Jeffrey R Verhagen

US Patent:

20050263263, Dec 1, 2005

Filed:

Jun 1, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/858317

Inventors:

Brian Merklein - Hartford WI, US
Roy Ingold - Racine WI, US
Jeffrey Verhagen - Little Chute WI, US
Tony Do - Franklin WI, US

International Classification:

F28F009/02

US Classification:

165076000

Abstract:

A reduction in tube to header joint failures in a heat exchanger having spaced headers (), elongated, side-by-side parallel spaced tube slots () in the headers () along the length thereof and a plurality of flattened tubes () having ends () received in the tube slots () and metallurgically bonded to the header () thereat was achieved through the use of a reinforcing structure () having at least two projections () having a cross sectional shape complimentary to at least a part of the surface of the tubes () at their ends () and a length sufficient to extend along the tube ends () to a location past the metallurgical bonds between the tube ends () and a header (), and a spine () extending transverse to the projection. Also disclosed is a reinforcing structure () and a method of reinforcing the tube to header joints in a heat exchanger.