a base portion and holding elements (clamping arms or lugs). This segmentation allows the sealing material to be concentrated only where needed for sealing, rather than requiring a large U-shaped formed portion, thus reducing the quantity of sealing material while maintaining reliable holding.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding function is extracted from the sealing material itself and implemented through separate holding elements (clamping arms or lugs) that are part of the sealing element structure. This extraction allows the sealing material to be used efficiently only for sealing purposes, eliminating the need for excessive sealing material to provide structural holding.
Data Source
AI summary
A separating element for separating liquid from a gas flow is arranged in a separating container of a liquid separator. The separating container has a housing with a container opening and a cover closing off the container opening. The sealing element has a collar arranged between housing and cover and supported on an upper area of the housing facing the cover. A sealing element is provided that has sealing surfaces arranged between the upper area of the housing and the cover such that the separating container is sealed relative to ambient pressure. The sealing element has a holding element monolithically formed with the sealing element and captively securing the sealing element on the collar. The sealing surfaces and the holding element are designed such that a function of sealing the separating container and a function of holding the sealing element on the collar are separate from each other.