Heat exchanger

Abstract

An improved heat exchanger includes an integral side piece/end cap structure for closing the ends of tanks and providing a side piece for each side of the heat exchanger and includes connecting strands between an end cap section and a side piece section that are weak, allowing the breakage thereof prior to excessive thermal stresses being placed on tube to the header joints. Also disclosed is the use of clips on end cap section and/or tank ends together with a tab on the end cap section which may be used to self-fixture of the components during assembly.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a pair of parallel headers each having spaced tube slots aligned with tube slots in the other header;    tubes extending between aligned ones of the tube slots in said headers;    fins extending between the tubes;    side pieces on opposed sides of the heat exchanger embracing said fins thereat and extending substantially between corresponding ends of the headers;    a pair of channel-like tanks, one for each header, fitted to the corresponding header oppositely of the tubes; and    end caps having bent edges embracing and sealingly closing opposite ends of each said tank, said end caps being integral extensions of each end of each side piece to form end cap/side pieces and characterized by    a reduction in cross section of each end cap/side piece adjacent each end of each header of at least about 50%, each defined by at least one cutout thereat.    
   
   
       2 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a pair of parallel headers each having spaced tube slots aligned with tube slots in the other header;    tubes extending between aligned ones of the tube slots in said headers;    fins extending between the tubes;    side pieces on opposed sides of the heat exchanger embracing said fins thereat and extending substantially between corresponding ends of the headers;    a pair of channel-like tanks, one for each header, fitted to the corresponding header oppositely of the tubes; and    end caps having bent edges embracing and sealingly closing opposite ends of each said tank, said end caps being integral extensions of each end of each side piece to form end cap/side pieces and characterized by    a reduction in cross section of each end cap/side piece adjacent each end of each header of at least about 50%, each defined by at least one cutout thereat; and    fasteners for securing said end caps to said tank ends during assembly of the heat exchanger.    
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2  wherein each said reduction is at least about 80% of said cross section and said end caps and side pieces remain integral about said cutout(s) through the retention of a connecting strand or a small number of connecting strands extending across said cutout(s) from the side piece to the integral end caps on each end of each side piece.  
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3  wherein said heat exchanger is formed of aluminum and is assembled by brazing, said connecting strands being sized to be readily severed if necessary.  
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2  wherein said fasteners include resilient U-shaped clips on said end cap bent edge or said ends of said tanks.  
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2  wherein said fasteners include a tab on each end cap bendable to overly and engage an adjacent end of said tank.  
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5  wherein said U-shaped clips each includes a sloped extremity on at least one of the legs thereon to serve as a pilot surface for receipt of a corresponding end of said tanks or a corresponding bent edge of said end caps.  
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2  wherein said cutout(s) defines a central connecting strand extending between each side piece and the associated end caps.  
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2  wherein said cutout(s) defines two spaced off center connecting strands extending between each side piece and the associated end caps.