Occupant air filter for vehicles

Abstract

An air filter device to filter fresh air for occupants of a vehicle is disclosed. The device includes a generally circular bottom base unit including a perimeter mounting portion to retain said device in an air conduit. The perimeter mounting portion includes a pair of mounting lips separated by an outwardly extending mounting groove. The lips resiliently flex over a rim formed in the vehicle to position the device in place. Extending from the base unit is an air filter which is sized and shaped to fit into a cavity located within a blower motor assembly. In this manner the device can be retrofit into a standard vehicle to provide air filtration without requiring extensive modification of the ducting and the like.

I claim:  
     
       1. An air filtering device for inserting into a fresh air intake conduit for providing fresh air to occupants of a vehicle, where the conduit includes a generally circular rim extending around the perimeter of the conduit from an inside face of said conduit, said air filter device comprising: 
       a generally circular bottom base unit, said bottom base unit including a perimeter mounting portion to allow said bottom base unit to be retained in said air conduit, said perimeter mounting portion comprised of opposed outwardly extending mounting lips separated by an outwardly opening mounting groove, said mounting lips being resiliently flexible to mount over said rim and sufficiently stiff to retain said air filter device in position on said rim,  
       said bottom base unit including air filter mounting means  
       an air filter retained in said air filter mounting means of said bottom base unit, said air filter being sized and shaped to be inserted into a cavity located within a turbine fan of a blower motor assembly; and  
       a central air intake inlet in said bottom base unit, said central air intake inlet including a screen mounted thereacross for preventing large debris from entering the air filter;  
       wherein said device is mountable in standard air circulation ducting of a vehicle by retaining said generally circular rim in said mounting groove without the need to modify said air circulation ducting.  
     
     
       2. The air filter device of claim  1  wherein said air filter device is an integrally formed one piece device. 
     
     
       3. The air filtering device of claim  1  wherein said device is a two piece device and said air filter mounting means includes removable fasteners to permit said air filter to be changed. 
     
     
       4. The air filtering device as claimed in claim  2  wherein air filter is in the form of sheet material and includes a plurality of pleats to increase the surface area, the pleats being located around the perimeter of the device. 
     
     
       5. The air filtering device of claim  1  wherein said air filter is provided with a top face, said top face being formed from filter material. 
     
     
       6. The air filtering device of claim  1  further including a central air intake inlet, and wherein the screen is integrally formed with said air filter. 
     
     
       7. The air filtering device of claim  6  wherein said air filter is comprised of an elastomeric foot secured to one end of the pleats and an impervious top surface secured to the other end of the pleats wherein the pleats are retained therebetween. 
     
     
       8. The air filtering device of claim  7  wherein said pleats form an unsupported free standing perimeter wall through which air may pass. 
     
     
       9. The air filtering device of claim  4  wherein the elastomeric foot is provided with one or more threaded bosses for retaining a threaded fastener therein. 
     
     
       10. The air filtering device of claim  1  wherein said upper mounting lip is sized and shaped to fit onto said rim and yet below a fan in said blower. 
     
     
       11. The air filtering device of claim  9  wherein said air filter is provided with generally upright pleated, air permeable side wall, and a generally impervious top. 
     
     
       12. An air filter device for inserting into a fresh air intake conduit for providing fresh air to occupants of a vehicle, where the conduit includes a generally circular rim extending around the perimeter of the conduit from an inside face of said conduit, said air filter device comprising: 
       a generally circular bottom base unit, said bottom base unit including a perimeter mounting portion to allow said bottom base unit to be retained in said air conduit, said perimeter mounting portion comprised of opposed outwardly extending upper and lower mounting lips separated by a outwardly opening mounting groove, said upper mounting lip being sized and shaped to fit onto said rim and yet below a fan in said blower, said mounting lips being resiliently flexible to mount over said rim and sufficiently stiff to retain said air filter device in position on said rim;  
       said bottom base unit including air filter mounting means; and  
       an air filter retained in said air filter mounting means of said bottom base unit, said air filter being sized and shaped to be inserted into a cavity located within a turbine fan of a blower motor assembly  
       wherein said device is mountable in standard air circulation ducting of a vehicle by retaining said generally circular rim in said mounting groove without the need to modify said air circulation ducting.  
     
     
       13. The air filter device of claim  12  wherein said air filter device is an integrally formed one piece device. 
     
     
       14. The air filtering device of claim  13  wherein said device is a two piece device and said air filter mounting means includes removable fasteners to permit said air filter to be changed. 
     
     
       15. The air filtering device as claimed in claim  14  wherein air filter is in the form of sheet material and includes a plurality of pleats to increase the surface area, the pleats being located around the perimeter of the device. 
     
     
       16. The air filter device of claim  15  further including a central air intake inlet, and further including a screen thereacross for preventing large debris from entering the air filter. 
     
     
       17. The air filter device of claim  16  wherein the screen is integrally formed with said air filter. 
     
     
       18. The air filtering device of claim  17  wherein said air filter is comprised of an elastomeric foot secured to one end of the pleats and an impervious top surface secured to the other end of the pleats wherein the pleats are retained therebetween. 
     
     
       19. The air filtering device of claim  18  wherein said pleats form an unsupported free standing perimeter wall through which air may pass. 
     
     
       20. The air filtering device of claim  15  wherein the elastomeric foot is provided with one or more threaded bosses for retaining a threaded fastener therein. 
     
     
       21. The air filtering device of claim  20  wherein said air filter is provided with generally upright pleated, air permeable side wall, and a generally impervious top. 
     
     
       22. The air filtering device of claim  1  wherein said air filter includes a top face, and said top face is formed from filter material. 
     
     
       23. A heating and air conditioning system of a vehicle comprising an outside air inlet and an air outlet into the interior of the vehicle, with a conduit system connecting the air inlet to the air outlet, in the conduit a blower is provided having a cylindrical turbine fan having upstanding blades forming a cavity and a cylindrical pleated air filter positioned adjacent to the turbine fan blades such that the filter and fan blades are coextensive, said pleated air filter extending along substantially the entire circumference of the turbine fan.  
     
     
       24. The heating and air conditioning system of claim  23  further comprising a heat exchanger in the conduit.  
     
     
       25. The heating and air conditioning system of claim  23  wherein the pleated filter is inside the turbine fan cavity.  
     
     
       26. The heating and air conditioning system of claim  23  wherein the pleated filter is spaced from the turbine fan blades.  
     
     
       27. The heating and air conditioning system of claim  23  wherein the pleats are spaced apart by from  1 - 3  cm.  
     
     
       28. The heating and air conditioning system of claim  23  wherein the pleats are from  4 - 10  cm high.  
     
     
       29. The heating and air conditioning system of claim  23  wherein the filter is formed of an electrostatically charged filter media.