Filter module and method of assembling same

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a filter module comprising: a housing comprising a first side plate and a second side plate opposite to the first side plate; the positioning pieces are arranged on one inner surface of the first side plate and one inner surface of the second side plate, each positioning piece comprises two inclined sections, the two inclined sections extend along a first reference surface and a second reference surface respectively, and the first reference surface and the second reference surface intersect at an intersection point; the intersection point is adjacent to an upper side edge of the first side plate or an upper side edge of the second side plate; the plurality of filter units are separably arranged in the shell, and each filter unit abuts against the inclined section of the positioning piece; and the fixing assembly is separably jointed to the shell and abuts against the filter unit so as to fix the filter unit in the shell. The invention also provides an assembling method of the filter module.

Description

Filter module and its assembly method Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a filter module, and more particularly to a filter module including replaceable filter units and the assembly method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Maintaining a healthy air environment has become a crucial issue for all industries. Whether in cleanrooms in the semiconductor industry, or in pharmaceutical plants, chemical plants, restaurants, hospitals, airports, and other locations, airborne molecular pollutants (AMCs) can adversely affect human health and product quality. To ensure safe and harmless indoor air, installing chemical gas filters in air conditioning systems has become a common practice in the industry. Selecting the appropriate type of filter based on the specific needs of different locations helps to effectively filter and adsorb harmful substances in the air.

[0003] Among numerous air purification devices, the Make-up Air Unit (MAU) can be configured to purify air from outside. MAUs have diverse functions, including removing airborne particulate matter (PM) and gaseous molecular pollutants (AMC), and controlling relative humidity. To achieve this, MAUs typically contain multiple types of filters to comprehensively purify various pollutants in the outside air. However, with increased usage time, the filters gradually become saturated and need timely replacement to maintain filtration effectiveness. Traditional filter replacement methods often require system shutdown, leading to interruptions in the supply of filtered air and impacting normal production and operations. Therefore, achieving rapid and efficient filter replacement has become a significant challenge in the design and operation of MAUs.

[0004] Beyond the issue of filter replacement efficiency, as sustainable development gains increasing importance in global manufacturing, reducing waste emissions and achieving resource recycling have become common goals across industries. Therefore, minimizing waste generated from filter replacements while maintaining filtration effectiveness has become a pressing issue in the air purification field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of this disclosure provide a filter module that offers advantages such as easy assembly and quick filter replacement.

[0006] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the filter module includes a housing, a first side plate and a second side plate opposite to the first side plate; a plurality of positioning members disposed on an inner surface of the first side plate and an inner surface of the second side plate, each positioning member including two inclined segments extending along a first reference surface and a second reference surface, respectively, the first reference surface and the second reference surface intersecting at an intersection point adjacent to an upper edge of the first side plate or an upper edge of the second side plate; a plurality of filter units detachably disposed within the housing, wherein each filter unit abuts against an inclined segment of the positioning member located on the first side plate and the second side plate; and a fixing assembly detachably engaged with the housing and directly abutting against the filter unit to fix the filter unit within the housing.

[0007] Furthermore, one embodiment of this disclosure provides a method for assembling the above-mentioned filter module. The method includes: providing a housing, the housing including a first side plate and a second side plate opposite to the first side plate, wherein an upper edge of the first side plate and an upper edge of the second side plate are located at the edge of an upper opening of the housing, and wherein a plurality of positioning members are disposed on an inner surface of the first side plate and an inner surface of the second side plate, each positioning member including two inclined segments, the two inclined segments extending along a first reference surface and a second reference surface respectively, the first reference surface and the second reference surface intersecting at an intersection point, the intersection point being adjacent to the upper edge of the first side plate or the upper edge of the second side plate; disposing of a plurality of filter units in the housing, wherein the filter units enter the housing from the upper opening of the housing and abut against the inclined segments of the positioning members located on the first side plate and the second side plate; and after the filter units are disposed in the housing, disposing of a fixing component at the upper opening of the housing, such that the fixing component abuts against the filter units to fix the filter units in the housing. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a filter module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which only two filter units are shown.

[0009] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of some components of a filter module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of a filter unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 4 shows an exploded view of a filter unit in Figure 3.

[0012] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of an assembly method of a filter module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein a filter unit moves along a positioning member into a housing of the filter module.

[0013] Figure 6 shows a side view of a filter module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 7 shows a schematic cross-section view along line segment AA in Figure 6.

[0015] Figures 8-10 show schematic diagrams of positioning elements according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 11 shows a side view of a filter module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figures 12-14 show schematic diagrams of positioning elements according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 15 shows an exploded view of a filter module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, in which only two filter units are shown.

[0019] Figure 16 shows a schematic diagram of some components of a filter module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 17 shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of some components of a filter module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To better understand the features, contents, advantages, and effects of this disclosure, the disclosure is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The drawings used are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the claims of this application based on the number, proportion, or arrangement of elements in the embodiments of the drawings.

[0022] The term "a" or "an" in this disclosure is used to describe the elements and components of this disclosure. This term is used only for convenience of description and to give the basic concept of this disclosure. This description should be understood to include one or at least one, and unless explicitly stated otherwise, the singular includes the plural. When used in the claims and with the word "comprising," the term "a" may mean one or more. Furthermore, the terms "or," "meaning the same as," and / or are used in this disclosure.

