U.S. patent application number 10/552545 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-26 for compact vehicle radiator.
Invention is credited to Thomas Carton, Philippe Vincent.
Application Number | 20060237176 10/552545 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33041848 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060237176 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Vincent; Philippe ; et
al. |
October 26, 2006 |
Compact vehicle radiator
Abstract
The fluid inlet and outlet tubings (5,6) that project beyond a
front surface (F1) of the radiator are inclined with respect to the
longitudinal axes (A1, A2) of the fluid boxes (1, 2), so as to
reduce the bulk of the radiator in the longitudinal direction of
the fluid boxes (1, 2).
Inventors: |
Vincent; Philippe; (Epernon,
FR) ; Carton; Thomas; (Maurepas, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Valeo Climate Control Corp;Intellectual Property Department
4100 North Atlantic Boulevard
Auburn Hills
MI
48326
US
|
Family ID: |
33041848 |
Appl. No.: |
10/552545 |
Filed: |
April 1, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
April 1, 2004 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB04/01213 |
371 Date: |
October 12, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/148 ;
165/178 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 9/001 20130101;
F28F 9/0246 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/148 ;
165/178 |
International
Class: |
F28D 1/00 20060101
F28D001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 14, 2003 |
FR |
03/04639 |
Claims
1. Radiator for heating the passenger compartment of a vehicle
comprising at least a first fluid box (1) extending from a first
front surface (F1) to a second front surface (F2) of the radiator
along a longitudinal axis (A1) contained in a median plane (P) of
the radiator, a heat exchanger bundle (3) extending approximately
along said median plane (P) starting from the fluid box to exchange
heat between a coolant circulating in the fluid box and an airflow
passing through the bundle, a fluid inlet or outlet tubing (5)
projecting from the end of the fluid box located in said first
front surface (F1), characterised in that, starting from the first
front surface (F1), said tubing (5) has a first part (5-1) inclined
with respect to said longitudinal axis (A1) and/or eccentric with
respect to said median plane (P).
2. Radiator according to claim 1, in which said first part (5-1) of
the tubing is offset towards a first side of said median plane (P)
so as to leave a planar surface (10) on the other side of this
median plane in the first front surface (F1) to achieve airtight
contact between the radiator and the heating unit box containing
the radiator.
3. Radiator according to any one claims 1 and 2, in which said
first part (5-1) of the tubing (5) is inclined with respect to said
median plane.
4. Radiator according to claim 2, in which said first part of the
tubing is inclined towards said first side of said median plane
(P).
5. Radiator according to any one of the previous claims, in which
said first part (6-1) of the tubing (6) is inclined with respect to
the plane (P2) containing the longitudinal axis (A2) of the fluid
box (2) and orthogonal to said median plane (P).
6. Radiator according to any one of the previous claims, in which
said first part (5-1) of the tubing (5) is connected by an elbow
(5-3) to a second part (5-2) located on the same side as the fluid
box (1) with respect to a boundary plane (P3) perpendicular to said
longitudinal axis and tangential to said elbow (5-3).
7. Radiator according to claim 6, in which said second part (5-2)
extends approximately perpendicular to said longitudinal axis (A1)
and is also tangential to said boundary plane (P3).
8. Radiator according to claim 6, in which said second part (5-2)
separates from said boundary plane (P3) starting from said
elbow.
9. Radiator according to any one of claims 6 to 8, in which the
following relations are respected: cos .beta..times.sin
.alpha..ltoreq.(Xmax/L) cos .beta..times.cos
.alpha..ltoreq.(Ymax/L) 0.ltoreq..alpha..ltoreq.2.pi.
-.pi./2.ltoreq..beta..ltoreq..pi./2 where L is the length of the
vector connecting the intersection points (O, A) of the median axis
(A3) of the first part (5-1) of the tubing (5) with the first front
surface (F1) and with the median axis (A4) of the second part
(5-2), .alpha. is the angle formed by said vector with said median
plane (P), .beta. is the angle formed by said vector with the plane
(P1) containing the longitudinal axis (A1) of the fluid box (1) and
is orthogonal to said median plane (P), Ymax is the maximum
available distance in the vehicle to house the tubing starting from
the first front surface (F1) in the direction of the longitudinal
axis (A1) of the fluid box (1), and Xmax is the maximum available
distance in the vehicle to house the tubing starting from the
origin (O) of said vector in the direction perpendicular to said
median plane (P), .alpha. and .beta. are not both zero.
10. Radiator according to any one of the previous claims, in which
the fluid box (1) and at least one segment of the tubing (5)
adjacent to the fluid box are formed by the inseparable assembly of
at least two parts (11, 12).
11. Radiator according to claim 10, in which the fluid box (1) and
said segment are formed by the assembly of two parts (11, 12), each
of which defines approximately half of the box (1) and half of said
segment.
12. Radiator according to claim 10, in which the fluid box (1) and
said segment are formed by the assembly of two parts, one of which
(13) approximately defines a longitudinal wall of the box (1) and
the other (14) defines the rest of the box (1) and said
segment.
13. Radiator according to claim 10, in which the fluid box (1) and
said segment are formed by the assembly of three parts, two of
which (15, 16) approximately define half of the box (1) and the
third (17) defines said segment.
14. Radiator according to any one of claims 10 to 13, in which said
parts are based on aluminium.
15. Radiator according to any one of the previous claims, in which
a second fluid box (2) is provided extending along a longitudinal
axis (A2) contained in said median plane (P), the heat exchanger
bundle (3) being inserted between the two fluid boxes, one
associated with a fluid inlet tubing (5) and the other with a fluid
outlet tubing (6), the tubing associated with the second fluid box
(2) also being as defined in one of the previous claims.
16. Heating or air conditioning unit for the passenger compartment
of a vehicle comprising a radiator according to one of the previous
claims, housed in a box (21, 22, 23, 24), said box being
approximately in airtight contact with an area (10) of said first
front surface (F1) that is clear due to the fact that the first
part (5-1) of the tubing (5) is inclined and/or eccentric.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a radiator for heating the
passenger compartment of a vehicle comprising at least a first
fluid box extending from a first front surface to a second front
surface of the radiator along a longitudinal axis contained in a
median plane of the radiator, a heat exchanger bundle extending
approximately along said median plane starting from the fluid box
to exchange heat between a coolant circulating in the fluid box and
an airflow passing through the bundle, a fluid inlet or outlet
tubing projecting from the end of the fluid box located in said
first front surface.
[0002] In this description, the terms "fluid box" and "tubing"
refer to functional and non-structural units, with the fluid box
denoting an element in which the fluid communicates directly with
the bundle, and tubing denoting a pipe that connects the fluid box
to components of the fluid circuit other than the radiator. As will
be seen later, at least one region of the tubing may be fixed to
the fluid box and may be formed by the same part or the same parts
as the fluid box.
[0003] In the well-known radiator type described above, the
presence of the tubing projecting from the end of the fluid box
contributes to the bulk of the radiator in the direction of the
longitudinal axis thereof. But the space available for the radiator
in the vehicle is usually very limited, particularly near the lower
part of the radiator when it is close to the feet of the vehicle's
occupants.
[0004] The presence of the tubing also makes it difficult to
achieve airtightness between the front surface of the radiator and
the box of the heating unit in which it is housed. This
airtightness makes it necessary to insert an expensive foam gasket
that is difficult to put into place and that could also be
displaced as the radiator is being inserted into the box, thus
weakening the sealing function. Furthermore, this function is
weakened as the gasket ages over time.
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to eliminate all or some of
the disadvantages mentioned above.
[0006] In particular, the aim of the invention is to provide a
radiator of the type defined in the introduction, in which said
tubing, starting from the first front surface, has a first part
inclined from said longitudinal axis and/or eccentric from said
median plane.
