Claims
- 1. A filter that is capable of removing particulate and gaseous contaminants from a fluid, which filter comprises:
- a first filter element that is capable of removing particulate contaminants from a fluid, the first filter element comprising a corrugated nonwoven web of polymeric microfiber having a solidity of 0.1 or less and a means for retaining the corrugated shape of the corrugated nonwoven web of polymeric microfiber, the shape-retaining means being secured to the corrugated nonwoven web to maintain the corrugated shape of the corrugated nonwoven web of polymeric microfiber; and
- a second filter element comprising a sorbent material capable of removing gaseous contaminants from a fluid;
- the first and second filter elements being secured to each other and having a shape adapted for attachment to a respirator.
- 2. The filter of claim 1, wherein the shape-retaining means is not coextensive with the corrugated nonwoven web of polymeric microfiber between two adjacent valleys.
- 3. The filter of claim 1, wherein the corrugated nonwoven web of polymeric microfiber has an average pore size of less than 150 micrometers and a solidity in the range of 0.04 to 0.08.
- 4. The filter of claim 1, wherein the second filter element comprises a rigid body of bonded activated carbon particles.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/449,512 filed May 23, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,368 which is a division of application Ser. No. 08/093,398 filed Jul. 19, 1993 now pending which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/925,384 filed Aug. 4, 1992, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (40)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
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0 079 414 A1 |
May 1983 |
EPX |
Divisions (2)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
449512 |
May 1995 |
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Parent |
93398 |
Jul 1993 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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925384 |
Aug 1992 |
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