A RADIATOR ASSEMBLY AND A COWL ASSEMBLY THEREFOR

Abstract: A cowl assembly (20) to direct coolant air between a fan and a radiator (11) has means for securing the duct portion (21) of the cowl (20) to a radiator assembly (11). The securing means (22, 23) engage with opposite ends of the radiator when the cowl is rotated into a ''locked'' position, where it is retained by engagement of complementary clip formations provided on the cowl and radiator.

Description: A A Radiator Assembly and a Cowl Assembly Therefor This invention relates to a radiator assembly and in particular to a cowl assembly for such a radiator assembly. The expression "cowl" herein includes a simple ring to surround a fan and direct cooling air towards or away from the fan, or a ring having a blanking shroud extending outside the ring or an assembly of members spanning the radiator to hold and locate a fan relative to the radiator. It is known for a radiator assembly to have a cowl assembly secured to it by means of bolts passing through the cowl, each bolt being engageable with a nut fixed to a casing of the radiator assembly. The use of such a method of attachment has the disadvantage that it is time consuming to fit or remove the cowl from the radiator and hence costly. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a cowl assembly for a radiator including at least two securing means on one end of a duct portion to secure the cowl assembly to a radiator by co-operation with opposite ends thereof, the arrangement being such that in a first, unlocked position a part of each securing means can pass over the adjacent end of the radiator and in a second, locked position the part of each securing means is unable to pass over the adjacent end of the radiator with which it is engaged thereby preventing separation of the cowl assembly from the radiator, the transition from the first position to the second position being achieved by rotation of the cowl assembly relative to the radiator and complementary clip formations being provided on the cowl and the radiator to retain the cowl to the radiator in the second position. The cowl assembly according to the invention has the advantage that it can be quickly and cheaply fitted without requiring fixing points to be accurately positioned on the radiator. Preferably, each securing means is a U-shaped member having a bridge portion and two limbs one of which is connected to the duct portion. Advantageously the clip formations comprise first and second bodies attached or attachable to the radiator and to the cowl respectively, one of the bodies being formed with a row of positioning features and the other of said bodies being formed with an element to be engaged with one or more of the row of positioning features and to " be retained in engagement by resilient spring means. Conveniently, the positioning features may comprise a row of serrations, holes, slots or the like. The clip formation(s) provided on the cowl may be mounted on an extension arm extending radially away from the fan axis, which arm is adapted at its free end for attachment to a header tank of the radiator by engagement with a complementary clip formation provided thereon. The arm may have a slot formed therein through which an attachment bolt can be passed. Advantageously, the cowl assembly according to the invention may be a plastics moulding, the duct portion, clip formation(s), and the two securing means being formed as an integral part thereof. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a radiator assembly including a cowl assembly according to the first aspect of the invention, the radiator assembly further including an inlet header tank, an outlet header tank and a heat exchange matrix connected therebetween, the heat exchange matrix having two end faces used to secure the cowl assembly thereto. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a rear view of a radiator assembly according to the second aspect of the invention, having a cowl assembly according to the first aspect of the invention attached to it; Figure 2 is a view on the line A-A on Figure 1; Figure 3 is a scrap perspective view of part of the radiator assembly shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a scrap perspective view of the underside of part of the cowl assembly shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a scrap view of an alternative construction to part of Figure 1; and Figure 6 is a scrap end view of a further alternative construction to part of Figure 1. With reference to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown a radiator assembly 11 having a heat exchanger matrix 12 in the form of tubes 13 and corrugated finning 14, a plastic inlet header tank (not shown), a plastic outlet header tank 15, an upper side plate 16, a lower side plate 17 and a cowl assembly 20. The structure