Abstract: A flexible aircraft privacy door for a passenger cabin environment, comprising a first edge and a second edge. The flexible privacy door is configured to be slidable between a stowed position leaving an opening between spaced structures of an airplane seat and a deployed position closing the opening between the spaced structures of the airplane seat. The first edge of the flexible privacy door, when the flexible privacy door is in the deployed position, is moveable out of a plane of the opening by way of force against the flexible privacy panel. In addition, the flexible privacy door is bendable out of the plane of the airplane seat entrance up to a certain bending distance, thereby allowing a passenger to pass through the opening for ingress/egress during flight operations.

Abstract: Drill cuttings obtained from oil and gas wells contain contaminants such as heavy metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Such contaminants complicate the disposal of the drill cuttings. The drill cuttings can be reused in load bearing applications such as road subgrades and drill site pads by combining the drill cuttings with soil and a soil stabilizer. The soil stabilizer includes sulfuric acid and citrus stripper oil. Once the soil stabilizer is added to the soil-cuttings mixture, the mixture is compacted to reduce the voids. The soil stabilizer liquefies minerals in the soil-cuttings mixture which liquids fill in any remaining voids. The result is a consolidated treated soil that greatly reduces the leaching of the contaminants therefrom.

Abstract: A filter cartridge which is environmentally friendly in that it is made up of components which are all incinerateable. The ends of a filter element are sealed using potting compound and plastic endcaps. The upper endcap, which is closed, has a pressure relief aperture associated therewith to prevent bowing. In a plugged filter condition the high downward pressure introduced on the upper endcap is compensated by providing the cartridge with centering ribs which bottom on an associated ledge in the housing to provide a positive stop for the top endcap, preventing it from being driven down into and through the filter element. Rubber gaskets are associated with the respective endcaps, and are reliably secured to the endcaps by being snap fit into grooves molded into the plastic of the endcaps. The lower endcap utilizes a simple radial seal gasket which is both highly effective and also positioned to avoid structural crushing forces on the cartridge. A keying system prevents the installation of improper filters.

Abstract: A filter element, and filter apparatus, include a filter pack, a seal member, and a seal support frame operatively connecting the seal member to the filter pack. The seal support frame includes an annular extension, which is preferably canted at an oblique angle to a longitudinal axis, for supporting the seal member. The seal support frame also preferably includes a first end thereof including the annular extension, and a second end thereof spaced from the first end thereof along the longitudinal axis, with the first and second ends of the seal support frame joined by a hub of the outer peripheral sidewall of the seal support frame to define a cavity within the seal support frame for receiving the filter pack. The first and second ends of the seal support frame, and the filter pack are preferably joined and sealed to one another by a single bead of adhesive.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided, for forming a filter element including a media pack in the form of a coiled fluted filter media, by winding the web of fluted filter media around a pair of tools of a mandrel. The tools engage the sides of the filter media. The tools define a major to provide the media pack with a oblong or elongated shape. The web may be fed at constant linear speed, and/or a motor may be controlled in a manner to provide constant driving torque to maintain a constant tension on the web. The winding apparatus and methods may include apparatus or methods to modify the feed path of the web to adjust the tension of the web as it is being wound. Further, the coiled media packs can be fixtured to prevent relaxation. A method may form various shaped media packs with the same apparatus.

Abstract: A filter system in which a housing and an environmentally friendly filter cartridge are coordinated to provide ease of change of the filter cartridge and reliable operation. The cartridge contains no metal parts and is readily incinerateable. The housing is provided with a number of “universality” features including a changeable bottom which allows the housing to operate as a fuel filter, a lubrication filter, or a hydraulic filter in different applications. The housing and cartridge are configured to provide support for the plastic elements of the cartridge to prevent crushing of the filter under normal and abnormal filter operating conditions. A key system associated with the cartridge and the housing provides assurance that the correct filter is installed for a particular application.

