U.S. patent application number 11/719376 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-27 for metal collecting tank for a heat exchanger, especially for motor vehicles.
This patent application is currently assigned to BEHR GMBH & CO. KG. Invention is credited to Holger Auchter, Thomas Fricker, Hans-Peter Heuss.
Application Number | 20080289807 11/719376 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35613673 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080289807 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Auchter; Holger ; et
al. |
November 27, 2008 |
Metal Collecting Tank for a Heat Exchanger, Especially for Motor
Vehicles
Abstract
The invention relates to a metal collecting tank (1) for a heat
exchanger, especially for motor vehicles. Said collecting tank is
produced by non-cutting shaping from a steel sheet blank,
preferably an aluminum sheet, and the collecting tank (1) comprises
two approximately parallel sidewalls (1c, 1d) and narrow walls each
and an upper side (1b) and at least one connecting piece (3).
According to the invention, the at least one connecting piece (3)
is configured as one piece with the collecting tank (1) and is
shaped from the steel sheet blank.
Inventors: |
Auchter; Holger; (Stuttgart,
DE) ; Fricker; Thomas; (Remseck, DE) ; Heuss;
Hans-Peter; (Korntal-Munchingen, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FOLEY AND LARDNER LLP;SUITE 500
3000 K STREET NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20007
US
|
Assignee: |
BEHR GMBH & CO. KG
Stuttgart
DE
|
Family ID: |
35613673 |
Appl. No.: |
11/719376 |
Filed: |
November 14, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
November 14, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP05/12168 |
371 Date: |
June 29, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/178 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 9/0246
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/178 |
International
Class: |
F28F 9/04 20060101
F28F009/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 15, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 055 086.7 |
Claims
1. A metal collecting tank for a heat exchanger, especially for
motor vehicles, capable of being manufactured in particular by
non-cutting shaping from a sheet metal blank, preferably an
aluminum sheet, the collecting tank in each case exhibiting two
long sides and narrow sides arranged approximately parallel, as
well as an upper side and at least one connecting piece, wherein
the at least one connecting piece is executed in a single piece
with the collecting tank and is capable of being formed from the
sheet metal blank.
2. The collecting tank as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least
one connecting piece is arranged on the upper side.
3. The collecting tank as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least
one connecting piece is arranged on one long side.
4. The collecting tank as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least
one connecting piece exhibits a circular cross section and an
approximately cylindrical form.
5. The collecting tank as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least
one connecting piece exhibits an encircling bead that is capable of
being manufactured in particular by upsetting.
6. The collecting tank as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least
one connecting piece exhibits an external diameter D and a length
L, and in that the proportion of L/D lies in the range from 0.8 to
1.0, and preferably 0.9.
7. The collecting tank as claimed in claim 6, wherein the diameter
D lies in the range from 15 to 20 mm, and the sheet metal blank
exhibits a metal sheet thickness in the range from 0.5 to 2.0
mm.
8. The collecting tank as claimed in claim 6, wherein the length L
lies in the range from 15 to 20 mm, and the sheet metal blank
exhibits a metal sheet thickness in the range from 0.5 to 2.0
mm.
9. The collecting tank as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bead
exhibits an external diameter D.sub.s, and in that the proportion
of the bead diameter D.sub.s to the diameter D of the connecting
piece is in the order of 1.3.
10. The collecting tank as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least
one connecting piece is capable of being connected via a pipe
coupling to a heating or cooling circuit of a motor vehicle.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a metal collecting tank for a heat
exchanger, especially for motor vehicles, according to the preamble
to patent claim 1.
