Heat exchanger module

Abstract

A fan shroud assembly mounts a radiator to a vehicle frame. The fan shroud assembly includes a fan shroud, a first frame bracket for mounting the fan shroud to the vehicle frame, and a second frame bracket for mounting the fan shroud to the vehicle frame. The first frame and second brackets include a bottom wall and a back wall. The fan shroud includes: an air chamber wall defining an air chamber and configured to support the radiator; an air outlet at a first side of the air chamber wall; an air inlet at a second side of the air chamber wall opposite from the first side; a first section of the air chamber wall extending between the air inlet and the air outlet; and a second section of the air chamber wall extending between the air inlet and the air outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fan shroud assembly for mounting to a vehicle frame, the fan shroud assembly comprising:
 a heat exchanger, and   a structural fan shroud connected to and supporting the heat exchanger, the structural fan shroud including:
 an air chamber wall defining an air chamber; 
 an air outlet at a first side of the air chamber wall; 
 an air inlet at a second side of the air chamber wall opposite from the first side; 
 a first mounting region configured to connect to the vehicle frame; and 
 a second mounting region configured to connect to the vehicle frame, 
   wherein the first mounting region and the second mounting region support the heat exchanger and are configured to fix the heat exchanger relative to the vehicle frame.   
     
     
         2 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the air chamber wall extends unbroken about an entire circumference of the air chamber, and
 wherein the first mounting region and the second mounting region are portions of the air chamber wall.   
     
     
         3 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the air chamber wall includes a plate surrounding the air chamber and extending radially away from the air inlet, the plate being configured to support the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the structural fan shroud is configured such that substantially all of the weight of the heat exchanger is transferred through the structural fan shroud to be supported by the vehicle frame. 
     
     
         5 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the first mounting region and the second mounting region are configured such that substantially all of the weight of the heat exchanger is transferred through the first mounting region and the second mounting region to be supported by the vehicle frame. 
     
     
         6 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the air chamber wall forms a cylinder about the air chamber, and
 wherein the air chamber is further defined by four corner portions spaced around the air chamber, the four corner portions forming a transition in the air chamber such that the air inlet, which is configured to connect around a perimeter of the heat exchanger, is substantially rectangular and the air outlet, which is formed by the cylinder, is substantially round.   
     
     
         7 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a first frame bracket and a second frame bracket, wherein the first frame bracket is configured to connect the first mounting region to the vehicle frame, and wherein the second frame bracket is configured to connect the second mounting region to the vehicle frame. 
     
     
         8 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first frame bracket connects to the first mounting region and to the heat exchanger, and wherein the second frame bracket connects to the second mounting region and to the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         9 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first frame bracket is configured to connect to the vehicle frame via a first isolator and to the heat exchanger via a second isolator, and wherein the second frame bracket is configured to connect to the vehicle frame via a third isolator and to the heat exchanger via a fourth isolator. 
     
     
         10 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first isolator is configured to damp vibration between the vehicle frame and the first frame bracket and the second isolator is configured to damp vibration between the vehicle frame and the second frame bracket. 
     
     
         11 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first frame bracket and the second frame bracket each have an isolator connected thereto, the isolators being configured to damp vibration between the vehicle frame and the structural fan shroud. 
     
     
         12 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first frame bracket and the second frame bracket each have two isolators connected thereto, the two isolators connected to the first frame bracket and the two isolators connected to the second frame bracket being configured to damp vibration between the vehicle frame and the structural fan shroud. 
     
     
         13 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a first tie rod connects to a first section of the air chamber wall and is configured to mount to the vehicle frame,
 wherein a second tie rod connects to a second section of the air chamber wall and is configured to mount to the vehicle frame, and   wherein the first tie rod and the second tie rod extend from the air chamber wall past the air outlet and away from the first mounting region and the second mounting region.   
     
     
         14 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting region and the second mounting region include a lattice structure each having a plurality of intersecting walls. 
     
     
         15 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is mounted directly to the structural fan shroud. 
     
     
         16 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting region and the second mounting region are positioned opposite of one another about the air chamber wall. 
     
     
         17 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the air chamber wall includes a rectangular-shaped plate surrounding the air chamber and extending radially away from the air inlet, and
 wherein the heat exchanger is mounted to the rectangular-shaped plate by fasteners positioned at each corner of the rectangular-shaped plate.   
     
     
         18 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a first heat exchanger, and wherein the fan shroud assembly comprises a second heat exchanger,
 wherein the first mounting region and the second mounting region support the second heat exchanger and are configured to fix the heat exchanger relative to the vehicle frame.   
     
     
         19 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the structural fan shroud is configured such that substantially all of the weight of the second heat exchanger is transferred through brackets connecting the structural fan shroud to the vehicle frame. 
     
     
         20 . The fan shroud assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the fan shroud assembly is configured to support the second heat exchanger such that air passing through the second heat exchanger then passes through the first heat exchanger before passing through the air chamber.