Direct replacement air filter with automatic pleated 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 substantially uniform thickness of between about one inch and three inches throughout its length and width and having an exposure slot there through and the housing being sealed throughout to prevent opening of the housing;
• 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, having a pleated, folded filter media folded and compactly stored substantially 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 in an operational state, the filter media being unstacked and an unexposed portion of the filter media being pleated and moved from said filter media storage area while being supported by an at least one support member with a fixed pleat spacing, across the housing and the exposure slot where it is exposed to air within the air flow channel which removes contaminants from the air and is then folded along its pleats into an exposed folded and pleated filter media portion and is further passed through to a 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 the at least one movement member 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;
• engaging an at least one motor coupled to a power supply in communication with a controller and the at least one motor moving an at least one movement member;
• moving with the at least one movement member moved by the at least one motor, an unexposed portion of the at least one filter media from an unexposed, pleated state 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 pleated portion of the at least one filter media, the exposed pleated 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 of the at least one filter media being based on output from the controller;
• and
• collecting in a containment area the exposed pleated portion of the at least one filter media and retaining it within the containment area.