US-20260124562-A1 - CHANNEL-SEPARATING STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A CHANNEL-SEPARATING STRUCTURE

US20260124562A1US 20260124562 A1US20260124562 A1US 20260124562A1US-20260124562-A1

Abstract

A channel-separating structure comprises a top cap portion, comprising a cooperating tube, and a channel-separating portion. The cooperating tube comprises a connecting section. The channel-separating portion comprises a central tube, multiple ribs and a connecting seat. The central tube is mounted through the cooperating tube and comprises a central channel. A peripheral channel is located between the central tube and the cooperating tube. The ribs are mounted around the central tube. The connecting seat abuts and connects the connecting section. A method for manufacturing a channel-separating structure comprises: providing a top cap and a channel-separating element, inserting the channel-separating element into the top cap, and welding to connect the top cap and the channel-separating element to manufacture the channel-separating structure, thereby cutting costs. The channel-separating structure is assembled to a filter core. The central channel and the peripheral channel provide different filtration routes according to the filter core.

Inventors

Min-Hua Chang

Assignees

CAWARE FILTERING CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241205
Priority Date: 20241105

Claims (17)

1 . A channel-separating structure configured to be mounted on a top portion of a filter core; the channel-separating structure comprising: a top cap portion comprising a cooperating tube comprising a cooperating hole disposed inside the cooperating tube and formed through the top cap portion from top to bottom; and a connecting section disposed at a bottom portion of the cooperating tube; an assembling wall connected to the cooperating tube, being annular, and disposed at a bottom side of the top cap portion; the channel-separating structure mounted to the filter core through the assembling wall; a channel-separating portion disposed inside the cooperating hole of the cooperating tube and comprising a central tube mounted through the cooperating hole of the cooperating tube and comprising a central channel disposed inside the central tube; a connecting seat mounted at the outer side of the central tube, abutting and connected to the connecting section of the cooperating tube; the connecting seat comprising multiple through holes formed through the connecting seat from top to bottom; multiple ribs disposed at an outer side of the central tube and connected to the connecting seat; a gap located between an external edge of each one of the multiple ribs and an inner wall surrounding the cooperating hole; and a peripheral channel formed between the central tube and the cooperating tube and fluidly communicating with the multiple through holes.
2 . The channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the channel-separating portion comprises a bottom tube mounted at a bottom portion of the connecting seat; a guiding tube disposed inside the bottom tube and fluidly communicating between an inner side of the central tube and an outer side of the bottom tube; the multiple through holes of the connecting seat fluidly communicate with the bottom tube, such that the peripheral channel passes through the bottom tube.
3 . The channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the channel-separating portion comprises an extending tube connected to a bottom portion of the central tube and passing through the connecting seat; an inner side of the extending tube fluidly communicating with an inner side of the central tube; the peripheral channel passes through an outer side of the extending tube.
4 . The channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cooperating tube comprises a positioning section disposed at an outer side of the connecting section and surrounding the connecting seat of the channel-separating portion.
5 . The channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the cooperating tube comprises a positioning section disposed at an outer side of the connecting section and surrounding the connecting seat of the channel-separating portion.
6 . The channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the cooperating tube comprises a positioning section disposed at an outer side of the connecting section and surrounding the connecting seat of the channel-separating portion.
7 . The channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 4 , wherein a distance step is located between a bottom side of the connecting seat and a bottom side of the positioning section.
8 . The channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 5 , wherein a distance step is located between a bottom side of the connecting seat and a bottom side of the positioning section.
9 . The channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a distance step is located between a bottom side of the connecting seat and a bottom side of the positioning section.
10 . A method for manufacturing a channel-separating structure comprising steps as follows: providing a top cap comprising a cooperating tube comprising a cooperating hole disposed inside the cooperating tube and formed through the top cap from top to bottom; a connecting section disposed at a bottom portion of the cooperating tube; an assembling wall connected to the cooperating tube, being annular, and disposed at a bottom side of the top cap; providing a channel-separating element comprising a central tube comprising a central channel inside the central tube; a connecting seat comprising multiple through holes formed through the connecting seat from top to bottom; multiple ribs disposed at an outer side of the central tube and connected to the connecting seat; inserting the channel-separating element into the cooperating tube of the top cap; abutting the connecting seat against the connecting section of the cooperating tube; forming a gap between an external edge of each one of the multiple ribs and an inner wall surrounding the cooperating hole; and welding the connecting section of the top cap and the connecting seat of the channel-separating element, such that the connecting section and the connecting seat are welded and bonded to connect the top cap and the channel-separating element.
11 . The method for manufacturing a channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the connecting section of the top cap comprises a connecting protrusion; the connecting seat of the channel-separating element abuts the connecting protrusion before welding the connecting section of the top cap and the connecting seat of the channel-separating element; the connecting protrusion is melted to be connected to the connecting seat while welding.
