Air filter for insertion into a filter receptacle of a filter system

Abstract

The invention relates to an air filter (10), in particular a passenger-compartment air filter for a motor vehicle, for insertion into a filter receptacle (102) of a filter system (100), comprising a main filter body (12) which has a filter medium (14) through which the air (L) to be filtered can flow, and at least one sealing film (18, 18a-18d) which is arranged on the main filter body (12) and has a contact face (28) protruding beyond the main filter body (12), wherein the contact face (28) of the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) can be brought into contact with a contact face (104) of the filter receptacle (102) in order to seal a passage (D) between the air filter (10) and the filter receptacle (102).

Description

[0001] Air filter for insertion into a filter holder of a filter system

[0002] The invention relates to an air filter for insertion into a filter holder of a filter system, comprising a filter base body which includes a filter medium through which the air to be filtered can flow.

[0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a filter system with a filter holder and an air filter that can be inserted into the filter holder.

[0004] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing an air filter for insertion into a filter receptacle of a filter system, comprising the step of providing a filter base body which includes a filter medium through which the air to be filtered can flow.

[0005] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing an air filter for insertion into a filter receptacle of a filter system, comprising the step of providing components of a filter base body.

[0006] For cost reasons, air filters are often designed with a bypass seal designed for a leakage of 2 to 5%. However, an increase in sealing requirements can be observed in a wide range of applications.

[0007] The object underlying the invention is therefore to improve the sealing of air filters in order to reduce bypass leakage.

[0008] The problem is solved by an air filter of the type mentioned above, wherein the air filter according to the invention has a sealing film arranged on the filter base body, which has a contact surface projecting beyond the filter base body, wherein the contact surface of the sealing film can be brought into contact with a contact surface of the filter holder to seal a passage between the air filter and the filter housing. The air filter is preferably a cabin air filter for a motor vehicle.

[0009] The sealing foil seals the passage between the air filter and the filter housing, for example, axially and / or radially. The sealing foil can be oriented at least partially perpendicular and / or parallel to the main airflow direction. The sealing foil has relatively low material costs and is easy to install. Therefore, the sealing foil only incurs minimal additional costs but leads to a significantly increased filter efficiency.

[0010] The filter medium of the air filter is preferably pleated and thus has a plurality of folds. The folds can be formed, for example, by material folds and / or creases. The sealing film is preferably a flexible polyethylene film.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the air filter according to the invention, the sealing film has a thickness in the range of 5 pm to 150 pm. Preferably, the sealing film has a thickness in the range of 10 pm to 100 pm. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the sealing film has a thickness in the range of 20 pm to 60 pm. Such a film thickness results in low material costs on the one hand, and sufficient flexibility of the sealing film on the other, thereby significantly increasing the filter efficiency.

[0012] In another preferred embodiment of the air filter according to the invention, the sealing film is bonded to the filter base body. The sealing film can be bonded to an outer surface of the filter base body. Alternatively or additionally, the sealing film can also be bonded to an inner surface of the filter base body. The sealing film can alternatively or additionally be bonded to the filter base body by friction and / or form-fitting. The sealing film can also be thermally bonded to the filter base body, in particular by welding.

[0013] In a further preferred embodiment of the air filter according to the invention, the sealing film is connected to the filter base body along its entire length. Preferably, the sealing film is continuously connected to the filter base body along its entire length, so that a joint extends along the entire length of the sealing film. Alternatively, the sealing film can be connected to the filter base body only in sections or at specific points.

[0014] The air filter according to the invention is further advantageously developed in that the sealing film has a circumferential shape or several sealing films form a circumferential film arrangement. The circumferential sealing film or the circumferential film arrangement preferably has a closed ring structure or a ring structure with interruptions. In particular, if the passage to be sealed between the air filter and the filter housing surrounds the air filter, a sealing film with a circumferential shape or a circumferential film arrangement is advantageous for sealing the passage. If the air filter has a film arrangement with several sealing films, the sealing films of the film arrangement can overlap section by section. The sealing films of the film arrangement can be bonded together by material interlocking and / or force interlocking and / or form interlocking, particularly in the overlap areas.

