Heat exchanger tube
AssigneeModine Manufacturing Company
InventorDavid Mast
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flat tube for a heat exchanger is fabricated from a single sheet of metal material. The sheet of metal material has a first edge and a second edge, which are arranged adjacent to one another between a pair of broad walls of the tube. Flat sections extend from the edges and are disposed against one another. A pair of rounded walls arranged at an end of the tube connect the flat sections to the broad walls, and are joined by a weld bead within a space bounded by the outer surfaces of the rounded walls.
Claims15
A heat exchanger tube fabricated from a single sheet of metal material, comprising:
- a pair of opposing, spaced apart broad walls defining a tube minor dimension;
- a tube inner volume provided between the pair of broad walls;
- a first rounded wall bounding the tube inner volume at a first end of the heat exchanger tube to connect the pair of broad walls, an outer surface of the first rounded wall having a radius equal to the tube minor dimension;
- a first edge and a second edge of the sheet of metal material arranged adjacent to one another between the pair of broad walls;
- a first flat section extending from the first edge of the sheet of metal material and a second flat section extending from the second edge of the sheet of metal material, the first flat section and the second flat section disposed against one another;
- a second rounded wall arranged at a second end of the heat exchanger tube opposite the first end to connect the first flat section and a first one of the pair of broad walls, an outer surface of the second rounded wall having a radius equal to half of the tube minor dimension;
- a third rounded wall arranged at the second end of the heat exchanger tube to connect the second flat section and a second one of the pair of broad walls, an outer surface of the third rounded wall having a radius equal to half of the tube minor dimension;
- and
- a weld bead joining the second and third rounded walls, the weld bead being arranged within a space bounded by the outer surface of the second rounded wall and the outer surface of the third rounded wall.
A method of making a heat exchanger tube, comprising:
- feeding a continuous flat sheet of metal material into a tube mill;
- hemming opposing edges of the flat sheet of metal material in a first forming station of the tube mill to form first and second rounded ends;
- forming the sheet of metal material into a cylindrical shape, thereby bringing the first and second rounded ends into contact with one another, in a second forming station of the tube mill;
- creating a weld bead between the first and second rounded ends;
- flattening the cylindrical shape in a third forming station of the tube mill;
- and
- separating the heat exchanger tube from the continuous flat sheet of metal material in a cut-off station of the tube mill.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.