[0002] Metal collecting tanks are utilized at the present time for
heat exchangers of motor vehicles, especially soldered radiators
and soldered coolant coolers and, to be precise, for reasons of
recycling and physical strength. Prior to this development
resulting in individual types of heat exchangers, plastic tanks
were used as the collecting tanks and distribution tanks of
radiators and coolant coolers, which plastic tanks offered the
advantage, among other things, that connecting pieces could be
injection-molded onto the plastic tanks in a single piece. This
facility does not exist in the case of metal water tanks, which are
preferably manufactured from aluminum sheet by non-cutting shaping,
such as deep-drawing. On the contrary, metal tanks for heat
exchangers exhibit only a single, inward-formed or outward-formed
sheet metal collar, which is soldered to a pipe coupling, via which
a connection to a heating or cooling circuit of the motor vehicle
is possible.
[0003] Previously disclosed in DE 197 52 139 A1 by the applicant
was a soldered radiator for a motor vehicle with metal collecting
tanks, into which an inlet connecting piece and an outlet
connecting piece are soldered. These connecting pieces are executed
in this case mainly as pipe couplings, so-called plug-in fork
couplings, as previously disclosed in DE 44 03 402 A1 by the
applicant. In this case, the pipe coupling exhibits on the one hand
a cylindrical area, which is inserted into a collar in the metal
water tank and is soldered to it in a leakproof manner. On the
other hand, the pipe coupling (also referred to as the connecting
piece) exhibits an extended area, into which a pipe end of a
heating line is capable of being inserted, sealed by means of a
sealing ring and fixed axially by means of a plug-in fork coupling.
This kind of pipe connection to a metal collecting tank requires a
large number of component parts, that is to say a collecting tank
with a collar formed thereon, a pipe coupling (connecting piece)
capable of being soldered to the collecting tank including sealing
and locking means, and a pipe end of the connection line.
[0004] Similar pipe couplings, also referred to as a pipe
connection or a pipe connection coupling, in particular with a
plug-in fork coupling, were previously disclosed in DE 196 21 282
A1 and DE 196 21 283 A1 by the applicant. A variant of a pipe
connection coupling having an elastic retaining clip ring was
previously disclosed in DE 196 48 162 A1 by the applicant--here,
too, the pipe coupling is in the form of a cup inserted and welded
in place in a metal collecting tank. The connection with the pipe
end of the connecting line is effected by means of a sealing ring
and the retaining clip ring, which is supported on a bead at the
end of the pipe.
[0005] The object of the present invention is to manufacture a
metal collecting tank of the kind mentioned by way of introduction
more simply and at lower cost, in particular having regard for the
one or more pipe connections.
[0006] This object is achieved through the characterizing features
of patent claim 1. It is provided according to the invention that
at least one connecting piece is capable of being manufactured in a
single piece from the collecting tank and its starting blank. The
one or more connecting pieces are formed in this way from a sheet
metal blank by non-cutting shaping, such as hole punching,
multi-stage deep-drawing and/or upsetting. The associated advantage
is that an expensive operation, such as soldering of a pipe
coupling and/or a pipe connection piece to the collecting tank, is
avoided. This results in lower manufacturing costs for the
collecting tank and accordingly for the entire heat exchanger, for
example a radiator or a coolant cooler for a motor vehicle. The
connecting piece according to the invention can thus be connected
directly to a connecting pipe or to a connecting hose.
[0007] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the
connecting pieces can be arranged on the long sides or on the upper
side of the collecting tank. The connecting piece is preferably of
circular cylindrical configuration, which can be represented most
easily by non-cutting shaping process steps.
[0008] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the
connecting piece exhibits an encircling bead, which is capable of
being manufactured preferably by upsetting the connecting piece.
The advantage of an axial fixability of the connecting piece in
question, a connecting pipe, a pipe coupling or a connecting hose
is achievable in this way.
[0009] In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the
connecting piece exhibits an external diameter D and a length L, in
conjunction with which the proportion of the length L to the
diameter D lies in the range from 0.8 to 1.0, and preferably 0.9. A
connecting piece with these dimensions offers the possibility of
producing a pipe connection involving the use of means that are
previously familiar from the prior art. The not inconsiderable
thinning of the material due to stretching in the direction of the
longitudinal axis of the connecting piece necessarily results in a
reduction in the original wall thickness of the sheet metal blank.
