Patent ID: 7503953

Claim:
A self-supporting, pleated filter, comprising: a filter media defining a front face and a rear face, and having a plurality of pleats defining a plurality of pleat tips oriented perpendicular to a direction of pleating; a reinforcing structure surrounding the filter media, the reinforcing structure comprising: a frame including a U-shaped channel disposed about a periphery of the filter media, wherein first ends of the U-shaped channel extend partially over the front face of the filter media and second ends of the U-shaped channel extend partially over the rear face of the filter media, a first generally planar scrim adhered to a portion of the pleat tips along the front face and secured between the filter media and the first ends of the U-shaped channel, a secondary generally planar scrim adhered to a portion of the pleat tips along the rear face and secured between the filter media and the second ends of the U-shaped channel; wherein the pleats are self-supporting in regions not directly supported by the scrims.