Heat exchanger mounted to vehicle

• US 6,167,946 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2000
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Muto, Satomi, Uchikawa, Akira, Sakane, Takaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): ATKINSON, CHRISTOPHER MARK
• Application Number:
  US09/532,990
• Time in Patent Office: 286 Days
• Field of Search: 165/67, 165/69, 165/71, 165/149, 165/81, 165/82, 165/178, 165/104.32, 123/41.14, 123/41.51, 123/41.54, 251/144
• US Class Current: 165/71
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/002 with fastening means for other structures
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/0246 Arrangements for connecting header boxes with flow lines

Abstract

A radiator includes a core portion, a header tank, a side plate attached to the core portion and a bracket through which the radiator is mounted to a vehicle. The bracket is separately formed from the header tank, and is connected to the side plate through a bolt. As a result, the radiator is readily mounted to a vehicle of a different model by only changing an attachment position of the bracket to the radiator, without modifying the header tank. Further, the bracket includes a coolant receiving portion disposed to face a drain outlet of the header tank with a predetermined gap therebetween. Therefore, coolant discharged from the header tank collides with the coolant receiving portion to reduce its dynamic pressure. As a result, coolant drained from the radiator is restricted from being scattered.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger capable of being mounted to a mounting base, the heat exchanger comprising:

a core portion including a plurality of tubes through which fluid flows and a plurality of fins each of which is disposed between adjacent tubes for facilitating heat exchange of the fluid;

a header tank disposed at a flow-path end of the tubes to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tubes and to communicate with each of the tubes, the header tank including a drain outlet through which the fluid in the header tank is discharged, the drain outlet being formed at a lower end of the header tank;

a side plate disposed at a lower end of the core portion to extend in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the tubes for reinforcing the core portion; and

a bracket through which the core portion and the header tank are mounted to the mounting base, the bracket being connected to the side plate and including a fluid receiving portion for receiving the fluid from the drain outlet, and a pin portion downwardly extending from the fluid receiving portion to be inserted into the mounting base, the pin portion having a passage through which the fluid is drained, wherein;

the fluid receiving portion is disposed to face the drain outlet with a predetermined gap therebetween.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the pin portion is formed into a pipe shape.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the core portion is formed into a rectangular shape.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the header tank is made of aluminum.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the bracket is connected to the side plate by a bolt.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the bracket has a wall portion upwardly extending from an end portion of the fluid receiving portion.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 6, wherein the wall portion is formed along a periphery of the fluid receiving portion.

8. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising a spacer disposed between the fluid receiving portion and the lower end of the header tank to provide a space between the fluid receiving portion and the lower end of the header tank.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising a tank cap for closing the lower end of the header tank, wherein the drain outlet is formed in the tank cap.

10. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the header tank and the bracket are separately formed.

11. A heat exchanger capable of being mounted to a mounting base, the heat exchanger comprising:

a core portion including a plurality of tubes through which fluid flows and a plurality of fins each of which is disposed between adjacent tubes for facilitating heat exchange of the fluid;

a header tank disposed at a flow-path end of the tubes to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tubes and to communicate with each of the tubes, the header tank including a drain outlet through which the fluid in the header tank is discharged, the drain outlet being formed at a lower end of the header tank; and

a bracket through which the core portion and the header tank are mounted to the mounting base, the bracket being disposed to face the drain outlet of the header tank and to define a space with the lower end of the header tank for receiving the fluid from the drain outlet, the bracket having a pin portion downwardly extending to be inserted into the mounting base, the pin portion having a passage through which the fluid is drained from the space.

12. The heat exchanger according to claim 11, further comprising a side plate disposed at a lower end of the core portion to extend in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the tubes for reinforcing the core portion, wherein:

the bracket is connected to the side plate.

13. The heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein the bracket has a plate-shaped fluid receiving portion for receiving the fluid, and a wall portion upwardly extending from the fluid receiving portion along a periphery of the fluid receiving portion, wherein:

the fluid receiving portion, the wall portion and the lower end of the header tank define the space.

14. The heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein the header tank is made of aluminum.

15. The heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein the header tank and the bracket are separately formed.