[0023] Unless otherwise specified, spatial descriptions such as "above," "below," "upward," "left," "right," "downward," "body," "base," "vertical," "horizontal," "side," "higher," "lower," "upper," "above," and "below" are indications of the orientation shown in the figures. It should be understood that the spatial descriptions used in this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only, and actual implementations of the structures described in this disclosure can be spatially configured in any relative orientation without altering the advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure. For example, in the description of some embodiments, providing an element "on another element" can encompass situations where the preceding element is directly on the following element (e.g., in physical contact with the following element) and situations where one or more intervening elements are located between the preceding and following elements.

[0024] As used in this disclosure, the terms "approximately," "substantial," "material," and "about" are used to describe and take into account minor variations. When used in conjunction with an event or situation, these terms may mean a situation in which the event or situation clearly occurred or a situation in which the event or situation is very close to occurring.

[0025] Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a filter module 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which shows that it includes two filter units 30 and an upper stop 40.

[0026] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the filter module 1 includes a housing 10, a plurality of positioning members 20, a plurality of filter units 30, and a fixing assembly 5 consisting of a plurality of upper side stops 40 and two pressing members 50. The composition and number of components of the filter module 1 may be increased or decreased as needed, and are not limited to the embodiment shown in FIG1.

[0027] In one embodiment, the housing 10 includes a rectangular frame structure comprising a first side plate 11, a second side plate 12, a third side plate 13, and a fourth side plate 14. The first side plate 11 is opposite to the second side plate 12, and the third side plate 13 is opposite to the fourth side plate 14. The third side plate 13 and the fourth side plate 14 are respectively connected between the corresponding side edges of the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the first side plate 11, the second side plate 12, the third side plate 13, and the fourth side plate 14 are each sheet metal parts, machined by stamping, bending, or other methods, and are joined together by appropriate means (e.g., by rivets, screws, bolts, etc.). An upper opening 18 and a lower opening 19 are formed on the upper and lower sides of the housing 10, wherein the upper opening 18 is surrounded by the upper edge of the first side plate 11, the second side plate 12, the third side plate 13 and the fourth side plate 14, and the lower opening 19 is surrounded by the lower edge of the first side plate 11, the second side plate 12, the third side plate 13 and the fourth side plate 14.

[0028] Referring to FIG2, a portion of the structure of the housing 10 of a filter module 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and a positioning member 20 disposed on a first side plate 11 are shown. The first side plate 11 of the housing 10 includes a main plate 111 and a bent plate 114. The main plate 111 has an upper side edge 112 and a lower side edge 113 opposite to the upper side edge 112. The bent plate 114 is perpendicular to the main plate 111 and extends into the housing 10 from the lower side edge 113 of the main plate 111.

[0029] The fourth side plate 14 of the housing 10 includes a main plate 141 and a lower side stop 144 (hereinafter also referred to as the first lower side stop 144). The main plate 141 has an upper side edge 142 and a lower side edge 143 opposite to the upper side edge 142. The first lower side stop 144 is located at the lower opening 19 of the housing 10 and extends between the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 12 (FIG. 1) to support and position the lower edge of the filter unit 30 (FIG. 1) adjacent to the fourth side plate 14. In one embodiment, the first lower side stop 144 includes a bottom wall 145 and an inclined side wall 146. The bottom wall 145 is perpendicular to the main plate 141 and extends into the housing 10 from the lower side edge 143 of the main plate 141. The inclined side wall 146 connects to the opposite side of the bottom wall 145 to the lower side edge 143 of the main plate 141 and is inclined relative to the bottom wall 145. The angle of inclination of the inclined sidewall 146 relative to the bottom wall 145 can be the same as the angle of inclination of the filter unit disposed inside the housing 10. In one embodiment, the third side plate 13 may have the same or similar structure as the fourth side plate 14. For example, as shown in FIG6, the third side plate 13 may also include a lower side stop 134. Therefore, for the sake of simplicity, the structural description of the third side plate 13 will not be repeated.

[0030] The filter module 1 may further include a plurality of lower side stops 15 (hereinafter also referred to as second lower side stops 15). The second lower side stops 15 are disposed at the lower opening 19 of the housing 10 and extend between the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 12 (FIG. 1) to support and position the lower edge of a portion of the filter unit 30 (FIG. 1). In one embodiment, each of the second lower side stops 15 includes a bottom wall 151 and two inclined side walls 152, 153. The bottom wall 151 of the second lower side stops 15 can be fixed to the bent plate 114 of the first side plate 11 and the bent plate of the second side plate 12 (FIG. 1) by fasteners 61 (e.g., rivets, screws, bolts, etc.). The two inclined side walls 152, 153 are respectively connected to the two opposite long sides of the bottom wall 151 and are inclined relative to the bottom wall 151. The inclination angles of the two inclined sidewalls 152 and 153 relative to the bottom wall 151 can be the same as the inclination angle of the filter unit disposed inside the housing 10. In one embodiment, the second side plate 12 (FIG. 1) may have the same or similar structure as the first side plate 11, which will not be repeated for the sake of simplicity.

[0031] In one embodiment, a plurality of gas channels are defined between lower stop members at the lower opening 19 of the housing 10. Airflow can enter or exit the housing 10 through these gas channels. The lower stop members are configured to block the airflow, thereby preventing short-flow from occurring due to the gap formed between adjacent filter units 30. "Short-flow" as used in this disclosure refers to the phenomenon where airflow entering the filter module 1 exits the filter module 1 without being filtered by the filter medium 33 of the filter unit 30. The arrangement of the lower stop members is not limited to the above embodiments. In another embodiment, the frame further includes a bottom side plate, and the lower stop members are integrally formed on a bottom side plate of the frame and are fixed to the lower edges of the first side plate 11, the second side plate 12, the third side plate 13, and the fourth side plate 14 in a suitable manner.

