Heat exchanger tube

Abstract

A heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system comprising a first end, a second end and a wall formed from a unitary sheet of formable material. The wall has an outer surface and an inner surface and includes a first side and a second side spaced apart and parallel to one another extending longitudinally between the first end and the second end, a first distal end, a second distal end, a first edge, a second edge, a first partition, a second partition and a compound partition extending between the first and second sides longitudinally between the first and second ends and defining four fluid channels extending longitudinally between the first and second ends.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system comprising:
 a first end and a second end;   a wall formed from a unitary sheet of formable material, the wall having an outer surface and an inner surface and comprising a first side and a second side spaced apart and parallel to one another extending longitudinally between the first end and the second end, a first distal end, a second distal end, a first edge, a second edge, a first partition, a second partition and a compound partition extending between the first and second sides longitudinally between the first and second ends and defining four fluid channels extending longitudinally between the first and second ends.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the first partition is positioned adjacent the first distal end and the second partition is positioned adjacent the second distal end, each of the first and second partitions comprising a first bend toward the inner surface of the wall, a second bend toward the inner surface of the wall and spaced from the first bend, and a substantially straight section extending between the first and second bends. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second bends extend longitudinally between the first and second ends parallel to the first and second distal ends. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 3 , wherein the substantially straight sections of the first and second partitions are substantially perpendicular to the first and second sides. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 4 , wherein the first bend of each of the first and second partitions defines an angle that is less than ninety degrees and the second bend of each of the first and second partitions defines an angle that is substantially equal to ninety degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 2 , wherein the compound partition comprises a third partition spaced a distance from the first partition and a fourth partition spaced a distance from the second partition, each of the third and fourth partitions comprising a third bend toward the inner surface of the wall, a fourth bend toward the inner surface of the wall and spaced from the third bend, and a substantially straight section extending between the third and fourth bends, wherein the substantially straight sections of the third and fourth partitions are positioned adjacent each other and in contact along the outer surface. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 6 , wherein the third and fourth bends of the third and fourth partitions extend longitudinally between the first and second ends parallel to the first and second bends of the first and second partitions and the first and second distal ends. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 7 , wherein the substantially straight sections of the third and fourth partitions are substantially perpendicular to the first and second sides. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 8 , wherein the third and fourth bends of the third and fourth partitions each define an angle that is substantially equal to ninety degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 6 , wherein the first edge is defined by a generally curved 180 degree open bend toward the inner surface spaced from the third partition, and the second edge is defined by a generally curved 180 degree open bend toward the inner surface spaced from the fourth partition. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second edges extend longitudinally between the first and second ends parallel to the first and second bends of the first and second partitions, the third and fourth bends of the third and fourth partitions and the first and second distal ends. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 10 , wherein the first side comprises a first wall section extending between the first edge and the compound partition and a second wall section extending between the second edge and the compound partition. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 12 , wherein the second side comprises a third wall section extending between the first and second edges. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 13 , wherein the outer surface of the wall at the first bend of the first partition is attached to the inner surface of the first wall section, wherein a first of the four fluid channels is defined by the first edge, the first partition, a first section of the first side extending between the first edge and the first partition and a first section of the second side extending between the first edge and the first partition, and the outer surface of the wall at the first bend of the second partition is attached to the inner surface of the second wall section, wherein a second of the four fluid channels is defined by the second edge, the second partition, a second section of the first side extending between the second edge and the second partition and a second section of the second side extending between the second edge and the second partition. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 14 , wherein the outer surface of a fourth wall section extending between the first partition and the compound partition is attached to the inner surface of the second side, and the outer surface of a fifth wall section extending between the second partition and the compound partition is attached to the inner surface of the second side, the fourth and fifth wall sections each being in contact with and parallel to the second side and defining a double wall extending between the first and second partitions. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 15 , wherein the outer surface of the wall at the first bend of the first partition is brazed to the inner surface of the first side between the compound partition and the first edge, the outer surface of the wall at the first bend of the second partition is brazed to the inner surface of the first side between the compound partition and the second edge, and the outer surface of the fourth and fifth portions of the wall are brazed to the inner surface of the second side. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 16  wherein a third of the four fluid channels is defined by the compound partition, the first partition, a third section of the first side extending between the compound partition and the first partition and a first double wall section extending between the first partition and the compound partition, and a fourth of the four fluid channels is defined by the compound partition, the second partition, a fourth section of the first side extending between the compound partition and the second partition and a second double wall section extending between the compound partition and the second partition. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 17 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the first, second, third and fourth fluid channels are substantially equal. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger tube for an automobile cooling system of  claim 18 , wherein the wall is aluminum.