Flex tubing for vehicle assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016372803-A1
Application number	US-201514744500-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 19, 2015
Priority date	Jun 19, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Flex tubing for a vehicle assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a tube body made of a metallic material, the tube body including a first rigid segment, a second rigid segment and a flexible segment extending between the first rigid segment and the second rigid segment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . Flex tubing for a vehicle assembly, comprising:
a tube body made of a metallic material, said tube body including a first rigid segment, a second rigid segment and a flexible segment extending between said first rigid segment and said second rigid segment.

2 . The flex tubing as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metallic material includes aluminum.

3 . The flex tubing as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first rigid segment and said second rigid segment are disposed at opposing ends of said tube body.

4 . The flex tubing as recited in claim 1 , wherein said flexible segment includes a plurality of corrugations or ribs configured to move to adjust to a position of said first rigid segment and said second rigid segment.

5 . The flex tubing as recited in claim 1 , wherein said tube body includes a conduit for communicating a fluid through said tube body.

6 . The flex tubing as recited in claim 1 , wherein said tube body includes a single-piece, unitary construction having no mechanical attachments, joints or connections.

7 . The flex tubing as recited in claim 1 , wherein said flexible segment is configured to adjust to tolerance variations between rigid mounting locations of said first rigid segment and said second rigid segment.

8 . A vehicle assembly, comprising:
an enclosure; a first component positioned at a first mounting location relative to said enclosure; a second component positioned at a second mounting location relative to said enclosure; and flex tubing extending along a non-linear path between said first component and said second component, said flex tubing made of a metallic material.

9 . The vehicle assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein said flex tubing extends to a location exterior of said enclosure.

10 . The vehicle assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein said flex tubing includes a first rigid segment, a second rigid segment and a flexible segment extending between said first rigid segment and said second rigid segment.

11 . The vehicle assembly as recited in claim 10 , wherein said flex tubing includes a single-piece, unitary tube body having no mechanical attachments, joints or connections.

12 . The vehicle assembly as recited in claim 10 , wherein said flexible segment is configured to adjust to tolerance variations between rigid mounting locations of said first rigid segment and said second rigid segment.

13 . The vehicle assembly as recited in claim 10 , wherein at least one of said first rigid segment and said second rigid segment is received within a recess between a first plate piece and a second plate piece of said first component.

14 . The vehicle assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein said first mounting location and said second mounting location are offset from one another in at least one of an X-axis, a Y-axis and a Z-axis.

15 . The vehicle assembly as recited in claim 14 , wherein said first mounting location and said second mounting location are offset from one another in at least two of an X-axis, a Y-axis and a Z-axis.

16 . The vehicle assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein said first component is a cold plate and said second component is a thermal management component.

17 . The vehicle assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein said flex tubing extends through a wall of said enclosure.

18 . The vehicle assembly as recited in claim 17 , comprising a sealing system configured to seal around a portion of said flex tubing that protrudes through said wall.

19 . A vehicle assembly, comprising:
a battery array; an enclosure that houses said battery array; a cold plate in contact with said battery array; a sealing system mounted to a wall of said enclosure; and flex tubing extending from said cold plate through said sealing system to a position outside of said enclosure.

20 . The vehicle assembly as recited in claim 19 , wherein said flex tubing includes a tube body embodying a single-piece, unitary construction having no mechanical attachments, joints or connections.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Miller Daniel

Classifications

• H01M10/613 Primary

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• F16L11/14

  made of rigid material, e.g. metal or hard plastics · CPC title

• H01M10/6556 Primary

  Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552) · CPC title

• H01M10/6554

  Rods or plates · CPC title

• B60R13/06

  Sealing strips (sealing arrangements for vehicle windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors, or similar devices B60J10/00) · CPC title