[0032] Referring again to Figure 2, the positioning member 20 is configured to guide the filter unit 30 to a predetermined setting position during the setting process, and to support the filter unit 30 after it has been placed to the predetermined setting position, maintaining it at a specific angle. In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, a plurality of positioning members 20 are disposed on the inner surface 110 of the first side plate 11 along a first direction (parallel to the X-axis), and a plurality of positioning members 20 are disposed on the inner surface 120 of the second side plate 12 along the first direction. As shown in Figure 2, each of the positioning members 20 may include two inclined segments 21, two connecting segments 22, two extending segments 23, and two locking structures 24. The two inclined segments 21 extend along a first reference surface R1 and a second reference surface R2, respectively, and the first reference surface R1 and the second reference surface R2 intersect at an intersection point P. The intersection point P is adjacent to the upper edge 112 of the first side plate 11 where the positioning member 20 is disposed or the upper edge of the second side plate 12 where the positioning member 20 is disposed. An axis R3 is parallel to a first reference surface R1 and a second reference surface R2 and passes through the intersection point P, wherein the axis R3 passes through a first side plate 11 or a second side plate 12.

[0033] Two connecting segments 22 extend from one end of one of the two inclined segments 21 away from the intersection point P toward the other of the two inclined segments 21. Two locking structures 24 are connected to the two connecting segments 22 and each includes a through hole for fasteners to pass through. The positioning member 20 is detachably engaged to the first side plate 11 or the second side plate 12 via the two locking structures 24. Two extension segments 23 each extend from the intersection of the two inclined segments 21 and the two connecting segments 22 in a direction away from the intersection point P and are each connected to the two locking structures 24. In one embodiment, the two extension segments 23 also extend along a first reference surface R1 and a second reference surface R2, so that the two extension segments 23 are coplanar with the two inclined segments 21.

[0034] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG2, the two inclined sections 21, the two connecting sections 22, and the two extension sections 23 are all thin sheet metal parts with the same width and are disposed perpendicular to the inner surface 110 of the first side plate 11. The width of the two inclined sections 21, the two connecting sections 22, and the two extension sections 23 (i.e., the dimension from the inner surface 110) is between 5 mm and 20 mm. Too small a width cannot effectively guide and support the filter unit or cause short flow, while too large a width may block the passage of air.

[0035] In one embodiment, the two extensions 23 of the positioning member 20 abut against the two inclined sidewalls 152, 153 of the adjacent second lower stop member 15, thereby providing stable mechanical strength to the positioning member 20. Furthermore, during assembly of the positioning member 20, the two extensions 23 can be guided by the inclined sidewalls 152, 153 to quickly reach the correct position, facilitating rapid assembly. However, it should be understood that embodiments of this disclosure also have different structural variations. In another embodiment, the positioning member 20 omits the two connecting sections 22, the two extensions 23, and the two locking structures 24, and the two inclined sections 21 of the positioning member 20 are directly fixed to the inner surfaces of the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 12 by other suitable means (e.g., welding).

[0036] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of a filter unit 30 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 4 shows an exploded view of the filter unit 30. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter unit 30 includes: a first frame 31, a second frame 32, and a filter medium 33. The first frame 31 includes a forward wall 311 and a side wall 312. The forward wall 311 is a rectangular sheet metal piece, and a rectangular opening 310 is formed in the forward wall 311 to allow airflow. The opening 310 may occupy the majority of the area of ​​the forward wall 311. For example, the opening 310 occupies more than 90% of the total area of ​​the forward wall 311. The side wall 312 extends from the edge of the forward wall 311 toward the second frame 32. The second frame 32 includes a rearward wall 321 and a side wall 322. The rearward wall 321 is a rectangular sheet metal piece, and a rectangular opening 320 is formed in the rearward wall 321 to allow airflow. The opening 320 may occupy the majority of the area of ​​the rearward wall 321. For example, the opening 320 may occupy more than 90% of the total area of ​​the rearward wall 321. The side wall 322 extends from the edge of the rearward wall 321 toward the first frame 31. The filter medium 33 may include any material that can be used to purify various contaminants in the airflow. In an exemplary embodiment, the filter medium 33 includes modified activated carbon, ion exchange resin, activated carbon, or a combination thereof.

[0037] In one embodiment, in a second direction (parallel to the Y-axis) perpendicular to the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 12, the first frame 31 has a first width W1, the second frame 32 has a second width W2, and the filter medium 33 has a third width W3 in an unassembled state. The first width W1 may be slightly greater than or equal to the second width W2, and the third width W3 may be slightly greater than or equal to the second width W2. During assembly, the filter medium 33 is first placed into the second frame 32. Due to the compressibility of the filter medium 33, it will be compressed by the side wall 322, causing the filter medium 33 to fit tightly against the side wall 322 of the second frame 32. Then, the second frame 32 together with the filter medium 33 is placed into the first frame 31. The second frame 32 can be accommodated within the first frame 31 via a clearance fit or a transition fit. When the second frame 32 is accommodated within the first frame 31, the gap between the side wall 312 and the side wall 322 is between 0 mm and 0.6 mm, facilitating the replacement of the filter media or the recycling of the first and second frames after the filter media is removed. In one embodiment, at least one notch 313 is formed at the edge of the side wall 312. The notch 313 facilitates the separation of the second frame 32 from the first frame 31, thereby accelerating the efficiency of replacing the filter media 33. In one embodiment, the dimensional relationship of the first side plate 11, the second side plate 12, and the filter media 33 in the third direction (parallel to the Z-axis) is the same as the dimensional relationship of the first side plate 11, the second side plate 12, and the filter media 33 in the second direction.

