Wire Form Contacts for Appliance Water Filter Electrical Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Incorporating electronic components into removable water filter cartridges for appliances poses challenges due to the need for reliable electrical connections between the cartridge and the manifold, which must be easily integrated across various filter assembly configurations.
Innovation Solution
The use of wire form contacts provides electrical connections between the filter cartridge and the manifold, allowing for power and communication with electronic components, and facilitates easy installation and removal of the cartridge by moving between contact positions as the cartridge is rotated between installed and uninstalled positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If electronic components are incorporated into the filter cartridge, then functionality and information provision are improved, but the complexity of electrical connections and reliability challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wire form contact is designed to be movable between a first position when the filter cartridge is removed and a second position when installed, dynamically adapting its state based on the cartridge position to ensure reliable electrical connection only when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The wire form contact acts as an intermediary element between the filter cartridge electrical contacts and the manifold, providing a reliable electrical bridge that automatically engages when the cartridge is installed and disengages when removed
2Ease of operation
If the filter cartridge is made removable for easy replacement, then ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of electrical connections may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The wire form contact dynamically changes position based on cartridge installation status, ensuring reliable electrical connection when installed while allowing easy removal when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical connection system is self-regulating, automatically engaging and disengaging based on the physical position of the filter cartridge without requiring manual intervention or complex connection mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
A water filter assembly having one or more electrical connections with a removable filter cartridge is provided. The electrical connections can be used to provide power to, and/or communication with, one or more electrical components incorporated into the filter cartridge. Wire form contacts are used to provide the electrical connections. The wire form contacts can be incorporated into a variety of different water filter assembly configurations having a removable filter cartridge.