Charge air cooler and method of assembling the same

Abstract

A charge air cooler includes a tube block having a plurality of finned tubes and a tank assembly at each end. Each of the tank assemblies includes a tank body for receiving one of the ends of the finned tubes in the tube block. A connecting plate, a heat resistant flexible gasket and a backing plate provide a first resilient seal with each of the tubes and the connecting plate. A flexible annular seal extends around the connecting plate for providing a second resilient seal between the connecting plate and the tank body. The connecting plate includes a base having a plurality of spaced tabs extending therefrom, and the tank has a plurality of spaced raised bosses around the exterior thereof adjacent the open face of the tank which are so sized and positioned as to interdigitate when the tank is assembled to the connecting plate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A charge air cooler comprising: 
 a plurality of tubes having first and second ends;    a first connecting plate located around said first ends of said tubes;    a first backing plate located around said first ends of said tubes;    a first gasket located between said first connecting plate and said first backing plate for providing a resilient seal between each of said tubes and said first connecting plate;    a first tank positioned at said first ends of said tubes; and    a first sealing member extending around said first connecting plate for providing a resilient seal between said first connecting plate and said first tank.    
     
     
         2 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 1 , wherein said first gasket has a plurality of openings for receiving and providing a seal with each of said tubes.  
     
     
         3 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 1 , wherein said first connecting plate has a base including a first recess formed therein for receiving and supporting said first gasket and said first backing plate.  
     
     
         4 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 3 , wherein said base of said first connecting plate further comprises a second recess formed therein for receiving said first sealing member.  
     
     
         5 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 4 , wherein an open face of said first tank includes a groove formed therein for receiving said first sealing member.  
     
     
         6 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 1 , further comprising a weld around a periphery of said first tank for providing a mechanical connection between said first tank and said first connecting plate.  
     
     
         7 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 6 , wherein said weld is intermittent and discontinuous around said periphery of said first tank.  
     
     
         8 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 11  wherein said first tank includes a plurality of raised bosses around an open face thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 8 , wherein said first connecting plate includes a base having a plurality of tabs extending therefrom.  
     
     
         10 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 9 , wherein said tabs and said bosses are interdigitated with one an other.  
     
     
         11 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of separate welds between said tabs and said bosses for providing a mechanical connection between said first tank and said first connecting plate.  
     
     
         12 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 1 , wherein said tubes have fins thereon for radiating heat from said tubes.  
     
     
         13 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 1 , wherein said first gasket is separate from said first sealing member.  
     
     
         14 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 1 , wherein said first sealing member is a flexible annular seal.  
     
     
         15 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a second connecting plate located around said second ends of said tubes;    a second backing plate located around said second ends of said tubes;    a second gasket located between said second connecting plate and said second backing plate for providing a resilient seal between each of said tubes and said second connecting plate;    a second tank positioned at said second ends of said tubes; and    a second sealing member extending around said second connecting plate for providing a resilient seal between said second connecting plate and said second tank.    
     
     
         16 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 15 , further including a pair of support plates mechanically fastened to said first tank and said second tank for connecting said first tank to said second tank.  
     
     
         17 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 15 , wherein said first gasket has a plurality of openings for receiving and providing a seal with each of said tubes, and said second gasket has a plurality of openings for receiving and providing a seal with each of said tubes.  
     
     
         18 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 17 , wherein said first connecting plate has a base including a first recess formed therein for receiving and supporting said first gasket and said first backing plate, and said second connecting plate has a base including a second recess formed therein for receiving and supporting said second gasket and said second backing plate  
     
     
         19 . The charge air cooler according to  claim 18 , wherein said first and second tanks each include a plurality of raised bosses around open faces thereof, said first and second connecting plates each include a base having a plurality of tabs extending therefrom, and said tabs and said bosses are interdigitated with one another.  
     
     
         20 . A method for assembling a charge air cooler comprising the steps of: 
 providing a tube block having a plurality of finned tubes;    providing a tank assembly at one end of said tube block into which said finned tubes open, said tank assembly including a tank body having a plurality of spaced raised bosses around the exterior thereof adjacent an open face of said tank body;    providing a connecting plate including a base having a plurality of spaced tabs extending therefrom;    providing a heat resistant flexible gasket and a backing plate;    fitting said connecting plate, said heat resistant flexible gasket and said backing plate over each of the tubes at said one end of said tube block for providing a first resilient seal with each of said tubes and said connecting plate;    providing a flexible annular seal extending around said open face of said tank body for providing a second resilient seal between said connecting plate and said tank body;    positioning said tank body onto said tube block in such a manner that said tabs and said bosses being fit together in an interdigitated relationship; and    intermittently welding said tabs and said bosses around the periphery of said tank body for establishing a mechanical connection between said tank body and said connecting plate.