Patent ID: 8021454

Claim:
A disposable air filter sub-assembly comprising: air filtration media; a substantially planar air filter frame providing three-dimensional support for the air filtration media, the air filter frame having an opposed pair of first sides, an opposed pair of second sides, two opposed faces, a width between the opposed faces; and an air filter frame-connecting means integrated into the air filter frame, the air filter frame-connecting means is selected from: integrated fold-over adhesive tabs located on one of the faces of the air-filter frame, integrated fold-over mechanical tabs located on at least one of the faces of the air-filter frame, integrated nesting connection devices located on at least one of the sides of the air-filter frame, integrated snap connectors located on at least one of the sides of the air-filter frame, integrated hook and loop fasteners located on at least one of the sides of the air-filter frame, integrated magnetic connectors located on at least one of the sides of the air-filter frame, or integrated slot-tab connectors located on at least one of the sides of the air-filter frame; wherein the air filter frame-connecting means is adapted to connect a plurality of air filter sub-assemblies into an air filter assembly having sufficient structural strength in at least one direction so that the air filter sub-assemblies resists separation upon extraction of the air filter assembly from a filter track of a filter bank.