EP0851201B1 - Header box in two parts for condenser. - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a fluid box for a heat exchanger. heat, especially a condenser in an air conditioning unit of the passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising a wall tubular extending in a longitudinal direction and at minus two end walls delimiting inside the tubular wall a space to receive a circulating fluid, the tubular wall comprising two profiled elements formed from strips of curved sheet metal substantially in shape of gutter whose concavities are turned one towards the other, the two marginal regions of one of said elements being in fluid tight contact respectively with the two marginal regions of the other element over any the length of said space and one of the elements having openings aligned in the longitudinal direction for the passage of circulation tubes communicating with said space. Such a fluid box is for example known from the document EP-A-0 593 360.

In fluid boxes, also called manifolds, of this kind, the mutual solidarity of the two profiled elements and the seal between their marginal regions are usually provided by soldering. To this end, we melts, after complete assembly of the heat exchanger heat, a brazing material present as a coating on the profiled elements as well as on the others components of the heat exchanger. We thus obtain in particular, at the same time, the tight connection of the circulation to the corresponding profiled element and that of end walls to the tubular wall.

During the manipulations preceding brazing, it is necessary that the two profiled elements keep the position relative they must have in the fluid box finished. EP-A-374 896 describes a fluid box in which the marginal regions of one of the profiled elements are mutually parallel and fit into folds formed by the marginal regions of the other element, or come to cover, flat, these last marginal regions. To achieve mutual immobilization of the two elements before brazing, their marginal regions are "riveted" by local deformations, protrusions thus formed by one elements engaging if necessary in openings provided in the other.

The object of the invention is to simplify the mounting of the manifold, eliminating the described riveting step in this document.

The invention thus relates to a fluid box of the defined kind in the introduction, and provides that over the entire length and at least a first zone of the height of said regions marginal, the outer faces of the marginal regions of a first of the profiled elements flares towards free edges of it and cooperate with the faces interior of the marginal regions of the second profiled element which are tightening towards the free edges of this one, so as to keep the two elements hooked to each other, said first zone being adjacent to the edges the first profiled element and the free edges of the second profiled element.

In this specification, the term "height" refers to the direction in which the two gutters face each other, or to the longitudinal direction of the circulation tubes, which that is the orientation of the fluid box in space.

• L'évasement des faces extérieures des régions marginales du premier élément profilé est réalisé par une variation d'épaisseur, leurs faces intérieures étant mutuellement parallèles dans ladite première zone.
• La boíte à fluide comprend au moins une cloison transversale sous forme d'un flan dont le contour épouse sensiblement le profil interne de la paroi tubulaire, chaque cloison transversale constituant l'une des parois terminales ou une cloison intermédiaire séparant entre elles deux chambres dans ledit espace.
• Le bord périphérique de la cloison transversale présente, en regard desdites régions marginales, des dépressions coopérant avec un profil conjugué du premier élément profilé pour maintenir la cloison contre le fond de gouttière de celui-ci indépendamment de la présence du second élément.

Optional, complementary or alternative features of the invention are set out below:

• The flaring of the outer faces of the marginal regions of the first profiled element is achieved by a variation in thickness, their inner faces being mutually parallel in said first zone.
• The fluid box comprises at least one transverse partition in the form of a blank whose contour substantially matches the internal profile of the tubular wall, each transverse partition constituting one of the end walls or an intermediate partition separating between them two chambers in said space.
• The peripheral edge of the transverse partition has, opposite said marginal regions, depressions cooperating with a conjugate profile of the first profiled element to hold the partition against the gutter bottom thereof independently of the presence of the second element.

The invention also relates to a heat exchanger comprising at least one fluid box as defined above and a row of circulation tubes each of which engages in one of said openings, as well as a process to assemble such a heat exchanger.

In the method according to the invention, the two are arranged profiled elements of the fluid box externally one to the other with their concavities facing each other, we move towards each other, their marginal regions get pushing back elastically to make a click, then the row of tubes is engaged in said openings and braze the whole.

• On met en place la cloison transversale dans le premier élément avant d'approcher celui-ci du second élément.
• Après avoir mis en place la cloison transversale dans le premier élément, on l'y sertit en serrant l'une vers l'autre les régions marginales de celui-ci.

