Oil cooler

Claim 2

A heat exchanger assembly comprising: tank means (10) having a longitudinal axis extending between first (14) and second (16) ends for conveying fluid therethrough, heat exchanger means (32) disposed in said tank means (10) for removing heat energy from the fluid, attachment means (46, 47) fixed to said tank means (10) at a predetermined position extending radially from said axis for attaching said tank means (10) to a vehicle, cap means (50, 52) for closing at least one of said first (14) and second (16) ends and including a coupler (60, 61) for connection to a fluid conduit (102, 103); said assembly characterized by including connection means (70) interconnecting said cap means (50, 52) and said one end (14, 16) of said tank means (10) for maintaining a fluid impervious seal between said cap means (50, 52) and said one end (14, 16) and for allowing relative rotation between said cap means (50, 52) and said tank means (10) to annularly adjust the position of said coupler (60, 61) with said fluid conduit (102, 103), said connection means (70) including a male member (72) having at least two tabs (76) spaced circumferentially apart a predetermined arcuate distance about said axis and a female member (74) having an interior annular channel (92) intersecting with at least two axially extending interior passageways (88) disposed parallel to one another and spaced circumferentially said predetermined distance for receiving said tabs (76) of said male member (72), said male member (72) further including an annular rim (82) and said female member (74) including at least a portion of an annular wall (94, 118) and said connection means (70) including resilient sealing means (84) compressed between said rim (82) and said wall (94, 118) for locking said tabs (76) in said annular channel (92) while establishing a fluid impervious seal therebetween and for allowing relative rotation between said cap means (50, 52) and said tank means (10).

Claim 3

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said female member (74) having first (90) and second (92) interior annular and longitudinally spaced channels intersecting with opposite ends of said passageways (88) to thereby form a plurality of spaced islands (94) bounded by said first (90) and second (92) channels and said passageways (88).

Claim 4

An assembly as set forth in claim 2 further characterized by said islands (94) forming said portions of an annular wall (94) continuing about the interior circumference of said female member (74) said portions (94) being interrupted by said axial passageways (88).

Claim 5

An assembly as set forth in claim 3 further characterized by said tabs (76) being an integral extension of said male member (72) and each tab (76) having a generally L-shaped cross-section in a plane taken perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

Claim 6

An assembly as set forth in claim 6 further characterized by said male member (72) including an L-shaped slot (78) extending about each of said tabs (76).

Claim 7

An assembly as set forth in claim 5 further characterized by said annular rim (82) extending radially from said male member (72) and spaced longitudinally from said tabs (76) and said resilient annular sealing means (84) disposed between said rim (82) and said islands (94).

Claim 8

An assembly as set forth in claim 6 further characterized by said male member (72) being integral with and extending from said tank means (10) and said female member (74) being integral with and disposed within said cap means (50, 52).

Claim 9

An assembly as set forth in claim 7 further characterized by said coupler (60, 61) being generally cylindrical and having resilient sealing means (62) for providing a fluid impervious seal between said coupler (60, 61) and the fluid conduit (102).

Claim 10

An assembly as set forth in claim 8 further characterized by said tank means (10) being generally cylindrical and having a tank hot fluid inlet (18), a tank hot fluid outlet (20), a tank cooling fluid inlet (22), a tank cooling fluid outlet (24), and a hot fluid reservoir (30) disposed between said first (14) and second (16) ends.

Claim 11

An assembly as set forth in claim 9 further characterized by said heat exchanger means (32) including a plurality of generally cylindrical tubes (34) parallel to said longitudinal axis, said tubes (34) being disposed in said tank means (10) and extending between said first (14) and second (16) end.

Claim 12

An assembly as set forth in claim 10 further characterized by said heat exchanger means (32) further including cylindrical headers (36, 37) for support of each end of said tubes (34) and for providing a fluid impervious barrier between said hot fluid reservoir (30) and said tank cooling fluid inlet (22) and said tank cooling fluid outlet (24).

Claim 13

An assembly as set forth in claim 11 further characterized by said heat exchanger means (32) further including a plurality of baffles (38) for directing the flow of fluid about said tubes (34), said baffles (38) having a plurality of openings (40) therethrough for passage of said tubes (34).

Claim 14

An assembly as set forth in claim 12 further characterized by said heat exchanger means (32) further including a plurality of fins (42) for dispersing the fluid about said tubes (34), said fins (42) having a plurality of openings (44) therethrough for passage of said tubes (34).

Claim 15

An assembly as set forth in claim 13 further characterized by said cap means (50, 52) further including a cap cooling fluid inlet (54) and cap cooling fluid outlet (55) in fluid communication with said tank cooling fluid inlet (22) and said tank cooling fluid outlet (24) respectively.

Claim 16

An assembly as set forth in claim 14 further characterized by said cap means (50, 52) further including a cooling fluid inlet reservoir (57) disposed between said cap cooling fluid inlet (54) and said tank cooling fluid inlet (22) and a cooling fluid outlet reservoir (58) disposed between said cap cooling fluid outlet (55) and said tank cooling fluid outlet (24).

