One-shot brazed aftercooler with hollow beam reinforced mounting feature

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] A heat exchanger assembly.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] The heat exchanger of the type to which the subject invention pertains includes a plurality of tubes and a plurality of fins disposed between the tubes to define a core extending between a pair of spaced and parallel header tanks and a pair of reinforcing members extending between the header tanks.

[0005] The fabrication of such heat exchangers frequently include sequential steps of brazing the various components together followed by welding brackets to the reinforcing members. The reinforcing members are frequently welded to the header tanks in addition to the brazing to assure the requisite structural connection.

[0006] In addition, brackets are either welded to the reinforcing members or clamped/snapped into or around or over the reinforcing members to engage the core. Consequently, especially configured brackets must be inventoried, handled in a fabrication process that includes numerous and independent brazing and welding steps.

[0007] The invention provides a method of fabricating a heat exchanger assembly by disposing a pair of reinforcing members each having a hollow and closed cross section extending between the header tanks.

[0008] Accordingly, the assembly may be mounted without welding an additional bracket to the reinforcing members. In addition, the entire assembly may be brazed together in one brazing operation.

[0012] A heat exchanger assembly is shown generally at 20 and comprises a pair of spaced and parallel header tanks 22 each extending between opposite open ends. Each of the header tanks 22 has a round or circular cross section presenting a convex exterior. A plurality of flat tubes 24 extend between the header tanks 22 for conveying fluid there between. The header tanks 22 have slits 26 extending tangentially of the cylindrical header tanks 22 for receiving the ends of the flat tubes 24. A plurality of fins 28 are disposed between the tubes 24 for transferring heat, although the fins 28 are not shown between all of the tubes 24 for simplicity and clarity, i.e., less drawing clutter. The plurality of tubes 24 and the plurality of fins 28 disposed between the tubes 24 define a core extending between the header tanks 22. A pair of reinforcing members 30, each generally indicated at, extend between the ends of the header tanks 22.

[0013] The assembly 20 is distinguished by each of the reinforcing members 30 having a hollow and closed shape or cross section, e.g. rectangular with spaced face walls 32 extending along an axis perpendicular to the header tanks 22 and an inner wall 34 facing the fins 28 and an outer wall 36. The fins 28 between the last tube 24 and the inner wall 34 are partially cut away for clarity but the bond of the reinforcement member 30 to the fin 28 over the entire length enhances mounting structural integrity. The outer wall 36 of each reinforcing member 30 has a pair of spaced openings 38, each generally indicated at, for receiving a pair of supports 40 therein. The support 40 includes a head and a smaller shank and each of the openings 38 includes a large receiving portion 42 and a smaller retaining portion 44 for receiving the head of a support 40 through the receiving portion 42 and retaining the head behind the retaining portion 44 as shank of the support 40 extends through the retaining portion 44. The support 40 extends from a bracket that is used to mount the assembly 20 with other components of an engine cooling module. For example, the assembly 20 may be an after-cooler sandwiched with the radiator and fan. The reinforcement member 30 allows ancillary components to interface with heat exchanger without fasteners on multiple locations.

[0014] An end cap 46 disposed in each open end of the header tanks 22 and each of the header tanks 22 includes a tubeless length X extending inwardly a predetermined distance from each end cap 46. An inlet 48 is disposed in the tubeless length X of one of the header tanks 22 and an outlet 50 is disposed in the tubeless length X of the other of the header tanks 22. The inlet 48 and the outlet 50 extend perpendicularly to the header tanks 22 and to the core.

[0015] The reinforcing members 30 have ends with the hollow and closed cross section of the reinforcing members 30 at the ends extending over the tubeless lengths X. The header tanks 22 each include a slot 52 disposed outside each end cap 46 and each reinforcing member 30 includes a tab 54 extending from each end of the outer wall 36 of the reinforcing members 30 and into the adjacent slot 52. In addition, the ends of the inner walls 34 of the reinforcing members 30 include a concave segment engaging the convex exterior of the cylindrical header tanks 22.

[0016] The reinforcing members 30 and the inlet 48 and the outlet 50 are brazed to the header tanks 22. An all aluminum assembly 20 allows the entire assembly 20 to be brazed together in one operation. In other words, the manifolds or tanks 22 will have lanced or pierced slits 26 to accept the aluminum tubes 24 and the reinforcing members 30 engage the exterior of the tanks 22 as all of these components of the entire assembly 20 are brazed together in one operation.

[0017] Accordingly, a method is provided for fabricating a heat exchanger including a plurality of tubes 24 and a plurality of fins 28 disposed between the tubes 24 to define a core extending between a pair of spaced and parallel header tanks 22 by disposing a pair of reinforcing members 30 each having a hollow and closed cross section extending between the header tanks 22. The method includes disposing an end cap 46 in each end of the header tanks 22, disposing tubes 24 in each of the header tanks 22 up to a predetermined distance from each end to define a tubeless length X extending inwardly from each end cap 46, disposing an inlet 48 in the tubeless length X of one of the header tanks 22 and disposing an outlet 50 in the tubeless length X of the other of the header tanks 22. Also included is the step of disposing the ends of the reinforcing members 30 with the hollow and closed cross section extending over the tubeless lengths X.

[0018] The method is further defined by disposing a slot 52 outside each end cap 46 in each header tank 22 and disposing a tab 54 extending from each end of each reinforcing member 30 into the adjacent slot 52. The assembly 20 is fabricated with each of the header tanks 22 having a round cross section and the ends of the reinforcing members 30 having a concave segment engaging the convex exterior of the header tanks 22.

[0019] As alluded to above, the method allows the brazing of the entire assembly 20 together in one brazing operation with brazing between the header tanks 22 and the reinforcing members 30 and between the reinforcing members 30 and the core. Afterward, the assembly 20 may be mounted by inserting a support 40 into the opening 38 in each reinforcing member 30.

[0020] Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described within the scope of the appended claims. In addition, the reference numerals in the claims are merely for convenience and are not to be read in any way as limiting.