Side-Service Air Filter With Transverse Wedge Clamping Seal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air filters require laborious removal from the air duct path to change filter elements, leading to inadequate sealing and leakage issues, especially with high-separation filter elements, causing unfiltered air bypass and disturbing flow noises.
Innovation Solution
An air filter design with a filter housing, mounting frame, and clamping wedge system that allows filter elements to be changed quickly and easily via a maintenance opening, ensuring proper sealing and contact pressure, even with high-separation elements, by using a clamping wedge that contacts a wedge stop to secure the second filter element transversely to the joining direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If filter elements are replaced via side service opening in conventional systems, then filter element changing can be performed without removing air filter from airflow path, but inadequate contact pressure is achieved between filter elements and filter housing, causing leakage and unfiltered air bypass
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting frame is designed to be movable between a mounting position (for insertion through service opening) and a clamped position (for sealing). The spring element provides dynamic clamping force that automatically engages when the mounting frame is inserted, transforming the static structure into a dynamic system that self-adjusts to achieve proper sealing contact pressure between filter elements and filter housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting frame is segmented into distinct functional components: the frame structure, the spring element, and the clamping element. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the frame provides structural support and insertion path, the spring provides continuous contact pressure, and the clamping element directly contacts the filter element to create the seal, thereby solving the sealing issue while maintaining ease of replacement.
2Reliability
If filter elements are removed from air duct path for replacement, then adequate sealing can be achieved, but laborious removal process increases time and complexity of filter element changing
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element is pre-loaded in the mounting frame before filter element insertion. This preliminary action stores elastic potential energy that is automatically converted to clamping force during insertion, eliminating the need for separate sealing adjustments or removal operations. The clamping element is also pre-positioned to engage the filter element immediately upon insertion, achieving both time savings and reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting frame assembly performs self-service by automatically generating and applying clamping force through the spring element during the insertion process itself. The system uses its own structural components (spring and clamping element) to create the necessary sealing pressure without requiring external tools, additional操作步骤, or removal from the airflow path, thereby reducing replacement time while ensuring adequate sealing.
3Reliability
If high-separation filter elements are used, then air filtration efficiency is improved, but sealing requirements increase, making conventional side insertion systems inadequate and causing leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element changes the contact pressure parameter dynamically, providing continuously adjustable clamping force that adapts to the specific sealing requirements of high-separation filter elements. This parameter change ensures adequate sealing pressure is applied to the filter element edges, preventing leakage while maintaining the high filtration efficiency of the expensive filter media.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic clamping mechanism allows the mounting frame to transition from a loose fit during insertion to a tightly clamped position during operation. This dynamic adjustment ensures that high-separation filter elements, which have stringent sealing requirements, receive the necessary contact pressure to prevent leakage, while the system remains easy to service by simply inserting and removing the mounting frame assembly.
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
Enables quick and easy filter element replacement without removing the air filter from the duct system, ensuring a high seal and preventing leakage flows, thus reducing noise and maintaining air quality.
Implementation Method 1
The mounting frame has a clamping wedge. The second filter element has a wedge stop. When the mounting frame is inserted, the clamping wedge of the mounting frame comes into contact with the wedge stop of the second filter element, thereby clamping the second filter element to the filter housing in a clamping direction transverse to the joining direction.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to an air filter (10) with a filter housing (12) having a raw air inlet opening (14), a clean air outlet opening (16), and a closable maintenance opening (18); a first filter element (24) and a second filter element (26) arranged between the inlet opening (14) and the outlet opening (16) inside the filter housing (12); and a mounting frame (32) in which the first filter element (24) is received; wherein the filter elements (24, 26) are capable of serial flow through them in at least one operating state of the air filter (10); wherein the mounting frame (32) can be removed from the filter housing (12) through the maintenance opening (18) in an insertion direction (36) and inserted into the filter housing (12) in the insertion direction (36); wherein the mounting frame (32) has a clamping wedge (40) and the second filter element (26) has a wedge stop (50);wherein the clamping wedge (40) of the mounting frame (32) comes into contact with the wedge stop (50) of the second filter element (26) by being inserted and the second filter element (26) is thereby clamped to the filter housing (12) in a clamping direction (60) transverse to the joining direction (36).