[0007] The inclination of said first part of the tubing makes it
possible to reduce its bulk in the longitudinal direction of the
fluid box, for a given length of the tubing, for example as far as
an elbow. The eccentricity makes it possible for the first part of
the tubing to be offset towards a first side of said median plane
so as to leave an approximately planar surface on the other side of
this median plane in the first front surface to achieve airtight
contact between the radiator and the heating unit box, particularly
with a removable cover belonging to this box, with or without
insertion of a gasket.
[0008] Optional additional or replacement characteristics of the
invention are described below:
[0009] Said first part of the tubing is offset towards a first side
of said median plane so as to leave a planar surface in the first
front surface on the other side of the median plane, to achieve
airtight contact between the radiator and a heating unit box
containing the radiator.
[0010] Said first part of the tubing is inclined with respect to
said median plane.
[0011] Said first part of the tubing is inclined towards said first
side of said median plane.
[0012] Said first part of the tubing is inclined with respect to
the plane containing the longitudinal axis of the fluid box and is
orthogonal to said median plane.
[0013] Said first part of the tubing is connected by an elbow to a
second part that is located on the same side as the fluid box with
respect to a boundary plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis
and the tangent to said elbow.
[0014] Said second part extends approximately perpendicular to said
longitudinal axis and is also tangential to said boundary
plane.
[0015] Said second part separates from said boundary plane starting
from said elbow.
The following relations are respected: cos .beta..times.sin
.alpha..ltoreq.(Xmax/L) cos .beta..times.cos
.alpha..ltoreq.(Ymax/L) 0.ltoreq..alpha..ltoreq.2.pi.
-n/2.ltoreq..beta..ltoreq..pi./2
[0016] where L is the length of the vector connecting the
intersection points of the median axis of the first part of the
tubing with the first front surface and with the median axis of the
second part, .alpha. is the angle formed by said vector with said
median plane, .beta. is the angle formed by said vector with the
plane containing the longitudinal axis of the fluid box and is
orthogonal to said median plane, Ymax is the maximum distance
available in the vehicle to house the tubing starting from the
first front surface in the direction of the longitudinal axis of
the fluid box and Xmax is the maximum distance available in the
vehicle to house the tubing starting from the origin of said vector
in the direction perpendicular to said median plane,
[0017] .alpha. and .beta. are not both zero.
[0018] The fluid box and at least one segment of the tubing
adjacent thereto are formed by the inseparable assembly of at least
two parts.
[0019] The fluid box and said segment are formed by the assembly of
two parts, each of which defines approximately half of the box and
half of said segment.
[0020] The fluid box and said segment are formed by the assembly of
two parts, one of which approximately defines a longitudinal wall
of the box and the other defines the rest of the box and said
segment.
[0021] The fluid box and said segment are formed by the assembly of
three parts, two of which approximately define half of the box and
the third defines said segment.
[0022] Said parts are based on aluminium.
[0023] A second fluid box extends along a longitudinal axis
contained in said median plane, with the heat exchanger bundle
being inserted between the two fluid boxes, one of which is
associated with a fluid inlet tubing and the other with a fluid
outlet tubing, and the tubing associated with the second fluid box
is also as defined above.
[0024] Another purpose of the invention is to provide a heating or
air conditioning unit for the passenger compartment of a vehicle
comprising a radiator as defined above, wherein said box is
approximately in airtight contact with an area of said first front
surface which is clear due to the fact that the first part of the
tubing is inclined and/or eccentric.
[0025] The characteristics and advantages of the invention are
described in more detail in the following description, with
reference to the attached drawings.
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a radiator according to
the invention, partially showing the box of a heating or air
conditioning unit in which it is housed.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows a side elevation view and FIG. 3 shows a front
elevation view of the radiator in FIG. 1.
[0028] FIGS. 4 and 5 show explanatory diagrams showing how the
tubing angles of inclination are calculated.
[0029] FIGS. 6 to 8 are diagrammatic views showing the different
possibilities for assembly of fluid boxes and tubings in a radiator
according to the invention.
