US5072790A — Heat exchanger core construction

Claim 1

Independent Claim 551 words

A heat exchanger core for forming a first fluid path and a second fluid path which is fluid imperviously separated from the first fluid path and in heat exchanging relation therewith, said core comprising a plurality of first plate members and a plurality of second plate members, each of said first and second plate members being formed from a substantially rigid sheet metal material of constant thickness and shaped to define a planar plate with the first and second plate members being assembled alternately so that the plates lie in parallel stacked spaced relationship, the space between the plate of each first plate member and the plate of a next adjacent second plate member on one side defining a part of the first fluid path and the space between the plate of each first plate member and the plate of the next adjacent second plate member on an opposed side defining a part of the second fluid path, and a plurality of first and second connecting means, each first connecting means coupling one of said first plate members to the next adjacent second plate member on a respective side of said one of said first plate members and defining between said one of said first plate members and said next adjacent second plate members a first and a second guiding wall each bridging the space between said one of the first plate members and said next adjacent second plate member at a respective one of two parallel edges of said one of the first plate members and said next adjacent second plate member and forming side edges of said part of the first fluid path, each second connecting means defining between one of said first plate members and the other of said next adjacent second plate members a third and a fourth guiding wall each bridging the space between said one of said first plate members and said other of said next adjacent second plate members at a respective one of two parallel edges of said one of the first plate members which parallel edges are at right angles to the parallel edges of the first and second guiding walls, said third and fourth guiding walls forming side edges of said part of the second fluid path, each of said first, second, third and fourth guiding walls comprising an edge portion of one of said first and second plate members which is bent at an angle to the planar plate to which it is attached, and each of said connecting means including a pair of slot means each slot means of said pair being defined by one of said first and second plate members and being arranged along a respective edge of the other of said first and second plate members, each slot means comprising two slot sides and a slot base interconnecting the slot sides, said slot sides both lying parallel to the planar plate of that one of said first and second plate members by which the slot means is defined, the slot base being dimensioned so as to form between said slot sides a distance substantially equal to said thickness of the sheet metal material, and said slot sides receiving therebetween an edge portion of said respective edge of the other of said first and second plate members.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 551 words

A heat exchanger core for forming a first fluid path and a second fluid path which is fluid imperviously separated from the first fluid path and in heat exchanging relation therewith, said core comprising a plurality of first plate members and a plurality of second plate members, each of said first and second plate members being formed from a substantially rigid sheet metal material of constant thickness and shaped to define a planar plate with the first and second plate members being assembled alternately so that the plates lie in parallel stacked spaced relationship, the space between the plate of each first plate member and the plate of a next adjacent second plate member on one side defining a part of the first fluid path and the space between the plate of each first plate member and the plate of the next adjacent second plate member on an opposed side defining a part of the second fluid path, and a plurality of first and second connecting means, each first connecting means coupling one of said first plate members to the next adjacent second plate member on a respective side of said one of said first plate members and defining between said one of said first plate members and said next adjacent second plate members a first and a second guiding wall each bridging the space between said one of the first plate members and said next adjacent second plate member at a respective one of two parallel edges of said one of the first plate members and said next adjacent second plate member and forming side edges of said part of the first fluid path, each second connecting means defining between one of said first plate members and the other of said next adjacent second plate members a third and a fourth guiding wall each bridging the space between said one of said first plate members and said other of said next adjacent second plate members at a respective one of two parallel edges of said one of the first plate members which parallel edges are at right angles to the parallel edges of the first and second guiding walls, said third and fourth guiding walls forming side edges of said part of the second fluid path, each of said first, second, third and fourth guiding walls comprising an edge portion of one of said first and second plate members which is bent at an angle to the planar plate to which it is attached, and each of said connecting means including a pair of slot means each slot means of said pair being defined by one of said first and second plate members and being arranged along a respective edge of the other of said first and second plate members, each slot means comprising two slot sides and a slot base interconnecting the slot sides, said slot sides both lying parallel to the planar plate of that one of said first and second plate members by which the slot means is defined, the slot base being dimensioned so as to form between said slot sides a distance substantially equal to said thickness of the sheet metal material, and said slot sides receiving therebetween an edge portion of said respective edge of the other of said first and second plate members.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 122 words

The core according to claim 1 wherein said edge portion is arranged at an edge of a respective one of said guide walls and is bent in a direction to overlie said plate that planar plate to which said respective one of said guide walls is attached with said respective one of said guide walls defining an outermost edge of that planar plate and wherein the slot means is defined by said slot sides including a first slot side folded back to lie flat against that planar plate to which the slot side is attached and a second slot side folded back to overlie the first slot side such that the slot base faces inwardly of the edge of said planar plate.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 93 words

The core according to claim 1 wherein said one of said first and second plate members includes both the first and second guide walls along first and second parallel edges thereof and the third and fourth guide walls along third and fourth parallel edges thereof at right angles to said first and second edges, said first and second guide walls being bent to extend away from the planar plate of the plate member to which the guide walls are attached in a direction opposite to that of the third and fourth guides walls.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 307 words

The core according to claim 1 including a corner member attached to the core along one corner between a first and a second flat face of the core, the corner member comprising an integral body formed from sheet metal of a predetermined constant thickness bent to define a first flat strip, a second flat strip at right angles to the first and connected thereto along a common side edge thereof with each flat strip extending from the common side edge to a free side edge parallel to the common side edge, the first flat strip lying along the first face of the core, the second flat strip lying along a second face of the core, the common side edge lying along the corner, each free side edge having attached thereto a plurality of projecting blades in spaced relation along the free side edge and extending from the free side edge into the core, the projecting blades of the free side edge of the first flat strip being offset in a longitudinal direction of the free side edge relative to the projecting blades of the free side edge of the second flat strip such that the projecting blades of the first flat strip project into respective ones of the parts of the first fluid path and the projecting members of the second flat strip project into respective ones of the parts of the second fluid path, each blade comprising a part of the integral body and has side edges spaced by a width equal to a spacing between one plate and a next adjacent plate and a thickness equal to the thickness of the sheet meal such that each projecting blade of the corner member extends into the core between two plates of the core with the side edges thereof in a frictional sliding fit against the plates.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 48 words

