Air conditioner filter frame

Claim 1

A filter unit adapted to be used in a space heating and air-conditioning unit having a) a heat transfer compartment above b) a fan compartment having i) a top structure, ii) a bottom structure, iii) two side structures, iv) a back structure, and v) a front structure, c) a fan attached to the top structure, d) a removable closure over an opening in the front structure, and e) an air inlet in at least one of the bottom and side structures; f) said filter unit comprising: g) a filter holder having a rectangular outer element and a rectangular inner element, h) said outer element and inner element form a rectangular frame having a perimeter, j) each element having i) four sides connected together as a rectangle, ii) each side having two legs forming an L-shaped cross section with iii) one of the legs called a band leg having a width of about the thickness of a filter to be held, iv) the other of said legs called a lip leg having a width of at least as much as the width of the band leg, v) said band leg forming the perimeter of the rectangle and the lip leg extending inward from the band leg, the lip leg thus forming a lip, vi) each of the legs each having a thickness which is equal to the thickness of the other leg; k) the outer element having a length and width equal to a length and a width of the inner element plus more than four times the thickness of the legs, so that the elements may telescope together snugly, l) a rectangular filter between the inner and outer elements which are removably and snugly telescoped together, m) lip legs on the elements forming means to hold the filter in place between the elements, n) a retaining screen on one of the elements to hold the filter in place between the elements, o) a plurality of U-shaped clips, p) each clip having a leg attached to one of the lip legs, q) each clip bent over a portion of the retaining screen thereby holding it in place, and r) said retaining screen extending over the area of the rectangle.