Zexel USA Corporation

Matthew K Harris

Peter J Breiding

Michael L Snyder

A heat exchanger of the type used for a condenser in a vehicle air conditioning system includes a pair of parallel, tubular headers which are spaced apart with a plurality of refrigerant flow tubes extending between the headers. The flow tubes have upper and lower flat sides, and forward and rearward outermost edges. The forward and rearward outermost edges longitudinally extend the length of the flow tubes to define forward and rearward outermost planes of the flow tubes, respectively. A plurality of serpentine fins have alternately disposed ridges and furrows which define upper and lower crests. Portions of some of the crests are indented to provide recesses, with tabs extending from one end of the crests. The tabs extend outward and in contact with one of the edges of the flow tubes. The headers and serpentine fins are brazing clad for passing through a brazing furnace to braze the headers and serpentine fins to the flow tubes. The heat exchanger is brazed while in a horizontal plane. The tabs of the fins prevent the fins from slipping downward during brazing.

Method of making an automotive heat exchanger with indented pins

A parallel flow heat exchanger is provided having two spaced apart header tubes and a plurality of parallel flow tubes which extend between the header tubes. Prior to passing assembled components of the heat exchanger through a brazing furnace, various external components such as flow fittings and mounting brackets are secured to one of the header tubes by a snap-on brackets which are integrally formed into the external components. Each of the snap-on brackets has a central body portion with a brazing clad, concave contact surface for fitting flush against a side of one of the header tubes. A pair of arms extend from one side of the central body portion, symmetrically spaced apart about a central axis of the snap-on connector for fitting around ribs formed by the edges of the header tubes. Tips are formed on the ends of the arms. The tips have tapered side surfaces which face inward, toward the other arms, for spreading the arms apart as the arms are pressed onto the ribs of the header tube. Continuous shoulders extend along the inward sides of the tips, parallel to the central axis and facing towards the concave contact surface of the central body portion. The continuous shoulders of the tips are spaced apart from the concave contact surface for engaging the ribs of one of the header tubes and holding the central body portion flush against the side of the header tubes for passing through a brazing furnace.

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Lewisville, TX, United States of America

Matthew K Harris