Distributor tube subassembly

Abstract

A heat exchanger assembly includes an outlet header extending along an outlet axis to define an outlet cavity and an inlet header defining an inlet cavity. A plurality of refrigerant tubes extends from the inlet header through the outlet header and into the outlet cavity. A collector conduit is disposed in the outlet header and includes a conduit body portion and at least one conduit end portion interconnected by a conduit transition portion with the conduit body portion being offset from the conduit end portion. The conduit body portion is engaged to an interior surface of the outlet header to space the conduit body portion from the refrigerant tubes extending into the outlet header and the conduit end portion is coaxial with the outlet header axis to provide a central outlet for the refrigerant vapor.

1 . A heat exchanger assembly for dissipating heat comprising:
 a first header extending along a first header axis between a pair of first header end portions to define a first cavity;   a second header extending along a second header axis between a pair of second header end portions to define a second cavity;   each header defining a plurality of header slots;   a plurality of refrigerant tubes each extending between said headers from one of said header slots of each header;   each of said refrigerant tubes defining a refrigerant passage being in fluid communication with said cavities for transferring refrigerant from one of said cavities to the other of said cavities;   a refrigerant conduit disposed in said first cavity and extending along said first header axis;   said refrigerant conduit including a plurality of orifices in fluid communication with said first cavity; and   said refrigerant conduit including a conduit body portion and at least one conduit end portion interconnected by a conduit transition portion with said conduit body portion being offset from said conduit end portion in said first cavity for spacing said conduit body portion from said refrigerant tubes and for positioning said conduit end portion centrally in said first cavity in one of said first header end portions.   
   
   
       2 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said first header has an interior surface and said conduit body portion is engaged to said interior surface of said first header. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said conduit end portion extends coaxially along said first header axis. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said conduit body portion and said conduit transition portion extend between said first header end portions and said conduit end portion is disposed in one of said first header end portions. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  including a pair first end caps each engaged and hermetically sealed to one of said first header end portions wherein at least one of said first end caps defines a first aperture being engaged and hermetically sealed about said conduit end portion. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 5  wherein at least one of said first end caps is ring shaped and disposed circumferentially about said first header axis in said first cavity in one of said first header end portions to define said first aperture. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 5  wherein;
 at least one of said first end caps includes a header engaging portion and a conduit engaging portion interconnected by an end cap transition portion to define said first aperture;   said header engaging portion extends along one of said first header end portions and said first header axis and is engaged and hermetically sealed to said corresponding first header end portion;   said conduit engaging portion extends about and along said conduit end portion of said refrigerant conduit and is engaged and hermetically sealed about said conduit end portion; and   said end cap transition portion is disposed circumferentially about said first header axis and extends radially about said first header axis.   
   
   
       8 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said header engaging portion is engaged and hermetically sealed about said first header end portion. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said first header has an interior surface and said header engaging portion is disposed in said first cavity and engaged and hermetically sealed to said interior surface of said first header. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said conduit engaging portion extends along said first header axis from said end cap transition portion and away from said conduit body portion. 
   
   
       11 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said conduit engaging portion extends along said first header axis from said end cap transition portion and toward said conduit body portion. 
   
   
       12 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said end cap transition portion is tapered. 
   
   
       13 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said conduit body portion is engaged and hermetically sealed to one of said first end caps for sealing said refrigerant conduit about said corresponding first end cap. 
   
   
       14 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  including a plug disposed in and engaged and hermetically sealed to said conduit body portion of said refrigerant conduit for sealing said refrigerant conduit about said plug. 
   
   
       15 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  including a plurality of support projections extending into said first cavity and engaging said refrigerant conduit for positioning said refrigerant conduit in said first cavity. 
   
   
       16 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 15  wherein said support projections are spaced from one another and aligned in two rows each parallel to said first header axis. 
   
   
       17 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said first header has an interior surface and including at least one clip disposed in said first cavity and engaging said interior surface of said first header and said refrigerant conduit for positioning said refrigerant conduit in said first cavity. 
   
   
       18 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein;
 each header includes a lanced surface extending parallel to said corresponding header axis between said corresponding header end portions,   each lanced surface includes a plurality of truncated projections extending into said corresponding cavity and being axially spaced from one another between said corresponding header end portions to define valleys between adjacent truncated projections, and   each truncated projection defines said header slots as being elongated and extending transversely to said header axis.   
   
   
       19 . A method for fabricating a heat exchanger assembly comprising the steps of:
 cutting a tube to define a refrigerant conduit having a conduit body portion and a conduit end portion interconnected by a conduit transition portion;   producing a plurality of orifices in the conduit body portion of the refrigerant conduit;   puncturing a first header having an interior surface and defining a first cavity and extending along a first header axis between a pair of first header end portions and a second header defining a second cavity and extending between a pair of second header end portions in predetermined spaced intervals axially along each of the headers to define a plurality of header slots spaced axially along each of the headers;   inserting the refrigerant conduit into the first cavity of the first header;   placing the first header and the second header in a stacker headering station fixture;   pressing the headers onto a plurality of refrigerant tubes with each refrigerant tube extending from one of the header slots of each header and being spaced from the conduit body portion of the refrigerant conduit; and   offsetting the conduit end portion from the conduit body portion before said inserting the refrigerant conduit into the first cavity step.   
   
   
       20 . The method as set forth in  claim 19  including the step of positioning the conduit body portion between the first header end portions and in engagement with the interior surface of the first header and parallel to and offset from the first header axis after said inserting the refrigerant conduit into the first cavity step. 
   
   
       21 . The method as set forth in  claim 19  including the step of positioning the conduit end portion coaxially along the first header axis in one of the first header end portions after said inserting the refrigerant conduit into the first cavity step. 
   
   
       22 . The method as set forth in  claim 19  including the step of producing a plurality of support projections spaced from one another and aligned in two rows on the first header and extending into the first cavity to contact the conduit body portion of the refrigerant conduit for positioning the refrigerant conduit in the first cavity. 
   
   
       23 . The method as set forth in  claim 19  including the steps of;
 engaging a first end cap to each of the first header end portions of the first header to seal the first header about the first header end portions;   aligning the conduit end portion of the refrigerant conduit with a first aperture defined by one of the first end caps; and   engaging the first aperture about the conduit end portion of the refrigerant conduit to seal the corresponding first end cap about the conduit end portion.   
   
   
       24 . The method as set forth in  claim 23  including the step of engaging the conduit body portion of the refrigerant conduit to one of the first end caps to seal an end of the refrigerant conduit. 
   
   
       25 . The method as set forth in  claim 19  including the step of inserting a plug into the conduit body portion of the refrigerant conduit to seal an end of the refrigerant conduit.