[0038] Referring again to Figure 1, the two pressing members 50 of the fixing assembly 5 each extend along a first direction (parallel to the X-axis) along the upper edge of the first side plate 11 and the upper edge of the second side plate 12, and are configured to restrict movement of the filter unit 30 in a third direction (parallel to the Z-axis), thereby fixing the filter unit 30 in the housing 10. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the two pressing members 50 includes a first section 51, a second section 52, and a plurality of locking structures 53. The first section 51 is parallel to the adjacent first side plate 11 or second side plate 12, and the second section 52 is perpendicularly connected to the upper edge of the first section 51. The plurality of locking structures 53 are connected to the side of the second side plate 12 away from the first side plate 11 and are configured to allow fasteners 62 (FIG. 6) to pass through, thereby fixing the locking structures 53 to the inner surface 110 of the adjacent first side plate 11 or the inner surface 120 of the second side plate 12.

[0039] The upper stop 40 of the fixing assembly 5 includes an opening 18 disposed above the housing 10 and extends between the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 12 in a second direction (parallel to the Y-axis) perpendicular to the first direction, for positioning the upper edge of the filter unit 30 (FIG. 1). In one embodiment, each upper stop 40 includes a top wall 41 and two inclined side walls 42, 43. The top wall 41 of the upper stop 40 covers the upper edges of two adjacent filter units 30. The two inclined side walls 42, 43 are respectively connected to the two opposite long sides of the top wall 41 and are inclined relative to the top wall 41. The inclination angle of the two inclined side walls 42, 43 relative to the top wall 41 may be the same as the inclination angle of the filter unit disposed inside the housing 10.

[0040] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the assembly method of filter module 1 is described below:

[0041] In one embodiment, the assembly method of the filter module 1 includes providing a housing 10 according to any of the above embodiments. The assembly method further includes fixing a plurality of positioning members 20 within the housing 10. As shown in FIG2, the plurality of positioning members 20 can be positioned relative to a gas passage defined by a lower stop member. In one embodiment, the positioning members 20 can be engaged to the inner surfaces of the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 12 by suitable fasteners.

[0042] Next, as shown in Figure 5, the assembly method of the filter module 1 includes placing the filter unit 30 into the housing 10 through the upper opening 18. During the insertion of the filter unit 30 into the housing 10, since the first frame 31 or the second frame 32 of the filter unit 30 provides sufficient structural rigidity, the filter unit 30 can smoothly descend gradually along the inclined section 21 of the positioning member 20 until the filter unit 30 abuts against the positioning structure (e.g., the first lower stop 144 or the second lower stop 15) at the lower opening 19 of the housing 10.

[0043] Compared to existing technologies where the filter media is not fixed by the first and second frames, the filter unit 30 has stronger structural rigidity, thus improving assembly efficiency. Furthermore, since the filter unit 30 can be directly positioned by the positioning member 20 at the lower stop at the lower opening 19 of the housing 10, there is no need to apply additional adhesive materials (e.g., hot melt adhesive, AB glue, etc.) to the inner surface of the housing 10 to fix the position of the filter media. Therefore, assembly steps can be effectively reduced, assembly efficiency increased, and assembly costs reduced.

[0044] In one embodiment, during the placement or removal of the filter unit 30, the pressing member 50 of the fixing assembly 5 has not yet been engaged with the housing 10. Therefore, there is no other structure between the upper edge 112 of the first side plate 11 and the positioning member 20 (i.e., there is no structure protruding from the inner surface 110 of the first side plate 11 in the area between the upper edge 112 and the intersection point P of the positioning member 20). Therefore, even if the width of the filter unit 30 (the first width W1 shown in FIG. 4) is substantially equal to or only slightly smaller than the distance between the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 12, the filter unit 30 can still move close to the inclined section 21 of the positioning member 20 without having to deliberately rotate an angle to avoid the remaining structure adjacent to the upper edge 112 of the first side plate 11 and the positioning member 20.

[0045] As shown in Figure 6, after the filter unit 30 is placed, in addition to resting against the inclined section 21 of the positioning member 20, the lower end of the filter unit 30 rests against the inclined side wall 146 of the first lower stop member 144 or the inclined side walls 152 and 153 of the second lower stop member 15. Due to the increased contact area, the filter unit 30 fits the positioning member 20 more closely, so the filter unit 30 can be stably installed inside the housing 10 according to the preset tilt angle.

[0046] Next, as shown in FIG6, the assembly method of filter module 1 includes covering the filter unit 30 with the upper stop 40 of the fixing component 5 to fix the filter unit 30 within the housing 10. Specifically, the upper stop 40 covers the two filter units 30 abutting against the same positioning member 20. The upper stop 40 is configured (e.g., abutting against the filter unit 30 by inclined sidewalls 42, 43) to restrict the movement of the filter unit 30 in a first direction (parallel to the X-axis). Furthermore, a plurality of gas passages with openings 18 in the upper part of the housing 10 are defined between the upper stop 40. Airflow can enter or leave the housing 10 through these gas passages, but is blocked by the upper stop 40 to prevent short-flow of airflow due to the gap formed between adjacent filter units 30.

