Panel filter with molded frame and integral seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11033846-B2
Application number	US-201716076579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2017
Priority date	Feb 9, 2016
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A filter cartridge is provided. The filter cartridge includes a filter element comprising a filter media, and the filter element extends between an inlet face and an outlet face. The filter element defines a periphery surrounding the filter media. The filter cartridge also includes a border frame including a plurality of side panels, and the side panels are independently molded-in-place along the periphery of the filter element. Adjacent members of the side panels are joined together along a plurality of mold interface seams, and the mold interface seams are spaced around the periphery. The plurality of side panels are embedded in and seal the periphery of the filter element such that fluid flow inside the border frame is directed to pass through the filter media for filtering in order to pass from the inlet face to the outlet face.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A filter cartridge, comprising:
a filter element comprising a filter media, the filter element extending between an inlet face and an outlet face, the filter element defining a periphery surrounding the filter media; and
a border frame comprising a plurality of side panels, the side panels being independently molded-in-place along the periphery of the filter element, adjacent members of the side panels being joined together along a plurality of mold interface seams, the mold interface seams being spaced around the periphery, the plurality of side panels being embedded in and sealing the periphery of the filter element such that fluid flow inside the border frame is directed to pass through the filter media for filtering in order to pass from the inlet face to the outlet face,
wherein the border frame includes a molded seal comprising seal sections that are separately and independently molded and joined at a plurality of mold interface seams, each separately molded seal section defined by one of the side panels, each separately molded seal section joined and aligned with two adjacent members of the seal sections, the seal sections being unitarily molded with a remainder of each side panel and not separately, attached the side panels and the seal being unitarily molded together with a polymeric material have a Shore00 durometer of between 20 and 70; and
wherein said molded seal comprises a plurality of molded seal members in spaced relation, each molded seal member being in the form of a seal projection forming a ring around the border frame.

2. The filter cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the filter element comprises a pleated filter media pack, the pleated filter media pack comprising a plurality of pleats, the pleats including a plurality of pleat flanks extending between first pleat tips disposed at the inlet face and second pleat tips disposed at the outlet face.

3. The filter cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the filter element is rectangular with four corners, and wherein the plurality of side panels includes four side panels and four mold interface seams, each mold interface seams being proximate and within two inches of one of the four corners.

4. The filter cartridge of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the border frame defines a surface step of between 1 micron and 1 millimeter as a result of the side panels being independently molded-in-place along the periphery of the filter element, the surface profile step being defined at the mold interface seams and extending from the inlet face to the outlet face.

5. The filter cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the filter cartridge is free of metal structural supports and free of plastic structural supports.

6. The filter cartridge of claim 1 , wherein inlet face extends in an inlet plane and wherein the outlet face extends in an outlet plane spaced from the inlet face, and wherein the border frame extends between the inlet face and the outlet face and at least coplanar or beyond the inlet plane and the outlet plane.

7. The filter cartridge of claim 6 , wherein each of the side panels comprise a molded exterior surface facing away from the filter element, a molded inlet edge surface extending over and above the inlet plane, and molded outlet edge surface extending over and above the outlet plane, and an irregular expanded surface into which the filter element is embedded and sealed, the molded exterior surface extending between and connecting between the molded outlet edge surface and the molded inlet edge surface, and wherein each side panel defines an average depth between the molded exterior surface and the irregular expanded surface of between ⅛ inch and 2 inches.

8. The filter cartridge of claim 7 , wherein the side panels comprise a molded polymeric material comprising at least one of polyurethane, urethane, plastisol, silicone, synthetic rubber, and natural rubber, the polymeric material have a Shore00 durometer of between 20 and 70.

9. The filter cartridge of claim 7 , further comprising an axial seal and a radial seal in spaced relation from the axial seal, each of the radial seal and the axial seal being in the form a seal projection forming a ring around the border frame, the axial seal joined to and projecting outward from at least one of the molded inlet edge surface and the molded outlet edge surface, the radial seal projecting outward from the molded exterior surface.

10. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the side panels are overmolded over each other at the mold interface seams.

11. The filter cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the side panels are embedded and in direct contact with the filter media.

12. The filter cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the filter media has at least the following properties:
a basis weight of between 0.3 and 3.0 ounces/square yard;
an air permeability of between 10 and 50 cfm @ ½ inch of water column pressure, measured according to ASTM D737; and
a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating of between 5 and 16 according to ASHRAE 52.1.

13. The filter cartridge of claim 12 , wherein the filter media is embossed media having a plurality of embossments extending between the inlet face and the outlet face, and further comprising adhesive seal beads applied to the filter media and supporting and maintaining the filter element in a predetermined shape.

14. The filter cartridge of claim 1 , the molded seal members include a first axial seal member projecting axially above or below one of the inlet face and outlet face, and a second radial seal member projecting radially and transversely relative to the first axial seal member radially outwardly from the filter element.

15. The filter cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of molded seal members in spaced relation comprise at least one pair of: (i) at least two axial seals and (ii) at least two radial seals, the at least one pair arranged to back each other up in the event of molding imperfections.

16. The filter cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the molded seal extends continuously and uninterrupted without gaps around the border frame to provide a full seal, and wherein the seal comprises a seal projection forming a ring around the border frame and projecting from an outer base surface defined by the border frame an axial or radial distance of between 2 millimeters and 10 millimeters.

17. The filter cartridge of claim 1 , further comprising a headered region having a both a length and a width greater than a length and a width of the border frame such that the headered region defines two axial faces around the border frame, wherein the headered region has a thickness defining a radial surface around the border frame and wherein each axial face includes an axially projecting seal and the radial surface features a radially projecting seal.

18. The filter cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the seal sections are molded from a different material than the rest of the side panel.

19. The filter cartridge of claim 18 , wherein the seal sections are molded from a softer material than the rest of the side panel.

20. The filter cartridge of claim 19 , wherein the seal sections have a Shore00 durometer of 20 or less than the Shore00 durometer of the rest of the side panel.

21. The filter cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the seal members and the filter media are sufficient to provide HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration according to IEST RP-CC001 when the filter cartridge is inserted into a filter housing.

22. A filter cartridge,

Assignees

• Clarcor Air Filtration Products Inc
• Parker Hannifin Corp

Inventors

• Haas Daniel R
• Crabtree Lamonte A
• Fancher Hershel E

Classifications

• B01D46/0002 Primary

  Casings; Housings; Frame constructions · CPC title

• B01D46/0001

  Making filtering elements · CPC title

• B29C45/14

  incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles {(B29C45/1671 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B01D46/523

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

• B01D46/0005 Primary

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