Abstract:
A heat-exchange module has a main exchanger and at least one secondary exchanger, each including a body with fluid-circulation tubes and with a clipping device for fixing the secondary exchanger onto the main exchanger so that the same airflow can pass through the bodies of the exchangers. The clipping device has at least one comb-shaped component including a fitting device for fitting onto a first of the exchangers, and at least one first row of teeth having between them, pair by pair, a gap of a shape corresponding to the cross section of the fluid-circulation tubes of the second of the exchangers, so as to clip the body of this second exchanger onto the comb-shaped component.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a heat-exchange module comprising a main exchanger and at least one secondary exchanger each including a body provided with fluid-circulation tubes and with clipping means for fixing the secondary exchanger onto the main exchanger in such a way that the same airflow can pass through the respective bodies of the said exchangers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Such exchangers are generally presented in the form of a body provided with fluid-circulation tubes and with fins for heat exchange with the outside environment. This body is arranged between two manifolds which distribute the fluid into the circulation tubes. 
     It is known to assemble one or more secondary exchangers onto a main exchanger, such as a radiator for cooling a motor-vehicle engine, so as to constitute an assembly, also called module, ready to be installed into the vehicle. This secondary exchanger most often consists of an engine-supercharging air cooler or of an air-conditioning condenser. 
     The assembling of the secondary exchanger or exchangers onto the main exchanger is achieved generally by means of lugs integral with the secondary exchanger and of screws inserted into the manifolds of the main exchanger. Systems have also been proposed for assembly by interlocking or clipping of the manifolds. 
     These known assemblies of primary and secondary exchangers exhibit the drawback of requiring operations which are expensive in terms of time and of tooling. 
     Moreover, the linking elements between the main and secondary exchangers take up a certain amount of space which impairs the compactness of the module. This is because the manifolds are of a substantial thickness. The thickness of the module is therefore not conditioned by the sum of the thicknesses of the exchanger bodies, that is to say of the assemblies of tubes, but by the sum of the thicknesses of the manifolds, which are substantially greater. 
     Moreover, these linking elements take up a certain amount of transverse space, and therefore do not make it possible to dispose of the same exchange surface area for the main and secondary exchangers. 
     The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks. 
     More particularly, the object of the invention is to furnish a heat-exchange module the production of which, and especially the fitting operations of which, are as simple as possible. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide such a heat-exchange module which, as far as possible, includes no assembling pieces between the main and secondary exchangers. 
     The invention further envisages providing a method of producing a heat-exchange module requiring no assembly operations or, where that is impossible, including a minimum number. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide such a heat-exchange module of lesser thickness than those of the prior art. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a heat-exchange module exhibiting enhanced heat-exchange characteristics. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention there is provided a heat-exchange module comprising a main exchanger and at least one secondary exchanger, each including a body provided with fluid-circulation tubes and with a clipping device for fixing the secondary exchanger onto the main exchanger in such a way that the same airflow can pass through the respective bodies of the said exchangers, wherein the said clipping device comprise at least one comb-shaped component including: 
     a fitting device for fitting onto a first of the said exchangers, and at least one first row of teeth exhibiting between them, pair by pair, a gap of a shape corresponding substantially to the cross section of the fluid-circulation tubes of the second of the said exchangers, so as to clip the body of this second exchanger onto the said comb-shaped component in order to fix it to the first exchanger. 
     The exchangers are therefore assembled by their body, by way of their tubes and of the comb-shaped components. 
     This results in a simplification of the fitting of the heat-exchange module. 
     The module may moreover exhibit smaller dimensions. This is because the comb-shaped components can be situated entirely within the space between the bodies and, in this case, not overlap onto the cross section of the exchangers. Moreover, the bodies can also be as close together as is desired. 
     This therefore also results in a lesser thickness for the module, and the possibility of having available the maximum exchange surface area for each exchanger. 
     In one particular embodiment, the said means for fitting the comb-shaped component onto the first of the said exchangers comprise a second row of teeth exhibiting between them, pair by pair, a gap of a shape corresponding substantially to the cross section of the fluid-circulation tubes of the first of the said exchangers, so as to clip the said comb-shaped component onto the body of the first exchanger. 
     In another particular embodiment, the said means for fitting the comb-shaped component onto the first of the said exchangers comprise a set of holes into which are engaged the fluid-circulation tubes of the first exchanger. 
     The said comb-shaped component may comprise a support strip and teeth substantially in the plane of the strip, the plane of this component lying substantially perpendicular to the planes of the bodies of the exchangers. 
     In a variant, the said comb-shaped component may comprise a support strip and teeth in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the strip, the plane of the strip lying substantially parallel to the planes of the bodies of the exchangers. 
