Filter unit suitable for exchangeable insertion in the housing of a filter system

#1. Field of the Invention

#The subject matter of the invention is a filter unit for exchangeable insertion in the housing of a filter system, comprising the following features:

#(a) the filter unit has a supporting component provided for supporting the filter unit in the housing and having a first side and an opposite, second side, the first side being provided facing the clean gas space of the housing for installation therein;

#The invention and developments of the invention will be elucidated in more detail hereinafter by way of embodiments shown in the drawings wherein

#FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a filter unit according to the invention;

#FIG. 2 is a plan view of the filter unit of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of the filter unit 2. Filter unit 2 consists of a supporting component 4 having substantially the shape of a circular plate, and five filter elements 6. Each of the filter elements 6 has the shape of a hollow, flat, right parallelepiped open at its upper side in FIG. 1, with the other five sides of the right parallelepiped being in the form of closed walls. The two large faces 8 of each right parallelepiped extend in zigzag fashion to increase the surface area of the respective filter element 6; for maintaining clarity, this is not shown in FIG. 1, but is visible in the more detailed representation of FIG. 2. Except for the upper, open right parallelepiped side 10, the entire outer surface of each filter element 6 constitutes the afflux surface thereof. The filtered fluid, e.g. air, is sucked off through the open sides 10 of the filter elements 6.

#The supporting component 4 consists of a casting resin, preferably phenolic resin, epoxy resin or polyurethane.

#As can be seen in particular from the detailed representation of FIG. 3, the filter elements 6 terminate a distance above the upper main surface 12 of supporting component 4. The casting resin encloses each filter element 6 on four sides of the right parallelepiped from the outside, and at these right parallelepiped sides extends a short distance above beyond the upper main confining surface 12 and below beyond the lower main confining surface 14 of supporting component 4. This provides a good dimension in height of the connecting region of filter elements 6 and supporting component 4. The upper side of supporting component 4 in FIG. 3 is referred to as “first side” in the present application, whereas the bottom side of supporting component 4 in FIG. 3 is referred to as “second side”.