Zigzag Filter Element With Ultrasonic Embossed Bonding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing filter elements for internal combustion engines face challenges in precisely connecting and folding multi-layer filter media, leading to instability and reduced filtration efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The filter medium is embossed to create additional functional areas for bonding layers together, using material connections such as welding or adhesives, which enhances stability and filtration performance while minimizing the area affected by embossing and connections, allowing for the combination of different materials and structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the filter medium is embossed to create additional functional areas for bonding layers together, then the stability and filtration efficiency are improved, but the area of the filter medium that can be impaired by embossings and connections increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability and filtration efficiencyVSAvoidactive filtration area
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The embossing is applied locally only in specific sections of the filter medium where functional areas are needed for bonding layers, rather than across the entire surface. This localized approach allows the filter medium to maintain its filtration functionality in non-embossed areas while gaining stability and structural integrity in the embossed sections where material connections are formed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If multiple layers are embossed and bonded to one another, then the stability of the filter medium in the folded state is increased, but the production complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability in folded stateVSAvoidproduction process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The embossing process and the material connection process are merged into a single integrated operation. The embossing creates functional areas that are simultaneously used for bonding multiple layers together, eliminating the need for separate embossing and bonding steps. This reduces production complexity while achieving enhanced stability in the folded state through multi-layer bonding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Manufacturing precision

If the filter medium is folded along fold lines with material connections, then the folding precision is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefolding precisionVSAvoidmanufacturing ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The fold lines are embossed in advance during the embossing process, creating predetermined folding lines with functional areas for material connections. This preliminary embossing action prepares the filter medium for precise folding by establishing the exact locations and characteristics of fold lines before the actual folding operation, thereby improving folding precision while integrating the preparation step into the existing embossing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 approach improves the stability and filtration efficiency of the filter element, extends its service life, and simplifies the production process by integrating embossing and material connection in a single step, optimizing the active filtration area and maintaining fluid flow.

Implementation Method 1

A multi-layer, web-shaped filter medium is used for production, which is folded to form the filter element. The filter medium is fed by means of a feed device to a heat-introducing embossing unit, in particular an ultrasonic embossing unit, which embosses fold lines in the filter medium.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

When embossing, layers of the multi-layer filter medium are welded along the fold lines using the heat-transferring embossing unit.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Implementation Method 3

a heat-introducing embossing unit, in particular an ultrasonic embossing unit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectUltrasonic heating: Ultrasonic Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP3415213B1Filter element
Publication Date: 2020.12.23 MANN HUMMEL GMBH
  • EP3415213B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3415213B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3415213B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A filter element (13), particularly for an internal combustion engine, particularly for a motor vehicle, a device, and a method for manufacturing a zigzag-folded filter element (13) are described. The filter element (13) comprises a filter medium (12) consisting of a media web made of several layers and folded along fold lines (36). The filter medium (12) is embossed in at least one section (37) between adjacent fold lines (36) in at least one further functional area (39). The layers of the multilayer filter medium (12) are bonded together along the embossing of the at least one functional area (39).