Fin device for heat exchanger

Abstract

A fin device for a heat exchanger is provided. The device includes a first elongated strip of material, and a second elongated strip of material, the first and second elongated strips of material extend in parallel to each other, and are disposed adjacent to each other, wherein a longitudinal axis extends parallel to both the first elongated strip of material and the second elongated strip of material. The first and second elongated strips each comprises a plurality of rise portions and a plurality of fall portions, that are disposed in alternating fashion with a trailing portion of a respective rise portion extending to a leading portion of a first adjacent fall portion to establish a first transition (third transition for the second strip), and a trailing portion of the first adjacent fall portion extending to a leading portion of a second rise portion to establish a second transition (fourth transition for the second strip), wherein the respective rise portions of the first and second elongated strips are aligned in a staggered fashion. A bridge portion extends from the first transition of the first elongated strip to a neighboring third transition of the second elongated strip. A space is provided between the first and second elongated strips of metal that extends between adjacent inner edges of the first and second elongated strips at positions other than were the bridge portion extends.

1 . A fin device configured to be used within a heat exchanger for transferring heat energy, comprising:
 a first elongated strip of material, and a second elongated strip of material, the first and second elongated strips of material extend in parallel to each other, and are disposed adjacent to each other, wherein a longitudinal axis extends parallel to both the first elongated strip of material and the second elongated strip of material;   the first elongated strip of material comprises a plurality of rise portions and a plurality of fall portions, that are disposed in alternating fashion with a trailing portion of a respective rise portion extending to a leading portion of a first adjacent fall portion to establish a first transition, and a trailing portion of the first adjacent fall portion extending to a leading portion of a second rise portion to establish a second transition;   the second elongated strip of material comprises a plurality of rise portions and a plurality of fall portions, that are disposed in alternating fashion with a trailing portion of a respective rise portion extending to a leading portion of a first adjacent fall portion to establish a third transition, and a trailing portion of the first adjacent fall portion extending to a leading portion of a second rise portion to establish a fourth transition, wherein the respective rise portions of the first and second elongated strips are aligned in a staggered fashion;   a bridge portion that extends from the first transition of the first elongated strip to a neighboring third transition of the second elongated strip; and   a space between the first and second elongated strips of metal that extends between adjacent inner edges of the first and second elongated strips at positions other than were the bridge portion extends.   
     
     
         2 . The fin device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second bridge portion that extends from the second transition of the first elongated strip to a neighboring fourth transition of the second elongated strip. 
     
     
         3 . The fin device of  claim 1 , wherein the bridge portion extends from the first transition of the first elongated strip to a closest neighboring third transition of the second elongated strip. 
     
     
         4 . The fin device of  claim 1 , wherein the second bridge portion extends from the second transition of the first elongated strip to a closest neighboring fourth transition of the second elongated strip. 
     
     
         5 . The fin device of  claim 1 , wherein a bridge portion extends between adjacent first and third transitions, and a second bridge portion extends between adjacent second and fourth transitions along the first and second elongated strips. 
     
     
         6 . The fin device of  claim 1 , wherein the bridge portion and the second bridge portion each extend at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . The fin device of  claim 6 , wherein the acute angle is between about 20 and 50degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         8 . The fin device of  claim 7 , wherein the acute angle is between about 22.5 to about 30 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . The fin device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of rise portions and the plurality of fall portions of the first elongated strip comprise one or more louvers formed therein, wherein each of the one or more louvers extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         10 . The fin device of  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of rise portions and the plurality of fall portions of the second elongated strip comprise one or more louvers formed therein, wherein each of the one or more louvers extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         11 . The fin device of  claim 1 , wherein the adjacent first transitions within the first elongated strip are disposed at a first distance apart from each other along the longitudinal axis, and wherein the adjacent second transitions are disposed at the first distance apart from each other, wherein a second distance measured in parallel to the longitudinal axis between a first transition and an adjacent third transition is between about 10% to 30% of the first distance. 
     
     
         12 . The fin device of  claim 11 , wherein a distance from the first transition to the second transition is about half of the first distance along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         13 . The fin device of  claim 11 , wherein the second distance is about 50% of the first distance along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         14 . The fin device of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the plurality of rise portions and fall portions away from the first and second transitions are substantially planar, and a portion of the plurality of rise portions and fall portions of the second elongated strip of material away from the third and fourth transitions are substantially planar. 
     
     
         15 . The fin device of  claim 1 , wherein the first bridge portion is formed with two parallel sides between the first and third transitions. 
     
     
         16 . The fin device of  claim 1 , wherein the second bridge portion is formed with two parallel sides between the second and fourth transitions. 
     
     
         17 . The fin device of  claim 1 , wherein a bridge extends from the first transition of the first elongated strip to the closest neighboring third transition of the second elongated strip, wherein the first and the second elongated strips are arranged such that a bridge extends from every other first transition to a neighboring every other third transition, and the adjacent first and third transitions to the every other first and third transitions do not have a bridge that connects them. 
     
