TW201807684A - Visual filter life indicator comprising volatilizable material - Google Patents

Abstract

A visual filter life indicator including a receptacle with a major open end, with a porous diffuser layer occlusively overlying the major open end of the receptacle. A visual indicator gel that includes colorant and that includes volatilizable material is disposed within the receptacle.

Description

Visual filter life indicator with volatile material

The end of the useful life of an air filter is sometimes confirmed or estimated using a filter life indicator.

The present disclosure discloses a visual filter life indicator, which includes a container having a main open end, wherein a porous diffusion layer is closed over the main open end of the container. A visual indicator gel containing a colorant and a volatile material is disposed in the container. These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description. However, in any case, the content of the present invention should not be interpreted as limiting the subject matter of the application that can be claimed, regardless of whether the subject matter of the application is within the scope of the patent application of the original application, or is modified or otherwise in the trial. The scope of the presented patents is all the same.

1‧‧‧air filter

2‧‧‧ upstream

3‧‧‧periphery frame

100‧‧‧Visual filter life indicator

102‧‧‧ rear

104‧‧‧ front side

106‧‧‧ Top

108‧‧‧ lower end

110‧‧‧ base

111‧‧‧ main body

112‧‧‧container

113‧‧‧ main wall

114‧‧‧Main closed end

115‧‧‧ Interior (front) surface

116‧‧‧Main Open End

117‧‧‧Joint area

118‧‧‧ the first end

119‧‧‧ second opposite end

128‧‧‧ Depression

130‧‧‧ extension

140‧‧‧ porous diffusion layer

141‧‧‧ rear surface

142‧‧‧ front surface

143‧‧‧area

144‧‧‧Mark the bearing area

145‧‧‧Mark

150‧‧‧ mark

151‧‧‧Mark the carrying area

230‧‧‧ removable cover

231‧‧‧ rear surface

250‧‧‧Visual indicator gel

251‧‧‧ surface

252‧‧‧Air gap

253‧‧‧ Indication area

254‧‧‧Front surface

255‧‧‧ Indication area

Figure 1 shows a rear / side perspective view of an exemplary visual filter life indicator mounted on an exemplary air filter.

FIG. 2 is a rear / side perspective view of an exemplary visual filter life indicator.

FIG. 3 is a front / side perspective exploded view of an exemplary visual filter life indicator (the visual indicator gel is omitted for clarity).

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a container for an exemplary visual filter life indicator.

FIG. 5 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional side view of a part of a container of an exemplary visual filter life indicator.

FIG. 6 is a rear / side perspective view of an exemplary visual filter life indicator after a period of use.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side schematic cross-sectional view of a part of a container of another exemplary visual filter life indicator.

Similar element symbols in the drawings represent similar elements. Some elements may have the same or equivalent plural; in such cases, an element symbol may indicate only one or more representative elements, but it should be understood that such element symbols apply to all such identical elements. Unless otherwise indicated, all drawings and drawings in this specification are not to scale and have been selected for the purpose of illustrating different embodiments of the present invention. Specifically, the dimensions and shade levels of various components are for illustration only, and unless explicitly indicated, there should be no correlation between the dimensions or appearance of the various components from the drawings. Although terms such as "top", "bottom", "under", "over", "outward", "inward ( "inward", "up" and "down", and "first" and "second", it should be understood that these terms are only relative when used Sexual concepts, unless otherwise noted.

As used herein, when the word "generally" is used as a modifier of a property or attribute, unless otherwise specifically defined, it means that those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field can easily identify the property or attribute, But there is no need for absolute precision or perfect matching (for example, within +/- 20% of quantifiable characteristics). Unless specifically defined otherwise, the term "substantially" means a high degree of approximation (eg, within +/- 10% of quantifiable characteristics), but also does not require absolute precision or perfect matching. It should be understood that terms such as identical, equal, consistent, constant, absolute, and the like apply to specific situations within common tolerances or measurement errors, rather than requiring absolute precision or perfect matching.

The term "front" is used to indicate the main side of a visual filter life indicator, which main side includes a porous diffusion layer bonded to it. The term "rear" is used to indicate the relative main side. These terms are used purely for ease of description and are not intended to indicate or require any particular orientation of the indicator to be positioned for use. The term "lateral" when applied to a visual filter life indicator refers to any direction that lies approximately within the main plane of the visual filter life indicator; these directions will often be at least approximately Consistent with a major plane of a diffusion layer present in the visual filter life indicator. Terms such as "upper" and "lower" have their conventional meanings for the gravity of the earth.

A visual filter life indicator 100 is disclosed herein. The indicator 100 in FIG. 1 is shown in an exemplary use mode (installed on an air filter 1), and is shown in further detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. The indicator 100 includes a base 110 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3), which has a front side 104 and a rear side 102 to The upper end 106 and the lower end 108 include at least one receiving container 112 having a main closed end 114 and a main open end 116. The term "at least one receiving container" as used herein specifically means that an arbitrary number (for example, one, two, three, four or more) of receiving containers can be provided as needed.

The indicator 100 further includes a porous diffusion layer 140 (most easily seen in the exploded view of FIG. 3), which includes a region 143 closed overlying the main open end 116 of the receiving container 112. The container 112 of the base 110 and the corresponding area 143 of the diffusion layer 140 overlying the container 112 together define a container volume. A visual indicator gel 250 is disposed in the receiving container 112. As shown in FIG. 3, in some embodiments, a removable cover sheet 230 may be provided on the front side of the diffusion layer 140, and the cover sheet may be removed when the indicator 100 is to be used.

The base 110 of the indicator 100 may be provided in any suitable manner. In some embodiments, the base 110 may be a one-piece (integrated) element made of a molded thermoplastic organic polymer resin. Traditionally, in such an embodiment, the container 112 may be provided by forming a thermoplastic polymer resin (for example, injection molding, thermoforming, vacuum forming, etc.) to provide at least one heat in the base 110. Forming the recess 128. In this configuration, a rear terminal of the recess 128 may provide a main closed end 114 of the container 112, and a main open end of the recess 128 may provide a main open end 116 of the container 112.

In some embodiments, the container 112 may be in the form of a relatively shallow hollow amine or basin, as shown in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3. The width and / or length (dimension along at least one side) of such a container can be significantly greater than its depth. In various embodiments, a container may have a minimum depth of at least about 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 mm (from the main wall 113 measured to the porous diffusion layer 140). In further embodiments, a container can have a maximum depth of up to about 20, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 mm. In many embodiments, the container 112 may be elongated with a first end 118 and a second opposite end 119, the first end and the second opposite end being spaced apart along an extension axis of the container. In some embodiments, the receiving container 112 may be tapered along its elongation axis such that a larger cross-sectional area is present near the second end 119 of the receiving container, and it is present near the first end 118 of the receiving container. Smaller cross-sectional area. In a specific embodiment, the lateral width of the receiving container may be at least substantially fixed, and the difference in the cross-sectional area of the receiving container is because the receiving container 112 has a smaller depth at the first end 118 and a larger depth at the second end 119. Large depth (as shown in the exemplary designs of Figures 2 and 3). It will be appreciated that providing the receiving container 112 in a tapered shape makes it easier to insert and / or move the indicator 100 out of an area with limited space (eg, a slot in a filter receiving bracket of an air handling unit).

