Filter cartridge comprising filter media with adhesively edge-sealed ends, and method of making and using

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10751660-B2
Application number	US-201615736866-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2016
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A filter cartridge having a filter media with two opposing ends each being occluded by an adhesive edge seal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge housing comprising a filter cartridge installed therein, the cartridge housing comprising a major housing portion with a front-facing major side that is air-impermeable, and comprising a lid portion with a rear-facing major side that is air-permeable, wherein the lid portion is movable relative to the major housing portion between a first, open position in which a filter cartridge can be installed into the housing, and a second, closed position in which the lid portion exerts a compressive force on a rear surface of the filter cartridge so as to securely hold the filter cartridge within the housing;
and wherein the filter cartridge is a pleated filter cartridge comprising:
a pleated filter media comprising a first major side and a second, oppositely-facing major side and comprising a plurality of oppositely-facing pleats with a pleat direction and with a plurality of first-side pleat tips and first-side pleat valleys and second-side pleat tips and second-side pleat valleys;
wherein the pleated filter media comprises a first corrugated end and a second corrugated end; and, a first noncorrugated end and a second noncorrugated end;
wherein the pleated filter cartridge comprises a casing with a first major portion that resides outwardly of the first major side of the pleated filter media and includes a first air-permeable area, with a second major portion that resides outwardly of the second major side of the pleated filter media and that includes a second air-permeable area, and wherein the casing also comprises a first end portion that resides outwardly of, and occludes, the first noncorrugated end of the pleated filter media, and a second end portion that resides outwardly of, and occludes, the second noncorrugated end of the pleated filter media:
and wherein the first corrugated end of the pleated filter media is occluded by a first edge seal of hardened adhesive that resides within the first-side pleat valleys and the second-side pleat valleys of the pleated filter media at a location inwardly proximate the first corrugated end of the pleated filter media and that extends along an entire lateral extent of the pleated filter media, and wherein the second corrugated end of the pleated filter media is occluded by a second edge seal of hardened adhesive that resides within the first-side pleat valleys and the second-side pleat valleys of the pleated filter media at a location inwardly proximate the second corrugated end of the pleated filter media and that extends along the entire lateral extent of the pleated filter media.

2. The cartridge housing of claim 1 , wherein the major housing portion comprises a resilient gasket that, when the cartridge is secured in the cartridge housing, is in contact with a perimeter area of a front surface of the filter cartridge.

3. The cartridge housing of claim 2 wherein the major housing portion comprises a rear-facing receiving surface upon which the resilient gasket rests.

4. The cartridge housing of claim 3 wherein the rear-facing receiving surface of the major housing portion is planar and is configured to accept a flat filter cartridge.

5. The cartridge housing of claim 3 wherein the rear-facing receiving surface of the major housing portion is arcuate and is configured to accept an arcuate filter cartridge.

6. The cartridge housing of claim 1 wherein the major housing portion comprises a first complementary mating feature, and wherein the lid portion comprises a second complementary mating feature that is complementary to the first complementary mating feature of the major housing portion, and wherein the first and second complementary mating features collectively provide a latch that, when the lid portion is in the second, closed position, holds the lid portion in the closed position and causes the lid portion to exert a compressive force against the rear surface of the filter cartridge.

7. The cartridge housing of claim 1 wherein the major housing portion at least partially defines an interior space that, when a filter cartridge is installed in the cartridge housing and the lid portion is in the closed position, provides a plenum that is located rearwardly of the filter cartridge and that receives filtered air that flows through the filter cartridge, and wherein the cartridge housing comprises an air-exit passage that is located at a proximal end of the cartridge housing and that fluidly connects the plenum of the cartridge housing, to a respirator body.

8. The cartridge housing of claim 1 wherein the cartridge housing comprises at least one side that is bowed outwardly away from an end of the filter cartridge so that when the lid portion is in the open position, a finger can be inserted into the space between the side of the cartridge housing and the end of the filter cartridge, in order to manually remove the filter cartridge from the cartridge housing.

9. The cartridge housing of claim 1 wherein the filter cartridge is installable in the cartridge housing so that either a first major side, or a second major side, of the filter cartridge faces rearward.

10. The cartridge housing of claim 1 wherein at least the major housing portion is transparent.

11. The cartridge housing of claim 1 wherein at least one additional layer of filtration material that is not a part of the filter cartridge, is installed within the cartridge housing.

12. A kit comprising a plurality of filter cartridges of claim 1 .

13. A respirator comprising a respirator body with a cartridge housing fluidly connected thereto, the cartridge housing comprising a filter cartridge of claim 1 installed therein; and, the cartridge housing comprising a first major housing portion with a front-facing major side that is air-impermeable, and comprising a second major housing portion with a rear-facing major side that is air-permeable, wherein the second major housing portion is movable relative to the first major housing portion between a first, open position in which a filter cartridge can be installed into the housing, and a second, closed position in which the second major housing portion exerts a compressive force on a rear surface of the filter cartridge so as to securely hold the filter cartridge within the housing.

14. The respirator of claim 13 wherein the cartridge housing is fluidly connected to the respirator body by way of a connection that is located at a proximal end of the cartridge.

15. The respirator of claim 13 wherein the cartridge housing is a first cartridge housing that is fluidly connected to the respirator body, and wherein the respirator further comprises a second cartridge housing that is fluidly connected to the same respirator body.

16. The respirator of claim 13 wherein the respirator is a half-mask respirator, a full-mask respirator, or a powered-air respirator.

17. The pleated filter cartridge of claim 1 comprising at least one additional seal of hardened adhesive that is located between the first edge seal of hardened adhesive and the second edge seal of hardened adhesive and that extends along the entire lateral extent of the pleated filter media.

18. The pleated filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the pleated filter media exhibits a pleat spacing of less than three millimeters.

19. The pleated filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the pleated filter media exhibits a pleat height of from five millimeters to fifteen millimeters.

20. The pleated filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the pleated filter media exhibits a pleated configuration in which nearest-n

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Legare Pierre
• Dwyer Gary E
• Frankel Kevin A

Classifications

• B01D46/0016 Primary

  Folded frame or housing constructions · CPC title

• A62B18/08

  Component parts for gas-masks or gas-helmets, e.g. windows, straps, speech transmitters, signal-devices (eye-pieces for protective goggles A61F9/02; composition of materials for the windows or other transparent parts A62D7/00) · CPC title

• B01D46/0005

  Mounting of filtering elements within casings, housings or frames (B01D46/2422 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D2265/028

  Snap, latch or clip connecting means · CPC title

• B01D46/523

  with means for maintaining spacing between the pleats or folds · CPC title