Radiator, especially for the air-conditioning system of an automobile

Claim 1

A radiator adapted to be used in the air conditioning system of an automotive vehicle having water tanks and an air duct, the radiator comprising a plurality of tubes extending between said water tanks, a stack of fins affixed to and traversed by said tubes, means for connecting said water tanks to a circuit of primary fluid circulating through said tubes, means for circulating a secondary fluid through said stack of fins in a direction substantially parallel to said fins and thus substantially perpendicular to said tubes, and a gasket for the air tight mounting of the radiator within said air duct of said air conditioning system, said gasket being made of a single flat band of foam material applied against the edges of said fins, having a width at least equal to that of the dimension of the fins measured parallel to the direction of flow of said secondary fluid through the radiator, the length of said band being at most equal to the perimeter of a longitudinal section of the stack of fins, said band being applied onto said fins with a slight tension and having holes through which the end portions of the tubes protrude with respect to the stack of fins to maintain said band in position with respect to said fins.