Abstract:
A condenser, radiator and fan assembly module for providing modular installation and simplified individual servicing of the components thereof. The module includes a condenser, a radiator, a fan assembly, and a module frame having a set of channels for respectively receiving therein each of the condenser, radiator and fan assembly. Each of the condenser, the radiator and the fan assembly are slidably received into its respective channel. A floor of the module frame may be disassembled to facilitate individual sliding removal of any of the condenser, radiator or fan assembly. To facilitate sliding installation and removal of the radiator, the coolant inlet fitting and the coolant outlet fitting are each threadably engaged into a respective threaded opening in the tank of the radiator.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to automotive engine cooling and air conditioning systems, and more particularly to a module which facilitates easy installation and servicing of the condenser, radiator and fan assembly components thereof. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Internal combustion engines used for automotive applications utilize a cooling system for assuring proper cooling of the engine during its operation. The cooling system includes a radiator and a fan assembly which provides an atmospheric heat dump for a circulating liquid coolant. Additionally, many motor vehicles now include, either as an option or as standard equipment, passenger compartment air conditioning. Air conditioning also must have an atmospheric heat dump to operate properly, in this case via a condenser through which heated refrigerant circulates. 
     Conventionally, the condenser and radiator are rectangularly shaped of more or less comparable dimensions and placed in a closely-spaced, stacked relationship at a vehicle location whereat air flow therethrough is facilitated. In this regard, a fan assembly is placed adjacent the condenser/radiator pair so as to assure air flow therethrough even in situations where the motor vehicle is stationary. 
     Further, it is conventional practice to independently mount the condenser, radiator and fan assembly to the framework of the motor vehicle. Additionally, it is normal practice to provide integrally interconnected coolant inlet/outlet fittings to the radiator for removably connecting thereto a respective coolant hose. 
     While the conventional condenser, radiator and fan assembly practice provides adequate refrigerant and coolant cooling, there are a number of drawbacks with the conventional practice. For example, the discrete nature of the components necessitates individual shipment, storage and installation of each of the components into a motor vehicle. Further for example, should servicing of any one of the components become necessary, the interrelated mounting connections generally necessitates removal of at least one other component in order to access the problem component. Further yet for example, short overhang configured vehicles present installation and servicing difficulties with respect to the conventional practice due to the imposed compactness of such designs. 
     Accordingly, what remains needed in the art is a configuration for the condenser, radiator and fan assembly components which does not have the aforementioned drawbacks. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a condenser, radiator and fan assembly module, hereinafter referred to simply as a “CRF module,” for providing modular installation and simplified individual servicing of the components thereof. 
     The CRF module according to the present invention includes a condenser, a radiator, a fan assembly, and a module frame having a set of channels for respectively receiving therein each of the condenser, radiator and fan assembly. In a preferred configuration, the module frame has a fan assembly channel at a forward end, a condenser channel at a rear end, and a radiator channel situated therebetween. 
     In operation of the CRF module, each of the condenser, the radiator and the fan assembly are slidably received into its respective channel. A floor of the module frame may be disassembled to facilitate individual sliding removal of any of the condenser, radiator or fan assembly. To facilitate sliding installation and removal of the radiator, the coolant inlet fitting and the coolant outlet fitting are each threadably engaged into a respective threaded opening in the tank of the radiator. In this regard, an annular flange of the coolant inlet fitting and the coolant outlet fitting compresses a gasket relative to the tank, thereby ensuring a leak-proof seal. The module frame has openings formed therein to accommodate, respectively, the coolant inlet/outlet fittings and the transmission fluid inlet/outlet fittings of the radiator, as well as the refrigerant inlet/outlet fittings of the condenser. 
     The module frame provides a modular integration of the condenser, radiator and fan assembly, which simplifies motor vehicle assembly operations. One unique reason for this simplification is that the CRF module is preferably preassembled and then shipped to the manufacturing plant as a unit, simplifies individual servicing of each of the aforesaid components over the life of the vehicle, and provides a unified, compact package suitable for installation in short overhang configured vehicles. 
