Fluid filter, method of making and using thereof
AssigneeProducts Unlimited, Inc.
InventorsScott B. Beier, Rex A. Adams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid filter includes a first batting of high loft, non-woven, fibrous fluid-permeable material with a plurality of openings formed through the thickness thereof across the length and width of the batting. A second layer of high loft, non-woven, fluid-permeable fibrous batting is attached to the first layer and extends across the entire length and width of the first layer. Preferably, the first and second layers are adhered together to form a single integral fluid filter. In the preferred form of the invention, the openings in the first batting have side walls which are perpendicular to the upper surface of the batting, such that fluid flow impacts on the upper surface of the batting, rather than directly impacting on the side walls.
Claims21
A fluid filter, comprising:
- a first layer of fluid-permeable material having an upper surface, a lower surface, a pair of opposing, spaced-apart side edges and a width measured between said side edges, a pair of opposing longitudinal ends and a length measured between said ends, and a thickness measured between the upper and lower surfaces;
- said first layer having a plurality of spaced apart openings extending through the thickness thereof, forming a plurality of walls separating said openings;
- and
- a second layer of fluid-permeable material having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a length and width equal to that of the first layer, abutting the first layer with the upper surface of the second layer in contact with the lower surface of the first layer.
A method for increasing the filtering surface area of a fluid filter, comprising the steps of:
- providing a first layer of fluid-permeable material, having an upper surface, a lower surface, length and width, and a thickness measured between the upper and lower surface;
- cutting a plurality of parallel spaced apart slits completely through the thickness of the first layer in the length direction of the layer, said slits extending less than the entire length of the layer;
- stretching the first layer in the width direction transverse to the length of the slits, to increase the width of the layer and expand openings formed by the slits through the thickness of the layer;
- fixing the stretched layer in an expanded condition;
- and
- placing the first layer in abutting contact with a second layer of fluid-permeable material, the second layer having a length and width equal to the first layer, so as to cover all of the openings in the first layer.
A fluid filter, comprising:
- a layer of fluid-permeable material having an upper surface, a lower surface, a pair of opposing, spaced-apart side edges and a width measured between said side edges, a pair of opposing longitudinal ends and a length measured between said ends, and a thickness measured between the upper and lower surfaces;
- said layer having a plurality of spaced apart openings extending through less than the entire thickness of the layer, from the upper surface towards the lower surface.
A method of filtering particulate material from a generally unidirectional fluid stream, comprising the steps of:
- providing a layer of fluid-permeable material, having an upper surface, a lower surface, a pair of opposing, spaced-apart side edges and a width measured between said side edges, a pair of opposing longitudinal ends and a length measured between said ends, and a thickness measured between the upper and lower surfaces, said layer having a plurality of spaced apart openings extending less than the entire thickness of the layer from the upper surface towards the lower surface, said openings having a bottom surface and defining a plurality of walls separating said openings, s aid walls having an upper surface and side wall surfaces formed at an angle relative to the upper surface;
- positioning the layer in the fluid stream with the layer upper surface oriented up-stream of the layer lower surface, whereby said fluid stream initially passes through said wall upper surfaces and opening bottom surfaces, thence through the walls and layer of material, and thence outwardly through the lower surface of the layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.