Heat exchanger having integral elastic regions

Abstract

The invention provides, among other things, a heat exchanger including a header, a number of tubes extending outwardly from the header, and an elastic sleeve supported between the header and one of the tubes to allow movement of the tube relative to the header in a direction substantially parallel to a length of the tube defined between a first end of the tube adjacent to the header and a second end of the tube spaced away from the header. Together, the tube, the header, and the elastic sleeve can at least partially define a flow path for a working fluid.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a header;   a plurality of tubes extending outwardly from the header; and   an elastic sleeve supported between the header and one of the plurality of tubes to allow movement of the tube relative to the header in a direction substantially parallel to a length of the tube defined between a first end of the tube adjacent to the header and a second end of the tube spaced away from the header, together the tube, the header, and the elastic sleeve at least partially defining a flow path for a working fluid.   
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic sleeve is integrally formed with the tube. 
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein an elastic sleeve is supported between the header and each of the plurality of tubes to allow each of the plurality of tubes to move relative to an other of the plurality of tubes. 
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a wall thickness of the elastic sleeve is less than a wall thickness of the tube. 
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic sleeve includes a plurality of convolutions. 
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the working fluid is a first working fluid, and wherein the elastic sleeve includes an outwardly extending protrusion for altering a flow of a second working fluid through the heat exchanger. 
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of elastic regions are spaced along the length of the tube. 
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic sleeve is brazed to the header and the tube. 
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a first side of the tube is moveable a different distance from the header than a second side of the tube, the first and second sides being generally perpendicular to the header. 
   
   
       10 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a header; and   a plurality of tubes extending outwardly from the header, each of the plurality of tubes being independently moveable relative to the header in a direction substantially parallel to a length of one of the plurality of tubes defined between a first end of the tube adjacent to the header and a second end of the tube spaced away from the header, the plurality of tubes being sealed to the header such that together the header and the plurality of tubes define a flow path for a working fluid.   
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , further comprising an elastic region integrally formed with the one of the plurality of tubes, the elastic region facilitating movement of the one of the plurality of tubes relative to the header. 
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , further comprising an elastic sleeve supported between the one of the plurality of tubes and the header, and wherein a wall thickness of the elastic sleeve is less than a wall thickness of the tube. 
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , further comprising an elastic sleeve supported between the one of the plurality of tubes and the header, and wherein the elastic sleeve is corrugated. 
   
   
       14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , further comprising an elastic sleeve supported between the one of the plurality of tubes and the header, wherein the working fluid is a first working fluid, and wherein the elastic sleeve includes an outwardly extending bead for altering a flow of a second working fluid through the heat exchanger. 
   
   
       15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein a plurality of elastic regions are spaced along the length of the one of the plurality of the tubes between the first end of the tube and the second end of the tube, and wherein at least one of the plurality of elastic regions is integrally formed with the one of the plurality of tubes. 
   
   
       16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , further comprising an elastic sleeve brazed to the header and the one of the plurality of tubes to facilitate movement of the one of the plurality of tubes relative to the header. 
   
   
       17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of tubes at least partially define a core, and wherein a first side of the core is moveable a first distance from the header and a second side of the core is moveable a second distance from the header, the first difference being different than the second distance and the first and second sides being generally perpendicular to the header. 
   
   
       18 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a header; and   a tube extending outwardly from the header and, together with the header, defining a flow path for a working fluid, the tube having a first end secured to the header, a second end spaced from the header, and a plurality of elastic regions spaced along a length of the tube between the first end and the second end.   
   
   
       19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein the second end of the tube is moveable relative to the first end of the tube in a direction substantially parallel to the length of the tube between the first end and the second end. 
   
   
       20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein the tube is a first tube, and further comprising a second tube extending outwardly from the header, the elastic regions facilitating movement of the first tube relative to the second tube. 
   
   
       21 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein one of the plurality of elastic regions includes an elastic sleeve received in an opening defined in the header, and wherein an end of the elastic sleeve extends through the header. 
   
   
       22 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein a wall thickness of the tube is smallest at one of the elastic regions. 
   
   
       23 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein the tube is corrugated in each of the plurality of elastic regions. 
   
   
       24 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein the working fluid is a first working fluid, and wherein the elastic regions include outwardly extending protrusions for altering a flow of a second working fluid through the heat exchanger. 
   
   
       25 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein a first side of the tube is moveable a different distance from the header than a second side of the tube, the first and second sides being generally perpendicular to the header. 
   
   
       26 . A method of assembling a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger including a header and a plurality of outwardly extending tubes, the method comprising the acts of:
 forming an elastic sleeve; and   securing the elastic sleeve between the header and one of the plurality of tubes such that the one of the plurality of tubes is moveable independently relative to the header and an other of the plurality of tubes in a direction substantially parallel to a length of the other of the plurality of tubes and such that together the header, the elastic sleeve, and the one of the plurality of tubes define a flow path for a working fluid.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein forming the elastic sleeve includes corrugating an elongated sleeve and cutting the elongated sleeve to form a plurality of elastic sleeves. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein forming the elastic sleeve includes hydro-forming corrugations along the sleeve. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising brazing the elastic sleeve to one of the header and the tube.