Intercooler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9328653-B2
Application number	US-50045009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2009
Priority date	Jul 9, 2008
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to an intercooler for a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine that is supercharged in steps. In this case, the intercooler has an air outlet opening as well as two air inlet openings, a heat exchanger module being associated with each air inlet opening. Air channels of the two heat exchanger modules are ultimately brought together in an air box of the intercooler, which is connected to the air outlet opening. It is thus made possible to bring together compressed charging air from two supercharging assemblies only in the area of the intercooler. To improve the pressure ratios during operation of only one supercharging assembly, a non-return valve is provided in an air channel. Thus, a module for separately bringing the airways together can be eliminated, thereby reducing the installation space requirement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An intercooler for a motor vehicle, the intercooler comprising:
a housing;
a first heat exchanger;
a second heat exchanger; and
a valve,
wherein the housing comprises
a first inlet,
a second inlet, separate from the first inlet, and
an outlet,
wherein the first inlet is communicable with a first supercharger,
wherein the second inlet is communicable with a second supercharger, and
wherein the outlet is communicable with an air intake of an engine;

wherein the first heat exchanger is disposed in said housing,
wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a first fluid passageway in fluid communication with said first inlet and with said outlet,
wherein the second heat exchanger is disposed in said housing,
wherein the second heat exchanger comprises a second fluid passageway in fluid communication with said second inlet and with the outlet,
wherein the valve is disposed in said second passageway,
wherein the valve is displaceable between open and closed positions.

2. An intercooler according to claim 1 wherein said valve comprises a flap valve.

3. An intercooler according to claim 2 wherein said valve is biased in a closed position.

4. An intercooler according to claim 2 wherein upon nonoperation of said second supercharger and operation of said first supercharger, fluid under pressure in said first mentioned passageway functions to bias said valve in said closed position.

5. An intercooler according to claim 4 wherein said valve is gravity biased in the closed position.

6. An intercooler according to claim 1 wherein said valve is gravity biased toward a closed position.

Assignees

• Huber Frank
• Sonner Markus
• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Huber Frank
• Sonner Markus

Classifications

• F02B29/0412 Primary

  Multiple heat exchangers arranged in parallel or in series · CPC title

• F02B29/0425

  Air cooled heat exchangers · CPC title

• Y02T10/146

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F02B29/0437

  Liquid cooled heat exchangers · CPC title

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title