Heat exchange – Radiator core type – Deformed sheet forms passages between side-by-side tube means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-27
2001-10-16
Leo, Leonard (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
Radiator core type
Deformed sheet forms passages between side-by-side tube means
C165S174000, C165S175000, C165S176000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302196
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a heat exchanger in heating installations or an engine radiator of motor vehicles with the features of a double flow row arrangement of parallel flat tubes, which are connected to one another via zig zag fins, at least one water case with a tube bottom and a cap in communication with free ends of the tubes, the flat tubes have a double flow design by a tube partition extending longitudinally and engaging at the free end of the tubes a slit in the tube bottom common to both flows at both sides of the tube partition, the water case is divided into an inlet and an outlet, arranged at the plane of the tube partition, a header partition engages the groove or slit in the tube bottom and a groove in the cap thereby intersecting the free ends of the flat tubes, and the tube bottom or cap and the partition of the water case as well as the flat tubes and zig zag fins arc made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Such a heat exchanger is known from EP 0 656 517 A1.
In this known heat exchanger, the partition is soldered or brazed on the one hand into a groove at the cap of the water case and on the other hand into a groove or slit at the tube bottom or tube plate of the water case. It is also possible to alternately or in another group provide grooves at some spots, slits at other spots at the tube bottom to be soldered or brazed with the partition.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,044, on the other hand a heat exchanger, preferably as liquefier or condenser, is known, in which a header which is rounded in order to take up the internal pressure is composed of two shells also rounded which receive a container subdivision between them. In this case, a soldered or brazed engagement with a shell for subdividing the container is effected by an engagement with a groove having at its ground at least one slit adapted to be gripped by a tongue of the container subdivision.
In both mentioned known cases, the interesting and subsequent soldering or brazing of the partition or the container subdivision, respectively, is effected by a direct manipulation at this partition or container subdivision, respectively. This is not only somewhat arduous, but it can also lead to undesired large brazing or soldering gaps in case of a not optimal engagement with the groove or the slit in the sense of the first mentioned publication or the combination of groove and slit in the sense of the second mentioned publication, which involves the risk of a leakage.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object underlying the invention is to make possible a mounting of the partition between the cap and the tube bottom of the water case of the heat exchanger according to the invention in a simple manner with a secure brazing or soldering.
This object is achieved with a heat exchanger in heating installations or an engine radiator with the a double flow row arrangement of parallel flat tubes, which are connected to one another via zig zag fins, at least one water case with a tube bottom and a cap in communication with free ends of the tubes, the flat tubes have a double flow design by a tube partition extending longitudinally and engaging at the free end of the tubes a slit in the tube bottom common to both flows at both sides of the tube partition, the water case is divided into an inlet and an outlet, arranged at the plane of the tube partition, a header partition engages the groove or slit in the tube bottom and a groove in the cap thereby intersecting the free ends of the flat tubes, and the tube bottom or cap and the partition of the water case as well as the flat tubes and zig zag fins are made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, wherein across an edge of the tube bottom openings are formed and tongues are provided at the free edge of the cap which are adapted to engage the openings in a soldered or brazed connection.
According to the invention, the fixing of the partition between the tube bottom and the cap is made sure by a separate brazed or soldered engagement at the edge of the water case. Thereby, the size of the brazing or soldering gap of the partition can be adjusted and kept at a minimum with respect to the tube bottom and the cap, thus considerably reducing the risk of a leakage.
From DE 195 15 526 C1, in particular FIG. 10, a heat exchanger specially designed for the conditions of an evaporator of a motor vehicle is known, in which openings formed in the tube bottom are already distributed across the edge of the tube bottom of a header, which openings are engaged by tongues formed at the free edge of a cap of the header in a brazed or soldered connection. A partition extending longitudinally of the header comprises first and second tongues, the first of which grip through slits in the tube bottom and the second of which grip - different from the invention - through slits in the cap. Also different from the invention, here the fixing of the solder gap is effected by upsetting the free ends of the tongues from the outside.
One can here already effect a prefixing before the soldering or brazing of the water case by a form-fit undercut of the groove-and-tongue-like engagement at the periphery of the water case in a mechanically reliable manner. With respect to the manufacture, for this purpose any kind of such a prefixing is possible, possibly an upsetting of the free ends of the tongues projecting through the openings at the periphery of the tube bottom at the cap, possibly by bending them and suchlike.
In this connection, the invention makes it possible to clamp the partition between the cap and the tube bottom utilizing the elasticity of the cap of the water case even with a pretension before the toldering or brazing and to thus achieve the smallest possible soldering or brazing gap.
Assembly of tube bottom and cap during the assembly which is mechanically as easy as possible. In this case, prevents a mutual blocking of tube bottom and cap due to a jackknifing partition by this partition being beforehand at least roughly oriented in the direction of the engagement with a groove in the cap at at least one local spot and then being guided into the final engagement position.
It shows that the fixing at the periphery of the water case often has to be effected only at the two longitudinal sides of the water case and then automatically also results at the front sides thereof.
The invention is not restricted to the clamping and soldering or brazing of the partition, but that in the sense of the second mentioned prepublication it also includes the existence of at least one transverse wall which can then be analogously mounted and soldered or brazed between the tube bottom and the cap.
In case of the peripheral fixing it is possible to work with a groove arrangement which is continued at its ground by local openings of the tube bottom for receiving the tongues provided at the cap.
A configuration which is particularly simple as to the spatial design is possible.
The invention furthermore concerns a particularly convenient method for manufacturing the cap of a water case of a heat exchanger according to the invention. This method is characterized in that the tongues at the cap which later serve for connecting the cap and the tube bottom of the water case at the periphery can be first of all punched out in the plane of a flat material from which the cap can finally be finished by a deep-drawing process, a two-step deep-drawing process in this case.
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patent: 5582239 (1996-12-01), Tsunoda et al.
patent: 5605191 (1997-02-01), Eto et al.
patent: 4432972 (1995-04-01), None
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patent: 4-278196 (1992-10-01), None
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patent: 1322070 (1987-07-01), None
Leo Leonard
Morgan & Finnegan , LLP
Valeo Klimatechnik GmgH & Co., KG
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