Disposable Water Pipe Filter Element for Clean Draw Filtration

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing water pipe filters, such as those used in bongs and shishas, are insufficient in reducing health risks associated with smoking, and existing reusable filter elements face issues with handling and limited effectiveness due to partial filtration or complex designs.

Innovation Solution

A disposable filter element with a hollow cylindrical base body having sections of varying diameters and airflow passages, made from sustainable materials like wood or biodegradable plastic, ensuring complete filtration without particle entry and easy handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a glass base with spigot-shaped connections and metal sieves is used, then filtration performance is improved, but handling becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiltration performanceVSAvoidhandling

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a disposable filter element made of biodegradable material that is discarded after a single use. This eliminates the handling difficulties associated with cleaning and maintaining reusable filters while maintaining effective filtration through the biodegradable matrix structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The filter element utilizes a biodegradable porous material that allows smoke to pass through while capturing particles and condensates. The porous structure provides effective filtration without requiring complex metal sieve assemblies, thereby simplifying handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Reliability

If activated carbon is filled into the main body, then filtration performance is improved, but risk of particle entry into adjacent components increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiltration performanceVSAvoidparticle entry risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The biodegradable filter material forms a porous matrix that physically traps activated carbon particles within its structure. This prevents particle leakage into adjacent components while maintaining the filtration benefits of activated carbon.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The filter element combines biodegradable material with activated carbon in a composite structure. The biodegradable matrix serves as a containment structure that holds the activated carbon particles, preventing their escape while allowing smoke filtration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Loss of substance

If a reusable filter element is used, then environmental friendliness is improved, but convenience decreases due to frequent replacement needs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental impactVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a disposable filter element made of biodegradable material that is discarded after a single use. This eliminates the handling difficulties associated with cleaning and maintaining reusable filters while maintaining effective filtration through the biodegradable matrix structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Device complexity

If partial filtration is implemented, then device complexity is reduced, but health risk reduction effectiveness decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiltration design simplicityVSAvoidhealth risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The biodegradable filter material forms a porous matrix that physically traps activated carbon particles within its structure. This prevents particle leakage into adjacent components while maintaining the filtration benefits of activated carbon.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

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 filter element provides effective smoke filtration for multiple smoking sessions, maintaining a good draw and ensuring easy disposal, thus addressing environmental concerns and user convenience.

Implementation Method 1

Filter elements would reduce the amount of nicotine and condensates in the smoke before it is inhaled by the user

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

the smoke produced when heating tobacco, cannabis, herbs, and the like is first passed through a water vessel and cooled there

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4561382B1Filter element for a water pipe

Publication Date: 2025.11.19 MAUERSBERGER AXEL

Figure 1~3
Figure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a filter element for a water pipe in the form of a bong or shisha, wherein the filter element is arranged in the flow path between an assembly for receiving the material to be smoked and a water vessel, i.e., in the case of a bong, between the head and the tube of the chillum and, in the case of a shisha, between the tobacco receptacle and the smoking tube. The object of the invention is to make available a filter element of this kind which is designed in an ecologically sustainable manner as a disposable product, is easy to handle and permits a large number of separate and successive smoking sessions. This object is achieved by the fact that the filter element is designed as a hollow cylindrical main body (1) with an open end face (4) and with a partially closed end face (5), and wherein the main body (1), with respect to its central longitudinal axis (MLA), has in the axial direction two sections (2; 3) having mutually different diameters, in each case with specifically designed contour sections.