Clean room air filter system with self-supporting filter units

• US 5,871,556 A
• Filed: 05/02/1997
• Issued: 02/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Heil Company (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Heil Company (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Braman, Richard, Jeanseau, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Bushey, C. Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/850,714
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 55/385.2, 55/484, 55/502, 55/508, 52/506.06, 52/506.08, 454/187, 169/37
• US Class Current: 55/385.2
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2271/02 Gaskets, sealings
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2273/30 Means for generating a circulation of a fluid in a filtration system, e.g. using a pump or a fan
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2279/51 in clean rooms, e.g. production facilities for electronic devices, laboratories
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0005 Mounting of filtering elements within casings, housings or frames B01D46/2422 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0013 Modules
• 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 46/42 Auxiliary equipment or operation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/521 using folded, pleated material
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 9/02 having means for ventilation or vapour discharge
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/167 Clean rooms, i.e. enclosed spaces in which a uniform flow of filtered air is distributed air distribution by perforated walls F24F7/10

Abstract

Clean room ceiling in which the individual filter units are suspended solely by unshared suspension assemblies so as to be self-supporting and readily installable and removable individually and free of grids and other multiple unit supporting expedients.

Claims

1. A clean room filter array comprising a plurality of self-supporting individual filter units arranged for delivery of filtered air to a clean room, each said individual filter unit comprising a frame and filter media fixed relative to said frame, each said filter unit having an individual suspension assembly suspending said filter unit from within said frame and unshared with any other filter unit, whereby each filter unit of relatively fixed frame and filter media is shiftable to and from said array independently of shifting the position or orientation of the other filter units or altering their respective individual suspension assemblies.

2. The clean room filter array according to claim 1, in which each said individual suspension assembly comprises a bracket connected within said frame and an elongated member coupled to said bracket, said elongated member extending from said bracket to a support to individually suspend said filter unit by its said bracket.

3. The clean room filter array according to claim 1, including also air flow blocking structure comprising a filter unit-supported air impervious web arranged to block air flow between adjacent filter units.

4. The clean room filter array according to claim 3, in which said air impervious web comprises a filter unit-adherent tape extending between adjacent filter units to block air flow therebetween.

5. The clean room filter array according to claim 4, in which said filter units each have a face portion facing the clean room, said tape being adhered to said face in bridging relation between adjacent filter units to block air flow therebetween.

6. A clean room filter array comprising a laterally and longitudinally extended plurality of individually self-supporting filter units each comprising a frame, an individual suspension for suspending each said filter unit from within its said frame, and filter media fixed within said frame and arranged for delivery of air from a plenum to a clean room through the face of each said filter unit, each said individual filter unit having a laterally adjacent filter unit across a gap therebetween through which unfiltered air flows past said filter units, and a filter frame-supported air impervious mass secured across said gap in air flow blocking relation, whereby each said filter unit of relatively fixed frame and filter media is shiftable to and from said array independently of shifting the position or orientation of the other filter units or altering their respective individual suspension assemblies.

7. The clean room filter array according to claim 6, in which said mass comprises a web having a backing and an adhesive layer, said webs being sufficiently flexible to air tightly seal said webs to each other in web-crossed relation.

8. The clean room filter array according to claim 6, in which said filter media in each said individual filter unit is divided into separate packs, an individual suspension bracket is located between said separate media packs, and said individual suspension further comprises an elongated member coupled to said bracket, said elongated member extending from said bracket to a support to individually suspend said filter unit by its said bracket.

9. In combination:

an individual filter unit comprising a frame and filter media relatively fixed within said frame, said filter unit being adapted for arrangement in an array for delivery of filtered air to a clean room, and an individual filter unit suspension assembly adapted for suspending said filter unit from within its said frame unshared with any other filter unit of the array for adding or removing said individual filter units of relatively fixed frame and filter media from an array without disturbing laterally or longitudinally adjacent filter units.

10. The combination according to claim 9, in which said filter unit suspension assembly comprises a bracket for suspending said filter unit from within said frame, and adjacent separated filter media packs within said frame, said bracket being located between said separated filter media packs.

11. The combination according to claim 10, in which said filter unit further includes a divider mounted to said frame between said adjacent separated filter media packs, said suspension assembly bracket being defined by said divider and adapted for mounting said filter unit to a support outside said frame.

12. The combination according to claim 11, in which said suspension assembly further comprises an elongated member adapted to connect said filter unit bracket to said support surface in spaced relation of said filter unit frame to said support surface.

13. The combination according to claim 9, in which said filter unit frame defines a front face facing said clean room and an oppositely facing rear face, said suspension assembly comprising an elongated member supported from a support surface, a bracket for suspending said filter unit from within said frame, said bracket being connected to said filter unit frame, and cooperating structure on said elongated member and said bracket respectively for coupling said bracket to said elongated member, whereby said elongated member extends through said filter unit frame rear face toward said filter unit frame front face in the coupled condition of said elongated member and said bracket.

14. The combination according to claim 12, in which said filter unit filter media is divided into separate sections, and including also a filter media divider between separate sections of filter media, said suspension assembly bracket being located at said divider.

15. The combination according to claim 14, in which said divider extends between said filter frame rear face and said filter frame front face, said divider having a shoulder portion, said divider shoulder portion defining said suspension assembly bracket.

16. The combination according to claim 15, in which said divider shoulder portion-defined suspension assembly bracket defines an elongated member mount, said suspension assembly elongated member being mounted to said suspension assembly bracket at said member mount in individual filter unit supporting relation.

17. The combination according to claim 16, including also a fastener fastenable to said elongated member, said fastener blocking separation of said elongated member and said suspension assembly bracket in individual filter unit supporting relation.

