Spiral Membrane Element Edge Structure with Cut-In Adhesion Features

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Solution Overview

Problem

The adhesion between the end member and the exterior material in spiral membrane elements is inadequate, leading to potential cracking and tearing when the element is detached from a pressure-proof container.

Innovation Solution

The end member is designed with a body portion having a circular outline and an annular skirt portion, featuring protrusions, cut-in portions, holes, through holes, or recesses to enhance adhesion with the exterior material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an end member with a skirt portion is attached to the element body, then the telescoping phenomenon is suppressed, but the exterior material may be broken or torn at the adhesion part when detached from the pressure-proof container

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuppression of telescoping phenomenonVSAvoidadhesion strength between end member and exterior material
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The end member is divided into a body portion and a skirt portion that extends from the body. The skirt portion is positioned between the element body and the exterior material, creating a segmented structure that allows the exterior material to adhere to both the element body and the skirt portion, distributing stress and preventing tearing at a single adhesion point.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The adhesion interface is extended from a single circular contact area to a three-dimensional surface by adding the skirt portion. This creates additional adhesion area in the radial dimension, allowing the exterior material to wrap around and adhere to both the body portion and skirt portion, significantly improving overall adhesion strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If the exterior material is adhered to the skirt portion, then the element body and end member are fixed, but the adhesion is insufficient and causes cracking during detachment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixing of element body and end memberVSAvoidadhesion quality between end member and exterior material
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The skirt portion is designed with specific local characteristics - it extends radially outward from the body portion and has a defined height and thickness. This local structural quality creates an optimized adhesion surface that enhances the bonding between the end member and exterior material, preventing cracking during detachment while maintaining ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4588554A1Spiral membrane element and edge part for spiral membrane element
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 NITTO DENKO CORP
  • EP4588554A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4588554A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4B
  • EP4588554A1 patent drawingFigure 4C~4D

AI summary

The present invention provides a spiral membrane element suitable for improving adhesion between an end member and an exterior material. A spiral membrane element 100 includes an element body 10, an end member 20, and an exterior material 30. The end member 20 includes a body portion 21 having a first protrusion 22, and a skirt portion 25 located between the element body 10 and the exterior material 30, and satisfies at least one selected from the group consisting of the following requirements (1) to (3): (1) the first protrusion 22 has a cut-in portion 221 and a part of the exterior material 30 is placed into at least a part of the cut-in portion 221; (2) the skirt portion 25 has at least one of a hole 251 and a through hole 252, and a part of the exterior material 30 is placed into at least a part of at least one of a hole 251 and a through hole 252; and (3) the first protrusion 22 has a recess 222, and a part of the exterior material 30 is placed into at least a part of the recess 222.