Fluid Filter

• US 20080245725A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company (Solventum Corp.)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Patel, Mahesh Z., Taylor, Jonathan C., Schukar, Gary W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,981,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/457
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/12 Pleated filters
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/24 Tools used for the removal of filters
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/291 End caps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/34 Seals or gaskets for filtering elements for removable closures, lids, caps or filter heads B01D2201/304
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/111 Making filtering elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/213 having a concertina shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/52 in parallel connection
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/96 in which the filtering elements are moved between filtering operations; Particular measures for removing or replacing the filtering elements; Transport systems for filters B01D29/09, B01D29/70 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/2411 Filter cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/522 with specific folds, e.g. having different lengths

Abstract

A diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element is disclosed. Also disclosed is a filter cartridge that comprises a core element having an inner diameter, two ends and apertures formed therein, a diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element having an inner and an outer diameter positioned about the core element wherein the ratio of the outer diameter to the inner diameter of the diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element is about 1.5 to about 2.5, an open end cap, for transferring fluid into or out of the core element, positioned at one end of the core, and a closed end cap, for preventing fluid from exiting therefrom, positioned at the other end of the core, the closed end cap including structure for positioning the open end cap in filtration housing. Systems and methods for manufacturing the filter cartridge and the diamond patterned tubular pleated filter media itself are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A filter cartridge comprising:

a core element having an inner diameter, two ends, and apertures formed therein;

a diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element having an inner and an outer diameter positioned about the core element, wherein the ratio of the outer diameter to the inner diameter of the diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element is about 1.5 to about 2.5.

2. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element is capable of processing fluid to be filtered at a fluid flow rate of up to about 350 gpm in a forty (40) inch filtration cartridge.

3. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element is capable of processing fluid to be filtered at a fluid flow rate of up to about 500 gpm in a sixty (60) inch high flow long filter cartridge.

4. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the outer diameter of the filtration cartridge is about 15 cm.

5. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element comprises from about 250 to about 400 pleats.

6. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element comprises from about 300 to about 350 pleats.

7. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the core element diameter is from about two and one half (2.5) to about three and one half (3.5) inches.

8. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the core element diameter is about three (3.0) inches.

9. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the core element comprises extruded polypropylene.

10. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the core element comprises circumferential ribs positioned proximate both ends of the core element.

11. The filter cartridge of claim 1 further comprising an open end cap positioned at one end of the core for transferring fluid into or out of the core element, and a closed end cap positioned at the other end of the core.

12. The filter cartridge of claim 11 wherein the closed end cap further comprises a handle for positioning the open end cap in a filtration housing.

13. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the diamond patterned pleated filter element comprises at least one layer of filter media comprising a nonwoven material.

14. The filter cartridge of claim 13 wherein the nonwoven material comprises a blown microfiber.

15. The filter cartridge of claim 13 wherein the at least one layer of filter media further comprises at least one additional nonwoven filter media.

16. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein the face of each pleat is in intimate contact with a face of an adjacent pleat.

17. The filter cartridge of claim 12 wherein the open end cap further comprises one or more lugs configured to engage a filter cartridge housing.

18. A diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element having an inner and an outer diameter, wherein the ratio of the outer diameter to the inner diameter of the diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element is about 1.5 to about 2.5, and the diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element comprises at least one layer of filter media comprising a nonwoven material.

19. The diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element of claim 18 wherein the ratio of the outer diameter to the inner diameter of the diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element is about 1.8 to about 2.4.

20. The diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element of claim 19 wherein the ratio of the outer diameter to the inner diameter of the diamond patterned tubular pleated filter element is about 2.0 to about 2.3.