18. The combination according to claim 17, in which said divider is interiorly open between the frame front face and the location of said fastener on said elongated member, said fastener being sized to be movable through the open interior of said divider.

19. The combination according to claim 14, in which said divider has a front face wall, and a rear face wall and a sidewall therebetween defining a divider open interior, said divider open interior extending between its said front and rear face walls, said elongated member extending into said open space through said divider rear face wall, a fastener fastenable to said elongated member in blocking relation to said member inward of said divider rear face wall, said fastener being removable from said member and said divider through said divider front face wall.

20. The combination according to claim 19, in which said fastener comprises a lock body, a movable latch mounted in said lock body and shiftable outward from said lock body, and biasing structure biasing said latch outward from said body, said lock body being sized to pass through said bracket aperture in the inward condition of said latch but not the outward condition of said latch.

24. The combination according to claim 9, in which said filter unit frame has a front face facing said clean room, and including also a resilient strip extending about said filter unit frame rearwardly adjacent said filter unit front face to leave an exposed edge margin of said filter unit frame.

25. The combination according to claim 9, further in combination with an adjacent filter unit, and including also an air impervious mass blocking air flow between adjacent filter units.

21. In combination:

an individual filter unit adapted for arrangement in an array for delivery of filtered air to a clean room, and an individual filter unit suspension assembly unshared with any other filter unit of the array, said individual filter unit having left and right packs of filter media and a rigid divider therebetween, said divider defining a suspension assembly bracket, a suspension assembly elongated member mounted to said suspension assembly bracket, and a fastener fastenable to said elongated member to block separation of said elongated member and said suspension assembly bracket in individual filter unit supporting relation, said fastener comprising a lock body, a movable latch finger mounted in said lock body, said movable latch finger being shiftable from said lock body, and biasing structure biasing said movable latch finger to shift from said lock body, said lock body being sized to pass said assembly bracket in the unshifted condition of said latch but not in the shifted condition of said latch.

22. The combination according to claim 21, in which said divider has a rear face wall, an open interior, and a front face wall, said divider front face wall being arranged to pass said fastener lock body out from said divider open interior and to give access to said fastener for fastening or unfastening the fastener through said divider front wall.

23. The combination according to claim 22, in which said fastener latch finger is shifted outward against said bracket in response to the fastener lock body passing the divider rear face wall from within said divider open interior.

26. A filter unit for installation in a clean room array of filter units, said filter unit comprising a filter frame, filter media within and fixed relative to said frame, and a suspension assembly for suspending said filter unit from within its said frame from a supporting surfaces, said suspension assembly being unshared with another filter unit for adding to or removing said filter unit from an array of filter units with its said frame and filter media fixed relative to each other and without disturbing other filter units in said array.

27. The filter unit according to claim 26, in which said filter unit suspension assembly comprises a bracket attached to said filter unit frame, said bracket having a pair of spaced apertures adapted to cooperate with a pair of said elongated members in suspension defining relation.

28. The filter unit according to claim 27, in which said bracket comprises a filter media divider, said divider further including an additional aperture adapted to pass water-carrying conduit through said divider.

29. The filter unit according to claim 28, in combination with water-carrying conduit and a sprinkler head.

30. A clean room filter system in which the individual filter units each comprise a frame and filter media within and fixed relative to said frame, each said filter unit being supported by its own suspension assembly from a support surface, said suspension assembly being free of simultaneously engaging two or more individual filter units, whereby said filter unit is added to or removed from an array of filter units with its said frame and filter media fixed relative to each other and without disturbing other filter units in said array.

31. In combination:

The clean room filter system according to claim 30, and a sprinkler system having a plurality of downcomers equipped with sprinkler heads.

32. The clean room filter system according to claim 30, in which said individual filter units are shiftable to and from the system from within the clean room and without need of changing the suspension arrangement of adjacent filter units.

33. A clean room comprising an enclosed volume at least partly defined by a clean room filter array comprising a plurality of individual filter units comprising a frame and within said frame and fixed relative thereto filter media, said clean room enclosed volume having air recirculation to and from the enclosed volume through said filter array arranged to filter the recirculating air, said filter array units being supported by individual suspension assemblies peculiar to each filter unit so that each individual filter unit is shiftable to and from said clean room filter array from within said clean room without changing the suspension arrangement of an adjacent filter unit or the fixed relation of said filter frame and said filter media, said filter units being sealed to each other against unwanted air flow therebetween.

34. A clean room filter array comprising a series of laterally and longitudinally juxtaposed individual and mutually independent filter units arranged to filter air entering said clean room, each said filter unit comprising a generally rectangular frame and left and right masses of filter media held within said frame, a media divider between said media masses, said media divider having a longitudinal wall opposite each of said media masses and upper and lower transverse walls between said longitudinal walls arranged such that the divider is interiorly open;

individual and mutually independent suspensions for each of said filter units, each said suspension comprising a rod extending from a support surface, a bracket defined by a portion of the divider upper transverse wall, said bracket comprising a wall portion surrounding an aperture in said upper transverse wall, and a fastener coupling said rod and bracket together, said fastener comprising a nut threadedly mounted on said rod, said nut having a spring loaded latch finger which extends over said bracket wall portion about said aperture when said rod extends through said aperture carrying said nut, whereby said filter unit frame is mountable to said rod by shifting the filter unit to and over the end of the rod and along the rod until the nut is encountered, compressing its extending latch finger into said nut with the bracket until the aperture is passed whereupon the latch finger reextends from the nut and engages the bracket against return shifting of the filter frame until the latch finger is again compressed into the nut and the nut withdrawn through the aperture, said rod carrying a guide plate spaced from said bracket a distance sufficient to permit said nut to fully pass through said aperture from within said divider.