Regenerable diesel exhaust filter

Claim 1

An exhaust gas filter assembly for removing particulates from the exhaust gas of an engine, comprising, in combination: a housing having an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe and defining an exhaust gas flow path between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, the inlet pipe being coupled to the engine to receive exhaust gas therefrom and the outlet pipe being opened to the atmosphere and a self-contained filtering means operatively associated with the housing to communicate with the gas flow path, said filtering means including a plurality of inlet cells, each including frame members defining an internal space, at least one of the frame members having an end wall which includes at least one inlet aperture communicating with the internal space, a plurality of outlet cells, each including frame members defining an internal space, at least one of the frame members having an end wall which includes at least one outlet aperture communicating with the internal space, a plurality of generally planar, microporous filter elements for removing particulate contaminants from the exhaust gas, the filter element being able to withstand high temperatures and compressible between the inlet and outlet cells, and a plurality of generally porous planar filter support elements disposed adjacent the microporous filter elements to provide support thereto, said inlet and outlet cells being alternately arranged with at least one filter element and at least one filter support element disposed between each inlet cell and outlet cell, said filtering means further including means for sealingly compressing the filter elements and the filter support elements and the inlet cells and the outlet cells between impervious end means whereby the gas flows from the inlet aperture to the outlet aperture through the filter element and the filter support element and wherein the inlet and outlet cells, the microporous filter elements, the filter support elements, the impervious end means, and the sealing means are of materials that are resistant to high temperatures such that the filtering means may be regenerated by heat.