HIGH FLOW FLUID FILTRATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING SAME

• US 20080246182A1
• 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 7,670,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/259
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/111 Making filtering elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/213 having a concertina shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0001 Making filtering elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/2403 characterised by the physical shape or structure of the filtering element
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/522 with specific folds, e.g. having different lengths
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/30 of tubes by blow-moulding B29C49/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/0672 Spin welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/069 the welding tool cooperating with specially formed features of at least one of the parts to be joined, e.g. cooperating with holes or ribs of at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/542 joining hollow covers or hollow bottoms to open ends of container bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/632 using a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0854 in the form of a non-woven mat
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/14 Filters optical filters B29L2011/0066, sieves or screens B29L2031/737

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods of manufacturing filter cartridges are disclosed, the system including a tube of laminated and seamed filter media, a media unwind mechanism, a mandrel having a starting point operatively positioned proximate the media unwind mechanism, structure, operatively positioned proximate the mandrel, for feeding the tube of laminated and seamed filter media into the starting point of the mandrel, structure, operatively positioned in the mandrel, for pressurizing the tube of laminated and seamed filter media with a gas, structure, operatively positioned in the mandrel, for expanding the tube of laminated and seamed filter media into a substantially cylindrical shape as the tube of laminated and seamed filter media passes over the mandrel, a pleater mechanism, operatively positioned proximate the mandrel, a blade mechanism, operatively associated with the pleater mechanism, for alternately engaging the tube of laminated and seamed filter media with the blade mechanism, structure, operatively positioned proximate the pleater mechanism, for moving newly formed pleated filter media downstream; and structure for compressing the tube of laminated and seamed filter media radially toward the mandrel. Methods of manufacturing filter cartridges are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system of manufacturing a filter cartridge comprising:

a tube of laminated and seamed filter media;

a media unwind mechanism, the tube of laminated and seamed filter media being operatively positioning on the media unwind mechanism;

a mandrel having a cone-shaped starting point operatively positioned proximate the media unwind mechanism;

structure, operatively positioned proximate the mandrel, for feeding the tube of laminated and seamed filter media into the cone-shaped starting point of the mandrel;

structure, operatively positioned proximate the mandrel, for pressurizing the tube of laminated and seamed filter media with a gas;

a pleater mechanism, operatively positioned proximate the mandrel;

a blade mechanism having at least two pleating blade mechanisms, each pleating blade mechanism comprising three (3) pleating blades, operatively associated with the pleater mechanism, for alternately engaging the tube of laminated and seamed filter media with the at least two pleating blade mechanisms in a filter media pleat forming area;

structure, operatively positioned proximate the pleater mechanism, for moving newly formed pleated filter media downstream; and

structure for compressing the tube of laminated and seamed filter media radially toward the mandrel.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

structure for engaging the pleated tube of laminated and seamed filter media downstream of the filter media pleat forming area.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

structure, operatively contacting the pleated tube of laminated and seamed filter media, for moving the newly formed pleated filter media downstream of the pleater mechanism.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

structure, operatively positioned downstream of the pleater mechanism, for severing the newly formed pleated filter media.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising:

a cartridge assembly station having a spindle; and

a spin weld arm having a spin-weld chuck operatively positioned therein, the cartridge assembly station being operatively positioned proximate the mandrel.

6. A method of manufacturing a filter cartridge comprising the acts of:

providing a tube of laminated and seamed filter media;

providing a media unwind mechanism;

operatively positioning the tub of laminated and seamed filter media on the media unwind mechanism;

operatively positioning a mandrel having a cone-shaped starting point proximate the media unwind mechanism;

feeding the tube of laminated and seamed filter media from the media unwind mechanism into the cone-shaped starting point of the mandrel;

pressurizing the tube of laminated and seamed filter media thereby expanding the tube of laminated and seamed filter media into a substantially cylindrical shape as the tube of laminated and seamed filter media passes over the mandrel;

operatively positioning a pleater mechanism having at least two pleating blade mechanisms, each pleating blade mechanism comprising at least three (3) pleating blades positioned at different angles for engaging the tube of laminated and seamed filter media proximate the mandrel;

operatively engaging the expanded tube of laminated and seamed filter media with the blade mechanism to form filter media pleats in a filter media pleat forming area;

moving the newly formed filter media pleats downstream from the filter media pleat forming area; and

compressing the formed filter media pleats radially toward the mandrel.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the at least three (3) pleating blades are operatively positioned on each pleating blade mechanism at angles between about twenty (20) and about one hundred twenty (120) degrees from one another.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the act of:

operatively positioning a filter cartridge core over the spindle, the filter cartridge core having perforations formed therein and an open end-cap operatively connected thereto at one end thereof.

9. A pleater mechanism comprising:

at least two pleating blade mechanisms capable of being driven in a repeating cycle in radial and axial motions, each pleating blade mechanism comprising;

a plate having a center adapted for operatively mounting at least three (3) pleating blades thereto, the plate being capable of moving in an axial direction, each plate being adapted for engaging filter media in a filter media pleat forming area such that the filter media is compressed radially toward a mandrel, the at least three (3) pleating blades all moving toward the center or away from the center of the pleating blade mechanisms substantially simultaneously;

10. The pleater mechanism of claim 9 wherein, the pleating blades are positioned at different angles relative to the axial direction of the pleater so long as the angle is sufficient to produce distinct pleat peaks.

11. The pleater mechanism of claim 9 wherein, the angle is between about twenty (20) and about one hundred twenty (120) degrees.

12. The pleater mechanism of claim 9 wherein, at least two pleating blade mechanisms are adapted to be driven in repeating cycles such that both the radial and the axial motions occur substantially simultaneously.

13. The pleater mechanism of claim 12 wherein, each repeating cycle results in the filter media being compressed and folded from its original shape into filter media pleats.

14. The pleater mechanism of claim 13 wherein each pleat formed by the at least three (3) pleating blades contacting the filter media being compressed and folded in at least three (3) different places, one fold being performed by each of the blades moving radially toward the center of the pleater mechanism.

15. The pleater mechanism of claim 14 wherein the axial blade motion compresses the filter media and moves the filter media away from the pleater mechanism.

16. The pleater mechanism of claim 9 further comprising:

structure for providing resistance to the downstream movement of the compressed and folded filter media pleats out of the filter media pleat forming area such that the pleated filter media is sufficiently constrained from returning to its original shape immediately after passing through the pleater mechanism out of the filter media pleat forming area.

17. The pleater mechanism of claim 9 wherein, after each filter media pleat is formed, the pleating blades move up and out of the filter media and return to a filter media pleating process starting point to initiate the pleating process again.

18. The pleater mechanism of claim 9 wherein, the at least second pleating blade mechanism is substantially identical to the first pleating blade mechanism except that the second pleating blade mechanism is oriented at angles of about zero (0) degrees to about eighty nine (89) degrees from the first pleating blade mechanism.

19. The pleater mechanism of claim 9 wherein, the at least second pleating blade mechanism is substantially identical to the first pleating blade mechanism except that the second pleating blade mechanism is oriented about forty five (45) degrees from the first pleating blade mechanism.