Direct replacement air handler filter with automatic filter media advance

A direct replacement air handler filter system within an air flow channel within an air handler unit comprising:

• a housing having a uniform thickness throughout its length and width and having an exposure slot there through;
• a motor coupled to a battery power source and in communication with a controller having an at least one sensor input or a timer;
• and
• a filter media storage area located on one end of the housing, with a filter media folded and compactly stored inside the filter media storage area, and an exposed filter media containment area located on an opposed end within the housing with the filter media extending therebetween, the filter media being paid out from said filter media storage area across the housing and the exposure slot while being supported by an at least one support member where it is exposed to air within the air flow channel and folds into a zig-zag pattern and removes contaminants from the air and is further passed through to the containment area where the filter media is re-folded, collected, and compactly stored with the filtered contaminants, the motor being activated by said controller in response to input from the at least one sensor or based on a timed input from said timer and moving an at least one cord, wire, or string engaged to move the filter media across the exposure area.

A method of moving a pleated filter media within a uniform length and width, direct replacement air handler filter frame comprising the method steps of:

• storing an unexposed folded filter media compactly within an at least one filter media storage area storage;
• engaging an at least one motor coupled to an independent power supply in communication with a controller and the at least one motor moving an at least one cord, wire, or string;
• paying out through the movement of the at least one cord, wire, or string by the at least one motor an unexposed portion of the at least one filter media into an at least one exposure slot and exposing the unexposed portion of the at least one filter media to the air flow channel creating an exposed portion of the at least one filter media, the exposed portion being paid out across an at least one supporting member with the at least one supporting member forced to fold into a zig-zag pattern when placed into an air flow in the air flow channel and the paying out of the at least one filter media being based on output from the controller;
• and
• collecting in a containment area the exposed portion of the at least one filter media and retaining it within the containment area.

A direct replacement automatic media advancing air handler filter within an air flow channel comprising:

• a housing having a uniform thickness throughout the length and width of the housing and an at least one exposure slot;
• an at least one filter media storage area, having unexposed filter media stored therein, the unexposed filter media being pleated, folded, and stacked to be compactly held within the at least one filter media storage area;
• an at least one motor coupled to an independent power supply and in communication with a controller, the at least one motor moving an at least one screw drive that pays out an unexposed portion of the at least one filter media into the at least one exposure slot and exposes the unexposed portion of the at least one filter media to the air flow channel creating an exposed portion of the at least one filter media and the at least one filter media being folded at its pleats into a zig-zag pattern when in the air flow channel and the paying out the at least one filter media being based on output from the controller;
• and
• a containment area, wherein the exposed portion of the at least one filter media is collected and retained within the containment area.

A direct replacement air handler filter system within an air flow channel within an air handler unit comprising:

• a housing having a uniform thickness and an exposure slot there through;
• a motor coupled to a power source and in communication with a controller having an at least one sensor input or a timer;
• and
• a filter media storage area located on one end of the housing, with a pleated, folded filter media folded and compactly stored inside the filter media storage area, and an exposed filter media containment area located on an opposed end within the housing with the filter media extending therebetween, the filter media being paid out from said filter media storage area across the housing and the exposure slot while being supported by an at least one support member where it is exposed to air to become an exposed filter media portion within the air flow channel and being folded along its pleats into a zig-zag pattern to remove contaminants from the air flow channel, the exposed filter media being further passed through to a containment area where the exposed filter media is re-folded, collected, and compactly stored with the filtered contaminants, the motor being activated by said controller in response to input from the at least one sensor or based on a timed input from said timer and moving an at least one screw drive-to move the filter media from the storage area, across the exposure area, and into the containment area.

A method of moving a pleated filter media within a uniform length and width, direct replacement air handler filter frame comprising the method steps of:

• storing an unexposed folded, pleated filter media compactly within an at least one filter media storage area storage;
• engaging an at least one motor coupled to an independent power supply in communication with a controller and the at least one motor moving an at least one screw drive;
• paying out through the movement of the at least one screw drive by the at least one motor an unexposed portion of the at least one filter media into an at least one exposure slot with an at least one support member and exposing the unexposed portion of the at least one filter media to the air flow channel creating an exposed portion of the at least one filter media, the exposed portion being folded at its pleats into a zig-zag pattern when placed into an air flow in the air flow channel and the paying out of the at least one filter media being based on output from the controller;
• and
• collecting in a containment area the exposed portion of the at least one filter media and retaining it within the containment area.

A direct replacement automatic media advancing air handler filter within an air flow channel comprising:

• a unitary housing having a uniform thickness throughout the length and width of the unitary housing and an at least one exposure slot;
• an at least one filter media storage area, having unexposed filter media stored therein, the unexposed filter media being pleated, folded, and stacked to be compactly held within the at least one filter media storage area;
• an at least one motor coupled to an independent power supply and in communication with a controller, the at least one motor moving an at least one set of pinch rollers that pays out an unexposed portion of the at least one filter media from the pleated, folded storage area into the at least one exposure slot and exposes the unexposed portion of the at least one filter media to the air flow channel creating an exposed portion of the at least one filter media, the exposed portion being paid out across an at least one supporting member with the at least one supporting member forcing the at least one filter media to fold at its pleats into a zig-zag pattern when placed into an air flow in the air flow channel and the paying out the at least one filter media being based on output from the controller;
• and
• a containment area, wherein the exposed portion of the at least one filter media is fed into the containment area and thereby collected and retained within the containment area.

A direct replacement air handler filter system within an air flow channel within an air handler unit comprising:

• a housing having a uniform thickness throughout its length and width and having an exposure slot there through;
• a motor coupled to a battery power source and in communication with a controller having an at least one sensor input or a timer;
• and
• a filter media storage area located on one end of the housing, with a filter media folded and compactly stored inside the filter media storage area, and an exposed filter media containment area located on an opposed end within the housing with the filter media extending there between, the filter media being paid out from said filter media storage area across the housing and the exposure slot while being supported by an at least one support member where it is exposed to air within the air flow channel and folds into a zig-zag pattern and removes contaminants from the air and is further passed through to the containment area where the filter media is re-folded, collected, and compactly stored with the filtered contaminants, the motor being activated by said controller in response to input from the at least one sensor or based on a timed input from said timer and moving an at least one set of pinch rollers is engaged to move the filter media across the exposure area.

A method of moving a pleated filter media within a uniform length and width, direct replacement air handler filter frame comprising the method steps of:

• storing an unexposed folded, pleated filter media compactly within an at least one filter media storage area storage;
• engaging an at least one motor coupled to an independent power supply in communication with a controller and the at least one motor moving an at least one set of pinch rollers;
• paying out through the movement of the least one set of pinch rollers by the at least one motor an unexposed portion of the at least one filter media into an at least one exposure slot and exposing the unexposed portion of the at least one filter media to the air flow channel creating an exposed portion of the at least one filter media, the exposed portion being paid forcing the at least one filter media to fold at its pleats into a zig-zag pattern when placed into an air flow in the air flow channel and the paying out of the at least one filter media being based on output from the controller;
• and
• collecting in a containment area the exposed portion of the at least one filter media and retaining it within the containment area.