Direct flow filter with sealing mechanism
OwnerMark Terres, Eric Janikowskiinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A direct flow filter has seal tips alternately sealing upstream and/or downstream ends of wall segments to each other to define first and second sets of flow channels and protecting the ends of the wall segments from damage, including upstream ends from incoming debris, and providing structural support withstanding high flow rates and improving flow by means of the geometry of the seal.
Claims46
A filter for filtering fluid flowing along an axial flow direction comprising a pleated filter element having a plurality of pleats defined by wall segments extending along a transverse direction between first and second sets of pleat tips at first and second sets of axially extending bend lines, said transverse direction being perpendicular to said axial direction, said wall segments defining axial flow channels therebetween, said channels having a channel width extending along a lateral direction between respective wall segments, said lateral direction being perpendicular to said axial direction and perpendicular to said transverse direction, said wall segments extending axially between upstream and downstream ends, said upstream ends of said wall segments being alternately sealed to each other to define a first set of flow channels having open upstream ends, and a second set of flow channels interdigitated with said first set of flow channels and having closed upstream ends, said downstream ends of said wall segments being alternately sealed to each other such that said first set of flow channels have closed downstream ends, and said second set of flow channels have open downstream ends, a plurality of seal tips:
- a) alternately sealing at least one of
- a1) a set of said upstream ends of said wall segments to each other to define said first and second sets of flow channels, and
- a2) a set of said downstream ends of said wall segments to each other to define said first and second sets of flow channels;
- and
- b) protecting the sealed ends of said wall segments from damage.
A filter for filtering fluid flowing along an axial flow direction comprising a pleated filter element having a plurality of pleats defined by wall segments extending along a transverse direction between first and second sets of pleat tips at first and second sets of axially extending bend lines, said transverse direction being perpendicular to said axial direction, said wall segments defining axial flow channels therebetween, said channels having a channel width extending along a lateral direction between respective wall segments, said lateral direction being perpendicular to said axial direction and perpendicular to said transverse direction, said wall segments extending axially between upstream and downstream ends, said upstream ends of said wall segments being alternately sealed to each other to define a first set of flow channels having open upstream ends, and a second set of flow channels interdigitated with said first set of flow channels and having closed upstream ends, said downstream ends of said wall segments being alternately sealed to each other such that said first set of flow channels have closed downstream ends, and said second set of flow channels have open downstream ends, a combined pleat support and seal tip member extending laterally across said second set of pleat tips at at least one of said upstream and downstream ends of said channels and having a plurality of seal tips extending transversely therefrom along said ends of said wall segments and alternately sealing said ends of said wall segments to each other to define said first and second sets of flow channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.