Filter pack having nonwoven filter media and nonwoven edge banding frame

Claim 2

A filter pack comprising: a filter section comprising a sheet of filter media comprising a laminate of two or more nonwoven polymer materials, the sheet of filter media having a plurality of parallel folded pleats, the filter section having two opposed longitudinal sides extending parallel to the pleats and two opposed transverse sides extending transversely to the pleats; and a frame comprising a top edge band and a bottom edge band, the top edge band and the bottom edge band comprising one of the nonwoven polymer materials, the top edge band and the bottom edge band each having a channel configuration, the top edge band attached to one of the two transverse sides of the filter section, the bottom edge band attached to another of the two transverse sides of the filter section, ends of the pleats of the filter section fixedly retained within the top edge band and the bottom edge band.

Claim 3

The filter pack of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material comprises a polyester.

Claim 4

The filter pack of claim 1 , wherein the filter section comprises a laminate comprising a melt blown polyester inner layer and spun bond polyester outer layers, and the frame comprises a spun bond polyester.

Claim 5

The filter pack of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material of the filter section includes smaller fibers than the nonwoven polymer material of the frame.

Claim 6

The filter pack of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material of the filter section is thicker than the nonwoven polymer material of the frame.

Claim 7

The filter pack of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material of the filter section includes a material having a greater filtration efficiency than the nonwoven polymer material of the frame.

Claim 8

The filter pack of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material of the frame comprises a material having a greater stiffness than at least one layer of the nonwoven polymer material of the filter section.

Claim 9

The filter pack of claim 1 , wherein the top edge band and the bottom edge band are attached to the filter section with an adhesive.

Claim 10

The filter pack of claim 8 , wherein the adhesive comprises a polyester adhesive.

Claim 11

The filter pack of claim 8 , wherein the adhesive comprises a hot melt polyester adhesive.

Claim 12

The filter pack of claim 1 , wherein the frame further comprises two side edge bands comprising the nonwoven polymer material, the two side edge bands each having a channel configuration, each of the side edge bands attached to an associated one of the two longitudinal sides of the filter section.

Claim 13

The filter pack of claim 1 , wherein the pleats of the sheet of filter media have a spacing between adjacent peaks of no greater than 20 mm.

Claim 14

The filter pack of claim 1 , wherein the pleats of the sheet of filter media have a spacing between adjacent peaks ranging from approximately 5 mm to approximately 7.5 mm.

Claim 15

The filter pack of claim 1 , wherein the filter section comprises a minipleat filter media.

Claim 16

A filter assembly comprising: a plurality of filter packs, each filter pack comprising: a filter section comprising a sheet of filter media comprising a nonwoven polymer material, the sheet of filter media having a plurality of parallel folded pleats, the filter section having two opposed longitudinal sides extending parallel to the pleats and two opposed transverse sides extending transversely to the pleats, and a top edge band and a bottom edge band, the top edge band and the bottom edge band comprising the nonwoven polymer material, the top edge band and the bottom edge band each having a channel configuration, the top edge band attached to one of the two transverse sides of the filter section, the bottom edge band attached to another of the two transverse sides of the filter section, ends of the pleats of the filter section fixedly retained within the top edge band and the bottom edge band; the plurality of filter packs fixedly attached together along opposed abutting transverse faces of adjacent top and bottom edge bands, the attached filter packs having a top side, a bottom side, and opposed longitudinal sides; and side edge bands having a channel configuration fixedly attached to the plurality of filter packs along the opposed longitudinal sides orthogonal to the top and bottom edge bands, the side edge bands and the outermost top and bottom edge bands forming a frame for the plurality of filter packs, the side edge bands comprising the nonwoven polymer material.

Claim 17

A filter assembly comprising: a plurality of filter packs, each filter pack comprising: a filter section comprising a sheet of filter media comprising a nonwoven polymer material, the sheet of filter media having a plurality of parallel folded pleats, the filter section having two opposed longitudinal sides extending parallel to the pleats and two opposed transverse sides extending transversely to the pleats, and a top edge band and a bottom edge band, the top edge band and the bottom edge band comprising the nonwoven polymer material, the top edge band and the bottom edge band each having a channel configuration, the top edge band attached to one of the two transverse sides of the filter section, the bottom edge band attached to another of the two transverse sides of the filter section, ends of the pleats of the filter section fixedly retained within the top edge band and the bottom edge band; the plurality of filter packs fixedly attached together along opposed abutting transverse faces of adjacent top and bottom edge bands, the attached filter packs having a top side, a bottom side, and opposed longitudinal sides; and side edge bands having a channel configuration fixedly attached to the plurality of filter packs along the opposed longitudinal sides orthogonal to the top and bottom edge bands, the side edge bands and the outermost top and bottom edge bands forming a frame for the plurality of filter packs, the side edge bands comprising the nonwoven polymer material.

