US 5,867,904 AGranted

Method of making an automotive heat exchanger with indented pins

AssigneeZexel USA Corporation

InventorsMatthew K. Harris, Michael L. Snyder, Peter J. Breiding

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Abstract

A heat exchanger of the type used for a condenser in a vehicle air conditioning system includes a pair of parallel, tubular headers which are spaced apart with a plurality of refrigerant flow tubes extending between the headers. The flow tubes have upper and lower flat sides, and forward and rearward outermost edges. The forward and rearward outermost edges longitudinally extend the length of the flow tubes to define forward and rearward outermost planes of the flow tubes, respectively. A plurality of serpentine fins have alternately disposed ridges and furrows which define upper and lower crests. Portions of some of the crests are indented to provide recesses, with tabs extending from one end of the crests. The tabs extend outward and in contact with one of the edges of the flow tubes. The headers and serpentine fins are brazing clad for passing through a brazing furnace to braze the headers and serpentine fins to the flow tubes. The heat exchanger is brazed while in a horizontal plane. The tabs of the fins prevent the fins from slipping downward during brazing.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method for manufacturing a parallel flow heat exchanger, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a pair of tubular headers and a plurality of flow tubes, each of the flow tubes having a length measured along a longitudinal axis, a width measured between forward and rearward edges, and substantially flat opposite facing contact surfaces;
providing a plurality of serpentine fins, each of the serpentine fins being a strip having a length substantially equal to the length of the flow tubes, a width measured between forward and rearward edges which is slightly greater than the width of one of the flow tubes, and alternating ridges and furrows which define first and second crests;
providing each of the fins with a locating tab on the first crests at one of the edges of the fins;
alternately positioning the flow tubes and the serpentine fins together, forming a core assembly having a width substantially equal to the width of one of the fins;
placing the headers on opposite ends of the flow tubes, with the headers spaced apart and parallel to one another, forming a heat exchanger assembly;
orienting the heat exchanger assembly so that the core assembly is generally horizontal with the tabs located on an upper side of the core assembly and in abutting engagement with one of the edges of at least some of the tubes to prevent the fins from sliding downward relative to the tubes;
then
while maintaining the heat exchanger assembly generally horizontal, passing the heat exchanger assembly through a brazing furnace to braze the headers, flow tubes and serpentine fins together into a single unit.

5 more elements

A method for manufacturing a parallel flow heat exchanger, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a pair of tubular headers and first and second flow tubes, each of the flow tubes having a length measured along a longitudinal axis, a width measured between forward and rearward edges, the first and second flow tubes having generally flat contact surfaces which face one another;
(b) providing a metal strip having a width from a forward edge to a rearward edge slightly greater than the width of one of the flow tubes;
(c) bending the metal strip into a serpentine fin having undulations with first and second sets of crests;
(d) forming tabs and recessed portions on the first set of crests, with each of the tabs being located on one of the edges of the strips and protruding past the recessed portion in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis to define a shoulder at a junction between each of the tabs and each of the recessed portions;
(e) positioning the serpentine fin between the flow tubes, with the longitudinal axes of the flow tubes parallel, with the first crests in contact with the contact surface of the first flow tube and the second crests in contact with the contact surface of the second flow tube;
(f) abutting the shoulder of each of the tabs against one of the edges of one of the first flow tube and placing each of the recessed portions against the contact surface of the first flow tube;
(g) placing the headers on opposite ends of the flow tubes, with the headers spaced apart and parallel to one another to define a heat exchanger assembly;
(h) securing the assembly to a fixture and orienting the assembly generally horizontal and with the tabs on an upper side of the assembly to prevent the fin from sliding downward relative to the tubes;
and then,
(i) passing the assembly and fixture through a brazing furnace to braze the headers, flow tubes and serpentine fin together into a single unit.

7 more elements

A method for manufacturing a parallel flow heat exchanger, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a pair of tubular headers and first and second flow tubes, each of the flow tubes having a length measured between ends, a width measured between forward and rearward edges, and a generally flat contact surface;
(b) providing a metal strip having a width from a forward edge to a rearward edge of the strip slightly greater than the width of one of the flow tubes;
(c) bending the metal strip into a serpentine fin having undulations with first and second sets of crests;
(d) forming tabs and recessed portions on the first set of crests, with the tabs being generally U-shaped and protruding in a past the recessed portion, each of the tabs having an outer edge portion coinciding with one of the edges of the strips and a shoulder joining one of the recessed portions, each of the recessed portions being generally flattened;
(e) positioning the serpentine fin between the flow tubes, with the flow tubes parallel to each other;
(f) abutting each of the shoulders of the tabs of the fins against one of the edges of the first flow tube and placing the recessed portions against the contact surfaces of the first flow tube to define a core assembly which has a width that is substantially the same as the width of the fin;
(g) placing the headers on opposite ends of the flow tubes, with the headers spaced apart and parallel to one another to define a heat exchanger assembly;
(h) securing the assembly to a fixture and orienting the heat exchanger assembly such that the core assembly is generally horizontal with the tabs located on an upper side of the core assembly to prevent the fin from slipping downward relative to the tubes;
and then,
(i) passing the assembly and fixture through a brazing furnace to braze the headers, flow tubes and serpentine fin together into a single unit.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/939,355Filed 29 Sep 1997 · continuation in part
Priority: 4 Apr 1996
Granted: 9 Feb 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B23P 15/26
Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass: heat exchangers or the like
F28F 1/126
The means being only outside the tubular element: consisting of zig-zag shaped fins
F28F 2225/06
Reinforcing means: for fins
Y10T 29/49378
Tube with heat transfer means: finned tube