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  Heat exchanger with separators and improved strengthRelated Patent Categories: Heat Exchange, Radiator Core Type, Deformed Sheet Forms Passages Between Side-by-side Tube MeansHeat exchanger with separators and improved strength description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070023171, Heat exchanger with separators and improved strength. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This patent application claims priority of Provisional Application No. 60/703,915 filed Jul. 29, 2005 FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to heat exchangers, and, particularly heat exchangers useful in automotive applications. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Heat exchangers use fins external to tubes or turbulators (internal to tubes) (collectively sometimes also called separators) as a way to increase surface area and therefore increase heat transfer. Fins have traditionally contained features to either improve heat transfer, e.g. louvers, or features to improve manufacturability, e.g. anti-fin drop embossments. An example of louvers added to a fin to improve heat transfer can be seen on JP8068598. An example of a manufacturing feature of a fin can be seen on JP2001212637. [0004] All of the examples cited above either focus on improving the manufacturability, or improving the heat transfer of the heat exchanger by the use of specific designs. [0005] As cost cutting measures continue on heat exchangers, specifically on automotive heat exchangers with tubes (sometimes referred to a fluid circulation canals), more specifically on automotive brazed tube-fin type heat exchangers, the thickness or "gage" of the metal used to create these fins has been continuously made smaller. Depending upon the thickness and the type of tube, this action may have lowered the strength of the fin to the point where the fin cannot provide proper support in order to survive the manufacturing process. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] Adequate over all heat exchanger strength, and, in particular the contribution of fin strength, has often been an issue in prior art heat exchanger. Particularly in radiator, charge air cooler (CAC) and similar condition applications, the separator, and, especially, fin strength or lack there of, has caused a multitude of problems, particularly with the trend for thinner and thinner fin stock. [0007] The present invention, in one of its aspects, reinforces the mechanical strength of the heat exchanger at or around the surfaces where heat exchange typically occurs. For example, the area of the fin or fins or turbulator or turbulators (fins and turbulators referred to collectively in the present application as `separators`) are reinforced to ameliorate the mechanical strength of the heat exchanger without increasing the amount of material at the area of reinforcement. [0008] In various aspects of the present invention, the strength of the separator is increased without increasing material gage, and, therefore, without increasing cost. The preferred embodiments of the present invention, therefore, improve the strength of the separator, allowing for further gage reduction efforts to continue. [0009] By improving the stiffness and strength of the separator through the use of various techniques, such as metal forming techniques, as opposed to adding mass or cross-sectional area to the separator, an improved heat exchanger with fins is provided, without added cost or weight. The present invention, in its various embodiments, provide for separator material or stock, a stock, as appropriate, for, either for production of fins or turbulators, and, particularly a separator stock originally flat or planar in orientation, that will be reinforced or folded to be able to support or resist compressive forces that would not be possible without such reinforcement or folding. [0010] In an aspect of the present invention, folds, deformations, dimples, elevations, depressions, or the like (collectively referred to as strength improvement features) of generally a greater thickness or height than the separator material or stock, preferably of an overall thickness or height of 80 microns or less, or, in particular, fin material itself, in a specific pattern, have been found to increase overall separator, or, in particular, fin or separator strength. [0011] In modern applications, such as folded tube type radiators, much higher compression, often in the order of 10 times higher compression than that needed for welded tube type radiators, is used in production. [0012] In preferred embodiments of the present invention, metal is not added to the separator to improve strength characteristics. The present invention in its preferred embodiments, allows metal forming to improve the strength. By forming the appropriate structures rather than by using additional or added material, lower cost may be achieved while not sacrificing the strength and overall manufacturability of the heat exchanger. [0013] Present invention preferred aspects also can be accomplished with little modification of tools necessary to produce either tubes or fins. [0014] Separators and especially fins made from "separator stock", often have louvers or thinner areas or even openings in the separator, particularly the fin, for various regions and reasons, including increasing heat exchange. Buy louver it is meant a feature or features on a separator where separator material is cut or punched or pierced or the like and pushed out or otherwise formed to create a surfaces that rises above the surrounding area on the separator to improve heat transfer characteristics. Though such louvers and the like have positive attributes in heat exchangers, as the "separator stock" and eventual gauge is reduced in thickness, such added fin or turbulator modification can lead to an even weaker structure of the fin or turbulator. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, a strength improvement feature, such as a deformation, (especially such as a dimple), is made so that, preferably, it is approximately parallel to the louver, and equal to or greater than the length of the louver measured in the same orientation. Preferably the strength improvement feature starts at the end of the louver and near the radius area of the tube where the fin with louver and tube is assembled in the heat exchanger. [0015] More preferably, the length of the strength improvement feature is the same length or greater than the length of the opening of the louver of the fins. [0016] Dimples, folds or deformations or the like, for example, in other aspects may be placed in such a manner as to form a U or V shape in a direction along the length of the separator stock used to make, a separator, as, for example, in FIG. 4 or 5. Though the U or V shape appears to be of different alignment in various angles, in various aspects of the present invention, the point or apex of the dimple is aligned so that the dimple is basically symmetrical, i.e. such that the dimple has segments or arms, appropriately of equal characteristics, on both sides of the point or apex. [0017] The presence of the deformation or dimple or fold or the like increases the strength of the separator. Aspects of the present invention are applicable on brazed or non-brazed radiators. [0018] The distribution of dimples increases the strength and/or rigidity of the fin or turbulator, even in cases where a loss of rigidity would normally occur due to use of thinner material fin or turbulator stock. Aspects of the present invention, where n is the number of rows of tubes, there are at least n strengthening features, and, preferably, 2n or 2n+1 or 2n-1 strength improvement features in each individual separator as viewed in cross section (for example, in FIG. 11) through a plurality of fins, to provide increased strength for fin and turbulators for heat exchangers. [0019] As a basic example, an orientation of V or U (cap shape) along an axis in series of two or three, preferably a series of three (three zones of deformations, or, especially dimples) provide increased strength for fin and turbulators for heat exchangers, and, especially, radiators, and charge air coolers (CAC). By multiplying the effect by two or three per row of tube, (providing at least 2 or 3 V s or U s dimples per unit) the strength of the unity is increased. [0020] Aspects of the present invention augment the mechanical inertia of the fin or turbulator. In various aspects of the present invention, separator stock is stretched or otherwise distorted to form a material thinner than that of the rest of the fin, i.e. there is a localized area of decreased thickness. This localized area can be folded or plied to form a deformation or dimple, with material thickness in the localized area not thicker than the overall stock material thickness, it protrudes or is elevated at the localized area to provide for a heightened area on the fin or separator which provide increased stress resistance even with decreased fin material thickness. Preferably, the strength improvement feature or features are of a thickness of 80.mu. or less. [0021] In embodiments wherein the separator stock is produced in one single line, the `arms` or `branches` of the V or U shaped deformations or dimples follow along the axis of the tube. The tube is, therefore, reinforced by the V or U on the modified (dimple reinforced) fin (by in the form of a u or v it is meant that the dimple, fold, deformation or the like have arms or branches off of an apex or highest point, or either side of that apex or higher point). Continue reading about Heat exchanger with separators and improved strength... Full patent description for Heat exchanger with separators and improved strength Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Heat exchanger with separators and improved strength patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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