Undulating Seal Filter Element for Fuel System Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicle fuel systems, air accumulation in filter housings can lead to erratic fuel delivery and performance issues due to the lack of effective venting mechanisms, causing air to be pushed through the filter element instead of being vented out.
Innovation Solution
A filter assembly with an annular resilient sealing device featuring an undulating bead for a fluid-tight seal and relative rotation restriction, combined with a vent orifice in the upper housing to allow air to bleed out while minimizing fuel loss, which is directed back to the tank.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional flat seal is used between the filter element and base, then the sealing structure is simple, but the filter element can rotate relative to the base causing misalignment and potential leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The seal incorporates an undulating bead with curved profile that mates with a correspondingly curved surface on the base. This curved geometry provides both sealing and anti-rotation functionality, as the interlocking curved surfaces prevent relative rotation while maintaining fluid-tight sealing without requiring additional complex features
2Reliability
If air venting is not provided in the filter housing, then the housing structure remains simple, but air accumulates and is pushed through the filter element causing erratic fuel delivery
Solution Approach 1:
A vent orifice is provided in the upper part of the housing to extract and vent accumulated air from the filter housing. This allows air to escape separately from the fuel filtration path, preventing air from being pushed through the filter element and causing erratic fuel delivery, while adding minimal structural complexity
3Productivity
If a large vent orifice is provided to vent air efficiently, then air venting performance is improved, but fuel loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vent orifice is sized and positioned in the upper part of the housing where air accumulates. By locating it in the upper region and sizing it appropriately, the design enables efficient air venting while minimizing fuel loss, as the local positioning allows air to escape preferentially without requiring a large opening that would cause significant fuel loss
4Ease of operation
If the filter element can rotate relative to the base, then assembly and disassembly is easier, but the seal effectiveness is reduced and alignment is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The undulating bead with its curved profile mates with a correspondingly curved surface on the base to create interlocking geometry that prevents relative rotation. This curved interlocking design maintains sealing effectiveness by ensuring consistent contact between sealing surfaces while still allowing for straightforward assembly and disassembly through vertical motion
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 solution effectively vents air from the filter housing, preventing erratic fuel delivery and ensuring stable system performance by maintaining a fluid-tight seal and restricting relative rotation of the filter element, while minimizing fuel loss and ensuring efficient air venting.
Implementation Method 1
an annular resilient sealing device having a bead that undulates axially back and forth for mating with a correspondingly undulating top surface of a base in a filter assembly
Implementation Method 2
The undulating bead provides for a fluid tight seal while restricting relative rotation of the filter element relative to the base
Implementation Method 3
By sizing the orifice appropriately, and by locating the orifice in the upper part of the housing, the orifice will essentially only allow air to vent out
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Provided is a filter element having an annular resilient sealing device having a bead that undulates axially back and forth for mating with a correspondingly undulating top surface of a base in a filter assembly. The undulating bead provides for a fluid tight seal while restricting relative rotation of the filter element relative to the base.