Claim 18

The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material comprises a polyester.

Claim 19

The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the filter sections comprise a laminate comprising a melt blown polyester inner layer and spun bond polyester outer layers, and the top edge bands, the bottom edge bands, and the side edge bands comprise a spun bond polyester.

Claim 20

The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material of the filter sections includes smaller fibers than the nonwoven polymer material of the top edge bands, the bottom edge bands, and the side edge bands.

Claim 21

The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material of the filter sections is thicker than the nonwoven polymer material of the top edge bands, the bottom edge bands, and the side edge bands.

Claim 22

The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the top edge band, the bottom edge band, and the side edge bands are attached to the filter sections with an adhesive.

Claim 23

The filter assembly of claim 20 , wherein the adhesive comprises a polyester adhesive.

Claim 24

The filter assembly of claim 20 , wherein the adhesive comprises a hot melt polyester adhesive.

Claim 25

The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the pleats of the sheet of filter media have a spacing between adjacent peaks of no greater than 20 mm.

Claim 26

The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the pleats of the sheet of filter media have a spacing between adjacent peaks ranging from approximately 5 mm to approximately 7.5 mm.

Claim 27

The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the filter section comprises a minipleat filter media.

Claim 28

The filter pack of claim 15 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material of the filter section includes a material having a greater, filtration efficiency than the nonwoven polymer material of the frame.

Claim 29

The filter pack of claim 15 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material of the frame comprises a material having a greater stiffness than at least one layer of the nonwoven polymer material of the filter section.

Claim 30

A filter pack comprising: a filter section comprising a sheet of filter media comprising a nonwoven polymer material, the sheet of filter media having a plurality of parallel folded pleats, the filter section having two opposed longitudinal sides extending parallel to the pleats and two opposed transverse sides extending transversely to the pleats; and a frame comprising a top edge band and a bottom edge band, the top edge band and the bottom edge band comprising a nonwoven spun bond polyester material, the top edge band and the bottom edge band each having a channel configuration, the top edge band attached to one of the two transverse sides of the filter section, the bottom edge band attached to another of the two transverse sides of the filter section, ends of the pleats of the filter section fixedly retained within the top edge band and the bottom edge band.

Claim 31

A filter pack comprising: a filter section comprising a sheet of filter media comprising a nonwoven polymer material, the sheet of filter media having a plurality of parallel folded pleats, the filter section having two opposed longitudinal sides extending parallel to the pleats and two opposed transverse sides extending transversely to the pleats; and a frame comprising a top edge band and a bottom edge band, the top edge band and the bottom edge band comprising a nonwoven spun bond polyester material, the top edge band and the bottom edge band each having a channel configuration, the top edge band attached to one of the two transverse sides of the filter section, the bottom edge band attached to another of the two transverse sides of the filter section, ends of the pleats of the filter section fixedly retained within the top edge band and the bottom edge band.

Claim 32

The filter pack of claim 28 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material comprises a polyester.

Claim 33

The filter pack of claim 28 , wherein the filter section comprises a laminate comprising a melt blown polyester inner layer and spun bond polyester outer layers.

Claim 34

The filter pack of claim 28 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material of the filter section includes smaller fibers than the nonwoven polymer material of the frame.

Claim 35

The filter pack of claim 28 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material of the filter section is thicker than the nonwoven polymer material of the frame.

Claim 36

The filter pack of claim 28 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material of the filter section includes a material having a greater filtration efficiency than the nonwoven polymer material of the frame.

Claim 37

The filter pack of claim 28 , wherein the nonwoven polymer material of the frame comprises a material having a greater stiffness than at least one layer of the nonwoven polymer material of the filter section.

Claim 38

The filter pack of claim 28 , wherein the top edge band and the bottom edge band are attached to the filter section with an adhesive.

Claim 39

The filter pack of claim 35 , wherein the adhesive comprises a polyester adhesive.

Claim 40

The filter pack of claim 35 ; wherein the adhesive comprises a hot melt polyester adhesive.

Claim 41

The filter pack of claim 28 , wherein the frame further comprises two side edge bands comprising the nonwoven polymer material, the two side edge bands each having a channel configuration, each of the side edge bands attached to an associated one of the two longitudinal sides of the filter section.

Claim 42

The filter pack of claim 28 , wherein the pleats of the sheet of filter media have a spacing between adjacent peaks of no greater than 20 mm.

Claim 43

The filter pack of claim 28 , wherein the pleats of the sheet of filter media have a spacing between adjacent peaks ranging from approximately 5 mm to approximately 7.5 mm.

Claim 44

The filter pack of claim 28 , wherein the filter section comprises a minipleat filter media.