Cold plate and method of making same

• US 5,484,015 A
• Filed: 12/03/1993
• Issued: 01/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Manitowoc Foodservice Companies Incorporated (The Manitowoc Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kyees, Melvin
• Inventors: Kyees, Melvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanigan, Allen J.
• Application Number:
  US08/160,815
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 165/168, 62/390, 62/396, 62/398
• US Class Current: 165/168
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/028 Cooled supporting means
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/12 Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence

Abstract

An improved cold plate structure including a plurality of like horizontally disposed, elongate, sinuously formed liquid-conducting heat transfer tubing units of stainless steel tubing having laterally spaced elongate runner portions and recurvate end portions extending between related ends of adjacent runner portions; said units are arranged in vertical stacked relationship with each other; a plurality of tie bars tightly binding the units in stacked relationship with each other with their adjacent runner and end portions in tight substantially uniform heat-conducting contact with each other and having elongate horizontal upper and lower spacer portions extending transverse the stacked units in pressure bearing engagement therewith; a body of aluminum cast about the units and tie bars and defining a flat horizontal top icing surface that is tangential with upper edges of the upper spacer portions of the tie bars and a lower surface that is tangential with lower edges of the lower spacer portions of the tie bar; and, structure connected with each end of each tubing unit arranged within and projecting from the aluminum body to connect with related fluid handling apparatus.

Claims

1. A cold plate including a cast aluminum body having vertically spaced horizontal top and lower surfaces and vertical outside surfaces about and between the perimeters of the top and lower surfaces;

a plurality of like vertically stacked tubing units each including elongate inlet and outlet tubes with inner and outer end portions, an elongate horizontal sinuously formed heat transfer tube with inlet and outlet ends;

couplings connecting the inlet and outlet ends of the heat transfer tube with the inner end portions of the inlet and outlet tubes;

a plurality of spaced tie bars engaged with the stacked heat transfer tubes and having elongate upper and lower spacer portions extending transversely across and in vertical pressure engagement with the upper-most and lower-most heat transfer tubes and holding those tubes in substantial uniform pressure bearing and heat transfer engagement with each other;

said plurality of like vertically stacked tubing units are positioned within the aluminum body with the outer end portions of the inlet and outlet tubes projecting freely outwardly therefrom and with the top and lower surfaces of the body on planes that are coincidental with the planes on which the upper and lower edges of the upper and lower spacer portions of the tie bars occur.

2. The cold plate set forth in claim 1 wherein the heat transfer tubes that are sinuously formed include a plurality of elongate, laterally spaced, parallel runner portions with front and rear ends and recurvate end portions extending between related ends of adjacent runner portions and ancillary end portions at opposite ends of the heat transfer tubes that extend to and connect with related couplings.

3. The cold plate set forth in claim 1 wherein the heat transfer tubes that are sinuously formed include a plurality of elongate, laterally spaced, parallel runner portions with front and rear ends and recurvate end portions extending between related ends of adjacent runner portions and ancillary end portions at opposite ends of the heat transfer tubes and extending to and connected with related couplings;

the tie bars are spaced apart between the front and rear ends of and extend transversely of the runner portions of the upper and lower heat transfer tubes.

4. The cold plate set forth in claim 1 wherein the vertical extent of the stacked tubing units where the couplings occur is greater than the vertical extent of the stacked tubing units where the heat transfer tubes and spacer portions of the tie bars occur;

the body has outer portions within which the stacked coupling portions of the tubing units are positioned and that define a bottom surface on a plane that is spaced below the lower surface of the body.

5. The cold plate set forth in claim 4 wherein the heat transfer tubes are sinuously formed and include a plurality of elongate, laterally spaced, parallel runner portions with front and rear ends and recurvate end portions extending between related ends of adjacent runner portions and ancillary end portions at opposite ends of the heat transfer tubes that extend to and connect with related couplings.

6. The cold plate set forth in claim 1 wherein the heat transfer tubes are sinuously formed and include a plurality of elongate, laterally spaced, parallel runner portions with front and rear ends and recurvate end portions extending between related ends of adjacent runner portions and ancillary end portions at opposite ends of the heat transfer tubes that extend to and connect with related couplings;

the tie bars are spaced apart between the front and rear ends of and extend transversely of the runner portions of the upper and lower heat transfer tubes.

7. A cold plate including a cast aluminum body having vertically spaced horizontal top and lower surfaces and vertical outside surfaces between and about the perimeters of the top and lower surfaces;

a plurality of like vertically stacked tubing units each including elongate inlet and outlet tubes with inner and outer end portions, a plurality of elongate laterally spaced parallel horizontally disposed sinuously formed heat transfer tubes with inlet and outlet ends;

couplings engaged with and between the inlet ends of the pair of heat transfer tubes and the inner end portions of the inlet and outlet tubes;

a plurality of tie bars securely engaged about the stacked heat transfer tubes and having elongate upper and lower spacer portions extending transversely across and in vertical pressure engagement with the upper-most and lower-most stacked heat transfer tubes and holding adjacent portions of those tubes in pressure and heat transferring engagement with each other;

said plurality of like vertically stacked tubing units are positioned within the aluminum body with the outer end portions of the inlet and outlet tubes projecting freely outwardly therefrom and with the top and lower surfaces of the body on planes that are coincidental with the planes on which upper and lower edges of the upper and lower spacer portions of the tie bars occur.

8. The cold plate set forth in claim 7 wherein the sinuously formed heat transfer tubes of each tubing unit includes a plurality of elongate laterally spaced parallel runner portions with front and rear ends and recurvate end portions extending between related ends of adjacent runner portions and ancillary end portions at opposite ends of the heat transfer tubes and extending to and connected with related couplings.

9. The cold plate set forth in claim 7 wherein the sinuously formed heat transfer tubes of each tubing unit includes a plurality of elongate laterally spaced runner portions with front and rear ends and recurvate end portions extending between related ends of adjacent runner portions and ancillary end portions at opposite ends of the heat transfer tubes that extend to and connect with related couplings;

the tie bars are spaced apart between the front and rear ends of and extend transversely of the runner portions of the uppermost and lower units of heat transfer tubes.

10. The cold plate set forth in claim 7 wherein the vertical extent of the stacked tubing units where the couplings occur is greater than the vertical extent of the stacked tubing units where the heat transfer tubes and spacer portions of the tie bars occur;

the body has outer portions within which the stacked couplings ancillary portions of the tubing units are positioned and that define a bottom surface on a plane that is spaced below the lower surface of the body.

11. The cold plate set forth in claim 10 wherein the sinuously formed heat transfer tubes of each tubing unit includes a plurality of elongate runner portions with front and rear ends and recurvate end portions extending between related ends of adjacent runner portions and ancillary end portions at opposite ends of the heat transfer tubes and extending to and connected with related couplings.

12. The cold plate set forth in claim 9 wherein the body is cast about the stacked tubing units and the tie bars are made of aluminum and are fused in the body.

13. The cold plate set forth in claim 7 wherein the body is cast about the stacked tubing units and the tie bars are made of aluminum and are fused in the body.