Radial Seal Filter With Open End Pleats

• US 20080209875A1
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FRAM Group IP, LLC
• Original Assignee: FRAM Group IP, LLC
• Inventors: Treier, Phil P., Manjunathaiah, Shivaram, Morris, Allan B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,673,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 55/498
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2271/027 Radial sealings
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2279/60 for the intake of internal combustion engines or turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/2411 Filter cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/521 using folded, pleated material

Abstract

A filter, comprising: a filter element comprising pleated filter media having a plurality of pleats configured into a closed loop of filter media, the filter element having an outer perimeter defined by a plurality of outer pleat tips, and an inner perimeter defined by a plurality of inner pleat tips, the plurality of inner pleat tips defining an inner chamber extending through the filter element; a cap disposed on a first end of the filter element the cap being configured to seal a first opening of the first end of the filter; a first plurality of open end pleats positioned between an edge of the cap and the outer perimeter of the filter element, the first plurality of open end pleats defining a first fluid path through the filter media into the inner chamber; a sealing ring disposed on a second end of the filter element the sealing ring being configured to provide an inlet opening providing fluid communication to the inner chamber; and a second plurality of open end pleats positioned between an edge of the sealing ring and the outer perimeter of the filter element, the second plurality of open end pleats defining a second fluid path through the filter media into the inner chamber.

Claims

1. A filter, comprising:

a filter element comprising pleated filter media having a plurality of pleats configured into a closed loop of filter media, the filter element having an outer perimeter defined by a plurality of outer pleat tips and an inner perimeter defined by a plurality of inner pleat tips, the plurality of inner pleat tips defining an inner chamber extending through the filter element;

a cap disposed on a first end of the filter element, the cap sealing an opening of the inner chamber;

a first plurality of open end pleats positioned between an outer periphery edge of the cap and the outer perimeter of the filter element, the first plurality of open end pleats defining a first fluid path through the filter media into the inner chamber;

a sealing ring disposed on a second end of the filter element, the sealing ring providing an inlet opening into the inner chamber, the inlet opening providing fluid communication to the inner chamber; and

a second plurality of open end pleats positioned between an outer periphery edge of the sealing ring and the outer perimeter of the filter element, the second plurality of open end pleats defining a second fluid path through the filter media into the inner chamber.

2. The filter as in claim 1, wherein the cap and sealing ring are formed from a compressible urethane.

3. The filter as in claim 1, wherein the filter is an air filter.

4. The filter as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of pleats each have pairs of walls defining axially extending exterior channels and axially extending interior channels and the walls of the pleats defining the interior channels are sealed between the edge of the cap and the outer perimeter of the filter element and sealed between the edge of the sealing ring and the outer perimeter of the filter element.

5. The filter as in claim 4, wherein the pairs of walls defining the axially extending interior channels are sealed with an adhesive.

6. The filter as in claim 1, wherein the outer perimeter of the filter element is substantially free of wire mesh, screen or perforated metal.

7. The filter as in claim 6, wherein the inner perimeter of the filter element includes wire mesh, screen or perforated metal.

8. The filter as in claim 1, wherein the cap covers substantially no more than approximately one half of a material thickness of the filter element.

9. The filter as in claim 8, wherein the cap covers approximately one quarter of the material thickness of the filter element.

10. The filter as in claim 1, wherein the sealing ring covers substantially no more than approximately one half of a material thickness of the filter element.

11. The filter as in claim 10, wherein the sealing ring covers approximately one quarter of the material thickness of the filter element.

12. The filter as in claim 8, wherein the sealing ring covers substantially no more than approximately one half of the material thickness of the filter element.

13. The filter as in claim 12, wherein the cap further has one or more protrusions depending away from a surface of the cap for locating the filter with respect to a housing of the filter.

14. The filter as in claim 13, wherein the cap, the sealing ring, or both, are formed of a compressible resilient material.

15. The filter as in claim 1, wherein the first fluid path and the second fluid path are located on opposite ends of the filter.

16. A method of forming a filter, comprising:

forming a filter element with a pleated filter media into a closed loop to define an inner chamber, the filter element having an outer perimeter defined by a plurality of outer pleat tips and an inner perimeter defined by a plurality of inner pleat tips;

molding a cap on a first end of the filter element to cover an opening of the inner chamber, the cap including an outer edge located between the inner perimeter and the outer perimeter of the filter element, where a first plurality of open end pleats are located between the outer edge of the cap and the outer perimeter of the filter element, the first plurality of open end pleats defining a first fluid path through the filter media into the inner chamber; and

molding a ring on a second end of the filter element to form inlet opening for providing fluid communication with the inner chamber, the ring having an outer edge located between the inner perimeter and the outer perimeter of the filter element to form a second plurality of open end pleats, the second plurality of open end pleats being located between the outer perimeter of the filter element and the ring, wherein the second plurality of open end pleats define a second fluid path through the filter media into the inner chamber.