Filter and filter media having reduced restriction

1. A pleated filter media extending in an axial direction, a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction, and a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction and perpendicular to the transverse direction, the pleated filter media comprising:

a plurality of pleats comprised of pleat segments extending in the axial direction between first and second axial ends and extending in the transverse direction between first and second sets of pleat tips at least partially defined by first and second sets of bend lines;

wherein axial flow channels are defined between the pleat segments in the lateral direction and wherein the plurality of pleats has a width in the transverse direction that varies along the axial direction, the width of the plurality of pleats in the transverse direction varying along a portion of the plurality of pleats, and wherein the portion of the plurality of pleats includes a curvilinear portion joining one of the first and second axial ends to one of the first and second sets of pleat tips.

2. A pleated filter media according to claim 1 , wherein the curvilinear portion is a smooth curvilinear portion.

3. A pleated filter media according to claim 1 , comprising a seal on the curvilinear portion.

4. A pleated filter media according to claim 1 , wherein the curvilinear portion is one of two opposing curvilinear portions joining the first axial end to the first set of pleat tips and joining the second axial end to the second set of pleat tips, respectively.

5. A pleated filter media according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the plurality of pleats comprises a linear portion extending at an angle to the axial direction.

6. A pleated filter media according to claim 5 , wherein the linear portion comprises first and second segments that extend at different angles to the axial direction, respectively.

7. A pleated filter media according to claim 5 , wherein the linear portion is formed by a plurality of sunken pleats interdigitated amongst the pleat segments in the lateral direction.

8. A pleated filter media according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second sets of bend lines extend axially and wherein each sunken pleat in the plurality of sunken pleats is bent inwardly in the transverse direction from one of the first and second sets of axially extending pleat tips so as to form third, fourth, and fifth sets of bend lines extending in at least one angle to the axial direction.

9. A pleated filter media according to claim 8 , wherein each sunken pleat in the plurality comprises sunken pleat segments extending in the transverse direction between the fifth bend line and one of the third and fourth bend lines.

10. A pleated filter media according to claim 9 , wherein each sunken pleat in the plurality has a triangular cross-section in the axial and transverse directions.

11. A pleated filter media according to claim 5 , wherein the first and second bend lines extend axially and wherein the linear portion of the plurality of pleats is formed by sets of bonded edges extending at an angle from one of the first and second sets of axially extending bend lines.

12. A pleated filter media according to claim 11 , wherein the pleat segments have widths that are axially and transversely coextensive with each other and vary substantially equally in the transverse direction.

13. A pleated filter media according to claim 11 , wherein:

the one of the first and second sets of pleat tips has a first filter media edge section extending axially, and a second filter media edge section extending from the first filter media edge section and curved from the axial direction toward the transverse direction, the first filter media edge section merging into the second filter media edge section along a continuous non-rectilinear transition;

the one of the first and second sets of axial ends has a third filter media edge section extending transversely, and a fourth filter media edge section extending from the third filter media edge section and curved toward the axial direction, the third filter media edge section merging into the fourth filter media edge section along a continuous non-rectilinear transition; and

wherein the second and fourth filter media edge sections merge into each other along a continuous non-rectilinear transition.

14. A method of forming a filter media extending in an axial direction, a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction, and a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction and perpendicular to the transverse direction, the method comprising:

folding a sheet of filter media to form a plurality of pleats comprised of pleat segments extending in the axial direction between first and second axial ends and extending in the transverse direction between first and second sets of pleat tips at least partially defined by first and second sets of bend lines; wherein axial flow channels are defined between the pleat segments in the lateral direction;

forming the plurality of pleats to have a width in the transverse direction that varies along the axial direction; and

forming a curvilinear portion joining one of the first and second axial ends to one of the first and second sets of pleat tips.

15. A method according to claim 14 , comprising folding the sheet of filter media to form a plurality of sunken pleats interdigitated amongst the pleat segments in the lateral direction.