[0015] In a further preferred embodiment of the air filter according to the invention, the filter base body has lateral strips of material. The filter medium is attached to the lateral strips of material, with one or more sealing films attached to the lateral strips and / or one or more sealing films to the filter medium. The filter base body can have lateral strips of material on two opposite sides. The one or more sealing films can be attached to the outward-facing surface of the material strips and / or to the inward-facing surface of the material strips. The one or more sealing films can also be attached between the material strip and the filter medium. The filter base body can also have lateral strips of material on more than two sides, e.g., on four sides. In this case, the filter base body preferably has a rectangular shape.The lateral material strips can be side facings of the filter base body.

[0016] In a further preferred embodiment of the air filter according to the invention, the sealing film is bonded to the filter base body. Preferably, the sealing film is bonded to the filter base body using a hot-melt adhesive. Preferably, the sealing film is bonded to the filter base body via one or more elongated adhesive strips and / or adhesive surfaces. Alternatively or additionally, the sealing film can be bonded to the filter base body via several adhesive points.

[0017] The air filter according to the invention is further advantageously developed in that the contact surface of the sealing film projects beyond the filter base body by a certain amount, wherein the projection is in a range between 1 mm and 20 mm. The projection can also be in a range between 2 mm and 10 mm. A projection in a range between 3 mm and 8 mm is particularly preferred. A corresponding projection ensures a sufficiently large contact area between the sealing film and the filter housing, resulting in a significant increase in filter efficiency. The one or more lateral material strips of the filter base body, which can be designed as side lamination, can be flexible, in particular elastically deformable.By incorporating flexible lateral strips of material, for example, made of a soft fleece, the filter base body can have a slight oversize relative to the filter holder. This allows the flexible side strips to deform slightly when the air filter is inserted into the filter holder. This prevents large gaps between the air filter and the filter holder, which would otherwise require a larger overhang of the sealing film. In particular, this prevents the sealing film from being forced into an excessively large gap between the air filter and the filter holder by atmospheric pressure during operation. The flexible material strip supports the sealing film against the oncoming gas. Preferably, the sealing film is bonded to the material strip only along a portion of its outer or inner surface. This allows the material strip to move and deform beneath the film without deforming the film itself.Alternatively, the sealing film can also be connected to an edge, for example a top edge or a bottom edge, of the material strip.

[0018] In another preferred embodiment of the air filter according to the invention, the contact surface of the sealing film projects laterally beyond the filter base body. This lateral projection results in a sealing film overhang which, for example, can be brought into contact with a contact surface of the filter holder perpendicular and / or parallel to the main airflow direction, for axial and / or radial sealing of the passage between the air filter and the filter holder.

[0019] The air filter according to the invention is further advantageously developed in that the filter base body has an inlet side and an outlet side. The contact surface of the sealing film preferably projects beyond the filter base body on the inlet side and / or on the outlet side. The inlet side and the outlet side preferably form the top and bottom sides of the filter base body. In this case, the height of the air filter corresponds to the sum of the height of the filter base body and the projection of the sealing film.

[0020] The problem underlying the invention is further solved by a filter system of the type mentioned at the outset, wherein the air filter of the filter system according to the invention is designed according to one of the embodiments described above, and the contact surface of the sealing film for sealing the passage between the air filter and the filter housing is in contact with a contact surface of the filter housing. With regard to the advantages and modifications of the filter system according to the invention, reference is therefore first made to the advantages and modifications of the air filter according to the invention.

[0021] The air filter of the filter system preferably separates a raw gas side from a clean gas side. The raw gas side contains unfiltered air. The clean gas side contains filtered air that has already passed through the filter medium of the air filter.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the filter system according to the invention, the air filter has a main inlet direction and a main outlet direction. The contact surfaces of the sealing film and the filter holder preferably extend perpendicular to the main inlet direction and / or perpendicular to the main outlet direction. Alternatively, the contact surfaces of the sealing film and the filter holder extend parallel to the main inlet direction and / or the main outlet direction. If the contact surfaces of the sealing film and the filter holder extend perpendicular to the main inlet direction and / or the main outlet direction, an axial seal is achieved. If the contact surfaces of the sealing film and the filter holder extend parallel to the main inlet direction and / or the main outlet direction, a radial seal is achieved.Furthermore, the contact surfaces of the sealing film and the filter holder can extend at an acute angle or at an obtuse angle to the main inflow direction and / or to the main outflow direction.

