US 8,945,263 B2 · Filter and method for grease filtration

Abstract

A filter unit and method for removing grease, oil and other particulates from air, for example, in a kitchen environment. The filter unit includes a housing having an upstream side, an downstream side, and a cavity therebetween, a heat exchanger disposed within the cavity and comprising at least two parallel tubes, at least one entrance aperture disposed on the upstream side of the housing and defined by at least one fin, at least one baffle disposed on the downstream side of the housing so as to be oppositely disposed from the at least one entrance aperture, and at least one exit aperture disposed on the downstream side of the housing adjacent the at least one baffle. The baffle and fin define at least one S-shaped flow path through the housing, and the flow path routes air around a downstream side of a first of the at least two tubes and then around an upstream side of a second of the at least two tubes.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims17

Dependent claims

A filter unit comprising:

a housing having an upstream side, a downstream side, and a cavity therebetween;
a heat exchanger disposed within the cavity, the heat exchanger comprising at least two parallel tubes;
at least a first entrance aperture disposed on the upstream side of the housing and defined by at least a first fin;
at least one baffle disposed on the downstream side of the housing so as to be oppositely disposed from the first entrance aperture;
at least a first exit aperture disposed on the downstream side of the housing adjacent the at least a first baffle;
wherein the first baffle and the first fin define at least one S-shaped flow path through the housing between the first entrance aperture and the first exit aperture, and the flow path routes a majority of air that enters the upstream side of the housing through the first entrance aperture around a downstream side of a first of the at least two parallel tubes, then between the first baffle and the first fin, and then around an upstream side of a second of the at least two parallel tubes before routing the air out of the downstream side of the housing through the first exit aperture, wherein the S-shaped flow path promotes removal of grease and oil particulates from the air and inhibits the passage of a flame through the housing;
a plurality of additional entrance apertures defined by a plurality of additional fins disposed on the upstream side of the housing and a plurality of additional exit apertures defined by a plurality of additional baffles disposed on the downstream side of the housing, wherein the plurality of additional fins and the plurality of additional baffles define a plurality of additional S-shaped flow paths through the housing;
and
wherein at least two of the plurality of additional fins are disposed laterally from each other on opposite sides of one of the plurality of additional entrance apertures, two of the additional S-shaped flow paths originate at the one of the plurality of additional entrance apertures, and the two of the additional S-shaped flow paths separate to flow downstream through two of the additional exit apertures.

6 more elements

A filter unit comprising:

a housing having an upstream side, a downstream side, and a cavity therebetween;
a heat exchanger disposed within the cavity, the heat exchanger comprising at least two parallel tubes;
at least a first entrance aperture disposed on the upstream side of the housing and defined by at least a first fin;
at least one baffle disposed on the downstream side of the housing so as to be oppositely disposed from the first entrance aperture;
at least a first exit aperture disposed on the downstream side of the housing adjacent the at least a first baffle;
wherein the first baffle and the first fin define at least one S-shaped flow path through the housing between the first entrance aperture and the first exit aperture, and the flow path routes a majority of air that enters the upstream side of the housing through the first entrance aperture around a downstream side of a first of the at least two parallel tubes, then between the first baffle and the first fin, and then around an upstream side of a second of the at least two parallel tubes before routing the air out of the downstream side of the housing through the first exit aperture, wherein the S-shaped flow path promotes removal of grease and oil particulates from the air and inhibits the passage of a flame through the housing;
a plurality of additional entrance apertures defined by a plurality of additional fins disposed on the upstream side of the housing and a plurality of additional exit apertures defined by a plurality of additional baffles disposed on the downstream side of the housing, wherein the plurality of additional fins and the plurality of additional baffles define a plurality of additional S-shaped flow paths through the housing;
and
wherein at least two of the plurality of additional baffles are disposed laterally from each other on opposite sides of one of the plurality of additional exit apertures, two of the additional S-shaped flow paths originate at two of the plurality of additional entrance apertures, and the two of the additional S-shaped flow paths combine to flow downstream through the one of the plurality of additional exit apertures.

6 more elements

A filtering device comprising:

a housing having an upstream side, a downstream side, and a cavity therebetween;
a heat exchanger disposed within the cavity, the heat exchanger comprising a plurality of parallel tubes;
a plurality of entrance apertures disposed on the upstream side of the housing and defined by a plurality of fins, each of the plurality of entrance apertures being between a pair of the plurality of fins;
a plurality of baffles disposed on the downstream side of the housing so as to be oppositely disposed from the plurality of entrance apertures;
a plurality of exit apertures disposed on the downstream side of the housing adjacent to the plurality of baffles, each of the plurality of exit apertures being between a pair of the plurality of baffles;
wherein the plurality of baffles and the plurality of fins define a plurality of S-shaped flow paths through the housing between the plurality of entrance apertures and the plurality of exit apertures, and the flow paths route a majority of air that enters the upstream side of the housing through the plurality of entrance aperture around a downstream side of a first group of the plurality of parallel tubes, then between pairs of the plurality of baffles and the plurality of fins, and then around an upstream side of a second group of the plurality of parallel tubes before routing the air out of the downstream side of the housing through the plurality of exit apertures, wherein the S-shaped flow paths promote removal of grease and oil particulates from the air and inhibits the passage of a flame through the housing;
and
wherein the plurality of fins and baffles are disposed in pairs laterally offset from each other, and two of the plurality of S-shaped flow paths originate upstream at each of the plurality of entrance apertures.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description1,049 words

Summary255 words

#The present invention generally relates to filters of the type used in cooking environments to remove grease, oil and other particulates from the air.

