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US 5,853,437 AGranted
Self-cleaning and self-sealing particle filter
OwnerKlaus J. Peter, Osama M. Ibrahiminventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-cleaning particle filter for Diesel engines is provided. The filter includes a filter housing, control circuitry, a removable filter cartridge and independent power source. The removable filter cartridge includes a number of sintered metal strips sewn to a sheet of inorganic material to provide a filter sandwich. Current is delivered to the metal filter strips to efficiently burn off carbon, lube oil and unburned fuel particulates which have been filtered from exhaust gas.
Claims25
A Diesel particulate filter cartridge, comprising:
- a sheet of inorganic fiber filter material;
- said sheet of inorganic fiber filter material being positioned to serve as a downstream filter;
- a plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips affixed to said organic fiber filter sheet in parallel and spaced apart relation to one another and defining gaps therebetween;
- said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips being positioned to serve as upstream filters;
- means attached to said plurality of flat metal filter strips for applying an electrical current through said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips to heat said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips above the combustion point of entrapped Diesel exhaust particulate, said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips being positioned such that when an electrical current applied through said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips, sufficient heat is generated to burn off entrapped Diesel exhaust particulate;
- and
- said sheet of inorganic fiber filter material includes alternating parallel and longitudinal regions of relatively dense weave and relatively open weave;
- said regions of relatively open weave being substantially aligned with said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips and said regions of relatively dense weave being substantially aligned with said gaps;
- whereby Diesel particulate collects in said gaps to self-seal said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips relative to one another.
6 more elements
A Diesel particulate filter, comprising:
- a first sheet of inorganic fiber filter material;
- said first sheet of inorganic fiber filter material being positioned to serve as a downstream filter;
- a first plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips affixed to said first organic fiber filter sheet in parallel and spaced apart relation to one another;
- said first plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips being positioned to serve as upstream filters;
- a first sheet of inorganic mesh material affixed to said first sheet of inorganic fiber filter material with said first plurality of flat metal filter strips disposed therebetween;
- said first sheet of inorganic fiber filter material, said first plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips, and said first sheet of inorganic mesh material form a first filter cartridge having an upstream side and a downstream side;
- a second sheet of inorganic fiber filter material;
- said second sheet of inorganic fiber filter material being positioned to serve as a downstream filter;
- a second plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips affixed to said second organic fiber filter sheet in parallel and spaced apart relation to one another;
- said second plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips being positioned to serve as upstream filters;
- a second sheet of inorganic mesh material affixed to said second sheet of inorganic fiber filter material with said second plurality of flat metal filter strips disposed therebetween;
- said second sheet of inorganic fiber filter material, said second plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips, and said second sheet of inorganic mesh material form a second filter cartridge having an upstream side and a downstream side;
- housing means for encasing said first filter cartridge and said second cartridge and positioning said first filter cartridge and said second cartridge in spaced apart parallel relation to one another with respective upstream sides of said first filter cartridge and said second filter cartridge facing one another with an inlet void residing therebetween;
- said housing means including an inlet port and an outlet port;
- said inlet port positioned to feed said inlet void with unfiltered Diesel exhaust;
- said outlet port positioned to receive filtered exhaust from said first filter cartridge and said second filter cartridge;
- means attached to said first plurality of flat metal filter strips for applying a voltage across said first plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips to heat said first plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips above the combustion point of entrapped Diesel exhaust particulate, said first plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips being positioned such that when a voltage is applied across said first plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips, sufficient heat is generated to burn off entrapped Diesel exhaust particulate;
- and
- means attached to said second plurality of flat metal filter strips for applying a voltage across said second plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips to heat said second plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips above the combustion point of entrapped Diesel exhaust particulate, said second plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips being positioned such that when a voltage is applied across said second plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips, sufficient heat is generated to burn off entrapped Diesel exhaust particulate.
16 more elements
A Diesel particulate filter cartridge, comprising:
- a plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips affixed to said organic fiber filter sheet in parallel and spaced apart relation to one another and defining gaps therebetween;
- said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips being positioned to serve as upstream filters;
- and
- a sheet of inorganic fiber filter material;
- said sheet of inorganic fiber filter material being positioned to serve as a downstream filter;
- said sheet of inorganic fiber filter material including alternating parallel and longitudinal regions of relatively dense weave and relatively open weave;
- said regions of relatively open weave being substantially aligned with said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips and said regions of relatively dense weave being substantially aligned with said gaps;
- means attached to said plurality of flat metal filter strips for applying an electrical current through said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips to heat said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips above the combustion point of entrapped Diesel exhaust particulate, said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips being positioned such that when an electrical current applied through said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips, sufficient heat is generated to burn off entrapped Diesel exhaust particulate;
- whereby Diesel particulate collects in said gaps to self-seal said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips relative to one another.
6 more elements
A Diesel particulate filter cartridge, comprising:
- a sheet of inorganic fiber filter material;
- said sheet of inorganic fiber filter material being positioned to serve as a downstream filter;
- said sheet of inorganic fiber filter material being able to filter particulate matter of a size of 2.5 microns or larger;
- a plurality of electrically resistive fiat metal filter strips affixed to said organic fiber filter sheet in parallel and spaced apart relation to one another and defining gaps therebetween;
- said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips being positioned to serve as upstream filters;
- and
- means attached to said plurality of flat metal filter strips for applying an electrical current through said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips to heat said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips above the combustion point of entrapped Diesel exhaust particulate, said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips being positioned such that when an electrical current applied through said plurality of electrically resistive flat metal filter strips, sufficient heat is generated to burn off entrapped Diesel exhaust particulate.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.