Plastic heat exchanger and core thereof
First Claim
1. A heat exchanger core comprising:
- an elongated strip of synthetic resin material, said strip having a longitudinal axis;
said elongated strip being divided into a plurality of panels and having longitudinal sides and latitudinal sides;
a plurality of hinges formed in said elongated strip, each of said plurality of hinges extends generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and connects latitudinal sides of adjacent panels;
said plurality of hinges being alternately bendable in opposite directions whereby said elongated strip assumes an accordion folded disposition;
when folded, each panel of said plurality of panels is aligned generally parallel to and spaced from adjacent panels, said plurality of panels forming first and second fluid flow passages between adjacent pairs of panels where one panel of each adjacent pair is common to both adjacent pairs; and
said latitudinal sides of a pair of adjacent panels opposite the hinge connecting said pair of adjacent panels form a closure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A heat exchanger and a heat exchanger core are disclosed. The heat exchanger core is formed from a strip of synthetic resin molded into multiple panels which are accordion folded to form the heat exchanger core. One embodiment is a counterflow core in which sides of each panel parallel to the longitudinal axis of the strip are divided to form a closed portion and an open portion. The opposite longitudinal sides are similarly formed but the portions are reversed. The sides of each panel perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strip are closed either by a hinge formed in the strip or by panel borders abutting each other. A second embodiment discloses a strip also formed into multiple panels and accordion folded. However, every second hinge has an opening so that when folded, a cross flow core is created. Both cores are mated with appropriately designed molded plastic housings to form effective but simple and economical heat exchangers.
7 Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A heat exchanger core comprising:
-
an elongated strip of synthetic resin material, said strip having a longitudinal axis;
said elongated strip being divided into a plurality of panels and having longitudinal sides and latitudinal sides;
a plurality of hinges formed in said elongated strip, each of said plurality of hinges extends generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and connects latitudinal sides of adjacent panels;
said plurality of hinges being alternately bendable in opposite directions whereby said elongated strip assumes an accordion folded disposition;
when folded, each panel of said plurality of panels is aligned generally parallel to and spaced from adjacent panels, said plurality of panels forming first and second fluid flow passages between adjacent pairs of panels where one panel of each adjacent pair is common to both adjacent pairs; and
said latitudinal sides of a pair of adjacent panels opposite the hinge connecting said pair of adjacent panels form a closure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
14. A heat exchanger comprising:
-
an outer housing;
an elongated strip of synthetic resin material located in said outer housing, said strip having a longitudinal axis;
said elongated strip having longitudinal sides and latitudinal sides and being divided into a plurality of panels;
a plurality of hinges formed in said elongated strip, each of said plurality of hinges extending generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and connecting latitudinal sides of adjacent panels;
said plurality of hinges being alternately bendable in opposite directions whereby said elongated strip assumes an accordion folded disposition;
when folded, each panel of said plurality of panels is aligned generally parallel to and spaced from adjacent panels of said plurality of panels, said plurality of panels forming first and second fluid flow passages between adjacent pairs of panels where one panel of each adjacent pair is common to both adjacent pairs; and
said latitudinal sides of a pair of adjacent panels opposite the hinge connecting said pair of adjacent panels form a closure.
-
-
27. A heat exchanger core comprising:
-
an elongated strip of synthetic resin material, said strip having a longitudinal axis;
a plurality of panels formed in said strip of material;
a plurality of integral hinges formed in said strip of material, each of said plurality of hinges formed between two adjacent panels, said strip of material being folded in an accordion style;
first fluid flow passages formed between a first group of pairs of panels; and
second fluid flow passages formed between a second group of pairs of panels, said first group of pairs of panels alternating with said second group of pairs of panels.
-
-
33. A heat exchanger comprising:
-
an outer housing;
an elongated strip of synthetic resin material placed in said housing, said strip having a longitudinal axis;
a plurality of panels formed in said strip of material;
a plurality of integral hinges formed in said strip of material, each of said plurality of hinges formed between two adjacent panels, said strip of material being folded in an accordion style;
first fluid flow passages formed between a first group of pairs of panels; and
second fluid flow passages formed between a second group of pairs of panels, said first group of pairs of panels alternating with said second group of pairs of panels. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
Specification