A filter has a longitudinal axis with an inner diameter defined by a hollow longitudinally extending center. The filter has fingers extend radially outwardly arcuately from the longitudinal axis. The fingers have base ends near the longitudinal axis and outer edges at extremities spaced from the longitudinal axis. The outer diameter of the filter is defined by the outer edges of the fingers. The filter is formed from a sintered porous molded thermoplastic or another material resulting in a filter more rigid than standard filters. The fingers are spaced apart from one another a predetermined, substantially fixed distance to form slots therebetween sized to capture contaminants therein.
1. A single layered filter comprising a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis extending between said first and second ends, and an inner diameter defined by a hollow longitudinally extending center, said single layered filter comprising:
a self-supporting rigid porous thermoplastic filter material;
radially-outwardly extending self-supporting curved fingers made of said filter material curving around said longitudinal axis and having base ends near said longitudinal axis and outer edges at extremities spaced from said longitudinal axis; wherein:
said fingers each having a first curved face and a second curved face, the first curved face in communication with the hollow longitudinally extending center and said second curved face facing opposite of said first curved face; and
said fingers are spaced apart from one another such that the second curved faces of adjacent fingers do not touch each other and slots are formed between the second curved faces of said adjacent fingers and the first curved faces of adjacent fingers do not touch each other and internal slots are formed between the first curved faces of said adjacent fingers.
2. The filter of claim 1 , further comprising antimicrobial or antiviral agents.
3. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said fingers are substantially evenly spaced apart from one another.
4. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said fingers are spaced apart about 0.088 cm.
5. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said base ends of said fingers have an inner radius of curvature of at least about 0.0762 cm.
6. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said base ends of said fingers have an outer radius of curvature of at least about 0.330 cm.
7. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said outer edges of said fingers have an inner radius of curvature of at least about 0.127 cm.
8. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said outer edges of said fingers have an outer radius of curvature of at least about 0.381 cm.
9. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said fingers have one of a smooth, a serpentine, a textured, and a ridged surface.
10. The filter of claim 1 , further comprising at least one end cap coupled with an end of said filter.
11. The filter of claim 1 , further comprising a gasket adapted to seal at least one of said first and second ends of said filter.
12. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said porous thermoplastic filter material has a pore size at least about 1 μm.
13. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said porous thermoplastic filter material has a pore size at most about 500 μm.
14. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said filter has a porosity of at least about 30%.
15. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said filter has a porosity of at most about 90%.
16. The filter of claim 1 , further comprising two or more filters stacked upon another.
17. The filter of claim 1 , further comprising support rings incorporated into said filter.
18. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said filter is configured and dimensioned to be a Diatomaceous Earth filter.
19. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said internal slot has a width of at least about 0.254 cm.
20. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said filter is formed using an extrusion or pultrusion process.
21. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said fingers define an outer diameter of said filter selected to correspond to the inner diameter of a standard filter holding device.
22. The filter of claim 1 , wherein said filter material is sufficiently durable to permit ready cleaning or backwashing.
23. The filter of claim 1 further comprising a flange, wherein the flange is continuous with at least one of the first and second ends of the filter.
24. The filter of claim 23 , wherein the flange comprises the self-supporting porous thermoplastic filter material.
25. The filter of claim 1 , wherein the slots are spaced apart by a distance ranging from a value obtained by multiplying a thickness of a finger by 0.60 to a value obtained by multiplying the thickness of a finger by 2.0.