Heat exchanger with extruded tanks

Abstract

A heat exchanger having a pair of extruded tanks in which the tanks have a configuration which facilitates manufacture and the securement of support rails to the tanks for securing the tanks together.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a first tank and a second tank,   each tank comprising an extruded member formed by extrusion along a longitudinal having exterior surfaces comprising a front face, back face, right side face and left side face, a top end and bottom end,   a passageway extending longitudinally through the extruded member open at each of the top end and the bottom end,   end plates provided with one end plate closing each passageway at each respective of the top end and bottom end,   each passageway defined within interior surfaces comprising a front surface and a rear surface,   the front surface being planar and having a right lateral edge and a left lateral edge,   the rear surface extending from the right lateral edge of the front surface to the left lateral edge of the front surface defining the passageway there between,   a header plate defined on each tank between the respective front face and the front surface portion of each passageway,   each header plate having an array of apertures therethrough into the respective passageway,   a plurality of tubes extending from the first tank to the second tank,   each tube having a first end and a second end,   the first end of each tube sealably engaged within a respective aperture of the first tank and the second end of each tube sealably engaged within a respective aperture of the second tank.   
     
     
         2 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each second surface is a concave surface opposed to the respective the front surface. 
     
     
         3 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 2  wherein each second surface is a chord of a circle in any cross-section normal the longitudinal. 
     
     
         4 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 3  wherein each second surface is a semicircle in any cross-section normal the longitudinal. 
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the right lateral edge of the front surface is proximate a juncture of the front face and the right side face,
 the left lateral edge of the front surface is proximate a juncture of the front face and the left side face, 
 proximate a junction of the right side face and the rear face, the second surface is spaced inwardly from both the right side face and the rear face defining a longitudinally extending right corner portion, 
 proximate a junction of the left side face and the rear face, the second surface is spaced inwardly from both the left side face and the rear face defining a longitudinally extending left corner portion, 
 a plurality of respective blind bores for each tank extending from one of the exterior faces into the right corner portion of each tank or the left corner portion of each tank, 
 an upper frame member having a first end and a second end, 
 a lower frame member having a first end and a second end, 
 each frame member extending between the tanks to securely couple the tanks together with the tubes extending between the tanks, 
 the first end of each frame member secured to the first tank by bolts engaged in the blind bores in the first tank and the second end of each frame member secured to the second tank by bolts engaged in the blind bores in the second tank. 
 
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the blind bores comprise a plurality of respective right blind bores for each tank extending from one of the exterior faces into the right corner portion of each tank and a plurality of respective left blind bores for each tank extending from one of the exterior faces into the left corner portion of each tank. 
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the blind bores comprise a plurality of respective right blind bores for each tank extending from the right face into the right corner portion of each tank and a plurality of respective left blind bores for each tank extending from the left face into the left corner portion of each tank. 
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 7  wherein each frame member is coupled to a right blind bore and to a left blind bore on each tank. 
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 7  wherein each tank is extruded from aluminum or an alloy of aluminum. 
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the first tank includes a longitudinally extending baffle extending from the interior front surface to the interior rear surface and dividing the passageway into a right passage and a left passage,
 a first set of the apertures through the header plate of the first tank opening into the right passage and a second set of the apertures through the header plate of the first tank opening into the left passage. 
 
     
     
         11 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the first tank including an inlet port in communication with the right passage and an outlet port in communication with the second passage. 
     
     
         12 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the baffle is integral with each tank and extruded with each tank. 
     
     
         13 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the right lateral edge of the front surface is proximate a juncture of the front face and the right side face,
 the left lateral edge of the front surface is proximate a juncture of the front face and the left side face, 
 proximate a junction of the right side face and the rear face, the second surface is spaced inwardly from both the right side face and the rear face defining a longitudinally extending right corner portion, 
 proximate a junction of the left side face and the rear face, the second surface is spaced inwardly from both the left side face and the rear face defining a longitudinally extending left corner portion, 
 a plurality of respective blind bores for each tank extending from one of the exterior faces into the right corner portion of each tank or the left corner portion of each tank, 
 an upper frame member having a first end and a second end, 
 a lower frame member having a first end and a second end, 
 each frame member extending between the tanks to securely couple the tanks together with the tubes extending between the tanks, 
 the first end of each frame member secured to the first tank by bolts engaged in the blind bores in the first tank and the second end of each frame member secured to the second tank by bolts engaged in the blind bores in the second tank. 
 
     
     
         14 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the blind bores comprise a plurality of respective right blind bores for each tank extending from one of the exterior faces into the right corner portion of each tank and a plurality of respective left blind bores for each tank extending from one of the exterior faces into the left corner portion of each tank, and
 wherein each frame member is coupled to a right blind bore and to a left blind bore on each tank. 
 
     
     
         15 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each tank is extruded from aluminum or an alloy of aluminum. 
     
     
         16 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first tank includes a longitudinally extending baffle extending from the interior front surface to the interior rear surface and dividing the passageway into a right passage and a left passage,
 a first set of the apertures through the header plate of the first tank opening into the right passage and a second set of the apertures through the header plate of the first tank opening into the left passage. 
 
     
     
         17 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the first tank includes a longitudinally extending baffle extending from the interior front surface to the interior rear surface and dividing the passageway into a right passage and a left passage,
 a first set of the apertures through the header plate of the first tank opening into the right passage and a second set of the apertures through the header plate of the first tank opening into the left passage, 
 wherein the baffle is integral with each tank and extruded with each tank. 
 
     
     
         18 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the first tank including an inlet port in communication with the right passage and an outlet port in communication with the second passage. 
     
     
         19 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 5  wherein each tank is extruded from aluminum or an alloy of aluminum. 
     
     
         20 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the first tank includes a longitudinally extending baffle extending from the interior front surface to the interior rear surface and dividing the passageway into a right passage and a left passage,
 a first set of the apertures through the header plate of the first tank opening into the right passage and a second set of the apertures through the header plate of the first tank opening into the left passage, 
 wherein the baffle is integral with each tank and extruded with each tank.