Collapsable v-bank filter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020047101-A1
Application number	US-201916655865-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 17, 2019
Priority date	May 15, 2015
Publication date	Feb 13, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A V-bank filter having a plurality of filter panels having a first side end opposed to a second side end, the plurality of filter panels arranged into one or more V-configurations, and a first flexible side panel joined to the first side ends and a second flexible side panel joined to the second side ends. The V-bank filter having an operating position having a distance, O, between individual filter panels measured at an open end of the one or more V-configurations when in the operating position and a collapsed position having a distance, C, between individual filter panels measured at the open end when in the collapsed position. The distance C is less than the distance O when the V-bank filter is placed into the collapsed position and the plurality of filters panels can be moved between the collapsed position and the operating position while maintaining a substantially air tight connection between the plurality of filter panels and the first flexible side panel and while maintaining a substantially air tight connection between the plurality of filter panels and the second flexible side panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A V-bank filter comprising:
a plurality of individual filter panels having a first side end opposed to a second side end, the plurality of individual filter panels arranged into one or more V-configurations, a first side panel joined to the first side ends by a thermoplastic weld, and a second side panel joined to the second side ends by a thermoplastic weld forming the V-bank filter.

2 . The V-bank filter of claim 1 wherein adjacent filters panels in the plurality of individual filter panels are joined to each other by endcaps thermoplastically welded to the individual filter panels.

3 . The V-bank filter of claim 1 wherein the first side panel, the second side panel, and the endcaps comprise polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polyvinylchloride, chlorinated polyvinylchloride or polyvinylidenefluoride.

4 . The V-bank filter of claim 1 wherein the first side panel, the second side panel, or the endcaps comprise an inner layer of a thermoplastic material and an outer layer of a nonwoven material thermoplastically welded to the inner layer.

5 . The V-bank filter of claim 4 wherein the thermoplastic material comprises polyethylene film.

6 . The V-bank filter of claim 5 wherein the wherein the polyethylene film is between 5 to 30 mils thick.

7 . The V-bank filter of claim 4 wherein the nonwoven material comprises polyester.

8 . The V-bank filter of claim 7 wherein the nonwoven material comprises 3-10 mil polyester.

9 . The V-bank filter of claim 4 wherein the thermoplastic material comprises 5-30 mil polyethylene and the nonwoven material comprises 3-10 mil polyester.

10 . The V-bank filter of claim 1 wherein the first flexible side panel and the second flexible side panel extend past an upper surface of the plurality of individual filter panels forming a flexible flange.

11 . The V-bank filter of claim 10 wherein a first end cap applied to a first outer filter panel and a second end cap applied to a second outer filter panel both extend from each filter panel forming a flexible flange.

12 . The V-bank filter of claim 11 wherein the flexible flanges are disposed into a groove in a frame and held within the groove by an elastomeric member.

13 . The V-bank filter of claim 12 wherein the elastomeric member extends further than a depth of the groove thereby forming a sealing surface extending from the frame for sealing the V-bank filter to an air intake housing.

14 . The V-bank filter of claim 13 wherein the elastomeric member has a circular cross section prior to installation in the groove and an hourglass cross section after installation in the groove.

15 . The V-bank filter of claim 1 wherein the first flexible side panel or the second flexible side panel comprise a structural weakening element.

16 . The V-bank filter element of claim 15 wherein the structural weakening element comprises a slit, a cutout, an aperture, a perforation, a score line, a fold line, or pleats.

17 . A method of making the V-bank filter of claim 1 comprising:
placing the plurality of individual filter panels in a fixture to hold them in the one or more V-shaped configurations;
placing the first side panel into the fixture adjacent the first side edges of the plurality of individual filter panels, and placing the second side panel into the fixture adjacent the second side edges of the plurality of individual filter panels;
clamping the first side panel and the second side panel between opposing heated platens;
heating the first side panel and the second side panel to join them to the first and second side edges of the plurality of individual filter elements;
removing the opposing heated platens; and
removing the V-bank filter from the fixture.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Katare Rajesh K
• Gasman Christopher T
• Snider Kenneth J

Classifications

• B01D46/521

  using folded, pleated material · CPC title

• B01D46/0016 Primary

  Folded frame or housing constructions · CPC title

• B01D2265/04

  Permanent measures for connecting different parts of the filter, e.g. welding, glueing or moulding · CPC title

• B01D46/125

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01D46/121

  V-type arrangements · CPC title