Method for forming fibrous filter media, filter units and product

Claim 1

A method of forming fibrous filter media comprising: selecting and fastening a preselected contoured surface on a movable collector to be removably disposed in a forming zone; feeding filter media fibers in at least one separate and distinct layer from a spaced media supply zone unto said preselectively contoured surface on said movable collector in said forming zone to contour-shape a filter mat to conform with said preselectively corresponding contoured surface fastened on said movable collector; feeding said conformed contour-shaped filter mat from said forming zone to a transfer zone to transfer said conformed contour-shaped filter mat from said forming zone to a further filter mat treating zone; and, moving said conformed contour-shaped filter mat while in said transfer zone at preselected differing speeds and along differing contoured surfaces to preselectively vary the shape of said conformed contour-shaped filter mat.

Claim 2

A method of forming fibrous filter media comprising: selecting and fastening a preselected contoured surface on a movable collector to be removably disposed in a forming zone; feeding filter media fibers in at least one separate and distinct layer from a spaced media supply zone unto said preselectively contoured surface on said movable collector in said forming zone to contour-shape a filter mat to conform with said preselectively corresponding contoured surface fastened on said movable collector; feeding said conformed contour-shaped filter mat from said forming zone to a transfer zone to transfer said conformed contour-shaped filter mat from said forming zone to a further filter mat treating zone; and, moving said conformed contour-shaped filter mat while in said transfer zone at preselected differing speeds and along differing contoured surfaces to preselectively vary the shape of said conformed contour-shaped filter mat.

Claim 27

A method of forming fibrous filter comprising: selecting and fastening a preselected contoured surface on a movable collector to be removably disposed in a pleat forming zone; sequentially feeding filter media fibers in heated form from at least two spaced die orifice first and second sets with the die orifices of said first set including preselective larger cross-sectional area fibers than the preselective crosssectional area fibers of said die orifices of said second set, said fibers of said first and second sets collecting as first and second fiber mats unto an interchangeable preselectively successively recessed contour-shaped pleat forming rotating collector surface of the pleat forming zone with the larger cross-sectional area fiber mat of said first set superposed and covered by the smaller crosssectional area fiber mat of said second set and with the first and second fiber mats conforming with said pleat forming rotating collector surfaces; applying a binder fiber between said spaced die orifice first and second sets to collect between said first and second fiber mats in said pleat forming collector surface of said forming zone; feeding said conformed pleat contoured first and second filter fibers mats while in said forming zone in a rotating fashion to a transfer zone while intermediately applying a preselectively mild heat thereto; applying a cooling fluid to said superposed pleated mats as they enter said transfer zone with the relative position of said superposed mats as a consequence of rotation being reversed in said transfer zone; moving said pleat formed superposed mats while in said transfer zone at preselectively and comparatively differing first and second speeds and differing first and second configurations to preselectively vary the configuration of said pleated superposed mats; introducing said pleated superposed mats from said transfer zone into a temperature treating zone to temperature soak said superposed mats to a controlled temperature level; passing said pleated superposed mats to a severing zone to sever the same into individual pleated unit filters with each unit including successive crests and valleys; and, passing said individual pleated unit filters to a frame zone to assemble each unit filter into a flow-through frame having fastening members cooperatively disposed to maintain said successive crests and valleys of each unit filter in position.

Claim 28

A method of forming fibrous filter comprising: selecting and fastening a preselected contoured surface on a movable collector to be removably disposed in a pleat forming zone; sequentially feeding filter media fibers in heated form from at least two spaced die orifice first and second sets with the die orifices of said first set including preselective larger cross-sectional area fibers than the preselective crosssectional area fibers of said die orifices of said second set, said fibers of said first and second sets collecting as first and second fiber mats unto an interchangeable preselectively successively recessed contour-shaped pleat forming rotating collector surface of the pleat forming zone with the larger cross-sectional area fiber mat of said first set superposed and covered by the smaller crosssectional area fiber mat of said second set and with the first and second fiber mats conforming with said pleat forming rotating collector surfaces; applying a binder fiber between said spaced die orifice first and second sets to collect between said first and second fiber mats in said pleat forming collector surface of said forming zone; feeding said conformed pleat contoured first and second filter fibers mats while in said forming zone in a rotating fashion to a transfer zone while intermediately applying a preselectively mild heat thereto; applying a cooling fluid to said superposed pleated mats as they enter said transfer zone with the relative position of said superposed mats as a consequence of rotation being reversed in said transfer zone; moving said pleat formed superposed mats while in said transfer zone at preselectively and comparatively differing first and second speeds and differing first and second configurations to preselectively vary the configuration of said pleated superposed mats; introducing said pleated superposed mats from said transfer zone into a temperature treating zone to temperature soak said superposed mats to a controlled temperature level; passing said pleated superposed mats to a severing zone to sever the same into individual pleated unit filters with each unit including successive crests and valleys; and, passing said individual pleated unit filters to a frame zone to assemble each unit filter into a flow-through frame having fastening members cooperatively disposed to maintain said successive crests and valleys of each unit filter in position.