Background

Filters are used for many purposes, such as removing small suspended particulates from fluid flows. Filtration systems can include filter media attached to portions of the filtration system via different attachment technologies.

Summary

In some aspects, a filtration system is disclosed. The filtration system can include an exhaust hood defining an exhaust hood intake and a filter media disposed proximate the exhaust hood. The filter media can define a filter media intake side and an opposed filter media exhaust side. The filtration system can further include a securement system adapted to releasably secure the filter media to the exhaust hood, and the securement system can include one or more securement elements.

In some aspects, a filtration system is disclosed. The filtration system can include an exhaust hood defining an exhaust hood intake and a mounting article secured to the exhaust hood. An article securement system can be adapted to secure the mounting article to the exhaust hood, and the article securement system can include one or more article securement elements. A filter media can define a filter media intake side and an opposed filter media exhaust side. A filter media securement system can be adapted to releasably secure the filter media to the mounting article, and the filter media securement system can include one or more filter media securement elements.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is schematic system view of a filter securement system including cooking equipment and an exhaust system, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2-4 are schematic views of a filter mounting assembly including an exhaust hood, a filter media and a securement system, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 5-7 are schematic views of another filter mounting assembly including an exhaust hood, a filter media, a mounting article, a mounting article securement system and a filter media securement system, according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Description

In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof and in which various embodiments are shown by way of illustration. The drawings are not necessarily to scale. It is to be understood that other embodiments are contemplated and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the present description. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense.

Filters can be used in a wide range of applications. In some embodiments, filters may be designed for general air filtration to filter primarily airborne particulates. For example, filters may be designed to filter particles smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter, smaller than 5 micrometers in diameter, smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, smaller than 1.0 micrometer in diameter, smaller than 0.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller than 0.3 micrometers in diameter, among others.

Filters can also be used in a specific location, such as an exhaust hood, for grease filtering in a commercial cooking environment. In commercial kitchens, grease capture in exhaust hoods may be important for health, safety and environmental reasons. However, grease buildup in and around an exhaust hood or an exhaust system may pose a fire hazard.

To mitigate the hazard, commercial kitchens typically use airflow interrupters or disrupters, such as baffles. These can be made of a non-flammable material, such as a metal or metal alloy, including stainless steel, galvanized steel or aluminum. The baffle can prevent fire from spreading from the cooking surface into the exhaust system.

However, grease buildup on baffles requires regular cleaning to maintain the baffle’s effectiveness as a fire barrier and a grease collector. Aesthetically, visible grease on a commercial hood baffle can also be undesirable. Removing, cleaning and reinstalling the baffles can be time consuming, labor-intensive, expensive and dangerous. The present disclosure provides various embodiments of an improved filtration system. Versus conventional baffles, the present disclosure can provide a low-cost grease-trapping solution that is lightweight and easy to install in an exhaust hood. Portions of the disclosed filtration system can occupy a range hood position traditionally occupied by conventional baffles. Elements of the disclosed filtration system can replace or augment traditional baffles in an exhaust hood, thereby requiring minimal or no modifications to existing exhaust systems. Other benefits and uses are also foreseen. For clarity, moving from the cooking equipment through the exhaust system and past the blower can be defined as moving downstream, while moving in the opposite direction can be defined as moving upstream.

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a filtration system 40 including cooking equipment 50 and an exhaust system 54. The cooking equipment 50 can be an oven, stove, grill, fryer, broiler or any other commonly used cooking apparatus known to those skilled in the art and can further define a cooking surface 52. The exhaust system 54 can include an exhaust hood 58 defining an exhaust hood flange 60. The exhaust hood flange 60, can releasably or permanently retain a baffle. An exhaust hood intake 59 can be defined by the exhaust hood 58, and can represent an upstream portion of the exhaust hood 58 and/or a portion of the exhaust hood 58 into which gasses or fluid flows enter the exhaust hood 58. The exhaust hood 58 can be positioned to capture all or a portion of grease and other particulates generated by the use of the cooking equipment 50. A blower 66 can, via a duct 62, create a reduced-pressure area proximate the cooking equipment 50 (relative to ambient pressure) that can encourage grease and other particulates generated by use of the cooking equipment 50 to enter the exhaust system 54 via the exhaust hood 58. In such a system, as illustrated in FIG. 1, air, gasses, grease and/or particulates can travel into the exhaust system 54 via the exhaust hood 58 and filter media 100, as represented by arrow 70. The filtered air, gasses and any remaining grease and/or particulates can then pass through the duct 62 and blower 66 before exiting the exhaust system 54, as represented by arrow 74. Arrows 70 and 74 represent portions of a fluid flow traveling from the cooking surface 52, through the exhaust hood 58 and out through the rest of the exhaust system 54.

