U.S. patent application number 10/587357 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-19 for metal side-plate for a radiator.
This patent application is currently assigned to BEHR GmbH & Co. KG. Invention is credited to Sinan Balci, Reinhard Kull.
Application Number | 20070163751 10/587357 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34801467 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070163751 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Balci; Sinan ; et
al. |
July 19, 2007 |
Metal side-plate for a radiator
Abstract
The invention relates to a metal side-plate (12) for a radiator,
particularly a tubular radiator, such as those used in motor
vehicles with combustion engines. The aim of the invention is to
provide a meal side-plate (12) which is embodied in such a way that
stresses arising from various types of thermal expansion of the
metal side-plate (12) and tubular radiator (10) can be prevented.
The metal side-plates (12) are characterized in that they have a
weakened area (13) in which the material of the metal side-plate is
weakened in order to compensate heat expansion according to that of
the cooling body.
Inventors: |
Balci; Sinan; (Stuttgart,
DE) ; Kull; Reinhard; (Ludwigsburg, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FOLEY AND LARDNER LLP;SUITE 500
3000 K STREET NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20007
US
|
Assignee: |
BEHR GmbH & Co. KG
|
Family ID: |
34801467 |
Appl. No.: |
10/587357 |
Filed: |
February 2, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
February 2, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP05/01025 |
371 Date: |
July 26, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/81 ;
165/149 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 9/001 20130101;
F28F 2265/26 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/081 ;
165/149 |
International
Class: |
F28F 9/00 20060101
F28F009/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 2, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 005 177.1 |
Claims
1. A metal side-plate for radiators, in particular tubular
radiators, in which the radiator body exhibits tubes and heat
exchanger surfaces extending between the tubes, in which the
radiator is enclosed by at least one metal side-plate arranged
laterally on the radiator or at least one pair of metal side-plates
arranged on either side of the radiator, wherein at least one metal
side-plate exhibits at least one weakened area, in which the
material of the metal side-plate is weakened in such a way as to
allow compensation for the thermal expansion corresponding to that
of the radiator body.
2. The metal side-plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
weakening of a weakened area is effected by perforations in the
material of the metal side-plate.
3. The metal side-plate as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
penetrations are embodied in such a way that a network of webs is
formed.
4. The metal side-plate as claimed in claim 3, wherein the network
of webs delimits lozenges standing on their tips as penetrations in
the longitudinal extent of the metal side-plate.
5. The metal side-plate as claimed in claim 3, wherein the network
of webs delimits honeycomb-shaped penetrations.
6. The metal side-plate as claimed in claim 5, wherein a plurality
of rows of penetrations is provided, in conjunction with which the
rows of penetrations are preferably arranged off-set in relation to
one another, and the number of rows is preferably selected in such
a way that, viewed in the direction in which the insert plate
extends, the length of the penetrations added together at each
point transversely to the direction of their extent amounts to at
least 1.5 times, and preferably at least two to three times, the
maximum length of a penetration in the direction of its extent.
7. The metal side-plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insert
plate is bent, at least in the area of weakening, and is preferably
of a u-shaped execution.
8. A heat exchanger having at least one metal side-plate as claimed
in claim 1.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a metal side-plate for
radiators, in particular for tubular radiators such as those which
find an application in vehicles with internal combustion
engines.
[0002] Radiators of this kind exhibit a radiator body, in which
tubes extend in the longitudinal direction, in conjunction with
which heat exchanger surfaces are embodied between the tubes. What
is more, the radiator is enclosed by at least one pair of metal
side-plates situated to either side of the radiator body. The metal
side-plates in this case extend along or across the direction in
which the tubes of the tubular radiator extend. They delimit in
particular the heat exchanger surfaces, are utilized for the
purposes of assembly, for example, and also prevent the ingress of
undesired contamination into the area between the heat exchanger
surfaces and in so doing prevent impairment of the heat exchange
performance of the heat exchanger.
[0003] The length of the tubes and the heat exchanger surfaces
changes in the presence of fluctuations in the operating
temperature of the tubular radiator, so that a loading due to
thermal stress can make its effect felt on the metal
side-plate.
[0004] The object of the invention is to make available a metal
side-plate that is executed in such a way that stresses arising
from various kinds of thermal expansion of the metal side-plate and
tubular radiator are prevented. This object is achieved by a metal
side-plate in accordance with the independent claim.
[0005] A metal side-plate of this kind, which can find an
application in particular for tubular radiators, is intended to be
used in radiator bodies in which tubes extend in the longitudinal
direction and in which heat exchanger surfaces are arranged between
the tubes, in conjunction with which the metal side-plates are
intended to close off the radiator on at least one pair of opposing
sides. What is more, the metal side-plates are characterized in
that they exhibit a weakened area, in conjunction with which the
material of the metal side-plate in this area is weakened in such a
way as to allow compensation for the thermal expansion
corresponding to that of the radiator body.
[0006] This weakening of the material enables the thermal expansion
of the metal side-plate to be adapted to that of the radiator body
and thereby permits the permanent retention of the metal side-plate
on both sides of the radiator body. The occurrence of stresses,
both in the metal side-plate and in the radiator body, due to
different thermal expansion is avoided at the same time.
