Abstract:
There is provided a panel filter assembly for particular use in commercial and industrial applications, as well as for residential use, that filter, reduce, or eliminate dust, odor, gas and particles from contaminated environments. The panel filter can be installed in portable or stationary air purification systems. It is designed to be lightweight, recyclable, and easily assembled. Certain components of the filter are adapted to be collapsed during shipping (and before complete assembly) to reduce space.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/665,298, filed Mar. 25, 2005 titled “Panel Filter Assembly,” the entire contents of which are incorporated here by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to panel filters for particular use in industrial and commercial applications to remove dust, odors, gases, and particles from contaminated environments.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Contaminated environments can be hazardous for a number of reasons. For example, in machine shops, oil mist is created when metals are shaped and formed. Welding shops create fume and smoke. Wood-working shops create sawdust and other dust particulates. The extrusion of plastics, the molding of plastics and rubber, the processing of paper products, the use of photography chemicals, the use of ammonia and formaldehyde in hospitals and other laboratories, the smell of fish markets and processing plants, and the operations in spinning and weaving mills, all create contamination. In addition to those listed, many other manufacturing plants and commercial locations create dangerous gases, odors, or particles. These contaminants often cannot be prevented, and accordingly, they must be efficiently and economically controlled and/or removed.  
         [0004]     Although particularly suited for industrial and commercial uses, there are also instances in residential use when quality air filtration (above and beyond that provided by air conditioner filters) is needed. For example, paint fumes, cleaning products, moth repellants, pet dander, smoke fumes, renovation work, and hobby supplies can all create unwanted fumes and odors that are desirably removed.  
         [0005]     Many of the air filters currently on the market are manufactured for use with air purification systems, for example, those provided by Fumex, Inc. The filters are constructed of sheet metal, steel, fiberglass and/or various plastic substrates. These materials are heavy, and thus difficult to install or remove. Installation and removal can also be made more difficult because the filters can cause cutting, pinching, or other injuries during installation due to the sharp edges and additional weight. These filters are also expensive to manufacture and ship due to their weight, the materials used, and their design. They are also not recyclable, which causes additional environmental concerns for disposal. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved industrial, commercial and residential air filter assemblies to replace existing air purification filters.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     There is provided a panel filter assembly according to certain embodiments of the invention for particular use in commercial and industrial applications, as well as for residential use, that filter, reduce, or eliminate dust, odor, gas and particles from contaminated environments. The panel filter according to certain embodiments can be installed in portable or stationary air purification systems and designed to be lightweight, recyclable, and easily assembled. Certain components of the filter may be adapted to be collapsed during shipping (and before complete assembly) to reduce space.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a panel filter assembly according to certain embodiments of this invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  shows one embodiment of tray members prior to their assembly with additional filter components.  
         [0009]      FIGS. 3 and 4  show one embodiment of a blank that may be used to manufacture tray members.  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  shows an exploded perspective view of an air filter according to one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a panel filter assembly  10  according to certain embodiments in an assembled position. As shown; tray member  20  houses the assembly  10 . A screen  50  preferably secures filter media in place. An additional tray member may form the lower portion of assembly  10 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  shows lower tray  20   a  and upper tray  20   b , both of which will be referred to as tray members  20 . Lower tray  20   a  and upper tray  20   b  have similar features and are made from similar blanks, one example of which is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  as blank  200 , although upper tray  20   b  may be slightly larger in order to fit over lower tray in a box-type fashion (or vice versa). Although tray members will be described throughout the remainder of this document as separate portions, it should be understood that they may be provided as a one-piece assembly if desired. In the one-piece assembly embodiments, the lower tray  20   a  forms a lower box portion connected to upper tray  20   b , which forms the lip portion.  
         [0013]     Tray members  20  are preferably manufactured from a material that has sufficient strength to support the panel filter assembly, but that can be manufactured inexpensively. The material is also preferably lighter than the materials currently used for industrial air filters. According to certain embodiments, tray members  20  are manufactured from a biodegradable material, such as paperboard or corrugated material.  
         [0014]     Manufacturing the panel filter assembly  10  out of such materials can reduce the cost of filters by up to 60%. It can also reduce the overall weight and eradicate hazards caused by cuts, scratches, and pinching during installation and removal of the heavier filters that are currently being used.  
         [0015]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , tray members  20  may each be manufactured to have an open face  22  and a closed face  24  prior to assembly. The open and closed faces are preferably formed by walls  26 . Open face  22  of lower tray  20   a  is adapted to receive the components of assembly, described further below, and open face  22  of upper tray  20   b  is adapted to cover the components and contain them within assembly  10 .  
         [0016]     Closed faces  24  are formed by supporting members  28  and tear away portions  30 . Supporting members  28  may feature a series of ledges  32  and cross members  34 . If provided, ledges  32  extend a short distance from either the top or bottom of side walls  26 . Cross members  34  are preferably provided for support when tear away portions  30  are removed (which will be described further below). Ledges  32  and cross members  34  of the lower tray  20   a  are adapted to support additional components of panel filter assembly  10 .  
