Heat exchanger with fins and method for forming same

Abstract

A heat exchanger having a metal body with a plurality of fluid passages extending through the metal body, and a plurality of fins skived from the upper surface of the metal body of the heat exchanger and a method of forming the plurality of fins in the metal body of the heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming fins in a heat exchanger having a metal body through which fluid cooling passages pass, the method comprising:
 skiving the metal body to form a plurality of fins, with each fin having a body terminating in a tip; and   shaping the fins to orient the tips laterally;   whereby the tips, which may be sharp from skiving, are less likely to be contacted during handling.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the forming a plurality of fins comprises forming the plurality of fins in rows. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the tips of the fins in one row are adjacent the body of the fins in the next row. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the tips of the fins in the one row contact the body of the fins in the next row. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein at least the body of each of the plurality of fins has an arcuate cross section. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the shaping the fins comprises controlling at least one aspect of the skiving to curl the fins as they are formed. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the controlling the at least one aspect of the skiving comprises controlling a stroke length of a blade during the skiving. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the controlling the at least one aspect of the skiving comprises controlling a geometry of the skiving blade. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least the body of each of the plurality of fins has an arcuate cross section. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the shaping the fins comprises controlling at least one aspect of the skiving. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the controlling the at least one aspect of the skiving comprises controlling at least one of an applied pressure and a stroke length of a blade during the skiving. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the controlling the at least one aspect of the skiving comprises controlling a geometry of the skiving blade. 
     
     
         13 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a metal body having an upper surface;   a plurality of fluid passages extending through the metal body; and   a plurality of curled fins skived from the upper surface, with each curled fin having a body and a laterally extending tip.   
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of curled fins are arranged in rows. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14  wherein the tips in one row are adjacent the bodies of the next row and collectively form an undulating surface. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15  wherein the tips in one row abut the bodies of the next row.