Abstract:
A panel filter element has a pleated filter media having peaks and valleys arranged in pleated sets of first and second panels. The pleated sets are adhered along side edges to form clean-side pockets which open adjacent to the valleys. The first and second panels have elongated embossments projecting both into and away from the pockets to keep the pockets open and to keep the pleated sets separate. Dirty air flows into the filter media both transverse to the peaks and laterally between the pleated sets of first and second panels. By having dirty air to be filtered flowing both transversly and laterally, the dirt holding capacity of the filter is increased while increases in restriction are minimized.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/135,374, filed May 1, 2002 which will issue on Nov. 30, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,581 and incorporated by reference herein. 
     RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from provisional application Ser. No. 60/287,420 filed May 1, 2001 and titled “Cross Flow Filter Element.” 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a filter element having a filter media with embossed spacers. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a filter element having a filter media with embossed spacers which allow for cross flow of dirty air into the filter media. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Filter elements which use filter media having spacer arrangements between panels of the media for filtering particulate bearing fluid streams are known in the art. However, the spacers tend to be inserted elements which increases the cost of filter media and can compromise the reliability of the filter media. This is because inserted spacers can become dislodged and damage the filter media if on the upstream or dirty side of the filter media. If on the clean side of the filter media, the spacers can become dislodged and possibly damage the machinery served by the filter media. 
     With respect to air filters for internal combustion engines, there is continuing need to increase dirt holding capacity while reducing restriction. Preferably, this is accomplished as inexpensively as possible. With respect to filters for diesel trucks, increased dirt holding capacity with acceptable restriction levels is currently only obtainable with cylindrical filters used for medium and heavy duty applications. In order to conserve space in engine compartments panel air filters are now being employed, but panel air filters have encountered the aforementioned problems of reduced dirt holding capacity and relatively high restriction. Accordingly, there is a need for improvement in panel air filters. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the aforementioned considerations, a panel filter element having a pleated filter media is utilized wherein the pleated filter media has plurality of embossments with first sets of embossments projecting from the clean side of the pleats and second sets of embossments projecting from the dirty side of the pleats. Edges of the pleats are closed. Consequently, dirty air flows both transversely through the dirty-side face of the filter media and laterally between the pleats. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a bottom perspective view of the filter element configured in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom planar view of the filter of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the filter element of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the filter of  FIGS. 1–3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of the filter of  FIGS. 1–4  showing a portion of the filter media cut away; 
         FIG. 6  is a first end view of the filter element showing a first panel; 
         FIG. 7  is a second end view of the filter element showing a second panel; 
         FIG. 8  is a planar view of the dirty side of the filter media before being pleated; 
         FIG. 9  is a planar view of the clean side of the filter media before being pleated, and 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an air cleaner for engine combustion air which utilizes the filter element of  FIGS. 1–9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  there is shown a filter element  10  configured in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The filter element  10  includes a pleated filter media  12  and a peripheral seal  14 . The peripheral seal  14  is made of a rubber or rubber-like polymer material, for example polyurethane.  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate the dirty side  15  of the filter element  10 . As is seen in  FIG. 3 , the top of the filter element  10  is covered by an expanded metal screen  16  which covers the clean side  18  of the filter element  10 . 
     Pleated filter media  12  has peaks  20  and valleys  22  defined by pleat forming sets  23  of first and second panels  24  and  26  that are closed adjacent first and second edges  30  and  32 . Peaks  20  occur in a plane which defines a dirty-side face  34  of the filter media  12 , while the valleys  22  occur in a plane which defines a clean-side face  36  of the filter media. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, dirty air enters the filter media in directions transverse to the dirty-side face  34  as indicated by arrows  38  and laterally to the dirty-side face through side filter media faces  40  and  42  of the first and second panels  24  and  26  in the directions of arrows  44  and  46 , respectively. As is seen in  FIG. 3 , clean air exits the filter element  10  through the clean side face  36  in the direction of arrows  48 . The peaks  20  and valleys  22  are determined by the direction  38  of dirty air flow through the filter media  12  so that the peaks are at the bottom and the valleys are above the peaks. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4-7  showing side and end views of the filter element  10 , it is seen that the pleat sets  23  formed by the first and second panels  24  and  26  are adhered only at their edges  30  and  32  ( FIG. 1 ). Consequently, gaps  54  are maintained between adjacent pleat forming sets  23 . Accordingly, dirty air can pass laterally between the pleat sets  23  in the direction of arrows  44  and  46  (see  FIG. 1 ). Spacing is maintained between the pleat sets  23  adjacent the edges  30  and  32  by having substantially flat or obtuse valley floors  56  to keep the edges  30  and  32  of the sets  23  spaced from one another, and by having arrays  60  of spaced embossments and a continuous embossment  61  projecting from the dirty sides  40  and  42  of the first and second panels  24  and  26 . The embossments  60  have spaces  64  therebetween to allow dirty air to continually pass laterally between the sides  40  and  42  of the pleated filter media  12 . As will be explained hereinafter, the embossments  60  cooperate not only to keep the pleated sets  23  in spaced relation, but also stiffen the pleats and distribute air over the pleats in an even fashion so as to increase the capacity of the filter media  12  while reducing restriction. 
     Referring now mainly to  FIG. 5 , where the filter media  12  has been severed through the pleated sets  23  to reveal pockets  62 , which open upwardly through openings  65  which coincide with the clean side face  36  of the filter element  10 . As with the dirty sides  40  and  42  of the panels  24  and  26 , clean sides  66  and  68  of the panels are kept separated by arrays of spaced embossments  70  projecting from the first and second panels  24  and  26  into the pockets  62 . As with the dirty sides of the panels the embossments  70  abut but have gaps  72  therebetween so that clean air in a direction  48  flows from the peaks  20  toward the openings  65 , and is channeled by the embossments  70 . If necessary the clean air can pass laterally through the gaps  72  between embossments  70  so as to even out clean air flow and make it more laminar, which is desirable if the clean air is combustion air for an internal combustion engine. 
