Ventilation Member With Protruding Surrounding Unit For Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ventilation members lack an efficient mechanism to easily close the ventilation path, making it difficult to investigate sealing characteristics effectively.

Innovation Solution

A ventilation member design featuring a main body unit with a ventilation path, a sealing unit, and a surrounding unit that protrudes to facilitate easy closure of the ventilation path, with the sealing unit and ventilation membrane strategically positioned to reduce load and enhance closure functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the ventilation path is designed to be easily closable for sealing investigation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the surrounding unit structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of closing ventilation pathVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation member is divided into distinct functional units: a main body unit containing the ventilation path, a sealing unit for sealing between the ventilation member and housing, a ventilation membrane unit for filtering, and a surrounding unit for facilitating closure. This segmentation allows each unit to perform its specific function independently, making the overall system easier to operate for sealing investigations while managing complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The surrounding unit acts as an intermediary structure that facilitates the closing of the ventilation path. By providing a structured interface with uniformly formed height, it enables easy engagement with closure mechanisms (such as caps or plugs) during sealing investigations, thereby improving ease of operation without requiring complex integrated solutions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the surrounding unit protrudes to facilitate easy closure, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of closing ventilation pathVSAvoiduniform height formation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The surrounding unit is designed with a uniformly formed height that protrudes from the main body unit before final assembly. This preliminary structuring of the closure interface allows for easier engagement with closure mechanisms during sealing investigations. The uniform height is built-in during the molding or fabrication process of the ventilation member itself, preventing the need for post-assembly adjustments and thereby managing manufacturing precision requirements through design integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the ventilation membrane is positioned within the sealing unit opening, then the reliability of sealing is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing characteristicsVSAvoidcomponent arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation membrane unit is positioned within the opening portion of the sealing unit, creating a nested arrangement where the membrane is housed inside the sealing structure. This nesting ensures that the membrane is protected and properly aligned during sealing operations, improving sealing reliability. The integrated positioning reduces the need for separate mounting mechanisms, thereby managing device complexity through space-efficient design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing unit is designed with a specific opening portion that locally accommodates the ventilation membrane. This localized structuring ensures that the membrane is positioned precisely where needed for effective sealing while allowing other parts of the ventilation member to maintain their primary functions. The local quality approach improves sealing reliability without requiring complex overall restructuring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

Enables easy closure of the ventilation path, allowing for effective sealing characteristics investigation and reducing the load on the sealing unit, thereby improving the assessment of sealing performance.

Implementation Method 1

a ventilation membrane unit provided on the ventilation path to prevent passage of a liquid and a solid and to allow passage of gas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSelective permeability: Semipermeable Membrane

Data Source

PatentEP3508776B1Ventilation member and inspection method
Publication Date: 2023.12.27 NITTO DENKO CORP
  • EP3508776B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3508776B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP3508776B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A ventilation member 1 is attached to a through hole 101K of a housing 101. The ventilation member 1 includes: a support body 10 in which a ventilation path 13 that forms a flow path for gas between the interior and the exterior of the housing 101; a sealing member 30 that seals between the support body 10 and the housing 101; a ventilation membrane 20 that is provided on the ventilation path 13 to prevent a liquid and a solid from passing through and to allow gas to pass through; and a contacted portion 112 that is provided to the support body 10 and is formed with a uniform height to surround an end portion opening 111 of the ventilation path 13. This makes it possible to easily close the ventilation path of the ventilation member.