Charge air cooler mounting arrangement

A charge air cooler mounting arrangement for mounting a charge air cooler into an engine intake manifold, comprising:

• a charge air cooler for reception into the engine intake manifold, said cooler having a first flow path for passage of charge air, and a second flow path for passage of a coolant in heat transfer relation with the charge air;
• a pair of brackets extending along opposite sides of said cooler and configured to define a pair of channels extending along opposite sides of said cooler, each of said brackets having formed therein at least one bolt-receiving hole;
• a plurality of nuts each associated with a different one of the bracket bolt-receiving holes, each of said nuts having an axially protruding shoulder and an enlarged base, and being receivable relatively loosely within the channel without rotation with respect thereto with said shoulder projecting at least partially into the associated bracket bolt-receiving hole for relatively loosely retaining said nut therein;
• and
• a plurality of bolts each associated with a different one of said nuts, and receivable through the manifold and the associated bracket bolt-receiving hole and threadably into said associated nut for securing said cooler with respect to the manifold.

In an internal combustion engine system having an intake manifold receiving a charge air cooler for passage of charge air in heat exchange relation with a coolant prior to supply of the charge air to an engine, an arrangement for mounting the charge air cooler within the manifold comprising:

• a pair of brackets extending along opposite sides of the cooler and configured to define a pair of channels extending along opposite sides of the cooler, each of said brackets having formed therein at least one bolt-receiving hole, said brackets and cooler together having a size and shape for relatively close reception within the manifold to substantially prevent charge air from bypassing the cooler within the manifold;
• a plurality of nuts each associated with a different one of the bracket bolt-receiving holes, each of said nuts having an axially protruding shoulder and an enlarged base, and being receivable relatively loosely within the channel without rotation with respect thereto with said shoulder projecting at least partially into the associated bracket bolt-receiving hole for relatively loosely retaining said nut therein;
• and
• a plurality of bolts each associated with a different one of said nuts, and receivable through the manifold and the associated bracket bolt-receiving hole and threadable into said associated nut for securing said cooler with respect to the manifold.

A method of mounting a charge air cooler within an engine intake manifold, comprising the steps of:

• mounting bracket means to extend along opposite sides of the cooler and configured to define an elongated channel extending along opposite sides of the cooler;
• forming at least one bolt-receiving hole in the bracket means on each of the opposite cooler sides;
• relatively loosely retaining a plurality of nuts within the channel each associated with one of the bolt receiving holes and aligned for reception of a bolt;
• and
• threadably securing into the nuts a plurality of bolts each associated with a different one of the nuts and received through the manifold and associated bolt-receiving hole.

A method of mounting a charge air cooler within an engine intake manifold, comprising the steps of:

• mounting a pair of brackets to extend along opposite sides of the cooler and to define along said sides a pair of elongated channels;
• sizing the brackets such that the brackets and cooler together have a size and shape for relatively close reception within the manifold for preventing charge air from bypassing the cooler within the manifold;
• forming at least one bolt-receiving hole in each of the brackets;
• relatively loosely retaining a plurality of nuts within the channel each associated with one of the bolt-receiving holes and aligned for reception of a bolt;
• and
• threadably securing into the nuts a plurality of bolts each associated with a different one of the nuts and received through the manifold and associated bolt-receiving hole.