Patent ID: 7097684

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a low pressure drop pleated fluid filter including upstream and downstream media faces and being capable of obtaining a desirable minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) comprising: feeding from a first supply zone to a forming zone at least one first layer of downstream support scrim, said support scrim layer being a fibrous material selected by relative estimation of weight, fiber size and thickness; feeding from a second supply zone to said forming zone unto said scrim layer at least one application of filter media, said filter media application being of a fibrous material selected by relative estimation of weight, fiber size and thickness; adhering said filter media onto said support scrim by either spraying said support scrim with an adhesive, ultrasonically bonding said filter media to said support scrim, or applying self adhering fibrous material to said support scrim; feeding said combined layer of scrim and filter media to a scoring zone to make selected spaced sharp score lines; feeding said scored combined layer to a spacer application zone to selectively apply by relative estimation spacer material on said combined layer; and feeding said combined layer with spacer material thereon to a pleating zone to be pleated into a selected plurality of pleats separated by said spacer material with the upstream crests of said pleats being of optimal narrow breadth whereby the combined pleated filter arrangement obtains a desired minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) with a minimal pressure drop.