Heat exchanger assembly having a distributor tube retainer tab

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9581397-B2
Application number	US-201213705411-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2012
Priority date	Dec 29, 2011
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

A heat exchanger assembly having an insertable distributor tube retainer tab configured to position and retain a distributor tube disposed within a first manifold extending along an axis A manifold . The first manifold includes a manifold wall having an interior surface defining an interior chamber, an exterior surface opposite of the interior surface, and a retainer slot connecting the interior surface and the exterior surface. The retainer slot extends substantially transverse to the manifold axis A manifold . The retainer tab is inserted through the retainer slot and includes a first tab portion disposed within the interior chamber and a second tab portion 104 engaged to the wall of the first manifold, and may also include a third tab portion engaged to a width surface of the retainer slot. The retainer tab includes a tab opening configured to engage and maintain the distributor tube within the predetermined position.

First claim

Having described the invention, it is claimed:

1. A heat exchanger assembly comprising:
a tubular manifold formed in one piece and extending along a manifold axis, the tubular manifold includes a one piece manifold wall having an interior surface defining an interior chamber and an exterior surface opposite of the interior surface, wherein the manifold wall defines a retainer slot connecting the interior surface and the exterior surface, and wherein the retainer slot is diametrically opposed to a series of tube slots in the one piece manifold wall;
a distributor tube disposed in the interior chamber; and
a retainer tab inserted through the retainer slot, a portion of the retainer tab extending within the manifold short of the tube slots and defining a tab opening configured to engage and maintain the distributor tube within a predetermined position within the interior chamber.

2. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tab has two opposing surfaces perpendicular to the manifold axis, the opposing surfaces defining a tab thickness, the tab thickness of at least the portion extending within the manifold being dimensioned substantially equal to a width of the retainer slot along the manifold axis.

3. A heat exchanger assembly comprising:
a tubular manifold formed in one piece and extending along a manifold axis, the tubular manifold includes a one piece manifold wall having an interior surface defining an interior chamber and an exterior surface opposite of the interior surface, wherein the manifold wall defines a retainer slot connecting the interior surface and the exterior surface, and wherein the retainer slot is diametrically opposed to a series of tube slots in the one piece manifold wall;
a distributor tube disposed in the interior chamber; and
a retainer tab inserted through the retainer slot, a portion of the retainer tab extending within the manifold short of the tube slots and defining a tab opening configured to engage and maintain the distributor tube within a predetermined position within the interior chamber;
wherein the distributor tube includes a distributor tube outer diameter (d);
wherein the tab opening of the retainer tab includes a tab opening diameter (D) greater than the distributor tube outer diameter (d);
wherein the retainer tab includes at least one boss extending radially into the tab opening toward the distributor tube, such that the at least one boss fixably engages the distributor tube.

4. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 3 , wherein the at least one boss comprises aluminum.

5. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 3 ,
wherein the retainer slot extends substantially transverse to the manifold axis and includes a pair of opposing length surfaces and a pair of width surfaces;
wherein the retainer tab further includes a first tab portion inserted into the interior chamber through the retainer slot and a second tab portion having opposite facing shoulder portions; and
wherein each of the shoulder portions includes a shoulder surface contoured to engage a surface of the tubular manifold, thereby seating the retainer tab in the retainer slot.

6. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 5 ,
wherein the pair of width surfaces are oriented in the same direction; and wherein each of the shoulder surface engages respective the width surfaces of the retainer slot.

7. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 5 ;
wherein the pair of width surfaces are oriented in a substantially opposing direction;
wherein the retainer tab further includes a third tab portion positioned between the first tab portion and the second tab portion, the third tab portion includes a pair of substantially opposite facing end surfaces complementary to corresponding the pair of width surfaces;
wherein the opposite facing end surfaces engage the width surfaces; and
wherein the shoulder surfaces seat on to the exterior surface of the tubular manifold.

8. A heat exchanger assembly comprising:
a tubular manifold formed in one piece and extending along a manifold axis, the tubular manifold includes a one piece manifold wall defining an interior chamber with an interior diameter and a retainer slot through the one piece manifold wall substantially transverse to the manifold axis;
a distributor tube having a distributor tube outer diameter (d) and disposed in the interior chamber; and
a retainer tab inserted through the retainer slot in an insertion direction, the retainer tab engages and maintains the distributor tube within a predetermined position within the interior chamber, wherein the retainer tab has an insertion depth in the insertion direction that is smaller than the interior diameter of the interior chamber in the insertion direction, and a tab opening that includes a tab opening diameter (D) greater than the distributor tube outer diameter (d); wherein the retainer tab includes at least one boss extending radially into the tab opening toward the distributor tube, such that the at least one boss fixably engages the distributor tube.

9. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 8 , wherein the retainer tab includes a first tab portion disposed within the interior chamber, the first tab portion defines a tab opening configured to engage and maintain the distributor tube in a predetermined location within the interior chamber.

10. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 9 , wherein the retainer tab further includes a second tab portion engaged onto the exterior surface of the tubular manifold.

11. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 10 , wherein the retainer tab further includes a third tab portion located between the first tab portion and second tab portion, the third tab portion includes a pair of opposite facing end surfaces engaging the wall of the tubular manifold.

12. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 10 , wherein the retainer tab is interference fitted into the retainer slot against the wall of the tubular manifold.

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Samuelson David E

Classifications

• F28F9/0273 Primary

  with multiple holes · CPC title

• F28F9/027

  in the form of distribution pipes · CPC title

• F28F9/0131 Primary

  formed by plates (F28F9/0138 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28F9/0246

  Arrangements for connecting header boxes with flow lines · CPC title