Multicomponent depth odor control filter and method of manufacture

A filter formed from a shaped fiber mat comprising:

• a plurality of elongated fibers, forming the shaped fiber mat, each having a longitudinally extending internal cavity including an opening from the internal cavity to the outer fiber surface;
• a fine powder made from particles which are smaller than the opening disposed within the internal cavities of said plurality of elongated fibers;
• carbon particles which are much larger than the opening attached to one side of the shaped fiber mat;
• and,
• a liquid chemisorptive reagent disposed in a thin layer on the other side of the shaped fiber mat.

A filter for removing odor molecules from an air stream comprising:

• a plurality of elongated fibers, each having an elongated open channel extending into the interior of the fiber, disposed to form a fiber filter mat;
• a fine powder, which has an affinity for selected types of odor molecules to be removed from the air stream, disposed and retained without an adhesive within the elongated open channels of said plurality of elongated fibers for adsorbing selected types of odor molecules as the air stream passes through the filter;
• and,
• a liquid chemisorptive agent, which has an affinity for selected types of odor molecules to be removed from the air stream, disposed to a shallow depth on one side of the fiber filter mat within the elongated open channels and having an exposed portion near the exteriors of the fibers for absorbing selected types of odor molecules as the air stream passes through the filter.

A device for continuously removing undesirable odor vapors from an air stream comprising:

• a plurality of wicking fibers, disposed to form a fiber mat, with each wicking fiber including a longitudinally extending channel with a longitudinally extending opening;
• a fine powder having an affinity for the undesirable odor vapors disposed within the longitudinally extending channels of said plurality of wicking fibers;
• a liquid chemisorptive agent having an affinity for the undesirable odor vapors disposed to a shallow depth on one side of said fiber mat within the longitudinally extending channels of said plurality of wicking fibers;
• means for directing the air stream across a part of said plurality of wicking fibers into contact with said fine powder and said liquid chemisorptive agent along said longitudinally extending openings whereby said fine powder and said liquid chemisorptive agent adsorb or absorb the undesirable odor vapors.

A filter for removing odor molecules comprising:

• a plurality of elongated flexible fibers, each having an elongated open channel extending into the interior of the fiber, disposed to form a nonwoven fiber filter mat;
• a plurality of small solid particles which have an affinity for odor molecules disposed and permanently retained by mechanical interaction within the channels for adsorbing some odor gas molecules as they pass through the filter;
• and,
• a plurality of larger carbon particles which are larger than the diameter of the fibers attached to one side of the nonwoven fiber filter mat.

A method of manufacturing for a filter a fiber mat formed from strands impregnated with solid particles comprising the steps of:

• a. forming a fiber mat from strands with each strand having an internal longitudinally extending cavity having a longitudinally extending opening, smaller than the cavity width, extending from the cavity to the fiber strand outser surface;
• b. applying a plurality of solid particles to the fiber mat;
• c. forcing many of the solid particles into the internal longitudinally extending cavities of the strands where they are securely retained without an adhesive;
• and
• d. applying a liquid chemisorptive agent on one side of the fiber mat whereby the liquid chemisorptive agent is by capillary action drawn into at least some of the longitudinally extending cavities.