[0023] In a further preferred embodiment of the filter system according to the invention, the contact surface of the filter holder extends along a contact groove or a contact fold. Alternatively, the contact surface of the filter holder extends along a contact radius, in particular a contact radius, or along a contact chamfer. The contact surface of the filter holder thus forms a sealing seat for the sealing film, the contour of which can lead to increased filter efficiency.

[0024] The problem underlying the invention is further solved by a method of the type mentioned at the outset, wherein, within the framework of the method according to the invention, a sealing film is fixed to the filter base body in such a way that a contact surface of the sealing film, serving to seal a passage between the air filter and the filter holder of the filter system, projects beyond the filter base body. The sealing film can be fixed to the filter base body by bonding the sealing film and the filter base body. Preferably, an air filter according to one of the embodiments described above is manufactured using this method. With regard to the advantages and modifications of this method, reference is also made to the advantages and

[0025] Modifications of the air filter according to the invention are referred to.

[0026] The problem underlying the invention is further solved by a method of the type mentioned at the outset, wherein, within the framework of the method according to the invention, one or more sealing films are fixed to one or more components of the filter base body in such a way that a contact surface of the one or more sealing films, serving to seal a passage between the air filter and the filter holder of the filter system, projects beyond the respective component of the filter base body. Furthermore, the method comprises joining the components of the filter base body to form a filter base body connected to one or more sealing films, which includes a filter medium through which the air to be filtered can flow. The fixing of a sealing film to the component of the filter base body can be achieved by bonding the sealing film and the component of the filter base body.Using the method according to the invention, an air filter is preferably produced according to one of the embodiments described above. With regard to the advantages and modifications of this method according to the invention, reference is therefore made to the advantages and modifications of the air filter according to the invention.

[0027] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained and described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show:

[0028] Fig. 1 shows an air filter according to the invention in a schematic perspective view;

[0029] Fig. 2 shows another air filter according to the invention in a schematic sectional view;

[0030] Fig. 3 shows another air filter according to the invention in a schematic sectional view;

[0031] Fig. 4 shows a further air filter according to the invention in a schematic sectional view; Fig. 5 shows the production of an air filter according to the invention in a schematic representation; and

[0032] Fig. 6 shows a schematic representation of the production of another air filter according to the invention.

[0033] Fig. 1 shows an air filter 10, which is to be inserted into a filter housing of a filter system. The air filter 10 is a cabin air filter for a motor vehicle.

[0034] The air filter 10 comprises a filter base body 12, which includes a filter medium 14 through which the air to be filtered flows. The filter medium 14 is pleated and thus has a plurality of folds. A film arrangement 16 with several sealing films 18a-18c is located on the filter base body 12. The sealing films 18a-18c have a contact surface 28 that projects beyond the filter base body 12. The contact surface 28 of the sealing films 18a-18c can be brought into contact with a contact surface of the filter holder to seal a passage between the air filter 10 and the filter holder.

[0035] The sealing films 18a-18c are flexible polyethylene films and can be used for axial and radial sealing of the passage between the air filter 10 and the filter holder, or for sealing the passage between the air filter 10 and the filter holder perpendicular and / or parallel to the main airflow direction. The sealing films 18a-18c overlap at their ends, forming overlap areas 20a, 20b.

[0036] This results in a transition area between the sealing membranes 18a-18c.

[0037] The sealing membranes 18a-18c have a film thickness in a range between 20 pm and 60 pm.

[0038] The filter base body 12 has two opposing material strips 22, with the pleated filter medium 14 arranged between the material strips 22. The material strips 22 form the side facing of the air filter 10. The sealing films 18a-18c are bonded to the upper material edges 24 of the material strips 22 and the end material edges 26a, 26b of the pleated filter medium 14. The film assembly 16, comprising the multiple sealing films 18a-18c, has a circumferential ring structure. The contact surface 28 of the sealing films 18a-18c projects beyond the filter base body 12 by a certain amount. In the illustrated embodiment, this projection is in a range between 2 mm and 10 mm. The contact surface 28 of the sealing films 18a-18c projects laterally beyond the filter base body 12.

[0039] Fig. 2 shows a filter system 100 with a filter holder 102 and an air filter 10 inserted into the filter holder 102. The contact surface 28 of the sealing film 18 of the air filter 10 is in contact with a contact surface 104 of the filter holder 102 to seal the passage D between the air filter 10 and the filter holder 12. The air filter 10 separates a raw gas side of the filter system 100 from a clean gas side of the filter system 100. The sealing film 18 is located on the raw gas side.

