SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MAKING PLEATED FILTER MEDIA

摘要

Systems and methods for automated fabrication of pleated filters that promote user-selected adjustment of the pleat spacing generated by the system. A lower conveyor of a pleat spacing station is operated at a selected conveyor rate. A gathered pleated segment of filter material is received at the pleat spacing station. The pleat spacing station expands a pleat spacing of the gathered pleated segment in forming a pleated filter segment. Expansion of the pleats at the pleat spacing station is accomplished by initially engaging the filter material along the lower conveyor, with the conveyor rate being alterable by a user, including on the fly alteration, to establish a desired pleat spacing and thus pleat density in the pleated filter.

主权项

1. A method of forming a pleated filtered media, the method comprising:
operating a lower conveyor of a pleat spacing station at a selected conveyor rate; receiving a gathered pleated segment of a web of filter material at the pleat spacing station, the gathered pleated segment having a plurality of pleats including a plurality of pleat tips and a plurality of pleat valleys, and arranged in a first configuration defined by a maximum first distance between adjacent pleat tips; and adjusting and setting the arrangement of the plurality of pleat tips within the pleat spacing station into a second spaced configuration defined by a second distance between adjacent pleat tips to form a pleated filter segment, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance and varies as a function of the selected conveyor rate.