Patent ID: 6899168

Claim:
A light weight automotive vehicle heat exchanger assembly comprising: a heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of tubes each having a generally rectangular or oval cross section, and a pair of opposing longitudinal sides each having a first width and a pair of opposing narrow sides each having a second width; a first collecting tank attached to the plurality of tubes at a first end of each of the plurality of tubes, with the plurality of tubes positioned parallel to each other; and heat exchange fins positioned between the plurality of tubes, wherein each of the plurality of tubes has a substantially rectangular cross section at the first tube end, forming two generally opposing planar first connecting surfaces that bear on and connect to adjacent connecting surfaces of the tube ends of adjacent tubes, and forming two generally opposing planar second connecting surfaces that connect to the first collecting tank, wherein the first connecting surface is connected to the adjacent connecting surface of the adjacent tube end by brazing, wherein the first connecting surface has a third width and the second connecting surface has a fourth width, wherein the third width is greater than the fourth width, the first width is greater than the third width, and the fourth width is greater than the second width, and wherein a first perimeter of the tube defined by the first and second widths of the pair of opposing longitudinal sides and the pair of opposing narrow sides and a second perimeter of the first tube end defined by the third and fourth widths of the opposing first and second connecting surfaces are substantially the same to maintain a substantially constant tube wall thickness.