NON-WOVEN AIR EXHAUSTER AND FILTER

• US 20110039489A1
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freudenberg Filtration Technologies LP (Freudenberg & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Freudenberg Filtration Technologies LP (Freudenberg & Company KG)
• Inventors: PEDIGO, Donald B., WOODMAN, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 10,065,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 454/162
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/249 using one-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/0641 near ventilating openings in the vehicle exterior

Abstract

An improved air exhauster for a vehicle is provided, comprising a non-woven filter with a covering sheet of material fastened to the filter face. The filter may be assembled into a frame and the covering sheet may acts as valve to allow air outflow from the interior of the vehicle, yet restrict outside noise from entering. The covering sheet may be a relatively more dense non-woven material than the filter or may be a polymer film. The covering sheet may be attached at the centerline of the filter to function as a pleat separator and reduce the incidence of pleat collapse under high flow rate or increased pressure drop.

Claims

1. An air exhauster for relieving pressure from a vehicle interior comprising:

a non-woven filter element having a downstream side and an upstream side with respect to air flow;

a covering sheet attached to at least a portion of said non-woven filter element on said downstream side, wherein said covering sheet in a first position contacts at least a portion of said non-woven filter element to at least partially restrict said element from the inflow of air from said vehicle exterior to said upstream side of said filter and in a second position at least a portion of said covering sheet is displaced from contact with said filter element to allow an outflow of air from said vehicle interior and said downstream side of said filter.

2. The air exhauster of claim 1 wherein said covering sheet is attached to said filter element by one or more of an adhesive, sewing, thermal or energy bonding or hook and loop fasteners.

3. The air exhauster of claim 1 wherein said sheet comprises a polymer film.

4. The air exhauster of claim 3 wherein said film comprises a polyester.

5. The air exhauster of claim 1 wherein said covering sheet comprises a non-woven fabric.

6. The air exhauster of claim 1 wherein said exhauster includes a frame and said non-woven filter element is contained in said frame.

7. The air exhauster of claim 1 wherein said non-woven filter element comprises a non-woven fabric having a basis weight between 50 g/m² and 200 g/m².

9. The air exhauster of claim 1 wherein said covering sheet comprises a non-woven fabric having a basis weight between about 150 g/m² and about 350 g/m².

10. The air exhauster of claim 3 wherein said covering sheet has an average thickness of between about 3 to about 8 mils.

11. The air exhauster of claim 1 wherein including banding along an edge of said filter element wherein said banding comprises a non-woven fabric having a basis weight between about 200 g/m² and about 400 g/m².

12. The air exhauster of claim 1 wherein said covering sheet has a centerline and said filter element includes one or a plurality of pleats and also includes a filter element centerline and said covering sheet is attached along its centerline to said filter element centerline.

13. The air exhauster of claim 1 wherein said covering sheet includes one or more perforations.

14. The air exhauster of claim 13 wherein said covering sheet includes a plurality of perforations wherein said perforations vary by at least one of a perforation length, spacing, and/or shape.

15. The air exhauster of claim 1 wherein said element and/or said sheet comprises a non-woven fabric comprising one or more of polyester, polyolefin or natural fibers in layered or random orientation.

16. The air exhauster of claim 15 wherein said sheet and/or said element includes activated carbon.

25. The air exhauster of claim 27 wherein said covering sheet includes a plurality of perforations wherein said perforations vary by at least one of a perforation length, spacing, and/or shape.

26. The air exhauster of claim 1 wherein said non-woven filter element and/or said non-woven comprises one or more of a polyester, a polyolefin or natural fibers in layered or random orientation.

27. The air exhauster of claim 15 wherein said sheet and/or said element includes activated carbon.

8. The air exhauster of claim 8 wherein said non-woven element comprises a non-woven fabric having a basis weight between 70 g/m² and 165 g/m².

17. An air exhauster for relieving pressure from a vehicle interior comprising:

a non-woven filter element including banding along an edge thereof having a centerline including one or more pleats having a downstream side and an upstream side with respect to air flow;

a non-woven covering sheet having a centerline attached to said centerline of said non-woven filter element on said downstream side, wherein said covering sheet in a first position contacts at least a portion of said non-woven filter element to at least partially restrict said element from the inflow of air from said vehicle exterior to said upstream side of said filter and in a second position at least a portion of said covering sheet is displaced from contact with said filter element to allow an outflow of air from said vehicle interior and said downstream side of said filter.

18. The air exhauster of claim 17 wherein said covering sheet is attached to said filter element by one or more of an adhesive, sewing, thermal or energy bonding or hook and loop fasteners.

19. The air exhauster of claim 17 wherein said exhauster includes a frame and said non-woven filter element is contained in said frame.

20. The air exhauster of claim 17 wherein said non-woven filter element comprises a non-woven fabric having a basis weight between 50 g/m² and 200 g/m².

21. The air exhauster of claim 17 wherein said non-woven filter element comprises a non-woven fabric having a basis weight between 70 g/m² and 165 g/m².

22. The air exhauster of claim 17 wherein said covering sheet comprises a non-woven fabric having a basis weight between about 150 g/m² and about 350 g/m².

23. The air exhauster of claim 17 wherein said covering sheet has an average thickness of between about 3 to about 8 mils.

24. The air exhauster of claim 17 wherein said covering sheet includes one or more perforations.

28. A method of relieving pressure build-up from the interior of a vehicle, comprising:

providing a non-woven filter element having a downstream side and an upstream side with respect to air flow;

providing a covering sheet attached to at least a portion of said non-woven filter element on said downstream side,

positioning said cover sheet at a first position to contact at least a portion of said non-woven filter element to at least partially restrict said element from the inflow of air from said vehicle exterior to said upstream side of said filter;

positioning said covering sheet at a second position wherein at least a portion of said covering sheet is displaced from contact with said filter element to allow an outflow of air from said vehicle interior and said downstream side of said filter.