         [0017]     The figures show cross members  34  as forming an “X” shape, with the top and bottom of each “X” member extending from a corner of the tray member side walls  26 . However, it is understood that any shape that acts to support assembly components is within the scope of this invention, for example, a “t” or “+” shape, a circular shape, a series of strips that extend between side walls  26  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ), a tic-tac-toe-type pattern, and so forth. Additionally, although it is preferred to provide both ledges  32  and cross members  34 , it is possible to provide just one of these support features.  
         [0018]     Closed faces  24  also feature tear away portions  30 . Tear away portions  30 , which are illustrated with cross-hatching in  FIG. 2 , are provided to enclose the filter media housed by tray members  20  during storage and/or shipment, but are adapted to be removed for use. They reduce contamination of the filter media, as well as reduce the amount of filter media that may escape from assembly  10  during shipment.  
         [0019]     After assembly of the filter assembly  10  (described below), it is shipped to a retail outlet or directly to the end user. Before installation, the end user will remove tear away panels  30 , which can be easily removed from the tray members  20  via push-in corners that lift up and tear along die cut lines before the filter is installed. Other options are available, such as peel away tear away potions that are adhered with a light adhesive, or any other method that allows the temporary securing and ultimate removal of tear away portions.  
         [0020]     In one embodiment, tear away portions  30  may be manufactured by providing perforation lines along the edges of tear away portions  30 . Upon their removal, tear away portions  30  preferably define cross members  34  and ledges  32  of supporting members  28 , which support assembly components. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the ledges  32 , cross members  34  and tear away portions  30  of tray members  20  are formed from blank  200 .  
         [0021]     According to certain embodiments, the tray member is manufactured by die cutting, erecting, and gluing the four corners beers tray bottom. Both the inner and outer surfaces of blank  200  are printable. Blank  200  preferably includes a series folds  202  and perforated portions  204  (shown in dotted lines). As shown in  FIG. 4 , the folds  202  are adapted to provide sides  26  upon assembly, and the perforated portions  204  define tear away portions  30 . Tear away portions  30  are shown in  FIG. 5  as defining an alternate cross member  34  that extends from sides  26 .  
         [0022]     With tear away portions  30  left in place, the blank can then be collapsed to save space during shipping or storage. In certain embodiments, tray members  20  and other portions of the panel filter assembly are adapted to be manufactured by a packaging company and shipped to a filter manufacturer for full assembly of the panel filter.  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  shows the formation of filter assembly  10 . During formation, lower tray  20   a  is assembled, leaving tear away portions  30  intact. A screen  50  is placed into open face  22  of lower tray member  20   a  and is supported ledges  32 , cross members  34 , or both. In some embodiments, screen  50  may be glued, tacked or otherwise secured into place.  
         [0024]     Screen  50  may be a plastic or wire screen, a mesh screen, a paperboard member with holes, or any other structure that will allow passage or air to be filtered for maximum air flow, but contain or otherwise prevent passage of (most or the majority of or all of) the filter media out of lower tray  20   a.    
         [0025]     Next, multi-cell partition  60  is placed onto screen  50 . Multi-cell partition  60  is preferably made of recyclable paperboard or corrugated material and is adapted to be collapsed during shipping and/or storage. Once inserted into lower tray  20   a , it may be expanded to its full size. Each partition  62  is an open cell that is adapted to receive or otherwise house filter media.  
         [0026]     A filter or adsorbent media  70  is then preferably loaded into the partition cells  62 . The filter media may comprise charcoal pellets, charcoal blocks, crushed charcoal, carbon pads, aluminum polyester filter, cellulose filter, or any other filter media that is usable for the above-described purposes of the filter system  10 .  FIG. 5  shows filter media as charcoal blocks  72  that are adapted to be inserted into each cell  62 .  
         [0027]     An additional screen  50  is then glued, tacked or otherwise secured into place on upper tray  20   b . Again, screen  50  may preferably be a plastic or wire screen, a mesh screen, a paperboard member with holes, or any other structure that will allow passage or air to be filtered for maximum air flow, but contain or otherwise prevent passage of (most or the majority of or all of) the filter media out of upper tray  20   b.    
         [0028]     Upper tray  20   b  is then preferably placed over the assembled components to form a completed filter assembly  10 . Tear away portions  30  are left in place until use, although for illustrative purposes, tear away portions  30  are shown being removed in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0029]     One of the advantages of the present invention is that at least the tray members  20  and the multi-cell partition  60  are capable of being manufactured of biodegradable materials that are light and inexpensive. This reduces the weight of the filter and can reduce installation and removal costs and accidents. In certain embodiments, the assembled filter weighs approximately 10 pounds.  
         [0030]     The collapsibility of the components  20 ,  60  also allows them to be manufactured and shipped to a filter manufacturer, who then preferably assembles the filter assembly  10  and ships it to retail or the end user. Once received and before installation, the end user removes the tear away panels  30  that held the filter media  70  in place and contained any loose media that may have settled during shipment. The media remains supported by screens  50 , ledges  32 , and cross members  34 .  
         [0031]     Changes and modifications, additions and deletions may be made to the structures and methods recited above and shown in the drawings without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.