The process can include at least some of the following features:

• The transverse partition is placed in the first element before approaching the latter of the second element.
• After having set up the transverse partition in the first element, it is crimped there by clamping one towards the other the marginal regions of the latter.

• les figures 1 et 2 sont des vues en bout des parois tubulaires de deux boítes à fluide selon l'invention, équipées de cloisons transversales;
• les figures la et 2a représentent à plus grande échelle le détail A de la figure 1 et le détail B de la figure 2 respectivement; et
• les figures 3 et 4 sont des vues partielles de deux condenseurs non conformes à l'invention, montrant en coupe transversale la paroi tubulaire d'une boíte à fluide.

The advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail in the description below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figures 1 and 2 are end views of the tubular walls of two fluid boxes according to the invention, equipped with transverse partitions;
• Figures 1a and 2a show on a larger scale the detail A of Figure 1 and the detail B of Figure 2 respectively; and
• Figures 3 and 4 are partial views of two condensers not according to the invention, showing in cross section the tubular wall of a fluid box.

The tubular wall 1 represented in FIGS. 1 and 1a is composed of two profiled elements 2 and 3 each formed at from a strip of substantially curved sheet metal shaped like a gutter. These two elements are mutually assembled by their respective marginal regions, the concavity of each of them being turned towards the other. The profiles of elements 1 and 2, and the closed profile of the wall tubular 3 that they form, are symmetrical with respect to a S axis, oriented vertically in the figures. On a zone 6 the height of the marginal regions of elements 2 and 3, limited by the free edges 7 of the element 2 and by the free edges 8 of element 3, the outer faces 9 of marginal regions 4 of element 1 flare out in direction of the free edges 7, while the inner faces 10 of the marginal regions 5 of element 3 go together tightening towards the edges 8. In other words, the sides 9 of element 2, the concavity of which faces towards bottom, and the faces 10 of the element 3, whose concavity is facing upwards, are all tilted towards the S axis, from bottom to top. The faces 10 being supported on the faces 9, this results in a mutual attachment of the two elements that holds them together.

Elements 2 and 3 are curved by stamping and have a substantially constant wall thickness. The internal width of element 3, which is increasing since the free edges of it up to the free edges 7 of item 2 continues to increase below the edges 7 up to a maximum value in the vicinity of these, then gradually decreases to cancel out at the bottom 11 of the gutter formed by element 3. The internal width of element 2 decreases while rising from the free edges 7 up to a relative minimum defined by moldings 12 made during stamping, then increases to a relative maximum to gradually decrease to the bottom 13 of the gutter formed by the element 2.

The fluid box has intermediate partitions 14 in the form of blanks whose contour conforms to the internal profile of the tubular wall 1. These partitions therefore have depressions 15 to receive the moldings 12. This results a form of cooperation between the element 2 and the partitions 14 thanks to which the partitions are held in place against the internal face of element 2, in the absence of element 3. The installation of partitions in element 2 can be carried out by snap-fitting with elastic region spacing marginal of element 2, the partitions being pushed in direction from the bottom of it. Then elements 2 and 3 can also be snapped together, with elastic spacing of the marginal regions of element 3, the bottoms of the two elements being pushed towards each other. The movement towards rapprochement is limited by the arrival in abutment of the internal face of the element 3 on the peripheral edge partitions 14. Reverse movement is avoided by cooperation of the marginal regions of the two elements as described above.

In known manner, the profiled element 3 has openings for the passage of non-fluid circulation tubes represented.

The tubular wall 20 of Figures 2 and 2a is also composed of two profiled elements, the lower element 3 being identical to that described above, while the upper element 21 differs from element 2. From the free edges 22 of element 21, its internal width remains constant up to a certain height, then decreases so continues to cancel at the bottom 23 of the element. To realize, in zone 6 of contact between the two elements, a inclined outer face 24 of each marginal region 25 of the element 21 cooperating with the inclined inner face 10 of the corresponding marginal region 5 of element 10, the outer faces 24 are struck, before stamping, with so as to gradually reduce the thickness of these regions marginal from the free edges 26 of the element. The absence of a minimum in the internal width of the element 21 not allowing the transverse partitions to click into place, these are held in place by crimping this element. The sequence of assembly operations is the same as previously.

