Flat filter element and air filter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9586167-B2
Application number	US-201414493486-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2014
Priority date	Mar 23, 2012
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

A flat filter element to be mounted in a filter housing has an inflow surface and an outflow surface downstream of the inflow surface in a flow-through direction. A filter medium extend between the inflow surface and the outflow surface. A sealing section extends circumferentially relative to the flow-through direction. A seal fastened to or interacting with the sealing section is provided, wherein the seal, when the flat filter element is mounted in a filter housing, separates an inlet of the filter housing for air to be purified from an outlet of the filter housing for purified air. A first functional element section is arranged on at least one circumferential side of the filter medium so as to be spaced apart from the circumferentially extending sealing section. The first functional element section is attached to a lateral strip and the lateral strip is attached to the filter medium.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flat filter element adapted to be mounted in a filter housing, the flat filter element comprising:
an inflow surface;
an outflow surface downstream of the inflow surface in a flow-through direction of the flat filter element;
a filter medium extending between the inflow surface and the outflow surface;
wherein the filter medium is a pleated filter medium folded in a zigzag shape into a course of zigzag shaped pleat folds forming a filter bellows, the pleated filter medium continuing from a first outer fold forming an upper end face of the filter bellows to a last outer fold forming a lower end face of the filter medium:
a first set of pleat fold edges arranged at the inflow surface where fluid to be filtered entered the pleated filter medium;
a second set of pleat fold edges arranged at the outflow surface where filtered fluid exits the pleated filter medium;
a first side end face arranged on a zigzag filter medium edge which follows the course of zigzag shaped pleat folds forming the filter bellows, and arranged traverse to the pleat fold edges;
an opposing second side end face arranged on an opposing zigzag filter medium edge of the course of zigzag shaped pleat folds forming the filter bellows, the second side end face spaced apart from the first side end face such that the pleat fold edges extend from the first side end face to the second side end face;
a circumferentially extending sealing section connected to the filter medium and circumferentially extending relative to the flow-through direction;
a seal fastened to or interacting with the sealing section, wherein the seal, when the flat filter element is mounted in a filter housing, separates an inlet of the filter housing for air to be purified from at least one outlet of the filter housing for purified air;
two flat rectangular lateral strips of an elastic, stretchable, flexible nonwoven fibrous web of material that is able to deform without breaking;
a first one of the two flat rectangular lateral strips adhesively secured directly onto and completely covering the zigzag filter medium edge at the first side end face; and
a second one of the two flat rectangular lateral strips adhesively secured directly onto and completely covering the zigzag filter medium edge at the second side end face, wherein the first and second lateral strips are separate, spaced apart on opposing ends of both the first and second pleat fold edges;

at least one first functional element section arranged on at least one circumferential side of the filter medium so as to be spaced apart from the circumferentially extending sealing section, wherein the at least one first functional element section is fixed directly onto to a respective one of the two flat rectangular lateral strips,
wherein the at least one first functional element section is embodied as a support element section adapted to support the flat filter element on at least one inner side of the filter housing and is further embodied as a guide element section adapted to guide the flat filter element on the inner side of the filter housing during installation of the flat filter element in the filter housing;
wherein the at least one first functional element section is made of a plastic material that is able to elastically deform without breaking, such that upon insertion of the flat filter element into a filter housing, the first functional element section elastically yields so that the flat filter element can also pass constrictions and/or projections within the filter housing.

2. The flat filter element according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one first functional element section is elastically movable and/or deformable relative to the filter medium at least transverse to an installation direction of the flat filter element into the filter housing.

3. The flat filter element according to claim 1 , further comprising
a first carrier plate abutting against and resting directly and affixed onto the first one of the two flat rectangular lateral strips;
a second carrier plate abutting against and resting directly and affixed onto the second one of the two flat rectangular lateral strips;
wherein the at least one first functional element section is attached to a respective one of the carrier plates.

4. The flat filter element according to claim 3 , wherein
the carrier plates are comprised of a plastic material.

5. The flat filter element according to claim 3 , wherein
the carrier plates cover only a partial section of the respective one of the rectangular lateral strips.

6. The flat filter element according to claim 3 , wherein
the carrier plates are is attached by an adhesive material to the respective one of the rectangular lateral strips.

7. The flat filter element according to claim 3 , wherein
the at least one first functional element section and the respective carrier plate is a two-component injection molded part.

8. The flat filter element according to claim 1 , comprising
at least one second functional element section that is spaced apart in a direction traverse to the flow-through direction from the at least one first functional element section.

9. The flat filter element according to claim 8 , further comprising
a first carrier plate abutting against and resting directly and affixed onto the first one of the two flat rectangular lateral strips;
a second carrier plate abutting against and resting directly and affixed onto the second one of the two flat rectangular lateral strips;
wherein the at least one first functional element section and the at least one second functional element section are attached to the carrier element.

10. The flat filter element according to claim 8 , wherein
the at least one first functional element section and the at least one second functional element section are supported in opposite directions traverse to the flow-through direction on appropriate support or guide areas on inner sides of the filter housing.

11. The flat filter element according to claim 8 , wherein
between the at least one second functional element section and the at least one first functional element section a support gap interrupting a support action in a circumferential direction of the flat filter element is provided.

12. The flat filter element according to claim 1 , wherein
the circumferentially extending sealing section is arranged in the area of the inflow surface, wherein the at least one first functional element section is arranged in the area of the outflow section.

13. The flat filter element according to claim 1 , wherein
the circumferentially extending sealing section is arranged in the area of the outflow surface,
wherein the at least one first functional element section is arranged in the area of the inflow section.

14. The flat filter element according to claim 1 , wherein
the lateral strips form a section of the circumferentially extending sealing section on the first or second side edge face.

15. An air filter comprising:
a filter housing having
at least one inlet for air to be purified;
at least one outlet for purified air;
an interior;

a flat filter element according to claim 1 ;
wherein the seal, when the flat filter element is mounted in the filter housing, separates the at least one inlet of the filter housing for air to be purified from at least one outlet of the filter housing for purified air;
wherein the flat filter element is arranged in the interior of the filter housing such that the flat filter element separates the at least one inlet from the at least one outlet;
wherein the at least one first funct

Assignees

• Mann & Hummel Gmbh

Inventors

• Schmid Daniel
• Thebault Eric
• Goerg Guenter
• Dirnberger Timo
• Dietz Ralf

Classifications

• B01D46/0006 Primary

  Filter elements or cartridges installed in a drawer-like manner · CPC title

• F02M35/02425

  Support structures increasing the stability or stiffness of the filter element · CPC title

• B01D2279/60

  for the intake of internal combustion engines or turbines · CPC title

• B01D46/10

  Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using filter plates, sheets or pads having plane surfaces · CPC title

• B01D46/2411

  Filter cartridges · CPC title