Patent ID: 7156164

Claim:
A charge-air cooler having tubes and at least one header box to which the tubes are connected, the header box being configured to receive hot compressed charge-air that is subject to rapid pressure changes and having at least one tube plate, the tube plate having (i) a substantially planar central region with tube openings formed therein and into which the tubes are fitted and secured with a sealed joint, and (ii) at least one side region which is rounded with a substantially constant radius of curvature with respect to the central region, wherein the at least one tube opening extends from within the generally planar central region at least up to the at least one side region and wherein the at least one tube opening is delimited by a rim which extends out of the tube plate in a direction away from the at least one header box, whereby said rounded side portion of the tube plate and said rim adjacent to said rounded side portion form in cross-section a generally S-shaped configuration sufficient to decrease load on said sealed joint as a result of said joint being subjected to rapid pressure changes exerted by the hot compressed charge-air.