     The CRF module allows modularity build with component build for serviceability, and has, among others, the following benefits and advantages: warranty cost reduction and less service labor; ease of manufacturing wherein the module frame serves as a shipping container, and the CRF module can be installed “as is” into a vehicle at the assembly plant; parts reduction, in that the need for various radiators specific to certain models of vehicle are obviated due to interchangeable water necks and interfaced bracketing to fit a standard module frame; and ease of service, in that all components are serviceable from top or bottom, independent of the others, and the required service envelope is reduced (the size of the service envelope being just the access load path used for manufacturing). 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a modular integration of the condenser, radiator and fan assembly of a motor vehicle to thereby simplify assembly and servicing operations. 
     This and additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following specification of a preferred embodiment. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a preferred example of a CRF module according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the CRF module according to the present invention, wherein fittings are shown connected thereto. 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the CRF module according to the present invention, wherein fittings are shown connected thereto. 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of the CRF module according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a partly sectional, broken-away side view of a coolant fitting installed on a radiator of the CRF module according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a partly sectional, broken-away side view of a transmission fluid fitting installed on a radiator of the CRF module according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a partly sectional, broken-away side view of condenser fittings installed on a condenser of the CRF module according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the Drawing, FIG. 1 depicts a preferred embodiment of a condenser, radiator and fan assembly module (a CRF module)  10  according to the present invention. The CRF module  10  includes a module frame  12  having channels  14 C,  14 R,  14 F for removably receiving therein, respectively, each of a condenser  16 , a radiator  18 , and a fan assembly  20 , wherein the radiator is placed between the condenser and the fan assembly. The module frame  10  may have more or less than three channels, depending on the number of components used therewith which, at a minimum, includes the radiator. 
     The module frame  12  is composed preferably of a plastic material. Although the module frame  12  may be a single piece unit, it is preferred that the module frame  12  be an assembly of left and right sidewalls  22 L,  22 R and a floor  24 . The floor  24  is removably connected to the left and right sidewalls  22 L,  22 R. The removable connection may be any suitable mechanical attachment, as for example shown at FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein threaded fasteners  26  secure affixment flanges  28   a ,  28   b  respectively of the floor  24  and the left and right sidewalls  22 L,  22 R. The floor  24  may be a single piece (as shown at FIG.  4 ), or may alternatively be discretely composed of a condenser floor member  24 C, a radiator floor member  24 R, and a fan assembly floor member  24 F, each of which being individually assembled with respect to the left and right sidewalls  22 L,  22 R (as shown at FIG.  3 ). A top cover may be optionally provided, and if so, it is preferably removably connected, as for example as the floor  24  is respectively connected to the left and right sidewalls  22 L,  22 R. 
     The radiator channel  14 R is sized to receive slidably and snuggly a radiator  18  having predetermined dimensions. Similarly, the condenser channel  14 C and the fan assembly channel  14 F are each respectively sized based upon predetermined dimensions of the condenser  16  and fan assembly  20  for a slidable, snug fit thereinto. In this regard, each of the radiator  18 , the condenser  16  and the fan assembly  20  is slid into its respective channel formed in the left and right sidewalls  22 L,  22 R and then restingly situated in its respective channel formed in the floor  24 . Thereafter, a top cover, or some other member, such as for example a permanently or nonpermanently connected frame member, may be installed across the upper end  22 U of the left and right sidewalls  22 L,  22 R. In this regard, the condenser  16 , the radiator  18  and the fan assembly  20  is slidably removed from its seated position by either being slid out of its respective sidewall channel at the upper end  22 U of the sidewalls, or else at the bottom end  22 B of the sidewalls after removal of the floor  24  therefrom. In this regard, a floor composed of discrete floor components  24 C,  24 R,  24 F, as discussed above, allows for removal of the floor component of the malfunctioning condenser, radiator or fan assembly so that it may be slidingly removed from its channel without affecting the others. 