[0047] Next, the assembly method of filter module 1 includes covering filter unit 30 with the pressing member 50 of fixing component 5 to restrict the movement of filter unit 30 in a third direction (Z-axis direction) parallel to the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 12. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG7, the first section 51 of pressing member 50 is inserted into the gap between the upper stop member 40 and / or the filter unit 30 and the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 12. The second section 52 of pressing member 50 covers the upper stop member 40 and / or the upper surface of filter unit 30. Pressing member 50 can be fixed to the first side plate 11 and the second side plate 12 by, for example, the combination of locking structure 53 and fastener 62 (FIG. 6).

[0048] In some embodiments, the upper stop 40 is omitted, and a pivot structure may be provided between the two filter units 30 abutting against the same positioning member 20 to restrict the movement of the filter units 30 in the first direction (parallel to the X-axis). Furthermore, the gap between the two filter units 30 abutting against the same positioning member 20 can be closed by a structure pre-set on the filter units 30 to prevent short-flow.

[0049] The positioning element 20 is not limited to the above embodiments. Figures 8-14 show various variations of the positioning element of this disclosure:

[0050] Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of the positioning member 20a. The positioning member 20a has similar structural features to the positioning member 20, including two inclined sections 21, two connecting sections 22, and two locking structures 24, but the extension section 23 is omitted, thereby reducing production costs.

[0051] Figure 9 shows a schematic diagram of the positioning member 20b. The positioning member 20b includes two inclined sections 21, two connecting sections 22, and two locking structures 24b. The structural features of the two inclined sections 21 and the two connecting sections 22 of the positioning member 20b are the same as those of the corresponding structures of the positioning member 20 shown in Figure 2. However, the locking structures 24b extend from the two connecting sections 22 toward the intersection point P to accommodate different assembly positions of the housing 10.

[0052] Figure 10 shows a schematic diagram of the positioning member 20c. The positioning member 20c includes two inclined sections 21, two connecting sections 22c, and two locking structures 24c. The structural features of the two inclined sections 21 of the positioning member 20c are the same as those of the corresponding structure of the positioning member 20 shown in Figure 2. However, the connecting section 22c has an inwardly recessed stepped structure, and the two locking structures 24c extend toward each other to accommodate different assembly positions of the housing 10.

[0053] Figure 11 shows a side view of a filter module 1d according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Elements in filter module 1d that are the same as or similar to those in filter module 1 shown in Figure 6 are denoted by the same symbols, and their features are not repeated. The difference between filter module 1d and filter module 1 is that the positioning element 20 in filter module 1 is replaced by a positioning element 20d.

[0054] Positioning members 20d are configured to guide the filter unit 30 to a predetermined position during the setting process and to support the filter unit 30 at a specific angle after it has been placed in the predetermined position. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG11, a plurality of positioning members 20d are disposed on a first side plate 11 along a first direction (parallel to the X-axis). Each positioning member 20d may include two inclined segments 21d, a connecting segment 22d, and a locking structure 24d. The two inclined segments 21d extend along a first reference surface R1 and a second reference surface R2, respectively, wherein the first reference surface R1 and the second reference surface R2 intersect at an intersection point P, which is adjacent to the upper edge 112 of the first side plate 11 on which the positioning member 20d is disposed. The two inclined segments 21d extend away from the intersection point P. The connecting segment 22d connects the two inclined segments 21d at one end near the intersection point P. The locking structure 24d is connected to the connecting segment 22d and includes a through hole for fasteners to pass through. The positioning element 20d is detachably engaged to the upper part of the first side plate 11 via the locking structure 24d. Compared with the embodiment of positioning element 20 in FIG2, the positioning element 20d has fewer components and lower manufacturing cost.

[0055] Figure 12 shows a schematic diagram of the positioning element 20e. The positioning element 20e includes two inclined sections 21e, a connecting section 22e, and a locking structure 24e. The structural features of the connecting section 22e and the locking structure 24e of the positioning element 20e are the same as those of the corresponding structure of the positioning element 20d shown in Figure 11. However, the two inclined sections 21e extend toward the intersection point P, and the ends of the two inclined sections 21e are separated by a gap and are not joined.

[0056] Figure 13 shows a schematic diagram of the positioning element 20f. The positioning element 20f includes two inclined sections 21f, a connecting section 22f, and a locking structure 24f. The structural features of the connecting section 22f and the locking structure 24f of the positioning element 20f are the same as those of the corresponding structure of the positioning element 20d shown in Figure 11. However, the extension length of the two inclined sections 21f is longer than the extension length of the two inclined sections 21f in Figure 11. As a result, the structural stability of the filter unit 30 is further enhanced due to the increased contact area between the positioning element 20f and the filter unit 30.