The core according to claim 4 wherein the projecting blades of the first flat strip lie in a common plane and wherein the projecting blades of the second flat strip lie in a second common plate with the first common plane being parallel to the second common plane.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 53 words

The core according to claim 5 wherein the projecting blades of the first flat strip lie in a common plane which is at 45° to the first flat strip and wherein the projecting blades of the second flat strip lie in a common plane which is at 45° to the second flat strip.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 83 words

The core according to claim 1 including a side support member attached to the core along a first flat face of the core, the side support member comprising an integral body formed from sheet metal of a predetermined constant thickness bent to define a flat strip and a plurality of projecting blades extending from the flat strip into respective ones of the parts of the first fluid path, the projecting blades lying in a common plane at right angles to the flat strip.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 36 words

The core according to claim 7 wherein the projecting blades of the side support member have side edges spaced by a width to contact the plates of the core in a frictional sliding fit there against.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 31 words

The core according to claim 7 wherein the flat strip includes said projecting blades along opposed side edges thereof in two parallel planes arranged at right angles to the flat strip.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 409 words

A heat exchanger core for forming a first fluid path and a second fluid path which is fluid imperviously separated from the first fluid path and in heat exchanging relation therewith, said core comprising a plurality of plate members each formed from a substantially rigid sheet metal material and shaped to define a planar plate with the plate members assembled so that the plates lie in parallel stacked relationship defining between each plate and a next adjacent plate on one side a part of the first fluid path and between each plate and the next adjacent plate on an opposed side a part of the second fluid path, and a corner member attached to the core along one corner between a first and a second flat face of the core, the corner member comprising an integral body formed from sheet metal of a predetermined constant thickness bent to define a first flat strip, a second flat strip at right angles to the first and connected thereto along a common side edge thereof with each flat strip extending from the common side edge to a free side edge parallel to the common side edge, the first flat strip lying along the first face of the core, the second flat strip lying along a second face of the core, the common side edge lying along the corner, each free side edge having attached thereto a plurality of projecting blades in spaced relation along the free side edge and extending from the free side edge into the core, the projecting blades of the free side edge of the first flat strip being offset in a longitudinal direction of the free side edge relative to the projecting blades of the free side edge of the second flat strip such that the projecting blades of the first flat strip project into respective ones of the parts of the first fluid path and the projecting blades of the second flat strip project into respective ones of the parts of the second fluid path, each blade comprising a part of the integral body and has side edges spaced by a width equal to a spacing between one plate and a next adjacent plate and a thickness equal to the thickness of the sheet metal such that each projecting blade of the corner member extends into the core between two plates of the core with the side edges thereof in a frictional sliding fit against the plates.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 409 words

A heat exchanger core for forming a first fluid path and a second fluid path which is fluid imperviously separated from the first fluid path and in heat exchanging relation therewith, said core comprising a plurality of plate members each formed from a substantially rigid sheet metal material and shaped to define a planar plate with the plate members assembled so that the plates lie in parallel stacked relationship defining between each plate and a next adjacent plate on one side a part of the first fluid path and between each plate and the next adjacent plate on an opposed side a part of the second fluid path, and a corner member attached to the core along one corner between a first and a second flat face of the core, the corner member comprising an integral body formed from sheet metal of a predetermined constant thickness bent to define a first flat strip, a second flat strip at right angles to the first and connected thereto along a common side edge thereof with each flat strip extending from the common side edge to a free side edge parallel to the common side edge, the first flat strip lying along the first face of the core, the second flat strip lying along a second face of the core, the common side edge lying along the corner, each free side edge having attached thereto a plurality of projecting blades in spaced relation along the free side edge and extending from the free side edge into the core, the projecting blades of the free side edge of the first flat strip being offset in a longitudinal direction of the free side edge relative to the projecting blades of the free side edge of the second flat strip such that the projecting blades of the first flat strip project into respective ones of the parts of the first fluid path and the projecting blades of the second flat strip project into respective ones of the parts of the second fluid path, each blade comprising a part of the integral body and has side edges spaced by a width equal to a spacing between one plate and a next adjacent plate and a thickness equal to the thickness of the sheet metal such that each projecting blade of the corner member extends into the core between two plates of the core with the side edges thereof in a frictional sliding fit against the plates.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 48 words

The core according to claim 10 wherein the projecting blades of the first flat strip lie in a common plane and wherein the projecting blades of the second flat strip lie in a second common plate with the first common plane being parallel to the second common plane.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 53 words

The core according to claim 11 wherein the projecting blades of the first flat strip lie in a common plane which is at 45° to the first flat strip and wherein the projecting blades of the second flat strip lie in a common plane which is at 45° to the second flat strip.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 86 words

The core according to claim 10 including a side support member attached to the core along a first flat face of the core, the side support member comprising an integral body formed from sheet metal of a predetermined constant thickness bent to define a third flat strip and a plurality of further projecting blades extending from the third flat strip into respective ones of the parts of the first fluid path, the projecting blades lying in a common plate at right angles to the flat strip.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-12-16	1995-06-17	1995-12-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-12-16	1999-06-17	1999-12-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-12-16	2003-06-17	2003-12-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Heat exchanger core construction

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