Metal Side-Plate for a Radiator

Abstract

The invention relates to a metal side-plate for a radiator, in particular a tubular radiator, such as those found in motor vehicles with combustion engines. According to the invention, the metal side-plate ( 20 ) is secured to securing points ( 13 ) on both sides of the collecting tubes ( 12 ) and a longitudinal slot ( 21 ) is introduced into the metal side-plate on at least one side in the region of the fixing. The fixing points ( 13 ) on the metal side-plates ( 20 ) are embodied on collecting tubes ( 12 ) on one side of the longitudinal slot.

1 . A metal side-plate for a radiator ( 10 ), especially a tubular radiator, wherein the radiator has a radiator body ( 11 ), which extends in the lengthwise direction between two lateral collecting tubes ( 12 ), wherein the radiator body ( 11 ) is bounded by at least one metal side-plate ( 20 ), in particular by a pair of metal side-plates ( 20 ) arranged on either side of the radiator body ( 11 ) and extending between the collecting tubes ( 12 ) in the longitudinal direction, characterized in that said metal side-plate ( 20 ) is secured at fixing points ( 13 ) to a collecting tube ( 12 ) and a longitudinal slot ( 21 ) is made in said metal side-plate at least on one side in a region adjacent a fixing point, said fixing points ( 13 ) of the metal side-plate ( 20 ) to the collecting tube ( 12 ) being constructed and arranged on one side of said longitudinal slot.  
   
   
       2 . The metal side-plate of  claim 1 , wherein the length of the longitudinal slot ( 21 ) is at least 20 mm.  
   
   
       3 . The metal side-plate of  claim 2 , wherein the width of the longitudinal slot ( 21 ) is at least 2 mm and preferably less than 5 mm.  
   
   
       4 . The metal side-plate of  claim 3 , wherein one longitudinal slot ( 21 ) is fashioned on each side of the metal side-plate ( 20 ).  
   
   
       5 . The metal side-plate of  claim 4 , wherein the metal side-plate ( 20 ) has at least one transverse slot ( 22 ), which extends in the plane of the metal side-plate ( 20 ), transversely to the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       6 . The metal side-plate of  claim 5 , wherein the transverse slot ( 22 ) is introduced only after the fastening of the metal side-plate ( 20 ) to the radiator body ( 11 ), whereby the transverse slot ( 22 ) divides the metal side-plate ( 20 ) in particular into two half plates ( 24 ).  
   
   
       7 . The metal side-plate of  claim 5 , wherein the transverse slot ( 22 ) is configured as a punch-out ( 23 ) running in the transverse direction, while connection ridges ( 25 ) are provided on either side of the punch-out ( 23 ), and the connection ridges ( 25 ) preferably project out from the plane of the metal side-plate ( 20 ).  
   
   
       8 . The metal side-plate of  claim 7 , wherein the punch-out ( 23 ) is a meandering shape.  
   
   
       9 . The metal side-plate of  claim 5 , wherein two transverse cuts ( 29 ) are arranged staggered relative to one another in the lengthwise direction and are provided as the transverse slot ( 22 ), each of the transverse cuts ( 29 ) projecting as far as the edge ( 28 ) running in the lengthwise direction, and the combined length of the two transverse cuts ( 29 ) is more than the width of the metal side-plate.  
   
   
       10 . The metal side-plate of  claim 9 , wherein that the transverse slot is situated more than 100 mm, especially more than 130 mm and especially preferably more than 150 mm, away from a fixing point ( 13 ).  
   
   
       11 . A radiator ( 10 ), especially a tubular radiator, wherein the radiator has a radiator body ( 11 ), which extends in the lengthwise direction between two lateral collecting tubes ( 12 ), wherein the radiator body ( 11 ) is bounded by at least one metal side-plate ( 20 ), in particular by a pair of metal side-plates ( 20 ) arranged on either side of the radiator body ( 11 ) and extending between the collecting tubes ( 12 ) in the longitudinal direction, characterized in that the metal side-plate ( 20 ) is secured at fixing points ( 13 ) to a collecting tube ( 12 ) or at both sides to the collecting tubes ( 12 ) and a longitudinal slot ( 21 ) is made in the metal side-plate at least on one side in the region of the fastening, and the fixing points ( 13 ) of the metal side-plate ( 20 ) to the collecting tube ( 12 ) are fashioned on one side of the longitudinal slot.  
   
   
       12 . A heat exchanger unit with a first and a second heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger has a first radiator body ( 11 ), which extends in the lengthwise direction between two first lateral collecting tubes ( 12 ), wherein the second heat exchanger has a second radiator body, which extends in particular in the longitudinal direction between two second lateral collecting tubes, wherein the first and the second radiator bodies form a radiator body unit, especially with corrugated fins configured as a single piece and assigned to the two radiator bodies, that are bounded by at least one metal side-plate ( 20 ), in particular by a pair of metal side-plates ( 20 ) arranged on either side of the radiator body unit and extending between the first and second collecting tubes ( 12 ) in the longitudinal direction, characterized in that the metal side-plate ( 20 ) is secured at fixing points ( 13 ) to a first and/or second collecting tube ( 12 ) or at both sides to the collecting tubes ( 12 ) and a longitudinal slot ( 21 ) is made in the metal side-plate at least on one side in the region of the fastening, and the fixing points ( 13 ) of the metal side-plate ( 20 ) to the collecting tube ( 12 ) are fashioned on one side of the longitudinal slot.  
   
   
       13 . The metal side-plate of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the longitudinal slot ( 21 ) is at least 2 mm and preferably less than 5 mm.  
   
   
       14 . The metal side-plate of  claim 13 , wherein one longitudinal slot ( 21 ) is fashioned on each side of the metal side-plate ( 20 ).  
   
   
       15 . The metal side-plate of  claim 1 , wherein the metal side-plate ( 20 ) has at least one transverse slot ( 22 ), which extends in the plane of the metal side-plate ( 20 ), transversely to the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       16 . The metal side-plate of  claim 15 , wherein that the transverse slot is situated more than 100 mm, especially more than 130 mm and especially preferably more than 150 mm, away from a fixing point ( 13 ).