Conductive bead active field polarized media air cleaner

• US 7,691,186 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Environmental Management Confederation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Environmental Management Confederation, Inc.
• Inventors: Wiser, Forwood C
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiesa; Richard L
• Application Number:
  US11/618,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20070199451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 96/17, 96/66, 96/67, 96/69, 96/80, 95/59, 554/97, 555/21, 555/24, 55D/IG.39, 553/411, 553/61, 553/81, 553/82
• US Class Current: 96/17
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/30 in which electrostatic charge is generated by passage of the gases, i.e. tribo-electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/64 synthetic resins
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/39 Electrets separator

Abstract

A pleated filter media includes a plurality of parallel conductive beads to support the media and space the pleated surfaces apart. A high voltage differential applied between adjacent conductive beads induces an electrostatic field within the filter media, thereby increasing the efficiency of the filter.

Claims

1. A filter comprising:

a sheet of filter material;

a first conductive bead applied to the sheet of filter material and providing support for the filter material;

a second conductive bead substantially parallel to the first conductive bead applied to the sheet of filter material and providing support for the filter material wherein the first and second conductive beads are applied to opposite sides of the sheet of filter material; and

a voltage power supply that provides a voltage differential between the first conductive bead and the second conductive bead to produce an electrostatic field that passes through the filter media.

2. A filter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sheet of filter material is a minipleat material.

3. A filter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sheet of filter material is an electret material with inherent properties that have an electrostatic charge.

4. A filter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sheet of filter material is an electret material composed of fibers from different portions of the triboelectric scale.

5. A filter in accordance with claim 1, wherein one of the first conductive bead and the second conductive beads is substantially composed of one of the group of glue, thread, ribbon, tape, strips, glass, foam or plastic.

6. A filter in accordance with claim 1, wherein one of the first conductive bead and the second conductive beads is substantially composed of a conductive material that adheres to the surface of the sheet of filter material upon which it rests and provides some mechanical support for the sheet of filter material.

7. The filter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sheet of filter material is pleated but not a mini-pleat.

8. The filter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sheet of filter material is substantially flat.

9. The filter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sheet of filter material has multiple layers.

10. A filter comprising:

a pleated sheet of filter material having a top side and a bottom side;

a first conductive bead applied to the top side of the pleated sheet of filter material and providing support for the pleated sheet of filter material; and

a second conductive bead substantially parallel to the first conductive bead applied to the bottom side of the pleated sheet of filter material and providing support for the pleated sheet of filter material;

a third conductive bead applied to the top side of the pleated sheet of filter material and providing support for the pleated sheet of filter material; and

a fourth conductive bead substantially parallel to the first conductive bead applied to the bottom side of the pleated sheet of filter material and providing support for the pleated sheet of filter material;

a voltage power supply that provides a voltage differential between the first conductive bead and the second conductive bead, and the third conductive bead and fourth conductive bead, to produce an electrostatic field that passes through the filter media.

11. A filter in accordance with claim 10, wherein the pleated sheet of filter material is an electret material with inherent properties that have an electrostatic charge.

12. A filter in accordance with claim 10, wherein the pleated sheet of filter material is an electret material composed of fibers from different portions of the triboelectric scale.

13. A filter in accordance with claim 10, wherein one of the first, second, third and fourth conductive beads is substantially composed of one of the group of glue, thread, ribbon, tape, strips, glass, foam or plastic.

14. A filter in accordance with claim 10, wherein one of the first, second, third and fourth conductive beads is substantially composed of a conductive material that adheres to the surface of said pleated sheet of filter material upon which it rests and provides some mechanical support for the pleated sheet of filter material.

15. The filter in accordance with claim 10, wherein the sheet of filter material is a mini-pleat.

16. The filter in accordance with claim 10, wherein the pleated filter material is a not a mini-pleat.

17. The filter in accordance with claim 10, wherein the sheet of filter material has multiple layers.

18. A filter comprising:

a bag filter;

a first conductive bead applied to the bag filter and providing support for the bag filter;

a second conductive bead substantially parallel to the first conductive bead applied to the bag filter and providing support for the bag filter wherein the first and second conductive beads are applied to opposite sides of the bag filter; and

a voltage power supply that provides a voltage differential between the first conductive bead and the second conductive bead to produce an electrostatic field that passes through the bag filter.