Abstract:
A cooling module for a vehicle, including at least two heat exchangers with holding brackets secured to the sides, and a support having two elastic bearings adapted to rest on carriers of the vehicle and secured to the holding brackets. The elastic bearings include an elastic element between at least first and second members whereby the heat exchangers are supported individually elastically.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)  
       [0001]     Not applicable.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not applicable.  
       REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not applicable.  
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0004]     The invention relates to a cooling module with at least two heat exchangers, and more particularly to a vibration-damping support for the heat exchangers.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS POSED BY THE PRIOR ART  
       [0005]     Cooling modules with multiple heat exchangers, for example a radiator and a charge air cooler, for a motor vehicle, are known. For example, in DE 100 18 000 B4 and DE 44 11 456 B4, holding brackets support the entire cooling module, with the brackets fastened at the inlet and outlet connections of the charge air cooler and the water cooler or the radiator fastened on the charge air cooler. The bracket supports include vibration-damping for the supported module. However, vibrations which are not compensated by the vibration-damping support are transferred directly from the charge air cooler to the radiator (or water cooler). Furthermore, the joint between the coolers can have an adverse effect on the expansion and contraction process of the cooler, which occurs as a result of the temperature change load.  
         [0006]     The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     In one aspect of the present invention, a cooling module for a vehicle is provided, including at least two heat exchangers with holding brackets secured to the sides, and a support having two elastic bearings adapted to rest on carriers of the vehicle and secured to the holding brackets. The elastic bearings include an elastic element between at least first and second members whereby the heat exchangers are supported individually elastically.  
         [0008]     In one form of this aspect of the present invention, the individual support is provided in the elastic bearings.  
         [0009]     In another form of this aspect of the present invention, each elastic bearing has a moveable pressure plate lying on the elastic element on which a heat exchanger is positioned to form one of the supports. In a further form, below the pressure plate, each elastic bearing has at least one recess for the holding bracket of another heat exchanger adapted to form another support.  
         [0010]     In a further form of this aspect of the present invention, the two members of each elastic bearing have at least a partially complementary form.  
         [0011]     In a still further form of this aspect of the present invention, the pressure plate is located in a recess of the first member, whereby the recess extends into a complementary recess of the second member.  
         [0012]     In yet another form of this aspect of the present invention, the first member of the two members of the elastic bearing is movable and is formed by a pressure plate which lies in a recess of the second member on the elastic element.  
         [0013]     In yet another further form of this aspect of the present invention, the heat exchangers are arranged one behind the other in the direction of the cooling air flow with no bearing joints between them.  
         [0014]     In still another form of this aspect of the present invention, the supports of the heat exchangers lie one over the other in the elastic bearings.  
         [0015]     In yet another further form of this aspect of the present invention, the holding brackets are secured to the sides of the heat exchangers. In a further form, the holding brackets are separably secured to the sides of the heat exchangers.  
         [0016]     In another aspect of the present invention, an elastic bearing is provided for supporting a cooling module with at least two heat exchangers, including a first member, a second member, and an elastic element between the first and second members, wherein the bearing supports the individual heat exchangers individually. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one side of a cooling module according to the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIGS. 2-7  are perspective views of different elastic bearings, where:  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows one embodiment wherein the bearing has a bent down leg;  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows another embodiment in which the upper part can function as the pressure plate of the bearing;  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  shows the  FIG. 2  embodiment from the opposite side;  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of a bearing with a bent down leg;  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  shows the  FIG. 5  embodiment from the opposite side;  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  shows yet another embodiment; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view through the bearing of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]     A cooling module according to the present invention may be incorporated into a vehicle (not shown), and in the illustrated embodiment includes only two heat exchangers: a charge air cooler  10  in the back (in the direction of viewing in  FIG. 1  ) and a radiator  12  in the front, the back heat exchanger  10 . Other parts belonging to the cooling module were omitted here for clarity of illustration. Similarly, only one of the two chassis beams  20  of the vehicle are indicated (with  FIG. 1  showing only one side of the cooling module, since the other side, which is not shown, is designed identically and includes also the second chassis beam, a second elastic bearing as described below, and other identical parts.  
         [0027]     The radiator  12  has an upper and a lower horizontally-arranged collecting tank  24 , between which flat tubes for the coolant and the corrugated ribs introduced in between the tubes for cooling air such as are known are located (but are not shown). The cooling air accordingly flows perpendicular to the plane of the drawing through both coolers  10 ,  12 .  
         [0028]     On the other hand, the charge air cooler  10  has two vertically-arranged collecting tanks  28 , one of which can be partly seen in  FIG. 1 . The charge air collecting tank  28  has an inlet connection and an outlet connection  30  for the charge air (only one of which is partly shown in  FIG. 1 ). Each of the inlet and outlet connections  30  have a holding bracket  34 , which serves to support the charge air cooler  10 .  
         [0029]     In the illustrated practical example, the collecting tanks  28 , including the inlet and outlet connections  30 , may be advantageously made of aluminum with a pressure casting method, in which case the design which has been known for more than 20 years may be used. In that case, the holding brackets  34  are made in one part with the connection  30  and at the same time are provided with reinforcements, such as can be seen in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0030]     Each holding bracket  34  rests on an elastically supported pressure plate  40  of an elastic bearing  50 , which will be explained in more detail later with reference to  FIG. 7 . The radiator  12  has side parts  54  which join the two collecting tanks  24 , and holding elements  58  are fastened on the side parts  54  to support the radiator  12  in the elastic bearings  50 . The two side parts  54  are joined together with the aid of cross braces  60 .  
