Method of adhering a pleated filtration media and filter and media filter stack using same

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a selected spacing folded, pleated media by preparing a pre-pleated sheet of filter media having pleats with peaks and troughs throughout its length applying an at least one adhesive element along the pre-pleated sheet of filter media; advancing and cutting the pre-pleated sheet of material; compressing the cut length of pre-pleated sheet of filter material, resulting in folding of the pleats and adherence of the pleats into a folded, pleated filter media stack that is selectively separable; selectively separating the media stack and selecting a pleat spacing for a selected pleat spacing section application of an at least one spacing support element at the peaks of each pleat and refolding and recompressing into a selected spacing folded, pleated media stack wherein the media stack is adhered and can be selectively removed to extend from a compacted state to a deployed state with the selected pleat spacing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pre-selected spaced, folded, pleated media stack or cartridge comprising:
 a cut portion of pre-pleated filter media having pleats, each pleat having a top and a trough and a successive top; and   an at least one pleat spacing section running the length of the cut portion of pre-pleated filter wherein the at least one pleat spacing section is selected and then an at least one spacing support element is adhered to each pleats top and successive top via an at least one adhesive element such that the at least one spacing support element maintains the spacing in the at least one pleat spacing section in a selected spacing folded, pleated media stack when compressed with the at least one spacing support element further folded and compacted and the selected spacing folded, pleated media stack allowing for selective release of each pleat from the compressed state to an operating state such that the spacing support element maintains the spacing when in the operating state.   
     
     
         2 . The pre-selected spacing folded, pleated media stack or cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one adhering element and the at least one pleat spacing support element are each a self-adhering tape. 
     
     
         3 . The pre-selected spacing folded, pleated media stack or cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one adhering element is on a first side of the media stack or cartridge and the at least one pleat spacing support element is on a second side of the media stack or cartridge. 
     
     
         4 . The pre-selected spacing folded, pleated media stack or cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one adhering element is on a first side of the media stack or cartridge and the at least one pleat spacing support element is on said same first side of the media stack or cartridge. 
     
     
         5 . The pre-selected spacing folded, pleated media stack or cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one adhering element has interspaced non-adhering portions thereon corresponding to elements within the spaced pleats. 
     
     
         6 . A filter media cartridge, comprising:
 an at least one frame member having a pleated, folded filter media mounted therein; and   an at least one movement member having the pleated folded filter media mounted thereon and free to move thereon, wherein the pleated folded filter media mounted thereon is compressed such that the pleats of the pleated folded filter media are retained in a compacted pleated folded media stack within the housing the filter media cartridge being deployed from the compacted pleated folded media stack when in a filter device and moved from the compacted pleated, folded state to an expanded state while providing side sealing in the filter device.   
     
     
         7 . The filter media cartridge of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one movement member is a motor. 
     
     
         8 . The filter media cartridge of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one movement member is a user manually moving the filter media stack within the filter media cartridge. 
     
     
         9 . The filter media cartridge of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one movement member is pull tab pulled by the user. 
     
     
         10 . The filter media cartridge of  claim 6 , further comprising a locking mechanism, wherein the movement member moves the filter media stack and the locking mechanism locks the media at a position whereby it is deployed. 
     
     
         11 . The filter media cartridge of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one movement member moves more than one length of filter media from the compacted pleated, folded state, such that an exposed filter portion of the filter media stack is replaced with a further unexposed portion of the filter media stack. 
     
     
         12 . The filter media cartridge of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one movement member is an at least one pull tab pulled by the user to move the compacted pleated, folded state of the media to the expanded state and again for the further unexposed portion of the filter media stack. 
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a selected spacing folded, pleated media stack comprising:
 preparing a pre-pleated sheet of filter media having pleats with peaks and troughs throughout its length;   advancing and cutting the pre-pleated sheet of material to specific length to form a cut length of pre-pleated sheet of filter media with the at least one adhesive element applied thereon;   compressing the cut length of pre-pleated sheet of filter material, the process of compressing the cut length of pre-pleated sheet of filter media resulting in folding of the pleats and adherence of the pleats of the cut length of pre-pleated sheet of material into a folded, pleated filter media stack that is selectively separable;   selectively separating the folded, pleated filter media stack and selecting a pleat spacing for a selected pleat spacing section, the size of the pleat spacing section corresponding to the selected pleat spacing;   applying an at least one spacing support element at the peaks of each pleat in adhesive contact with the selected pleat spacing section;   adhering the peaks of the selected pleat spacing section to the at least one spacing support element to secure the selected pleat spacing in the cut pre-pleated filter media material that comprises the folded pleated filter media stack; and   refolding and recompressing the folded, pleated filter media stack and the at least one spacing support element into a selected spacing folded, pleated media stack wherein the media stack is retained and can be selectively removed to extend the folded, compacted filter media pack from the folded, compacted state to a deployed state with the selected pleat spacing.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of applying an at least one spacing support element further comprises applying multiple adhesive elements at multiple application points across the pre-pleated sheet of filter media to secure the spacing support. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of applying the multiple adhesive elements further comprises applying three lines of adhesive elements, wherein the adhesive elements are three lines of double sided tape with an adhesive. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein step of applying the multiple adhesive elements further comprises applying the three lines of adhesive lengthwise on the pre-pleated sheet of filter media with a first line being on a first edge of the pre-pleated sheet of filter media, a second line being at a middle point of the pre-pleated sheet of filter media, and a third being on a second edge of the pre-pleated sheet of filter media.