[0030] FIGS. 1 to 3 show a heating radiator according to the
invention for a unit for heating or air conditioning the passenger
compartment of a motor vehicle. The radiator shown comprises an
upper fluid box 1 that in the example extends along a horizontal
longitudinal axis A1 from a first front surface F1 to a second
front surface F2 of the radiator, both of which are in the vertical
direction, and a lower fluid box 2 extending along a longitudinal
axis A2 parallel to the axis A1, and also from surface F1 to
surface F2. A heat exchanger bundle 3 is placed between the fluid
boxes 1 and 2, and includes a row of tubes 4, each extending
vertically and aligned in the horizontal direction between surfaces
F1 and F2. The top and bottom ends of each tube 4 penetrate the
fluid boxes 1 and 2 respectively to enable a coolant to circulate
from one to the other through the tubes. This coolant transfers
heat to an airflow passing through the bundle 3, between the tubes
4.
[0031] Two tubings 5 and 6, communicating with fluid boxes 1 and 2
respectively, project from the front surface F1, with one of these
tubings being used for inlet of the coolant into the radiator and
the other for discharge of the fluid from the radiator. Each of
these tubings comprises a first approximately straight part 5-1,
6-1 adjacent to the corresponding fluid box, and a second
approximately straight part 5-2, 6-2, connected to the first part
through an elbow 5-3, 6-3.
[0032] According to the invention, the first parts 5-1, 6-1 of the
tubings are inclined from the axes A1, A2, and are also eccentric
from the median plane P of the radiator containing the axes A1 and
A2.
[0033] The diagrammatic representation in FIG. 5 gives a better
understanding of these concepts of inclination and eccentricity.
The end region of a fluid box 1 can be seen in this figure,
extending as far as the front surface F1 from which a tubing 5
projects comprising a first part 5-1 and a second part 5-2
connected to each other by an elbow 5-3. The longitudinal axis A3
of the part 5-1 meets the front surface F1 at a point O which, in
the example, is offset laterally from the point of intersection O1
of the longitudinal axis A1 of the box 1 with the surface F1.
Therefore, part of the tubing 5-1 is eccentric from the fluid box
1. Moreover, the axes A1 and A3 are not parallel, but there is an
acute angle between them. Therefore, the part 5-1 is inclined from
axis A1.
[0034] With reference once again to FIGS. 1 to 3, it can be seen
that the parts of the tubings 5-1 and 6-1 are both inclined and
eccentric towards the left in FIG. 2, thus leaving a clear part of
the width of the front surface F1 to the right of the plane P, so
that a planar strip 10 can extend over the entire height of this
surface, facilitating the creation of an airtight contact with the
box of the heating unit as will be seen later.
[0035] FIGS. 1 to 3 also show that the part of the tubing 5-1 is
inclined from the plane P, but is parallel to plane P1
perpendicular to it and containing the axis A1. On the other hand,
the first part 6-1 of the lower tubing 6 is inclined both from
plane P and from plane P2 perpendicular to plane P and containing
the axis A2.
[0036] The second part 5-2 of the upper tubing 5 is oriented
horizontally and is parallel to the front surface F1, while the
second part 6-2 of the lower tubing 6 extends vertically. The
distance D1, D2 over which each tubing extends from surface F1
depends on the length of its first part and the radius of curvature
of its elbow. The inclination of the first parts of the tubings
makes it possible to reduce this distance, equal to the length of
the first parts and the radius of curvature of the elbows, compared
with what is possible in the prior art in which these first parts
are oriented along the A1 and A2 axes. Similarly, the inclination
of the first part 6-1 of the lower tubing 6 makes it possible to
reduce the distance D3 by which it projects from surface F3 facing
the left in FIG. 2, which is one of the main surfaces of the
exchanger through which the airflow passes.
