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US 7,922,006 B2Granted
Circumferentially pleated filter assembly and method of forming the same
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsBrian L. Fall, Thomas J. Hamlin, Mahesh Z. Patel, John L. Pulek, Aaron Spearin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A filter assembly is provided which includes an outer filter sleeve formed at least in part by a plurality of pleats, an inner filter sleeve formed at least in part by a plurality of pleats, wherein the inner and outer filter sleeves define a passage therebetween. An inlet cap is secured to a first end of the inner and outer filter sleeves and it has at least one inlet port communicating with the passage, and an end cap is secured to a second end of the inner and outer filter sleeves and it has an end surface closing the passage. Methods of forming such a filter assembly are also provided.
Claims34
A filter element comprising:
- an inlet cap having an outer peripheral surface;
- at least one filter sleeve comprising at least one filter media, an upper end, and a lower end, the at least one filter media further comprising a plurality of adjoining circumferentially disposed arcuate pleats, wherein each pleat has an inner pleat leg having an arc length hi and an outer pleat leg having an arc length ho;
- an end cap having an outer peripheral surface;
- wherein the upper end of the at least one filter sleeve is secured to and is substantially parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the inlet cap, wherein the lower end of the at least one filter sleeve is secured to and is substantially parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the end cap, wherein a range from approximately ⅙ to less than ½ of the arc length ho of each outer pleat leg is in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the inlet cap and end cap.
1 more element
A filter element comprising:
- an inlet cap having an outer peripheral surface;
- at least one filter sleeve comprising at least one filter media, an upper end, and a lower end, the at least one filter media having a thickness and further comprising a plurality of adjoining circumferentially disposed arcuate pleats, wherein each pleat comprises at least one crown and at least one root, and wherein each pleat has an inner pleat leg having an arc length hi and an outer pleat leg having an arc length ho;
- an end cap having an outer peripheral surface;
- wherein the upper end of the at least one filter sleeve is secured to and is substantially parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the inlet cap, wherein the lower end of the at least one filter sleeve is secured to and is substantially parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the end cap;
- wherein, at the outer peripheral surface of both the inlet cap and the end cap, the at least one filter sleeve has a substantially continuous radial thickness about substantially the entire circumference of the filter sleeve, wherein the substantially continuous radial thickness is substantially equal to one of:
- five times the thickness of the filter media, seven times the thickness of the filter media, nine times the thickness of the filter media, or eleven times the thickness of the filter media.
3 more elements
A filter element comprising:
- an inlet cap having an outer peripheral surface;
- at least one filter sleeve having an inner circumference C and comprising at least one filter media, an upper end, and a lower end, the at least one filter media having a thickness and further comprising a plurality N of adjoining circumferentially disposed arcuate pleats, wherein each pleat comprises at least one crown and at least one root, and wherein each pleat has an inner pleat leg having an arc length hi and an outer pleat leg having an arc length ho;
- an end cap having an outer peripheral surface;
- wherein the upper end of the at least one filter sleeve is secured to and is substantially parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the inlet cap, wherein the lower end of the at least one filter sleeve is secured to and is substantially parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the end cap;
- wherein, at the outer peripheral surface of both the inlet cap and the end cap, the at least one filter sleeve has a substantially continuous radial thickness about substantially the entire circumference of the filter sleeve;
- wherein the at least one filter sleeve is secured to the outer peripheral surface of both the inlet cap and the end cap by at least one of ultrasonic welding and heat bonding;
- wherein the inner pleat leg of each circumferentially disposed arcuate pleat overlaps the inner pleat leg of the adjacent circumferentially disposed pleat by a percentage overlap Op of the arc length hi of the inner pleat leg of the adjacent circumferentially disposed pleat, wherein Op is up to 80%;
- wherein C is defined by the following equation:
- C=hi·N·Op.
6 more elements
A filter element comprising:
- a filter sleeve comprising at least one filter media comprising a plurality N of adjoining circumferentially disposed arcuate pleats, wherein each pleat has an inner pleat leg having an arc length hi and an outer pleat leg having an arc length ho, the filter sleeve having an inner circumference C formed by adjacent portions of the outer pleat legs of adjacent circumferentially disposed arcuate pleats;
- wherein the inner pleat leg of each circumferentially disposed arcuate pleat overlaps the inner pleat leg of the adjacent circumferentially disposed pleat by a percentage overlap Op of the arc length hi of the inner pleat leg of the adjacent circumferentially disposed pleat, wherein Op is up to 80%;
- wherein C is defined by the following equation:
- C=hi·N·Op.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.