Filter element and filter unit

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a filter element includes: providing a carrier element, which is permeable to fluid, including a support surface having a surface area increasing contour; immersing the carrier element into a suspension of water and ingredients for a filter medium; depositing the filter medium onto the support surface by applying a vacuum suction through the carrier element so as to form a uniform layer of suspended filter medium onto the support surface; stopping the depositing of the filter medium onto the support surface when a thickness of the layer reaches a desired thickness so as to form the filter element; and removing the filter element from the suspension.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 : A method of manufacturing a filter element, comprising:
 providing a carrier element, which is permeable to fluid, including a support surface having a surface area increasing contour;   immersing the carrier element into a suspension of water and ingredients for a filter medium;   depositing the filter medium onto the support surface so as to form a layer of suspended filter medium onto the support surface;   stopping the depositing of the filter medium onto the support surface when a thickness of the layer reaches a desired thickness so as to form the filter element; and   removing the filter element from the suspension.   
     
     
         2 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the depositing the filter medium includes applying a vacuum suction through the carrier element. 
     
     
         3 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the surface area increasing contour includes convex and/or concave surface portions. 
     
     
         4 : The method of  claim 3 , wherein the convex and/or concave surface portions have a polyhedral shape. 
     
     
         5 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier element includes a screen, a mesh, or an open porous body. 
     
     
         6 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the filter medium comprises a wet-laid nonwoven fibrous material. 
     
     
         7 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the filter medium comprises a cellulose fiber, diatomaceous earth, perlite, active carbon, wet strength resin, bicomponent fiber, polymer powder, absorber, glass fiber, acrylic resin, or an epoxy resin. 
     
     
         8 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier element has a lenticular or disc shape. 
     
     
         9 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier element includes a first and a second outer surface portion, the outer surface portions facing away from each other on a non-filtrate side of the method and constituting the support surface. 
     
     
         10 : The method of  claim 9 , wherein the carrier element includes a first and a second screen-like carrier member, wherein each carrier member forms one of the outer surface portions of the carrier element. 
     
     
         11 : The method of  claim 10 , wherein the screen-like carrier members are sealingly connected to each other at an outer circumference. 
     
     
         12 : The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after removing the filter element from the suspension, dewatering the filter element. 
     
     
         13 : The method of  claim 12 , further comprising, after dewatering the filter element, drying the filter element. 
     
     
         14 : The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after removing the filter element from the suspension, assembling one or more of the filter element into a filter unit by consecutively arranging the one or more of the filter element along a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         15 : The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, after drying the filter element, assembling one or more of the filter element into a filter unit by consecutively arranging the one or more of the filter element along a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         16 : The method of  claim 14 , wherein any adjacent pair of filter elements face each other with one of their outer surface portions. 
     
     
         17 : The method of  claim 15 , wherein any adjacent pair of filter elements face each other with one of their outer surface portions. 
     
     
         18 : The method of  claim 16 , wherein the surface area increasing contour of each carrier element includes convex and/or concave surface portions, and wherein the convex and/or concave surface portions of any adjacent pair of filter elements mesh with each other. 
     
     
         19 : The method of  claim 17 , wherein the surface area increasing contour of each carrier element includes convex and/or concave surface portions, and wherein the convex and/or concave surface portions of any adjacent pair of filter elements mesh with each other. 
     
     
         20 : A method of manufacturing a filter element, comprising:
 providing a carrier element having a central passageway, a peripheral passageway, a lower side, and an upper side, the carrier element being permeable to fluid and including a support surface having a surface area increasing contour;   sealing the central passageway by applying a sealing plate on the lower side of the carrier element;   providing the central passageway, on the upper side of the carrier element, with an adapter, the adapter being connected to a tube for producing a vacuum within the central passageway and the peripheral passageway;   submerging the carrier element into a suspension of fluid and ingredients for a filter medium;   depositing the filter medium onto the support surface by applying the vacuum through the tube, the central passageway, and the peripheral passageway so that the fluid flows through the carrier element into the peripheral passageway and central passageway and is discharged through the tube, such that the filter medium is deposited onto the support surface forming a layer of suspended filter medium;   stopping the depositing of the filter medium onto the support surface when a thickness of the layer reaches a desired thickness so as to form the filter element; and   removing the filter element from the suspension.