Air Climate Control System Register Filter

The present invention generally relates to filtration of air in climate control systems and, more particularly, is concerned with filtration of air emanating from climate control air registers located at the final distribution point of the system.

Reducing the amount of foreign particles in indoor living and working areas is a large concern for people affected by breathing such particles. Indoor climate control systems are an abundant source of these particles and filtration of the air emanating from these systems has been widely practiced.

Filtering of the air emanating from an indoor climate control system has been practiced in the past by using filtering means at the main source of the system's air as well as at the air registers located at the final distribution point of the air in the system. Filters at the air registers used in the past, however, inadequately filter the air, are cumbersome and create a obstruction in the working and living environments.

One device that has been proposed to filter air at the air climate control register is a box-like apparatus made from a perforated sheet of pre-cut cardboard which can be folded into its proper shape by the ultimate user. The apparatus further provides for a filter material fastened to an open surface of the device for filtering and release of forced air from the hot air system for which it was designed. Finally, the apparatus includes a flange made by bending a section of the perforated cardboard pattern for securing the device to the register while in use. The patent attempts to provide for an efficient and convenient air filter device, however, it has serious drawbacks.

One major drawback of the device and other variations of it is that it is inconvenient to use. The mere presence of the raised box style creates an obstruction in the living or working environment inhibiting free movement. The filter box can be kicked, crushed or tripped over by people in normal movement about the environment. Also, the box device requires partial assembly before use, making it a less desirable option. A second drawback is that the box-type filter is difficult to clean since the filter cloth is attached to the cardboard frame. Finally, the box-type design restricts registers with adjustable air flow valves from properly directing air flowing from the system.

Consequently, a need exists for a convenient device for filtering air emanating from an air climate control system.

The present invention seeks to improve filtering means used in conjunction with air climate control system registers by providing a slip-on device for the registers made of a porous material for filtering foreign particles from the air released from the air climate control system into the living or working environment while, at the same time, remaining hidden away from traffic in the environment by being installed flush with the system register. The air filter device further provides for a colorable, ornate and durable object for interior design applications that is easier to clean than the system's main filter. The air filter device also provides for prevention of rattling noises resulting from registers mounted on hard surfaces and vibrated by air forced from the climate control system and prevents foreign objects from falling into the system.

The present invention provides for an air filter device for use in combination with a climate control system having a register with an outwardly extending perimeter flange and an exposed surface. The outwardly extending perimeter flange supports the register when the register is installed with respect to an aperture in a support surface. The air filter can include porous material means for filtering air emanating from the system with limited restriction of air flow caused by the porous material covering the aperture, which when not covered, would allow air to flow from the climate control system unrestricted. The porous material means covering the exposed surface of the register with excess material extending beyond the perimeter flange of the register and folded under the perimeter flange for securing the porous material means to the register by interposing the porous material means between the perimeter flange and the supporting surface.

Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the present invention in its form prior to the cutting and folding process;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the present invention after the cutting and folding process;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is the cross-section of FIG. 3 shown installed on an air climate control register mounted on a surface;

FIG. 5 is a top cut-away view of the present invention installed on an air climate control register mounted on a support surface;

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of a second embodiment of the present invention shown mounted on the climate control register; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly, to FIG. 1, there is shown a top view of the air filter apparatus, generally designated 10, prior to the cutting and folding process which forms the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The air filter 10 includes a porous material with a top surface 11 cut from a predetermined pattern defined by cut lines 12, 14 and 16 for forming a generally rectangular planar cut pattern and for removing corners 22. The illustrated embodiment is further defined by fold lines 18, 20. Of course, it should be apparent that other geometric shapes and configurations can be formed according to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure herein, and that the rectangular configuration shown in FIGS. 1-5 is for illustration purposes.

After the cutting step, sides 13, 15 are folded at fold lines 18, 20 approximately 180.degree. to overlap a bottom surface 21 of the porous material. As shown in FIG. 2, where adjacent edges of sides formed by cut lines 16 are joined by stitching 17 or other fastening means such as heat seamed, chemical bonded or mechanically held together. The folding step additionally creates a peripheral edge with edges 12a, 14a, fragments of edges 12, 14 respectively in FIG. 1, and rounded corners 23 to prevent fabric fraying at said corners.

