Heat exchanger for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9556782-B2
Application number	US-201314144484-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2013
Priority date	Oct 14, 2013
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

A heat exchanger for a vehicle includes a heat radiating portion provided with first, second and third connecting lines receiving first, second and third operating fluids, respectively, which heat-exchange with each other while passing through the first, second and third connecting lines, a bifurcating portion adapted for one of the operating fluids to bypass the heat radiating portion according to a temperature of the one operating fluid, and a valve unit mounted at an inflow hole forming the bifurcating portion, selectively opening or closing one of the connecting lines, wherein a plurality of inflow holes and a plurality of exhaust holes for the first, second and third operating fluid are formed in the heat radiating portion and the bifurcating portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger for a vehicle, comprising:
a heat radiating portion provided with a first connecting line, a second connecting line and a third connecting line formed alternately by a stacked plurality of plates, and receiving first, second and third operating fluids into the first, second and third connecting lines, respectively, the first, second and third operating fluids heat-exchanging with each other while passing through the first, second and third connecting lines, wherein the first, second and third operating fluids supplied into the first, second and third connecting lines are not mixed with each other while circulated;
a bifurcating portion configured to bypass one of the first, second and third operating fluids around the heat radiating portion according to a temperature of the one operating fluid;
a valve unit mounted at an inflow hole forming the bifurcating portion, selectively opening or closing one of the first second and third connecting lines by expansion or contraction of a deformable material filled therein to selectively direct the one operating fluid to the heat radiating portion or the bifurcating portion according to a temperature of the one operating fluid; and
a plurality of inflow holes for the first, second and third operating fluids to flow into the heat radiating portion and the bifurcating portion; and
a plurality of exhaust holes for the first, second and third operating fluid to flow out of the heat radiating portion and the bifurcating portion,
wherein the plurality of inflow hole comprises:
a first inflow hole formed to the bifurcating portion;
a second inflow hole formed to one side of the heat radiating portion; and
a third inflow hole formed to the other side of the heat radiating portion, and the plurality of exhaust hole comprises:
a first exhaust hole formed to the bifurcating portion and communicate with the first inflow hole through the first connecting line;
a second exhaust hole formed to the one side of the heat radiating portion and communicate with the second inflow hole through the second connecting line; and
a third exhaust hole formed to the other side of the heat radiating portion communicate with the third inflow hole through the third connecting line,

wherein the valve unit comprises:
an outer case including a fixing member which is inserted into the heat radiating portion corresponding to the first inflow hole, of which a mounting groove is formed lower center portion thereof, and fixed to the other side of the heat radiating portion, and an insert portion which is formed to an upper portion of the fixing member integrally, at which at least one first opening is formed along length direction thereof corresponding to the connecting line of the heat radiating portion, and at which at least one bypass hole is formed corresponding to the bifurcating portion;
a fixing rod which is inserted into the outer case and of which one end is fixed to the mounting groove of the fixing member;
a deformable member which is slidably disposed on the fixing rod, and moves up and down on the fixing rod by the expansion or contraction of the deformable material filled therein according to changing of temperature of the operating fluid;
an inner case of which at least one second opening is formed along length direction thereof corresponding to the first opening of the outer case, and which is slidably inserted into the outer case;
a flange member which is fixed to the lower portion of the inner case therein, and fixed to the lower portion of the deformable member;
a stopper fixedly mounted to the upper portion of the outer case; and
an elastic member disposed between the deformable member and the stopper so as to supplying elastic force to the deformable member.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the fixing member of the outer case is fixed to the heat radiating portion though a snap ring.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the outer case is a cylinder of which the upper end is opened.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the bypass hole and the first opening are formed apart from each other along the length direction of the outer case.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first openings are formed apart from the bypass hole at the lower portion of the outer case along the length direction of the outer case.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the inner case is a cylinder of which both ends are opened.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the second openings are formed apart from each other along the length direction of the inner case.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 7 , wherein the second openings are formed misalign along the length direction of the inner case.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the inner case is moved upward when the deformable member moves upward so that the second opening is positioned at the first opening to open the first opening and close the bypass hole by the inner case.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the inner case is assembled at the first time as the first opening is closed by the inner case and the second opening is closed by the outer case.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the deformable material filled within the deformable member is wax material which is expanded or contracted according to the temperature of the operating fluid flowing into the inflow hole.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein flowing holes are formed to the exterior circumference of the flange member.

13. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the exterior circumference of the flange member is fixed to the lower interior circumference of the inner case, and a mounting portion formed to the center portion of the flange member is connected to the deformable member and the flange member is fixed by a fixing ring mounted to the deformable member.

14. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the flange member is connected to the interior circumference of the inner case.

15. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein at least one penetration hole is formed to the stopper for the operating fluid flowing through the first inflow hole to flow within the valve unit.

16. The heat exchanger of claim 15 , wherein the penetration holes are formed to the center and along circumference of the stopper.

17. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a fixing end is formed protrude to the stopper for the elastic member to be fixed under the stopper.

18. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a receiving portion, where the stopper is received, is formed to the upper portion of the outer case.

19. The heat exchanger of claim 18 , wherein a ring groove is formed to the upper and interior circumference of the outer case for a stopper ring to be received thereto for fixing the upper portion of the stopper.

20. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first inflow hole and the first exhaust hole are formed to the bifurcating portion in diagonal direction,
the second inflow hole and the second exhaust hole are formed in the one side of the heat radiating portion facing diagonally with each other, wherein the second inflow hole is disposed symmetrical to the first inflow hole and the second exhaust hole is disposed symmetrical to the first exhaust hole, and
the third inflow hole and the third exhaust hole are formed the other side of the heat radiating portion facing diagonally with each other.

21. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein one of operating fluids is a

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Jae Yeon

Classifications

• F28D9/005

  the plates having openings therein for both heat-exchange media · CPC title

• F01P2060/045

  for transmissions · CPC title

• B60H1/32

  Cooling devices {(B60H1/00478, B60H1/005 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F28D2021/0089

  Oil coolers · CPC title

• F01P11/08

  Arrangements of lubricant coolers (in lubrication apparatus F01M) · CPC title