Pleated filter preparation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12589570-B2
Application number	US-202418902670-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2024
Priority date	Feb 7, 2019
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

A pleated filter preparation system is provided for accurately counting pleats along a continuous sheet of pleated filter material and cutting the sheet into filter strips to be formed into filters. The pleated filter preparation system includes a pleat driver having multiple drive gears that engage with the pleats of the pleated filter material to move the pleated filter material through the system. A pleat counter counts peaks and valleys of each pleat comprising the pleated filter material so as to identify a target pleat to be cut. The pleat counter clamps and stretches the target pleat to distinguish the target pleat among the other pleats. A punch cut station cuts the target pleat to form a filter strip having a desired number of pleats. A pleat compressor compresses the filter strips to a predetermined size and then ejects the filter strips into a suitable container or bin.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A pleated filter preparation system, the system comprising:
a pleat driver configured to move a pleated filter material through the system; a pleat height index comprising a vertically oriented disc having one or more drive gears disposed around the periphery of the disc, the drive gears being free to rotate with respect to the pleat height index; a pleat counter configured to identify a target pleat to be cut; a punch cut station configured to cut the target pleat to form a filter strip; and a pleat compressor configured to compress the filter strip to a predetermined size.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further including a feed entrance configured to guide the pleated filter material from a pay-out into the pleat driver, the pay-out comprising one or more rolls of pleated filter material to be processed by the system.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the feed entrance includes side rails that are configured to move to optimally guide different widths of the pleated filter material into the pleat driver.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further including a conveyor disposed between the punch cut station and the pleat compressor, the conveyor being configured to transport filter strips from the punch cut station to the compressor.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the conveyor is configured to move each of the filter strips onto a filter support comprising the pleat compressor.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the conveyor is configured to transport the filter strips at a speeds that emulate feed rates of the pleat drive.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the drive gears each includes peripheral teeth configured to engage with a pleat height comprising the pleated filter material so as to convey the pleated filter material through the system.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the drive gears each include a pulley portion configured to receive a drive belt whereby a drive motor turns all of the drive gears simultaneously.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein a tensioner is configured to maintain an optimal belt tension during operation of the drive gears.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pleat height index includes a suitable engagement driver configured to move the pleat height index vertically to an indexing configuration.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the indexing configuration comprises the pleat height index being raised to disengage a bottom-most of the one or more drive gears from the pleated filter material.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the indexing configuration of the pleat height index is configured to facilitate switching to a different bottom-most of the one or more drive gears so as to engage with a differently-sized pleated filter material.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pleat counter is configured to clamp the pleat filter material and stretch the target pleat so as to distinguish the target pleat among the other pleats.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pleat compressor includes an ejector configured to push a compressed filter strip onto a fall arrestor adjacent to the pleat compressor, the fall arrestor being configured to support the compressed filter strip in a horizontal orientation.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the fall arrestor is configured to quickly retract such that the compressed filter strip maintains the horizontal orientation during dropping into a suitable container or bin.

Assignees

• K&N Eng Inc
• K & N Eng Inc

Inventors

• Williams Steve

Classifications

• B01D46/522

  with specific folds, e.g. having different lengths · CPC title

• B01D46/0001 Primary

  Making filtering elements · CPC title

• B01D46/521

  using folded, pleated material · CPC title

• B31D5/0082 Primary

  Making filter elements, e.g. pleated · CPC title

• B65H2301/4223

  Pressing piles · CPC title