Abstract: A filter element comprising a filter jacket, a fluted filter media, and an internal seal is provided. The filter jacket defines a filter jacket inner surface, a gravitational bottom, an upstream end, and a downstream end. The filter jacket includes a moisture release aperture disposed proximate the gravitational bottom. The fluted filter media resides within the filter jacket and defines a filter media outer surface. The fluted filter media comprises a planar sheet and a fluted sheet intermittently bonded together and collectively coiled to form a plurality of flutes. First and second selected ones of the plurality of flutes are closed proximate the upstream and downstream ends, respectively. The internal seal is formed between the filter jacket inner surface and the filter media outer surface. The internal seal is disposed within the filter jacket between the upstream and downstream ends. The moisture release aperture is located upstream of the internal seal.

Abstract: A filter element and filter apparatus, and a method for fabricating a filter element, include a filter element having alternating layers of a face sheet material and a convoluted filter material, with the alternating layers forming substantially longitudinally oriented flutes that extend axially along, or past, a radially acting seal, into previously unused portions of the cavity of a filter housing. In some embodiments, structures such as struts extending partially across an outlet end of the filter element, or a rigid web formed by a layer of resin extending axially a potted length into some of the flutes from the outlet end resist axially oriented pressure forces on the alternating layers.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly acid neutralizing filter cartridge for mounting into a chamber of a cartridge mounting body for neutralizing acid in engine oil in an oil circulation circuit of an engine. The environmentally friendly acid neutralizing filter cartridge comprises a support housing comprising substantially no metal parts such that the environmentally friendly acid neutralizing filter cartridge can be readily incinerated. The support housing comprises at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port. A bed of acid neutralizing particles is contained in the support housing between the inlet port and the outlet port. Means is provided for preventing acid neutralizing particles from flowing through the at least one outlet port. An annular seal is arranged externally on the support housing and separates the at least one inlet port and the at least one outlet port to prevent oil from short circuiting the bed of acid neutralizing particles.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly dual lube venturi filter cartridge which has no metallic components. A plastic centertube having a venturi section supports a bypass filter element on standoffs molded into the centertube. An outer concentric full flow filter element surrounds the bypass filter. The full flow filter is supported on a plastic centertube which creates a gap between it and the bypass filter. A first bypass filter endcap both seals the bypass filter and provides standoffs for allowing full flow oil around the bypass filter. The standoffs thus split the full flow which progresses through the primary filter in two paths, a primary path around the bypass filter and into the centertube, and a bypass path through the secondary filter and the venturi. Plastic upper and lower endcaps carry grooves for simple sealing gaskets, a radial seal gasket on the bottom which seals against both the endcap which carries it and a flange in the housing, and an axial seal gasket at the top.

Abstract: A filter cartridge which is environmentally friendly in that it is made up of components which are all incinerateable. The ends of a filter element are sealed using potting compound and plastic endcaps. The upper endcap, which is closed, has a pressure relief aperture associated therewith to prevent bowing. In a plugged filter condition the high downward pressure introduced on the upper endcap is compensated by providing the cartridge with centering ribs which bottom on an associated ledge in the housing to provide a positive stop for the top endcap, preventing it from being driven down into and through the filter element. Rubber gaskets are associated with the respective endcaps, and are reliably secured to the endcaps by being snap fit into grooves molded into the plastic of the endcaps. The lower endcap utilizes a simple radial seal gasket which is both highly effective and also positioned to avoid structural crushing forces on the cartridge. A keying system prevents the installation of improper filters.

Abstract: A fluid filter includes a base plate, a canister, and filtering media contained in the canister for filtering fluid from an inlet port to an outlet port. Notches are formed into an outer periphery of the base plate. An annular bead of the canister side wall is partially formed into the notches to provide a torque locking mechanism between the base plate and the canister. The terminating lip portion of the canister is wrapped around the outer face of the base plate and formed into an annular trough to directly secure the base plate to the canister. The annular trough includes a diverging outer wall that provides a narrow contact interface between the terminating lip portion and the retention corner of the base plate to thereby reduce moment loads induced therebetween as a result of high fluid pressures in the filter.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly dual lube venturi filter cartridge which has no metallic components. A plastic centertube having a venturi section supports a bypass filter element on standoffs molded into the centertube. An outer concentric full flow filter element surrounds the bypass filter. The full flow filter is supported on a plastic centertube which creates a gap between it and the bypass filter. A first bypass filter endcap both seals the bypass filter and provides standoffs for allowing full flow oil around the bypass filter. The standoffs thus split the full flow which progresses through the primary filter in two paths, a primary path around the bypass filter and into the centertube, and a bypass path through the secondary filter and the venturi. Plastic upper and lower endcaps carry grooves for simple sealing gaskets, a radial seal gasket on the bottom which seals against both the endcap which carries it and a flange in the housing, and an axial seal gasket at the top.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly acid neutralizing filter cartridge is adapted to be mounted in a cartridge mounting body of an engine oil circuit for filtering particulates and neutralizing acid in oil. The filter cartridge comprises a support housing that comprises substantially no metal parts such that the filter cartridge can be readily incinerated. A full flow particulate filter and a bypass particulate filter are arranged in the support housing. A bed of acid neutralizing particles is contained in the support housing. The housing is configured such that a predetermined primary flow path is defined through the filter cartridge that passes through the full flow particulate filter and bypassing the bed of acid neutralizing particles; and a predetermined bypass path is defined through the filter cartridge that passes, in sequence, through the bed of acid neutralizing particles and the bypass particulate filter.

