Patent ID: 6986799

Claim:
An air filter comprising: an elastomeric deformable frame formed as a unitary structure, said frame including: a flange member having opposing ends and sides defining a central opening, wherein said flange member defines a plane generally passing through said ends and said sides of said flange member; and a plurality of generally triangular pleat engaging members extending outwardly from said flange member to respective pleat engaging member peaks on respective sides of said plane, said pleat engaging members having inwardly facing opposed faces on respective sides of said flange member and on both sides of said plane, said pleat engaging member peaks on opposite sides of the plane being offset along the respective sides of the frame member; and a pleated filter element having opposing ends and edges, said pleated filter element having pleat peaks on opposing sides of said filter element, said pleated filter element being disposed in said central opening with selected portions of opposing edges of said filter member pleats engaging opposed faces of said pleat engaging members with pleat peaks disposed on opposite sides of said plane.