Snap-on bracket for a condenser header

Claim 2

In a heat exchanger having two spaced apart header tubes, a plurality of parallel tubes extending between the header tubes for passing refrigerant between the header tubes, and further having external components secured to the header tubes, the header tubes being of two curved portions joined together and having ribs on opposite edges, the improvement comprising: a central body portion having a concave contact surface for fitting against one of the header tubes; fastening means for securing one of the external components to the central body portion; a pair of arms extending from the central body portion, spaced apart for fitting around the ribs of the one of the header tubes, and each of the arms extending symmetrically about a central axis with respect to the other of the arms; tips formed into each of the ends of the arms to extend substantially parallel to the central axis and the contact surface of the central body portion, and having continuous shoulders with flat inner walls which extend parallel to the central axis; and wherein the shoulders of the tips are spaced apart from the concave contact surface of the central body portion for engaging the ribs of the one of the header tubes for holding the central body portion against the one of the header tubes, with the concave contact surface fitting against the one of the header tubes.

Claim 3

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the one of the header tubes has a tab disposed on one of the edges, and one of the tips has a notch extending therein for receiving the tab to locate the central body portion on the one of the header tubes.

Claim 4

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the ribs have a plurality of tabs spaced apart along the edges of one of the header tubes, and the arms have notches formed into the tips for receiving the tabs to locate the central body portion relative to the one of the header tubes.

Claim 5

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the tips have tapered leading edges disposed equal distances from the central axis on sides of the tips which engage the one of the headers when placing the arms on opposite edges of the one of the headers, the leading edges extending parallel to the central axis and tapering toward the other of the arms in a direction toward the central body portion.

Claim 6

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the concave surface of the central body portion is brazing clad surface for brazing to the curved portion of the one of the header tubes.

Claim 7

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein a flow port extends through the concave surface and the central body portion for aligning with an aperture in the curved portion of the one of the header tubes.

Claim 8

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the fastening means comprises a bracket which extends from the central body portion.

Claim 9

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the fastening means comprises a generally circular bracket connected to the central body portion by a web integrally formed into central body portion.

Claim 10

A heat exchanger comprising in combination: two spaced apart header tubes, each being of two curved portions joined together at seams which define ribs on opposite edges, the ribs having tabs which are spaced apart along the edges of the header tubes; the ribs have a plurality of tabs spaced apart along the edges of the header tubes; a plurality of parallel tubes extending between the header tubes for passing refrigerant between the header tubes; external components for mounting to the header tubes; a central body portion having a concave contact surface for fitting flush against one of the curved portions of one of the header tubes; fastening means for securing one of the external components to the central body portion; a pair of arms extending from the central body portion, spaced apart for fitting around the ribs of the one of the header tubes, and each of the arms extending symmetrically about a central axis with respect to the other of the arms and being formed by extrusion; tips formed into the ends of the arms to extend substantially parallel to the central axis and the contact surface of the central body portion; the tips having tapered leading edges disposed equal distances from the central axis on sides of the tips which engage the one of the headers when placing the arms on opposite edges of the one of the headers, the leading edges extending parallel to the central axis and tapering toward the other of the arms in a direction toward the central body portion; the arms having side surfaces which face the other of the arms and extend symmetrically about the central axis to the other of the arms, and continuous shoulders with flat inner walls which extend between the side surfaces and the tips of the arms and face generally toward the central body portion; the arms have notches formed into the tips for receiving the tabs on the ribs to locate the central body portion relative to the one of the header tubes; and wherein the shoulders are spaced apart from the concave contact surface of the central body portion for engaging the ribs of the one of the header tubes for holding the central body portion against the one of the header tubes, with the concave contact surface fitting flush against the curved portion and the central axis extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the one of the header tubes.

Claim 11

A heat exchanger comprising in combination: two spaced apart header tubes, each being of two curved portions joined together at seams which define ribs on opposite edges, the ribs having tabs which are spaced apart along the edges of the header tubes; the ribs have a plurality of tabs spaced apart along the edges of the header tubes; a plurality of parallel tubes extending between the header tubes for passing refrigerant between the header tubes; external components for mounting to the header tubes; a central body portion having a concave contact surface for fitting flush against one of the curved portions of one of the header tubes; fastening means for securing one of the external components to the central body portion; a pair of arms extending from the central body portion, spaced apart for fitting around the ribs of the one of the header tubes, and each of the arms extending symmetrically about a central axis with respect to the other of the arms and being formed by extrusion; tips formed into the ends of the arms to extend substantially parallel to the central axis and the contact surface of the central body portion; the tips having tapered leading edges disposed equal distances from the central axis on sides of the tips which engage the one of the headers when placing the arms on opposite edges of the one of the headers, the leading edges extending parallel to the central axis and tapering toward the other of the arms in a direction toward the central body portion; the arms having side surfaces which face the other of the arms and extend symmetrically about the central axis to the other of the arms, and continuous shoulders with flat inner walls which extend between the side surfaces and the tips of the arms and face generally toward the central body portion; the arms have notches formed into the tips for receiving the tabs on the ribs to locate the central body portion relative to the one of the header tubes; and wherein the shoulders are spaced apart from the concave contact surface of the central body portion for engaging the ribs of the one of the header tubes for holding the central body portion against the one of the header tubes, with the concave contact surface fitting flush against the curved portion and the central axis extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the one of the header tubes.

Claim 12

The heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the continuous shoulders are disposed perpendicular to the side surfaces of the arms.

Claim 13

The heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the side surfaces of the arms are parallel to one another.

Claim 14

The heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein: the continuous shoulders are disposed transverse to the side surfaces of the arms; and the side surfaces of the arms are parallel to one another.

Claim 15

The heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the notches extend into the side surfaces.

Claim 16

The heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the fastening means comprises a bracket which extends from the central body portion.

Claim 17

The heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the fastening means comprises a generally circular bracket connected to the central body portion by a web integrally formed into central body portion.

Claim 20

The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of: providing the seams of the header tubes with tabs which extend outward from the ribs; providing slots in the tips of the arms; and aligning the slots around the tabs when pressing the snap-on bracket onto the one of the header tubes, to locate the snap-on bracket along the longitudinal axis of the one of the header tubes.

Claim 21

The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of: providing the seams of the header tubes with a plurality of tabs which extend outward from the ribs on opposite sides of the ribs and which are spaced apart along the longitudinal axis of the one of the header tubes; providing additional brackets having the features of the snap on bracket as set forth in claim 16 above; providing slots in the tips of the arms of the plurality of the additional brackets, with the slots in the different ones of the additional brackets being disposed at different distances from the ends of the additional brackets along lines which are parallel to the central axis of each of the brackets; aligning the slots of the additional brackets with respective ones of the tabs when pressing the additional brackets onto the header tubes, to locate the different ones of the additional brackets in respective positions along the longitudinal axis of the one of the header tubes; in the step of passing the heat exchanger through a brazing furnace, brazing the additional brackets to the header tubes; and mounting additional external components to respective ones of the additional brackets.

Claim 22

The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of providing the snap-on bracket comprises: providing a metal blank and a forming die; and extruding metal blank through the forming die to provide concave surface of the central body, the arms and the continuous shoulders.

Claim 23

The method according to claim 16, wherein the snap on bracket is brazing clad and the brazing clad is flowed within the brazing furnace to braze the snap-on bracket to the one of the headers tubes.