Norsk Hydro, A.s.

Ford Motor Company Limited

Hydro Aluminum Puckett, Inc.

Jeffrey Lee Insalaco

William Marv Johnson

David Michael Halbig

Cowley Wendell Phillips, Jr

Howard Murray Huddleston

Fletcher L Odom

A method of forming tubing with integral fins oriented parallel to its length, and to a heat exchanger tube produced by such a method. The invention involves extruding a tube so that the tube has at least one internal longitudinal passage, an external surface having a cross-sectional shape in a plane transverse to the extrusion direction, and at least one integral fin parallel to the extrusion direction and extending in a direction away from the external surface of the tube. The tube may be one of a plurality of tubes assembled in parallel to a pair of manifolds, and such tubes are preferably oriented so that their integral fins are substantially parallel, with the fin(s) of a given tube extending toward an adjacent one of the tubes.

Method of forming heat exchanger tubing and tubing formed thereby

A method and tool for installing a baffle in a tubular member, such as a heat exchanger manifold. The method and tool are adapted to use a baffle having a closed base that acts to obstruct the flow of a fluid within the tubular member, and further having a sidewall extending axially from the perimeter of the base so as to form a recess in the baffle. The tool is generally composed of a sleeve having an elastically and radially deformable end, such as a number of cantilevered members adapted to be elastically bent radially outward. Radially outward deformation of the sleeve enables the sleeve to securely grip the baffle, maintain the orientation of the baffle during its insertion into the tubular member, and then plastically deform the sidewalls of the baffle in order to secure the baffle to the wall of the tubular member.

Apparatus for installing a baffle in a tubular member

A heat exchanger baffle and method by which the internal passage of a heat exchanger member is divided into two separate flow regions. The baffle includes first and second members having planar portions that define edges of the first and second members. The planar portions are connected to each other so as to form a connection region between the first and second members. The connection region is deformable to enable the planar portions to be folded onto each other. The baffle can then be installed in a heat exchanger member by installing the planar portions together into a slot in the wall of the heat exchanger member. After installation, the planar members remain substantially parallel to each other, and the connection region preferably contacts a portion of the wall opposite the slot. The manner in which the baffle is folded serves to bias the first and second members against the slot, so that the baffle is more reliably retained within the slot prior to being permanently secured by such methods as brazing. Each member of the baffle also preferably has a flange and a raised region within its planar portion. When the baffle is installed in the heat exchanger member, a portion of the wall is engaged by and between the raised region and the flange of each member, so that the baffle is securely retained within the slot prior to being permanently secured by brazing.

Baffle for heat exchanger manifold

An automotive heat exchanger that includes a manifold (12) and a mounting block (10) attached to the manifold (12) and over an opening (30) in the wall of the manifold (12). The mounting block (10) has a flange portion (16) with a surface (18) that engages approximately half of the outer perimeter of the manifold (12). The block (10) also includes means (20, 24) for securing the heat exchanger to an automobile (14), and an inlet/outlet port (26) extending through the block (10) and in fluidic communication with the opening (30) in the wall of the manifold (12). Grooves (19) are preferably present in the surface (18) of the flange portion (16) of the block (10), two of which engage raised portions (23) on the perimeter of the manifold (12) in order to aid in securing the block (10) to the manifold (12). The remaining grooves (19) provide reservoirs between the block (10) and manifold (12) for braze material (21) that metallurgically bonds the block (10) to the manifold (12). A sleeve (28) is preferably disposed partially within the inlet/outlet port (26) and partially within the opening (30) in the manifold (12), so as to provide a leak-free joint between the block (10) and manifold (12).

Heat exchanger combination mounting bracket and inlet/outlet block with

A heat exchanger member (12) having an internal passage in which a baffle assembly (14) is received to define at least two separate flow regions within the passage. The baffle assembly (14) includes a pair of baffles (18, 26), a first (18) of which having a first peripheral portion (22) contacting the wall (16) of the heat exchanger member (12) so as to form a fluid-tight seal therebetween. The first baffle (18) further has a second peripheral portion (24) spaced apart from the wall (16) of the heat exchanger member (12) so as to form a peripheral gap (32) therebetween. The second (26) of the two baffles also has a peripheral portion (30) contacting the wall (12) of the heat exchanger member (12) so as to form a fluid-tight seal therebetween. A second peripheral portion (30) of the second baffle (26) contacts the second peripheral portion (24) of the first baffle (18) so that the baffles (18, 26) are joined together as an assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the peripheral gap (32) between the first and second baffles (18, 26) is vented to atmosphere through an opening (34). As a result, the flux can be introduced and removed from the heat exchanger member (12) through the opening (34) for brazing the baffles (18, 26) in place. Leakage through the opening (34) can serve to indicate failure of the baffles (18, 26) anytime after their installation.

Heat exchanger member and baffle installation method therefor

Method for installing baffle in a tubular member

A method for forming ports on a heat exchanger manifold, in which risers are back extruded in a single operation from the surrounding material of the manifold such that subsequent machining steps to further define and finish the port are unnecessary. The method of this invention generally includes forging the manifold between a pair of die halves so as to back extrude a localized portion of the manifold into a riser cavity in one of the die halves. Afterwards, and while the manifold remains within the die cavity, a punch is forced through the riser cavity and into the extruded portion in a direction toward the manifold so as to further back extrude the extruded portion. This step causes the raised portion to flow in a direction opposite to the direction of the punch, producing a riser having an internal bore defined by the punch and an outer surface defined by the cavity. An internal chamfer can be simultaneously formed on the internal bore of the riser in order to facilitate assembly of a tube with the riser. The precision of the punch operation yields risers that do not require further machining or finishing to correctly size the risers or form the chamfers.

Back extrusion process for forming a manifold port

A shaped soldering strip for promoting improved soldering joints to or between a tube array comprising: a thin coupon of solder having margins defining openings aligned with the axes of the tubes to be joined; a collar surrounding each margin to define a cup shape integral with the associated margin, such margin forming the bottom of said cup shape and being positioned by the collar for placement in annular contact or at least in micro-close proximity to the external circumference of an aligned tube to limit downward weepage of flux deposited in said cup shape: and bridges connecting said collars to create said coupon that extends over said frontal area and gangs the collars for positioning on the tubes of said array.

Growing community of inventors

Brandon, MS, United States of America

Jeffrey Lee Insalaco