Installation frame for heat exchanger

Abstract

An installation frame for a heat exchanger, in particular for a heat exchanger in particular for installation in an air-conditioning system for motor vehicles, having frame elements that encompass the heat exchanger at the short sides thereof arranged parallel to the air flow direction, whereby the frame elements are connected to one another, and whereby the installation frame is in the form of a sealing element.

Claims

1. An installation frame for a heat exchanger for installation in an air conditioning system of a motor vehicle, the installation frame comprising: a plurality of frame elements that surround the heat exchanger on two opposing first sides and two opposing second sides thereof arranged parallel to an air flow direction, the plurality of frame elements being connected to one another, wherein the installation frame is formed as a sealing element, wherein the plurality of frame elements includes at least two pairs of frame elements, frame elements of a first pair of the plurality of frame elements being arranged opposite to one another and being identical and frame elements of a second pair of the plurality of frame elements includes being arranged opposite to one another and being identical, wherein the frame elements of the first pair each have an elastic hollow profile and the frame elements of the second pair are each a rigid, planar element, wherein the frame elements of the second pair each include a connecting element that protrudes from a surface thereof and that is inserted into the elastic hollow profile of at least one of the frame elements of the first pair, wherein the heat exchanger includes a collecting tank at each of the opposing first sides of the heat exchanger, such that the heat exchanger includes two collecting tanks, wherein a first frame element of the frame elements of the first pair is positioned to extend along an outer surface of one of the two collecting tanks and a second frame element of the frame elements of the first pair is positioned to extend along an outer surface of a second one of the two collecting tanks, and wherein the frame elements of the second pair extend along each of the opposing second sides of the heat exchanger, respectively, the two opposing second sides being oriented perpendicular to the two opposing first sides.

2. The installation frame according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of frame elements are made of thermoplastics and/or elastomers and/or metals.

3. An arrangement of an installation frame for a heat exchanger in an air conditioning system, according to claim 1, wherein a housing of the air conditioning system has on its interior surface grooves in which the installation frame is inserted.

4. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the installation frame seals the heat exchanger against the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a heat exchanger with a connected expansion valve in a frontal view in an installation frame;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a section through a heat exchanger with an installation frame;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a heat exchanger with a connected expansion valve in a frontal view with a partially assembled installation frame;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a side view of the heat exchanger with an installation frame;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of the heat exchanger, mounted in an air conditioning system housing, with an installation frame;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a frontal view of a heat exchanger with a connected expansion valve with an alternative embodiment of the installation frame; and

(8) FIG. 7 shows a further frontal view of a heat exchanger with a connected expansion valve with an alternative embodiment of the installation frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) FIG. 1 shows a frontal view of a heat exchanger 1. Heat exchanger 1 is a conventional heat exchanger with two collecting tanks 2, which are connected to one another by a number of tubes. Corrugated fins, which are intended to support the heat exchanger, run between the tubes. The corrugated fins are not shown as continuous for reasons of clarity. The further structure of heat exchanger 1 is not discussed in greater detail at this point, because this is not essential to the invention in the present context.

(10) Heat exchanger 1 is surrounded by a frame 12 along the short side surfaces of heat exchanger 1, which are arranged parallel to the air flow direction of heat exchanger 1. Installation frame 12 shown in FIG. 1 has four individual frame elements. Frame elements 4 are arranged on the top and bottom side of heat exchanger 1, along side tanks 2. Frame elements 3 are arranged on the side to the left and right on heat exchanger 1. Installation frame 12 surrounding the entire heat exchanger is formed overall by the connection of side frame elements 3 to top and bottom elements 4.

(11) In FIG. 1, the cutting plane A-A is indicated, which defines the view for the following FIG. 2.

(12) FIG. 2 shows, as described, the section along cutting plane A-A indicated in FIG. 1. Heat exchanger 1 in particular can be seen with its top and bottom collecting tanks 2. Furthermore, the top and bottom frame elements 4 are visible. It is also clear from FIG. 2 that the top and bottom frame elements 4 represent a hollow body profile.

(13) Frame elements 4 are placed in the middle on collecting tank 2 of heat exchanger 1.

(14) The form shown here of the hollow body profile of frame elements 4 is only exemplary; any other form is also conceivable in this context. Expediently, the form should make it possible to be able to press together frame elements 4 by an externally applied force. As a result, the entire heat exchanger 1 with its installation frame 12, if it is to be installed in a housing of an air conditioning system, can be installed under a certain pretension. This leads to a more secure seating of heat exchanger 1 within an air conditioning system housing. In addition, the frame elements, which are arranged under pretension between heat exchanger 1 and the air conditioning system housing, take over a sealing action.