[0037] Tubings 5 and 6 are entirely included between the plane of
surface F1 and planes P3 and P4 respectively, perpendicular to axes
A1 and A2 and located at distances D1 and D2 from this surface,
with planes P3 and P4 being tangential to the elbows 5-3, 6-3 and
to parts 5-2, 6-2 which in the example in FIGS. 1 to 3 extend
parallel to the same planes. Alternatively, the parts 5-2, 6-2 are
not necessarily parallel to planes P3 and P4 and can move towards
the plane of the surface F1 as shown for the tubing 5 in FIG. 5. In
this case, the part 5-2 is no longer tangential to plane P3 but is
between plane P3 and the plane of the surface F1.
[0038] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the end region of a fluid
box 1 of a radiator according to the invention, and FIG. 5 shows a
top view of the same region of the fluid box and the corresponding
tubing 5. In FIG. 5, A3 and A4 denote the longitudinal axes of the
parts 5-1 and 5-2 of the tubing that intersect at point A. L is the
distance along axis A3, between point A and point O at the
intersection between axis A3 and the front surface F1 of the
radiator. Ymax denotes the maximum allowable bulk for the tubing
starting from the surface F1 in the direction Y which is the
direction of axis A1. Xmax (FIG. 4) denotes the maximum bulk of the
tubing starting from point O in the OX direction perpendicular to
the plane P. Also in FIG. 4, B denotes the projection of point A on
the XOY plane and .alpha. and .beta. denote the angles BOY and AOB
respectively.
[0039] The coordinates of point B in the OX, OY coordinate system
are: L.times.cos.beta..times.sin .alpha. and L.times.cos
.beta..times.cos .alpha..
[0040] Therefore, the following relations should be respected to
ensure that point A, and consequently point B, do not go outside
the limits Xmax and Ymax: cos .beta..times.sin
.alpha..ltoreq.(Xmax/L) cos .beta..times.cos
.alpha..ltoreq.(Ymax/L) 0.ltoreq..alpha..ltoreq.2.pi.
-n/2.ltoreq..beta..ltoreq..pi./2
[0041] where .alpha. and .beta. are not both zero.
[0042] Any value that makes it possible to respect these relations
can be adopted for the angles .alpha. and .beta..
[0043] FIGS. 6 to 8 show different assemblies each composed of a
fluid box and a tubing segment fixed to the fluid box, obtained by
assembling folded or stamped aluminium plate parts either by
welding or brazing. This segment represents at least one initial
region of the first part of the tubing, adjacent to the fluid box.
These assembly types make it easy to incline and/or create the
eccentricity according to the invention, and consequently the first
part of the tubing formed wholly or partly from the segment.
[0044] In FIG. 6, two parts 11 and 12 each define approximately
half of the fluid box 1 and half of the segment 5-0 of the tubing.
In FIG. 7, a first part 13 approximately defines a longitudinal
wall of the box 1, and the second part 14 defines the rest of the
box and the segment 5-0 of the tubing. Finally, in FIG. 8, each of
the two parts 15 and 16 approximately defines half of the box 11,
and a third part 17 approximately defines the segment 5-0 of the
tubing. In each case, segment 5-0 is inclined from the joint plane
of the two parts of the fluid box.
[0045] Apart from the radiator, FIG. 1 shows elements 21, 22, 23,
adjacent to the radiator, of the unit box which is not shown in
more detail so that the radiator can be seen more clearly. In
particular, the element 23 belongs to a removable cover that closes
up an opening 24 through which the radiator is assembled. These
elements are provided with ribs 25, 26, 27, 28 that come into
contact with the radiator over its entire periphery so that it is
airtight between the upstream and downstream sides of the radiator.
The invention makes it easy to obtain this seal by means of the
planar strip 10 (FIG. 2) that provides a seating for the rib 28
fixed to the cover 23.
[0046] The invention is not limited to the embodiment described, in
which the radiator has two fluid boxes extending along parallel
axes each associated with two tubings starting from the same front
surface of the radiator. The following alternatives in particular
are possible, possibly in combination:
[0047] a single fluid box;
[0048] two boxes with non-parallel axes;
[0049] a single tubing extending from a front surface of the
radiator;
[0050] two tubings, each extending from one of the two front
surfaces and each associated with a different box, or both
associated with the same box.
* * * * *