The use of a multi-stage shaping process, however, makes it
possible to maintain a minimum wall thickness that is required for
reasons of physical strength.
[0010] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the
invention, the connecting piece according to the invention, in
particular with an encircling bead, is capable of connection by
means of a pipe coupling of a previously disclosed kind to a
heating or cooling circuit of a motor vehicle. The pipe coupling
can be secured in relation to the bead, for example by means of a
plug-in fork coupling. A pipe or a hose of the coolant circuit is
connected to the pipe coupling.
[0011] Illustrative embodiments of the invention are depicted in
the drawing and are described in greater detail below, where:
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a collecting tank for a
soldered radiator having two connecting pieces arranged on the
upper side;
[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates the collecting tank according to FIG. 1
as a view from above;
[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates a section III-III through a connecting
piece of the collecting tank;
[0015] FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of a second illustrative
embodiment of a collecting tank having laterally arranged
connecting pieces;
[0016] FIG. 5 illustrates the collecting tank according to FIG. 4
as a view from above;
[0017] FIG. 6 illustrates a section VI-VI through a connecting
piece of the collecting tank, and
[0018] FIGS. 7-9, which are similar to FIGS. 1-3, illustrate an
alternative embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 1 depicts a metal collecting tank 1 for a soldered
radiator of a heating system (not illustrated here) for a motor
vehicle. The collecting tank 1 exhibits an open under side 1a,
which is connected with positive engagement to a tube base of the
radiator (not illustrated here). Arranged opposite the open under
side 1a is a lightly upwardly curved upper side 1b, which exhibits
two connecting pieces 2, 3, via which the radiator (not illustrated
here) is capable of being connected to the heating circuit, that is
to say a coolant circuit for an internal combustion engine. Present
between the two connecting pieces--although not illustrated
here--is a separating wall, so that one connecting piece functions
as an inlet connecting piece and the other connecting piece
functions as an outlet connecting piece for the coolant. Each of
the two connecting pieces 2, 3 exhibits an encircling bead 2a,
3a.
[0020] FIG. 2 depicts the collecting tank 1 as a view from above,
which illustrates the circular cross sections of the connecting
pieces 2, 3 and the encircling beads 2a, 3a. The floor plan of the
collecting tank 1 is essentially of rectangular configuration and
exhibits two long sides 1c, 1d and two narrow sides 1e, 1f, each of
which blends into the other with a radius.
[0021] FIG. 3 depicts a section in the plane III-III in FIG. 1,
that is to say passing through the connecting piece 3. As can be
appreciated from the graphical sectioned view, the connecting piece
3 is executed in a single piece with the collecting tank 1, that is
to say it is formed from the upper side 1b. The entire collecting
tank 1 including the two connecting pieces 2, 3 is capable of being
manufactured in a single piece from a plane sheet metal blank,
preferably an aluminum sheet or a sheet made from an aluminum
alloy, by non-cutting shaping, that is to say in a number of
process stages such as stamping, hole punching, deep-drawing and
upsetting. According to the invention, the material of the upper
side 1b, in particular a circular and lightly outwardly curved
surface F, is drawn into a collar in this case and, to be precise,
in the direction of the longitudinal axis a of a connecting piece.
Before the collar-drawing or deep-drawing of the connecting piece
3, a circular opening should advantageously be stamped into the
surface F from the curved upper side 1b in the region of the
longitudinal axis a. Thinning of the material by stretching to a
length L and to an external diameter D then takes place by the use
of a suitable plunger. The bead 3a is formed in the connecting
pieces 3 by upsetting. In a preferred illustrative embodiment, the
connecting piece 3 (as well as the connecting piece 2) exhibits an
external diameter D of about 18 mm and a length L of about 17 mm.
This results in a proportion for L/D in the order of 0.94 mm.