In some embodiments, the receptacle 112 may be at least partially defined by a main rear wall 113 that provides a closed end 114 of the receptacle 112. (A variety of secondary side walls can also be provided, which together with the main wall 113 and the porous diffusion layer 140 define the aforementioned container volume). In some embodiments, at least one region of the main wall 113 is a marker bearing region 151 including at least one marker 150, as described in further detail below. In various embodiments, the main wall 113 of the base 110 may be at least translucent to visible light; while in further embodiments, it is transparent to visible light. In particular embodiments, the main wall 113 may transmit through at least about 10, 20, 40, 80, 90, or 95% of the light (at a wavelength of about 520 nm).

In some embodiments, the base 110 may be impermeable. This means that the base 110 is at least substantially impermeable to the volatile materials present in the receptacle 112. (This property can be provided by the material of the base 110, by providing one layer of the base 110, or by a combination of multiple layers of the base 110.) The so-called "substantially impermeable" It means that the ratio of the rate at which the volatile material can leave the container 112 through the material passing through the base to the rate at which the volatile material can leave the container through the porous diffusion layer 140 (as described in detail later). Is below 0.001 (at 21 ° C).

A porous diffusion layer 140 is positioned (eg, attached to the front side 104 of the base 110) such that a region 143 of the diffusion layer 140 is closed overlying the main open end 116 of the receptacle 112. In this context, "occlusively overlie" means that the substantially only way that the volatile material can leave the receptacle 112 is to pass through the overlying region 143 (the air-filled channel) of the diffusion layer 140 in a vapor manner. . In some embodiments, this can be achieved by joining the diffusion layer 140 (e.g., its rear surface 141) (by any suitable means, such as by adhesive bonding, heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, etc.) to a portion Ground or completely laterally surrounds one or more engagement areas 117 of the receptacle 112. The porous diffusion layer 140 may not need to be bonded to the base 110 to provide a seal, but may still be performed as needed. Conversely, what is required is that any leak path due to non-sealing should be small enough that during any initial storage prior to use of the indicator 100 (e.g., before removal of the removable cover sheet 230), it is volatile Any leakage of the self-contained container 112 of the material should be minimal.

The diffusion layer 140 is porous, which is defined herein as meaning that the layer contains air-filled channels that extend completely from one main surface through the diffusion layer to another main surface (such channels are, for example, micro-perforated, The interstices between the fibers, the interconnection of the open-cell foams are filled with air cells, and the like). (However, the channels do not necessarily have to extend straight through the layer, or along the shortest distance between the major surfaces.) Such air-filled channels allow volatile molecules to pass through them as vapor. The porous diffusion layer 140 is different from a layer that does not contain porosity (that is, in a layer that does not contain porosity, small molecules must dissolve in the solid material of the layer in order to pass through the layer, and then pass through the solid The molecular diffusion of the material moves through this layer, rather than through air-filled channels). In at least some embodiments, the diffusion layer 140 may be at least substantially impermeable to liquids along any of its dimensions. This type of porous diffusion layer 140 is different from a wicking layer and the like. The wicking layer is often used, for example, to facilitate the movement of liquid through the wicking layer to a position where the liquid can evaporate, and / or to spread the liquid over a larger area. To evaporate liquid more quickly.

The porous diffusion layer 140 may be conveniently provided as a sheet, as shown in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3. This sheet may be a film (e.g., a microperforated film, where the microperforated system has through holes having an average diameter of 400 microns or less), a knitted or woven material, and the like. In a particular embodiment, the diffusion layer 140 is a nonwoven web. Therefore, such a sheet may include a plurality of specific through holes that penetrate directly through the thickness of the sheet (e.g., in the case of a microperforated film); or, a sheet (e.g., a nonwoven web) may include penetrating through its thickness A tortuous path of size (for example, commonly defined by many fibers). Any configuration (or any combination thereof) that allows vapor to pass (and, as desired, to prevent liquid from flowing through) can be used. Will understand Yes, the size of the air-filled channel (such as the diameter or effective diameter of a circular or non-circular microperforation) or the effective size, and the chemical composition of the material of the diffusion layer 140 can be selected to achieve the desired combination of characteristics.

The size of the microperforations (and / or the effective size of the tortuous path) of the diffusion layer 140 and / or the density of the microperforations / paths per unit area can be adjusted to provide the desired volatile material release rate. An exemplary perforation size diameter (or equivalent diameter for non-circular or irregular microperforations) of a microperforated film can be, for example, from about 10 microns to about 100 microns. The nonwoven or woven diffusion layer 140 may be optimized to achieve desired characteristics, for example, by controlling fiber diameter, basis weight, and solidity and / or thickness. Such non-woven fabrics can be produced by different methods, such as spunbond, meltblown, wet-laid (papermaking), airlaid, composite methods (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond (SMS)), and so on. The film material and / or the fibers of the woven or non-woven fibrous layer may be selected from any suitable material, such as polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polyurethane, and the like. Possibly suitable materials may be selected from, for example, materials available from Midwest Filtration (Cincinnati, OH) under the trade name UNITHER.

Surface treatments and the like can be used as needed to modify, for example, the surface energy of microperforations or fibers that define a tortuous path. In a specific embodiment, the diffusion layer 140 may be hydrophobic, for example, by virtue of the composition of the material constituting the diffusion layer, by the surface treatment, coating, or the like provided on at least some surfaces of the diffusion layer, or by some combination of the above. In some embodiments, a diffusion layer 140 (again, through the composition of the material constituting the diffusion layer, by surface treatment or coating, or the like) is oleophobic.

The ability of the porous diffusion layer 140 to allow gases and vapors to pass through its interstitial space to completely pass through the thickness of the layer may be characterized by any suitable parameter or test method. A convenient sieve measurement is a permeability test ("Frazier" test) that corresponds to the ability of a material to be used as a porous diffusion layer 140. This is a general type of equipment supplied by the Frazier Precision Instrument Company (Hagerstown, MD). get on. This test can be performed roughly according to the method outlined in ASTM test method D737-04 (2012), using a 0.5 inch water pressure drop, a 2.75 inch diameter opening, and an 11mm or 16mm orifice. In various embodiments, the porous diffusion layer 140 may exhibit an air permeability of at least about 100, 200, or 300 cubic feet per minute per square foot. In further embodiments, the porous diffusion layer 140 may exhibit an air permeability of up to about 800, 600, 500, or 400 cubic feet per minute per square foot.