As will be described below in further detail, a filter media 100 can be disposed proximate the exhaust hood 58, and a filter media intake side 102 facing upstream and a filter media exhaust side 104 facing downstream are also illustrated in FIG. 1.

Turning to FIG. 2, the filter media 100 can be seen proximate the exhaust hood 58 and exhaust hood flange 60. In some embodiments, the filter media 100 can be secured to the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59 via a securement system 120. FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment where the securement system 120 secures the filter media 100 to the exhaust hood flange 60, and the filter media 100 is be disposed substantially outside of the exhaust hood 58.

The securement system 120 can include one or more securement elements 124a, 124b. In particular, two securement elements 124a, 124b are shown in FIG. 2, while it is to be understood that more or fewer securement elements can be included in the securement system 120. The securement elements 124a, 124b can releasably or permanently secure the filter media 100 to the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59. In some embodiments, the phrase ‘releasably’ as applied to securement can indicate an easy separation by a user, a separation by a user requiring a low amount of force, a design of the securement element 124a, 124b and/or the elements being releasably secured that facilitates their easy separation, and/or the absence of a permanent or lasting securement technology including, but not limited to, weldments, strong adhesives, rivets, brazing, soldering or any other technology known to those skilled in the art.

The securement elements 124a, 124b can include any mechanical, chemical or electrical technology known to those skilled in the art and suited to secure, or releasably secure, the filter media 100 to the to the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59. In non-limiting embodiments, the securement elements 124a, 124b can include magnets, adhesives, mechanical fasteners, biased mechanical fasteners, hook-and-loop panels, tape, press-fits, double-sided tape, clips, electrostatics, static cling, 3M Dual Lock Fasteners, suction devices and/or any other suitable technology. In some embodiments, hooks or loops can be formed on the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust intake

58 and corresponding engaging hooks or loops can be formed in the filter media 100. It is also to be understood that any of these techniques can releasably secure the filter media 100 to the securement elements 124a, 124b, can releasably secure the securement elements 124a, 124b to a portion of the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59, and/or can releasably secure the filter media 100 to a portion of the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59.

When the filter media 100 is releasably secured to the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59 via the securement system 120, the filter media 100 can extend from one side of the exhaust hood 58 to an opposed side of the exhaust hood 58, from one side of the exhaust hood flange 60 to an opposed side of the exhaust hood flange 60 and/or from one side of the exhaust hood intake 59 to an opposed side of the exhaust hood intake 59.

Turning to FIG. 3, the filter media 100 can be seen proximate the exhaust hood intake

59 and exhaust hood flange 60. In some embodiments, the filter media 100 can be disposed, at least partially or wholly, within the exhaust hood flange 60. In some embodiments, one or more of securement elements 124a, 124b can be disposed, at least partially or wholly, within the exhaust hood flange 60.

Turning to FIG. 4, the filter media 100 can be seen within the exhaust hood 58. In some embodiments, the filter media 100 can be disposed, at least partially or wholly, within the exhaust hood 58. In some embodiments, one or more of the securement elements 124a, 124b can be disposed, at least partially or wholly, within the exhaust hood flange 60.

Turning to FIG. 5, a mounting article 140, an article securement system 144, and a filter media securement system 154 are shown. The mounting article 140 can include, or be, one or more elements secured, or releasably secured, to the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59. In some embodiments, the mounting article 140 is a baffle. In some embodiments, the mounting article 140 is a filtering device. In some embodiments, the mounting article 140 is a listed component for use in an exhaust hood 58. In some embodiments, the mounting article 140 is a structural frame that serves to facilitate the mounting of the filter media 100 on, proximate or within the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59. In various embodiments, the mounting article 140 can include fiberglass, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, metals, metal alloys, polymers, carbon, ceramics, organic materials, braided materials, fire-resistant materials, 3M NEXTEL ceramic fibers and textiles, cardboard, chip board or any other material known to those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, the mounting article 140 can extend from one side of the exhaust hood 58 to an opposed side of the exhaust hood, 58 from one side of the exhaust hood flange 60 to an opposed side of the exhaust hood flange 60 and/or from one side of the exhaust hood intake 59 to an opposed side of the exhaust hood intake 59.

