An apparatus and method for filtering air in residential and commercial applications is described herein. The air filter may have a support frame which secures to the intake grille of an HVAC system. A filter media may be placed in the support frame to filter air as it passes through the air filter. The filter media may be replaced when the filter media becomes too dirty to effectively filter air. The dirty filter media may be removed from the frame and a new clean media may be replaced in the frame.
1. An air filter, comprising:
a replaceable pleated filter media, wherein the pleated filter media has a plurality of peaks and valleys; and
a support frame wherein the support frame further comprises:
two substantially perpendicular sides, wherein the perpendicular sides are configured to be substantially perpendicular to the peaks and valleys of the pleated media;
two substantially parallel sides, wherein the parallel sides are configured to be substantially parallel to the peaks and valleys of the pleated media and wherein a portion of each of the parallel sides is coupleable to a portion of the perpendicular side; and one or more support rods, wherein the support rods span an interior of the support frame in a direction substantially parallel with the peaks and valleys and wherein the one or more support rods are configured to engage the peaks with no support rods located in an interior upstream side of the pleated filter media.
2. The air filter of claim 1 , further comprising a media support coupled to at least one of the perpendicular sides, wherein the media support extends into the interior of the air filter and is configured to support a portion of the filter media proximate the at least one of the perpendicular sides.
3. The air filter of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the perpendicular sides further comprises one or more openings for receiving a portion of the support rods.
4. The air filter of claim 3 , where in the support rods further comprise a bend and wherein the bend is configured to secure the rod within the at least one of the perpendicular sides through the opening.
5. The air filter of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the support rods are configured to engage the plurality of peaks and none of the valleys.
6. The air filter of claim 1 , wherein the support frame is collapsible for shipping or storage.
7. The air filter of claim 1 , further comprising a change indicator configured to indicate that the replaceable pleated filter media has become inefficient.
8. An air filter, comprising:
a replaceable pleated filter media, wherein the pleated filter media has a plurality of peaks and valleys; and
a support frame wherein the support frame further comprises:
two substantially perpendicular sides, wherein the perpendicular sides are configured to be substantially perpendicular to the peaks and valleys of the pleated media;
two substantially parallel sides, wherein the parallel sides are configured to be substantially parallel to the peaks and valleys of the pleated media and wherein a portion of each of the parallel sides is coupleable to a portion of the perpendicular side; and one or more support rods, wherein the support rods span an interior of the support frame in a direction substantially parallel with the peaks and valleys and wherein at least one of the support rods is configured to engage a portion of the filter media, and wherein at least one of the perpendicular sides further comprises a groove wherein the groove is configured to receive a portion of at least one of the parallel sides.
9. The air filter of claim 8 , wherein the at least one of the parallel sides further comprises a rail configured to engage the groove and wherein when engage the rail and groove prevent relative rotation between the at least one of the parallel sides and the at least one of perpendicular sides.