Non-vertical corrugated fins in a heat exchanger and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

An inclined heat exchanger for use in a motor vehicle. The heat exchanger contains at least two flat tubes and at least two corrugated fins. The flat tubes and the corrugated fins are stacked alternately one above the other in a height direction (HR) to form a stack. The corrugated fins include a rhombic cross-section. A corrugated fin is also provided for use in the heat exchanger, as well as a method for manufacturing the corrugated fin.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger for use in a motor vehicle, the heat exchanger comprising:
 at least two flat tubes through which a liquid flows in a width direction (BR), and   at least two corrugated fins through which air flows in a depth direction (TR), the corrugated fins comprising a rhombic cross-section in a plane spanned transversely to the width direction (BR),   wherein the flat tubes and the corrugated fins are stacked one on top of the other alternately in a height direction (HR) to form a stack,   wherein the height direction (HR), the width direction (BR) and the depth direction (TR) are oriented perpendicular to each other.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the cross-section of the corrugated fins comprise, in a plane spanned transversely to the width direction (BR), two edges aligned parallel to the depth direction (TR) and two edges aligned at an inclination angle (NW) to the height direction (HR). 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein the inclination angle (NW) is between 5° and 85°. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein the inclination angle (NW) is between 25° and 65°. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein the inclination angle (NW) is about 30° or about 60°. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the flat tubes separated by the corrugated fins overlap only in regions in the depth direction (TR) and completely in the width direction (BR). 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the corrugated fins and the flat tubes adjacent thereto overlap only in regions in the depth direction (TR) and completely in the width direction (BR). 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the flat tubes and the corrugated fins in the stack are displaced one above the other in the depth direction (TR) in such a way that a height center axis (HMA) passing through the center of the stack is aligned with the height direction (HR) at an inclination angle (NW) greater than zero. 
     
     
         9 . A corrugated fin for use in the heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , the corrugated fin comprising:
 a single piece of material with a plurality of folds extending in the depth direction (TR) and adjacent to each other in the width direction (BR), and   a rhombic cross-section in a plane spanned transversely to the width direction (BR).   
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing the corrugated fin according to  claim 9 , the method comprising:
 folding a single piece of material, such that the corrugated fin contains a rectangular cross-section in a plane spanned transversely to the width direction (BR), and   cutting the single piece of material, such that the corrugated fin contains a rhombic cross-section in the plane spanned transversely to the width direction (BR).   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the material is cut to form the corrugated fin in such a way that a cross section of the corrugated fin in a plane spanned transversely to the width direction (BR) contains two edges aligned parallel to the depth direction (TR) and two edges aligned at an inclination angle (NW) to the height direction (HR). 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the material is cut to form the corrugated fin on both sides at an angle that corresponds to an extension of the individual folds. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the material is cut to form the corrugated fin on both sides at an angle that corresponds to an extension of the individual folds. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the angle is between 5° and 85°. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the angle is between 25° and 65°. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the angle is about 30° or about 60°.