     Referring now mainly to  FIGS. 6 and 7  as well as  FIG. 5  wherein end views of the filter element  10  reveal embossment structure, it is seen that the first and second panels  24  and  26  have the arrays of spaced embossments  60  and  70  that respectively keep the pleat sets  23  spaced from one another and keep the pleat sets  23  open to define the interior pockets  62  ( FIG. 5 ). The first panel  24  and the second panel  26  are substantially identical so that when the first and second panels are folded at the peaks  20 , the arrays of spaced embossments  70  abut within the pocket  62  (see  FIG. 5 ) with gaps  72  therebetween, while the elongated continuous embossments  71  abut, and with the closed edges  30  and  32 , form three substantially closed first channels within the pockets  62 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8  where the clean sides  66  and  68  of the filter media  12  are shown prior to folding the media web  12  at peaks  20  and valleys  22 , it is seen that upon folding the media web, pairs of spaced embossments A abut within the pockets  62  of  FIG. 5 . Gaps  80  occur between the spaced embossments A. The two elongated continuous embossments  71  with the opposite edges  30  and  32  of the filter media  12  form a pair of closed channels  82  adjacent opposite edges. The spaced columns of three embossments B, with spaces  84  therebetween are in a central channel  86  in pockets  62  ( FIG. 5 ) between a pair of the elongated continuous embossments  71 . Upon folding the filter media  12  so that the panels  24  and  26  have clean-side surfaces  66  and  68  in abutment and then adhering the edges  30  and  32  to one another with beads of adhesive, the interior pockets  62  of  FIG. 5  are created. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , a second array of embossments  61 , including three spaced embossments C separated by spaces  95 ; pairs of embossments D separated by spaces  96 , and the continuous central embossment  61 , project from the dirty sides  40  and  42  of the first and second panels  24  and  26 . These embossments abut one another to help keep the pleated sets  23  separated to provide the gaps  54  therebetween (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). When folded, the continuous center embossment  61  channels air through the dirty-side face  34  and between the sides edges  30  and  32  in two separate channels  97  and  98  on the dirty side of the filter media  12 . 
     As is seen in  FIGS. 8 and 9  where the filter media  12  is shown flat prior to folding at creases  100  and  102  to form the peaks  20  and valleys  22 , it is seen that first and second panels  24  and  26  are identically embossed so that upon folding, the appropriate embossments face one another to provide interior and exterior spacing. As is seen in  FIG. 8 , at least the first panels  24  have beads of adhesive  103  and  104  proximate edges  30  and  32 , respectively. The panels  24  and  26  are folded along the creases  100  and  102  to form the peaks  20  and valleys  22  of the pleated filter media with the adhesive beads  103  and  104  adhering the edges  30  and  32  of the panels  24  and  26  together so as to form the pockets  62  shown in  FIG. 5 . Each valley  22  has the flattened area  56  at each end in order to help keep the edge portions  30  and  32  of adjacent panels  24  and  26  separate. In that the seal  14  is molded around the filter media  10 , the material of the seal engages and wedges adjacent the flattened panel portion  56  to help stiffen the base portion of the filter media formed by the valleys  22 . 
     As is evident from  FIGS. 2–9  of the drawings, the filter element  10  has a filter media  12  which includes panels  24  and  26  defined by pleats at the peaks  20  and valleys  22 . In this description, the peaks  20  occur where the dirty air stream  38  encounters the dirty side face  34  and the valleys  22  occur adjacent to the clean-side face  36 . Accordingly, there are top sections  24   a  and  26   a  of the panels  24  adjacent to the pleats formed by the peaks  20  and bottom sections  24   b  and  26   b  adjacent to the pleats formed by the valleys  22 . There are middle sections  24   c  and  26   c  between the top sections  24   a  and  26   c  and the bottom sections  24   b  and  26   b.    
     Within the gaps  54  and in the pockets  52  the embossments abut the spaces therebetween in the middle section  24   c  and  26   c  of the panels  24  and  26  to form labyrinths wherein only torturous paths (not straight line paths) exist from one sealed edge  30  to the other sealed edge  32 . The torturous paths are created by the gaps  80  between the embossments A and the gaps  84  between the embossments B of  FIG. 8 , and by the gaps  95  between the embossments C and the gaps  96  between the embossments D. The gaps  80  and  84  are not aligned and the gaps  95  and  96  are not aligned so that the air streams can not move laterally without being deflected by at least one embossment. 
     The aforedescribed filter element has use as an air filter for internal combustion engines. Since the height of the pleats is approximately 3 inches, the various embossments described provide stiffness as well as spacing. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an air cleaner  120  for an internal combustion engine (not shown) in which a filter element  10  embodying the principles of the present invention is used. Dirty air enters the air cleaner  120  through an inlet  122 , passes adjacent to and around a storage battery  124  and into a filter housing  126 . The dirty air then rises through the dirty-side face  34  of the filter media  12  ( FIG. 1 ) within the filter housing as well as passing laterally through the sides of the filter media. Clean air passes through the clean-side face  34  ( FIG. 1 ) of the filter media  12  and out of the outlet  130  for combustion by the associated engine. 
     While the filter element  10  is shown being used to filter air, the structure of the filter media  12  and filter element is usable to filter other gases as well as fluids in general including liquids. 
     From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.