Claim 17

An assembly as set forth in claim 15 further characterized by said attachment means (46, 47) generally rectangular in shape and extending radially from said tank means (10) and including a plurality of apertures (48) therethrough for attachment to the vehicle.

Claim 18

An assembly as set forth in claim 16 further characterized by said attachment means (46, 47) further including an attachment hot fluid inlet (64) and an attachment hot fluid outlet (64) in fluid communication with said tank hot fluid inlet (18) and said tank hot fluid outlet (20) respectively.

Claim 19

An assembly as set forth in claim 17 further characterized by said attachment means (46, 47) further including duct means (67, 68) disposed about said attachment hot fluid inlet (64) and tank hot fluid inlet (18) and further disposed about said attachment hot fluid outlet (65) and said tank hot fluid outlet (20) for providing a fluid passageway between said inlets (18, 64) and said outlets (20, 65).

Claim 20

A heat exchanger assembly of the tube-fin type comprising: a tank (10) having a longitudinal axis extending between first (14) and second (16) ends and including a tank hot fluid inlet (18), a tank hot fluid outlet (20), a tank cooling fluid inlet (22), a tank cooling fluid outlet (24) and a hot fluid reservoir (30); a heat exchanger (32) disposed in the tank (10) including a plurality of tubes (34) supported at each end by cylindrical headers (36, 37), a plurality of baffles (38) spaced longitudinally in the tank (10) and a plurality of fins (42) spaced closely within the tank (10); a cap (50, 52) disposed about each end (14, 16) of the tank (10) including a coupler (60, 61) extending radially from the longitudinal axis and having a seal (62) disposed thereabout; the cap (50) further including a cap cooling fluid inlet (54) and a cooling fluid inlet reservoir (57) and the cap (52) further including a cap cooling fluid outlet (55) and a cooling fluid outlet reservoir (58); a connection (70) between each cap (50, 52) and each end (14, 16) of the tank (10) including a plurality of longitudinal passageways (88) disposed within the cap (50, 52), a first (90) and second (92) annular channel intersecting with opposite ends of the passageways (88), a plurality of arcuate island (94) bounded by the intersection of the first (90 and second (92) channel and the passageways (88), a plurality of radially extending tabs (76) received in the passageways (88) and further rotated into the second channel (92), the tabs (76) further defined by having an L-shaped slot (78) formed thereabout, an annular extending rim (82) spaced longitudinally from the tabs (76), and a resilient annular seal (84) disposed between the rim (82) and the arcuate islands (94); and a plurality of attachments (46, 47) extending radially of the longitudinal axis and having a plurality of apertures (48) therethrough for connection to a vehicle; the attachment (46) further including an attachment hot fluid inlet (64) in fluid communication with the tank hot fluid inlet (18) and having a duct (67) disposed thereabout for providing a fluid passageway therebetween; the attachment (47) further including an attachment hot fluid outlet (65) in fluid communication with the tank hot fluid outlet (20) and having a duct (68) disposed thereabout for providing a fluid passageway therebetween.

Claim 21

A heat exchanger assembly of the tube-fin type comprising: a tank (10) having a longitudinal axis extending between first (14) and second (16) ends and including a tank hot fluid inlet (18), a tank hot fluid outlet (20), a tank cooling fluid inlet (22), a tank cooling fluid outlet (24) and a hot fluid reservoir (30); a heat exchanger (32) disposed in the tank (10) including a plurality of tubes (34) supported at each end by cylindrical headers (36, 37), a plurality of baffles (38) spaced longitudinally in the tank (10) and a plurality of fins (42) spaced closely within the tank (10); a cap (50, 52) disposed about each end (14, 16) of the tank (10) including a coupler (60, 61) extending radially from the longitudinal axis and having a seal (62) disposed thereabout; the cap (50) further including a cap cooling fluid inlet (54) and a cooling fluid inlet reservoir (57) and the cap (52) further including a cap cooling fluid outlet (55) and a cooling fluid outlet reservoir (58); a connection (70) between each cap (50, 52) and each end (14, 16) of the tank (10) including a plurality of longitudinal passageways (88) disposed within the cap (50, 52), a first (90) and second (92) annular channel intersecting with opposite ends of the passageways (88), a plurality of arcuate island (94) bounded by the intersection of the first (90 and second (92) channel and the passageways (88), a plurality of radially extending tabs (76) received in the passageways (88) and further rotated into the second channel (92), the tabs (76) further defined by having an L-shaped slot (78) formed thereabout, an annular extending rim (82) spaced longitudinally from the tabs (76), and a resilient annular seal (84) disposed between the rim (82) and the arcuate islands (94); and a plurality of attachments (46, 47) extending radially of the longitudinal axis and having a plurality of apertures (48) therethrough for connection to a vehicle; the attachment (46) further including an attachment hot fluid inlet (64) in fluid communication with the tank hot fluid inlet (18) and having a duct (67) disposed thereabout for providing a fluid passageway therebetween; the attachment (47) further including an attachment hot fluid outlet (65) in fluid communication with the tank hot fluid outlet (20) and having a duct (68) disposed thereabout for providing a fluid passageway therebetween.