A cross-sectional view of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 3 showing air filter 10 made from porous material 10A of thickness T sufficient to allow filtration of air of pollen, dust and other harmful foreign particles without significantly restricting the free flow of air emanating from the climate control system. As shown at 28 in FIG. 3, clearance is provided for insertion of a register 36 (shown in FIG. 4). Clearance 28 extends around the perimeter for the air filter 10 from fold line 20 and fold line 18 to cut edges 14 and 12 respectively. Further included in the present invention are outside and inside round edges 32 and 34 respectively resulting from folding edges 18, 20. The inside round edge 34 defines an inner peripheral edge surface 30 spaced outwardly from inner peripheral edges 12, 14.

FIG. 4 shows the cross-section of air filter 10 of FIG. 3 installed on an air climate control system register 36. The air register 36 is then mounted on support surface 42 covering system air duct 44. The air filter 10 and register 36 assembly are removably mounted onto support surface 42 with air filter 10 interposed between outwardly extending peripheral flanges 31 formed on register 36 and support surface 42. Air filter 10 includes register-filter contact surface 37 and filter-mounting contact surface 39. Contact surfaces 37 and 39 secure the air filter 10 in place on register 36 by gravitational force on the register 36 if secured to a surface or by compression if register 36 is mounted to a wall or ceiling support surface by attachment means (not shown).

A top view of the air filter 10 and register assembly mounted on support surface 42 with cut-away sections of the assembly displaying interaction of parts is shown in FIG. 5. Top surface 11 of air filter 10 is shown covering a top portion of the register 36 extending beyond peripheral flange edges 46, 48 of register 36. Sides 13, 15 fold under peripheral flange 31 (shown in FIG. 4) at fold lines 18, 20. The overlapping portion of air filter 10 extends under the peripheral flange 31 up to and slightly beyond edge 52 defining an aperture in the support surface 42. The inner peripheral edges 12, 14 are of sufficient size to anchor the air filter 10 between the register 36 and support surface 42 while still allowing free flow of air emanating from system air duct 44 through surface opening 44, then through register 36 and finally through air filter 10.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention involves an air filter 10 for use in combination with a climate control system having a register 36 with an outwardly extending perimeter flange 31 of a length L2 and a width W2 and an exposed surface. The outwardly extending perimeter flange 31 supports the register 36 when the register is installed over an opening in a support surface communicating with a distribution passage of the climate control system. The air filter 10 includes a porous material 10A that allows filtration of air with limited restriction of normal system air flow caused by partial blocking of the opening by the porous material 10A. The porous material 10A is cut from a predetermined pattern, wherein the pattern defines a rectangle having length L1 and width W1 each respectively proportional to length L2 and width W2 of the perimeter flange 31 where L1 is greater than L2 and W1 is greater than W2. Excess porous material is defined by an area surrounding the register, when the register 36 is centered on the rectangularly cut porous material 10A and extending beyond the perimeter flange 31 to allow folding of the excess material approximately 180 .degree., thus, overlapping the perimeter flange 31. The predetermined pattern further includes sections cut from the rectangle for forming folded over corners of the rectangularly cut porous material 10A which are removed by way of the pattern cut. The porous material 10A also has an elastic potential such to allow said porous material 10A with one end of the porous material 10A held stationary to stretch at least two directions at the distance approximately from line of the fold to the edge of the excess material to allow the porous material 10A to be removably attached to the flange 31 by slidably installing the non-stationary end of the porous folded material 10A over one side of the peripheral flange 31 with each of the two respectively proportional lengths and widths adjacent to each respective corresponding lengths and stretching the opposite end of the porous material 10A over the opposite corresponding edge of the flange 31 so as to allow the excess material to slip over opposite end of the flange 31. This provides for security of the porous material 10A to the flange 31 during use by gravitational force exerted on the porous material 10A by the register 36. The air filter 10 finally includes fastening means for securing the adjacent edges of the folded excess material brought together as a result of the fold.

A second embodiment of the present invention includes a porous material like the preferred embodiment and is installed on an unexposed surface of the air climate control register 36 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. For this second embodiment, the register 36 has a rectangular duct 33 attached to the register 36 and extending into an opening 44 in the mounting surface 42 which is covered by the register 36. The porous material 10A extends over the duct opening 44 and slips over the sides 35 of the duct 33 for filtering the air emanating from the air climate control system at the unexposed surface of the register 36. The filter 10A of the second embodiment has a filtering surface 11A covering the duct opening 44 and peripheral sides 35 extending perpendicular to the filtering surface with adjacent edges of each side fastened to each other with fastening means 17A to allow a secure elastic slip fit over the peripheral sides 35 of the duct 33.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.