Intank oil cooler

Abstract

An intank oil cooler assembly comprises a plurality of manifold end connected, vertically stacked, elongated tubular panel subassemblies, containing structurally enhancing header manifold connector end post with external circular wide flanges, manifold intermediate spacer disc washers, and a base plate subassembly placed in a supporting bottom base position. Each thin-walled, tubular panel subassembly has header manifold inlet and outlet end sections, an internal central longitudinal flow channel region designed for conducting internal fluid flow, and also, has a turbulizer subassembly installed therein for causing internal fluid turbulization to optimize heat transfer. Each tubular panel subassembly is fabricated by laminating together paired, thin-walled plate elements having sidewalls embossed with dimpled exterior surface projections on their outer convex surface and axially corresponding reverse side dimpled depressions on their inner concave surface. Opposing tubular panel dimple surface projections are top end flattened and brazed externally together to position and form a geometrically desired fluid passageway between each thin-walled, tubular panel subassembly.

1 . An intank oil cooler assembly comprising: 
 a. a thin-walled, paired set of single plate elements, each embossed on one sidewall surface with dimpled convex projections and embossed on the reverse sidewall surface with axially corresponding complimentary concave dimpled depressions, and then being laminated peripherally together to form an elongate, tubular panel subassembly having a header manifold, one at the proximal end and one at the distal end, and therewithin at least one longitudinal internal flow channel region;    b. at least two said elongate, tubular panel subassemblies being vertically stacked in parallel series, and each said tubular panel assembly being end joined together with an adjacent tubular panel subassembly at the proximal ends to define an inlet header manifold section being adapted for accepting fluid flow and at the distal ends to define an outlet header manifold section being adapted for discharging fluid flow, and said each manifold section being axially joined together with manifold intermediate-spacer disc washers, said manifold sections having external circular wide retention flanges;    c. each of said dimpled convex projections being of equal vertical height, top flattened, and joined together for positionally fixing and spacing each said tubular panel subassembly equidistant from and in parallel relationship with respect to an adjacent tubular panel subassembly; and    d. at least one structural support plate subassembly being constructed with a pre-determined thickness for being fastened to at least one said tubular panel subassembly member in said vertical stack to structurally reinforce said intank oil cooler assembly.    
   
   
       2 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the predetermined dimensions of said external circular wide retention flanges, said manifold intermediate spacer washers, and said support plate subassembly are determined by the structural distortion stabilization required by said vertical stacked, tubular panel subassembly.  
   
   
       3 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said structural support plate is secured to the lower surface of the most bottom positioned tubular panel subassembly.  
   
   
       4 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein all of said dimple projection top surfaces are individually sealed together along a common horizontal plane.  
   
   
       5 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said dimple embossed projections are staggered uniformly to define parallel passageway regions between adjacent tubular panel subassemblies.  
   
   
       6 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said dimple projections are embossed in said plate element member, alternating in a pattern of single and paired sets to define each said fluid flow passageway region between adjacent said tubular panel subassemblies.  
   
   
       7 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said turbulizer subassembly is constructed with corrugations, each having a triangular cross-sectional area.  
   
   
       8 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said turbulizer subassembly is constructed with corrugations, each having a rounded semi-circular, cross-sectional area.  
   
   
       9 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein each said turbulizer subassembly is constructed of a wire mesh composite material.  
   
   
       10 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein each said turbulizer subassembly is corrugated to form a triangular cross-section and is constructed from wire mesh.  
   
   
       11 . A method for constructing an intank oil cooler assembly comprising the steps of: 
 a. first fabricating and then laminating peripherally together a thin-walled, paired set of single plate elements each embossed on one sidewall surface area with dimpled convex projections and on the reverse sidewall surface area with axially corresponding, complimentary concave dimpled depressions to form a thin-walled, elongate tubular panel subassembly having between the proximal and distal ends therewithin at least one longitudinal internal flow channel region;    b. vertically stacking in series, and then end joining together in a header manifold, each said thin-walled elongate, tubular panel subassembly with an adjacent said tubular panel subassembly along their respective perimeters to define a header manifold inlet section at the proximal end adapted for accepting inlet fluid flow and at the distal end to define a header manifold outlet section adapted for discharging fluid flow, and each said manifold section having external circular wide retention flanges being axially connected together by manifold intermediate spacer disc washers;    c. each said dimpled convex projection top surfaces being of equal vertical height and adapted for positioning said tubular panels in said vertical stack equidistant from and parallel with an adjacent tubular panel subassembly; and    d. fastening at least one support plate subassembly in a structural position in said vertical stack to provide structural reinforcement to the intank oil cooler assembly.    
   
   
       12 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said structural support plate is fastened to the lower surface of the most bottom positioned tubular panel subassembly.  
   
   
       13 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein all of said dimple projection top surfaces are individually sealed together along a common horizontal plane.  
   
   
       14 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said dimple embossed projections are staggered uniformly to define fluid passageway regions between each adjacent tubular panel subassemblies.  
   
   
       15 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said dimple embossed projections are embossed in said plate element member in alternating singular and paired sets to define fluid flow parallel passageway regions between adjacent said tubular panel subassemblies.  
   
   
       16 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said dimple embossed projections are embossed with flattened, round-edged top surfaces in said plate element member in a pattern of alternating single and paired sets within said fluid flow passageway regions positioned between adjacent said tubular panel subassemblies.  
   
   
       17 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said turbulizer subassembly is constructed with triangular cross-sectional corrugations.  
   
   
       18 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said turbulizer subassembly is constructed with corrugations having a rounded, semi-circular cross-sectional area.  
   
   
       19 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said turbulizer subassembly is constructed of a wire mesh composite material.  
   
   
       20 . The intank oil cooler, as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said turbulizer subassembly is corrugated and constructed from a wire mesh material.