Candidate diffusion layers that may be suitable can be tested for their actual release status of volatile materials, for example, using a representative visual indicator gel containing volatile materials, One of the pedestals is inside a container for visualizing the filter life indicator, and a porous diffusion layer is attached to the pedestal as disclosed herein. The indicator can be maintained in a controlled environment and exposed to a desired airflow and temperature (for example, at 21 ° C, or at a higher temperature (for example, 55 ° C) to facilitate accelerated testing), and Monitor the amount and rate of weight reduction of volatile materials.

In some embodiments, at least one region of the porous diffusion layer 140 (especially the region 143 in the diffusion layer 140 that is closed overlying the open end 116 of the receiving container 112) is a marker carrying region 144, which includes at least one marker 145, As detailed in the following. In various embodiments, at least the region 143 of the diffusion layer 140 is at least for visible light. Translucent; in other words, although the diffusion layer 140 can scatter some light by its fiber properties (for example, in the embodiment where the layer 140 is a nonwoven web), it can transmit through at least about 10, 20 in various embodiments. , 40, 80, 90, or 95% of the light (at a wavelength of about 520nm). In a further embodiment, the diffusion layer 140 may be transparent to visible light.

In some embodiments, a visual filter life indicator 100 provided to a user may include a removable cover sheet 230 that covers at least the area of the open end 116 of the container 112 over the diffusion layer 140. 143 is covered with the porous diffusion layer 140. In at least some embodiments, the cover sheet 230 may be impermeable to minimize or prevent volatility until the indicator 100 is ready to be used (at which time the cover sheet 230 may be removed and discarded or recycled). The material is emitted from the receiving container 112. By "impermeable", it is meant that the removable cover sheet 230 includes at least one layer of material such that (or a plurality of layers together) the sheet 230 is at least substantially impermeable to the volatile material. This means that the rate at which the volatile material can leave a receiving container by the cover sheet 230 (when the cover sheet 230 is positioned to overly close the container) is relative to the rate at which the volatile material does not exist In this case, the ratio of the rate of leaving the container by passing through the diffusion layer 140 is less than 0.001 (at 21 ° C). Any suitable material having sufficient impermeability, such as a polyester film, can be used.

The cover sheet 230 may be removed in any suitable manner that allows at least a portion of the cover sheet 230 or all of the cover sheet 230 to be removed (e.g., peeled from the diffusion layer 140) to expose at least a region 143 of the porous diffusion layer 140. Ground bonding to the diffusion layer 140. In some exemplary embodiments, the rear surface 231 of the cover sheet 230 may include a pressure-sensitive adhesive (eg, a removable or relocatable PSA) disposed thereon, which may allow overlay The rear surface 231 of the cover sheet 230 is removably bonded to the front surface 142 of the diffusion layer 140. In some embodiments (e.g., where the indicator 100 is supplied as sealed in an impermeable container such as a package made of, for example, a metalized polyester film), the cover sheet 230 is not necessarily It is necessary to seal the receiving container 112 to avoid the emission of volatile materials. In such an embodiment, the cover sheet 230 may, for example, be mainly used to protect the porous diffusion layer 140 from physical damage, and / or may have a decorative function. In this case, the cover sheet 230 may be made of any suitable material.

A visual indicator gel 250 is provided in the container 112. "Gel" means a material that is at least semi-solid, so it will not show a viscous flow under the influence of gravity at 21 ° C. In some embodiments, the gel 250 may take the form of a solid plate, wafer, pie, or puck. In a particular embodiment, the gel 250 may be in the form of a wedge-shaped plate. In various embodiments, the gel 250 may exhibit a viscosity of at least about 250, 1000, 2000, 10,000, or 50,000 poises at 21 ° C. In other embodiments, the formulation of the gel 250 may be formulated so that it remains at least semi-solid even during occasional exposure to high temperatures, as may be encountered during, for example, container transport or during storage in an air-conditioned warehouse Case. In a particular embodiment, the gel 250 may exhibit a viscosity of at least about 250, 1000, 2000, 10,000, or 50,000 poises at 60 ° C.

The visual indicator gel 250 contains a colorant. As used herein, the term "colorant" refers to any material or mixture of materials (such as a solution, a mixed solution, etc.) that gives a human observer a visually distinguishable (non-white) color. (Here and all references to "human observers" refer to adults with approximately 20:20 vision and normal color vision (ie, not color blind) at a distance of one meter from Watch a project of interest under white light at 300 lux. ) The colorant may have any suitable color, such as black, blue, purple, green, magenta, red, and the like. Materials that do not exhibit sufficient color for a visual indicator gel classified as a colorant will be referred to as a diluent, as described in further detail below.

The visual indicator gel 250 contains a volatile material. The so-called "volatilizable material" means a material exhibiting a boiling point below about 250 ° C. In various embodiments, the volatile material exhibits a boiling point below about 200 or 150 ° C. In a further embodiment, the volatile material exhibits a boiling point of at least about 40, 60, 80, or 100 ° C. In various embodiments, the volatile material exhibits a vapor pressure (at 21 ° C) of at least about 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5, 10, 20, or 50 Pa. In a further embodiment, the volatile material exhibits a vapor pressure (at 21 ° C) of no more than about 100, 60, 40, 30, 15, or 5 Pa.

It is emphasized that the terms like "volatile" and "volatile" are used in a broad sense. When the material is emitted from a container of the visual filter life indicator, the material molecules are in the form of vapor. Moving through the porous diffusion layer 140, rather than in the form of a liquid or solid (e.g., aerosol droplets, spray liquid or solid particles, etc.). The specific procedure by which the volatile material is released from the visual indicator gel 250 is not limited and may include methods such as evaporation, sublimation, or a mixture of the two. Furthermore, the term "diffuser" layer is used here for convenience of explanation, but this does not mean that the volatile molecules evaporate from the gel 250 and away from the indicator 100 must strictly be diffused by molecules (such as Fickian diffusion). Come on. Although this mechanism can operate at least partially, for example, during the passage of volatile molecules through the interstitial air space of a porous layer, this mechanism need not be the material The only mechanism expected to be emitted from the indicator 100. In fact, in some embodiments, molecular diffusion may not be the primary mechanism, but may be dominated by, for example, some other mechanism. For example, compared to the emission rate of the indicator 100 positioned in the still air as described above, if the indicator 100 is exposed to the airflow, the emission rate of the volatile material from the gel 250 will be significantly increased.

In various embodiments, the gel 250 comprises at least about 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 95 weight percent of the volatile material. In a further embodiment, the gel 250 comprises up to about 85, 75, 65, 55, 45, 35, 25, 20, 15 or 10 weight percent of the volatile material. Volatile materials as disclosed herein do not cover substances that may exist as trace constituents of other materials, and in particular do not cover adventitious water that may be present in many materials.

