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AssigneeFleetguard, Inc.
InventorsRobert K. Miller, Z. Gerald Liu, William C. Haberkamp, Barry M. Verdegan, Murray R. Schukar, Caner A. Demirdogen
Estimating the term…
A green uncured pre-form (10) for an exhaust aftertreatment filter includes first and second sheets (12 and 14) of regenerable filter material, the second sheet being pleated and forming with the first sheet a plurality of axially extending flow channels (32, 80, 81) having lateral cross-sectional shapes with two adjacent included angles (34 and 36, 56 and 58) each greater than 45° and less than 75° and having wall segments (18 and 20, 68 and 70) with a thickness less than 0.8 mm, a porosity greater than 80%, and an extension height (b) between pleat tips less than 10 mm. Forming apparatus (83, 84) and methods are provided.
A green uncured pre-form for an exhaust aftertreatment filter, said pre-form comprising first and second sheets of regenerable filter media, said second sheet having a plurality of pleats defined by wall segments extending in zig-zag manner between pleat tips at axially extending bend lines, the pleat tips on one side of said second sheet being in contiguous relation with said first sheet, said flow channels having a lateral cross-sectional shape comprising two adjacent included angles each greater than 45° and less than 75°.
A method of making a green uncured pre-form for an exhaust aftertreatment filter, comprising providing first and second sheets of regenerable filter material, forming a plurality of pleats in said second sheet defined by wall segments extending in zig-zag manner between pleat tips at axially extending bend lines, bonding the pleat tips on one side of said second sheet to said first sheet to define axial flow channels, forming said flow channels having a lateral cross-sectional shape comprising two adjacent included angles greater than 45° and less than 75°.
Forming apparatus for forming a green uncured pre-form for an exhaust aftertreatment filter, said pre-form comprising first and second sheets of regenerable filter media, said second sheet having a plurality of pleats defined by wall segments extending in zig-zag manner between pleat tips at axially extending bend lines, the pleat tips on one side of said second sheet being in contiguous relation with said first sheet and defining axial flow channels, said flow channels having a lateral cross-sectional shape comprising two adjacent included angles each greater than 45° and less than 75°, said forming apparatus comprising first and second star gears each having a plurality of teeth interdigitated with a plurality of roots therebetween, said gears rotating in intermeshed relation with the tooth of one gear in the root of the other gear, said gears passing said second sheet therebetween, said gears gathering and folding said second sheet along crease lines at said pleat tips, said crease lines providing said axially extending bend lines.
A method of configuring and shaping a green uncured pre-form for an exhaust aftertreatment filter, said pre-form comprising first and second sheets of regenerable filter material, said second sheet having a plurality of pleats defined by wall segments extending in zig-zag manner between pleat tips at axially extending bend lines, the pleat tips on one side of said second sheet being in contiguous relation with said first sheet and defining axial flow channels, said flow channels having a lateral cross-sectional shape comprising two adjacent included angles each greater than 45° and less than 75°, said method comprising feeding said second sheet through first and second star gears each having a plurality of teeth interdigitated with a plurality of roots therebetween, rotating said gears in intermeshed relation with the tooth of one gear in the root of the other gear, gathering and folding said second sheet through said gears along crease lines at said pleat tips, said crease lines providing said axially extending bend lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.