(15) Apart from the hollow body profiles shown in FIG. 2 for frame elements 4, a soft solid body profile would also be conceivable, for example, which, like the shown hollow body profiles, is deformable by an externally applied force, similar to the hollow body profiles shown here.

(16) The supply and discharge lines, which are shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 and are connected to a collecting tank 2 of heat exchanger 1, and the expansion valve, which is connected to the supply or discharge lines, are not essential to the invention in this context and are therefore also not described hereinafter.

(17) FIG. 3 shows an illustration of heat exchanger 1, similar to FIG. 1. In contrast to FIG. 1, left frame element 3 is now shown in a non-installed position.

(18) It can be seen that frame element 3 has a connecting element 5 each at the top and bottom. By said connecting element 5, frame element 3 can be connected to the two top or bottom frame elements 4, which have already been attached to the heat exchanger. The four individual frame elements 3, 4 thus make up a complete installation frame 12.

(19) The connection, shown here via the projecting connecting elements 5 to one of frame elements 3, shows only a first example for possible connecting techniques between the frame elements. Moreover, many other connecting techniques for producing the entire installation frame 12 are conceivable.

(20) In alternative embodiments, for instance, frame elements 3, 4 could be connected together by a thermal method or a chemical method or some other mechanical method. A combination of the just mentioned methods is likewise conceivable.

(21) FIG. 4 shows a side view of heat exchanger 1 already shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Frame element 3 is illustrated here, which is attached laterally to heat exchanger 1 and is oriented centrally toward one of the short sides that are arranged parallel to the air flow direction.

(22) FIG. 5 shows a detailed view particularly of the area of collecting tank 2 of heat exchanger 1 with frame element 4 attached thereto. The situation of installed heat exchanger 1 in a housing 6 of an air conditioning system is shown in FIG. 5. It is evident that frame element 4 in comparison with the cross section shown in FIG. 2 is considerably deformed here in the mounting position.

(23) This deformation of frame element 4 creates pretensions between heat exchanger 1 and housing 6 of the air conditioning system. A better seating of heat exchanger 1 within the housing is assured by the pretension forces acting on both sides of heat exchanger 1, as a result of the deformation of frame elements 4. In addition, frame element 4 takes over the function of the lateral sealing of the heat exchanger within housing 6.

(24) FIG. 6, like the analogue in FIGS. 1 and 3, shows a frontal view of heat exchanger 1. As a departure from installation frame 12 in FIGS. 1 to 5, installation frame 12 here now includes two frame elements 7 and of two frame elements 8. Frame elements 7, which are arranged above and below on collecting tank 2, now have a U-shaped profile, which surrounds collecting tanks 2 also laterally on the right and left. Installation frame 12 is thereby completed by the laterally attached frame elements 8 that run to the left and right of heat exchanger 1.

(25) Similar to the already described installation frame 12 in the other figures, frame elements 7, 8 are connected together by the already mentioned methods here as well.

(26) Both frame elements 7 and frame elements 8 now have a shape similar to frame elements 4 in FIGS. 1 to 5. Accordingly, both frame elements 7 and frame elements 8 are deformable by an external force. This increases the sealing effect by installation frame 12 and fixes heat exchanger 1 even better in its mounting position within a housing 6 of an air conditioning system.

(27) FIG. 7, like the analogue of FIG. 6, shows a further alternative embodiment of installation frame 12. Installation frame 12 now has a total of 8 parts. Of these, four pieces are corner parts 9. Two of corner parts 9 each are arranged at the top corners and two at the bottom corners. Side parts 10 are arranged at the top and bottom, and side parts 11 on the sides.

(28) Frame elements 9, 10, 11 are again made analogous to the description in FIGS. 1 to 6. Frame elements 9, 10, 11 of FIG. 7 are also deformable by an externally applied force.

(29) Because frame elements 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 are to be usable for as many different heat exchangers and different dimensions as possible, it is advantageous to be able to undertake the simplest possible adaptation of the frame parts to the dimensional variation of the different heat exchangers. A possibility in this respect is to vary only the lengths of the top or side frame elements, in each case with retention of the other geometry. The option whether all frame elements are elastically deformable or only parts, as for example in FIGS. 1 to 5, depends on the intended application and on the predetermined installation situation.

(30) By the selection of rigid connecting elements, as, for instance, connecting elements 3 in FIGS. 1 to 5, heat exchanger 1 can be positioned precisely within a housing 6 of an air conditioning system. This can occur, for instance, by grooves which run laterally in the interior housing wall and in which frame elements 3 can be inserted with an accurate fit.

(31) Elastically deformable elements 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 in addition can increase the decoupling of heat exchanger 1 from vibrations acting on air conditioning system housing 6, and thus contribute positively to the lifetime of heat exchanger 1.

(32) The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.