Heat exchanger support and method of assembling a heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger that includes a heat exchanger core including a plurality of stacked tubes defining a fluid flow path, a housing substantially surrounding the heat exchanger core, and an elastomeric member positioned between the heat exchanger housing and the heat exchanger core and deformable to allow movement of one of the heat exchanger core and the housing relative to an other of the heat exchanger core and the housing in at least two substantially perpendicular directions.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a heat exchanger core including a plurality of stacked tubes defining a fluid flow path;   a housing substantially surrounding the heat exchanger core; and   an elastomeric member positioned between the heat exchanger housing and the heat exchanger core and deformable to allow movement of one of the heat exchanger core and the housing relative to an other of the heat exchanger core and the housing in at least two substantially perpendicular directions.   
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the core includes a return tank connecting sections of adjacent tubes to define a substantially U-shaped portion of the flow path. 
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2  wherein the elastomeric member is positioned on the return tank. 
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2  wherein the return tank is located at a distal end of the core. 
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2  wherein one of the housing and the return tank includes an outwardly extending protrusion and an other of the housing and the return tank defines a recess configured to receive the protrusion. 
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5  wherein the elastomeric member is positioned in the recess and is engageable with the protrusion. 
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the elastomeric member extends outwardly from the housing. 
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger is an exhaust gas recirculation cooler. 
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the one of the heat exchanger core and the housing is moveable in a third direction substantially perpendicular to each of the at least two directions. 
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the movement of the one of the heat exchanger core and the housing in one of the two directions is along an arc. 
   
   
       11 . A cantilevered heat exchanger comprising:
 a housing;   a heat exchanger core including a plurality of stacked tubes and extending through the housing, a first end of the core being secured to prevent relative movement between the housing and the core; and   an elastomeric member positioned between the housing and the core adjacent a second end of the core.   
   
   
       12 . The cantilevered heat exchanger of  claim 11  wherein the second end of the heat exchanger core is moveable in a first direction substantially parallel to a length of at least one tube of the plurality of stacked tubes relative to the housing and in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction to accommodate at least one of thermal expansion of the core and vibrations. 
   
   
       13 . The cantilevered heat exchanger of  claim 11  wherein the elastomeric member extends outwardly from one of the heat exchanger housing and the heat exchanger core and engages a correspondingly shaped recess in an other of the heat exchanger housing and the heat exchanger core to accommodate relative movement while supporting the second end of the core in the housing. 
   
   
       14 . The cantilevered heat exchanger of  claim 11  wherein the elastomeric material at least partially surrounds a protrusion extending outwardly from the one of the heat exchanger housing and the heat exchanger core and engageable in a correspondingly shaped recess in the other of the heat exchanger housing and the heat exchanger core to accommodate relative movement while supporting the second end of the core in the housing. 
   
   
       15 . The cantilevered heat exchanger of  claim 11  wherein the core includes a return tank connecting sections of adjacent tubes to define a substantially U-shaped portion of the flow path. 
   
   
       16 . The cantilevered heat exchanger of  claim 15  wherein the elastomeric member is positioned on the return tank. 
   
   
       17 . The cantilevered heat exchanger of  claim 11  wherein the heat exchanger is an exhaust gas recirculation cooler. 
   
   
       18 . The cantilevered heat exchanger of  claim 12  wherein the one of the heat exchanger core and the housing is moveable in a third direction substantially perpendicular to each of the at least two directions. 
   
   
       19 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a heat exchanger core including a plurality of stacked tubes defining a fluid flow path;   a housing substantially surrounding the heat exchanger core; and   a protrusion extending outwardly from one of the heat exchanger housing and the heat exchanger core configured to engage a correspondingly shaped recess in the other of the heat exchanger housing and the heat exchanger core to accommodate relative movement in at least two substantially perpendicular directions while supporting an end of the core in the housing.   
   
   
       20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19  wherein the core includes a return tank connecting sections of adjacent tubes to define a substantially U-shaped portion of the flow path. 
   
   
       21 . The heat exchanger of  claim 20  wherein the return tank is located at the end of the core. 
   
   
       22 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19  wherein the heat exchanger is an exhaust gas recirculation cooler. 
   
   
       23 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19  wherein the one of the heat exchanger core and the housing is moveable in a third direction substantially perpendicular to each of the at least two directions. 
   
   
       24 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , further comprising an elastomeric member positioned between the protrusion and the recess. 
   
   
       25 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19  wherein the protrusion is at least partially formed of an elastomeric material. 
   
   
       26 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19  wherein the movement of the one of the heat exchanger core and the housing in one of the two directions is along an arc. 
   
   
       27 . A method of assembling a heat exchanger, the method including the acts of:
 positioning a heat exchanger core in a housing;   positioning an elastomeric member between a distal end of the core and an interior of the housing; and   accommodating movement of the distal end of the core relative to the housing by selectively deforming the elastomeric member between the core and the housing.   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the elastomeric member substantially surrounds a protrusion extending outwardly from one of the heat exchanger housing and the heat exchanger core. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the elastomeric member is deformable to allow movement of one of the heat exchanger core and the housing relative to an other of the heat exchanger core and the housing in at least two substantially perpendicular directions. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the one of the heat exchanger core and the housing is moveable in a third direction substantially perpendicular to each of the at least two directions. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the elastomeric member is deformable to allow movement of one of the heat exchanger core and the housing relative to an other of the heat exchanger core in a first direction and in a second direction along an arc.