The mounting article 140 can be releasably or permanently secured to the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59 via the article securement system 144. The article securement system 144 can include one or more article securement elements 148a, 148b. In particular, two article securement elements 148a, 148b are shown in FIG. 5, while it is to be understood that more or fewer article securement elements can be included in the article securement system 144. The article securement elements 148a, 148b can releasably or permanently secure the mounting article 140 to the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59. In some embodiments, the phrase ‘releasably’ as applied to article securement can indicate an easy separation by a user, a separation by a user requiring a low amount of force, a design of the article securement element 148a, 148b and/or the elements being releasably secured that facilitates their easy separation, and/or the absence of a permanent or lasting securement technology including, but not limited to, weldments, strong adhesives, rivets, brazing, soldering or any other technology known to those skilled in the art.

The article securement elements 148a, 148b can include any mechanical, chemical or electrical technology known to those skilled in the art and suited to secure the mounting article 140 to the to the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59. In non-limiting embodiments, the article securement elements 148a, 148b can include magnets, adhesives, mechanical fasteners, biased mechanical fasteners, hook-and-loop panels, tape, press-fits, double-sided tape, clips, electrostatics, 3M Dual Lock Fasteners, static cling, suction devices and/or any other suitable technology. In some embodiments, hooks or loops can be formed on the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust intake 58 and corresponding engaging hooks or loops can be formed on the mounting article 140. It is also to be understood that any of these techniques can releasably secure the mounting article 140 to the article securement elements 148a, 148b, can releasably secure the article securement elements 148a, 148b to a portion of the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59, and/or can releasably secure the mounting article 140 to a portion of the exhaust hood 58, exhaust hood flange 60 and/or exhaust hood intake 59. Further, the mounting article 140 can be releasably or permanently secured to the filter media 100 via the filter media securement system 154. The filter media securement system 154 can include one or more filter media securement elements 158a, 158b. In particular, two filter media securement elements 158a, 158b are shown in FIG. 5, while it is to be understood that more or fewer filter media securement elements can be included in the filter media securement system 154. The filter media securement elements 158a, 158b can releasably or permanently secure the mounting article 140 to the filter media 100. In some embodiments, the phrase ‘releasably’ as applied to filter media securement can indicate an easy separation by a user, a separation by a user requiring a low amount of force, a design of the filter media securement element 158a, 158b and/or the elements being releasably secured that facilitates their easy separation, and/or the absence of a permanent or lasting securement technology including, but not limited to, weldments, strong adhesives, rivets, brazing, soldering or any other technology known to those skilled in the art.

The filter media securement elements 158a, 158b can include any mechanical, chemical or electrical technology known to those skilled in the art and suited to secure the mounting article 140 to the to the filter media 100. In non-limiting embodiments, the filter media securement elements 158a, 158b can include magnets, adhesives, mechanical fasteners, biased mechanical fasteners, hook-and-loop panels, 3M Dual Lock Fasteners, tape, press-fits, double-sided tape, clips, electrostatics, static cling, suction devices and/or any other suitable technology. In some embodiments, hooks or loops can be formed on the mounting article 140 and corresponding engaging hooks or loops can be formed in the filter media 100. It is also to be understood that any of these techniques can releasably secure the mounting article 140 to the filter media securement elements 158a, 158b, can releasably secure the filter media securement elements 158a, 158b to the filter media 100, and/or can releasably secure the mounting article 140 to the filter media 100.

Turning to FIG. 6, the filter media 100 and mounting article 140 can be seen proximate the exhaust hood intake 59 and exhaust hood flange 60. In some embodiments, the filter media 100 and/or the mounting article 140 can be disposed, at least partially or wholly, within the exhaust hood flange 60. In some embodiments, one or more of article securement elements 148a, 148b and filter media securement elements 158a, 158b can be disposed, at least partially or wholly, within the exhaust hood flange 60.

