Urea Water Filter Mounting on Cover for Maintenance Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

The maintenance of urea water filters in construction machines, such as hydraulic excavators, is labor-intensive due to their hidden location within hoses and electrical wires, making replacement, cleaning, and inspection cumbersome.

Innovation Solution

A bracket with a cover is provided to attach the urea water supply device and filter, allowing for easier installation and maintenance by positioning the urea water filter on the cover, thus simplifying access and reducing the complexity of maintenance tasks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the urea water tank, urea water supply device and urea water filter are integrally assembled, then the structure is compact, but the maintenance work becomes difficult due to hidden location of the filter

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural compactnessVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The integral assembly is divided into separable components: the urea water filter is detached from the integrated structure and repositioned to be accessible from the outside, while the urea water tank and supply device remain connected. This segmentation allows the filter to be maintained independently without disassembling the entire system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The urea water filter is extracted from the hidden internal position within the integral assembly and repositioned to an externally accessible location on the vehicle body. This extraction resolves the contradiction by maintaining the compact integral structure while providing easy access to the filter for maintenance operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Device complexity

If the urea water filter is disposed inside hoses and electrical wires, then the assembly is compact, but the maintenance labor and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly compactnessVSAvoidmaintenance time
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The urea water filter is extracted from the concealed position within the bundle of hoses and electrical wires and repositioned to an externally accessible location on the vehicle body. This allows maintenance personnel to access, inspect, and service the filter directly without having to navigate through or disassemble the complex wiring and piping system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A bracket structure is introduced as an intermediary mounting platform on the vehicle body to hold the urea water filter in an accessible position. This mediator structure enables the filter to be positioned optimally for maintenance while maintaining its functional connections to the urea water supply system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If the urea water filter is hidden in depth, then the overall structure is simplified, but the ease of operation for maintenance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidmaintenance ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The urea water filter is extracted from the deep internal position within the integral assembly and repositioned to an externally accessible location on the vehicle body. This maintains the structural simplicity of the integral design while dramatically improving the ease of operation for maintenance personnel who can now access the filter directly without complex disassembly procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

This configuration enables easier attachment and maintenance of the urea water supply device and filter, improving maintenance efficiency and reducing labor and time required for maintenance operations.

Implementation Method 1

a urea water filter that is disposed in the urea water pipe line between the urea water tank and the urea water supply device to trap foreign objects mixed into the urea water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP3653423B1Construction machine
Publication Date: 2022.11.16 HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO LTD
  • EP3653423B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3653423B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3653423B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided a urea water supply device (25) that is disposed in a urea water pipe line (23) to supply urea water toward a urea water injection valve (21) from a urea water tank (22). A bracket (24) for attaching the urea water supply device (25) is attached to a revolving frame (5) of an upper revolving structure (3). A cover (31) for covering the urea water supply device (25) is attached to the bracket (24). On top of that, a urea water filter (33) that is disposed in the urea water pipe line (23) and traps foreign objects mixed into the urea water is attached to the cover (31).