In some embodiments, the gel 250 includes a non-volatile colorant complexed with a volatile diluent. In some embodiments, the gel 250 includes a volatile colorant complexed with a non-volatile diluent. In some embodiments, the gel 250 includes a volatile colorant complexed with a volatile diluent. Thus, in some embodiments, the colorant itself may be a volatile material (and in particular embodiments may be the only volatile material present in the gel 250). The term "volatile colorant" encompasses a single colorant material that is volatile, and also encompasses a mixture of multiple colorant materials, where only a subset (e.g., a single type) may be volatile. The term "volatile diluent" encompasses a single diluent material that is volatile, and also encompasses a mixture of multiple diluent materials, where only a subset (e.g., a single type) may be volatile. In some embodiments (e.g., when a non-volatile diluent is used), the coloring agent of the gel 250 may be substantially It consists of volatile materials. In other embodiments (such as when a volatile diluent is used), the toner of the gel 250 may consist essentially of a non-volatile material. Similarly, in some embodiments (e.g., when a non-volatile colorant is used), the diluent of the gel 250 may consist essentially of a volatile material; while in other embodiments (e.g., when a volatile material is used) Colorant), the diluent of the gel 250 may consist essentially of a non-volatile material. When both the volatile material and the non-volatile material are present in the visual indicator gel 250, in some embodiments, the rate at which the non-volatile material exits a container through the porous diffusion layer 140 is relative to that of the volatile material. The ratio of the rate at which the material leaves the container through the porous diffusion layer 140 is less than 0.001 at 21 ° C.

As mentioned previously, the term "colorant" refers to any material or mixture of materials that is visually distinguishable to a human observer. In some embodiments, the visual indicator gel 250 may include a volatile colorant such as guaiazulene and similar compounds. In some embodiments, the visual indicator gel 250 may include a non-volatile colorant. In such embodiments, any suitable non-volatile colorant (e.g., dye) selected from a wide variety of available materials can be used, such as azo dyes, aniline dyes, onionquinone dyes, and the like. In some embodiments, the non-volatile colorant may be selected from food-grade (eg, FD & C) dyes. In some embodiments, non-volatile colorants can include materials of natural origin (e.g., derived from plants), such as, for example, cochineal, anatto, betanin, leaves Chlorophyllin and so on. In some embodiments, the non-volatile colorant may exhibit a characteristic color that may be aggravated or strengthened in the presence of a particular volatile diluent, such that When the volatile diluent is depleted from the gel 250, a decrease in the concentration of the diluent adjacent to the colorant may cause the color to fade.

As mentioned above, the term "diluent" refers to any component in the visual indicator gel 250 that is not a colorant. The diluent may provide a matrix within which the colorant is compounded. In some embodiments, the colorant and diluent can be complexed with each other to form a solution (ie, there is therefore substantially no undissolved colorant mass). The diluent may be volatile or non-volatile, as required.

The non-volatile diluent may include any one or more suitable materials. In various embodiments, such materials may include one or more organic polymeric materials (such as composite polymerizable resins), non-volatile oils, greases, waxes, and the like. This diluent may be selected so that the visual indicator gel 250 is at least a semi-solid material within the typical temperature range in which the indicator 100 is used (21 ° C can be used as a representative temperature for this purpose) as previously described. form.

Exemplary organic polymers that can be used as non-volatile diluents include, for example, copolymers of polyethylene and ethylene methyl acrylate (such as resins available from Exxon Mobil under the trade names OPTEMA 120 and OPTEMA 220) Olefin copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), or other copolymers containing other functional groups such as acids, esters, amidines, acrylates, and the like. In addition, the organic polymer system may include a styrene-isoprene-styrene segment or a styrene-butadiene-styrene segment, such as that shown by the Kraton thermoplastic elastomer system. The visual indicator gel 250 may include (in place of, or in addition to, non-volatile organic polymers that may be present) In addition to non-volatile organic polymers, any suitable inorganic materials are included, for example, clay, fumed silica, diatomaceous earth, silica aerogel, and the like.

In some embodiments, the diluent may be volatile; in this case, the diluent may be able to leave the receptacle 112 by passing through the porous diffusion layer 140 in the form of steam. In some embodiments, the diluent may include one or more non-volatile ingredients and one or more volatile ingredients. Any suitable volatile material may be included in the volatile diluent of the gel 250. In some embodiments, the volatile diluent may be selected from a natural source (eg, plant-derived, rather than, for example, petroleum or coal tar). In some embodiments, a volatile diluent may be selected from suitable terpenes and terpene derivatives. In some embodiments, a volatile diluent may be selected from so-called green leaf volatile materials, terpenoids, and the like. In some embodiments, the volatile diluent can be selected from commonly used oils such as cooking oil, vegetable oil, so-called base oils used in aromatherapy and the like. Potentially useful materials may be selected from, for example, soybean oil, canola oil, castor oil, olive oil, peanut oil, almond oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, and extracts thereof. (It will be understood that many of these materials are characterized by a smoke point rather than a boiling point; for such materials, the volatile characterization aspect of the material can be used instead of the boiling point).

The diluent of the visual indicator gel 250 may include any raw material as needed, for example, to change the viscosity, rigidity, or any other characteristics of the gel 250 as desired. (These materials may be non-volatile or volatile.) Viscosity modifiers include plasticizers such as isopropyl myristate, heavy naphthenic oils, or may be branched, linear, or branched Other aggregation systems, etc. Adhesives include Wingtack Plus and the like. If necessary, make Use one or more gelling agents, such as, for example, wax esters available from Croda, Edison, NJ under the trade name SYNCROWAX, and polymer-containing acrylics such as available from Air Products, Allentown, PA under the trade name INTELLIMER ester. Some of these ingredients can be utilized to make the visual indicator gel 250 an oil-based gel. In some embodiments, the visual indicator gel 250 may be an aqueous gel, the term broadly encompassing gels containing water (e.g., along with other water-compatible diluents), and may further include, for example, additives such as Gelling agents or thickeners (such as polysaccharides, starches, alginates, carrageenan and the like). Any of these additives or ingredients can be used, for example, to change the properties (such as viscosity) of the gel 250 at high temperatures, for example, by placing the gel in a flowable form with a visual indicator into the receiving container 112 and then cooling it to 21 Cases where the curing is performed to provide at least a semi-solid gel as defined herein.

In some embodiments, the volatile material of the visual indicator gel 250 may include a fragrance. In such an embodiment, the indicator 100 may thus serve two purposes; the first is to serve as a filter life indicator, and the second is to disperse a pleasant aroma into the air (e.g., a room in a building) . Such fragrances are discussed in detail in PCT International Publication No. WO2016011038 and the corresponding U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/026112 entitled "FRAGRANCE DISPENSER FOR AIR FILTER". The full texts of these two cases are hereby incorporated by reference. Incorporated herein. In some embodiments, the volatile material of the gel 205 may include a material having both the properties of a fragrance and a colorant; that is, many aromatic compounds may contain ingredients that make them colored. In such embodiments, the inherent color of the aromatic compound can be enhanced by adding supplemental colorant materials, whether volatile or non-volatile. This configuration can be strong The gel's base color intensity and / or provide enhanced contrast when in the indicated state.