     
         18 . The fin device of  claim 17 , further comprising a second bridge portion that extends from the second transition of the first elongated strip to a closest neighboring fourth transition of the second elongated strip, wherein the first and second elongated strips are arranged such that a second bridge extends from every other second transition to a neighboring fourth transitions, and the adjacent second and fourth transitions to the every other second and fourth transitions do not have a bridge that connects them. 
     
     
         19 . The fin device of  claim 1 , wherein portions of the first and second elongate strips of material are separated by elongate cuts, wherein each elongate cut includes a center portion that extends along the longitudinal axis, and each elongate cut includes a front portion that extends from a front end of the center portion at the acute angle toward the second elongate portion, and each elongate cut includes a rear portion that extends from a rear end of the center portion at the acute angle toward the first elongate portion. 
     
     
         20 . The fin device of  claim 19 , wherein at least a majority of the rear portion of a first elongate cut of the plurality of elongate cuts is horizontally aligned with at least a majority of the front portion of the adjacent second elongate cut that is rearward of the first elongate cut, wherein the horizontally aligned front portion of the second elongate cut and the rear portion of the first elongate cut establishes one of the plurality of bridges. 
     
     
         21 . A fin device configured to be used within a heat exchanger for transferring heat energy, comprising:
 a first elongated strip of material, and a second elongated strip of material, the first and second elongated strips of material extend in parallel to each other, and are disposed adjacent to each other, wherein a longitudinal axis extends parallel to both the first elongated strip of material and the second elongated strip of material;   the first elongated strip of material comprises a plurality of rise portions and a plurality of fall portions, that are disposed in alternating fashion with a trailing portion of a respective rise portion extending to a leading portion of a first adjacent fall portion to establish a first transition, and a trailing portion of the first adjacent fall portion extending to a leading portion of a second rise portion to establish a second transition, wherein the first elongated strip comprises a plurality of spaced first transitions and a plurality of spaced second transitions;   wherein the longitudinal axis is spaced evenly between an outer edge of the first elongate strip and an outer edge of the second elongate strip;   the second elongated strip of material comprises a plurality of rise portions and a plurality of fall portions, that are disposed in alternating fashion with a trailing portion of a respective rise portion extending to a leading portion of a first adjacent fall portion to establish a third transition, and a trailing portion of the first adjacent fall portion extending to a leading portion of a second rise portion to establish a fourth transition, wherein the respective rise portions of the first and second elongated strips are aligned in a staggered fashion, such that the second elongate strip comprises a plurality of spaced third transitions and plurality of spaced fourth transitions;   a first bridge portion that extends from a first of the first plurality of first transitions of the first elongated strip to a neighboring first of the plurality of fourth transitions of the second elongated strip, and a second bridge portion that extends from the fourth transition of the second elongated strip to a neighboring second of the first plurality of transitions of the first elongated strip that is disposed adjacent to and rearwardly of the neighboring first of the first plurality of transitions; and   a space between the first and second elongated strips of metal that extends between adjacent inner edges of the first and second elongated strips at positions other than were the bridge portion extends.   
     
     
         22 . The fin device configured to be used within a heat exchanger of  claim 21  further comprising a third bridge portion that extends from the second of the first transitions of the first elongated strip and to a second of the plurality of fourth transitions within the second elongated strip, with the second of the fourth transitions disposed rearwardly of the first of the fourth transitions along the second elongate strip. 
     
     
         23 . The fin device configured to be used within a heat exchanger of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of second transitions within the first elongate strip and the plurality of third transitions within the second elongate strip do not connect with any bridge portions. 
     
     
         24 . The fin device configured to be used within a heat exchanger of  claim 21 , wherein a plurality of first elongate slots are provided that are each parallel to the longitudinal axis and at a first space on a same side of the longitudinal axis as the first elongate strip,
 wherein a plurality of second elongate slots are provided that are each parallel to the longitudinal axis at a second space on a same side of the longitudinal axis as the second elongate strip,   wherein, the plurality of first slots are aligned with a first space between a trailing tip of a first slot of the plurality of first slots and a leading tip of a second slot of the plurality of first slots, wherein each first space between the plurality of first slots is aligned with the location of a first transition of the plurality of first transitions along the first elongate strip, and   wherein the plurality of second slots are aligned with a second space between a trailing tip of a first slot of the plurality of second slots and a leading tip of a second slot of the plurality of second slots, wherein each second space between the plurality of second slots is aligned with the location of a fourth transition within the plurality of fourth transitions along the second elongate strip.   
     
     
         25 . The fin device of  claim 24 , wherein a portion of the plurality of first slots from the leading tip of each first slot extends horizontally aligned with a portion of an horizontally adjacent second slot until the trailing tip of the second slot.