#The present invention provides a filter unit and method for removing grease, oil and other particulates from air, for example, in a kitchen environment.

#According to a first aspect of the invention, the filter unit includes a housing having an upstream side, a downstream side, and a cavity therebetween, a heat exchanger disposed within the cavity and comprising at least two parallel tubes, at least one entrance aperture disposed on the upstream side of the housing and defined by at least one fin, at least one baffle disposed on the downstream side of the housing so as to be oppositely disposed from the at least one entrance aperture, and at least one exit aperture disposed on the downstream side of the housing adjacent the at least one baffle. The baffle and fin define at least one S-shaped flow path through the housing, and the flow path routes air around a downstream side of a first of the at least two tubes and then around an upstream side of a second of the at least two tubes. The S-shaped flow path promotes removal of grease and oil particulates from the air and inhibits the passage of a flame through the housing.

Brief description of the drawings9 figures

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a filter unit in accordance with an embodiment of this invention.

#FIG. 2 represents an exploded view of the filter unit of FIG. 1, and shows a heat exchanger and a housing comprising a base and cover.

#FIG. 3 represents a cross-sectional view of the filter unit taken along section line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Detailed description615 words

#The contents of co-pending United States patent application Ser. No. 12/807,653, filed Sep. 10, 2010, including the discussion therein relating to FIGS. 1 through 8, are incorporated herein by reference. Accordingly, the following discussion will focus primarily on clarifications and additional aspects of the embodiments represented in FIGS. 1 through 8. Other aspects of the embodiments not discussed in any detail can be, in terms of structure, function, materials, etc., essentially as was described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/807,653.

#In FIG. 3, the tortuous airflow path 150 through the cavity 122 of the housing 110 results in incoming air impinging the baffles 138. In particular, FIG. 3 shows the incoming air as impinging the surfaces 138a of the baffles 138 that are oriented transverse to the initial direction of airflow as it enters the housing 110. Each transverse surface 138a of each baffle 138 is located between a pair of converging walls 138b of the baffle 138 that define the openings 140 to either side of the baffle 138 and redirect the airflow toward the conduits 174 of the heat exchanger 170. The process of the air impacting the surfaces 138a of the baffles 138 initiates separation of entrained particulates from the incoming air. In a kitchen environment, such particulates are likely to include grease, oil and other matter that may be entrained in the incoming air. The particulates that collect on the baffles 138 coalesce and flow on the surfaces of the baffles 138 toward the end of the housing 110 where the drain holes 133 are located.

#As also evident from FIG. 3, the airflow that is redirected toward the conduits 174 of the heat exchanger 170 impinge the interior surfaces of the fins 126, particularly the fin plates 126c of the fins 126. The process of the air impacting the surfaces of the fin plates 126c causes separation of additional particulates that may remain entrained from the air. As with the baffles 138, the particulates that collect on the fins 126 and their fin plates 126c coalesce and flow toward the end of the housing 110 where the drain holes 133 are located.

Facts

Application

12/880,051Filed 10 Sep 2010 · continuation in part

Published

US 2012/0060452 A115 Mar 2012

Granted

3 Feb 2015

Term ends

1 Feb 2032

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 509 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification4 codes

B01D 45/08
By utilising inertia: by impingement against baffle separators
Y10S 55/36
Gas separation: kitchen hoods
B01D
Separation
Y10S
Technical subjects covered by former uspc cross-reference art collections [xracs] and digests

Family

Application12/807,653Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 10 Sep 2010

US 2012/0060452 A1Pre-grant publication · published 15 Mar 2012

US 8,728,189 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2012/0060818 A1Published application

US 8,945,263 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

10 Sep 2010Application filedUS 12/880,051
8 Nov 2010Assigned to Blissfield Manufacturing Companyassignment of assignor's interest
7 Jun 2011Assigned to Blissfield Manufacturing Companylicense
15 Mar 2012PublishedUS 2012/0060452 A1
3 Feb 2015GrantedUS 8,945,263 B2
15 Jul 2015Assigned to Aqua Filters LLClicense
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
1 Feb 2032Term endsEstimated, includes 509 days of adjustment

Filter and method for grease filtration

Life of this patent

Filter and method for grease filtration

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims17

Description1,049 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description1,049 words