The colorant (again, it may be a single color material or a mixture of color materials) may be mixed with a diluent (which may also be a single material or a mixture of multiple materials) in any desired ratio. In various embodiments, the colorant may include at least about 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, 10.0, or 20.0 wt.% Of the visual indicator gel 250. In further embodiments, the colorant may include up to about 80, 60, 40, 20, 10, or 5 wt.% Of the visual indicator gel 250. The combination of colorant and diluent can be performed by batch mixing (e.g. in a planetary mixer), by compounding (e.g. in an extruder or Brabender plasticity tester or roller mill), or It is generally a procedure by which any colorant and diluent are sufficiently homogenized (e.g., co-dissolved) to form gel 250 (or, for example, a precursor that can be converted to gel 250 when cooled). The composite mixture can be filled into a collection container. As before, the composite mixture can be heated to a temperature suitable to help fill the container into a container and then allowed to cool to obtain the final properties of the gel.

The visual indicator gel 250 will be stored in the receptacle 112 (eg, as a tapered plate). In various embodiments, the visual indicator gel 250 may account for at least about 70, 80, 90, 95, or 98 volume percent of the volume of the receiving container. The gel 250 includes at least one (and often multiple) indication areas, each indication area including a surface (when the indicator 100 is supplied to a user) adjacent to one of the marker-bearing areas of the receptacle 112. This mark bearing area of the receiving container 112 (adjacent to an indication area of the gel 250) may be a region 151 of the main wall 113; or may be a region of the porous diffusion layer 140 144. In some embodiments, both the main wall 113 and the porous diffusion layer 140 may each include at least one marker bearing region.

The visual indicator gel 250 is disposed in the receiving container 112, so an indication area of the gel is adjacent to a marker bearing area of the receiving container 112, for example, adjacent in such a way that the surface of the indication area of the gel closely contacts the instruction One of the substrates of the container 112 of the container 100 marks an inner surface of the carrying area. (In this scenario, a substrate of the receiving container 112 may be, for example, a main wall 113 of the base 110 or a porous diffusion layer 140.) For example, this can be achieved by: The precursor is loaded into the receiving container 112 in a flowable form, so that the gel precursor soaks the inner surface of the substrate at least in the marked bearing area of the substrate, and then hardens the precursor (for example, by cooling) to solidify it. Instead, a gel 250 is formed.

In some embodiments, an internal surface of a substrate of the receiving container 112 of the indicator 100 (such as the main wall 113 or the porous diffusion layer 140) may be surface-modified by any suitable method to allow the gel 250 (or One of the precursors is better able to wet and / or adhere. Possible methods include, for example: forming a base 110 of a multilayer material from a material having a desired wettability (for example by multi-layer extrusion) to form an internal surface of the main wall 113; by corona treatment; By applying a primer coating or cladding; etc. In addition, in some embodiments, the gel 250 may include one or more materials (eg, surfactants, wetting agents, etc.) to enhance one of the substrates of the gel 250 or its precursor wet indicator 100 The ability of internal surfaces.

The indicator mark of one of the substrates of the receiving container 112 of the indicator 100 will assume a color, and the visual indication that the gel 250 will contain a colorant. When the surface of the domain is adjacent to an internal surface of the marker bearing area of the substrate of the indicator 100, the one or more indication areas of the visual indication gel 250 will at least approximately visually match the color of the indication mark. By "substantially visually matched", it means that under the conditions specified above, for a human observer within a range of 1 meter, the indicator marked on the gel will not be clearly visible under the matching background color.

As a specific example, referring to FIG. 4, when the surface 251 of the indication area 253 of the gel 250 is adjacent to the inner (front) surface 115 of the marker carrying area 151 of the wall 113, an indication mark 150 of the main wall 113 of the indicator 100 Will not be clearly visible. That is, the marker will actually disappear in the matching context provided by the gel.

Full exposure of the indicator 100 to the air stream (eg, after removing any cover sheet 230 thereon) will cause the volatile material (whether colorant, diluent, or both) to exit the receptacle 112 via the porous diffusion layer 140. Referring now to FIG. 5, this may cause an air gap 252 to be formed between a rear surface of the indication area such as a gel and a front surface 115 of the marker carrying area 151 of the main wall 113 of the indicator 100. At least some of the surfaces of the indication area of the gel no longer closely contact the area containing the indication mark in the main wall, and the indication mark will become clearly visible. Depending on, for example, the percentage of visual indication that the gel 250 is in the form of a volatile material, depletion of the volatile material may cause the air gap to continue to grow as it is continuously exposed to the airflow. Please note that the term "air gap" covers situations where sufficient visual indicator gel material has been removed such that an air gap roughly, substantially or substantially spans the receiving container at a given location The entire depth. Please also note that FIG. 5 is an idealized representation; moreover, depending on, for example, the configuration of the indicator 100, Depletion may cause an air gap adjacent to the main wall 113, an air gap adjacent to the porous diffusion layer 140 (to be described in detail later), or may cause an air gap at both locations.

It will be understood that in embodiments where the volatile material of the visual indicator gel 250 includes only a diluent, the marking is mainly variable because an air gap is formed between the marking and the surface of the visual indicator gel Be clearly visible. In embodiments where the volatile material of the visual indicator gel 250 includes a colorant, the indicia may become less visible due to the formation of an air gap and the visual indicator gel is depleted of the volatile colorant therein One or both of the colors become clearly visible.

Referring to the exemplary design of FIG. 6, a plurality of indicator marks 150, 150 ′, and 150 ″ may be provided in some embodiments (only the mark 150 is visible in FIG. 6). One mark (for example, 150) may be located at, for example, the container 112 In one of the shallowest areas so that it becomes the first indicator mark that becomes visible when the volatile material is depleted. Other marks may be located in several areas of the receptacle 112 which are configured such that they The amount of volatile material removed from the receiving container 112 becomes visible (ie, after longer exposure to airflow). For example, in the exemplary design of FIG. 6, the first visible mark 150 may be "80%" is displayed (for example, an air filter has 80% of its useful life remaining), and subsequent marks 150 ', 150 ", and 150'" show 60%, 40%, and 20%, respectively. (A final mark is (For example, "Replace Filter".)

Note that in some embodiments, the marking may be slightly visible to an observer, even before any volatile material is depleted. Therefore, the arrangement in this article does not require that the marking be completely invisible before the volatile material is depleted; what is required is that the marking has a sufficient change in visibility as the volatile material is depleted So that the observer can clearly see that a particular mark becomes clearly visible relative to its previous condition.

As previously mentioned, there may be more than one container 112 in some embodiments. In some embodiments, all such receptacles may be the same (e.g., in size and shape, and in the amount of visual indicator gel disposed therein). In other embodiments, these receptacles may be configured differently. For example, a first container can be configured so that its marking becomes visible at 80% of its remaining life, a second container can be configured to reveal its marking at 60% of its remaining life, and so on.