     In order that the radiator be slidable along the radiator channel  14 R in the left and right sidewalls  22 L,  22 R, the coolant inlet fitting  30  and the coolant outlet fitting  32  are each removably connected to the tank  18 T of the radiator  18 . As best shown at FIG. 5, each of the coolant inlet fitting  30  and the coolant outlet fitting  32  are provided with a threaded portion  34 , an annular flange  36 , a tool engaging surface  38  (as for example a hex nut shape), and a hose connector  40  onto which is connected a respective coolant hose  42 ,  44  in a known manner. The radiator tank  18 T has a threaded hole  46 ,  48  respectively for each of the coolant inlet fitting and the coolant outlet fitting for threading engagement therewith. A gasket  50  is provided which is compressed between the radiator tank  18 T and the annular flange  36  such that when each of the coolant inlet fitting and the coolant outlet fitting is tightly threaded into its respective threaded hole  46 ,  48 , the gasket provides a compression seal of the radiator tank against coolant leakage. 
     An opening  52 ,  54  is provided in the module frame  12  at the radiator channel  14 R of the left and right sidewalls  22 L,  22 R so that the coolant inlet fitting and the coolant outlet fitting project outwardly therethrough. The openings  52 ,  54  may be circular holes (as shown) or may be U-shaped slots ( see  52 ′ shown in phantom) which extend to, and open at, either the upper end  22 U or the bottom end  22 B of the left and right sidewalls. In the case a U-shaped slot is provided at the upper end  22 U or at the bottom end  22 B at which the radiator  18  is slidable from the radiator channel of the left and right sidewalls  22 L,  22 R, then the particular coolant inlet fitting or coolant outlet fitting thereat may be integral with the tank (the other coolant fitting being removable with respect to the tank). 
     As shown at FIG. 6, the transmission fluid inlet  56  and transmission fluid outlet  58  are each threadably removable from the radiator tank  18 T in a known manner, which may include a gasket  65 . To facilitate the known threaded connection, the left and right sidewalls  22 L,  22 R are provided with an opening  60 ,  62  for each. 
     Referring now to FIG. 7, the condenser refrigerant inlet  64  and the condenser refrigerant outlet  66  are preferably conjoined and secured thereto by a single threaded fastener  68 . An opening  70  is provided in the module frame  12  at the condenser channel  14 C at either the left or right sidewall  22 L,  22 R for accommodation of the conjoined condenser fitting. 
     In operation, the condenser  16  is slid into the condenser channel  14 C of the left and right sidewalls  22 L,  22 R and seated into the condenser channel of the floor  24 ; the radiator  18  is slid into the radiator channel  14 R of the left and right sidewalls and seated into the radiator channel of the floor; and the fan assembly  20  is slid into the fan assembly channel  14 F of the left and right sidewalls and seated into the fan assembly channel of the floor. The module frame  12  now serves as a shipping device for the CRF module  10 . The CRF module is then installed into a respective motor vehicle. The installation includes affixing the module frame to framework of the vehicle, using for example threaded fasteners and affixment flanges of the module frame. The installation further includes, if not already done so, threading attachment of appropriately sized coolant inlet and outlet fittings to the threaded holes of the radiator tank. The installation still further includes attaching the coolant hoses, transmission fluid hoses and condenser fittings. Should later any of the condenser, radiator or fan assembly need service, the subject component may be removed slidably from its respective channel, which operation may or may not involve removal of the floor (or its respective discrete floor member) from the left and right sidewalls. 
     It will be recognized by those possessing ordinary skill in the relevant automotive art, that various sized condensers, radiators and fan assemblies can be fitted to a standard size module frame by, for example, simply adjusting the size of spacers to which the component is connected. For example, a vehicle requiring a small sized radiator can utilize a standard sized module frame which accommodates larger radiators if the subject radiator has spacer members attached thereto for fitting into the radiator channel so as to augment the overall dimensions of the subject radiator. 
     To those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, the above described preferred embodiment may be subject to change or modification. Such change or modification can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.