[0040] The air filter 10 has a main inflow direction, in which the air L to be filtered flows into the air filter 10, and a main outflow direction, in which the filtered air L flows out of the air filter 10. The contact surfaces 28, 104 of the sealing film 18 and the filter holder 102 extend perpendicular to the main inflow direction and perpendicular to the main outflow direction.

[0041] The contact surface 28 of the sealing film 18 extends laterally beyond the filter base body 12 and is in contact with a contact surface 104 of the filter holder 102 running parallel to the surface of the filter base body 12, resulting in an axial seal or a film orientation perpendicular to the main airflow direction L, in which the airflow presses the sealing film 18 onto the filter holder 102.

[0042] The filter base body 12 is supported by a circumferential support projection 106 of the filter holder 102. The contact between the support projection 106 and the filter base body 102 creates a second sealing level, which is downstream of the foil sealing provided by the sealing foil 18.

[0043] In the embodiment of the filter system 100 shown in Fig. 3, the filter holder has a chamfered contact surface 104. In other embodiments, the contact surface 104 of the filter holder can also be rounded or designed as a contact groove or contact rebate.

[0044] Due to the flexibility of the sealing film 18, the shape of the sealing film 18 adapts to the contour of the contact surface 104 of the filter holder 102.

[0045] In the filter system 100 shown in Fig. 4, the air filter 10 has a sealing film 18, the contact surface 28 of which projects beyond the filter base body 12 on the inlet side. The sealing film 18 is bonded to the outer surface of the material strips 22a, 22b of the filter base body 12, which form the side facing. Due to the airflow, the sealing film 18 is pressed outwards in such a way that the outer contact surface 18 of the sealing film comes into contact with the inner channel wall of the filter holder 102. The sealing of the passage D between the air filter 10 and the filter holder 102 thus occurs radially, i.e., perpendicular to the main inlet and outlet directions of the air L.

[0046] Fig. 5 shows a method for manufacturing an air filter 10. In the illustrated method, a filter base body 12 is first provided, which comprises a filter medium 14 through which the air L to be filtered can flow. The filter medium 14 is a pleated filter material and is connected at its end face to material strips 22a, 22b of the filter base body 12.

[0047] As part of the manufacturing process, a sealing film 18 is provided, which has a circumferential ring structure. During the process, the sealing film 18 is fixed to the filter base body 12 such that a contact surface 28 of the sealing film 18, serving to seal a passage between the air filter 10 and the filter holder 102 of the filter system 100, projects laterally beyond the filter base body 12. The sealing film 18 is fixed to the filter base body 12 by bonding the sealing film 18 and the filter base body 12.

[0048] In the method for manufacturing an air filter 10 shown in Fig. 6, a component of a filter base body 12 is first provided, namely a strip of material 22. A sealing film 18 is then fixed to the strip of material 22 such that a contact surface 28, serving to seal a passage D between the air filter 10 and the filter holder 102 of the filter system 100, projects beyond the strip of material 22 as a protrusion 30. The sealing film 18 and the strip of material 22 are bonded together in a joint area 32. The sealing film 18 and a strip of material 22 provided for forming a side facing can be joined together, particularly in a continuous process, and wound onto rolls for further processing.

[0049] After the sealing film 18 and the material strip 22 have been bonded, side parts 34a-34d are cut to length. Cutting the side parts 34a-34d to length can be done, for example, as part of a cutting process. Each side part 34a-34d has a sealing film 18a-18d and a material strip 22a-22d.

[0050] After the side parts 34a-34d have been cut to length, they are joined together to form a filter base body 12 connected with several sealing films 18a-18d, the filter base body 12 comprising a filter medium 14 through which the air L to be filtered can flow. In the illustrated embodiment, the filter medium 14 through which the air L to be filtered can flow is a pleated filter material.

[0051] Reference sign

[0052] 10 air filters

[0053] 12 filter base bodies

[0054] 14 Filter medium

[0055] 16 slide arrangement

[0056] 18, 18a-18d Sealing membranes

[0057] 20a, 20b Overlap areas

[0058] 22, 22a-22d Material strips

[0059] 24 Material edge

[0060] 26a, 26b Material edges

[0061] 28 contact area

[0062] 30 excess

[0063] 32 Connection area

[0064] 34a-34d Side panels

[0065] 100 filter system

[0066] 102 filter holder

[0067] 104 contact area

[0068] 106 Beam projection

[0069] D Passage

[0070] L air

Claims

Claims 1. Air filter (10), in particular cabin air filter for a motor vehicle, for insertion into a filter holder (102) of a filter system (100), with a filter base body (12) comprising a filter medium (14) through which the air (L) to be filtered can flow; characterized by at least one sealing film (18, 18a-18d) arranged on the filter base body (12), which has a contact surface (28) projecting beyond the filter base body (12), wherein the contact surface (28) of the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) can be brought into contact with a contact surface (104) of the filter holder (102) to seal a passage (D) between the air filter (10) and the filter holder (102).

2. Air filter (10) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) has a film thickness in a range between 5 pm and 150 pm, preferably in a range between 10 pm and 100 pm, particularly preferably in a range between 20 pm and 60 pm.

3. Air filter (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) is bonded to the filter base body (12).

4. Air filter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) is connected to the filter base body (12) along the entire course of the sealing film (18, 18a-18d).

5. Air filter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) has a circumferential shape or several sealing films (18, 18a-18d) form a circumferential film arrangement (16).

6. Air filter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter base body (12) has lateral material strips (22, 22a-22d), wherein the filter medium (14) is attached to the lateral material strips (22, 22a-22d), wherein one or more sealing films (18, 18a-18d) are attached to the lateral material strips (22, 22a-22d) and / or one or more sealing films (18, 18a-18d) are attached to the filter medium (14).

7. Air filter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) is bonded to the filter base body (12).

8. Air filter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact surface (28) of the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) projects beyond the filter base body (12) by a projection dimension, wherein the projection dimension is in a range between 1 mm and 20 mm, preferably in a range between 2 mm and 10 mm, particularly preferably in a range between 3 mm and 8 mm.

9. Air filter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact surface (28) of the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) projects laterally beyond the filter base body (12).

10. Air filter (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter base body (12) has an inlet side and an outlet side, wherein the contact surface (28) of the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) extends beyond the filter base body (12) on the inlet side and / or on the outlet side.

11. Filter system (100), with a filter holder (102); and an air filter (10) that can be inserted into the filter holder (102); characterized in that the air filter (10) is designed according to one of the preceding claims and the contact surface (28) of the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) for sealing a passage (D) between the air filter (10) and the filter holder (102) is in contact with a contact surface (104) of the filter holder (102).

12. Filter system (100) according to claim 11, characterized in that the air filter (10) has a main inflow direction and a main outflow direction; wherein the contact surfaces (28, 104) of the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) and the filter holder (102) extend perpendicular to the main inflow direction and / or to the main outflow direction; or wherein the contact surfaces (28, 104) of the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) and the filter holder (102) extend parallel to the main inflow direction and / or to the main outflow direction; or wherein the contact surfaces (28, 104) of the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) and the filter holder (102) extend at an acute angle or at an obtuse angle to the main inflow direction and / or to the main outflow direction.

13. Filter system (100) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the contact surface (104) of the filter receptacle (102) extends along a contact groove or a contact fold or a contact rounding, in particular an edge radius, or along a contact chamfer.

14. Method for manufacturing an air filter (10), in particular an air filter (10) according to one of claims 1 to 10, for insertion into a filter holder (102) of a filter system (100), comprising the step: Providing a filter base body (12) comprising a filter medium (14) through which the air (L) to be filtered can flow; characterized by the step: Fixing a sealing film (18, 18a-18d) to the filter base body (12) such that a contact surface (28) of the sealing film (18, 18a-18d) serving to seal a passage (D) between the air filter (10) and the filter holder (102) of the filter system (100) extends beyond the filter base body (12).

15. Method for manufacturing an air filter (10), in particular an air filter (10) according to one of claims 1 to 10, for insertion into a filter holder (102) of a filter system (100), comprising the step: Providing components of a filter base body (12), characterized by the steps: Fixing one or more sealing films (18, 18a-18d) to one or more components of the filter base body (12) such that a contact surface (28) of the one or more sealing films (18, 18a-18d) serving to seal a passage (D) between the air filter (10) and the filter holder (102) of the filter system (100) projects beyond the respective component of the filter base body (12); and Assembling the components of the filter base body (12) to form a filter base body (12) connected with one or more sealing films (18, 18a-18d), which comprises a filter medium (14) through which the air (L) to be filtered can flow.

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