Method and apparatus for a filter assembly

• US 5,766,472 A
• Filed: 10/29/1996
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Tzakis, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Walker, W. L.
• Application Number:
  US08/738,642
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 264/255, 264/153, 264/156, 264/274, 264/273, 264/DIG. 48, 210/497.01, 210/497.3, 210/499, 210/483, 210/484, 210/485, 210/495, 210/498, 55/DIG. 5, 55/DIG. 31, 55/495, 55/502
• US Class Current: 210/485
• 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 29/012 Making filtering elements making bag, cage, hose, tube, sleeve or like filtering elements B01D29/111
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/05 supported
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/52 in parallel connection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1671 with an insert
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/737 Articles provided with holes, e.g. grids, sieves nets B29L2028/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 264/48 Processes of making filters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/05 Methods of making filter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/31 Filter frame

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a filter assembly having a filter element with a plurality of openings encapsulated in a filter element carrier in a first molding operation, which may include formation of first and second channels on first and second side portions of the filter element carrier. One or more first holes are also formed through the filter element carrier in the first operation, wherein the first holes interconnect the first side portion of the filter element carrier and the second side portion of the filter element carrier so as to expose filter element portions encapsulated therebetween. A first sealing element is formed on the first side portion of the filter element and a second sealing element is formed on the second side portion of the filter element with a molten sealing element material in a second molding operation. The first sealing element formed on the first side portion of the filter element carrier is interconnected to the second sealing element formed on the second side portion of the filter element carrier by a third sealing element formed through openings of the filter element portion exposed by the first holes through the filter element carrier so as to form a unitary sealing element.

Claims

1. A method of making a filter assembly, comprising the steps of:

encapsulating a filter element, having a plurality of openings, within a filter element carrier during a first operation;

forming a first hole through the filter element carrier during the first operation such that the first hole interconnects a first side portion of the filter element carrier and a second side portion of the filter element carrier and exposes a portion of the filter element encapsulated within the filter element carrier and disposed between the first side portion and the second side portion of the filter element carrier;

forming a first sealing element on the first side portion of the filter element carrier with a molten sealing element material during a second operation;

forming a second sealing element on the second side of the filter element carrier with the molten sealing element material during the second operation; and

conducting the molten sealing element material through the openings of the filter element portion exposed by the first hole through the filter element carrier so as to form a third sealing element whereby the first sealing element formed on the first side portion of the filter element carrier is interconnected to the second sealing element formed on the second side portion of the filter element carrier by the third sealing element formed through the openings of the filter element portion exposed by the first hole through the filter element carrier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

forming a channel on at least one side portion of the filter element carrier during the first operation;

forming the first hole through the channel of the filter element carrier during the first operation; and

disposing at least partially one of the first and second sealing elements in the channel formed in the filter carrier element.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

forming a first channel on the first side portion of the filter element carrier during the first operation;

forming a second channel on the second side portion of the filter element carrier during the first operation;

forming the first hole through the filter element carrier during the first operation such that the first hole interconnects the first channel and the second channel and exposes a portion of the filter element encapsulated within the filter element carrier and disposed between the first channel and the second channel;

disposing at least partially the first sealing element in the first channel during the second operation; and

disposing at least partially the second sealing element in the second channel during the second operation, wherein the first sealing element at least partially disposed in the first channel is interconnected to the second sealing element at least partially disposed in the second channel by the third sealing element formed through the openings of the filter element portion which are exposed by the first hole interconnecting the first channel and the second channel.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of first holes through the filter element carrier during the first operation such that the plurality of first holes interconnect the first channel and the second channel and expose a plurality of portions of the filter element encapsulated within the filter element carrier and disposed between the first channel and the second channel,

whereby the first sealing element at least partially disposed in the first channel is interconnected to the second sealing element at least partially disposed in the second channel by a plurality of third sealing elements formed through the openings of those portions of the filter element which are exposed by the plurality of first holes interconnecting the first channel and the second channel.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

forming a second hole through the filter element carrier during the first operation so as to interconnect the first channel and the second channel in an area where the filter element, encapsulated within the filter element carrier, is not exposed by the second hole; and

injecting molten sealing element material from an input gate, disposed upon only one side of the filter element carrier, into the second hole extending through the filter element carrier so as to form the first sealing element at least partially disposed in the first channel and to form the second sealing element at least partially disposed in the second channel.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

aligning the filter element within a filter element carrier mold by disposing a pilot pin of the filter element carrier mold through a pilot hole of the filter element;

disposing opposite pin members of the filter element carrier mold in contact with opposite side portions of the filter element; and

injecting a molten filter element carrier material into the filter element carrier mold so as to encapsulate the filter element within the filter element carrier during the first operation,

whereby the opposite pin members form the first hole through the filter element carrier so as to expose the portion of the filter element encapsulated within the filter element carrier.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

fabricating the first, second, and third sealing elements from the same material such that the first, second, and third sealing elements comprise a unitary sealing member.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the step of:

fabricating said unitary sealing member, comprising said first, second, and third sealing elements, from a material which is different from the material from which the filter element carrier is fabricated.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

fabricating said filter element carrier from a material selected from the group comprising nylon, and a glass fiber filled nylon; and

fabricating said unitary sealing member from a material selected from the group comprising a liquid silicone rubber, and a liquid silicone rubber material having a crushed quartz crystal additive.

10. A filter assembly comprising:

a filter element having a plurality of openings;

a filter element carrier encapsulating the filter element and fabricated from a first material;

a hole disposed through the filter element carrier so as to expose a portion of the filter element encapsulated in the filter element carrier, the hole interconnecting a first side portion of the filter element carrier and a second side portion of the filter element carrier;

a first sealing element disposed on the first side portion of the filter element carrier;

a second sealing element disposed on the second side portion of the filter element carrier;

a third sealing element disposed through the hole in the filter element carrier and through openings of the exposed filter element portion such that the third sealing element interconnects the first sealing element disposed on the first side portion of the filter element carrier and the second sealing element disposed on the second side portion of the filter element carrier so as to form a unitary sealing member, wherein the unitary sealing member, comprising the first, second, and third sealing elements is fabricated from a second material which is different from the first material from which the filter element carrier is fabricated.

11. The filter assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a first channel disposed on the first side portion of the filter element carrier; and

a second channel disposed on the second side portion of the filter element carrier,

wherein the hole through the filter element carrier interconnects the first channel and the second channel; and

wherein the first sealing element is at least partially disposed in the first channel and the second sealing element is at least partially disposed in the second channel.

12. The filter assembly of claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of holes disposed through the filter element carrier so as to expose a plurality of portions of the filter element encapsulated in the filter element carrier;

the plurality of holes interconnecting the first channel on the first side portion of the filter element carrier and the second channel on the second side portion of the filter element carrier; and

the third sealing element being disposed through the plurality of holes in the filter element carrier and through openings of the plurality of filter element portions exposed by the plurality of holes.

13. The filter assembly of claim 10, wherein:

the first sealing element is disposed about an enclosed portion of the filter element; and

the second sealing element is disposed about the enclosed portion of the filter element.

14. The filter assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

said filter element carrier comprises a material selected from the group comprising nylon, and glass fiber filled nylon; and

said unitary sealing element comprises a material selected from the group comprising liquid silicone rubber, and liquid silicone rubber having a crushed quartz crystal additive.