# US 5,348,081 A · High capacity automotive condenser

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- Number: US 5,348,081 A
- Document ID: US5348081A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/134,716
- Filed: 1993-10-12
- Granted: 1994-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 1993-10-12
- Assignees: General Motors Corporation
- Inventors: Gary A. Halstead; Brian L. Barten; Gregory R. Smith
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5348081A

## CPC

- F28D 1/05391: {with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits combined with a particular flow pattern, e.g. multi-row multi-stage radiators}
- F28F 9/0214: {having only longitudinal partitions}
- F28F 9/0224: {Header boxes formed by sealing end plates into covers (F28F9/0221 takes precedence)}
- F28F 9/262: {for radiators (F28D1/0408 takes precedence)}
- F28D 2021/0084: {Condensers}
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)

## Abstract

A high capacity condenser for automotive application is built up from two layers or modules so as to make maximum use of standard components. The tanks of header tank and tube type condensers are extruded with interfitting clearance notches and stand-off flanges along the length of the tanks that maintain the two modules spaced apart and aligned. A specially designed cross-over pipe interconnects the two modules in a fluid sense and also cooperates in mechanically joining the two.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A high capacity condenser for use in an automotive air conditioning system, comprising,
a first and second condenser module, said first condenser module including a pair of parallel tanks that are generally rectangular in cross section, each of which tanks has at least one generally flat face wall, at least one of said face walls in each of said tanks also having a continuous clearance notch of predetermined depth formed therein along the length of said tank,
said second condenser module also including a respective pair of similarly sized parallel tanks that are generally rectangular in cross section, each of which tanks also has at least one generally flat face wall opposed to said first module face walls and also including a stand-off flange along the length thereof and secured into said clearance notch and having a height slightly greater than said predetermined depth, so as to keep said pairs of opposed face walls slightly spaced apart, and,
a cross-over pipe extending through one of said pairs of slightly spaced face walls so as to fluid connect one of said respective pairs of tanks,
whereby refrigerant may enter one of said respective pair of tanks, run through one condenser module and then into the other module through said cross-over pipe.

### Claim 2

A high capacity condenser for use in an automotive air conditioning system, comprising,
a first and second condenser module, said first condenser module including a pair of parallel tanks that are generally rectangular in cross section, each of which tanks has at least one generally flat face wall and a side wall perpendicular thereto, at least one of said face walls in each of said tanks also having a continuous clearance notch of predetermined depth and width formed therein along the juncture of said face wall and side wall,
said second condenser module also including a respective pair of similarly sized parallel tanks that are generally rectangular in cross section, each of which tanks also has at least one generally flat face wall and a side wall perpendicular thereto, at least one of said face walls in each of said tanks also having a continuous clearance notch of predetermined depth formed therein along the juncture of said face wall and side wall and further having a stand-off flange along the length thereof having a height slightly greater than said predetermined width and inset from the juncture of its respective face wall and side wall by less than said predetermined width, so as to nest with said clearance notches in said first module tanks and thereby, when secured thereto, keep said pairs of opposed faces walls spaced apart with an enlarged gap at the respective side walls of more than twice said predetermined width, and,
a cross-over pipe having a central barrel equal in thickness to said gap and a pair of opposed sleeves extending through one of said pairs of slightly spaced face walls so as to fluid connect one of said respective pairs of tanks while cooperating with said flange to maintain said gap,
whereby refrigerant may enter one of said respective pair of tanks, run through one condenser module and then into the other module through said cross over pipe.