of the matrix 12 is conventional in construction, the tubes 13 extending between the inlet and outlet header tanks 15 with the corrugated finning 14 packed in between. The cowl assembly comprises a duct portion 21, a locking means in the form of an arm 34 extending radially outwardly from the duct portion 21 and two securing means in the form of upper and lower lugs 22 and 23. outwardly from a position of juncture with the duct portion 21 to join the bridge portion 24 and is strengthened by means of a web 27. The free limb 26 has a free end 18 and extends radially inwardly from the position where it joins the bridge portion 24. The lower lug 23 is also U-shaped in cross- section and has a bridge portion 28 and two limbs. The limb 29 is joined to the same end of the duct portion 21 as the limb 25 but is longer than and spaced apart from the limb 25. The limb 29 has an aperture in it to allow for the passage of air therethrough. The free limb has a free end and extends radially inwardly from the position where it joins the bridge portion 28. The arm 34 extends radially outwardly from the duct portion 21 and has a U-shaped formation thereon, as seen in Figure 4, comprising arms 35 normal to the plane of the arm 34 and inwardly turned at the ends. The face of the arm 34 within the U-shaped formation has a row of ratchet-shaped teeth 36 aligned approximately radially to the duct portion 21. Figure 3 shows part of the tank 15 having integral therewith a finger 37 extending outwardly therefrom and then parallel thereto, in a direction generally tangential to the centre of the duct portion 21. The finger 37 is rendered springy by a central slot 38. The outer face of the finger 37 has a row of ratchet-shaped teeth 39 to engage with the teeth 36 on the arm 34. The inner face of the finger 37, or a rib 40 thereon, is adapted to bear on the inner face of the inwardly turned ends of the arms 35. To attach the cowl assembly 20 to the matrix 12 the cowl assembly is positioned adjacent the rear face of the matrix 12 with the lugs in the unlocked position as shown by reference numerals 22A and 23A. In this position the duct portion is positioned as shown by reference numeral 21A and the arm is in the position as shown by reference numeral 34A. The cowl assembly 20 is then moved towards the matrix 12 so that the free end 18 of the limb 26 passes over the upper side plate 16 and the corresponding free end of the free limb of the lower lug 23 passes over the lower side plate 17. The cowl assembly is then rotated in the direction of the arrow R on Figure 1 which moves the lugs into the approximate position shown by reference numerals 22,23. In this position, the distance between the free end 18 of the limb 26 and the corresponding free end of the free limb of the lug 23 is less than the distance between the outer faces of the upper and lower side plates 16 and 17 thereby preventing separation of the cowl assembly 20 from the matrix 12. In this position the free limbs of the lugs 22 and 23 extend behind the side plates 16 and 17 but the cowl assembly 20 is free to slide along the matrix 12 to allow the finger 37 to be aligned with the U-shaped formation on the arm 34. To bring the cowl assembly 20 into the locked position it is further rotated in the direction of arrow R until the finger 37 enters the U-shaped formation, with the teeth 36 and 39 inter-engaged and locked and retained there by the springiness of the finger 37 and by the rib 40 bearing against the inwardly turned ends of the arms 35. To dismantle the assembly, the parts of the finger 37 either side of the slot 38 can be pressed together to disengage the teeth 36,39. Although this invention has been described with reference to a radiator assembly having side plate construction it will be appreciated that the lugs could co-operate with the outer tubes of the matrix as no special fixing means are required on the matrix. It is an advantage of the embodiment described that the locking arrangement is able to readily accommodate tolerance variations, it being only required to rotate the cowl assembly a further or less amount. The invention is not limited to the embodiment described and other arrangements are envisaged which allow the cowl assembly to be removed from the radiator in a first position and prevent separation of the cowl assembly from the radiator in a second locked position, the transition from the first position to the second position being achieved by rotation of the cowl assembly relative to the radiator. The side plates could, for example, be L-shaped and the cowl assembly could have tapered flanges for engagement therewith. