Patent ID: 7651543

Claim:
A planar omni-directional inlet assembly for installing on a device that draws a fluid medium to collect particulate matter suspended in the fluid medium onto a filter, the inlet assembly comprising: a platform forming an annular inlet to receive the fluid medium, the platform being disposable on the device and including opposing plates disposable to be parallel to each other, an annular nozzle to direct the fluid medium from the platform and the annular nozzle comprises a pair of nozzle portions, each of the pair of nozzle portions is respectively disposed on a corresponding member of the opposing plates; an annular impactor disposed downstream of the annular nozzle, the impactor presenting a flow obstacle for a portion of the particulate matter; a housing that disposes the filter downstream of the impactor, the housing directing the fluid medium through the filter, the housing being removably disposable on the platform; and an exit for passing the fluid medium from the filter to the device, the exit being disposed downstream of the housing.