Heat exchanger header with deformations
AssigneeValeo Sistemas Electricos
InventorsEduardo Hernandez, Blas Gutierrez, Felipe Trejo, Victor-Manuel Minero
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention has its object to provide a heat exchanger with plastic tanks type, wherein a seal member is regularly compressed and hooks or tabs of header core crimped in a uniform fashion. Deformations predominantly located in the large sides or sides adjacent to the tank foot of the header, are formed and distributed in the inner or outer wall. The deformations in the periphery, or more particular, on the outside of the header wall, are formed after the brazing process.
Claims19
A brazed heat exchanger comprising;
- a plastic tank having a flange or foot portion at its open end;
- a core portion having a plurality of tubes;
- and at least one header;
- a header portion of the at least one header having a side wall, a bottom wall and an outer side wall forming an area for receiving the flange or foot portion fixed to the core portion;
- a plurality of hooks extending from the outer side wall of the header portion;
- a basically leak tight tank to header joint;
- a seal member disposed in between the wall area and the foot portion and the header;
- and
- at least one deformation in the side wall of the header portion;
- wherein the header portion foot portion and sealing member form the basically leak tight tank to header joint, and wherein the hooks are crimped over the flange or foot portion to fix the tank member to the header to form the tank to header joint.
A heat exchanger comprising at least one plastic end tank with a foot, at least one sealing member, at least one aluminum or aluminum alloy heat exchanger core having a central core portion and a header having side walls, wherein at least one deformation is formed on the side walls of the header portion at an area where a side wall is in contact with the tank foot.
A method for making a reinforced brazed heat exchanger assembly by:
- forming a heat exchanger core by assembling tubes, fins, header portions with a holding groove and a bottom and side wall for a containing a tank foot, together as one unit;
- brazing the heat exchanger core by conventional brazing techniques in order to form a basically leak proof unit;
- compressing a plurality of deformations into the side wall of the header aligned with the tank foot after the brazing step;
- attaching a plastic end tank or manifold with a foot to the header portion of the unit;
- creating a leak tight seal by placing a seal member or gasket in the holding groove;
- and
- joining a part of the header portion so that it holds the tank foot in place;
- thereby reinforcing the strength of the brazed heat exchanger assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.