# US 7,608,135 B2 · Air conditioning system with modular electrically stimulated air filter apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,608,135 B2 - Document ID: US7608135B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/049,095 - Filed: 2008-03-14 - Published: 2009-01-29 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2007-07-25 - Inventors: Peter J. Mello; Kenneth B. Tippets, Jr.; Margaret W. Crumpton - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608135B2 ## CPC - F24F 8/192: by electrical means, e.g. by applying electrostatic fields or high voltages - B03C 3/09: characterised by presence of stationary flat electrodes arranged with their flat surfaces at right angles to the gas stream - B03C 3/12: characterised by separation of ionising and collecting stations - B03C 3/155: Filtration - B03C 3/41: Ionising-electrodes - B03C 2201/04: Ionising electrode being a wire - F24F 8/30: by ionisation - Y02A 50/20: Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - B03C: MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS (separating isotopes B01D59/00; combinations of magnetic or electrostatic separation with separation of solids by other means B03B, B07B) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract An air conditioning system includes an air flow pathway extending through a housing from an inlet to an outlet. Air conditioning apparatus is disposed in the airflow pathway between the inlet and the outlet conditioning an air stream passing through the air flow pathway from the inlet to the outlet. A modular electrically stimulated air filter apparatus is carried by opposed, parallel frameworks mounted in series in the air flow pathway between the inlet and the air conditioning apparatus filtering entrapping contaminants in the air stream flowing through the housing from the inlet to the outlet. The opposed parallel frameworks are mounted to opposed supports affixed to the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air filter, comprising: nonconductive dielectric material formed into spaced-apart parallel pleats cooperating to form a broad pleated body having opposed upstream and downstream faces and a shape; spaced-apart parallel pleat spaces formed by and between the spaced-apart parallel pleats; an electrode, to receive and impart a potential across the broad pleated body, comprising a flat conductive screen, defining an array of openings, adhered to, covering, and in full contact with the downstream face of the broad pleated body; a plurality of spaced-apart, non-conductive spacer elements applied to the filter in a direction toward the electrode to maintain the shape of the broad pleated body by preventing the pleats from collapsing into the pleat spaces in response to an air stream passing through the pleated body from the upstream face to the downstream face; and the spacer elements each comprising an elongate body applied exteriorly against the electrode, and a plurality of spaced-apart fingers extending in a parallel row from the elongate body each extending through one of the openings of the electrode and into one of the pleat spaces. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air filter according to claim 1, further comprising: each of the pleat spaces having a cross-sectional shape; and each of the fingers having a cross-sectional shape that relates to the cross-sectional shape of the corresponding pleat opening into which the finger extends. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The air filter according to claim 2, further comprising a non-conductive adhesive applied between the elongate body, the electrode, and the downstream face of the broad pleated body adhesively adhering a) the elongate body to the electrode, and b) the electrode to the downstream face of the broad pleated body thereby applying and maintaining the electrode in intimate contact with the downstream face of the broad pleated body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The air filter according to claim 3, further comprising: the elongate body having a first end and an opposed second end, and a length extending from the first end to the second end; and the non-conductive adhesive applied between the elongate body, the electrode, and the downstream face of the broad pleated body along the entire length of elongate body from the first end of the elongate body to the second end of the elongate body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The air filter according to claim 4, wherein the spacer elements are parallel relative to one another, and perpendicular relative to the pleats and the pleat spaces. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The air filter according to claim 5, further comprising: the broad pleated body having a first perimeter edge at the downstream face; the electrode having a second perimeter edge; and the second perimeter edge of the electrode adhered to the first perimeter edge of the broad pleated body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The air filter according to claim 6, further comprising a non-conductive adhesive applied between the second perimeter edge of the electrode and the first perimeter edge of the broad pleated body at the downstream face adhesively adhering the first perimeter edge to the second perimeter edge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The air filter according to claim 7, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each of the pleat spaces and each of the fingers is triangular. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The air filter according to claim 8, wherein the fingers extend into alternating ones of the pleat spaces. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The air filter according to claim 9, wherein the non-conductive dielectric material comprises fiberglass with approximately 6-10% binder material. ### Claim 11 An air filter, comprising: nonconductive dielectric material formed into spaced-apart parallel pleats cooperating to form a broad pleated body having opposed upstream and downstream faces, opposed parallel first and second sides, and opposed parallel upper and lower ends, and a shape; spaced-apart parallel pleat spaces formed by and between the spaced-apart parallel pleats; the pleats and pleat spaces extending from the upper end of the broad pleated body to the lower end of the broad pleated body and are parallel relative to the first and second sides of the broad pleated body; an electrode, to receive and impart a potential across the broad pleated body, comprising a flat conductive screen, defining an array of openings, adhered to, that relates to and covers, and that is in full contact with the downstream face of the broad pleated body; a plurality of spaced-apart, non-conductive spacer elements applied to the filter in a direction toward the electrode to maintain the shape of the broad pleated body by preventing the pleats from collapsing into the pleat spaces in response to an air stream passing through the pleated body from the upstream face to the downstream face; and the spacer elements each comprising an elongate body applied exteriorly against the electrode, and a plurality of spaced-apart fingers extending in a parallel row from the elongate body each extending through one of the openings of the electrode and into one of the pleat spaces. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The air filter according to claim 11, further comprising: the broad pleated body having a first perimeter edge at the downstream face; the electrode having a second perimeter edge; and the second perimeter edge of the electrode adhered to the first perimeter edge of the broad pleated body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The air filter according to claim 12, further comprising a non-conductive adhesive applied between the second perimeter edge of the electrode and the first perimeter edge of the broad pleated body at the downstream face adhesively adhering the first perimeter edge to the second perimeter edge. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The air filter according to claim 13, further comprising: each of the pleat spaces having a cross-sectional shape; and each of the fingers having a cross-sectional shape that relates to the cross-sectional shape of the corresponding pleat opening into which the finger extends. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The air filter according to claim 14, wherein the cross-sectional shape of each of the pleat spaces and each of the fingers is triangular. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The air filter according to claim 15, further comprising a non-conductive adhesive applied between the elongate body, the electrode, and the downstream face of the broad pleated body adhesively adhering a) the elongate body to the electrode, and b) the electrode to the downstream face of the broad pleated body thereby applying and maintaining the electrode in intimate contact with the downstream face of the broad pleated body. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The air filter according to claim 16, further comprising: the elongate body having a first end and an opposed second end, and a length extending from the first end to the second end; and the non-conductive adhesive applied between the elongate body, the electrode, and the downstream face of the broad pleated body along the entire length of elongate body from the first end of the elongate body to the second end of the elongate body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The air filter according to claim 17, wherein the spacer elements are parallel relative to one another and relative to the opposed parallel upper and lower ends of the broad pleated body, and perpendicular relative to the pleats and the pleat spaces and the opposed first and second sides of the broad pleated body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The air filter according to claim 18, wherein the fingers extend into alternating ones of the pleat spaces. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The air filter according to claim 19, wherein the non-conductive dielectric material comprises fiberglass with approximately 6-10% binder material.