Nelson Industries, Inc.

Fleetguard, Inc.

Universal Acoustic & Emission Technologies, Inc.

Jeffrey S Morgan

Kent Jeffrey Kallsen

Tadeusz Jaroszczyk

Stephen L Fallon

Jon S Wake

Scott P Heckel

Mark V Holzmann

Z Gerald Liu

Michael J Connor

Jerald J Moy

James Alan Debilzen

Jason E Dorgan

Barry Mark Verdegan

Scott W Schwartz

Eric A Janikowski

Larry T Gunderson

Mark A Terres

Kenneth M Tofsland

Brad Henke

Kelly R Schmitz

Byron Andrew Pardue

Murray R Schukar

Daniel R Cady

Theodore W Ormond

Andrew J Harris

Eric G Gryttenholm

Caryn J Christianson

Thomas P Sonsalla

Thomas M Anderson-Brown

Nels A Nordstrom

Elden F Ray

Douglas K Benham

Fuhe Mao

Jeffrey S Rech

Disclosed are devices that include spark or particle arresting, features and muffler features. The disclosed devices may include: (a) an upstream inlet receiving exhaust gas flow; (b) a downstream outlet discharging exhaust gas flow; (c) a cylindrical body disposed between the upstream inlet and downstream outlet; and (d) a particle trap having an opening for collecting particulate matter in the exhaust gas flow, the particle trap disposed downstream of the cylindrical body on a wall of the device. The cylindrical body of the devices typically includes an annular channel permitting axial flow of gas therethrough from an upstream end of the annular channel through a downstream end of the annular channel. The downstream end of the annular channel may be configured to have openings for discharging exhaust gas flow and imparting a spiral flow to the discharged gas flow. As gas exits the annular channel, the particulate matter is forced radially outward via centrifugal force towards the wall of the device where the particulate matter is collected in the particle trap.

Low pressure drop, high efficiency spark or particulate arresting devices and methods of use

An in-line filter assembly includes an inlet duct housing, an intermediate housing, and an outlet duct housing, and seals a filter element in the intermediate housing and facilitates removal and replacement thereof.

In-line filter and service method

A filter has multiple pleated filter elements having axially extending channels having a transverse pleat channel height and a lateral channel width. The pleated filter elements have different channel heights.

Multi-element filter with multiple pleat channel height

A high performance, high efficiency filter is provided by a multi-stage filter having combinations of tribologically different fibers, nanofibers, and layering.

High performance, high efficiency filter

An open flow fluid filter has a pleated main filter element having a plurality of pleats in a closed loop having an outer perimeter defined by a plurality of outer pleat tips, and an inner perimeter defined by a plurality of inner pleat tips. The loop has a hollow interior extending along an axis. Fluid to be filtered flows through the main filter element from an upstream dirty side to a downstream clean side, and flows axially in the hollow interior. The main filter element has an axial flow passage extending along the axis and circumscribing the hollow interior and has a flow perimeter greater than the inner perimeter. A safety filter element downstream of the main filter element filters both the axial flow in the hollow interior and additional flow between the flow perimeter and the inner perimeter. A filter with additional flow is also provided.

Additional flow filter

An air/oil separator tank ( ) has a separator element ( ) including coalescing media ( ). A separate downstream drain layer ( ) removes the separated coalesced oil and passes clean air. The separator element is removable from the tank for replacement. The drain layer is permanently attached to the tank.

Air/oil separator tank with permanent drain layer

A filter filters fluid flowing along an axial flow direction and includes a plurality of concentric cylindrical pleated filter elements having a common axis. A plurality of annular radial gaps between filter elements provide additional flow axially through the filter, providing equalized flow and reducing restriction. In further embodiments, a central filter element is concentrically surrounded by a cylindrical pleated outer filter element and provides additional flow axially therethrough.

Multi-element cylindrical filter with equalized flow

A filter ( ) filters fluid flowing along an axial flow direction ( ) and includes a plurality of panels ( ) of pleated filter elements ( ), each filter element having a plurality of pleats defined by wall segments ( ) extending along a transverse direction ( ) between first and second sets of pleat tips at first and second sets of axially extending bend lines ( ), the transverse direction ( ) being perpendicular to the axial direction ( ). Each of the panels ( ) extends along a lateral direction ( ) perpendicular to the axial direction ( ) and perpendicular to the transverse direction ( ). The wall segments ( ) extend axially between upstream and downstream ends ( ), and define axial flow channels ( ) therebetween which are alternately sealed at the upstream and downstream ends. Transverse gaps ( ) are provided between panels and the housing at upstream and downstream ends ( ), providing additional fluid flow axially therethrough and equalized contaminant passages.

