Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
A filter element, comprising: a porous member having pleats; an annular support member; the support member having an opening, a peripheral wall and first and second axially spaced shoulders extending radially inwardly from the peripheral wall to define a radially inwardly opening cavity; the porous member being mounted on the support member in the cavity and with the pleats being between the first and second shoulders and with the porous member in a position extending across the opening; and the porous member being pleated to provide a plurality of pleats extending transversely across the opening in order to provide increased surface area for a given cross sectional area of the opening.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
A filter element, comprising: a porous member having pleats; an annular support member; the support member having an opening, a peripheral wall and first and second axially spaced shoulders extending radially inwardly from the peripheral wall to define a radially inwardly opening cavity; the porous member being mounted on the support member in the cavity and with the pleats being between the first and second shoulders and with the porous member in a position extending across the opening; and the porous member being pleated to provide a plurality of pleats extending transversely across the opening in order to provide increased surface area for a given cross sectional area of the opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A filter element as defined in claim 1 wherein the annular support member is resiliently deformable.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of fabricating a filter element, comprising: providing an annular support member having an opening; forming a circularly shaped, pleated porous member; mounting the pleated porous member on the annular support member in a position extending across the opening; and said step of forming including providing a pleated sheet of porous material having at least two layers, compressing the pleats, cutting a circularly shaped portion from the pleated sheet of porous material while the pleats are compressed, allowing the pleats to expand, removing all but one of the layers from the circularly shaped portion, and using the remaining layer as the pleated porous member.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of fabricating a filter element, comprising: providing an annular support member having an opening; forming a circularly shaped, pleated porous member; mounting the pleated porous member on the annular support member in a position extending across the opening; and said step of forming including providing a pleated sheet of porous material having at least two layers, compressing the pleats, cutting a circularly shaped portion from the pleated sheet of porous material while the pleats are compressed, allowing the pleats to expand, removing all but one of the layers from the circularly shaped portion, and using the remaining layer as the pleated porous member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as recited in claim 3, wherein: the opening in the annular support member has a specified inside diameter; and the circularly shaped portion is cut to have an outside diameter when the pleats are compressed that is substantially equal to the specified inside diameter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the step of mounting the porous member on the annular support member includes: compressing the pleats of the porous member; inserting the porous member in the opening in the annular support member; and allowing the pleats to expand.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the step of mounting the porous member further includes: deforming the annular support member to facilitate insertion of the porous member in the opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the step of mounting the porous member further includes: adhesively affixing the porous member to the annular support member.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of fabricating a filter element, comprising: providing a resiliently deformable annular support member having an opening; providing a pleated porous member sized and shaped to be received in said opening; compressing the porous member into an elliptical configuration; deforming the support member into an elliptical configuration; inserting the porous member in the opening in the annular support member while the porous member is compressed and the support member is deformed; and allowing the porous member and the support member to expand to mount the pleated porous member on the annular support member in a position extending across the opening.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of fabricating a filter element, comprising: providing a resiliently deformable annular support member having an opening; providing a pleated porous member sized and shaped to be received in said opening; compressing the porous member into an elliptical configuration; deforming the support member into an elliptical configuration; inserting the porous member in the opening in the annular support member while the porous member is compressed and the support member is deformed; and allowing the porous member and the support member to expand to mount the pleated porous member on the annular support member in a position extending across the opening.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 8 including adhesively affixing the porous member to the annular support member.