Taking the original, curved surface F with a diameter of about 18
mm as the starting point, the cylindrical surface of the connecting
piece 3 with dimensions .pi..times.D.times.L achieved by shaping is
about three times as large, where no account is taken of the bead
3a. The starting material before the shaping of the connecting
piece is thus stretched by a considerable amount and is enlarged
with regard to its surface, with the result that a reduction takes
place in the material thickness, although this can be limited by a
corresponding number of intermediate stages in the shaping process,
at least to the extent that it is possible to maintain a minimum
wall thickness that is required for reasons of physical strength.
In the preferred illustrative embodiment, the wall thickness of the
starting material, that is to say an aluminum sheet, is in the
order of 1.5 mm. The external diameter D.sub.s of the bead is in
the order of 1.3 times the diameter D of the connecting piece, that
is to say in the order of 23.4 mm. For technical reasons associated
with the shaping process, it is also important to provide a radius
R, in the order of 1.5 mm or more, in the transitional zone between
the upper side 1b and the cylindrical connecting piece 3.
[0022] FIG. 4 depicts a further illustrative embodiment of the
invention for a metal collecting tank 4 with two connecting pieces
5, 6, which are arranged on a long wall 4a of the collecting tank 4
and--as in the previous illustrative embodiment--are also executed
in a single piece from the collecting tank 4 and the long wall 4a.
The collecting tank 4 is also produced from an essentially plane
sheet metal blank, preferably an aluminum sheet, having a wall
thickness in the range from 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, by non-cutting
shaping, that is to say essentially by deep-drawing. The collecting
tank 4 can also be connected with positive engagement to a soldered
radiator (not illustrated here).
[0023] FIG. 5 depicts the collecting tank 4 in a view from above.
Each of the connecting pieces 5, 6 exhibits encircling beads 5a,
6a. The collecting tank 4 is again of approximately rectangular
configuration and exhibits two long sides 4a, 4b arranged parallel
to one another, which are connected to one another by an upper side
4c.
[0024] FIG. 6 depicts a section on the plane VI-VI in FIG. 4
through the connecting piece 6. The graphical sectioned view shows
that the connecting piece 6 (as well as the connecting piece 5) are
executed in a single piece with the walls 4c and 4a of the
collecting tank 4, that is to say they are formed from the wall of
the collecting tank and the sheet metal blank serving as the
starting material. As in the previous illustrative embodiment,
shaping takes place in a number of suitable process stages in order
to avoid excessive distension and/or an unacceptable reduction in
the wall thickness. The dimensions of the connecting piece 6 are
essentially the same as in the illustrative embodiment according to
FIG. 3, that is to say the connecting piece exhibits a length L in
the order of 16 mm and an external diameter D in the order of 18
mm. The bead exhibits a diameter D.sub.s of approximately 1.3 times
the diameter D of the connecting piece. The result of these
dimensions--as in the previous illustrative embodiment--is a
considerable increase in the order of 2 to 3.5 times in the surface
area of the starting material to be shaped. In this case, too, the
metal sheet thickness of the starting material is in the order of
1.5 mm for aluminum sheet or sheet metal made from an aluminum
alloy.
[0025] The depicted connecting pieces--according to both the first
and the second illustrative embodiments--are preferably capable of
being connected via a pipe coupling with a connecting pipe to a
heating circuit of a motor vehicle. For example, a pipe coupling of
the kind that is previously disclosed in the aforementioned DE 44
04 402 A1 by the applicant through FIG. 4 could be used. The
connecting piece depicted there could be pushed with its extended
coupling area over the connecting piece with a bead according to
the invention and secured axially by means of a plug-in fork
coupling, which must be arranged behind the bead of the connecting
piece. The connecting pipe of the heating circuit could be secured
at the other end of the pipe coupling and/or the connecting piece,
for example by soldering. This represents only one possible
connection of the connecting piece according to the invention,
however. It would also be possible, for example in the case of
coolant coolers, to push a coolant hose over the connecting pieces
according to the invention and to secure this to the connecting
piece by means of a clip.
* * * * *