It will be understood that any or all of, for example, the tapering of one or more receptacles 112, the amount of volatile material in the gel 250, the volatility of the material, and the permeability of the porous diffusion layer 140 may be individually or Operate in combination to adapt the response of the visual filter life indicator 100 to match the life of an air filter to be used with the indicator. These parameters can also take into account other factors, such as the location of the indicator, the flow rate of the airflow at that location, the temperature of the airflow at that location, and so on. In the exemplary design shown in the drawings herein, although the indicator 100 is configured so that the shallow end of the receiving container is adjacent to the lower end of the indicator, this is not necessary (as shown in the exemplary design of FIG. 7 later) Discussed). The indicator does not need to be configured and positioned so that the long axis of the container is completely vertical.

In at least some embodiments, the indicator 100 may be configured such that when the indicator 100 is exposed to an air flow, the rate of emission of the volatile material from the receiving container 112 is substantially greater than when the indicator 100 is in still air. Emission rate. Thus, in such an embodiment, the exhaustion of the volatile material experienced by the visual filter life indicator 100 may correspond to The time during which the indicator 100 is exposed to flowing air (rather than corresponding to, for example, the total time that the indicator is exposed to flowing air or not). Therefore, the return provided by the visual filter life indicator 100 may correspond to the actual usage time of an air filter (ie, the amount of time that the air filter actually filters flowing air).

Although the foregoing discussion is mainly about the indicator marks provided on the main wall 113 of the base 110 of the indicator 100, in some embodiments, one or more indicator marks may be provided on the porous diffusion layer 140 of the indicator 100. It will be understood that, even if the diffusion layer 140 is, for example, a non-woven fabric that may be slightly translucent due to its fiber properties, the layer 140 may still be configured to have sufficient light transmission so that the aforementioned operation mode (that is, when Color matching when a surface of the indicator gel is adjacent to a surface of the layer 140, wherein when an air gap is formed, the color matching disappears to a sufficient degree so that the indicator mark becomes visible). Therefore, as shown in the idealized representation in FIG. 7, in some embodiments, an indicator mark 145 may be provided in a mark bearing area 144 of the porous diffusion layer 140, so that one of the visual indicator gels 250 An air gap 252 is formed between the front surface 254 of the indication area 255 and the back surface 141 of the mark-bearing area 144 of the porous diffusion layer 140, so that the indication mark 145 can be made visible. (It will be understood that a shallow end of the receiving container 112 in FIG. 7 is positioned near an upper end 106 of the indicator 100 instead of being adjacent to the lower end 108 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6.) Except for the main wall of the base 110 In addition to an indication mark 150 on 113, an indication mark 145 on the porous diffusion layer 140 may be added or replaced.

These options are consistent with the foregoing fact that in various embodiments (when the self-contained container 112 runs out of volatile materials) an air gap can be formed adjacent to the main wall 113, adjacent to the porous diffusion layer 140, or both. . It will be obvious that depending on the example Depending on the percentage of the visual indication gel containing volatile materials, and / or depending on the nature of the remaining non-volatile materials, the self-receiving container 112 has exhausted at least a portion of the volatile materials and Any visual indication of the remaining gelatin gel 250 may vary widely. For example, in some embodiments, a discrete air gap may be formed, which is, for example, well-defined and located adjacent to, for example, the main wall 113 or the porous diffusion layer 140, as shown in the idealized representations of FIGS. 5 and 7 Show. In some embodiments, the remaining visual indication gel may have the appearance of "Swiss Cheese". Therefore, in various embodiments, the air gap may be the result of the overall withdrawal and receding of a visual indication gel (such as a slab) from, for example, the main wall 113; or, the air gap may be generated from a volatile material It is partially depleted, so that several small voids are formed near the main wall 113, which gradually become larger and / or merge to form an air gap sufficient to make a mark visible. (It will be understood that the air gap does not require that there be absolutely no visual indicator gel material contacting a marker bearing area such as the main wall 113.) As long as a visual area of the indicating gel and a substrate defining the receptacle 112 are visible There is sufficient separation between one of the markers so that the marker can be made visible so that the indicator 100 can operate as described herein, then any of these results are acceptable. It will be appreciated that the fact that the gel 250 is not a flowable liquid may indeed advantageously prevent adjacent portions of the gel 250 from flowing and fill one or more voids (e.g., air gaps) formed by the emission of volatile materials In.

The indicator may be provided, for example, by printing any suitable ink, dye, or pigment on any substrate of the indicator 100 (such as the main wall 113 and / or the porous diffusion layer 140) as needed. Such ink, dye or pigment may be the same as the ink, dye or pigment contained in the visual indication gel 250, but it is not necessary. All it takes is Have sufficient color matching as described herein. In some embodiments, an indicator may be provided in the opposite type (for example, a blue or black field containing a colorless area having a shape such as "60%"). Also, the indicator does not necessarily need to include numerical values and / or words. Rather, the mark may be only a symbol having any desired shape.

The indicator 100 can be used by, for example, removing the indicator from any package, and then removing a cover sheet 230 from the porous diffusion layer 140 if present. The indicator 100 can then be exposed to a flowing air flow that is actuated by a fan or blower, and the flowing air flow is associated with at least one air filter intended to monitor its useful life. In some embodiments, the indicator 100 may be placed next to (eg, mountable on) an air filter as shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1. However, this is not necessary. Conversely, in some embodiments, the indicator 100 does not need to be physically located near the air filter to be monitored, but as long as the airflow experienced by the indicator 100 is related to the airflow passing through the air filter (making the indicator The return of the filter is equivalent to the service time of the air filter). For example, in some embodiments, the indicator 100 may be positioned adjacent to an exhaust vent of a vehicle temperature control system or a building HVAC system. (For example, an indicator can be attached to the air conditioner, grille, or shutters of this vent.) Alternatively, the indicator can be positioned adjacent to the air intake (return air) unit of a building's HVAC system.

As previously mentioned, in some embodiments, the indicator 100 may be positioned near (eg, mounted on) an air filter, such as an HVAC unit. In a specific embodiment, an indicator may be mounted upstream of the air filter, where, for example, the "front" face of the indicator is toward the upstream face 2 of the air filter. Can be made by any appropriate agency The indicator 100 is mounted on the air filter. Many such mechanisms may conveniently use a peripheral frame 3 (such as made of cardboard, chipboard, or the like) in an air filter for this installation. In some embodiments, the base 110 of the indicator 100 may thus include: a main body 111 including (at least one) receiving container 112; and an extension portion 130 extending from the main body (as illustrated in FIG. 2) Shown in the exemplary embodiment). The extension 130 may include any suitable mounting mechanism configured to be mounted (attached) to a peripheral frame of an air filter, thereby placing the indicator 100 in the airflow immediately upstream of the air filter.

