Method of adhering a pleated filtration media and filter and media filter stack using same

A method of manufacturing a selected spacing folded, pleated media stack comprising:

• preparing a pre-pleated sheet of filter media having pleats with peaks and troughs throughout its length;
• applying an at least one adhesive element along the pre-pleated sheet of filter media applied to all of the pleats;
• advancing and cutting the pre-pleated sheet of material to specific length to form a cut length of pre-pleated sheet of filter media with the at least one adhesive element applied thereon;
• compressing the cut length of pre-pleated sheet of filter material, the process of compressing the cut length of pre-pleated sheet of filter media resulting in folding of the pleats and adherence of the pleats of the cut length of pre-pleated sheet of material into a folded, pleated filter media stack that is selectively separable;
• selectively separating the folded, pleated filter media stack and selecting a pleat spacing for a selected pleat spacing section, the size of the pleat spacing section corresponding to the selected pleat spacing;
• further application of an at least one spacing support element at the peaks of each pleat in adhesive contact with the selected pleat spacing section, adhering the peaks of the selected pleat spacing section to the at least one spacing support element to secure the selected pleat spacing in the cut pre-pleated filter media material that comprises the folded, pleated filter media stack;
• and
• refolding and recompressing the folded, pleated filter media stack and the at least one spacing support element into a selected spacing folded, pleated media stack wherein the media stack is adhered and can be selectively removed to extend the folded, compacted filter media pack from the folded, compacted state to a deployed state with the selected pleat spacing.