Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present i.nvention consists mainly of a device Eor
filtering the air in a residential environment.
Many types of device are avai.lable to perform th.is task in
a multitude of ways. Most devices remove impurities by
moving air past a filter medium made from fiberglass,
metal, plastics, carbon or combinations of these materials.
one such group of devices wou].d be classed as portable or
self contained. This group incorpora es a mechanical means
to move the air and a filter element. The size of the
filter element and volume of air moved are relevant factors
in efficiency and costs of such devices. The majority of
portable devices commercially available for use in a
residen-tial environment use very small fil~ers and process
small quantities of air rendering them less -than adequate
for most residences.
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~s well many portable filt~rs must be located in the room
where filtration is required. The motor and fan often used
to move the air over the filter produce unwanted noise.
With a combination of fan, filter element and power source
such devices would not be consid~red passive. Such
mechanical devices often require maintenance and
replacem~nt as well as being expensive.
Another group of filter prod~cts use the existing forced
air heating and cooling system as the prime mover of air
within a residentii~l environment.
one example of these filters perform when inserted in the
air path as it moves through the duct work. All of the
volume of air moving through the system is channeled
through this type of filter.
As with most filter products they require replacement and
or cleaning. When a filter product is located within the
duct work of a home it is often in a difficult to reach or
cramped area. Some filters of this nature require the
removal of parts of the heating/cooling unit for access. In
North America tens of mi:Llions of disposable filters, of
this type, per year are discarded, contributing to our
waste problem.
Another example of this fil-~.er type, Canadian Patent
No.1271940 Parke, issued July 24, 1990 perform by being
inserted in the air path as .it moves through the Eloor
level register at the point the air enters the room.
This invention is a commercially successful, easy to
access, easy to clsan and replace filte~ However, similar
to other filters that resiide within the ductwork, this
invention does not filter air prior to the air ent.ering the
ductwork.
Many filter products using the exi.sting forced air heating
/ cooling system to filter air and located within the
ductwork, do not filter dirty air before it ~n-ters the
ductwork. In the last few years therP has been a trend for
Companies to offer ductcleaning services, creating a demand
for filtration to keep ducts clean,
Another drawback of products using the existing forced air
heating / cooling system is the difficulty of access for
replacement and servicincJ.
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It is desirable to have a residential envir~nment wi-th
clean air. It. is al~so desirable to have a filter for
filtering air before it enkers the ductwork. It is
desirable to have residential air filters in a location
easy to access, of the passive varie~y, inexpensive and
have such filters removable for replacement and serviclng.
The present invention provides for the beorementioned
needs. With the growing profile of "clean air equals good
health" many consumers have a need for new and innovative
filtration. The commercial success oE the beforementioned
register filtersl Canadian Patent 1271940/ is a good
example of fulfillment of this type of need. ~he present
invention offers an inexpensive means to use existing
heating / cooling equipment to provide a needed type of air
filtration. An added benefit is the inventions ability to
reduce the dust and dirt entering and contaminatiny -the
ductwork.
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~l According to one aspect the invention consists of a device
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for filtering air comprising a thin rectangular g~nerally
flat air filter medium ~attached or removably attached to a
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residential return air rJrill used in heating and cooling
systems.
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According to ano-ther aspect the invention consists of a
device for fllte:King air, comprising: a generally thin~
flat, rectangul.ar body of filter medium and means of
attachment. rrhe body fits o~ and parallel to the suction
side of a residential air return grill used in heating and
cooling systems. The means of attachment is aligned
between the body and suction side of the grill in iuch a
position to firmly attach said body to said grill.
The invention may also have a body of washable fil-ter
medium.
The invention may also have a body of Eil.ter m~dium in a
f our s ided shape.
The invention may also have a means of attachment
consisting of strip(si) of hook and loop fastner.
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The invention may also have a means of attachment, being an
adhesive backed hook portion o:E hook and loop Eastener.
The invention may also have a means of attachment~ said
means oE attachment being an adhesive.
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According to another aspect the i~vention consis-ts of a
device for filterin~ air comprising a body of thin
rectangular generally flat filter material. Preferably this
material is a two to six ounce per square yard stranded
polyeciiter filter medium. The nature of this material makes
it receptive to the hook portion of hook and loop fastener.
A means of attachment may consist of strip(s) of the hook
portion of hook and loop fastener with an adhesive back.
The body may fit on and approximately parallel to a, broad,
suction side of the residential air return grill used in
heating and cooling system 4i. This type of grill,
generally, i5 located, with a broad suction side parallel
to a wall near floor level. The grill is generally a
rectangular shape haviny sidei, a top and bottom of narrow
proportions and broad sides louvered to allow the passage
of air.
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The means of attachment is aligned between the body and
suction side of the grill. The position of the means of
attachment may ocGur near the perimeter of the suction side
1l~ of the grill to firmly but removably attach the body to the
3~ grill.
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The invention as exemplified by a preferr~d embodiment, is
describ~d with reference to thP drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an em~odiment of the
invention, a filter and mean~ of attachment.
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Figure 2 illuskrates a ~omponent related to the invention,
th~ suction side of a grill, in which the inventlon is
utilized.
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;~ Figure 3 is a perspective view s,howing the location of a
~ grill, in which the invention is used, in relai-tion to the
:, floor and wall of a room.
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Figure 4 is a cutaway s.ide view showîng the position of a
~11 grill in relation to the; floorl wall of a room, opening to
1~ ductwork and the invention, comprising; a ~ilter eleme:llt
.1~; and means of attachment in the preferred position.
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Referring to the drawings~ the preferred embodiment of the
invention shown in Figure 1, a filt~r comprising a filter
eleme~t 6 and hook portion of hook and loop -fastener 8. The
preferred embodiment of the invention in working position
is located on the suction side 12 of the grlll 15 shown in
Figure 2.
As may be seen in Figure 3 the grill 15 is located at the
junction of wall 16 and floor 18. The grill 15 covers the
entrance 22 of the ductwork 20 shown in Figure 4.
The hook portion of hook and loop fastener 8 comprises
several pieces as illustrated in Figure 1 positioned to
correspond to the dim~nsions of the outer perimeter and
center portior. of the suction side 12 of the grill 15 shown
i.n Figure 2.
Shown in Figure 1 the hook portion of hook and loop
fastener 8 has an adhesive back 14 which is used to secure
the hook portion of hook and loop fastener 8 to the grill
15 illustrated in Figure 2.
The ~ilter element 6 illustrated in Figure 1 is receptive
to the hook portion of the hook and loop fastener 8. The
filter element 6 is preferably made from strands o~
polyester or similar fibers to form filter element 6.
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~ strated in Figure 4 the grill ~.5 is in position against
wall 16 resting on floor 18 covering entrance to ductwork
22. The filter element 6 is naturally attracted -to and
attached to the hook portion of hook and loop fastener 8
which is positioned on and held to the suction side 12 of
grill 15 by the adhesive back 14. The invention cleans air
as it passes through the filter element 6 on its way to
opening to ductwork 22 ~nd ductwork 20.
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A prefered embodiment of the invention was constructed and
put into use as follows: in reference to Figure 4 the
filter element 6 made of stranded polyester and a binding
, agent was cut to size to fit on the suction side 12 of
i~ grill 15. Pieces of the hook portion of hook and loop
fastener 8 having an adhesive back 14 were pressed onto the
outer periphery and center port.ion of the suction s.ide 12
of grill 15. The filter element 6 was pressed onto the
hook portion of the hook and loop fastener 8.
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