Patent · US Expired

Air filter assembly

US5492551A · kind A · utility

36Cited by
16References
9Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 26, 1994
Grant dateFeb 20, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 26, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S55/45
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The present invention is an air filter assembly which includes a frame having a filter mounted therein. The filter is constructed of woven microfilament strands having a cross-sectional height of at most 30 microns, the strands being spaced apart by at most 20 microns. The filter medium is single-ply so as to be non-entraining. Each strand preferably has a smooth outer surface for repelling particles smaller than the size of the openings in the filter. The frame may laterally adjustable, if desired. In an alternative embodiment, the filter includes a single-ply sheet of a filtering material having openings cut therein. The filtering material preferably has a smooth outer surface facing the air-flow for preventing the particles from clogging the filter. The openings may be made in the filtering material by processes such as laser cutting, x-ray lithography, chemical etching, or by stretching a microporous sheet. The percentage of the filter surface area that is open to air flow is sufficient to enable air flow without the use of a mechanical blower.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.