Abstract: A patient support is provided in the form of a mattress for supporting a patient on a bed, such as a hospital bed, and a mattress cover. The mattress and mattress cover may be configured to expand and contract to accommodate larger patients, such as bariatric patients, and to return the mattress and its cover to their unexpanded configuration, or in some cases an intermediate configuration, without requiring user adjustments to the cover.

Abstract: A plate and frame style heat exchanger is disclosed herein the heat exchanger is formed by a plurality of heat exchange plates and frame members that are alternatingly stacked together to form fluid channel members. The frame members are formed by lengths of material that are formed or bent into the desired configuration for providing a first fluid tight seal around the periphery of the plates and a second fluid tight seal around respective fluid openings formed in the heat exchanger plates in order to achieve the desired flow configuration through the heat exchanger. In some embodiments the frame members are made up of two mating frame portions that join together in a self-aligning and self-fixturing relationship to facilitate assembly.

Abstract: A valve can be incorporated as an integral part of the heat exchanger as a plug-in item that can be located anywhere desired between the inlet and outlet flow manifolds of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes: a bypass valve; a stack of standard tubes; and, in the stack, a pair of stacked-together adapter tubes. Each standard tube end has spaced-apart walls including openings. Each adapter tube end has: a wall including an opening; and a passage. At one end of the pair, the passages communicate with one another and the openings communicate with the openings in adjacent standard tubes; at the other end, the openings communicate with the openings in adjacent standard tubes. The valve includes a plug with opposed plug walls, one plug wall having one of an inlet and outlet, the plug being disposed with its walls between and at said other end of the pair and with the inlet and outlet communicating with the passages. An actuator is adjacent to the plug and has a reciprocating plunger for selectively blocking at least said one of the inlet and outlet.

Abstract: A plate and frame style heat exchanger is disclosed herein the heat exchanger is formed by a plurality of heat exchange plates and frame members that are alternatingly stacked together to form fluid channel members. The frame members are formed by lengths of material that are formed or bent into the desired configuration for providing a first fluid tight seal around the periphery of the plates and a second fluid tight seal around respective fluid openings formed in the heat exchanger plates in order to achieve the desired flow configuration through the heat exchanger. In some embodiments the frame members are made up of two mating frame portions that join together in a self-aligning and self-fixturing relationship to facilitate assembly.

Abstract: A rivet-type flapper valve assembly for a fluid device has a main body part defining a valve orifice communicating with the fluid device. The main body part includes a pin or shaft of a rivet spaced adjacent to the valve orifice. The main body part is permanently attached to the fluid device, such as by brazing. A flapper valve is then mounted on the rivet shaft to cover the valve orifice, and the rivet shaft is deformed to retain the flapper valve in place.

Abstract: Bypass valves and heat exchangers employing same are shown where the bypass valves cause the flow through the heat exchangers to be short-circuited under certain temperature conditions. The heat exchangers are formed of stacked plate pairs or tubes having enlarged communicating distal end portions forming inlet and outlet manifolds. The bypass valves can be plugged in where desired between the enlarged distal end portions to produce bypass flow between the inlet and outlet manifolds. The bypass valves include a housing which can be brazed in place during brazing of the heat exchanger. The housing has inlet and outlet openings in communication with the respective inlet and outlet manifolds for bypass flow therebetween. A removable temperature responsive actuator is located in the housing for blocking and unblocking the bypass flow through the valve.

Abstract: A rivet-type flapper valve assembly for a fluid device has a main body part defining a valve orifice communicating with the fluid device. The main body part includes a pin or shaft of a rivet spaced adjacent to the valve orifice. The main body part is permanently attached to the fluid device, such as by brazing. A flapper valve is then mounted on the rivet shaft to cover the valve orifice, and the rivet shaft is deformed to retain the flapper valve in place.

Abstract: A flapper valve assembly attaches to a fluid device, such as a heat exchanger and has a fluid port in communication with the fluid device to provide by-pass flow in cold flow or pressure spike conditions. The flapper valve assembly includes a shim plate and a face plate that together define a slot therebetween. A spring flapper slides into the slot and is retained therein and intermittently blocks flow through the fluid port to provide the by-pass flow when required.

Abstract: A method of coupling two or more components is provided particularly for use in joining components of a vehicle fuel delivery system. At least one of the components includes a tubular body defining a fluid passageway and is formed as a laminate having an inner metallic layer and an outer polymeric layer. In one preferred embodiment, the component includes an aluminum inner layer and a nylon outer layer. The components are joined together by moving one of the components relative to the other (e.g., through ultrasonic or vibrational welding) causing frictional heat and resulting deformation of the outer polymeric layer of the one component to form a fluid tight, pressurized joint. A fluid passageway is formed between the two components at the joint.

Abstract: A method of coupling two or more components is provided particularly for use in joining components of a vehicle fuel delivery system. At least one of the components includes a tubular body defining a fluid passageway and is formed as a laminate having an inner metallic layer and an outer polymeric layer. In one preferred embodiment, the component includes an aluminum inner layer and a nylon outer layer. The components are joined together by generating heat through induction heat welding to cause heat transfer from the inner metallic layer to the outer polymeric layer and resulting deformation of the outer layer to form the joint.

