Abstract: A manifold assembly for a heat exchanger is manufactured and assembled by separately molding a tank portion and a header portion, and assembling the tank and header portions together by positioning them relative to each other and injecting a sealing substance in a cavity that is formed when the portions are so positioned. Ribs are incorporated in the tank and header portions to increase the interface area between the molded portions and the sealing substance, to achieve a mechanically sound, leak proof assembly without using gaskets or fasteners.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly includes a core having first and second header tanks covered by tank caps. A pair of core reinforcing members presenting terminal ends extend between the first and second header tanks. A least one tab and an opening for receiving the tab are used for connecting the core reinforcing members to the tank caps.

Abstract: A secondary heat exchanger subassembly, such as a transmission oil cooler, is disposed in a metal tank of a radiator and has a pair of metal fluid fittings. Either a connector ring engages a fitting extending through the opening in the tank or a connector nut extends into the opening to threadedly engage the fitting whereby the metal fittings are held to the metal tank and inserted into a furnace for being brazed into sealed relationship with the metal tank.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly that addresses the thermal cycling problem to increase the durability of the heat exchanger core by fabricating at least the tube next adjacent to each of the reinforcing members with a cross section adjacent each of the headers including a radius having a partial maximum tube strain energy density and fabricating each of the reinforcing members with a connection section adjacent each of the headers having a reinforcement with a partial maximum strain energy density greater than the partial maximum strain energy density of the adjacent tube.

Abstract: An end cap closes the open end of the tank. The end cap is comprised of an inlet diverter wall and tube diverter wall. The inlet diverter wall extends into the tank across the inlet axis for redirecting fluid from the inlet and longitudinally into the tank along the end of the core. The tube diverter wall also extends longitudinally into the tank in a spaced relationship to the tubes of the core for directing fluid out of the tubes and longitudinally into the tank. A first embodiment of the invention provides tube diverter walls that are planar. A second embodiment of the invention provides tube diverter walls that are curved.

Abstract: A heat exchanger is disclosed. A plurality of guides are integrally formed with the walls of a header tank and are used to position an oil cooler inside the tank to align a pair of fittings carried by the cooler with a pair of spaced openings in the tank.

Abstract: A radiator core reinforcement self shears in the braze oven as strategically placed voids in the reinforcement erode away under the flowing action of the melted surface braze layer.

Abstract: A metal tank cap is integral with a reinforcing member via a narrow connection and is flared outwardly at the narrow connection portion to be over an open end of the tank simultaneously with moving the metal tubes of the core into the tank. By unbending the connection portion, the respective tank caps are deflared into the open ends of the respective tanks and the entire assembly is placed in a furnace and brazed together.

Abstract: A metal tank cap is integral with a reinforcing member via a narrow connection and covers an open end of the tank with adjacent reinforcement members being spaced from one another along each side of the core. The reinforcing members each have a pair of flanges extending outwardly from the sides thereof and have openings therein for receiving mounting anchors.

Abstract: A one-piece header tank includes side edges that are overlapped and brazed together to form a joint positioned within the interior of the tank. The tank also includes an integrally formed mounting flange that may be fabricated without jeopardizing the leak integrity of the tank.

Abstract: A vacuum brazing method is disclosed for joining aluminum stock materials to each other. The typical cladding material utilized includes aluminum and a melting point lowering agent such as silicon. In addition, the cladding material typically includes magnesium to provide for enhanced wetting of the cladding material into the joint area. It has been found that adjusting the ratio of magnesium to calcium to a level of equal to or greater than 625 to 1 provides greatly enhanced brazed joint formation and reliability of the vacuum brazing method.

Abstract: A vacuum brazing method is disclosed for joining aluminum stock materials to each other. The typical cladding material utilized includes aluminum and a melting point lowering agent such as silicon. In addition, the cladding material typically includes magnesium to provide for enhanced wetting of the cladding material into the joint area. It has been found that adjusting the ratio of magnesium to calcium to a level of equal to or greater than 625 to 1 provides greatly enhanced brazed joint formation and reliability of the vacuum brazing method.

Abstract: A novel extruded aluminum condenser flow tube cross section includes a wider central web flanked by a pair of wider, inboard flow passages with rounded corners integral to the wider web. When inserted into the slot of a highly curved header plate, the wider central web corresponds to a central area of higher bending stresses, which are more strongly resisted. The two wider, inboard flow passages help compensate for the potential flow area removed by the wider central web.

Abstract: A radiator tank of the type that has a perimeter foot clinched into a U shaped header plate channel to compress an elastomer seal is improved with a means to help assure that portions of the gasket that are displaced from beneath the foot at installation either do not create leak paths, or create leak paths that are static and easier to detect. Integrally molded discrete ribs above the bottom of the perimeter foot extend out and over the inner surface of the header plate, in a location where they can engage and pinch displaced portions of the gasket down against the header plate. Leaks are thereby either prevented, or, at least, the displaced and pinched down section of the gasket is held fast and prevented from moving in and out of the crevice between the tank foot and the channel under the influence of negative to positive pressure variations in the coolant. This makes leak detection easier, because the leak is static and consistent.

Abstract: A side mounting channel for a radiator is an integrally molded plastic unit with a shape particularly tailored to efficiently resisting the warping forces that result from thermal growth of the radiator core. Each side channel has a flat web and parallel, perpendicular edge flanges that substantially symmetric to the web. The edge flanges taper down into the plane of the web over a transition portion of defined length.

Abstract: A vehicle radiator allows a tank oil cooler to be selectively installed or left out, with no weight penalty when it is left out. A displacement device consisting of a simple blow molded, hollow block, of equal volume to the oil cooler, is installed in place of the oil cooler when the oil cooler is not installed. This avoids the addition of an extra volume of coolant, and the attendant weight penalty.