[0057] Figure 14 shows a schematic diagram of the positioning member 20f. The positioning member 20g includes two first inclined sections 21g, a first connecting section 22g, a locking structure 24g, two second inclined sections 25g, and a second connecting section 26g. The two first inclined sections 21g and the two second inclined sections 25g extend along a first reference surface R1 and a second reference surface R2, respectively, wherein the two first inclined sections 21g extend away from the intersection point P, while the two second inclined sections 25g extend towards the intersection point P. The first connecting section 22g connects the two first inclined sections 21g at the end near the intersection point P, and the second connecting section 26g connects the two second inclined sections 25g at the end away from the intersection point P. The locking structure 24g connects the first connecting section 22g and the second connecting section 26g and includes a through hole for fasteners to pass through. Compared with the embodiment of the positioning member 20d in Figure 11, the structural stability of the filter unit 30 is further enhanced due to the increased contact area between the positioning member 20g and the filter unit 30.

[0058] Figure 15 shows an exploded view of a filter module 1h according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, which shows that it includes two filter units 30 and an upper stop 40.

[0059] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the filter module 1h includes a housing 10h, a plurality of positioning members 20d, a plurality of filter units 30, a fixing assembly 5h consisting of a plurality of upper side stops 40 and a pressing member 50h, and a plurality of mounting seats 70. The composition and number of components of the filter module 1h can be increased or decreased as needed, and are not limited to the embodiment shown in FIG15.

[0060] In one embodiment, the housing 10h includes a rectangular frame structure comprising a first side plate 11h, a second side plate 12h, a third side plate 13h, and a fourth side plate 14h. The first side plate 11h is opposite to the second side plate 12h, and the third side plate 13h is opposite to the fourth side plate 14h. The third side plate 13h and the fourth side plate 14h are respectively connected between the corresponding side edges of the first side plate 11h and the second side plate 12h. In an exemplary embodiment, the first side plate 11h, the second side plate 12h, the third side plate 13h, and the fourth side plate 14h are each sheet metal parts, machined by stamping, bending, or other methods, and are joined together by appropriate means (e.g., by rivets, screws, bolts, etc.). An upper opening 18h and a lower opening 19h are formed on the upper and lower sides of the shell 10h, wherein the upper opening 18h is surrounded by the upper edge of the first side plate 11h, the second side plate 12h, the third side plate 13h and the fourth side plate 14h, and the lower opening 19h is surrounded by the lower edge of the first side plate 11h, the second side plate 12h, the third side plate 13h and the fourth side plate 14h.

[0061] Figure 16 shows a schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of the filter module 1h. In one embodiment, the first side plate 11h includes a plurality of protrusions 16, 17 in the shape of isosceles triangles, wherein the width of the protrusions 16 tapers towards the upward opening 18h, and the width of the protrusions 17 tapers towards the downward opening 19h. The protrusions 16 and 17 are staggered, thereby defining a plurality of channels 116 (Figure 16) for receiving the edge of the filter unit 30 between adjacent protrusions 16 and 17. In one embodiment, the second side plate 12h may have the same or similar structure as the first side plate 11h, which will not be repeated for simplicity.

[0062] Mounting base 70 is disposed adjacent to the upper edge 112 of the first side plate 11h and the second side plate 12h, and configured to secure the pressing member 50h. Mounting base 70 can be positioned between any two positioning members 20d and adjacent to the triangular base of the protrusion 17. In the embodiment of FIG. 15, three mounting bases 70 are disposed adjacent to the protrusions 17 spaced apart on the first side plate 11h. It should be understood that the number of mounting bases 70 shown in FIG. 15 is merely exemplary, and the mounting bases 70 can be configured according to the desired usage. In some embodiments, the number of mounting bases 70 can be reduced to reduce the time and cost of loading and unloading the pressing member 50h. In other embodiments, the number of mounting bases 70 can be increased to make the connection between the pressing member 50h and the housing 10h more secure; therefore, mounting bases 70 can also be disposed on the third side plate 13h and the fourth side plate 14h to further improve the stability of the connection between the pressing member 50h and the housing 10h. In some other embodiments, mounting bases 70 may be provided only on the third side plate 13h and the fourth side plate 14h to avoid limited operating space when installing the filter unit 30.

[0063] Referring to FIG16, in one embodiment, the mounting base 70 includes a tab 71 and a support member 72. The tab 71 extends from the upper edge of the first side plate 11h toward the interior of the housing. The support member 72 is disposed below the tab 71 and configured to reinforce the structure of the tab 71 to prevent deformation of the tab 71. The support member 72 may include a base 721 having an inverted U-shaped cross-section and a rear side plate 722 connecting the base 721. The rear side plate 722 is fixed to the inner surface 110h of the first side plate 11h by rivets or other suitable means (e.g., by rivets, screws, bolts, etc.). The upper surfaces of the tab 71 and the base 721 have through holes through which fasteners 63 can pass. In another embodiment, the tab 71 or the support member 72 of the mounting base 70 is omitted, and the pressing member 50h fixes one of the tab 71 or the support member 72 to the housing 10h.

[0064] The press-fit component 50h can be formed as a rectangular frame, including a first section 51h and a second section 52h. The second section 52h extends parallel to the upper edge of the housing 10h, and the first section 51h extends perpendicular to the second section 52h and extends from the edge of the second section 52h toward the downward opening 19h. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG16, the first section 51h is composed of a plurality of tabs 510. Connecting notches 511, 512, and 511 are sequentially defined between two adjacent tabs 510. The notch 511 is positioned to correspond to the upper stop 40 (FIG. 16 shows only one upper stop 40), and the notch 512 is positioned to correspond to the mounting base 70. By forming the notches 511 and 512, interference between the first section 51h and the upper stop 40 and / or the mounting base 70 can be avoided when the press-fit component 50h is fixed to the housing 10h. In this embodiment, notch 511 and notch 512 are formed integrally to reduce production costs, but this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, notch 511 and notch 512 may also be formed independently.

