IP Library Granted Patent US 12,595,976
Granted Patent B2
US 12,595,976 · App. 18/560,821 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

Heat exchange system

Inventors: Remi Tournois (La Verriere, FR); Fabien Bireaud (La Verriere, FR); Mathieu Caparros (La Verriere, FR); Jose Trindade (La Verriere, FR)
Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
F28F9/002F28D2021/0091F28F2009/004F28F9/007F28F2275/085
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,595,976
App. No.
18/560,821
Granted
Apr 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention concerns a heat exchange system including at least one support, a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger being fixed to the support via a fixing element including at least one tongue. The first heat exchanger includes a first tongue and the second heat exchanger includes a second tongue, the first tongue and the second tongue extending facing one another, each of the first tongue and the second tongue engaging with a common fixing tab of the support.

Claims (23)

1 . A heat exchange system comprising at least one support, a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger each extending in a main plane which is transverse and vertical, the first heat exchanger being disposed, in a longitudinal direction of the heat exchange system, between the at least one support and the second heat exchanger, each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger being fixed to the at least one support wherein the first heat exchanger includes a first tongue and the second heat exchanger includes a second tongue, the first tongue and the second tongue each extending from a transverse end of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, respectively, and facing one another, each of the first tongue and the second tongue engaging with a fixing tab of the at least one support, and wherein the fixing tab of the at least one support includes at least a first groove and a second groove which are capable of receiving at least part of the first tongue and at least part of the second tongue, respectively.

2 . The heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first tongue and the second tongue includes a base and a fixing wall, the base of the first tongue and the base of the second tongue being secured to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, respectively, the fixing walls each extending from their respective base such that they engage with the fixing tab of the at least one support.

3 . The heat exchange system according to claim 2 , wherein the fixing wall of the second tongue includes a bent zone which extends from its base and a fixing zone which extends from the bent zone, away from its base, the fixing zone extending in a fixing plane parallel to and spaced apart from the main plane, which is transverse and vertical, of the second heat exchanger.

4 . The heat exchange system according to claim 3 , wherein the bent zone extends towards the at least one support of the heat exchange system.

5 . The heat exchange system according to claim 2 , wherein the fixing wall of the first tongue and the fixing zone of the fixing wall of the second tongue each extend in a plane parallel to the main planes of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

6 . The heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing tab of the at least one support extends from a transverse end of the at least one support in the longitudinal direction.

7 . The heat exchanger system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first tongue and the second tongue includes a base and a fixing wall, the base of the first tongue and the base of the second tongue being secured to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, respectively, the fixing walls each extending from their respective base such that they engage with the fixing tab of the at least one support, wherein the first groove and the second groove are configured to engage with the fixing wall of the first tongue and the fixing zone of the fixing wall of the second tongue, respectively.

8 . The heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein a first vertical end and a second vertical end of the heat exchanger system, which are opposite one another in the vertical direction, are defined, each of the first groove and the second groove of the fixing tab of the at least one support including an opening facing one and the same vertical end of the heat exchange system.

9 . The heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing tab of the at least one support includes, at a free end opposite to the at least one support, an end wall which contributes to delimiting the second groove, the end wall including at least one elastically deformable snap-fastening finger arranged through the second groove.

10 . A method for mounting a heat exchange system including at least one support, a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger each extending in a main plane which is transverse and vertical, the first heat exchanger being disposed, in a longitudinal direction of the heat exchange system, between the at least one support and the second heat exchanger, each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger being fixed to the at least one support wherein the first heat exchanger includes a first tongue and the second heat exchanger includes a second tongue, the first tongue and the second tongue each extending from a transverse end of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, respectively, and facing one another, each of the first tongue and the second tongue engaging with a fixing tab of the at least one support, the method comprising disposing the first heat exchanger by way of a vertical translational movement along the at least one support such that the first tongue is received at least partially in the first groove of the fixing tab of the at least one support, and disposing the second heat exchanger by way of a vertical translational movement against the first heat exchanger such that the second tongue is received at least partially in the second groove of the fixing tab of the at least one support.

11 . A heat exchange system comprising:

a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger being disposed, in a longitudinal direction of the heat exchange system, between at least one support and the second heat exchanger;

wherein the first heat exchanger includes a first tongue and the second heat exchanger includes a second tongue, the first tongue and the second tongue each extending from a transverse end of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, respectively, and facing one another, each of the first tongue and the second tongue engaging with a fixing tab of the at least one support, and

wherein the fixing tab of the at least one support extends from a transverse end of the at least one support in the longitudinal direction and includes at least a first groove and a second groove which are capable of receiving at least part of the first tongue and at least part of the second tongue, respectively.

12 . The heat exchange system according to claim 11 , wherein each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are fixed to the at least one support.

13 . The heat exchange system according to claim 11 , wherein each of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger extend in a main plane which is transverse and vertical.

14 . The heat exchange system according to claim 11 , wherein the fixing tab of the at least one support includes, at a free end opposite to the at least one support, an end wall which contributes to delimiting the second groove, the end wall including at least one elastically deformable snap-fastening finger arranged through the second groove.

15 . The heat exchange system according to claim 13 , wherein each of the first tongue and the second tongue includes a base and a fixing wall, the base of the first tongue and the base of the second tongue being secured to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, respectively, the fixing walls each extending from their respective base such that they exchange with the fixing tab of the at least one support.

16 . The heat exchange system according to claim 13 , wherein the fixing tab includes a lug protruding from at least one wall that contributes to delimiting the first groove and/or the second groove.

17 . The heat exchange system according to claim 15 , wherein the fixing wall of the second tongue includes a bent zone which extends from its base and a fixing zone which extends from the bent zone, away from its base.

18 . The heat exchange system according to claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first tongue and the second tongue include a receiving slot capable of engaging with the lug.

19 . The heat exchange system according to claim 17 , wherein the bent zone extends towards the at least one support of the heat exchange system.

20 . The heat exchange system according to claim 17 , wherein the fixing zone extends in a fixing plane parallel to and spaced apart from the main plane, which is transverse and vertical, of the second heat exchanger.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2023
From: TOURNOIS, REMI; BIREAUD, FABIEN; CAPARROS, MATHIEU; TRINDADE, JOSE
To: VALEO SYSTEMES THERMIQUES
Reel/Frame 065558/0412 →
Priority Claims (1)
FR 2105250 · May 20, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240255237A1 · Aug 1, 2024
References Cited (12)
US 5219016A · Bolton · 1993 [cited by examiner]
US 6237676B1 · Hasegawa · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 6772982B2 · Nakagawa · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 7121369B2 · Beck et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 9091468B2 · Colpan · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20040069442A1 · Yagi · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20120328390A1 · Colpan · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20160001629A1 · Rohr · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170167795A1 · Han · 2017 [cited by examiner]
DE 102019216578A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
European Patent Office, International Search Report (with English translation) and Written Opinion of corresponding International Application No. PCT/EP2022/059262, dated Jun. 2, 2022. [cited by applicant]
Anonymous, Assembly Snap Feature, Research Disclosure, Kenneth Mason Publications, Hampshire, UK, GB, vol. 476, No. 83, Dec. 1, 2003, XP007133251, ISSN: 0374-4353. [cited by applicant]