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the finger 37 is mounted on the tank 15 in a generally radial position to the cowl portion 21 and the teeth 39 are also radial thereto but need not be of asymmetric ratchet shape. The U-shaped formation comprising the arms 35 on the arm 34 are also at 90° to the embodiment of Figure 1, but the teeth 36 are still radial to the cowl portion 21. The cowl assembly is assembled to the radiator assembly in the same procedure as for Figure 1, except that the cowl assembly is first rotated to the correct position and then slid along the radiator until the finger 37 enters the U-shaped formation on the arm 34, the teeth 36 and 39 thereby inter-engaging. In this embodiment, the rib 40 is ratchet-like and as soon as it emerges past the radially inner edge 41 at the ends of the inwardly turned parts of the arms 35, the rib 40 catches on the edge 41 by virtue of the springiness of the finger 37. Thereby, the arm 34 is locked to the tank 15. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the finger 37 protrudes from the tank 15 in a direction generally normal to the plane of the face of the radiator 11. The arms 35 on the arm 34 are mounted at 90° thereto, compared with Figure 5, so as to co-act with the finger 37. In this embodiment, the duct portion 21 is rotated about its axis as far as necessary, but the cowl assembly is tilted somewhat so that the arm 34 extends above the finger 37. The arm 34 is then lowered, so that the finger 37 passes between the arms 35 until the ratchet-like rib 40 catches over the adjacent edge of the arm 34. The teeth 36 and 39 thereby become engaged and are retained thus, whereby the arm 34 is locked to the tank 15. To facilitate dismantling of the radiator and cowl assembly for service purposes, either or both of the springy parts of the tongue 37, separated by the slot 38, may have extensions which can be pressed together to close the slot 38 and release the teeth 36 from the teeth 39 or to release the lip 40 from the adjacent edge of the arm 34. Furthermore, the gap between the inwardly turned ends of the arms 35 may be omitted, so that the finger 37 is embraced by a complete loop, having the teeth 36 formed therein,

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A cowl assembly for a radiator including at least two securing means on one end of a duct portion to secure the cowl assembly to a radiator by co-operation with opposite ends thereof, the arrangement being such that in a first, unlocked position a part of each securing means can pass over the adjacent end of the radiator and in a second, locked position the part of each securing means is unable to pass over the adjacent end of the radiator with which it is engaged thereby preventing separation of the cowl assembly from the radiator, the transition from the first position to the second position being achieved by rotation of the cowl assembly relative to the radiator and complementary clip formations being provided on the cowl and the radiator to retain the cowl to the radiator in the second position. 2. A cowl assembly according to claim 1, wherein each ' securing means is a U-shaped member having a bridge portion and two limbs one of " which limbs is connected to the duct portion. 3. A cowl assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clip formations comprise first and second bodies attached or attachable to the radiator and to the cowl respectively, one of the bodies being formed with a row of positioning features and the other of said bodies being formed with an element to be engaged with one or more of the row of positioning features and to be retained in engagement by resilient spring means. 4. A cowl assembly according to claim 3, wherein said positioning features comprise a row of serrations, holes or slots. 5. A cowl assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the clip formation(s) provided on the cowl is mounted on an extension arm, which arm is adapted at its free end for attachment to complementary clip formation(s) provided on a header tank of the radiator. 6. A cowl assembly according to claim 5, wherein the arm has a slot formed therein through which an attachment bolt can pass. 7. A cowl assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the duct portion is substantially circular in cross-section. 8. A cowl assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the cowl assembly is a plastics moulding, the duct portion, clip formation(s) , and the two securing means being formed as integral parts thereof. 9. A radiator assembly including a cowl assembly according to any preceding claim, the radiator assembly further including an inlet header tank, an outlet header tank and a heat exchange matrix connected therebetween, the heat exchange matrix having two end faces used to secure the cowl assembly thereto.

Inventors: PRICE HENRY CLIFFORD REES, PRICE, HENRY, CLIFFORD, REES
Applicants: LLANELLI RADIATORS LTD
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B60K11
IPC codes: B60K11, F01P11, F04D29, F28F9