# US 2013/0152920 A1 · Air filtration device having subsections lacking fluid communication > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0152920 A1 - Document ID: US20130152920A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/326,451 - Filed: 2011-12-15 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Inventors: Britton G. Billingsley; David M. Blomberg; Joy L. Manske - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152920A1 ## CPC - A61M 16/105: {Filters (A61M16/047, A61M16/22 take precedence; water traps A61M16/08)} - A61M 16/0003: {Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure} - A61M 16/0683: {Holding devices therefor} - A62B 7/10: with filter elements - A62B 18/045: {with fans for delivering air for breathing mounted in or on the helmet} - A61M 2016/0027: {pressure meter} - A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow - A61M 2205/75: with filters - B01D 29/58: arranged concentrically or coaxially - B01D 46/12: in multiple arrangements - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A62B: DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING (valves specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; life-saving devices, apparatus or methods specially adapted for use in water B63C9/00; divers' equipment B63C11/00; specially adopted for use with aircraft, e.g. parachutes, ejector seats, {B64D17/00, B64D25/10}; rescue devices peculiar to mining E21F11/00) - 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 A filtering device 10 that includes a housing 12 having a plurality of subsections 32, 34, and 36 where each subsection contains a filter element 26, 28, and 30. An inlet 18 is disposed at a first location on the housing 12, and an upstream air distribution system is placed in fluid communication with the inlet 18 and with each of the subsections 32, 34, and 36. A downstream air distribution system is located in fluid communication with each subsection 32, 34, and 36, and an outlet 20 is in fluid communication with the downstream air distribution system. The subsections are fashioned such that each subsection 32, 34, and 36 is not in fluid communication with each other. Using a filtering device so constructed, airflow through the device may be better managed to enable overall product service life to be increased while minimizing pressure resistance of the total filter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air filtering device that comprises: (a) a housing that includes a plurality of subsections, each subsection containing a filter element; (b) an inlet disposed at a first location on the housing; (c) an upstream air distribution system in fluid communication with the inlet and with each of the subsections; (d) a downstream air distribution system located in fluid communication with each subsection; and (e) an outlet in fluid communication with the downstream air distribution system; wherein the housing subsections are not in fluid communication with each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An air filtering device of claim 1, wherein the subsections exhibit substantially the same airflow velocity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The filter cartridge of claim 1, wherein one or more of the subsections include a split flow filter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The filtering device of claim 3, wherein the device is a filter cartridge that is adapted for use in a personal respiratory protection device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A personal respiratory protection device that contains the filter cartridge of claim 4. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The personal respiratory protection device of claim 5 comprising a helmet, the filtering cartridge being located in the crown space of the helmet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A powered air purifying respirator, which comprises the filter cartridge of claim 6 in the crown space of a helmet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The filtering device of claim 1 wherein the upstream and downstream air distribution systems each contain a plenum and a manifold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The filtering device of claim 8, wherein the plenums, manifolds, and filter elements cause substantially the same airflow velocity through each subsection. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The filtering device of claim 1, wherein the air is delivered to each subsection through a plenum and one or more channels or passageways. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The filtering device of claim 10, wherein the air leaving each subsection travels through one or more channels or passageways. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The filtering device of claim 1, wherein the air entering a subsection is split into two airstreams. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The filtering device of claim 12, wherein the split flow airstream passes through opposing filter elements before exiting the subsection. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The filtering device of claim 1, wherein the airflow velocity in each subsection is within 5% of other subsections from a baseline value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The filtering device of claim 1, wherein the subsections each contain particulate and/or gaseous filters. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The filtering device of claim 1, wherein each subsection contains a particulate filter element that contains microfibers, and wherein each subsection contains a gaseous filter element that contains active particulate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The filtering device of claim 16, wherein each subsection contains one or more filter elements that are tilted relative to the airflow entering the subsection. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The filtering device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises 2 to 20 subsections. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The filtering device of claim 1, wherein the device contains 3 to 10 subsections. ### Claim 20 An air filtering device that comprises: (a) a housing that contains 3 to 10 subsections, each subsection containing a filter element, at least one of the subsection containing two or more filter elements; (b) an inlet disposed at a first location on the housing; (c) an upstream air distribution system in fluid communication with the inlet and with each of the subsections, the upstream air distribution system containing a plenum and a manifold; (d) a downstream air distribution system located in fluid communication with each subsection; and (e) an outlet in fluid communication with the downstream air distribution system; wherein the housing subsections are not in fluid communication with each other.