12 . The method for manufacturing a channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the connecting section of the top cap and the connecting seat of the channel-separating element are connected through friction welding.
13 . The method for manufacturing a channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the connecting section of the top cap and the connecting seat of the channel-separating element are connected through friction welding.
14 . The method for manufacturing a channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the connecting section of the top cap and the connecting seat of the channel-separating element are connected through ultrasonic welding.
15 . The method for manufacturing a channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the connecting section of the top cap and the connecting seat of the channel-separating element are connected through ultrasonic welding.
16 . The method for manufacturing a channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the connecting section of the top cap and the connecting seat of the channel-separating element are connected through high frequency welding.
17 . The method for manufacturing a channel-separating structure as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the connecting section of the top cap and the connecting seat of the channel-separating element are connected through high frequency welding.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a channel-separating structure and a method for manufacturing a channel-separating structure, especially to a channel-separating structure mounted on a top portion of a filter core of a water filter device to separate water channels in the water filter device. 2. Description of Related Art A water filter device is for filtrating water and comprises a filter core and a channel-separating structure. The channel-separating structure is mounted on top of the filter core and can separate water channels in the water filter device. In addition, considering material differences of the filter core, the water filter device has two types of filtration channel designs, including outer-inlet-middle-outlet and middle-inlet-outer-outlet. Furthermore, a housing of the filter core has various forms. Therefore, the water filter device has various shapes and the channel-separating structure also has various shapes. To be specific, the channel-separating structure comprises an assembling portion, configured to be assembled to the filter core, and a separating portion configured to separate the filtrating channels. The assembling portion has various shapes to match with the housing of the filter core’s form. The separating portion also has various forms to accomplish different types of filtration channel designs. However, the channel-separating structure nowadays is one-pieced formed. That is, the channel-separating structure of each different form of water filter devices needs to be manufactured with a specific mold, which increases costs in both mold-making and storage, and therefore needs to be improved. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main objective of the present invention is to provide a channel-separating structure and a method for manufacturing a channel-separating structure to resolve a drawback that a channel-separating structure nowadays is one-pieced formed, and so has a higher cost. The channel-separating structure in accordance with the present invention is configured to be mounted on a top portion of a filter core. The channel-separating structure comprises a top cap portion and a channel-separating portion. The top cap portion comprises a cooperating tube and an assembling wall. The cooperating tube comprises a cooperating hole and a connecting section. The cooperating hole is disposed inside the cooperating tube and is formed through the top cap portion from top to bottom. The connecting section is disposed at a bottom portion of the cooperating tube. The assembling wall is annular, is connected to the cooperating tube, and is disposed at a bottom side of the top cap portion. The channel-separating structure is mounted to the filter core through the assembling wall. The channel-separating portion is disposed inside the cooperating hole of the cooperating tube. The channel-separating portion comprises a central tube, multiple ribs and a connecting seat. The central tube is mounted through the cooperating hole of the cooperating tube and comprises a central channel disposed inside the central tube. The multiple ribs are disposed at an outer side of the central tube and are connected to the connecting seat. A gap is located between an external edge of each one of the multiple ribs and an inner wall surrounding the cooperating hole. The connecting seat is mounted at the outer side of the central tube, and abuts and is connected to the connecting section of the cooperating tube. The connecting seat comprises multiple through holes formed through the connecting seat from top to bottom. A peripheral channel is formed between the central tube and the cooperating tube and fluidly communicates with the multiple through holes. The assembling wall of the top cap portion of the channel-separating structure is mounted at the top portion of the filter core. The channel-separating structure has the central channel and the peripheral channel, which can provide different filtrating routes according to a type of the filter core. The method for manufacturing a channel-separating structure in accordance with the present invention comprises the following steps: providing a top cap comprising a cooperating tube comprising a cooperating hole disposed inside the cooperating tube and formed through the top cap from top to bottom; a connecting section disposed at a bottom portion of the cooperating tube; an assembling wall connected to the cooperating tube, being annular, and disposed at a bottom side of the top cap; providing a channel-separating element comprising a central tube comprising a central channel inside the central tube; a connecting seat comprising multiple through holes formed through the connecting seat from top to bottom; multiple ribs disposed at an outer side of the central tube and connected to the connecting seat; inserting the channel-separating element into the cooperating tube of the top cap; abutting the connecting seat against th