Heat exchange – With external support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-23
2001-05-29
Atkinson, Christopher (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
With external support
C165S041000, C165S149000, C165S077000, C165S140000, C180S068400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237676
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application relates to and claims priority from Japanese Patent Applications No. Hei. 10-119074 filed on Apr. 28, 1998 and No. Hei. 10-163887 filed on Jun. 11, 1998, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a securing structure of a heat exchanger mounted on a vehicle. The present invention is suitable for a heat exchanger including a condenser for a refrigerant cycle of a vehicle air conditioner and a radiator for cooling an engine cooling water, disposed closely or integrally with each other.
2. Related Art
JP-A-9-257388 discloses a securing structure (i.e., mounting structure) for securing a double heat exchanger to a vehicle, by the applicant of the present invention. In JP-A-9-257388, the double heat exchanger includes a radiator and a condenser integrally connected to each other by upper and lower brackets. The double heat exchanger is mounted on and secured to the vehicle to be pinched between attachment members of the vehicle in a vertical direction. Therefore, even when only the radiator needs to be detached from the vehicle, the connected radiator and condenser need to be detached from the vehicle. That is, first, the connected radiator and condenser are disconnected from the attachment members of the vehicle and moved in a front-rear direction of the vehicle. Then, bolts fastening the brackets to the radiator are loosened, thereby detaching the radiator from the bracket. When the radiator is attached to the vehicle again, the above-mentioned detachment steps need to be performed in a reversed order. Thus, the condenser and the radiator are not effectively detached and attached. Further, an extra space (i.e., dead space) for moving the connected condenser and radiator in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is required in the vehicle, thereby increasing a mounting space of the double heat exchanger.
Further, in the conventional double heat exchanger, a side plate is attached to each of upper and lower end surfaces of the radiator and the condenser for reinforcement, and the brackets are attached to both the side plates of the radiator and the condenser to cover the side plates. Therefore, when either the radiator or the condenser needs to be detached from the vehicle for repair or replacement, only one of the radiator and the condenser cannot be detached from the vehicle, but both the radiator and the condenser need to be once detached from the vehicle. For example, even when only the condenser needs to be detached from the vehicle, both of the radiator and the condenser need to be detached from the vehicle. Therefore, engine-cooling water is necessary to be removed from the radiator, thereby reducing maintenance efficiency of the double heat exchanger.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger which is readily detached from and attached to a vehicle and requires a small mounting space.
It is an another object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger mounted on a vehicle in which maintenance is readily performed.
According to the present invention, a heat exchanger is mounted on a vehicle having two attachment members extending in a vehicle width direction. First and second plate members of the heat exchanger are attached to the attachment members through first and second brackets. The first bracket has a bracket main portion, an inclining member for inclining the heat exchanger in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, and an engaging unit through which the heat exchanger engages with the first bracket. The second bracket has a restricting unit for restricting the heat exchanger from inclining when the heat exchanger is attached to the vehicle. Thus, when the heat exchanger is detached from the vehicle, the heat exchanger is firstly released from the restricting unit, is inclined through the first bracket, and is pulled upwardly. When the heat exchanger is attached to the vehicle, detachment steps are simply performed in reverse. Thus, the heat exchanger is readily detached from and attached to the vehicle and requires a small mounting space.
Preferably, the first plate member includes a first extending portion extending toward the first bracket, the inclining member has a first holding portion which is moved together with the first extending portion to be inclined, and the bracket main portion has a second holding portion at a side opposite to the first holding portion relative to the first extending portion, so that the first extending portion is sandwiched between the first and second holding portions. Further, the second holding portion contacts the first extending portion when the restricting unit restricts the core portion from inclining, and the engaging unit is provided at least one of the first and second holding portions. Thus, the heat exchanger is readily inclined when the restricting unit is released, while the first and second attachment members are secured to the vehicle. As a result, the heat exchanger is readily detached from and attached to the vehicle in a small mounting space of the vehicle.
More preferably, the heat exchanger includes a first heat exchanging portion and a second heat exchanging portion disposed at a downstream air side of the first heat exchanging portion. A first side plate attached to the first heat exchanger and a second side plate attached to the second heat exchanger are connected to the second bracket through first and second bolts, respectively. When the first bolt is removed, the first side plate and the first heat exchanging portion can be moved toward an upstream air side of the second bracket. When the second bolt is removed, the second side plate and the second heat exchanging portion can be moved toward a downstream air side of the second bracket. Thus, only one of the first and second heat exchanging portions can be solely detached from the vehicle, thereby improving maintenance efficiency of the heat exchanger.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4066119 (1978-01-01), Stedman
patent: 4531574 (1985-07-01), Hoch
patent: 5000257 (1991-03-01), Shinmura
patent: 5429181 (1995-07-01), Tordjeman
patent: 5535819 (1996-07-01), Matsuura
patent: 5992514 (1999-11-01), Sugimoto et al.
patent: 6000460 (1999-12-01), Yamanaka et al.
patent: 4-52498 (1992-02-01), None
patent: U-4-100685 (1992-08-01), None
Aki Yoshifumi
Hasegawa Etuo
Yamamoto Michiyasu
Atkinson Christopher
Denso Corporation
Harness Dickey & Pierce PLC
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