EP0764824A1 - Universal fitting for tube radiator - Google Patents

Abstract

The assembly consists of two tubular manifolds (1') connected by transfer tubes. Each manifold has a transverse partition (4) situated close to each end. Each partition has a large aperture (5) in it to allow the heating fluid to circulate through the manifold. A removable stopper (6) is fitted into the aperture to divide the manifold into two chambers which receive the flow and return fluid. The stopper can be made from metal, a synthetic material or rubber, and it can be made section so that it can be cut to the required size for receiving the return tube of a coupling cock. The end of each manifold also has an aperture (9) closed by a removable stopper (10) which gives access to the interior of the manifold to allow an inner partition stopper to be fitted or removed.

Description

The present invention relates to tubular radiators, consisting of manifold tubes to which are transferred by welding, soldering, bonding or screwing of the heat emitting tubes. Depending on the model, the collecting and emitting tubes are positioned vertically, horizontally, or at an angle.

The radiator manifold tubes are intended to be connected to an inlet pipe and to an outlet pipe for the heat transfer fluid and, depending on aesthetic, accessibility or other constraints, the connection can be made by different locations of the radiator header tubes. Therefore, during its manufacture, each radiator is provided for a particular mode of connection, which requires to manufacture and have in stock, for a model, radiators suitable for each mode of connection.

In addition, for custom-made radiators, it is necessary to specify when ordering the desired connection method or, at the time of delivery, the choice of connection position may have changed due often to site constraints, and the delivered radiator is therefore unsuitable, which leads to delays on site.

The object of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks mentioned above relating to the connection of current tubular radiators, and to to remove all the troubles concerning the study and the order of specific radiators related to a very precise connection mode.

The invention proposes for this purpose to make each radiator universal at its connection, then allowing to be able to choose only at the time of installation the method of connection of the radiator.

According to the invention, the universal connection device for a tubular radiator, consisting of collecting tubes connected together by emitting tubes, is characterized in that it comprises, inside each collecting tube and preferably arranged towards each end. thereof, a partition having a large opening which allows correct circulation of the heat transfer fluid in the manifold, a closure element being provided to be engaged, depending on the end of the manifold chosen to supply the radiator with fluid coolant, in the opening of the partition associated with this end of the manifold so as to sealingly seal said opening by separating the relevant manifold into two chambers respectively receiving the supply fluid and the return fluid.

It is thus understood that, by the installation of the obturation element in the opening of the appropriate partitioning, at the very moment of the installation of the radiator, one thus has until the very last moment a total freedom of choice of connection method for this radiator.

The partitions thus placed inside the collecting tubes can be made of metal, or of synthetic material. They can be fixed to the interior wall of the collecting tube by welding, brazing, gluing, force fitting or crimping. The edge of the opening in the partition can be smooth, threaded, notched, or present clips.

The system according to the invention, which makes it possible to close off the bulkhead closest to the supply of the heat-transfer fluid (or the return of this fluid as the case may be) allows the maximum thermal power of the radiator to be available whatever the mode. connection chosen.

Currently, either the radiator is specially manufactured for a desired connection method and this requires a wide variety of manufacturing, or certain models intended for placing in stock correspond to several connection methods (and not to all) and in this case the thermal power may be significantly lower given the non-proximity of the partitioning.

When the radiator connection must be of the twin-tube type, that is to say with separate inlet and outlet orifices, the closure element then has the form of a plug, either simple or with stepped profile. This plug can, depending on the case, be made of metal, synthetic material or rubber, and its leaktight mounting on the opening of the partition can be effected by force, by screwing, by notching or by means of retaining clips.

When the connection of the radiator must be of the monotube type, that is to say must be carried out by a single orifice using a monotube type valve, the closure element comprises a stepped socket, made of metal, synthetic or rubber engaging in the opening of the partition and receiving internally, with sealing, the return cannula of the valve which opens into the manifold beyond the closed partition.

The stepped sleeve may have a closable breakable end, making it possible to obtain, by a simple cut, the diameter adjusted to the cannula or probe of the connection valve. When made of rubber, the sleeve may have a conical shape due to the elasticity of this material.

