Louvered fin for heat exchanger

Abstract

A louvered fin for a heat exchanger is disclosed, wherein the louvers include a rib formed thereon to maximize a strength and rigidity thereof and to minimize an amount of material required for production thereof.

1 . A heat exchanger fin comprising: 
 a base wall having a first end, a second end, and a middle portion;    a turnaround louver disposed in the middle portion of said base wall, said turnaround louver having a first edge and a second edge;    a plurality of spaced apart entrance louvers disposed between the first end of said base wall and said turnaround louver, said spaced entrance louvers having a first edge and a second edge;    a plurality of spaced apart exit louvers disposed between said turnaround louver and the second end of said base wall, said exit louvers having a first edge and a second edge; and    at least one rib formed on at least one of said turnaround louver, said entrance louvers, and said exit louvers.    
     
     
         2 . The fin according to  claim 1 , wherein said rib is formed between the first edge and the second edge of the at least one of said turnaround louver, said entrance louvers, and said exit louvers.  
     
     
         3 . The fin according to  claim 2 , wherein said rib is formed substantially parallel to the first edge and the second edge of at least one of said turnaround louver, said entrance louvers, and said exit louvers.  
     
     
         4 . The fin according to  claim 1 , wherein said rib is formed from a first end to a second end of the at least one of said turnaround louver, said entrance louvers, and said exit louvers.  
     
     
         5 . The fin according to  claim 1 , wherein said rib is formed to extend laterally outwardly from one of a first surface and a second surface of the at least one of said turnaround louver, said entrance louvers, and said exit louvers.  
     
     
         6 . The fin according to  claim 1 , further comprising a leading edge louver and a trailing edge louver, the leading edge louver disposed between the first end of said base wall and said entrance louvers, and having a first edge, a second edge, and a rib formed thereon, the trailing edge louver disposed between said exit louvers and the second end of said base wall and having a first edge, a second edge, and a rib formed thereon.  
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger fin comprising: 
 a base wall having a first end, a second end, and a middle portion;    at least one turnaround louver disposed in the middle portion of said base wall, said turnaround louver having a laterally extending first edge, a laterally extending second edge, and at least one rib formed between the first edge and the second edge;    a plurality of spaced apart entrance louvers disposed between the first end of said base wall and said turnaround louver, said entrance louvers having a laterally extending first edge, a laterally extending second edge, and at least one rib formed between the first edge and the second edge; and    a plurality of spaced apart exit louvers disposed between said turnaround louver and the second end of said base wall, said exit louvers having a laterally extending first edge, a laterally extending second edge, and at least one rib formed between the first edge and the second edge.    
     
     
         8 . The fin according to  claim 7 , wherein the ribs formed on said turnaround louver, said entrance louvers, and said exit louvers are formed to extend laterally outwardly from one of a first surface and a second surface of said turnaround louver, said entrance louvers, and said exit louvers.  
     
     
         9 . The fin according to  claim 7 , further comprising a leading edge louver and a trailing edge louver, the leading edge louver disposed between the first end of said base wall and said entrance louvers, and having a laterally extending first edge, a laterally extending second edge, and a rib formed thereon, the trailing edge louver disposed between said exit louvers and the second end of said base wall and having a laterally extending first edge, a laterally extending second edge, and a rib formed thereon.  
     
     
         10 . The fin according to  claim 7 , wherein the ribs extend from a first end to a second end of the fin on said base wall.  
     
     
         11 . The fin according to  claim 10 , wherein the ribs extend laterally outwardly from one of an inner surface and an outer surface of the fin.  
     
     
         12 . The fin according to  claim 7 , wherein the ribs of said entrance louvers are substantially parallel to the first edge and the second edge thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The fin according to  claim 7 , wherein the ribs of said exit louvers are substantially parallel to the first edge and the second edge thereof.  
     
     
         14 . A method of producing a heat exchanger fin, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a substantially planar sheet of material;    forming a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs in the sheet of material;    forming a plurality of laterally extending corrugations in the sheet of material; and    forming a plurality of rows of longitudinally extending louvers in the sheet of material.    
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the ribs formed in the sheet of material are continuous.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of providing a set of rib forming rolls and a set of corrugations forming rolls to respectively form the ribs and corrugations in the sheet of material.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of flattening the sheet of material between adjacent rows of louvers.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the second set of rolls is used to flatten the sheet of material between adjacent rows of louvers.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of providing a density station to further process the sheet of material.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising the step of providing a cutoff station for cutting the fin to a desired length.