Patent ID: 11872416
Assignee: MOLDEX-METRIC, INC.
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 29:
30. A filter comprising:
a pleated filter element comprising:
a layer of flexible plastic netting material having a plurality of perforations allowing free passage of air through the perforations of the plastic netting material;
a layer of polymeric filter media for filtering impurities in air passing through the filter;
the layer of flexible plastic netting material and the layer of polymeric filter media positioned to lie one on top of the other to form a multilayer of flexible plastic netting material and polymeric filter media, the multilayer of flexible plastic netting material and polymeric filter media forming a pleated composite layer of flexible plastic netting material and polymeric filter media having an overall structure of continuous and adjacent pleated folds; and
a flange having a bottom most flange surface;

a preformed filter mounting element for mounting of the filter to a face piece or respirator, the preformed filter mounting element being semi-rigid and molded from a plastic material, the preformed filter mounting element comprising:
a mounting connector having one or more locking portions around a mounting aperture, wherein the mounting connector is for mounting the filter to the face piece or respirator; and
a plenum devoid of the pleated filter element, the plenum defining a free volume between the mounting connector and the pleated filter element within the preformed filter mounting element for allowing passage of unrestricted inhaled air into the face piece or respirator after the inhaled air has passed through the pleated filter element of the filter; and
a flange having an uppermost surface of the preformed filter mounting element; and

an air impermeable seal extending around a periphery of the filter, the air impermeable seal including and bonded by melted plastic material of the pleated filter element and melted plastic material of the plastic material of the preformed filter mounting element, wherein the bottom most flange surface is configured to contact the uppermost surface of the preformed filter mounting element to form the air impermeable seal.