Retained strong header for heat exchanger
AssigneeHanon Systems
InventorsJames Grainger, Leo Somhorst, David Bowring, Sotirios Zormpas, Jonathan Stansfield
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat exchanger includes a fluid reservoir having a peripherally extending foot, a header having a mounting tab bent to engage the foot of the fluid reservoir to couple the header to the fluid reservoir, and a retaining feature configured to prevent disengagement of the mounting tab of the header from the foot of the fluid reservoir. The retaining feature overlays at least a portion of an outer surface of the mounting tab while otherwise restrained by a portion of the fluid reservoir in order to prevent the disengagement of the mounting tab from the foot.
Claims6
A heat exchanger comprising:
- a fluid reservoir having a peripherally extending foot;
- a header having a mounting tab bent to engage the foot of the fluid reservoir to couple the header to the fluid reservoir;
- and
- a retaining feature configured to prevent disengagement of the mounting tab of the header from the foot of the fluid reservoir, wherein the retaining feature is formed by deforming a portion of the fluid reservoir to overlay a portion of the mounting tab after the mounting tab is bent to engage the foot of the fluid reservoir, and wherein the deformed portion of the fluid reservoir is provided on a rib projecting from an outer surface of the fluid reservoir, wherein the rib is disposed adjacent a distal surface of the mounting tab, and wherein the deforming of the portion of the fluid reservoir includes the formation of a projection in the rib for preventing movement of the distal surface of the mounting tab, and wherein the rib projects laterally outwardly from the outer surface of the fluid reservoir and away from the foot of the fluid reservoir.
A heat exchanger comprising:
- a fluid reservoir having a peripherally extending foot;
- a header having a mounting tab bent to engage the foot of the fluid reservoir to couple the header to the fluid reservoir;
- and
- a retaining feature configured to prevent disengagement of the mounting tab of the header from the foot of the fluid reservoir, wherein the retaining feature is formed by deforming a portion of the fluid reservoir to overlay a portion of the mounting tab after the mounting tab is bent to engage the foot of the fluid reservoir, and wherein the deformed portion of the fluid reservoir is provided on a rib projecting from an outer surface of the fluid reservoir, wherein the rib is disposed adjacent a distal surface of the mounting tab, and wherein the deforming of the portion of the fluid reservoir includes the formation of a projection in the rib for preventing movement of the distal surface of the mounting tab, and wherein the rib is formed generally perpendicular to the foot of the fluid reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.