Radiator

Abstract

The invention relates to a radiator, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one coolant conduit device (1), in particular a plurality of coolant conduit devices such as pipes, which is or are traversed by a coolant. The aim of the invention is to create a radiator with a greater degree of efficiency than conventional radiators. To achieve this, the coolant conduit device (1) consists of a one-piece element that comprises two halves (11, 12), which are interconnected by a bending edge (8) that runs in the longitudinal direction of the coolant conduit device (1).

Description

The invention relates to a radiator, in particular for a motor vehicle, having at least one coolant conducting device, in particular a plurality of coolant conducting devices, such as tubes, which is or are traversed by a cooling medium which is to be cooled.

Radiators are known from the international laid-open specification WO 99/13282 and the American laid-open specification US 2002/0139520 A1, whose coolant conducting tubes are in each case formed from two punched-out and embossed plates which are soldered to one another at their periphery.. The soldered faces reduce the cross section of the coolant conducting tubes which is traversed by the cooling medium.

It is the object of the invention to provide a radiator, in particular for a motor vehicle, having at least one coolant conducting device, in particular a plurality of coolant conducting devices, such as tubes, which is or are traversed by a cooling medium which is to be cooled, which radiator has an improved degree of efficiency over conventional radiators.

The object is achieved in a radiator, in particular for a motor vehicle, having at least one coolant conducting device, in particular a plurality of coolant conducting devices, such as tubes, which is or are traversed by a cooling medium which is to be cooled, in that the coolant conducting device is formed in one piece from two parts, in particular halves, which are connected to one another by means of a bending edge which runs in the longitudinal direction of the coolant conducting device. Since the two parts or halves are already integrally connected to one another at the bending edge, they need be soldered to one another only at one side. This increases the cross section traversed by the cooling medium. In addition, the number of individual parts required is reduced by half, since only one part is still required per coolant conducting device.

One preferred exemplary embodiment of the radiator is characterized in that the coolant conducting device is formed by a substantially rectangular plate which is divided by the bending edge into two elongate halves which are folded together. The plate is preferably an embossed punched part made from a metallic material which is simple and cost-effective to produce. The plate halves bear congruently against one another when in the folded-together state.

A further preferred exemplary embodiment of the radiator is characterized in that the plate has a peripheral edge which is elevated with respect to the plate surface. The plate is preferably embossed within the peripheral edge, with the depth of the embossed face being half of the clear width of the coolant conducting device.

A further preferred exemplary embodiment of the radiator is characterized in that the peripheral edge is interrupted at the points of intersection with the bending edge. In the region of the bending edge, the plate has the same depth over the entire length of the bending edge. This prevents undesired damage to the plate material in the region of the bending edge when the plate halves are folded together.

A further preferred exemplary embodiment of the radiator is characterized in that the two plate halves bear against one another with the peripheral edge when in the folded-together state. The plate halves are preferably soldered to one another at the peripheral edge.

A further preferred exemplary embodiment of the radiator is characterized in that in each case one connection piece is formed at the ends of the plate halves. The connection pieces are preferably formed by deep-drawn cups which serve to connect two coolant conducting devices, which are arranged on top of one another, to one another. This has the advantage that separate connecting tubes can be dispensed with.

A further preferred exemplary embodiment of the radiator is characterized in that a plurality of elevations are formed on each plate half, which elevations bear against one another when the plate halves are in the folded-together state. The elevations which are soldered together are preferably embossed knobs which contribute to an improvement in heat transfer and, as tie rods, to an increase in strength.

A further preferred exemplary embodiment of the radiator is characterized in that a turbulence insert is arranged between two folded-together plate halves. The turbulence insert, which is preferably soldered to the plate halves, serves to improve heat transfer and as a tie-rod for increasing strength.

A further preferred exemplary embodiment of the radiator is characterized in that a plurality of coolant conducting devices are stacked on top of one another, and in that in each case one air conducting device is arranged between two coolant conducting devices. The air conducting device preferably comprises a plurality of air guide fins which are integrally connected to one another.