         [0031]     In the practical example illustrated, two holding elements  58  are provided on both side parts  54 . The holding elements  58  have sideways protruding right-angle bends  64 , which, coming from the top and bottom, lie against one another and open below the pressure plate  40  into a corresponding recess  70 , which is formed in the elastic element  74  of the elastic bearing  50 . The two right-angle bends  64  could also be arranged relatively close to one another and introduced into separate recesses  70 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  shows the details of the two elastic bearings  50  in a middle longitudinal cross-sectional through the bearing shown in  FIG. 7 . The bearings  50  consist of a first or upper part  80  and a second or lower part  82 . The two parts,  80 ,  82 , have a complementary form to one another, which, among other things, is manifested by the fact that the two parts,  80 ,  82 , overlap at the left and right edge in the manner of a clamp. The upper part  80  sits in the middle section with a recess  86  that has a complementary shape to recess  88  of the lower part  82 . The elastic element  74  is between the two parts  80 ,  82 . Below the second or lower part  82  are the chassis beams  20  ( FIG. 1 ) of the motor vehicle. Fastening elements  90  are separably connected to the second or lower part  82  and serve to secure the holding bracket  34  on the first or upper part  80 .  
         [0033]     As  FIG. 8  further shows, a vertically moveable pressure plate  40  is arranged as a third part in the recess or cavity of the first or upper part  80 , which rests on the elastic element  74 . In the position shown at which no load is applied, the pressure plate  40  protrudes somewhat above the first or upper part  80 , as a result of which a spring path is made available. This overhang is reduced by the pressure of the elastic element  74  when, with the aid of the additional fastening elements  92 , the holding bracket  34 , which carries the weight of the charge air cooler  10  is fastened on the upper part  80 . The degree of elasticity of the elastic element  74  may be advantageously selected to correspond to the bearing forces present. Furthermore, providing hollow cavities in the elastic element  74  can exert an influence on the elastic behavior. In the elastic element  74  of the practical example, the already-mentioned recess  70  is present, which approximately corresponds to the cross-section of the right-angle bend  64  on the holding elements  54  in order to be able to incorporate this in it.  
         [0034]     Since there are no horizontal bearing joints between the heat exchangers  10  and  12  according to the invention, the replacement of individual heat exchangers (e.g., in the case of service) may be done more simply. Further, as contrasted with the prior art in which one of the heat exchangers must assume the weight and the acceleration forces of the other heat exchanger, a correspondingly stable design is provided. Moreover, cooling modules according to the present invention may be advantageously provided in motor vehicles, which are also assigned special frame constructions from time to time.  
         [0035]     It should be appreciated further that advantages of the present invention may also be obtained with changed or simplified designs of the elastic bearing  50 , such as illustrated in  FIGS. 2-6  but without deviating from the basic idea of the invention.  
         [0036]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the bearings  50  can be designed so that the first or upper part  80  can also assume the function of the described pressure plate  40 . The first or upper part  80  or the pressure plate  40  and the second or lower part  82  are generally designed complementarily and engage into one another. The two reinforced legs of the second or lower part  82  permit stable fastening on the chassis beam  20  with the aid of the fastening elements  90 . A pin  94  or the like can be provided extending from the lower part  82  up through the upper part  80  so as to protrude upwardly therefrom. With such a pin  94 , the bearing  50  can be applied and held on the pre-mounted cooling module.  
         [0037]     As shown by  FIGS. 2 and 5 , a bent-down leg  96  may be advantageously provided on the first or upper part  80  in order to prevent the upper part  80  from slipping down together with the heat exchanger  10  in case of failure of the elastic element  74 . However, the elastic elements may be advantageously connected solidly with the parts  80  and/or  82 , for example, by vulcanizing or gluing. Joints with positive locking can also be provided.  
         [0038]     As shown by the other figures, in order to fasten the holding bracket  34  or charge air cooler  10 , a separate fastening means (screw in the middle) can be provided. Furthermore, in contrast to  FIGS. 7-8 , the fastening of the bearings  50  on the beam chassis  20  can be done from the top side, which is also shown in  FIGS. 2-6 . The corresponding fastening means  90  extend accordingly from the top through the two openings that are farthest removed from one another. The two central neighboring openings serve for fastening the holding bracket  34  of the charge air cooler  10 . In that instance, two complementary parts  80  and  82  can also be omitted. For example, the second or lower part  82  can be designed to be U-shaped and the vertically movable pressure plate  40  can be located as second or upper part between the U-shaped legs (see  FIGS. 5-6 ).  
         [0039]      FIGS. 5-6  also show a different design of the shape of the elastic element  74 . The elastic element  74  extends upwardly to below the head of the fastening means  90 . A sleeve is formed in this region according to the art, through which the fastening means  90  passes. As already described, the second or lower part  82  is deformed in a U-shape and it holds the elastic element  74  that extends to below the sleeves and also holds the pressure plate  40  arranged above it. The elastic element  74  can also be represented by several elastic parts that are not joined.  
         [0040]     It should thus be appreciated that since the heat exchangers of the cooling module are supported individually, preferably in elastic bearings, no bearing joints are required between the heat exchangers, which bearings could adversely affect the expansion and contraction behavior of the heat exchanger. It should also be appreciated that the individual supports can be arranged in the elastic bearings over one another or next to one another. Furthermore, vibrations of one heat exchanger are advantageously not transferred, or at least transferred to a smaller extent, to the other heat exchangers.  
         [0041]     Still other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the specification, the drawings, and the appended claims. It should be understood, however, that the present invention could be used in alternate forms where less than all of the objects and advantages of the present invention and preferred embodiment as described above would be obtained.