[0065] During assembly, the filter unit 30 is guided by the channel 116 and the positioning member 20d and then positioned in a predetermined position on the housing 10h. Next, after the filter unit 30 is installed, the upper stop 40 of the fixing assembly 5h is placed over the filter unit 30. Then, after the upper stop 40 is installed, the pressing member 50h of the fixing assembly 5h is placed over the upper stop 40 and the filter unit 30. As shown in FIG17, the pressing member 50h is fixed to the housing 10h by, for example, a fastener 63 (e.g., a screw) and a locking member 64 (e.g., a pull cap or a threaded element for screw fastening). Specifically, the fastener 63 is installed through the upper opening of the housing 10h to pass through the pressing member 50h and the mounting base 70, thereby fixing the pressing member 50h to the housing 10h. The fastener 63 extends parallel to the first side plate 11h and the second side plate 12h of the housing 10h, but does not pass through the first side plate 11h and the second side plate 12h. In some embodiments, a portion of the fastener 63 (also referred to as the first fastener) passes through the mounting base 70 (see FIG. 15) located on the first side plate 11h and the second side plate 12h and the corresponding portion (the portion extending in the X direction) of the pressing member 50h to fix the corresponding portion of the pressing member 50h to the housing 10h. Furthermore, another portion of the fastener 63 (also referred to as the second fastener) passes through the mounting base 70 (see FIG. 15) located on the third side plate 13h and the fourth side plate 14h and the corresponding portion (the portion extending in the Y direction) of the pressing member 50h to fix the corresponding portion of the pressing member 50h to the housing 10h.

[0066] In some embodiments, the housing 10h of the filter module 1h is assembled into the gas channel of a large outdoor air conditioning unit, wherein the first side plate 11h, the second side plate 12h, the third side plate 13h, and the fourth side plate 14h of the housing 10h are fixed to the inner wall surface of the gas channel. By providing the fastener 63 for fixing the press-fit member 50h at the upper opening 18h of the housing 10h, it is convenient to quickly remove the press-fit member 50h during the maintenance procedure, thereby reducing the time required to replace the filter unit 30.

[0067] The embodiments described above are merely for illustrating the technical ideas and features of this disclosure. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this disclosure and implement it accordingly. They should not be used to limit the patent scope of this disclosure. Equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit disclosed in this disclosure should still be covered within the patent scope of this disclosure.

[0068] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0069] 1, 1d, 1h: Filter modules

[0070] 5, 5h: Fixing components

[0071] 10, 10h: Shell

[0072] 11, 11h: First side plate

[0073] 12, 12h: Second side plate

[0074] 13, 13h: Third side plate

[0075] 14, 14h: Fourth side plate

[0076] 15: Lower side stop / Second lower side stop

[0077] 16: Protrusion / First protrusion

[0078] 17: Protrusion / Second protrusion

[0079] 18, 18h: Opening at the top

[0080] 19, 19h: Opening at the bottom

[0081] 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f, 20g: Positioning components

[0082] 21, 21d, 21e, 21f: Inclined sections

[0083] 21g: First inclined segment

[0084] 22, 22c, 22d, 22e, 22f: Connecting segments

[0085] 22g: First connecting segment

[0086] 23: Extension Section

[0087] 24, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24e, 24f, 24g: Locking structures

[0088] 25g: Second inclined segment

[0089] 26g: Second connecting segment

[0090] 30: Filter Unit

[0091] 31: First frame

[0092] 32: Second frame

[0093] 33: Filter media

[0094] 40: Upper side stop

[0095] 41: Top Wall

[0096] 42: Inclined sidewall

[0097] 43: Inclined sidewall

[0098] 50, 50h: Press-fit parts

[0099] 51, 51h: First section

[0100] 52, 52h: Second section

[0101] 53: Locking structure

[0102] 61: Fasteners

[0103] 62: Fasteners

[0104] 63: Fasteners

[0105] 64: Locking components

[0106] 70: Mounting bracket

[0107] 71: Protrusion

[0108] 72: Support component

[0109] 110, 110h: Inner surface

[0110] 111: Mainboard components

[0111] 112: Upper lateral edge

[0112] 113: Lower lateral edge

[0113] 114: Bending sheet metal

[0114] 115: Locking Hole

[0115] 116: Channel

[0116] 120: Inner surface

[0117] 134: Lower side stop

[0118] 141: Mainboard components

[0119] 142: Upper lateral edge

[0120] 143: Lower lateral edge

[0121] 144: Lower side stop / First lower side stop

[0122] 145: Bottom wall

[0123] 146: Inclined sidewall

[0124] 151: Bottom wall

[0125] 152: Inclined sidewall

[0126] 153: Inclined sidewall

[0127] 310: Opening

[0128] 311: Forward Wall

[0129] 312: Lateral wall

[0130] 313: Gap

[0131] 320: Opening

[0132] 321: Backward Wall

[0133] 322: Lateral wall

[0134] 510: protrusion

[0135] 511: Gap

[0136] 512: Gap

[0137] 721: Base

[0138] 722: Rear side panel

[0139] P: Intersection point

[0140] R1: First reference surface

[0141] R2: Second reference surface

[0142] R3: Axis

[0143] W1: First width

[0144] W2: Second width

[0145] W3: Third width

Claims

1. A filter module, characterized in that, include: The housing includes a first side plate and a second side plate opposite to the first side plate; a plurality of positioning members are disposed on the inner surface of the first side plate and the inner surface of the second side plate, the plurality of positioning members each including two inclined segments, the two inclined segments extending along a first reference surface and a second reference surface respectively, the first reference surface and the second reference surface intersecting at an intersection point, the intersection point being adjacent to the upper edge of the first side plate or the upper edge of the second side plate; Multiple filter units are detachably disposed within the housing, wherein each of the multiple filter units abuts against the multiple inclined segments of the multiple positioning members located on the first side plate and the second side plate; And a fixing component, which is detachably engaged with the housing and abuts against the plurality of filter units to secure the plurality of filter units within the housing.

