Refillable air filter assembly

• US 10,328,371 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Zhang, Zhiqun, Fox, Andrew R., Echeverri, Nicolas A., Eastlund, Gary N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Greene, Jason M
• Application Number:
  US15/127,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20170182445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0005 Mounting of filtering elements within casings, housings or frames B01D46/2422 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0016 Folded frame or housing constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/10 Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using filter plates, sheets or pads having plane surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/521 using folded, pleated material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/88 Replacing filter elements

Abstract

A frame assembly for releasably maintaining an air filter. In some embodiments, the frame assembly includes a thermoformed body integrally forming a base, opposing side walls, opposing end walls, and at least one closure sub-assembly. The frame assembly is configured to releasable retain an air filter relative to the base via the closure sub-assembly. In other embodiments, the frame assembly defines, in a flat state, foldable side and end panels at the perimeter edges of a central grid panel; the frame assembly can be transitioned to a final state for receiving an air filter by folding the panels. The frame assemblies of the present disclosure are re-usable, allowing a user to replace a “used” air filter with a “new” air filter.

Claims

1. A frame assembly for releasably maintaining air filter media, the frame assembly comprising:

a thermoformed, plastic, integral body integrally forming a base, opposing side walls, opposing end walls, and at least one closure sub-assembly;

wherein the frame assembly is configured to releasably retain the air filter media relative to the base via the closure sub-assembly;

wherein the frame assembly is configured to, when in an open position without any air filter media, nestably receive a second, identically shaped frame assembly that is also in an open position without any air filter media;

and,

wherein the frame assembly further includes one or more capture arms extending from each of the opposing end walls and pivotable relative thereto, with the proviso that the opposing side walls do not comprise any capture arm or arms.

2. The frame assembly of claim 1, further including:

a support flange extending from each of the opposing side walls.

3. The frame assembly of claim 1, further including a living hinge interconnecting at least one of the capture arms to the corresponding end wall.

4. The frame assembly of claim 1, wherein the closure sub-assembly includes a first component carried by a first support flange and a second component carried by a first capture arm, and further wherein the first and second components have a complimentary construction such that the first and second components can be releasably connected.

5. The frame assembly of claim 4, wherein the first component is a receptor and the second component is a button.

6. The frame assembly of claim 1, wherein a central region of the base comprises one or more support ribs that each comprise a non-planar cross-sectional shape.

7. The frame assembly of claim 1, further including a support flange extending from each of the opposing side walls, and wherein when the capture arms are pivoted to a closed position, a portion of each capture arm extends over a portion of a support flange.

8. The frame assembly of claim 1, further including a support flange extending from each of the opposing side walls, and wherein each support flange comprises a lug that projects downward from a major plane of the support flange, and wherein a bottom face of the lug is positioned above a major plane of the base of the frame assembly.

9. The frame assembly of claim 1, wherein the base of the thermoformed, plastic, integral body comprises first, second, third and fourth edge panels that are contiguous with one another and form a perimeter of the base, and wherein the edge panels each comprise at least one segment that comprises a non-planar cross-sectional shape.

10. The frame assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the two opposing end walls comprises a capture arm extending therefrom and pivotable relative thereto, wherein each capture arm comprises a major plane and further comprises an elongate protrusion that protrudes upwardly above the major plane of the capture arm when the capture arm is in an open position, and wherein each elongate protrusion comprises a long axis that is aligned with a long axis of the capture arm.

11. A framed air filter comprising the frame assembly of claim 1 with an air filter media removably installed in the frame assembly.

12. The framed air filter of claim 11 wherein the filter media has a pleated construction and is configured to transition between collapsed and expanded states.