Bracket for motor vehicle air conditioner heat exchanger

[0001] The invention relates in general to heat exchangers, and in particular to a motor vehicle air conditioner condenser having brackets for mounting the condenser to a motor vehicle and for mounting equipment to the condenser.

[0002] Air conditioners for motor vehicles have two heat exchangers, one being an evaporator and the other being a condenser. The condenser is preferably located in front of and parallel to the engine radiator. The condenser may be either a parallel flow type or a serpentine flow type. In the parallel flow type, a plurality of parallel flow tubes extend between vertical tubular headers. The headers are in fluid communication with the refrigerant flowing through the flow tubes. Fins are located between each of the flow tubes for enhancing heat exchange. Typically, a frame member is located at the upper edge and at the lower edge, the frame members extending between upper and lower ends of the headers. Condensers are made of aluminum and fabricated by assembling the headers, flow tubes, fins, and frame members in a fixture, then passing the assembly through a brazing furnace.

[0003] Brackets are needed to secure components to the heat exchanger and also to mount the heat exchanger in the motor vehicle. Because of the differences in vehicles, the brackets have a variety of shapes and fit to the heat exchanger at different places. The brackets may be secured by rivets or threaded fasteners to the heat exchanger. Alternately, they may be brazed in place when the heat exchanger passes through the brazing furnace. Installing the brackets at the appropriate positions can be a time-consuming process.

[0004] In this invention, a bracket is mounted to at least one of the corners of the heat exchanger. The bracket has a socket portion with a transverse cross-section that mates with and slides over one of the elongated members in a direction parallel to the axis of the elongated member. The bracket has a flange portion that is joined to the socket portion that has spaced apart flange walls. The flange walls slide over a second one of the elongated members of the heat exchanger in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the second one of the elongated members. A mounting member formed on the bracket protrudes from the bracket for mounting components to the heat exchanger or mounting the heat exchanger to a motor vehicle.

[0005] Preferably, the flange portion has a pair of resilient tabs. These tabs snap into engagement with portions of the second elongated member to retain the bracket on the corner. Optionally, fasteners, such as rivets, may be inserted through the bracket and into the elongated members.

[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, condenser 11 is shown as a parallel flow type, although it could be a serpentine flow type. Condenser 11 has two headers 13, 14 that are spaced apart from and parallel to each other. Headers 13, 14 are elongated tubular members that may be of various transverse cross-sections, such as rectangular, elliptical, circular or other shapes. Headers 13, 14 are joined by elongated members 15, 16, which serve as frame members and may be of various transverse cross-sections. In this embodiment, frame members 15, 16 comprise channel members. A plurality of flow tubes 17 extend between headers 13, 14 parallel to channel members 15, 16. Flow tubes 17 are flat tubular members having a plurality of passages within them for communicating refrigerant between headers 13 and 14. Fins 19 extend between each of the flow tubes 17, 19 for enhancing heat exchange.

[0014] Various components are mounted to the back side of condenser 11, such as a receiver (not shown) and a fan assembly 21, which is shown in FIG. 2. Fan assembly 21 has a fan cowling 23 that encloses a fan 25. An electrical motor 27 rotates fan 25 within fan cowling 23.

[0015] Referring again to FIG. 1, an upper right bracket 29 is secured at the corner of upper channel member 15 and right side header 14. A lower right bracket 31 is located at the corner formed by lower channel member 16 and right side header 14. An upper left bracket 33 is located at the corner formed by upper channel member 15 and left side header 13. A lower left bracket 35 is located at the corner formed by lower channel member 16 and left side header 13. Brackets 29, 31, 33, 35 are configured to slide over and be frictionally retained to the corners of condenser 11. In this embodiment, brackets 29, 31, 33 and 35 differ from each other. However, each has common features. Brackets 29, 31, 33, 35 are preferably installed after condenser 11 has passed through a brazing furnace. Also, preferably, brackets 29, 31, 33, 35 are formed of a non-metallic material, such as plastic, and molded in an injection-molding process.

[0016] Referring to FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the transverse cross-sectional shape of each header 13, 14 is generally rectangular. FIG. 4 shows the cross-sectional shape of right side header 14, the shape of left side header 13 being the same. Header 14 has two spaced apart side end walls 37, 39 that are parallel to each other. Front and back walls 41, 43 join side end walls 37, 39 to provide a generally rectangular configuration. In this embodiment, header front and back walls 41, 43 have offset portions. Although header 13 is shown as a single integral member in this embodiment for clarity, side end wall 37 and the offset portions of front and back walls 41, 43 are initially separate from side end wall 39 and the adjoining portions of front and back walls 41, 43. The separate halves of header 13 are brazed together in a brazing furnace in this embodiment. Also, preferably an integral flange 45 extends laterally outward from back wall 43 parallel to back wall 43.

[0017] In the example shown, header channel member 15 has a channel base 47 with front and back walls 49, 51 as shown in FIG. 5. Walls 49, 51 of upper channel member 15 face downward, while the corresponding walls of lower channel member 16 (FIG. 1) face upward. The right end of upper channel member 15 abuts header side wall 39 and is brazed to it in the brazing furnace.