A further preferred exemplary embodiment of the radiator is characterized in that the coolant conducting device and the air conducting device are formed from the same sheet metal material, in particular from aluminum sheet. This has the advantage that the complete radiator is formed from only one material and is therefore easily recyclable.

The radiator is preferably embodied as an oil cooler, coolant cooler or fuel cooler, though other applications of the invention are also possible.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention can be gathered from the following description in which different exemplary embodiments are described in detail with reference to the drawing. Here, features specified in the claims and in the description can in each case be essential to the invention individually or in any desired combination. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a coolant conducting tube in the unfolded state;

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the view of a section along the line III-III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a side view, from the right, of the coolant conducting tube from FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows the coolant conducting tube from FIG. 1 in a partly pivoted-together state;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the partly pivoted-together coolant conducting tube from FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows an enlarged detail of the coolant conducting tube illustrated in FIG. 1 according to a further embodiment with knobs;

FIG. 8 is a perspective illustration of a turbulence insert;

FIG. 9 shows the coolant conducting tube from FIG. 1 in the partly pivot-together state, with a turbulence insert as illustrated in FIG. 8 placed therein;

FIG. 10 shows the coolant conducting tube from FIG. 1 in the completely pivoted-together or folded-together state;

FIG. 11 shows a side view, from the left, of the coolant conducting tube illustrated in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 shows a front view of a radiator having a plurality of soldered-together coolant conducting tubes, between which air conducting devices are arranged;

FIG. 13 shows the view of a section along the line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 shows a plan view of the radiator from FIG. 12, and

FIG. 15 shows, in an enlarged illustration, a sectioned view through two soldered-together connection pieces of the radiator from FIG. 12.

FIG. 1 illustrates a coolant conducting tube 1 according to the invention in the unfolded-state. The coolant conducting tube 1 is formed by a plate 4 which is in substantially the shape of rectangle whose corners have been rounded off. The plate 4 is a punched part made from aluminum sheet, which has a bending edge 8 which serves to divide the plate 4 in the longitudinal direction into two equal-sized halves 11 and 12. The bending edge 8 simultaneously forms an axis of symmetry of the plate 4. The plate 4 is delimited at the outside by a peripheral edge 15 which serves for soldering the two plate halves 11 and 12 to one another in the folded-together or pivoted-together state. Within the peripheral edge 15, the plate halves 11 and 12 are embossed, that is to say recessed, into the plane of the drawing, so that the peripheral edge 15 is elevated above the plate halves 11 and 12. In each case one connection piece 21, 22, 23, 24 is formed in the end regions of the plate halves 11 and 12. The connection pieces 21 to 24 are substantially in the form of tube connections which serve to connect two coolant conducting tubes, which are arranged on top of one another, to one another.

FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged detail from FIG. 1. In the enlarged detail, it can be seen that the peripheral edge 15 is not designed to be continuous in the region of its intersection with the bending edge 8, but is interrupted in a section 26. In the same way, the peripheral edge 15 is also interrupted at the other end of the bending edge 8. The interruption of the peripheral edge 15 in the section 26 ensures that the plate halves 11 and 12 have a constant embossed depth in the region of the bending edge 8.

In the sectioned view illustrated in FIG. 3, it can be seen that the connection piece 21 has a side wall 30 which is in substantially the shape of a circular cylindrical surface and is closed off by a base 31. In the same way, the connection piece 22 comprises a side wall 33 which is in substantially the shape of a circular cylindrical surface and is closed off by a base 34.

In the side view of FIG. 4, it can be seen that the surface of the plate halves 11 and 12 is spaced apart from the peripheral edge 15 by an embossed depth t, specifically also in the region of the section 26. The length or height of the connection pieces 22, 23 is denoted in FIG. 4 by h.

FIG. 5 shows the coolant conducting tube 1 in a partly pivoted-together or folded-together state. The plate halves 11 and 12 are arranged at an angle of 90° to one another about the bending edge 8. It can be seen from FIG. 5 that the bases 31, 34 of the connection pieces 21, 22 are not closed off but are provided with a central passage hole 38, 39. The passage holes 38, 39 provide flow connections between two coolant conducting tubes which are stacked on top of one another.

FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of the partly folded-together coolant conducting tube 1 in FIG. 5. This illustration once again denotes the embossed depth t of the surface of the plate halves 11 and 12 and the length or height h of the connection pieces 21 and 24.

FIG. 7 illustrates an enlarged detail of the coolant conducting tube 1 from FIG. 1 according to a further embodiment. A plurality of knobs 41, 42; 45, 46, which extend into the plane of the paper, are embossed into the plate halves 11 and 12. The knobs 41, 42 and 45, 46 come into contact with one another at their free ends when the plate halves 11 and 12 are folded or pivoted together. The knobs serve to increase the degree of heat transfer and the strength of the folded-together coolant conducting tube 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective illustration of a turbulence insert 50 which can be placed into the coolant conducting tube 1 instead of the knobs, as illustrated in FIG. 9. The turbulence insert 50 has the same function and effect as the knobs in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 illustrates a plan view of a completely folded-together or pivoted-together coolant conducting tube 1. When viewed together with the side view from the left illustrated in FIG. 11, it can be seen that the two plate halves 11 and 12 bear against one another at the peripheral edge 15. The plate halves are soldered to one another at said peripheral edge 15. The plate halves 11 and 12 are integrally connected to one another in the region of the bending edge 8. The connection pieces 22 and 23 are raised in opposite directions from the plate halves 11 and 12.

FIGS. 12 to 14 illustrate different views of a soldered-together radiator which comprises nine coolant conducting tubes 61 to 69 which are soldered together at their connection pieces to form a block. The radiator block is delimited at the top and at the bottom by terminating plates 70 and 71. In the upward direction, the coolant conducting tube 61 has two connection pieces 73 and 74 which are closed off by the terminating plate 70. The connection piece 73 serves, for example, as an inlet connection for the coolant. The connection piece 74 serves, for example, as an outlet connection for the coolant. At its lower side, the coolant conducting tube 61 has two connection pieces 75 and 76. The coolant conducting tube 71 bears with its connection pieces 75 and 76 against connection pieces 77 and 80 which are formed on the coolant conducting tube 62. The connection pieces 76 and 80 and 75 and 77 are soldered to one another and produce a flow connection between the coolant conducting tubes 61 and 62. Two connection pieces 78 and 79 are formed at the underside of the coolant conducting tube 62, which connection pieces 78 and 79 are in the same way connected to the corresponding connection pieces of the coolant conducting tube 63 arranged below. An air conducting device 110 is arranged between the terminating plate 70 and the coolant conducting tube 61. The air conducting device 110 is a zigzag-shaped corrugated fin structure. In each case one air conducting device 111; 112 is arranged in each case between two coolant conducting tubes 61, 62; 62, 63.

In FIG. 15, the bending edge of the coolant conducting tube 61 is denoted by 80. At the side opposite the bending edge 80, the two plate halves 81 and 82 are soldered together at their peripheral edge 84. In the same way, the plate halves 91 and 92 of the coolant conducting tube 62 are soldered together at the peripheral edge 94 at the side opposite the bending edge 90. It can be also seen in FIG. 15 that the coolant conducting tubes 61 and 62 have a continuous flow connection by means of the passage holes 101 to 104.

Claims

1. A radiator, in particular for a motor vehicle, having at least one coolant conducting device, in particular a plurality of coolant conducting devices, such as tubes, which is or are traversed by a cooling medium which is to be cooled, wherein the coolant conducting device is formed in one piece from two parts, in particular halves, which are connected to one another by means of a bending edge which runs in the longitudinal direction of the coolant conducting device.

2. The radiator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coolant conducting device is formed by a substantially rectangular plate which is divided by the bending edge into two elongate halves which are folded together.

3. The radiator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plate has a peripheral edge which is elevated with respect to the plate surface.

4. The radiator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the peripheral edge is interrupted at the points of intersection with the bending edge.

5. The radiator as claimed claim 3, wherein the two plate halves (11,12) bear against one another with the peripheral edge (15) when in the folded-together state.