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AssigneeModine Manufacturing Company
InventorsMark Voss, Gregory Hughes, Scot Alley, Peter Kottal
Estimating the term…
A highly efficient parallel flow evaporator is provided by combining a pair of identical units (10), (12) wherein each includes a pair of identical, parallel, spaced headers (40) each having slots (44) receiving the ends of identical flattened tubes (22). Identical tanks (42) are bonded to each of the headers (40) and each has an identical central flat surface (52) and an identical, centrally located port (60). Fins (26) extend between adjacent tubes (22) in each unit (10), (12) and an inlet/outlet fixture (32) is bonded to the flat surfaces (52) of one pair of tanks (42) defined by adjacent tanks (42) of both of the units (10),(12). A cross-over fixture (30) is bonded to the flat surfaces (52) of the other pair of tanks (42) defined by the remaining tanks (42) of both of the units (10),(12). The invention minimizes the number of geometrically different parts, provides an improved distributor (140) for refrigerant, provides an improved inlet passage (108) that provides a uniform stream of refrigerant to the distributor (140) and provides for the direction of refrigerant emanating from the cross-over fixture (30) in a direction parallel to the tubes (22) for improved uniformity.
In an evaporator for a refrigerant having at least two spaced elongated header and tank constructions, a plurality of flattened tubes extending in parallel between said header and tank constructions and in fluid communication with the interiors thereof, fins extending between adjacent ones of said flattened tubes, and a refrigerant inlet having an inlet port in one of said header and tank constructions and located intermediate the ends thereof and having oppositely directed ports aimed in the direction of elongation of the header and tank construction, the improvement wherein said refrigerant inlet is defined by an inlet fixture including a piece of sheet stock including a dimple formed therein and sized to fit within said inlet port, and two oppositely directed tabs formed in said dimple to define said oppositely directed ports, and a cover for said sheet stock fitted thereto and defining an inlet passage extending to said dimple.
In an evaporator for a refrigerant having two adjacent cores, each made up of two elongated header and tank construction interconnected by flattened, parallel tubes with fins extending between adjacent fins in said cores, two adjacent header and tank constructions of said two cores comprising an inlet header and tank construction, and two other header and tank constructions being in fluid communication with one another, an inlet/outlet fixture comprising a planar metal sheet bridging said two adjacent header and tank constructions, inlet and outlet ports in said inlet and outlet header and tank constructions respectively, a dimple in said sheet and located within said inlet port, a pair of oppositely directed tabs formed in said dimple and directed generally toward respective ends of said inlet header and tank construction to define a refrigerant distributor, and an outlet port in said sheet and aligned with said outlet port.
An evaporator for a refrigerant having at least two spaced, elongated header and tank constructions, a plurality of flattened tubes extending in parallel between said header and tank constructions and in fluid communication with the interiors thereof, fins extending between adjacent ones of said tubes, an inlet port in one of said header and tank constructions, a refrigerant distributor in said inlet port, an inlet passage having one end extending to said distributor and a connector at the end of said passage remote from said one end for connection to an incoming stream of refrigerant, said passage having a diminishing cross-section from said remote end toward said one end and a diverging cross-section at said one end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.