Abstract: A brazing product for fluxless brazing comprises a substrate and a filler metal-forming composition applied to the substrate. The substrate preferably comprises aluminum, an aluminum alloy or another metal and may include at least one layer of a ceramic, carbide or nitride. The filler metal-forming composition comprises a liquid-forming layer comprising silicon and a braze-promoting layer comprising one or more metals selected from the group comprising nickel, cobalt, palladium and iron. The liquid-forming layer comprises one or more material layers. Where the liquid-forming layer comprises a plurality of layers, it may include at least one layer consisting essentially of silicon.

Abstract: A conversion reactor (10) including an outer shell (12) having first (14) and second (16) ends and an inner surface (16) a primary inner shell (30) extending into the outer shell (12), the primary inner shell (30) defining a heat exchanging chamber (100) and having primary and secondary (34) ends, and a secondary inner shell (40) having a first end (42) located adjacent the secondary end (34) of the primary inner shell (30). One or more oulet apertures (46) are formed between the two inner shells (30,40) for passage of the gaseous fluid out of the heat exchanging chamber (100). There are also a plurality of heat exchange tubes (50) extending through the heat exchanging chamber (100) between first (58) and second (64) tube sheets and connected to same. The first tube sheet (58) is mounted in the primary inner shell (30) while the second tube sheet (64) is connected to the secondary inner shell (40).

Abstract: A brazing product for low temperature fluxless brazing comprises a filler metal-forming composition which melts in the range from about 380-575° C. The filler metal-forming composition comprises zinc optionally in combination with aluminum and/or silicon, and further comprises at least one braze promoter selected from nickel, cobalt, iron and palladium. The filler metal-forming composition may comprise a single layer or may comprise a number of distinct layers. The brazing product may take the form of a brazing preform or a brazing sheet or casting in which the filler metal-forming composition is deposited on a non-consumable substrate. The substrate may preferably comprise aluminum or an aluminum alloy, but may instead be comprised of one or more metals other than aluminum.

Abstract: An insert molded structure has a compressed O-ring seal on an inner end portion of an insert member such as a metal tubular member, a wall of, for example, an injection molded housing of plastic material partially encapsulating the O-ring seal and the inner end portion of the tubular member and maintaining the O-ring seal in radial compression.

Abstract: A core for a charge air cooler comprises inner and outer concentric tubes providing an axially extending annular passageway for flow of a fluid, preferably a liquid coolant. A first inlet and a first outlet are provided at the ends of the axial annular passageway. Arranged on an outer surface of the outer tube is at least one circumferential fluid flow passageway for flow of a fluid, preferably air. Each circumferential flow passageway is provided with a corrugated strip fin comprising a plurality of rows of corrugations. The core is combined with an outer housing to form a heat exchanger. The housing is provided with an inlet and an outlet for the fluid flowing through the circumferential flow passageways. Other embodiments are disclosed in which the heat exchanger is adapted for use with three fluids and in which additional cooling capacity is provided by the provision of coolant passageways in the housing.

Abstract: A heat exchanger having a plurality of stacked plate pairs consisting of face-to-face mating plates with each plate having a peripheral flange and annular inner and outer primary bosses. Each boss has a portion thereof located in a common first plane with the peripheral flange. An annular secondary boss has a portion thereof located in a second plane spaced from the first plane. Intermediate areas between the inner and outer primary bosses have spaced-apart portions to form inner flow passages. Both the primary and secondary bosses have openings formed therein for the passage of heat exchanging fluids. In back-to-back plate pairs, the secondary bosses are joined and the openings therein communicate to define a manifold for a second of these fluids. The inner and outer primary bosses include radially extending ribs formed about the circumference of each boss and extending substantially across the boss.

Abstract: A heat exchanger having a plurality of stacked plate pairs consisting of face-to-face mating plates with each plate having a peripheral flange and annular inner and outer primary bosses. Each boss has a portion thereof located in a common first plane with the peripheral flange. An annular secondary boss has a portion thereof located in a second plane spaced from the first plane. Intermediate areas between the inner and outer primary bosses have spaced-apart portions to form inner flow passages. Both the primary and secondary bosses have openings formed therein for the passage of heat exchanging fluids. In back-to-back plate pairs, the secondary bosses are joined and the openings therein communicate to define a manifold for a second of these fluids. The inner and outer primary bosses include radially extending ribs formed about the circumference of each boss and extending substantially across the boss.

Abstract: A sample of the pressure tube of a CANDU type of nuclear reactor is obtained for deuterium analyses without removing the pressure tube from the reactor. The preferred sampling tool comprises two cutters and means for capturing the removed material, wherein one cutter removes the surface oxide layer, and the second cutter removes a sample for analysis. The cutters and cutting operation are designed to avoid damaging the integrity of the pressure tube to allow it to remain in service. In the preferred embodiment, the sampling tool performs the surface and sample removal operation with the fueling equipment with simple linear movement.

Abstract: A process for fabricating tubes from a quaternary 3.5% Sn, 1% Mo, 1% Nb balance Zr alloy by hot extrusion, cold working and heat treatment so that the tubes have small grains that have low dislocation densities. The tubes are superior to the standard cold worked Zr-2.5 wt % Nb tubes because during service in CANDU-PHW reactors they (a) have lower axial elongation and diametral expansion and (b) the hydrides are less susceptible to reorientation from the circumferential-axial plane into the radial-axial plane.