Patent Publication Number: US-2020276530-A1

Title: Grid cover for filter system

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure generally relates to a grid cover for a filter system, the filter system including the grid cover, and a method of assembling the filter system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Filters are used to remove particulates from a flow of fluid. In one example, filters may be used in a ventilation system for the removal of oversprayed coatings (e.g., paint, stain, powder) from the air, such as in a paint booth. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the filter system  10  (e.g., a filter wall) may include filters  12  arranged on a structural grid  14  (e.g., a vertical grid) which support/hold the filters in place. The structural grid  14  includes a lattice of struts or frame members, such as metal struts, secured to one another to define openings in which the filters  12  are received. In one example, the metal struts comprise angle irons. 
     Over time, the structural grid  14 , e.g., the struts, accumulate large amounts of unwanted product such as paint, glue, sealer, and many other sprayed particulates. These unwanted particulates on the grid  14  are traditionally removed with a brass putty knife or plastic scraper. This process is very time consuming and labor intensive. Removing the product from the grid  14  can result in broken fingers, hands, and even wrists due to the difficulty in loosening the filters from the densely coated areas during extraction. Cuts and abrasions also occur regularly from the removal device or the grid  14  itself. This can result in downtime, doctor and nurse visits, stitches, casts, and possible worker compensation. Removal of this unwanted product has also been known to cause thermal events/fires due to sparks or heat buildup during removal. There are other methods of clearing the residue, such as using dry ice, sand blasting, or chemical dipping, however, these processes can be very expensive and time consuming. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In one aspect, a filter system generally comprises at least one support strut defining an opening. A filter is received in the opening defined by the support strut and is supported by the at least one strut. A grid cover overlies at least a portion of said at least one support strut and is disposed between said at least one support strut and the filter. The strut cover is removable from said at least one support strut. 
     In another aspect, a method of assembling a filter system generally comprises placing a filter in an opening defined by a support grid, wherein the support grid includes struts; and placing a strut cover on the support grid, such that when the filter is placed in the opening an arm of the strut cover is sandwiched between the filter and at least one of the struts and a front wall of the strut cover is adjacent a front side of the filter. 
     In yet another aspect, a grid cover for a grid of a filter system generally comprises a front wall; and a pair of opposing arms extending rearward from the front wall. The pair of opposing arms are configured to clip onto a strut of the grid and be disposed between the strut and adjacent filters received in adjacent openings of grid. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partial perspective of a conventional filter system including a structural grid and filters in openings of the structural grid; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial front elevation of a filter system of the present disclosure including grid covers constructed according to the teachings of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective of one of the grid covers in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged, cross-sectional perspective of the grid cover; and 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation of the grid cover. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , an illustrated embodiment of a filter system constructed according to the teachings of the present disclosure is generally indicated at reference numeral  110 . The illustrated filter system  110  is similar to the filter system  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . The filter system includes filters  112 , and a structural grid  114  including a plurality struts  113  (or frame members) secured to one another to define a lattice having openings in which the filters are received. The struts  113  may be formed from metal or other rigid material. In one example, the struts  113  comprise angle irons. The openings defined by the illustrated struts  113  are rectangular (or square) shaped openings, although the openings may have other shapes, such as other polygonal shapes (e.g., hexagonal, octagonal, etc.), circular, oval, elliptical, or other shapes. Each of the illustrated filters  112  includes an open front  115  and at least one filter wall extending rearward from the front of the filter and defining an interior  108  in which particulate-laden air flows. The filter wall  116  includes a filter material or media suitable for filtering particulate from the particulate-laden air, such as but not limited to polyester, thermal or resin bonded polyester, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyethylene, polyethylene foam, polyurethane foam, polyphenylene sulfide, polyolefin plastic, coal, glass, micro glass, spun glass, animal hair, organic fiber, fiberglass, acrylic fiber, paper, paper poly, cotton, nylon, Teflon, Aramid, felt, metal, fiber blend, wood, plastic, cardboard, or any combination thereof. The front  115  of the filter  112  may include a generally rigid frame configured to hold open the front of the filter. Suitable filters  112  are described in U.S. application Ser. No. 15/978,386, filed May 14, 2018, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The filter may be of another design and/or construction without necessarily departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, other suitable filters defining an interior for use with spray booths are generally known art, and may be generally known as bag filters or pocket filters. In addition, other suitable filters may be planar and may not define an interior, and may be generally known as pad filters. 
