Ford Motor Company Limited

Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Other

Eugene E Rhodes

Wen Fei Yu

Greg A Whitlow

Darryl Leigh Young

Josef Hirmann

Ramchandra L Patel

David L Brightwell

Ajit R Shembekar

Clarence W Fulton

Keith E Liederman

Barry W Blumel

Ali Jalilevand

Gregory A Whitlow

Wen Fel Yu

Dan E Haynes

Williard E Swenson

An apparatus is disclosed for supporting and sealing a heat exchanger unit. Specifically, a unitary header and tank unit is disclosed comprising a condenser header and tank unit arranged in parallel relation to a radiator header and tank unit. The unitary header and tank unit is formed from a single piece of stamped material. The single piece of material is stamped to include a perpendicular extrusion and two base portions, each base portion being perforated. The partial separation of the perpendicular extrusion into two flange portions allows the base portions to be folded over onto the flange portions thereby forming two header and tank units with a single internal partition. Additionally, a fin unit is disclosed that is capable of traversing the heat exchange fins of multiple heat exchangers.

Heat exchanger header and tank unit

A twisted-louver high performance heat exchanger fin assembly includes a plurality of fin elements each having a louver formed therein. The louvers include first and second portions connected by a twisted portion such that the first and second portions cross in an X-shaped profile.

Twisted-louver high performance heat exchanger fin

A tube and method of making the same for a heat exchanger includes a base, a top spaced from and opposing the base, a first side interposed between the base and the top along one side thereof, and a second side interposed between the base and the top along another side thereof. The tube includes an end form formed solely on either one of the first side and the second side to create a stop for inserting said tube into a manifold of the heat exchanger.

Tube for a heat exchanger and method of making same

A tube and turbulator and method of making the same for a heat exchanger including a base, a top spaced from and opposing the base, a first side interposed between the base and the top along one side thereof, and a second side interposed between the base and the top along another side thereof. The base, top, first side and second side form a channel. The second side is triple hemmed such that ends of the base and the top are disposed within the channel. A flat turbulator may be disposed inside the tube and includes a base extending laterally and longitudinally in a strip. The flat turbulator also includes a plurality of corrugations spaced laterally along the base and extending longitudinally and generally perpendicular to the base in an alternating manner. The corrugations are rolled in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the strip.

Flat turbulator for a tube and method of making same

A folded tube and method of making the same for a heat exchanger includes a base, a top spaced from and opposing the base, a first side interposed between the base and the top along one side thereof, and a second side interposed between the base and the top along another side thereof. The folded tube includes at least one of the base and the top having at least one internal web having an initial web width and initial outside shoulder radius and being compressed to compress the at least one internal web to a final web width less than the initial web width and a final outside shoulder radius less than the initial outside shoulder radius and defining a plurality of fluid ports.

Folded tube for a heat exchanger and method of making same

A manifold for a heat exchanger includes a base member having a plurality of tubular members for connection to tubes of a heat exchanger. The manifold also includes a plurality of folds disposed between the tubular members to form a channel above a plane of the base member. The manifold includes a first side member extending from a side edge of the base member and a second side member extending from another side of the base member and opposing the first side member. The free ends of the first side member and the second side member are disposed in the channel and secured in place between the folds to define a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit.

Manifold for a heat exchanger and method of making same

A folded tube and method of making the same for a heat exchanger includes a base, a top spaced from and opposing the base, a first side interposed between the base and the top along one side thereof, and a second side interposed between the base and the top along another side thereof. The folded tube includes at least one of the base and the top having at least one internal web having an initial web height and being compressed to extend the at least one internal web to a final web height greater than the initial web height and defining a plurality of fluid ports.

A heat exchanger having a plurality of elongated, generally flat tubes is disclosed, each tube including a planar base, a top, and pair of arcuate opposed side portions interposed between the base and the top is disclosed. A partition extends from the top to the base to define a pair of fluid passageways, the partition including a pair of opposing, contacting shoulder portions and a leg portion depending from each of the shoulder portions which contact the base. A first braze receiving of predetermined size is defined between the shoulder portions and the manifold of the heat exchanger. The size of the braze receiving area is controlled by minimizing the curvature of the shoulder portions.

Heat exchanger

A heat exchanger for an automotive vehicle is disclosed including a frame having a pair of headers and a pair of side supports disposed between the headers at opposite ends thereof. Each of the side supports includes a generally planar base and a pair of flanges extending from the based portion. The side supports including a stress relieving-zone defined by a Z-shaped aperture disposed in the base portion.

Heat exchanger with thermal stress relieving zone

There is disclosed herein a method for forming a manifold for a heat exchanger. The method includes the steps of the forming a generally planar sheet of material into a generally cylindrical member having a seam along the longitudinal length thereof. The method further includes forming a plurality of tube receiving slots in the cylindrical member and applying a pressure against the seam so as to flatten the seam.

Method of making a manifold for an automotive heat exchanger

A method for making a heat exchanger tube having an elongated, generally rectangular member including a planar base, a top, and pair of arcuate opposed side portions interposed between the base and the top. A partition extends from the top to the base to define a pair of fluid passageways, the partition including a pair of opposing, contacting shoulder portions and a leg portion depending from each of the shoulder portions which contact the base. A first braze receiving of predetermined size is defined between the shoulder portions and the manifold of the heat exchanger. The size of the braze receiving area is controlled by minimizing the curvature of the shoulder portions.

Method for making a heat exchanger tube

A method for making a manifold for a tube and fin type heat exchanger wherein the manifold is a one piece aluminum extrusion. The manifold includes a U-shaped channel having a base member and a pair of vertical walls, a plurality of fluid conducting passageways in the base member, and a pair of hollow longitudinal fluid conduits. The conduits are then crimped at predetermined locations to form fluid baffles and the manifold is then sealed. The baffles include slits which allow a bonding agent to secure the baffle within the fluid conduit.

Method of making a heat exchanger

There is disclosed herein an apparatus for manufacturing a manifold for a heat exchanger. The apparatus includes a mechanism for forming a generally planar sheet of material into a generally cylindrical member having a seam along the longitudinal length thereof. The apparatus further includes a tool for forming a plurality of tube receiving slots in the cylindrical member and a device for applying a pressure against the seam so as to flatten the seam to provide good sealing contact at the seam.

Apparatus for making a manifold for an automotive heat exchanger

There is disclosed herein a heat exchanger tube having an elongated, generally rectangular member including a planar base, a top, and pair of arcuate opposed side portions interposed between the base and the top. A partition extends from the top to the base to define a pair of fluid passageways, the partition including a pair of opposing, contacting bend portions and a leg portion depending from each of the bend portions which contact the base. Each of the leg portions is disposed at an acute angle relative to a vertical plane and spaced apart a predetermined distance so as define a braze receiving fillet therebetween. A method of manufacturing such a tube is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Belleville, MI, United States of America

Eugene E Rhodes