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, upper right bracket 29 has a socket portion 53 that has a transverse cross-section for close sliding reception over the upper end of right side header 14. Socket portion 53 has a front wall 55, a back wall 57, and a side end wall 59. Front and back walls 55, 57 are parallel to each other and perpendicular to side end wall 59. Side end wall 59 has two portions, 59a, 59b, that are offset but located in parallel planes. As shown in FIG. 4, bracket front wall 55 slidingly engages header front wall 41, and bracket back wall 57 slidingly engages header back wall 43. Bracket side end wall portion 59a slidingly engages a portion of header side end wall 37. Bracket side end wall portion 59b accommodates flange 45. Upper right bracket 29 has a base 60 that lands on the upper end of right header 14. After sliding bracket 29 onto header 14, the assembler optionally may install a fastener such as rivet 61 through a preformed hole in socket portion back wall 57 and into right side header flange 45.

[0019] Bracket 29 also has a flange portion 63 that extends laterally from socket portion 53. Flange portion 63 comprises a front wall 65 and a back wall 67 that are parallel to each other and extend downward the same length as socket portion front and back walls 55, 57. Front and back walls 65, 67 of flange portion 63 are in parallel planes to front and back walls 55, 57 of socket portion 53. A base 68 joins front and back walls 65, 67 and lands on base 47 of upper channel member 15.

[0020] A pair of tabs 69 are preferably formed in flange walls 65, 67. Each tab 69 is resilient and has an upper end that is biased inward, as shown in FIG. 5. Each tab 69 is formed in a cutout 71 in its respective wall 65 or 67. The upper edge of each tab 69 snaps inward below the lower edges of channel walls 49, 51, as shown in FIG. 5 to hold bracket 29 in place. After installation of bracket 29 on header 14 and channel member 15, the assembler may optionally install a fastener such as rivet 73 through a preformed hole in base 68 and into channel member base 47 (FIG. 5).

[0021] Bracket 29 has an integral mounting pin 75 that extends from it for mounting condenser 11 within a motor vehicle. In this embodiment, mounting pin 75 is a cylindrical rod or protuberance that protrudes upward along an axis that is parallel to right side header 14.

[0022] FIG. 7 illustrates the back side of upper left bracket 33. Bracket 33 also has a socket portion 77 and a flange portion 79 extending laterally therefrom. Socket portion 77 is configured in the same manner as socket portion 53 of upper right bracket 29 for sliding over the upper end of left header 13. Flange portion 79 has the same general configuration as flange portion 63 of upper right bracket 29, but it is longer. Two spaced-apart fastener receptacles 83 are located on the back side of flange portion 79. Receptacles 83 are threaded in this embodiment and protrude rearward, parallel to each other. Receptacles 83 are positioned to receive fasteners 78 (FIG. 2) for fastening the upper edge of cowling 23 to upper left bracket 33. Upper left bracket 33 also has a mounting pin 85 that protrudes upward. Tabs 81 on upper left bracket 33 engage upper channel member 15 (FIG. 1).

[0023] Referring to FIG. 8, lower left bracket 35 has a socket portion 87 that slides over the lower end of left header 13. A flange portion 89 extends laterally from socket portion 87 for sliding over lower channel member 16 (FIG. 1). Flange portion 89 in this embodiment is even longer than flange portion 79 (FIG. 7) of upper left bracket 33, but this is not critical. Flange portion 89 has tabs 91 for retaining bracket 35 as well as a preformed hole 92 in socket portion 87 for receiving a rivet. Lower left bracket 35 has a pair of threaded receptacles 93 that are on the back wall of flange 89 and face rearward for securing the lower end of fan assembly 21 (FIG. 2). A mounting member 95 protrudes downward from lower left bracket 35. Lower left bracket 35 in this embodiment also has a hook 97 located on its back side for retaining a tube 96 (FIG. 2) that leads to a receiver (not shown) that is mounted to condenser 11.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, lower right bracket 31 has a socket 99 that slidingly receives the lower end of right header 14. A flange 101 extends laterally from socket 99 for sliding over channel member 16. Tabs 103 in flange 101 snap into engagement with the upper edges of channel member 16. An optional rivet 104 extends into flange 45 (FIG. 2) of right header 14. A mounting member 105 protrudes downward from lower right bracket 31.

[0025] During assembly, each condenser 11 is separately assembled in a fixture with headers 13, 14, channel members 15, 16, flow tubes 17, and fins 19. The assembly and fixture pass through a brazing furnace to braze the components together. Brackets 29, 31, 33 and 35 are preferably formed by an injection molding process. After condenser 11 has passed through the brazing furnace, an assembler will slide upper right bracket 29 over the corner between upper channel 15 and right header 14. Tabs 69 snap into engagement with upper channel member 15. Holes for rivets 61 and 73 are preferably preformed. Thus, the operator simply installs the rivets to permanently secure bracket 29 in place. A similar procedure is followed with brackets 31, 33 and 35. The assembler places fan assembly 21 in the position shown in FIG. 2 and inserts fasteners 78 into threaded receptacles 83 (FIG. 7) and 93 (FIG. 6). Condenser 11 is installed in a motor vehicle in a conventional manner.

[0026] The invention has significant advantages. A variety of different mounting brackets can be fitted to the same size of condenser, enabling one size of a condenser to fit a number of different vehicles. The mounting brackets snap readily into place and are quick to install. Injection molding the brackets allows complex shapes to be formed in large quantities at inexpensive prices.

[0027] While the invention has been shown in only one of its forms, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible to various changes without departing from the scope of the invention.