     The difference between the conventional filter system  10  and the illustrated filter system  110  is that the filter system  110  further includes grid covers, generally indicated at  120 , secured to and covering or overlying the grid  114  (e.g., struts  113 ) between adjacent filters  112 . Each grid cover  120  extends along the length or lengths of a corresponding strut or struts  113  and covers or overlies a majority of a length of the strut (or lengths of struts), preferably, greater than 90% or between 90% and 95% or substantially an entirety of the length(s) of the strut(s). In this way, the grid covers  120  inhibit particulate from forming on the face of the grid (e.g., on the struts). The covers  120  may also inhibit overspray bypass due to gaps or openings between the filters  112  and the struts  113 . In one example the clips  120  are removable from the structural grid  114  to allow the filters  112  to be removed and replaced. The material that accumulates on the covers  120  can be made be easily removable. Users can be given the option to do so by twisting, pounding, heating, scraping, brushing or chemical dipping the clip  120  in order to remove unwanted build-up for re-use. The cover  120  may be intended to be reused, but can also be a disposable, one-time use item as well. The illustrated cover  120  has a generally linear shape configured to secure to a single grid strut. It is understood that the cover may be securable to more than one grid strut, such as one or more struts defining the opening of the grid in which the filter is received. Moreover, the cover may have other shapes, including but not limited to circular, semi-circular, polygonal (e.g., hexagonal, octagonal, etc.), a portion of a polygon, or other shapes. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3-5 , the grid cover  120  has a generally channel shape, including a front wall  124  (or base) and two opposing arms  126  extending rearward from the front wall to define an interior  128  sized and shaped to receive the grid strut  113  (e.g., the front leg of an L-shaped strut or angle iron) therein. When received on the grid strut  113 , the arms  126  of the grid cover  120  are disposed between the filter  112  and the corresponding grid strut  114 . In this manner, the grid covers  120  may act as shims between the filters  112  and the grid  114  to stabilize the filters  112  when they have large amounts of product on them or inadequate air flow and they become very heavy. Currently, substantial by-product or incorrect filter installation can cause the filters  112  to move/shift, creating hazards affecting environmental damage, build-up onto other parts of the booth system, air quality, and fires, amongst others. It can also cause the filters  112  to curl over or dog ear, which allows direct bypass into the environment or into another stage of filtration. 
     The illustrated grid cover  120  is configured as a grid clip (referred to by the same reference numeral  120 ) that is readily securable (e.g., clipped onto) to the grid  114 . The grid clip  120  may also be removable from the grid  114  and may be reusable or disposable. The opposing arms  126  extend from the front wall  124  and an inward angle so that they project toward one another to define a general V-shape and a throat portion  130  of the interior  128 . The opposing arms  126  flare away from one another from adjacent the throat portion  130  to an open back side of the clip  120  to define a mouth portion  132  of the interior  120 . The open back side of the clip  120  is sized and shaped to slidably receive the grid strut  113  (e.g., the front leg of the L-shaped strut or angle iron) into the mouth portion  132  of the interior  128  of the clip  120  so that the arms  126  cover at least a portion (e.g., the front leg of the L-shaped strut or angle iron) of the strut. Interior detents  136  (e.g., barbs) are disposed in the interior  128  of the clip  120 , such as generally adjacent the throat portion  130 , and project forward toward the front wall  124 . One or both of the arms  126  are resiliently deflectable (e.g., cantilevered) relative to the front wall  124  as the strut  113  enters the throat  130  of the interior  128  to expand the throat such that the arm(s)  126  apply a spring or biasing force to the strut (e.g., front leg of the L-shaped strut or angle iron) to retain the clip on the strut. The interior detents  136  engage the strut  113 , and the spring or biasing force is applied through detents to further facilitate retention of the clip  120  on the strut. Rear flanges  140  project outward from the arms  126  at the back side of the clip  120 . The flanges  140  may engage and cover a rear wall of the strut  113  (e.g., rear wall of the L-shaped strut or iron angle). 
     The clip  120  may comprise plastic, such as high temperature plastic that does not deform when placed in an oven to remove accumulated material. The plastic may also be durable, e.g., high impact. A suitable material is PVC, although other material may be used. 
     Modifications and variations of the disclosed embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. 
     When introducing elements of the present invention or the embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. 
     As various changes could be made in the above constructions, products, and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.