PURPOSE: To eliminate putting in and out of a filter element following the regeneration of it and also carry out the required and sufficient regeneration easily in any place even in an emergency in the regenerative method for filter element of a particulate filter that is mounted on a vehicle and captures particles in exhaust gases from a diesel engine.

CONSTITUTION: Openable branch routes 7A and 7B connected to the atmosphere without passing through a particulate filter 4 are located in an exhaust route in the upstream of the particulate filter 4 and, with the branch routes 7A and 7B kept open, high-pressure air 8 is supplied from the downstream of the particulate filter 4, and at least a part of captured particles is discharged from the branch routes 7A and 7B together with the flow of the high-pressure air.