16. A method according to claim 15 , comprising folding the sheet of filter media so that the first and second sets of bend lines extend axially and so that each sunken pleat in the plurality of sunken pleats extends inwardly in the transverse direction from one of the first and second sets of pleat tips so as to form third, fourth, and fifth sets of bend lines extending at an angle to the axial direction.

17. A filter for filtering fluid, the filter extending in an axial direction, a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction, and a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction and perpendicular to the transverse direction, the filter comprising:

a housing retaining at least two opposing pleated filter media;

the at least two opposing pleated filter media each comprising a plurality of pleats comprised of pleat segments extending in the axial direction between first and second axial ends and extending in the transverse direction between first and second sets of pleat tips at least partially defined by first and second sets of bend lines, each of the at least two opposing filter media comprising at least one set of pleat tips oriented at an angle with respect to the axial direction and wherein the second set of bend lines of one of the filter media is substantially parallel to the axial direction and wherein the first set of bend lines of the other of the filter media is substantially parallel to the axial direction such that the opposed filter media define a Z-filter arrangement;

wherein axial flow channels are defined between the pleat segments in the lateral direction and wherein the plurality of pleats has a width in the transverse direction that varies along the axial direction.

18. A method of forming a filter media extending in an axial direction, a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction, and a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction and perpendicular to the transverse direction, the method comprising:

folding a sheet of filter media to form a plurality of pleats comprised of pleat segments extending in the axial direction between first and second axial ends and extending in the transverse direction between first and second sets of pleat tips at least partially defined by first and second sets of bend lines, wherein axial flow channels are defined between the pleat segments in the lateral direction;

forming the plurality of pleats to have a width in the transverse direction that varies along the axial direction;

folding the sheet of filter media so that the first and second sets of bend lines extend axially;

cutting the sheet of filter media to form opposing edges of the pleat segments extending at an angle from one of the first and second sets of axially extending bend lines; and

bonding the edges together.

19. A method of forming a filter media extending in an axial direction, a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction, and a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction and perpendicular to the transverse direction, the method comprising:

folding a sheet of filter media to form a plurality of pleats comprised of pleat segments extending in the axial direction between first and second axial ends and extending in the transverse direction between first and second sets of pleat tips at least partially defined by first and second sets of bend lines, wherein axial flow channels are defined between the pleat segments in the lateral direction;

forming the plurality of pleats to have a width in the transverse direction that varies along the axial direction; and

cutting the sheet of filter media into an arc and folding the sheet of filter media so that the first and second sets of bend lines extend radially at angles to the axial direction.

20. A filter for filtering fluid, the filter extending in an axial direction, a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction, and a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction and perpendicular to the transverse direction, the filter comprising:

a housing retaining at least two opposing pleated filter media; and

the at least two opposing the pleated filter media each comprising a plurality of pleats comprised of pleat segments extending in the axial direction between first and second axial ends and extending in the transverse direction between first and second sets of pleat tips at least partially defined by first and second sets of bend lines, each opposing filter media comprising at least one set of pleat tips oriented at an angle with respect to the axial direction and wherein the first set of bend lines of each filter media is substantially parallel to the axial direction such that the opposed filter medias define a channel therebetween having a V-shaped cross section along the axial direction;

wherein axial flow channels are defined between the pleat segments in the lateral direction and wherein the plurality of pleats has a width in the transverse direction that varies along the axial direction.

21. A filter for filtering fluid, the filter extending in an axial direction, a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction, and a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction and perpendicular to the transverse direction, the filter comprising:

a housing retaining a pleated filter media;

the pleated filter media comprising a plurality of pleats comprised of pleat segments extending in the axial direction between first and second axial ends and extending in the transverse direction between first and second sets of pleat tips at least partially defined by first and second sets of bend lines, the pleated filter media being cylindrical and defining a central opening having a diameter that increases along the axial direction from the first axial end to the second axial end of the respective filter media,

wherein axial flow channels are defined between the pleat segments in the lateral direction and wherein the plurality of pleats has a width in the transverse direction that varies along the axial direction

22. The filter of claim 21 , wherein the central opening is substantially V-shaped in cross-section along the axial direction.