The tubular wall 30 shown in Figure 3 includes a upper element 2 substantially identical to that described in relationship with Figures 1 and la, and a lower element 31. The latter differs from element 3 described above in that that in an area 32 of the height located immediately above of zone 6, the interior faces 33 of its regions marginal 34 widening to the free edges 35 of this element for cooperating with the outer faces 9 of marginal regions 4 of element 2 which are tightening. This cooperation of the faces in the area 32 limits the bringing the two elements together, even in the absence of a partition cross.

Also seen in Figure 3 a circulation tube 36 engaged in an opening of the element 31, the end of which abuts against the free edges 7 of the element 2. On also sees a manifold 37 inlet or outlet of the fluid passing through an opening in element 2.

In the tubular wall 40 shown in Figure 4, the upper 41 and lower 42 profile elements have profiles similar to those of elements 2 and 31 in FIG. 3. The essential difference is that the marginal regions of the upper element externally cover those of the lower element and no longer the reverse. In others terms, these are the inner faces of the top element 41 which cooperate with the external faces of the regions marginal 42. As a result, the any transverse partitions must be mounted on the lower element before the mutual assembly of the two elements. The assembly operations are unchanged by elsewhere.

Claims (8)

1. Header tank for a heat exchanger, notably a condenser in air conditioning equipment for the passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising a tubular wall (1) extending in a longitudinal direction and at least two end walls delimiting, inside the tubular wall, a space for receiving a circulating fluid, the tubular wall having two profiled elements (2, 3) formed from strips of sheet metal curved substantially in the form of a channel whose concavities are turned towards each other, the two marginal regions (4) of one (2) of the said elements being in fluidtight contact respectively with the two marginal regions (5) of the other element (3) over the entire length of the said space and one (3) of the elements having openings aligned in the longitudinal direction for the passage of circulation tubes communicating with the said space, characterised in that, over the entire length and over at least a first zone (6) of the height of the said marginal regions, the external faces (9) of the marginal regions (4) of a first (2) of the profiled elements splay in the direction of the free edges (7) thereof and cooperate with the internal faces (10) of the marginal regions (5) of the second profiled element (3) which taper in the direction of the free edges (8) thereof, so as to keep the two elements attached to each other, the said first zone (6) being adjacent to the free edges (7) of the first profiled element and to the free edges (8) of the second profiled element.
2. Fluid tank according to Claim 1, characterised in that the splaying of the external faces (24) of the marginal regions (25) of the first profiled element (21) is produced by a variation in thickness, their internal faces being mutually parallel in the said first zone (6).
3. Fluid tank according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises at least one transverse partition (14) in the form of a metal sheet whose contour substantially matches the internal profile of the tubular wall (1), each transverse partition constituting one of the end walls or an intermediate partition separating two chambers from each other in the said space.
4. Fluid tank according to Claim 3, characterised in that the peripheral edge of the transverse partition has, opposite the said marginal regions, indentations (15) cooperating with a conjugate profile (12) on the first profiled element (2) in order to hold the partition against the channel bottom thereof independently of the presence of the second element (3).
5. Heat exchanger comprising at least one fluid tank according to one of the preceding claims and a row of circulation tubes (36), each of which engages in one of the said openings.
6. Method for assembling a heat exchanger according to Claim 5, in which the two profiled elements of the fluid tank are disposed one externally to the other with their concavities mutually opposite, they are moved one towards the other, their marginal regions pushing each other elastically in order to effect a snapping in, and then the row of tubes is engaged in the said openings and the assembly is brazed.
7. Method according to Claim 6 for assembling a heat exchanger comprising a fluid tank according to one of Claims 3 and 4, characterised in that the transverse partition is put in place in the first element before moving the latter closer to the second element.
8. Method according to Claim 7, characterised in that, after having put the transverse partition in place in the first element, it is crimped therein by tightening the marginal regions of the latter towards each other.

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