In some embodiments, an extension 130 may include a pressure-sensitive adhesive to help attach the indicator 100 to any desired object or surface. The extension 130 may include any mechanical mounting / attachment mechanism instead of an adhesive or as an addition. For example, a small hole may be provided in the extension 130 of the base 110 of the indicator 100 to insert any suitable hook or post therein. It will be understood that this is only an example and that many mounting attachment systems are available.

In some embodiments, an extending portion 130 of the base 110 may generally include an L-shape having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is at least substantially along one of the main bodies of the base. The plane direction extends from the main body of the base 110, the second portion extends from a terminal of the first portion and is oriented at least substantially orthogonally to the first portion.

In some embodiments, an extending portion 130 may include the first and second portions as described above, and may further include a third portion extending from a terminal of the second portion and including at least substantially parallel Oriented in one of the main planes of the first part A main plane. Therefore, the extending portion 130 may substantially include a U-shaped hook to suspend the indicator 100 on any desired object. (A similar configuration can be achieved, for example, by providing a hook with a smooth arc-shaped extension 130 instead of a U-shaped extension 130.) Although the extension 130 and the L-shaped and U-shaped variations are specifically depicted in FIG. The indicator 100 is mounted on an outer frame of, for example, a frame-type air filter, but it will be understood that any such extension 130 can be used to mount the indicator 100 to any desired object (such as an airflow vent).

The indicator 100 can be produced in any desired manner. For example, it can be produced by, for example, compounding a colorant and a diluent at high temperature (each of which may contain a mixture or solution of many different molecules as described above, and each of which may include volatile and / or non-volatile materials) A visual indicator gel 250. The resulting product can then be loaded into the receptacle 112 of the base 110 (and if it is loaded at a high temperature, it can then be allowed to cool to form, for example, a solid plate). A porous diffusion layer 140 is bonded to the front side 104 of the main body 111 of the base 110. If necessary, a removable cover sheet 230 may be removably bonded to (eg, by PSA) the front surface 142 of the porous diffusion layer 140.

In some embodiments, the porous diffusion layer 140 may provide a tapered surface of the container 112. For example, a porous diffusion layer 140 may replace at least a part of the impermeable wall 113 in FIG. 3 (for example, the layer 140 may be bonded to an edge frame that extends from the main body 111 of the base 110 and defines and surrounds a porous surface The diffusion layer 140 is closed overlying the area). In such an embodiment, an impermeable wall may be provided at a position occupied by the porous diffusion layer 140 in FIG. 3.

After the indicator 100 is manufactured, it can be packed in any suitable packaging manner. In certain embodiments, a packaging material (e.g., the packaging material may be a metallized polyester) may be selected to provide a sealed package that achieves a minimally volatile material even after long-term storage and / or exposure to high temperatures loss. In some embodiments where the indicator 100 is packaged (ie, sealed) in a packaging material having suitable vapor barrier properties, a cover sheet 230 need not exhibit significant vapor barrier properties; in this particular type of embodiment In the indicator 100, the cover sheet 230 may be omitted.

List of Exemplary Embodiments

Embodiment 1 is a visual filter life indicator, which includes: a base having a main wall and a plurality of side walls, the main wall and the side walls collectively defining a container with an open end; A hole diffusion layer, which is installed on a front side of the base and closed overlying the open end of the container; wherein a main wall of the base and / or a marking bearing area of the porous diffusion layer is provided with a An indicator mark; and a visual indicator gel containing a colorant and a volatile material, the indicator gel being disposed in the container and including an indicator area including an adjacent area The surface of a marking bearing region of the main wall of the base and / or a surface of a marking bearing region adjacent to one of the porous diffusion layers.

Embodiment 2 is the visual filter life indicator as in Embodiment 1, wherein the visual indicator gel is adapted so that the volatile material is emitted from the receiving container due to the airflow above the indicator, resulting in the The indication area of the visual indicator gel An air gap is formed between at least a portion of a surface and the mark-bearing main area of the main wall of the base and / or the mark-bearing main rear surface of the porous diffusion layer.

Embodiment 3 is the visual filter life indicator as in any one of embodiments 1 to 2, wherein the porous diffusion layer is an organic polymer nonwoven web, which presents from about 200 to about 800 cubic meters per square foot per minute. Feet of breathability.

Example 4 is a visual filter life indicator as in any of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the porous diffusion layer is vapor permeable, but at least substantially liquid impermeable.

Embodiment 5 is the visual filter life indicator according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the base is an impermeable integral element containing a molded thermoplastic organic polymer resin, and wherein the container is Provided by a molded depression in the base, wherein a terminal of the depression provides the main wall of the container, and wherein a main open end of the molded depression provides the closed closed overlying of the porous diffusion layer. Close the main open end of the container.

Embodiment 6 is the visual filter life indicator as in any one of Embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the only path for the volatile material to leave the container is via the porous cover that closedly covers the open end of the container. Diffusion layer.

Embodiment 7 is the visual filter life indicator according to any one of embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the integrated molded base includes a main body, the main body includes the container, and wherein the base further includes a An extension portion that extends from the main body and includes a mounting mechanism.

Embodiment 8 is the visual filter life indicator according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the volatile material includes at least one volatile colorant compounded with at least one non-volatile diluent.

Embodiment 9 is the visual filter life indicator according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the volatile material includes at least one volatile diluent compounded with at least one non-volatile colorant.

Embodiment 10 is the visual filter life indicator according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the volatile material includes at least one volatile colorant compounded with at least one volatile diluent.

Embodiment 11 is the visual filter life indicator according to any one of embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the at least one indicator mark of the main wall of the container or the at least one indicator mark of the porous diffusion layer presents a Color, and wherein when the surface of the indication area of the visual indication gel is adjacent to the marker bearing area of the main wall of the base or the marker bearing area of the porous diffusion layer, the visual indication gel The colorant causes the indication area of the visual indication gel to at least substantially visually match the color of the indication mark.

Embodiment 12 is the visual filter life indicator according to any one of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the container is extended with a first end and a second opposite end, and the first end and the second opposite end Are spaced along an elongation axis of the container, and wherein the container is tapered such that a larger cross-sectional area is present adjacent to the first end of the container and adjacent to the container The second opposite end presents a smaller cross-sectional area.

Embodiment 13 is the visual filter life indicator according to any one of embodiments 1 to 12, further comprising an impermeable removable cover sheet which is overlaid and removable. Ground removal is adhesively bonded to a front side of the porous diffusion layer.

Embodiment 14 is the visual filter life indicator according to any one of embodiments 1 to 13, wherein an indicator mark is provided on a mark bearing area of the main wall of the base.

Embodiment 15 is the visual filter life indicator according to any one of embodiments 1 to 14, wherein an indicator mark is provided on a mark bearing area of one of the porous diffusion layers.

Embodiment 16 is the visual filter life indicator according to any one of embodiments 1 to 15, wherein the visual indicator gel contains a fragrance.