2. The filter module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The two inclined segments of one of the plurality of positioning elements are interconnected at the intersection point, and one of the plurality of positioning elements further includes: two connecting segments extending from the ends of the two inclined segments away from the intersection point; and two locking structures connected to the two connecting segments, wherein one of the plurality of positioning elements is separably engaged to the first side plate or the second side plate via the two locking structures.

3. The filter module according to claim 2, characterized in that, One of the plurality of positioning elements further includes two extension sections, each of which extends from the junction of the two inclined sections and the two connecting sections in a direction away from the junction and is connected to the two locking structures.

4. The filter module according to claim 1, characterized in that, One of the plurality of positioning elements includes: a connecting section connected between the two inclined sections; and a locking structure connected to the connecting section, wherein one of the plurality of positioning elements is detachably engaged to the first side plate or the second side plate via the locking structure.

5. The filter module according to claim 4, characterized in that, The two inclined segments of one of the plurality of positioning elements extend in a direction away from the intersection point.

6. The filter module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixing assembly includes a press-fit member extending along the upper side edge parallel to the housing and configured to restrict the plurality of filter units from moving out of the housing.

7. The filter module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The fixing assembly includes two pressing members, each extending along a first direction parallel to the upper edge of the first side plate and the upper edge of the second side plate, and the fixing assembly further includes: a plurality of upper side stops, each extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein two of the plurality of filter units abutting against one of the plurality of positioning members are covered by one of the plurality of upper side stops, the plurality of upper side stops being configured to restrict movement of the plurality of filter units in the first direction.

8. The filter module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The filter module further includes multiple mounting seats, which are disposed adjacent to the upper edge of the first side plate and the upper edge of the second side plate and protrude from the first side plate and the second side plate toward the interior of the housing. The pressing member covers the multiple mounting seats and is fixed to the housing by multiple fasteners passing through the pressing member and the multiple mounting seats.

9. The filter module according to claim 6, characterized in that: The housing further includes a third side plate and a fourth side plate opposite to the third side plate, the third side plate and the fourth side plate being respectively connected between the corresponding side edges of the first side plate and the second side plate; and a plurality of mounting seats are disposed adjacent to the upper side edges of the third side plate and the upper side edges of the fourth side plate and protrude from the third side plate and the fourth side plate toward the interior of the housing, the pressing member covering the plurality of mounting seats, wherein the pressing member is fixed to the housing by a plurality of fasteners passing through the pressing member and the plurality of mounting seats.

10. The filter module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first side plate further includes: a plurality of first protrusions, the width of which tapers toward an upper opening of the housing, and a plurality of second protrusions, the width of which tapers toward a lower opening of the housing; wherein the plurality of first protrusions and the plurality of second protrusions are staggered to define a plurality of channels for receiving the edges of the plurality of filter units between the adjacent plurality of first protrusions and the plurality of second protrusions.

11. The filter module according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, Each of the plurality of filter units includes: a first frame; a second frame detachably joined to the first frame; and a filter medium sandwiched between the first frame and the second frame.

12. The filter module according to claim 11, characterized in that, The first frame of one of the plurality of filter units has a first width, the second frame has a second width, the filter medium is compressible and has a third width in an unassembled state, wherein the first width is slightly greater than or equal to the second width, the second frame is accommodated inside the first frame; and wherein the third width is slightly greater than or equal to the second width, and in an assembled state, the filter medium is compressed and disposed inside the second frame so that the filter medium is tightly fitted to the second frame.

13. The filter module according to claim 11, characterized in that, The first frame includes a front wall and a side wall extending from the front wall toward the second frame, and a notch is formed at the edge of the side wall.

14. A method for assembling a filter module, characterized in that, include: A housing is provided, the housing including a first side plate and a second side plate opposite to the first side plate, wherein the upper edge of the first side plate and the upper edge of the second side plate are located at the edge of the upper opening of the housing, and wherein a plurality of positioning members are disposed on the inner surface of the first side plate and the inner surface of the second side plate, the plurality of positioning members each including two inclined segments, the two inclined segments extending along a first reference surface and a second reference surface respectively, the first reference surface and the second reference surface intersecting at an intersection point, the intersection point being adjacent to the upper edge of the first side plate or the upper edge of the second side plate; A plurality of filter units are disposed within the housing, wherein the plurality of filter units enter the housing through the upper opening of the housing and abut against the plurality of inclined sections of the plurality of positioning members located on the first side plate and the second side plate; and after the plurality of filter units are disposed within the housing, a fixing assembly is disposed at the upper opening of the housing such that the fixing assembly abuts against the plurality of filter units to fix the plurality of filter units within one of the housing.

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