Multi-panel fluid filter with equalized contaminant passages

A filter ( ) is provided with a fixture ( ) having a first set of axially extending inner pillars ( ) defining a first cylinder ( ) along inner bend lines ( ) of inner pleat tips ( ) of an annular pleated filter element ( ), a second set of axially extending outer pillars ( ) defining a second cylinder ( ) extending along outer bend lines ( ) of outer pleat tips ( ) of the filter element ( ), inner and outer circumferential rings ( and ) extending around the respective first and second sets of pillars and circumferentially spacing and supporting such pillars, and a plurality of radial spokes ( ) at an axial end ( ) of the fixture ( ), each spoke extending radially between a respective inner and outer pillar and radially spacing and supporting respective inner and outer pillars in radially spaced concentric relation defining a reception annulus ( ). The filter element ( ) is axially slidable into the reception annulus ( ) of the fixture ( ) through an open axial end ( ) of the fixture ( ) and is stopped against the radial spokes ( ) closing the distally opposite axial end ( ) of the fixture ( ).

Self-fixturing filter

Open flow filter with safety element

An air filter housing ( ) includes twist and lock structure ( ) having a first position (FIGS. ) permitting axial movement ( ) of a cover ( ) and base ( ) relative to each other, and being rotatable in a first rotational direction ( ) from the first position to a second position (FIGS. ), and in the second position preventing axial movement of the base and cover relative to each other, and being rotatable in a second opposite rotational direction ( ) from the second position to the first position. Anti-rotation lock structure ( ) provides a rotational retention force holding the twist and lock structure in the second position. The anti-rotation lock structure includes an arm ( ) flexibly bendable about a bend line extending parallel to the axis ( ) of the housing.

Twist and lock filter housing with nontorsional anti-rotation stop

A filter element ( ) includes pleated filter media ( ) having a plurality of pleats ( ) in a closed annular loop having an outer perimeter ( ) defined by a plurality of outer pleat tips ( ), an inner perimeter ( ) defined by a plurality of inner pleat tips ( ), the loop having a hollow interior ( ) extending along an axis ( ), wherein fluid to be filtered flows laterally through the filter media and flows axially in the hollow interior ( ). The filter element has an axial flow passage ( ) along the axis ( ) and circumscribing the hollow interior ( ) and has a flow perimeter ( ) greater than the inner perimeter ( ) of the filter element defined by the inner pleat tips ( ), and in the preferred embodiment substantially the same as the outer perimeter ( ) defined by the outer pleat tips ( ), to provide axial flow ( ) through the hollow interior ( ) and additional axial flow ( and ) through the axial ends ( ) of the pleats.

High flow capacity filter

A full flow fluid filter ( FIG. ) has a housing ( ) extending axially along an axis ( ), and a pleated filter element ( ) having a plurality of pleats in a closed loop annulus having an outer perimeter ( ) defined by a plurality of outer pleat tips, an inner perimeter ( ) defined by a plurality of inner pleat tips, and a hollow interior ( ) extending along the axis. Fluid flows substantially directly axially through the filter element, with minimal bending and change of direction, minimizing flow restriction.

Full flow filter

Enhanced performance fibrous media ( ) is provided by orienting filter media fibers ( ) dominantly parallel to the fluid flow direction ( ). Filter media construction is provided by a sheet ( ) having an internal pleated subsheet ( ) with pleats ( ) engaging and packed against each other sufficiently tightly and bonded ( ) such that fluid flows along the flow direction through the pleats in parallel therewith, rather than between the pleats and then transversely therethrough. An extended life two-stage fluid filter assembly includes first and second filter elements ( and ), wherein the pleats ( ) of a main downstream filter element ( ) are spaced from each other along a spacing direction ( ) transverse to the flow direction ( ) and defining a transverse gap ( ) therebetween through which fluid flows, and wherein the pleats ( ) of an upstream prefilter element ( ) are packed against each other without such transverse gap and blocking fluid flow therebetween.

Enhanced performance fibrous filter media and extended life fluid filter assembly

A filter ( ) includes a housing ( ) extending along an axis ( ). and having an inlet ( ) at one axial end ( ) of the housing and having an outlet ( ) at a distally opposite axial end ( ) of the housing. One or more pleated filter elements ( ) in the housing are pleated along a plurality of bend lines ( ) extending axially. The filter element has a plurality of wall segments ( ) extending in serpentine manner between the bend lines. The wall segments extend axially between upstream ends ( ) and downstream ends ( ) and define axial flow channels ( ) therebetween. The upstream ends of the wall segments are alternately sealed ( ) to each other to defme a first set of flow channels ( ) having open upstream ends ( ), and a second set of flow channels ( ) interdigitated with the first set of flow channels and having closed upstream ends ( ). The downstream ends of the wall segments are alternately sealed to each other ( ) such that the first set of flow channels have closed downstream ends ( ), and the second set of flow channels have open downstream ends ( ). Fluid to be filtered flows substantially directly axially through the filter element ( ) or elements ( ), through the open upstream ends of the first set of flow channels then through the wall segments then through the open downstream ends of the second set of flow channels. A gasket ( ) seals the filter element to the housing.

Growing community of inventors

Stoughton, WI, United States of America

Jeffrey S Morgan