Embodiment 17 is a method for visually monitoring the usable life of an air filter of a powered air processing system. The method includes: setting a visual filter life indicator on a fan of the powered air processing system. On a flow path of one of the activated air flows; if a removable cover sheet is present, remove the removable cover sheet from a front side of the visual filter life indicator; and, visually observe The visual filter life indicator to confirm whether a surface of one of the visual indicator gel indicating areas has receded from a marked load bearing area of a main wall of a base of the visual filter life indicator, Or back from a marker-bearing area of the porous diffusion layer, one of the visual filter life indicators, so that an indicator marker is easily visible.

Embodiment 18 is the method as in embodiment 17, wherein the visual filter life indicator is positioned on an airflow path that is adjacent to an air filter of a building HVAC system and adjacent to an indoor air An air filter of a cleaner, or an air filter adjacent to a vehicle. Embodiment 19 is the method of Embodiment 18, wherein the visual filter life indicator is mounted to a peripheral frame of an air filter of a building HVAC system. Embodiment 20 is the method of Embodiment 17, wherein the visual filter life indicator is positioned on an airflow path adjacent to an air outlet or air inlet of a building HVAC system. Example 21 is a method as in Example 17, using a visual filter life indicator as in any of Examples 1 to 16.

Those having ordinary skill in the art should understand that the specific exemplary elements, structures, features, details, structural designs, etc. disclosed herein may be modified and / or combined in many embodiments. All such variations and combinations are conceived by the inventors of the present invention and are all within the scope of the present invention, and are not the only representative designs selected for illustrative purposes. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the specific exemplified structures described herein, but extend to at least the structures described in the language of the patent application and equivalents of these structures. Any of the elements explicitly described as substitutes in this specification may be explicitly included or excluded from the scope of patent application in any combination as desired. Any element or combination of elements described in this specification in an open language (such as: comprise and its derivatives) can be regarded as another closed language (such as consist and its derivatives) ) And semi-closed language (for example, consist essentially, and its derivatives). Although various theories and possible mechanisms may have been discussed in this article, such discussions should not be used in any way to limit claims that can be claimed of. If there is any conflict or discrepancy between the content of this manual and the disclosure of any document incorporated by reference in this manual, the content of this manual shall prevail.

1‧‧‧air filter

2‧‧‧ upstream

100‧‧‧Visual filter life indicator

130‧‧‧ extension

Claims (20)

A visual filter life indicator includes: a base having a main wall and a plurality of side walls, the main wall and the side walls collectively defining an open-ended receiving container; a porous A diffusion layer mounted on a front side of the base and closed overlying the open end of the container, wherein an indicator mark is carried by a mark provided on the main wall of the base and / or the porous diffusion layer And a visual indicator gel containing a colorant and a volatile material, the indicator gel is disposed in the container and includes an indicator area including an adjacent area The surface of a marking bearing region of the main wall of the base and / or a surface of a marking bearing region adjacent to one of the porous diffusion layers. The visual filter life indicator of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator gel is adapted such that a volatile material is emitted from the receiving container due to the airflow above the indicator, resulting in the visual indicator An air gap is formed between at least a portion of a surface of the indicator region of the device gel and a mark-bearing main region of the main wall of the base and / or a mark-bearing main rear surface of the porous diffusion layer. The visual filter life indicator of claim 1, wherein the porous diffusion layer is an organic polymer nonwoven web that exhibits an air permeability from about 200 to about 800 cubic feet per square foot per minute. The visual filter life indicator of claim 1, wherein the porous diffusion layer is vapor permeable, but at least substantially liquid impermeable. The visual filter life indicator of claim 1, wherein the base is an impervious unitary element containing a molded thermoplastic organic polymer resin. piece), and wherein the container is provided by a molded depression in the base, wherein a terminal of the depression provides the main wall of the container, and wherein a main open end of the molded depression is provided by The porous diffusion layer is closed over the main open end of the container. The visual filter life indicator of claim 1, wherein the only way for the volatile material to leave the container is via the porous diffusion layer that closedly covers the open end of the container. The visualized filter life indicator of claim 1, wherein the integrated molded base includes a main body, the main body includes the container, and wherein the base further includes an extension portion, the extension portion is from the main body It extends and includes a mounting mechanism. The visual filter life indicator of claim 1, wherein the volatile material includes at least one volatile colorant compounded with at least one non-volatile diluent. The visual filter life indicator of claim 1, wherein the volatile material includes at least one volatile diluent compounded with at least one non-volatile colorant. The visual filter life indicator of claim 1, wherein the volatile material includes at least one volatile colorant compounded with at least one volatile diluent. For example, the visual filter life indicator of claim 1, wherein the at least one indicator mark of the main wall of the container or the at least one indicator mark of the porous diffusion layer presents a color, and when the visual indicator indicates condensation When the surface of the indication area of the gel is adjacent to the marker bearing area of the main wall of the base or the marker bearing area of the porous diffusion layer, the coloring agent of the visual indication gel causes the visual indication to coagulate. The indication area of the glue at least substantially visually matches the color of the indication mark. The visual filter life indicator of claim 1, wherein the container is extended with a first end and a second opposite end, and the first end and the second opposite end are along the containment An elongated axis of the container is spaced apart, and wherein the container is tapered such that a larger cross-sectional area is presented near the first end of the container and the second container is adjacent to the second container. The opposite end presents a smaller cross-sectional area. The visualized filter life indicator of claim 1, further comprising an impermeable removable cover sheet overlying and removably adhesively bonded to the porous diffusion One front side of the layer. As in the visual filter life indicator of claim 1, an indicator mark is provided on a mark bearing area of the main wall of the base. As in the visual filter life indicator of claim 1, an indicator mark is provided on a mark bearing area of one of the porous diffusion layers. The visual filter life indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the visual indicator gel contains a fragrance. A method for visually monitoring the useful life of an air filter of a powered air processing system, the method comprising: positioning a visual filter life indicator at a position of a visual filter life indicator driven by a fan of the powered air processing system On a flow path of a flowing air stream; if a removable cover sheet is present, remove the removable cover sheet from a front side of the visual filter life indicator; and visually observe the visual filter Device life indicator to confirm whether a surface of one of the indicator area of a visual indicator gel has receded from a marked bearing area of a main wall of a base of the visual filter life indicator, or from the A marking bearing area of the porous diffusion layer, one of the visual filter life indicators, recedes so that an indicator mark is easily visible. The method of claim 17, wherein the visual filter life indicator is positioned on an airflow path that is adjacent to a space in a building HVAC system An air filter, an air filter adjacent to an indoor air cleaner, or an air filter adjacent to a vehicle. The method of claim 18, wherein the visual filter life indicator is mounted to a peripheral frame of an air filter of a building HVAC system. The method of claim 17, wherein the visual filter life indicator is positioned on an airflow path adjacent to an air outlet or air inlet of a building HVAC system.