Composite structure having a porous filter medium and a method for forming same
AssigneePall Corporation
InventorsDavid B. Pall, Brian T. Muellers, Peter J. Degen, Tony Alex, Michael Gildersleeve
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A composite structure comprises a porous filter medium, a substrate provided with at least one drainage pathway, and a support and drainage medium sandwiched between the porous filter medium and the substrate. The porous filter medium, the support and drainage medium, and the substrate are bonded free of any adhesive.
Claims53
A composite filter element structure for providing a filtrate or permeate, the composite filter element structure comprising:
- a porous filter medium through which filtrate/permeate passes;
- a substrate provided with at least one drainage pathway for passage of the filtrate/permeate;
- and
- a support and drainage medium sandwiched between the porous filter medium and the substrate to conduct filtrate/permeate between the porous filter medium and the substrate;
- the porous filter medium, the support and drainage medium, and the substrate being bonded free of any adhesive, wherein portions of the substrate are resolidified within the support and drainage medium and the porous filter medium without unduly blinding the porous filter medium.
A method of forming a composite filter element structure comprising:
- positioning a porous filter medium to be in communication with a first surface of a support and drainage medium;
- positioning a second surface of said support and drainage medium to be in communication with a surface of a substrate having at least one fluid pathway to form a component assembly;
- introducing a bonding composition to said component assembly, said bonding composition at least slightly dissolving a portion of the substrate surface without significantly dissolving the porous filter medium or the support and drainage medium;
- contacting the support and drainage medium and the porous filter medium with the dissolved portion of the substrate;
- and
- removing the bonding composition and resolidifying, a portion of the substrate within the support and drainage medium and the porous filter medium to form an adhesive-free bond between the porous filter medium, the support and drainage medium, and the substrate without unduly blinding the porous filter medium.
A composite filter element structure for providing a filtrate of permeate, the composite filter element structure comprising:
- a porous filter medium through which filtrate/permeate passes;
- a porous support medium supporting the porous filter medium and allowing filtrate/permeate to pass between the porous filter medium and the substrate;
- and
- a substrate including a drainage mechanism for passage of the filtrate/permeate;
- wherein the porous filter medium and the porous support medium communicate with the drainage mechanism of the substrate and wherein the porous filter medium and the porous support medium are bonded to the substrate free of any adhesive, wherein portions of the substrate are resolidified within the porous support medium and the porous filter medium without unduly blinding the porous filter medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.