Turning to FIG. 7, the filter media 100 and mounting article 140 can be seen within the exhaust hood 58. In some embodiments, the filter media 100 and/or mounting article 140 can be disposed, at least partially or wholly, within the exhaust hood 58. In some embodiments, one or more of the article securement elements 148a, 148b and filter media securement elements 158a, 158b can be disposed, at least partially or wholly, within the exhaust hood 58. In various embodiments, the filter media 100 can include different materials or the same material. In particular, the filter media 100 can include fiberglass, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum foil, perforated aluminum foil, metals, metal alloys, polymers, carbon, ceramics, organic materials, braided materials, fire-resistant materials, 3M NEXTEL Ceramic Fibers and Textiles, cardboard, chip board or any other material known to those skilled in the art.

In some embodiments, the filter media 100 can include fibers that form a non-woven and/or non-knitted material. The non-woven and/or non-knitted material can describe materials that are bonded together by chemical, mechanical, heat or solvent treatments, rather than by knitting or weaving. The non-woven material can be lofty, carded, air-laid or mechanically bonded (such as spun-lace, needle-entangled or needle-tacked). The non-woven material can be bonded (e.g., the fibers are bonded to one another at various locations) or non-bonded.

The filter media 100 can include a heat-setting material or a melt material that provides some or all of the bonding in the non-woven material, such as a flake, powder, fiber or a combination thereof. The heat-setting material can include any suitable thermoplastic or thermoset polymer, such as polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP) or a combination thereof. After melting and/or heat bonding, the flake, powder and/or fiber can melt and bond the fibers together, increasing a strength and stability of the material.

In some embodiments, the filter media 100 can include a Flame-Resistant (FR) material, Oxidized Polyacrylonitrile fiber (OPAN), modacrylic, flame-resistant rayon, Polyacrylonitrile (PAN), Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polypropylene (PP), Kapok Fiber, Poly Lactic Acid (PLA), cotton, nylon, polyester, rayon (e.g., non-flame-retardant rayon), wool, basalt, fiberglass, ceramic or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the filter media 100 can include a conventional filter media material (such as polyolefin) that has been treated or coated to be flame-resistant, a conventional filter media material and a metal mesh and/or a flame-resistant barrier. In some embodiments, the fibers can be bicomponent fibers, or fibers made of more than one material, such as those listed in this disclosure. In various embodiments, the filter media can be pleated, non-pleated and/or multilayered (which can include a multi-layer web including a woven layer, such as a woven basalt layer), based upon application.

The filter media 100 can, in various embodiments, include a coating, a heat-setting or melt material (e.g., powder, flakes and/or fibers), a metal fiber, a glass fiber, a ceramic fiber, an aramid fiber, a sorbent, an intumescent material (e.g., a fiber or a particle), mica, diatomaceous earth, glass bubbles, carbon particles or a combination thereof. Examples of flame-resistant materials include any polymer designated as flame-retardant (e.g., as pure materials or as compounds including the materials), aluminum, polyphosphate, phosphorus, nitrogen, sulfur, silicon, antimony, chlorine, bromine, magnesium, zinc, carbon or a combination thereof. Flame- resistant materials can be halogen-containing flame retardants or non-halogenated flame retardants. Examples of coatings or additives can include expandable graphite, vermiculite, ammonium polyphosphate, alumina trihydrate (ATH), magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2), aluminum hydroxide (AI(OH)3), molybdate compounds, chlorinated compounds, brominated compounds, antimony oxides, organophosphorus compounds or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the filter media 100 can include airlaid nonwoven web prepared using 90% oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) staple fiber with a denier diameter of 5.0dtex x 60mm (commercially available under the trade designation ZOLTEK™ OX) and 10% binding fiber (high temperature polyester binding or melty fiber with a denier diameter of 6.7dtex x 60 mm, commercially available under the trade designation TREVIRA® T270) with an area weight of 150 grams per square meter.

In some embodiments, the filter media 100 can include airlaid nonwoven web prepared using nylon staple fiber with a denier diameter of 1000 dtex, or denier, and 10% binding fiber (commercially available under the trade designation TREVIRA® T270) with an area weight of 550 grams per square meter.

In some embodiments, the filter media 100 can include airlaid nonwoven web prepared using 40% 5.0dtex x 60 mm OPAN staple fiber, 40% 500 dtex, or denier, PET staple fiber (commercially available from David C. Poole Company, Inc., Greenville, SC), and 20% 15 dtex, or denier, binding fiber, such as is commercially available from Huvis (Seoul, South Korea) with an area weight of 225 grams per square meter.