Abstract: A fluted filter media includes a wall of porous filter material separating a first flute from one or more adjacent flutes, and an intermediate flow restriction disposed in the first flute between upstream and downstream ends of the filter media, so that fluid entering the first flute upstream of the intermediate flow restriction is urged to flow through the wall upstream of the intermediate flow restriction into one or more of the one or more adjacent flutes while flowing through the filter media. Where the adjacent flutes include flow restrictions disposed upstream and downstream from the intermediate flow restriction, the intermediate flow restriction urges fluid flowing through the first flute to pass through the wall at least twice between the upstream and downstream ends of the media. Filter apparatuses and methods incorporating such a fluted filter media having an intermediate flow restriction are also provided.

Abstract: A sealing apparatus, for operatively and separably connecting a filter element to a filter housing in a manner that seals a juncture between the filter housing and the filter element when the filter element is installed in filter housing, includes a seal member attached to a canted annular extension of a seal support frame. Filter elements and apparatuses incorporating such a separable sealing apparatus are also provided.

Abstract: A filter element for filtering fluids and gasses flowing through a filter housing is provided. The filter element includes a permeable filter media for filtration of contaminants and a rigid frame for supporting and retaining the filter media. To ensure that gasses and fluids flow through the filter media rather than around the filter element, a resilient seal element is attached along an outer peripheral surface of the frame. The seal element can be resiliently compressed between the inner surface of the filter housing and the outer peripheral surface to create a sealing effect therebetween. To prevent the filter media from interfering with the seal element, the filter media is substantially constrained within the outer peripheral surface of the frame.

Abstract: A filter media including a gathered sheet of porous filter material, is provided, together with an apparatus and method for fabricating such a gathered sheet of porous filter material. An improved filter apparatus incorporating such gathered porous filter material is also provided. By gathering the porous filter material, rather than forming convolutions through corrugating or pleating, as was done in the past, a desirable convoluted shape is achieved with little or no compression of the filter media.

Abstract: A filter element, and filter apparatus, include a filter pack, a seal member, and a seal support frame operatively connecting the seal member to the filter pack. The seal support frame includes an annular extension, which is preferably canted at an oblique angle to a longitudinal axis, for supporting the seal member. The seal support frame also preferably includes a first end thereof including the annular extension, and a second end thereof spaced from the first end thereof along the longitudinal axis, with the first and second ends of the seal support frame joined by a hub of the outer peripheral sidewall of the seal support frame to define a cavity within the seal support frame for receiving the filter pack. The first and second ends of the seal support frame, and the filter pack are preferably joined and sealed to one another by a single bead of adhesive.

Abstract: An acid neutralizing filter construction is provided that may be used as a bypass type filter. The filter includes a canister having an open end. An end plate is secured to the canister at the open end and includes an inlet port and an outlet port to provide for fluid communication with a mounting adaptor of an oil circuit. A reactor housing is arranged inside the canister and comprises a bowl and a lid. The reactor housing defines an entrance port and an exit port. An acid neutralizing bed of acid neutralizing particles is deposited in the reactor housing. The acid neutralizing particles comprises primarily of calcium carbonate compound or other suitable medium which may be provided by crushed limestone. A particulate filter is also arranged in the reactor housing between the acid neutralizing bed and the exit port.