Ventilation Element Rigid Body Yieldable Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ventilation elements for housings in the automobile industry face challenges such as deformation over time, high production costs, and complex design requirements due to the use of yieldable materials, which affect ventilation efficiency and ease of assembly and disassembly.
Innovation Solution
A ventilation element comprising a rigid plastic or sintered material body with a coaxial internal cylindrical portion and a yieldable rubber member that maintains a constant air passage through a non-deformable recess, allowing precise ventilation optimization and separation from mechanical functions, reducing material costs and production time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a yieldable internal body is used to maintain air passage and provide sealing, then ventilation function and connection function are achieved, but the internal body deforms over time modifying air passage cross-sections and ventilation efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The internal body is segmented into a rigid support structure and a separate yieldable sealing element. The rigid portion maintains the air passage geometry stable over time, while the yieldable sealing element provides the necessary sealing function without deforming the air passage cross-sections.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the internal body have different material properties: the air passage-forming portions are made rigid to maintain stable cross-sections, while specific sealing portions are made yieldable to provide sealing. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between stability and sealing function.
2Reliability
If a large rubber portion (internal body) is used for ventilation and sealing, then ventilation function is achieved, but production cost and moulding time increase considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the large rubber internal body and implemented by a separate, smaller yieldable sealing element. This reduces the amount of yieldable material needed, thereby reducing moulding time and production cost while maintaining sealing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid support structure and yieldable sealing element are combined into a single integrated internal body component. This integration maintains the sealing function with minimal yieldable material while the rigid structure provides structural support, reducing overall material usage and production complexity.
3Reliability
If the internal body is made yieldable for sealing and connection, then sealing function is achieved, but careful specific design is required and the body may deform with time
Solution Approach 1:
Only specific localized portions of the internal body are made yieldable for sealing, while the majority of the structure remains rigid. This localized yieldability reduces design complexity compared to a fully yieldable internal body, as the rigid portions follow simpler design rules.
4Reliability
If the internal body projects from the cover member for connection to housing, then connection function is achieved, but careful design is required for sealed connection and disassembly becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The projection of the internal body from the cover member is made yieldable, allowing it to dynamically adapt during assembly to ensure sealed connection. During disassembly, the yieldable material can deform to facilitate removal, resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and disassembly ease.
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 provides stable and efficient ventilation with reduced material costs and simplified assembly, maintaining optimal airflow and protection against external factors, while minimizing the use of costly yieldable materials.
Implementation Method 1
A hydrophobic membrane can be associated with the internal body at that end of this latter internal to said cover member
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~8
AI summary
An element (1 ) for ventilating a housing containing an electrical, mechanical, electromechanical or similar member comprises a rigid body (2) having an outer cylindrical wall (3), closed at a first end (4) by a closure part (5), said cylindrical wall (3) being open at a second end (7) coupled to the housing, said body (2) containing an internal member (15) of at least partly yieldable material having a first end (14) close to the closure part (5) of the rigid body (2) and carrying a filtering membrane (25), and an open second end (17) facing said housing. From said closure part (5) an internal cylindrical portion (10) projects containing said member (15) and couples to this latter by interference so as to retain it within the body (2).