Patent ID: 6375700
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
A filter comprising a housing extending along an axis and having an inlet at one axial end of said housing and having an outlet at a distally opposite axial end of said housing, a pleated filter element in said housing, said pleated filter element being pleated along a plurality of bend lines, said bend lines extending axially, said filter element having a plurality of wall segments extending in serpentine manner between said bend lines, said wall segments extending axially between upstream ends at said inlet and downstream ends at said outlet, said wall segments defining axial flow channels therebetween, said upstream ends of said wall segments being alternately sealed to each other to define a first set of flow channels having open upstream ends, and a second set of flow channels interdigitated with said first set of flow channels and having closed upstream ends, said downstream ends of said wall segments being alternately sealed to each other such that said first set of flow channels have closed downstream ends, and said second set of flow channels have open downstream ends, such that fluid to be filtered flows substantially directly axially through said filter element, through said open upstream ends of said first set of flow channels then through said wall segments then through said open downstream ends of said second set of flow channels, and a gasket sealing said filter element to said housing, wherein said filter element has laterally distally opposite first and second axially extending sides, said first side defining a first axially extending plane, said second side defining a second axially extending plane, said second axial plane being parallel to and spaced from said first axial plane, said upstream ends of said wall segments define a first laterally extending plane, said downstream ends of said wall segments define a second laterally extending plane, said second lateral plane being parallel to and spaced from said first lateral plane, said first and second lateral planes being perpendicular to said first and second axial planes, said bend lines comprise a first set of coplanar bend lines defining a third axially extending plane, and a second set of coplanar bend lines defining a fourth axially extending plane, said fourth axial plane being parallel to and spaced from said third axial plane, said third and fourth axial planes being perpendicular to said first and second axial planes and perpendicular to said first and second lateral planes, said gasket has a first section extending along both said first axial plane and one of said lateral planes, a second section extending along both said third axial plane and said one lateral plane, a third section extending along both said second axial plane and said one lateral plane, and a fourth section extending along both said fourth axial plane and said one lateral plane.