In various embodiments, the filter media 100 can have a constant, substantially constant or variable thickness as measured from the filter media intake side 102 to the filter media exhaust side 104. In various embodiments, the filter media 100 can have a thickness as measured from the filter media intake side 102 to the filter media exhaust side 104 of, of about, at least or at most: 0.1mm, 0.2mm, 0.3mm, 0.4mm, 0.5mm, 0.6mm, 0.7mm, 0.8mm, 0.9mm, 1.0mm, 1.1mm, 1.2mm, 1.3mm, 1.4mm, 1.5mm, 1.6mm, 1.7mm, 1.8mm, 1.9mm, 2.0mm, 2.1mm, 2.2mm, 2.3mm, 2.4mm, 2.5mm, 2.6mm, 2.7mm, 2.8mm, 2.9mm, 3.0mm, 3.1mm, 3.2mm, 3.3mm, 3.4mm, 3.5mm, 3.6mm, 3.7mm, 3.8mm, 3.9mm, 4.0mm, 4.5mm, 5.0mm, 5.5mm, 6.0mm, 6.5mm, 7.0mm, 7.5mm, 8.0mm, 8.5mm, 9.0mm, 9.5mm, 10.0mm, 11.0mm, 12.0mm, 13.0mm, 14.0mm, 15.0mm, 16.0mm, 17.0mm, 18.0mm, 19.0mm, 20.0mm, 21.0mm, 22.0mm, 23.0mm, 24.0mm, 25.0mm, 30.0mm, 35.0mm, 40.0mm, 45.0mm, 50.0mm, 60.0mm, 70.0mm, 80.0mm, 90.0mm or 100.0mm.

In some embodiments, one or more of the securement elements 124a, 124b, mounting article 140, article securement elements 148a, 148b and filter media securement elements 158a, 158b can include, or be made of, any of the above-listed materials described in relation to the filter media 100. In various embodiments, the adhesives included with the securement elements 124a, 124b, article securement elements 148a, 148b and/or filter media securement elements 158a, 158b can include (the same or different) pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs). PSAs can include tackified natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers, tackified styrene block copolymers, (meth)acrylics, poly(alpha-olefins) and/or silicones. The adhesives can be oxidatively stable (i.e., maintains adhesion over time) and can exhibit low adhesion build over time. The adhesives can also include (meth)acrylic PSAs being from 80 to 100 weight percent of a C3 — C12 alkyl ester component such as isooctyl acrylate, 2-ethyl-hexyl acrylate and/or n-butyl acrylate, and from 0 to 20 weight percent of a polar component such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, ethylene vinyl acetate, N-vinyl pyrrolidone and/or styrene macromer. Such (meth)acrylic PSAs can be used as 100% solids, which can be hot-melt coated or processed via a UV-cured low-viscosity syrup. Optionally, the (meth)acrylic PSA’s can be dispersed in a solvent for coating and/or the (meth)acrylic PSA can be synthesized as a latex polymer dispersion for water-based coating.

In operation, grease generated from the cooking equipment or another source rises, or is suctioned, towards the filter media. Airborne droplets of grease can be trapped and/or absorbed by the filter media, thus reducing or eliminating the collection of airborne droplets of grease on a mounting article or baffle. The disclosed technologies can also eliminate or reduce grease traveling downstream through the remainder of the exhaust system. When the filter media has accumulated a particular amount, weight or opacity of grease, after a particular time period or after any other metric, it may be desirable to clean or replace the filter media. In such a case, the filter media can be removed (via the securement system, article securement system, and/or filter media securement system) and replaced, or removed, cleaned and reinstalled.

Thus, versus conventional baffles, the disclosed systems and filter media mounting technologies provide a lightweight and cost-effective grease-trapping solution that reduces or prevents the buildup of grease on exhaust system components (such as a baffle, mounting article, duct, blower or exhaust hood), can be installed in or proximate a conventional baffle location in an exhaust hood and facilitates the easy removal and replacement of releasably secured filter media.

The terms and expressions that have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, it should be understood that although the present disclosure has been specifically disclosed by specific embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those of ordinary skill in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of embodiments of the present disclosure. The complete disclosures of the patents, patent documents, and publications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each were individually incorporated. To the extent that there is any conflict or discrepancy between this specification as written and the disclosure in any document that is incorporated by reference herein, this specification as written will control.