Pipe joints or couplings – End to side or plate – Sput
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-30
2001-05-15
Luu, Teri Pham (Department: 3627)
Pipe joints or couplings
End to side or plate
Sput
C285S189000, C285S208000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231088
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a pipe connector, in particular of a motor vehicle ventilation, heating and/or air conditioning installation. It is intended in particular to be inserted into a substantially annular opening of a header box of a heat exchanger of that installation.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A connector of the above type is usually of substantially cylindrical shape adapted to be inserted into an annular opening in the header box. The connector is then brazed into the box to stiffen the assembly in a high temperature furnace.
The assembly is usually transported towards the furnace—generally on a conveyor belt—between the steps of inserting the connector into the header box and brazing. In the context of mass production on automated assembly lines, this type of transport can cause vibration. Disadvantageously, the known connectors fall out of the header box when they are subject to excessive impact and/or vibration during transport.
An aim of the invention is to overcome this drawback.
To this end it proposed to provide connectors of the above-mentioned type with a lug projecting from one of their outside lateral walls. Once introduced into the header box, the lug forms an abutment to prevent longitudinal movement of the connector towards the outside of the header box.
According to one feature of the invention the lug of the connector is substantially pyramid-shaped. One wall of the pyramid is, plane substantially in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the connector and adjacent a top wall of the connector. The outside width of the connector plus the height of the lug along its plane wall is advantageously greater than the width of the opening in the header box. Thus the connector cannot escape from the header box after it is introduced into it.
In accordance with another advantageous feature of the invention its top wall is substantially in an inclined plane at a chosen angle to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the connector. This angle is chosen so that the connector can enter the header box by pivoting about a point inside the header box and on which the lug bears.
Accordingly the lug and the connector can be slid into the header box in accordance with a method for fixing the connector to the header box that is also provided by the present invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 377506 (1888-02-01), Whiter
patent: 1049283 (1912-12-01), Westphal
patent: 1913222 (1933-06-01), Von Glahn
patent: 2241293 (1941-05-01), Campbell
patent: 3138660 (1964-06-01), Cejka
patent: 3716257 (1973-02-01), Hackman et al.
patent: 5101887 (1992-04-01), Kado
patent: 484 577 (1929-10-01), None
patent: 2134169 (1973-01-01), None
patent: 0 255 313 (1988-02-01), None
patent: 1682710 (1991-10-01), None
Balthazard Patrick
Faille Philippe
Luu Teri Pham
Morgan & Finnegan , LLP
Valeo Thermique Moteur
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