     More particularly, the heat-exchange module according to the invention may comprise at least two comb-shaped components, the said components belonging to two sides of a fitting frame configured to accommodate the said heat exchangers by means of the comb-shaped components. 
     Yet more particularly, the heat-exchange module according to the invention may include a tubular frame with two comb-shaped components, the support strips of which are arranged inside the frame, along two opposite sides thereof, in a central part of these sides in the axial sense. 
     In one particular embodiment, the comb-shaped component has a stepped feature, preferably substantially parallel to the plane of the exchangers, between the means for fitting onto the first exchanger and the first row of teeth. 
     The stepped feature may extend over the entire length of the comb-shaped component or only at the ends thereof. 
     This configuration makes it possible to assemble exchangers of different dimensions. 
     A further object of the invention is a method of producing a heat-exchange module comprising a main exchanger and at least one secondary exchanger each including a body provided with fluid-circulation tubes, and clipping means for fixing the secondary exchanger onto the main exchanger in such a way that the same airflow can pass through the respective bodies of the said exchangers, 
     this method comprising the stages consisting in: 
     producing the said exchangers, 
     producing at least one comb-shaped component including means for fitting onto a first of the said exchangers, and at least one first row of teeth featuring between them, pair by pair, a gap of a shape corresponding substantially to the cross section of the fluid-circulation tubes of the second of the said exchangers, 
     fitting the said comb-shaped component onto the first exchanger, and 
     clipping the body of the second exchanger onto the said comb-shaped component. 
     In a first implementation of the method according to the invention, the said comb-shaped component is mounted on the first exchanger when the latter is being produced. 
     In another implementation, the said comb-shaped component is clipped onto the body of the first exchanger after the latter has been produced. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Particular embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example, by reference to the diagrammatic drawings attached, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a view in exploded perspective of a heat-exchange module according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a heat-exchange module frame according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a comb-shaped component of the heat-exchange module of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a view of this component mounted on the module; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of a comb-shaped component according to another embodiment; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of a heat-exchange module comprising at least one comb-shaped component according to FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial view in perspective of two exchangers assembled in accordance with another embodiment; 
     FIG. 8 is a view in perspective of a comb-shaped component used in the assembly of FIG. 7; and 
     FIG. 9 is a view in perspective of a comb-shaped component according to another embodiment. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A heat-exchange module can be seen in FIG. 1, comprising two heat exchangers, namely a radiator  1  for cooling a motor-vehicle engine, equipped with its motor-driven fan unit  2 , and an air-conditioning condenser  3 . 
     The radiator  1  consists, in a known way, of a body  4  mounted between two manifolds  5  and  6 , the manifold  6  being provided with cooling-fluid inlet and outlet pipes  7 . 
     The body  4  is produced from a bank of horizontal fluid-circulation tubes  8  (FIG.  4 ), which are not represented individually in FIG.  1 . These tubes here are circular-section tubes distributed into two layers perpendicular to the forward direction AV of the vehicle. 
     The condenser  3  also consists of a body  9  mounted between two manifolds  10  and  11 , the manifold  10  being equipped with fluid inlet and outlet pipes  12 . 
     The body  9  is produced from a bank of horizontal fluid-circulation tubes  13  (FIG.  4 ). The tubes  13  are flat tubes, partitioned internally, also called multichannel tubes, the plane of which is arranged parallel to the forward direction AV of the vehicle. These tubes  13  are distributed into a single layer perpendicular to the direction AV. 
     It will be seen below that the heat exchangers  1  and  3  are assembled by their body  4  and  9  respectively, by way of two comb-shaped components  14 , a segment of which is represented in detail in FIG.  3 . 
     Each component  14  possesses a generally elongate flat shape, with a solid central strip  15  equipped, along each of its long sides, with a row of pairs of teeth,  16 ,  17  respectively, thus forming two opposite combs in the plane of the strip  15 . 
     The pairs of teeth  16  are spaced at the transverse pitch of the tubes  8 , and form, between these teeth, a slot  18  with a width slightly less than the diameter of the tubes  8 . This slot therefore includes two widened regions, one,  19 , at the back of the slot, and the other,  20 , close to the edge of the slot. 
     The widened regions  19  and  20  have a generally circular shape with a diameter substantially equal to that of the tubes  8 . Their centers are spaced along the slot  18  by a distance substantially equal to the distance separating the two layers of tubes  8 . 
     The pairs of teeth  17  are spaced at the transverse pitch of the tubes  13 , and form, between these teeth, a slot  21  with a depth substantially equal to the width of the tubes  13 , and with a width substantially equal to the thickness of these tubes. 
     Each slot  21  has a rounded back and is partially closed by a retaining hook  22  projecting from the extremity of each tooth towards the inside of the slot. 
