COMPOUND AIR FILTERS AND METHODS THEREOF
Compound air filters and methods thereof are provided for sequestering airborne contaminants including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from air streamed through the air filters. An air filter can include a support frame having a shape and size suitable for seating the air filter within an air-filtering system. A compound filter medium can be retained within the support frame to remove the airborne contaminants and VOCs from air flowing through the air filter and the air-filtering system containing one or more of the air filters. A first media layer of the compound filter medium can be pleated with pleats and configured to exhibit a relatively high filtration efficiency and a low air pressure drop across the filter medium. A second media layer of the filter medium can be coupled to the first media layer and configured to maintain a uniform distribution of the pleats with the first media layer.
1 . An air filter, comprising:
a compound filter medium configured to sequester airborne contaminants from air streamed through the filter medium;
a first media layer of the compound filter medium formed into a pleated configuration including a plurality of pleats;
a second media layer of the compound filter medium; and
a support frame configured to support the compound filter medium,
wherein the first media layer is disposed between the second media layer and the support frame such that inner-pleat folds of the plurality of pleats are coupled to the support frame and outer-pleat folds of the plurality of pleats are coupled to the second media layer.
2 . The air filter of claim 1 , wherein each outer-pleat fold of the outer-pleat folds is coupled to the second media layer along an entire length of the outer-pleat fold.
3 . The air filter of claim 1 , wherein each inner-pleat fold of the inner-pleat folds is coupled to the support frame at both ends of the inner-pleat fold.
4 . The air filter of claim 1 , wherein the support frame comprises a molded rim along a perimeter of the filter medium, the rim configured for seating the air filter in an air-filtering system.
5 . The air filter of claim 4 , wherein the support frame further comprises a wire mesh fixed in the rim, the wire mesh configured to provide structural integrity to the support frame without obstructing air streamed through the air filter.
6 . The air filter of claim 4 , wherein the air filter is configured to stream air through the air filter in a direction from the support frame to the second media layer.
7 . The air filter of claim 1 , wherein the first media layer includes a plurality of bosses embossed in the first media layer between each inner-pleat fold of the inner-pleat folds and an adjacent outer-pleat fold of the outer-pleat folds.
8 . The air filter of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of bosses are configured with a shape and orientation to provide structural integrity to the first media layer in the pleated configuration without obstructing air streamed through the air filter.
9 . The air filter of claim 1 , wherein the compound filter medium is configured to sequester airborne contaminants selected from particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and combinations thereof from air streamed through the filter medium.
10 . An air filter configured for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) system of a vehicle, comprising:
a first media layer of a compound filter medium formed into a pleated configuration including a plurality of accordion pleats and a plurality of bosses embossed in the plurality of pleats;
a second media layer of the compound filter medium; and
a support frame configured to support the compound filter medium, wherein:
the first media layer is disposed between the second media layer and the support frame such that inner-pleat folds of the plurality of pleats are coupled to the support frame at both ends of each of the inner-pleat folds and outer-pleat folds of the plurality of pleats are coupled to the second media layer along an entire length of each of the outer-pleat folds,
the plurality of bosses are set-wise embossed in the first media layer between each inner-pleat fold of the inner-pleat folds and an adjacent outer-pleat fold of the outer-pleat folds,
the plurality of bosses are configured with a common shape and orientation to provide structural integrity to the first media layer in the pleated configuration, and
the air filter is configured to stream air through the compound air filter in a direction from the support frame to the second media layer to sequester airborne contaminants from the air.
11 . The air filter of claim 10 , wherein at least one layer of the first media layer and the second media layer is configured to sequester volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air.
12 . The air filter of claim 10 , wherein at least one layer of the first media layer and the second media layer includes an electrostatic component configured to sequester particulate matter from the air.
13 . The air filter of claim 10 , wherein the first media layer is a textile, paper, cotton, spun fiberglass, foam, or a combination thereof.
14 . The air filter of claim 10 , wherein the second media layer is a textile, a woven synthetic material, a woven natural material, woven cotton, or a combination thereof
15 . The air filter of claim 10 , wherein the support frame comprises:
a molded rim along a perimeter of the compound filter medium configured for seating the air filter in an air-filtering system, and
a wire mesh fixed in the rim configured to provide structural integrity to the support frame without obstructing air streamed through the air filter.
16 . The air filter of claim 15 , wherein the rim is silicone rubber, foam rubber, or integral skin polyurethane foam.
17 . A method, comprising:
coupling a second media layer to a first media layer to form a compound filter medium, the first media layer having a pleated configuration including a plurality of pleats;
molding a rim over a wire mesh to form a support frame for the compound filter medium; and
coupling the compound filter medium to the support frame to form an air filter configured to sequester airborne contaminants from air streamed through the air filter, wherein:
the first media layer is disposed between the second media layer and the support frame such that inner-pleat folds of the plurality of pleats are coupled to the support frame at both ends of each of the inner-pleat folds and outer-pleat folds of the plurality of pleats are coupled to the second media layer along an entire length of each of the outer-pleat folds.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:
coupling the second media layer to the first media layer includes adhering the outer-pleat folds of the plurality of pleats to the second media layer either continuously or at discrete points along an entire length of each of the outer-pleat folds, and
coupling the compound filter medium to the support frame includes adhering the inner-pleat folds of the plurality of pleats to the support frame at both ends of each of the inner-pleat folds.
19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
embossing the first media layer with a plurality of bosses configured with a shape and orientation to provide structural integrity to the first media layer in the pleated configuration without obstructing air streamed through the air filter.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
pleating the first media layer into the pleated configuration such that the plurality of bosses are set-wise embossed in the first media layer between each inner-pleat fold of the inner-pleat folds and an adjacent outer-pleat fold of the outer-pleat folds.