Supporting plate with centring device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional holding plates for vacuum cleaner bags experience sealing deterioration due to radial displacement caused by the weight of dust and opening/closing operations, leading to compromised sealing effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A holding plate with a centering device featuring spring elements along the passage opening, which exert a restoring force to maintain or return the plate to the reference position, ensuring consistent sealing, and can be made from materials like rubber, TPE, or thermoplastics, allowing accommodation of different nozzle diameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the holding plate is made from a rigid material to provide structural stability, then the strength is improved, but the holding plate cannot accommodate radial displacements, leading to sealing deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidsealing effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The holding plate is divided into a rigid base plate and a separate elastic centering device with spring elements. The base plate provides structural stability while the centering device accommodates radial displacements, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and sealing reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The holding plate combines rigid material (for structural stability) with elastic material (for displacement accommodation). This composite structure allows the plate to maintain strength while adapting to radial displacements to preserve sealing effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If the holding plate is made from an elastic material to accommodate radial displacements, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the structural stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidstructural stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The holding plate is divided into a rigid base plate and a separate elastic centering device with spring elements. The base plate provides structural stability while the centering device accommodates radial displacements, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and sealing reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If a seal is added to the holding plate to improve sealing effectiveness, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is merged into the centering device itself through the elastic spring elements that naturally contact and seal against the vacuum cleaner socket. This eliminates the need for separate sealing components, improving sealing effectiveness while avoiding additional complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 spring elements effectively counteract radial displacements, maintaining optimal sealing properties and accommodating various nozzle diameters, thereby ensuring reliable and consistent sealing performance.

Implementation Method 1

a centering device which runs at least partially along the edge of the passage opening and comprises at least one spring element, which exerts a restoring force when deformed in the radial direction that opposes the deformation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3530170B1Supporting plate with centring device
Publication Date: 2020.05.13 EUROLIFTERS HLDG NV
  • EP3530170B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1c
  • EP3530170B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3530170B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a retaining plate (7) for a vacuum cleaner filter bag, comprising at least one sealing element (16), a base plate in which a passage opening (8) is formed, and a centering device (9) which extends at least partially along the circumference of the passage opening (8), wherein the centering device (9) comprises at least one first spring element (10) which, when deformed in a radial direction, exerts a restoring force in the opposite direction to the deformation.