     The components  14  are produced, for example, from plastic, and are cut to order, depending on the height of the heat-exchange module. As shown in FIG. 4, each component is clipped, in the first place, for example, onto the tubes  8  of the exchanger  1  by its teeth  16 , then the tubes  13  of the exchanger  3  are clipped onto the teeth  17  of the component  14  so as to assemble the module. 
     The plane of each component  14  is therefore, in the present embodiment, substantially perpendicular to the planes of the layers of tubes  8  and  13 . The strips  15  of each component  14  fulfil the function of lateral sealing for the flow of air between the two exchangers. 
     FIG. 2 presents a variant in which the clipping teeth  23  for clipping the exchanger  1 , and  24  for clipping the exchanger  3 , are mounted on a frame  25 . 
     The frame  25 , in the direction of the arrow AV, exhibits a shape which is generally tubular with a rectangular cross section, of dimensions slightly greater than the dimensions, in plan view, of the heat exchangers  1  and  3 . 
     In the axially central region of the frame  25 , two strips  26  are fixed to the opposite vertical sides of this frame, projecting towards the inside thereof, and thus substantially perpendicular to the direction of the arrow AV. The clipping teeth  23  and  24  are arranged along the inside edge of the strips  26 , perpendicularly to the plane of these strips, consequently projecting in the direction of the arrow AV. 
     The shape and the pitch of the teeth  23  are identical to those of the teeth  16 , such that the shape and the pitch of the teeth  24  are identical to those of the teeth  17 . 
     The heat-exchange module is then assembled by successively clipping the tubes  8  of the exchanger  1  and  13  of the exchanger  3  onto the frame  25 , by means of the teeth  23  and  24  respectively. 
     In this case, the lateral sealing between the two exchangers is provided by the frame  25  which forms an airflow duct in which the two exchangers are interposed. 
     The tubular frame  25  may feature, axially, that is to say in the direction of the arrow AV, a dimension substantially equal to the thickness of the module, which it therefore almost entirely envelopes. 
     Another embodiment is represented in FIGS. 5 and 6. 
     The comb-shaped component  27  (FIG. 5) still includes a solid central strip  28  but, although one of the longitudinal edges of this strip is still equipped with pairs of teeth  29  for clipping of the tubes of one of the heat exchangers, its other edge includes holes  30  of a shape and of dimensions corresponding to the tubes of the other heat exchanger. In the present case, the two exchangers (FIG. 6) are exchangers with a layer of flat tubes. 
     The heat-exchange module is then assembled by including the components  27  when producing the exchanger corresponding to the holes  30 . The second exchanger is then clipped onto the teeth  29 . 
     It will be observed that this embodiment allows for three heat exchangers to be assembled, by providing a second row of teeth on the other side of the holes  30 , along the edge of the component  27  opposite the teeth  29 . 
     In FIGS. 7 and 8 will be seen the two exchangers  1  and  3 , of different dimensions and assembled by the use of a comb-shaped component  31  including, as described previously, holes  32  for the tubes of the exchanger  1  to pass through and teeth  33  for accommodating the tubes of the exchanger  3 . 
     In the present case, however, the comb-shaped component  31  includes a stepped feature  34  substantially perpendicular to the planes of the said component in which the holes  32  and the teeth  33  are formed, this step situated between the plane in which the holes  32  are formed and the plane in which the teeth  33  are formed, and which is therefore located, after fitting, substantially parallel to the planes of the exchangers  1  and  3 . 
     The stepped feature  34  is produced here in two parts, at the ends of the comb-shaped component  31 . The teeth  33  which are linked to this stepped feature, therefore feature only in these end parts. 
     FIG. 9 shows a comb-shaped component  35  which is a variant embodiment of the comb-shaped component  31  of FIGS. 7 and 8. The same references have been used. 
     However, in this latter case, the stepped feature  34  extends over the entire length of the comb-shaped component  35 , and, consequently, likewise for the teeth  33 . Moreover, the holes for the tubes of the exchanger  1  to pass through have been replaced by teeth  36 . 
     It will be observed that, in the case of the teeth, terminal hooks  37  are provided in the comb-shaped components  31  and  35 , extending from the teeth  33 , which make it possible to provide for or to reinforce the clipping of the comb-shaped component onto the respective exchanger. 
     The heat-exchange modules of FIGS. 7 to  9  may include one or two comb-shaped components such as those which have just been described, at one or each of their ends. 
     The presence of a stepped feature between the fitting means (teeth or holes) on the first exchanger and the teeth for clipping of the second exchanger make it possible to assemble two exchangers of different dimensions. Put another way, this stepped feature allows assembly of two exchangers, the respective bodies of which, that is to say their respective tubes, are of different lengths. 
     Needless to say, the stepped feature can be produced over the entire length of the comb-shaped component or only at the extremities thereof, whatever the type of fitting means (teeth or holes) used for assembling the first exchanger.