Donaldson Comapny, Inc.

Baldwin Filters, Inc.

Robert M Wydeven

Steven J Merritt

Gene W Brown

Warren Gehl

A filter element and filter apparatus, and a method for fabricating a filter element, include a filter element having alternating layers of a face sheet material and a convoluted filter material, with the alternating layers forming substantially longitudinally oriented flutes that extend axially along, or past, a radially acting seal, into previously unused portions of the cavity of a filter housing. In some embodiments, structures such as struts extending partially across an outlet end of the filter element, or a rigid web formed by a layer of resin extending axially a potted length into pome of the flutes from the outlet end resist axially oriented pressure forces on the alternating layers.

Fluted filter apparatus

A filter having a structural framework (45) formed integral with and surrounding an active filtering area, and a process for manufacturing the filter are disclosed. The process includes (a) masking selected areas (40) on a sheet (30) of filter media, which areas will serve as the active filtering areas in the end filter product; (b) applying to the remaining exposed areas of the media a liquid-phase filler material; (c) forcing the material to fully penetrate and completely saturate the exposed media areas; (d) and curing the filler-saturated media areas whereby the filler material solidifies within the fiber structure of the media making that portion of the media sheet impervious to any air flow therethrough. The sealed media area (45) provides a structurally integral framework which is continuous with the active filtering media area (40) of the filter. The filter may then be secured along its integral framework area (45) to a suitable mounting substrate surface.

Filter with integral structural framework

A fluid filtering device in various embodiments is disclosed. The filter includes, in one embodiment, alternating layers (34, 36) of flat and corrugated filter media which are rolled together and sealed at alternate ends by sealant (38, 42). Further embodiments disclose filter packs (112, 212, 312) of alternating layers of flat and corrugated filter media. In one embodiment, corrugations of successive layers are aligned in parallel. In an alternate embodiment corrugations are aligned orthogonally. Unfiltered fluids enter tubular passages (44) for example, and must exit by adjacent passages either above, below or beside the flute of entry to exit the filter. Filtering occurs when the fluid crosses a sidewall of filter media.

Growing community of inventors

Eagan, MN, United States of America

Robert M Wydeven