Patents by Inventor Robert Louis Runk

Robert Louis Runk has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11988470
    Abstract: A plurality of spacer devices for incorporation into a bent-tube heat exchanger that includes a spine and one or more fingers that protrude from opposite sides of the spine. The fingers are configured to exert a force against the tubes and to provide and maintain a separation between the tubes in the folded region. A heat exchanger includes a plurality of the spacer devices, such that one spacer device is positioned on every two tubes. The tubes may also include a coating in the folded region in order to reduce corrosion and increase the life-time of the heat exchanger. The method of forming the heat exchanger includes placing one of the spacer devices on every other tube, such that the fingers lay on the tubes in the region to be folded and assist in the folding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Louis Runk
  • Publication number: 20240118005
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for use in an outdoor environment with a heat pump system is provided. The heat exchanger includes a first set of tubes arranged in a parallel flow manner between a first manifold and a second manifold, wherein central straight portions of adjacent tubes are disposed with a space therebetween along each tube of the first set of tube between the first and second manifolds. A second set of tubes are arranged in a parallel flow manner between a third manifold and a fourth manifold, wherein central straight portions of adjacent tubes within the second set of tubes are at least partially disposed within the space between adjacent tubes of the first set of tubes. A fluid that flows through the first set of tubes additionally flows through the second set of tubes before the fluid returns to again flow through the first set of tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Scott KENT, Robert Louis RUNK, Lindsey Lee LEITZEL, Szymon WALCZAK
  • Patent number: 11890663
    Abstract: A device is configured for opening a heat exchanger core from a U-shape to a V-shape. Such heat exchanger core has a plurality of parallel flat tubes, each having two ends; and two manifolds. Each of the flat tubes has two straight sections adjacent to the manifolds and an intermediate bent section. The device has two hinged frames, a respective clamp arrangement on each of the hinged frames for holding the two manifolds, and a trough shaped support for the intermediate portion. For opening the U-shaped heat exchanger core, the heat exchanger core is inserted into the device, and the two manifolds are secured with the clamp arrangements. The clamp arrangements are separated from one another by pivoting apart the two hinged frames, on which the clamps are mounted. Simultaneously, the intermediate bent section is pushed toward the trough adapted to provide a desired curvature to the intermediate section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Louis Runk, Silas Goldap Goma
  • Publication number: 20230280102
    Abstract: A heat exchanger that includes two or more thermal circuits configured to exchange heat. The thermal circuits are located relative to one another in a configuration defined by one of the following: i) in a stacked plate manifold that includes first and second plates configured for inlet/outlet connections and to divide fluid flow into separate tubes with the exchange of heat through a single face; ii) in a complex manifold comprising two or more distributors that separate fluid flow into each thermal circuit with the exchange of heat through a single face; and iii) in a plurality of stacked evaporators; each evaporator comprising a plurality of coils with fins located there between, wherein the evaporators include at least one coil section in which fins are absent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Robert Louis Runk, Donald Robert Pautler, Timothy John Filonczuk, Longhu Li
  • Publication number: 20230194190
    Abstract: A holding support (1) for a v-shaped heat exchanger (2) having a flat base plate (3), which on a plate edge (4) comprises or forms a spreading finger holder (7) comprising holding fingers (5, 6) for holding flat tubes (8) of a v-shaped heat exchanger (2) and on a further plate edge (9) comprises or forms a support (10) for supporting the holding support (1). In a v-shaped heat exchanger (2) two holding supports (1) may be used to support the v-shaped heat exchanger (2) on a surface (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventor: Robert Louis Runk
  • Publication number: 20230152041
    Abstract: A spacer device for incorporation into a bent-tube heat exchanger that includes a spine and a plurality of fingers that protrude from one side of the spine. The number of fingers in the spacer device is less than the number of tubes that are folded in a region to form the bent-tube heat exchanger. The plurality of fingers are configured to exert a force against the tubes and to provide and maintain a separation between the tubes in the folded region. A heat exchanger that includes the spacer device may also include a coating on the tubes in the folded region in order to reduce corrosion and increase the life-time of the heat exchanger. The method of forming the heat exchanger includes placing the spacer device between the tubes, such that the fingers lay on the tubes in the region to be folded and assist in the folding process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Robert Louis Runk, Scott Kent, Ryan Rowan
  • Publication number: 20230152048
    Abstract: A plurality of spacer devices for incorporation into a bent-tube heat exchanger that includes a spine and one or more fingers that protrude from opposite sides of the spine. The fingers are configured to exert a force against the tubes and to provide and maintain a separation between the tubes in the folded region. A heat exchanger includes a plurality of the spacer devices, such that one spacer device is positioned on every two tubes. The tubes may also include a coating in the folded region in order to reduce corrosion and increase the life-time of the heat exchanger. The method of forming the heat exchanger includes placing one of the spacer devices on every other tube, such that the fingers lay on the tubes in the region to be folded and assist in the folding process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventor: Robert Louis Runk
  • Publication number: 20220252349
    Abstract: A heat exchanger (1) for a motor vehicle (2), has first flat tubes (3) with a first longitudinal end (4) received in associated first openings (5) of a first collector (6) and with an opposite second longitudinal end (7) in associated second openings (8) of a second collector (9). Second flat tubes (10) have a first longitudinal end (11) received in associated third openings (12) of a third collector (13) and a second longitudinal end (15) in associated fourth openings (16) of the second collector (9). Only the first flat tubes (3) or both the first and second flat tubes (3, 10) have an angled end region (14). The second and fourth openings (8, 16) are arranged spaced apart from one another with heat transfer fins (18) in between.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Louis Runk, Scott Kent
  • Publication number: 20220221226
    Abstract: A flat tube for a heat exchanger has a tube body with an outer top and an outer bottom surface arranged opposite one another at a thickness of the tube body and two outer side surfaces arranged opposite one another at a width of the tube body and connecting the outer top and bottom surfaces. The tube body has a heat exchange portion extending along an extension direction, an angled portion extending along an transverse direction inclined relative to the extension direction, and a bent portion connecting the heat exchange portion to the angled portion. The angled portion is arranged at a distance from the heat exchange portion in an offset direction. The bent portion has a first end region facing the heat exchange portion with a first bend counter to the offset direction and a second end region facing the angled portion with a second bend in the offset direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Louis Runk, Scott Kent
  • Publication number: 20220088661
    Abstract: A device is configured for opening a heat exchanger core from a U-shape to a V-shape. Such heat exchanger core has a plurality of parallel flat tubes, each having two ends; and two manifolds. Each of the flat tubes has two straight sections adjacent to the manifolds and an intermediate bent section. The device has two hinged frames, a respective clamp arrangement on each of the hinged frames for holding the two manifolds, and a trough shaped support for the intermediate portion. For opening the U-shaped heat exchanger core, the heat exchanger core is inserted into the device, and the two manifolds are secured with the clamp arrangements. The clamp arrangements are separated from one another by pivoting apart the two hinged frames, on which the clamps are mounted. Simultaneously, the intermediate bent section is pushed toward the trough adapted to provide a desired curvature to the intermediate section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Louis Runk, Silas Goldap Goma