Patent ID: 6918434

Claim:
A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a first fluid and a second fluid, comprising: a plurality of stacked plates, including a cover plate on one side of the stacked plates and a base plate on the other side of the stacked plates, wherein said plates have flat portions spaced from one another to define channels therebetween, each of said plates except said base plate include first, second, third and fourth openings therethrough, said openings being aligned to define first, second, third and fourth passages through said stacked plates, said first and third passages being input and output passages, respectively, for said first fluid and said second and fourth passages being input and output passages, respectively, for said second fluid, and said first fluid input and output passages communicate with a first group of said defined channels and said second fluid input and output passages communicating with a second group of said defined channels, said channels of said first group being alternately disposed between said channels of said second group; a reinforcing body disposed in one of said first, second, third and fourth passages, said reinforcing body being secured to said cover plate and said base plate and spaced from the sides of the openings defining said one of said first, second, third and fourth passages in said stacked plates between said cover and base plates, wherein the opening of said cover plate defining said one passage has a collar therearound defining a diameter smaller than the diameter of the openings of the other plates defining said one passage, said reinforcing body has a neck secured in said collar, and fluid openings extend through said collar communicating with said one passage; and a connector secured to said cover plate and adapted to connect with a fluid line whereby fluid may flow between said fluid line and said one passage through said fluid openings.