Patent ID: 6143106
Filing Date: 2000-11-07
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
A method for assembling a filter element, comprising the steps of:providing a cylindrical pleated filter media having a continuous series of axially-extending interconnected pleats circumscribing a central cavity,providing a continuous elastic support sleeve, said support sleeve having an inner dimension normally slightly smaller than an original outer dimension of said cylindrical media,radially compressing said cylindrical media such that the outer dimension of the cylindrical media is smaller than the inner dimension of the support sleeve, and inserting the compressed cylindrical media into said support sleeve and thereafter expanding said compressed cylindrical media back toward its normal outer dimension such that said support sleeve extends in surrounding relation along the cylindrical media and is elastically stretched to structurally retain the pleats of the cylindrical media in fixed relation to each other without mechanical or chemical connection to the pleats, andsubsequently bonding a pair of end caps to opposite ends of said cylindrical media.