# US 12,179,137 B2 · Tube-shaped pleated filter member > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,137 B2 - Document ID: US12179137B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/642,048 - Filed: 2020-09-15 - Published: 2024-02-01 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-17 - Assignees: Coway Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Coway Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hyun-Jun Yun; Byong-Hyoek Lee; Jong-Cheol Kim; Jin-Min Kim; Sang-Hyeon Kang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179137B2 ## CPC - B01D 46/2411: {Filter cartridges} - B01D 46/527: {in wound arrangement} - B01D 46/2403: {characterised by the physical shape or structure of the filtering element} - B01D 46/522: {with specific folds, e.g. having different lengths} - B01D 46/523: {with means for maintaining spacing between the pleats or folds} - B01D 2265/06: Details of supporting structures for filtering material, e.g. cores - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract The tube-shaped pleated filter member may comprise: a filter body having a tube shape such that a filter medium is pleated and is wound; and a support unit. The filter body may comprise outer pleated portions corresponding to the outside of the tube shape, and inner pleated portions corresponding to the inside of the tube shape. An inner virtual line connecting corners of the inner pleated portions may have the shape in which a unit wave shape recessed in the outward direction is repeated. Assuming, that the thickness at a part having the maximum distance between the inner virtual line and the outer virtual line is a first thickness (T1), the first thickness (T1) may have a range defined by [equation 1] with regard to the diameter (D) of the outer virtual line. D/15≤T1≤D/6. [Equation 1] ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tube-shaped pleated filter member comprising: a filter body having a tube shape in which a filter medium is wound after being pleated and extends, based on a central axis, in a longitudinal direction; and a support unit retaining the tube shape of the filter body, wherein the filter body includes outer pleated portions corresponding to an outside of the tube shape, and inner pleated portions corresponding to an inside of the tube shape, among the pleated portions of the filter medium, an inner virtual line formed by connecting corners of the inner pleated portions to each other on a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the filter body has a shape in which a unit wave shape recessed from the central axis of the filter body in an outward direction is repeated, and when a first thickness (T1) indicates a thickness of the filter body in a portion having a maximum distance between the inner virtual line and an outer virtual line with regard to the unit wave shape formed by the inner virtual line, the first thickness (T1) has a range of [Equation 1] with regard to a diameter (D) of the outer virtual line: D/15≤T1≤D/6. [Equation 1] ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 1, wherein the unit wave shape formed by the inner virtual line includes four or more corners of the inner pleated portions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 2, wherein the unit wave shape formed by the inner virtual line is formed for its distance from the central axis of the filter body to have a value between a first radius (R1) and a second radius (R2), and each of the first radius (R1) and the second radius (R2) has one specific value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 3, wherein the unit wave shape formed by the inner virtual line has a shape in which its distance from the central axis is gradually reduced or increased from a position corresponding to the first radius (R1) to a position corresponding to the second radius (R2). ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 4, wherein the unit wave shape formed by the inner virtual line has a shape in which an arc is periodically repeated, or a shape in which two sides forming a predetermined angle are periodically repeated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 1, wherein the outer virtual line formed by connecting corners of the outer pleated portions to each other on the plane perpendicular to the central axis of the filter body has a circular shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 6, wherein the diameter (D) of the outer virtual line ranges from 100 mm to 500 mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 1, wherein when a second thickness (T2) indicates a thickness of the filter body in a portion having a minimum distance between the inner virtual line and the outer virtual line with regard to the unit wave shape formed by the inner virtual line, the second thickness (T2) has a range of [Equation 2] with regard to the first thickness (T1): T1/2≤T2≤T1/1.2. [Equation 2] ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 1, wherein a number (NW) of the unit wave shape formed by the inner virtual line has a range of [Equation 3] with regard to the diameter (D) of the outer virtual line: D/33≤NW≤D/7. [Equation 3] wherein NW is an integer, and the unit for 7 and 33 is millimeter (MM). ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 7, wherein a distance (P) between each corner of the corners of the inner pleated portions has a value between 3 mm and 5 mm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 1, wherein the filter medium is formed by stacking a plurality of filter materials on each other. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 1, wherein the support unit is formed by curing an adhesive member partially applied to at least one surface of the filter medium, and the adhesive member is applied to a plurality of locations while being spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the filter body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 12, wherein the adhesive member is applied over valley and peak formed by the inner pleated portions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 12, wherein the adhesive member is applied to correspond to the unit wave shape of the inner virtual line. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The tube-shaped pleated filter member of claim 1, wherein the support unit includes a cover member positioned on both sides of the filter body to surround and support both inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the filter body.