Dove tail modulator for condenser

Abstract

A vehicle air conditioning system has a condenser with a header tank attached to it. A modulator attaches to the header tank using a full-length dove tail joint that is further secured and sealed to the header tank by a brazing process. A modulator inlet receives gaseous refrigerant from the condenser and discharges liquid refrigerant to a bottom, sub cooler portion of the condenser. The modulator inlet and outlet pass through the dove tail joint of the modulator and header tank.

1 . A condenser for an air conditioner comprising:
 a condenser;   a modulator; and   a header tank, wherein the modulator and condenser are joined together by a dove tail joint.   
   
   
       2 . The condenser of  claim 1 , wherein the dove tail joint is approximately the length of the modulator. 
   
   
       3 . The condenser of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a subcooler portion, to receive liquid refrigerant from the modulator.   
   
   
       4 . The condenser of  claim 3 , the modulator further comprising:
 a refrigerant inlet port; and   a refrigerant outlet port, wherein the inlet and outlet ports facilitate passage of refrigerant between the condenser core and the subcooler portion.   
   
   
       5 . The condenser of  claim 1 , wherein the dove tail joint is brazed. 
   
   
       6 . An air conditioning condenser for a vehicle comprising:
 a condenser core;   a header tank:   a modulator; and   a dove tail joint, wherein the modulator and the header tank are joined together by the dove tail joint.   
   
   
       7 . The condenser of  claim 6 , wherein the dove tail joint is approximately the length of the modulator. 
   
   
       8 . The condenser of  claim 6 , wherein the modulator further comprises:
 a subcooler portion that receives liquid refrigerant from the modulator.   
   
   
       9 . The condenser of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a modulator inlet port; and   a modulator outlet port, wherein the modulator inlet and outlet ports provide a refrigerant path through the dove tail joint.   
   
   
       10 . The condenser of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 brazing along the length of the dove tail joint.   
   
   
       11 . An air conditioning condenser for a vehicle comprising:
 a condenser core;   a header tank:   a modulator defining a modulator inlet port and a modulator outlet port, wherein the modulator inlet and outlet ports provide a gaseous and liquid path between the header tank and the modulator; and   a dove tail joint, wherein the modulator and the header tank are joined together by the dove tail joint that is approximately the length of the modulator.   
   
   
       12 . The condenser of  claim 11 , wherein the dove tail joint further comprises:
 a dove tail projection on the header tank; and   a dove tail recession on the modulator.   
   
   
       13 . The condenser of  claim 11 , wherein the modulator inlet and outlet ports pass through the dove tail joint. 
   
   
       14 . The condenser of  claim 13 , wherein the modulator further comprises:
 a subcooler portion that receives liquid refrigerant from the modulator outlet port.   
   
   
       15 . The condenser of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a braze connection along the length of the dove tail joint.   
   
   
       16 . The condenser of  claim 11 , wherein the dove tail joint further comprises:
 a dove tail projection from the header tank that is part of the header tank extrusion; and   a dove tail recession in the modulator that is part of the modulator extrusion.   
   
   
       17 . The condenser of  claim 11 , wherein the dove tail joint further comprises:
 a dove tail recession in the header tank that is part of the header tank extrusion; and   a dove tail projection from the modulator that is part of the modulator extrusion.