[0007] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the
weakening of a weakened area is effected by penetrations in the
material of the metal side-plate. It is particularly advantageous
if the penetrations are embodied in such a way that a network of
webs is formed. The adoption of this measure ensures that high
mechanical flexibility of the lateral part is achieved, which is
able to compensate for thermal expansion deviating from the thermal
expansion of the radiator body. It is especially favorable if the
penetrations are executed in such a way that the network of webs
forms lozenges standing on their tips in the longitudinal extent of
the metal side-plate, that is to say in the longitudinal direction.
In this way, the webs which delimit the penetrations in each case
run with a directional component in the longitudinal direction of
the metal side-plate, in which the different thermal expansion
produces its effect, and also at all times in a directional
component transversely thereto, so that a certain rigidity and
dimensional stability of the metal side-plate nevertheless continue
to be assured. An alternative embodiment is provided if the network
of webs delimits honeycomb-shaped penetrations. What is more, the
honeycomb-shaped penetrations can be formed both by penetrations
having a hexagonal form and by penetrations having an octagonal
form. Hexagonal, honeycomb-shaped penetrations have the advantage
that they are able to form a closed surface, whereas in the case of
octagonal honeycombs, lozenge-shaped intermediate surfaces occur
repeatedly, with the result that a uniform, transcurrent pattern is
not produced. What is more, octagonal honeycombs repeatedly form
areas of material running in the longitudinal direction and in the
transverse direction of the metal side-plate, whereas hexagonal
honeycombs only exhibit areas of material running either in the
longitudinal direction or in the transverse direction of the metal
side-plate. It is accordingly possible in this case for a different
longitudinal rigidity to result in relation to the transverse
rigidity of the metal side-plate.
[0008] According to embodiments of the invention, a weakened area
is produced in the form of a plurality of rows of penetrations, in
conjunction with which the rows of penetrations are preferably
arranged off-set in relation to one another, and the number of rows
can be selected in such a way that, when viewed in the direction in
which the metal side-plate extends, the length of the penetrations
added together at each point transversely to the direction of its
extent amounts to at least 1.5 times, and preferably at least two
to three times, the maximum length of a penetration in the
direction of its extent. The adoption of this measure ensures that
a certain length of material is free over the entire width of the
metal side-plate when viewed in the longitudinal direction, so that
a specific, defined minimum weakening of the longitudinal rigidity
of the insert plate is achieved over its entire width.
[0009] According to a preferred embodiment of the insert plate,
this is bent in its cross section, at least in the area of
weakening, and is preferably of a u-shaped embodiment. Such a
design of the cross section, including in the area of weakening,
increases the connecting rigidity of the insert plate and
guarantees dimensional stability.
[0010] Moreover, the invention is explained in greater detail below
with reference to the illustrative embodiment depicted in the
drawing. In the drawing:
[0011] FIG. 1 depicts a radiator that is delimited on its mutually
opposing sides by an insert plate in accordance with the
invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 depicts an insert plate in accordance with the
invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 depicts an insert plate in accordance with the
invention with a weakened area as an enlarged representation.
[0014] FIG. 1 depicts a radiator 10, in which tubes extending in
the longitudinal direction of the radiator are surrounded by heat
exchanger surfaces 11. Two mutually opposing sides of the radiator
are delimited by metal side-plates 12, which are securely retained
to other components connected to the radiator and are also aligned
in the longitudinal direction. What is more, each of the metal
side-plates 12 exhibits two weakened areas 13, each of which, in
particular in the final one third, and preferably in the final one
quarter of the metal side-plate, are executed all the way to the
edge.
[0015] FIG. 2 depicts an oblique representation of such a metal
side-plate 12 having two weakened areas 13, in conjunction with
which each of the weakened areas 13 is formed by penetrations 14 in
the material of the metal side-plate.
[0016] FIG. 3 depicts an enlarged representation of such a weakened
area 13. It can be appreciated in this case that the penetrations
are executed adjacent to one another in such a way that a network
of webs 15 is produced between them. In the embodiment represented
here, the webs 15 are executed in such a way that they delimit
lozenge-shaped penetrations in each case. What is more, the
penetrations 14 are arranged in a plurality of rows 16. Four rows
of penetrations 14, which form the weakened area 13, are executed
one after the other in the illustrative embodiment represented
here. What is more, the rows are offset in relation to one another
in such a way that a material-free section is produced over the
entire width of the metal side-plate 12, the overall length of
which is greater than twice the maximum length of a penetration in
the direction in which it extends. The use of a lozenge-shaped form
for the penetrations ensures that a compact, contiguous arrangement
of the penetrations can be achieved over the entire surface. A
constant width of the webs 15 between two penetrations is
maintained throughout, so that the rigidity of the metal side-plate
is capable of being determined accurately in the area of the
penetration.
[0017] As can also be appreciated from FIGS. 2 and 3, the metal
side-plate 12 is of u-shaped execution in its cross section, in
conjunction with which the cross-sectional form is also maintained
in the weakened area 13. It is ensured by this means that a
corresponding weakening of the material is also provided in this
peripheral area and, at the same time, that a basic measure of
torsional rigidity and dimensional stability of the metal
side-plate is also assured in the weakened area 13.
* * * * *