Vehicle heat exchanger assembly

Abstract

A vehicle heat exchanger assembly includes first and second heat exchangers including first and second heat exchange units, respectively, a blower and a fan shroud. The blower causes air to flow from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger, and is arranged in an air passage formed in a space between the first and second heat exchange units. The fan shroud has an enclosing wall part disposed on an external periphery of the blower to substantially enclose the air passage formed between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, a support part supporting the blower, and a plurality of support stays extending from the support par toward the enclosing wall part to connect the support part and the enclosing wall part.

1 . A vehicle heat exchanger assembly comprising:
 a first heat exchanger having a first heat exchange unit that allows air to pass therethrough;   a second heat exchanger arranged on a downstream side of the first heat exchanger with respect to an air flow direction, the second heat exchanger having a second heat exchange unit arranged parallel to the first heat exchange unit to allow air to pass therethrough;   a blower configured and arranged to cause air to flow from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger, the blower arranged in an air passage formed in a space between the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit; and   a fan shroud having
 an enclosing wall part disposed on an external periphery of the blower to substantially enclose the air passage formed between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, 
 a support part supporting the blower, and 
 a plurality of support stays extending from the support part toward the enclosing wall part to connect the support part and the enclosing wall part. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle heat exchanger assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger has a plurality of tanks, and   the fan shroud has a plurality of extension parts arranged at positions corresponding to at least a part of the tanks to restrict air flow through a gap between the enclosing wall part and the tank.   
     
     
         3 . The vehicle heat exchanger assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first heat exchange unit of the first heat exchanger is configured and arranged to receive a cooling medium having a temperature lower than a temperature of a cooling medium that flows in the second heat exchange unit of the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         4 . The vehicle heat exchanger assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the first heat exchange unit of the first heat exchanger is configured and arranged to receive a cooling medium having a temperature lower than a temperature of a cooling medium that flows in the second heat exchange unit of the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         5 . The vehicle heat exchanger assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the blower includes a fan, and   the enclosing wall part of the fan shroud has a tubular member with a rectangular cross-sectional shape taken along a plane perpendicular to a fan axis of the blower.   
     
     
         6 . The vehicle heat exchanger assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the rectangular cross-sectional shape of the tubular member is substantially constant along the fan axis, and has an area substantially equal to a cross-sectional area of the first heat exchange unit of the first heat exchanger taken along a plane perpendicular to the fan axis.   
     
     
         7 . The vehicle heat exchanger assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the area of the rectangular cross-sectional shape of the tubular member is also substantially equal to a cross-sectional area of the second heat exchange unit of the second heat exchanger taken along a plane perpendicular to the fan axis.   
     
     
         8 . The vehicle heat exchanger assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the tubular member of the enclosing wall part has first and second wall portions facing each other, the first wall portion covering a first side of the first heat exchange unit and a first side of the second heat exchange unit, and the second wall portion covering a second side of the first heat exchange unit and a second side of the second heat exchange unit.   
     
     
         9 . The vehicle heat exchanger assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the blower includes a fan, and   the enclosing wall part includes
 a tubular member with a center axis extending in a direction parallel to a fan axis of the blower, and 
 a panel member extending along a plane perpendicular to the fan axis of the blower, the panel member defining a circular ventilating aperture formed around the fan. 
   
     
     
         10 . The vehicle heat exchanger assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the panel member includes at least one communication aperture and a non-return valve configured and arranged to allow air flow in a direction from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger through the at least one communication aperture and to prevent air flow in a direction from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger.