Low profile finned heat exchanger

Abstract

Low profile heat exchanger including a fin plate having opposite facing first and second sides and including a plurality of spaced apart elongate fins that extend outward from the first side and define a plurality of elongate passages that are open facing on the second side, and a flat container having spaced apart cover and shim plates sealably joined about peripheral edges thereof and defining a fluid conducting chamber, the container having an inlet opening and an outlet opening in communication with the fluid conducting chamber to permit a fluid to pass into, through, and out of the fluid conducting chamber, wherein the first side of the fin plate is mounted to the shim plate to permit thermal transfer therebetween and the second side of the fin plate is exposed.

1 - 21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . A low profile heat exchanger for heat exchange between a fluid and air flowing past said heat exchanger, said heat exchanger comprising: 
 a fin plate having opposite facing first and second sides, a first end, and a second end, and including a plurality of spaced-apart elongate fins that extend from the first side and define a plurality of elongate air passages that are open facing away from the first side and that run from said first end to said second end, each fin being a longitudinal row of generally U-shaped transverse convolutions provided in the fin plate, at least some of the convolutions in each row being transversely offset along the row relative to other convolutions in the row; and    a low profile container having a cover plate and further plate sealably joined about peripheral edges thereof and defining a chamber for conducting said fluid, the container having an inlet opening and an outlet opening in communication with said chamber, the first side of the fin plate and said fins being exposed thereby allowing air to flow past said first side and said fins during use of said heat exchanger, the cover plate having an integral sidewall flange provided about a peripheral edge thereof and extending towards and sealably brazed to the further plate,    wherein the second side of the fin plate is brazed to the further plate to permit thermal transfer between the low profile container and the fin plate.    
   
   
       23 . The heat exchanger of  claim 22  wherein the further plate is a planar sheet, the cover plate has a substantially planar central portion, and the integral sidewall flange extends about a peripheral edge of the central portion.  
   
   
       24 . The heat exchanger of  claim 23  wherein a lateral connecting flange is provided at a peripheral edge of the sidewall flange, the connecting flange having a planar surface that abuts and is connected to the further plate.  
   
   
       25 . The heat exchanger of  claim 24  wherein a turbulizer having rows of fluid flow augmenting convolutions is located in the fluid conducting chamber.  
   
   
       26 . The heat exchanger of  claim 24  wherein at least one of the cover plate and the further plate has a plurality of embossed ribs formed thereon that extend into the fluid conducting chamber providing a serpentine flow path therethrough between the inlet and outlet openings.  
   
   
       27 . The heat exchanger of  claim 22  wherein the inlet and outlet openings are formed through the cover plate in locations opposing the further plate.  
   
   
       28 . The heat exchanger of  claim 22  wherein a plurality of air flow passages, that extend through the further plate, the fluid conducting chamber and the cover plate, are provided through the low profile container, the air flow passages each being sealed from the fluid conducting chamber.  
   
   
       29 . The heat exchanger of  claim 28  wherein said air passages defined by said fins are in flow communication with the air flow passages through the low profile container.  
   
   
       30 . The heat exchanger of  claim 22  wherein said further plate is made of braze clad aluminum or braze clad aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       31 . The heat exchanger of  claim 26  wherein said further plate is made of braze clad aluminum or braze clad aluminum alloy.