The watertight mounting of the stepped socket on the edge of the opening made in the partitioning can be carried out by force, by screwing or notching, or by means of retaining clips.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en élévation d'un radiateur tubulaire à tubes collecteurs horizontaux, équipé du dispositif de raccordement universel selon l'invention, dans le cas d'un raccordement du type bi-tube ;
• la figure 2 est une vue de détail de la figure 1;
• la figure 3 est une vue schématique en élévation d'un radiateur tubulaire à collecteurs horizontaux, équipé d'une autre forme de réalisation du dispositif de raccordement universel selon l'invention, utilisant une variante de l'organe d'obturation;
• La figure 4 est une vue de détail de la figure 3;
• la figure 5 est une vue qui correspond à la figure 3, mais dans le cas d'un raccordement monotube;
• la figure 6 est une vue de détail de la figure 5;
• la figure 7 est une vue correspondant à la figure 5, mais dans le cas d'un radiateur tubulaire à collecteurs verticaux ; et
• la figure 8 montre l'assemblage de deux radiateurs équipés selon l'invention pour réaliser un radiateur unique.

To make the device according to the invention clearly understood, there will be described below, by way of examples without limitation, preferred embodiments with reference to the appended schematic drawing in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view of a tubular radiator with horizontal manifolds, equipped with the universal connection device according to the invention, in the case of a connection of the twin-tube type;
• Figure 2 is a detail view of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a schematic elevational view of a tubular radiator with horizontal manifolds, equipped with another embodiment of the universal connection device according to the invention, using a variant of the closure member;
• Figure 4 is a detail view of Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is a view which corresponds to Figure 3, but in the case of a single-tube connection;
• Figure 6 is a detail view of Figure 5;
• Figure 7 is a view corresponding to Figure 5, but in the case of a tubular radiator with vertical manifolds; and
• Figure 8 shows the assembly of two radiators equipped according to the invention to produce a single radiator.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a tubular radiator comprising two horizontal collecting tubes 1,1 'connected together by emitting tubes vertical 2 each of which communicates through an upper opening with the upper collector 1 and, through a lower opening 3 (see FIG. 2), with the lower collector 1 '.

Each collector 1,1 'comprises, towards each of its ends, a transverse partition 4 of metal fixed by welding (or positioned by force) to the internal wall of the collector and having a passage 5 of large diameter. Each partition 4, in the example shown, is arranged inside the manifold between the connection openings of the second and third emitting tubes 2.

Depending on the method of connection that one wishes to establish, one closes by means of a seal the opening of one of the four partitions that the radiator has. The partition 4 whose opening 5 is to be closed being that disposed in the vicinity of the end of the manifold through which the supply connection must be made.

In the example of the radiator in FIG. 1, it has been assumed that it is desired to obtain a connection of the bi-tube type (that is to say with separate inlet and outlet ports) on the lower manifold 1 ' of the radiator. To this end, the opening 5 of the partition 4 placed at the right end of the lower manifold 1 ′ has been sealed in a leaktight manner by a cover 6, having the shape of a simple plastic plug fitted by force. looking at FIG. 1. With this arrangement, the heat transfer fluid, emerging through the inlet orifice 7 in the right end of the manifold 1 ′, is forced to climb into the first two vertical tubes 2 and then to flow into the upper collector 1, crossing the open partitions 4 of this collector, to come back down along the other emitting tubes 2 and joining the lower collector 1 'to the outlet orifice 8.

With the same structure of collectors with closable partitions 4, it would be just as well was able to connect the radiator to the upper manifold 1 thereof, closing off either the left annular partitioning of the upper manifold 1 (if the inlet orifice were to be placed on the right on this manifold) or the annular partitioning of right of this manifold 1 (if the inlet port were to be placed on the left on this manifold).

To allow, during the connection of the radiator, the easy installation of the cover 6 in the opening 5 of the appropriate partitioning 4 of the manifold, by means of an appropriate tool, the two ends 9 of each of the two collectors 1, 1 'have an opening 10 sealed off by a removable plug 10'. To simplify the drawing, in Figure 1, only one end of one of the two manifolds 1 and 1 'has been shown equipped with such a removable plug 10', but it will be understood that to allow the universality of connection of the radiator the two ends of the two 1.1 'manifolds must be so equipped.

The transverse partitions 4 can be made of metal, or of a suitable synthetic material. They are fixed to the interior wall of the collector by welding, braze-welding, gluing, press fitting or crimping. The interior opening of the partition, intended to receive the cover, can be smooth, threaded, notched, or have clips, depending on the method of fixing the cover.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the cover 6 'has the form of a stepped breakable plastic stopper, particularly visible in Figure 4. Such a stopper has the particularity that it can not only be used for a bi-tube type connection as in Figures 1 and 2, but also be used in the case of a connection to a single orifice by means of a so-called monotube valve, as will be seen later with reference in Figures 5 and 6. For this last application, the closed end 11 of the plug 6 'is then cut at a height along the body of the plug such that the inside diameter of the end of the plug 6' after cutting corresponds to the diameter outside of the tap cannula.

In the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6, there is shown such a single-tube connection on the orifice 20 formed in the end 9 'of the lower manifold 1' of the radiator. The connection tap 12 used comprises an external supply conduit 13 opening into the chamber 14, determined in the right end of the manifold 1 ', between the end wall 9' and the partition 4, to supply the first two emitting tubes 2, and an outlet cannula 15 which passes inside the conduit 13, passes through a socket 16 engaged in the opening of the partition 4 and opens into the central part of the manifold 1 'beyond this partition.

It is understood that the heat transfer fluid, entering 17 into the tap 12, supplied the chamber 14 of the collector 1 ', travels through the first two emitter tubes 2 of the radiator, then circulates in the upper collector 1, returns through the other tubes 2 in the manifold 1 ', and is evacuated by the inner tube 15 to exit the tap 12 at 18.

The sleeve 16 is a stepped breakable plastic sleeve which, before being placed in the opening of the partition 4, is cut to the appropriate length so that the inside diameter of its cut end adjusts to the outside diameter of the cannula 15, so as to ensure a good seal between the chambers formed inside the manifold 1 ', on either side of the partition 4.

It is also understood, although it has not been shown in Figure 5 to simplify the drawing, that each manifold 1,1 'includes a closable orifice at each end so that the connection of the valve 12 can be carried out at any of the four angles of the radiator.

Finally, in FIG. 7, a variant of the connection of a one-pipe valve 12 'has been shown at the lower end of one of the two vertical manifolds of a radiator with emitting tubes 2' horizontal.

In Figure 8 there are shown two tubular radiators both equipped according to the invention, that is to say whose collectors 21,21 'comprise, in the vicinity of each end, a transverse partition 24 having an opening 25 of large diameter. The upper collectors 21 and the lower collectors 21 ′ of the two radiators are connected to each other, respectively, by conventional fittings 22. By assembling the two radiators, a larger radiator is therefore obtained which has the same universality of connection as each of the two radiators. The connection mode of the large radiator thus obtained will be chosen on site, after assembly, by arrangement of the cover 26 in the opening 25 of the appropriate partition 24.

In this way we can avoid the manufacture of devices which, being large dimensions, are very heavy and are often made defective as a result of transport and handling on site.

It will be understood that the above description has been given by way of example, without limitation, and that additions or modifications could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (8)

Universal connection device for a tubular radiator made up of collecting tubes (1,1 ') connected together by emitting tubes (2), characterized in that it comprises, inside each collecting tube (1,1' ) and preferably arranged towards each end thereof, a transverse partition (4) having a wide opening (5) which allows the circulation of the heat transfer fluid in the manifold (1,1 '), a sealing element ( 6,6 ′, 16) being provided to be engaged, depending on the end of the manifold chosen to make the connection for supplying the radiator with heat-transfer fluid, in the opening (5) of the partition (4) associated with this end of manifold (1,1 ') so as to sealingly seal said opening (5) by separating the manifold (1', 1 ') concerned into two chambers respectively receiving the supply fluid and the return fluid. Universal connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that said closure element has the form of a plug (6,6 '). Universal connection device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that said closure element (6) is made of metal or synthetic material. Universal connection device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that said plug (6 ') is made of a breakable synthetic material and has a stepped profile. Universal connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the said obturation element comprises a split breakaway sleeve (16), of rubber or of a synthetic material, in which the return cannula (15) engages in a sealed manner ) a connection tap (12) for a single orifice. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each end of the collectors (1,1 ') has an opening (9) closed by a removable leaktight closure member (10) and allowing access to the interior of the collector (1,1 ') for the installation of said closure element (6,6', 16). Device according to claims 5 and 6, characterized in that said opening (9 ') of the manifold (1,1') is designed to allow the mounting of said connection valve (12). Tubular radiator made up of two collecting tubes (1,1 ') connected together by emitting tubes (2), characterized in that it is equipped with a universal connection device according to any one of Claims 1 to 7.

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