ARRANGEMENT OF A FIRST COMPONENT MOUNTED ONTO A SECOND COMPONENT BY MEANS OF A MOUNTING BRACKET

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to an arrangement of a first component mounted onto a second component by means of a mounting bracket, for mounting a first heat exchanging component to a second heat exchanging component in an automobile.

Background of the invention

[0002] It is necessary to ensure that heat exchanging components are mounted securely in their operative positions. This is a particular issue in automobile heat exchangers. The means for mounting the components must be such that it is resilient enough to withstand certain vibrations and impact forces, yet remains a relatively straightforward form of attachment. DE 102004043354 discloses a mounting bracket for heat exchangers.

[0003] US 2004/0089769 A1 discloses a mounting bracket for mounting a first component onto a second component. The mounting bracket comprising a body member having a formation which is engageable with a corresponding formation on the second component to which the first component is to be attached to, at least an attachment member protruding from the body member, wherein the attachment member is provided with resilient means with a corresponding formation on the first component, and wherein the body member is also provided with resilient means with a corresponding formation on the second component. Said mounting bracket is suitable for first and second components being heat exchanger components for an automobile. On the known bracket the resilient means of the attachment member comprises a biased detent adapted to deform and snap from an outward position to an inward position as it engages with the component and returns back to its original position when the bracket and the first component are mounted to one another in order to lock the first component to the bracket.

[0004] US 2004/0265053 A1 discloses a threaded push broom locking clip.

Summary of the invention

[0005] According to the present invention, there is provided an arrangement of a first component mounted onto a second component by means of a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket comprising:

• a body member having a formation which is engageable with a corresponding formation on the second component to which the first component is to be attached to;
• at least an attachment member protruding from the body member, wherein the attachment member is provided with resilient means co-operable with a corresponding formation on the first component.

[0006] The body member is also provided with resilient means co-operable with a corresponding formation on the second component.

[0007] Preferably, the body member comprises a plastics block having a substantially rectangular aperture for receiving a corresponding rectangular protrusion on the second component.

[0008] Preferably, the attachment member comprises a rectangular protrusion having the resilient means mounted thereon.
Each of the resilient means comprises a biased detent adapted to deform from an outward position to an inward position as it engages with the respective component and return back to its original position when the first and second components are mounted to one another.

[0009] The first and second components are heat exchanger components for an automobile.

Brief description of the drawings

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig 1 is a perspective view of the mounting bracket according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mounting bracket of Fig. 1 in use when mounting a first heat exchanger component to a second heat exchanger component; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a mounting hook, not in accordance with the present invention, located toward the bottom of the heat exchanger component.

Description of the preferred embodiment

[0011] With reference to Fig. 1, a mounting bracket 10 comprises a block moulded from a plastics material. At one side, the bracket 10 has an aperture 12 having a rectangular cross section for accepting a correspondingly shaped portion of a heat exchanger. An attachment member 16 projects from the body member of the bracket 10 and has a chamfered end in order to assist insertion into a recess in a bracket of the heat exchanger. At the opposite side the bracket 10 has a lip 14 for connection to a portion of the heat exchanger. Both the lip 14 and the attachment member 16 have resilient means in the form of biased detents 18.

[0012] In the embodiment shown, the mounting bracket 10 is used to mount a first heat exchanging component 20 onto a second heat exchanging component 22 of an automobile. The rectangular aperture 12 of the bracket 10 is placed over a corresponding formation on the second heat exchanger 22. At the same time, the detent 18 on the lip 14 snaps into engagement with a connection bracket 24 of the second heat exchanging component 22. This secures the mounting bracket 10 to the second heat exchanging component 22. In order to mount the first heat exchanging component onto the second heat exchanging component a connecting bracket of the first exchanging component is brought towards the projecting attachment portion 16 until the chamfered portions of the attachment member 16 meets the bracket. At this point further movement of the first heat exchanging component towards the second heat exchanging component will cause the biased detent 18 to move inwardly and allow the attachment portion to pass into the bracket of the first heat exchanging component 20. Once the attachment portion has been fully inserted into the bracket, the biased detent snaps outwardly to lock the first heat exchanging component to the second heat exchanging component.

[0013] Although only a single mounting bracket is shown in the figures, it will be appreciated that use of more than one mounting bracket may be desirable, for example it may be desirable to have mounting bracket at each of the four corners of the heat exchanging components. Alternatively, mounting hooks H may be used at selected corners, such as at the corners toward the bottom of the heat exchanger component, as shown in Fig. 3.

[0014] The mounting bracket provides both a hanging function and a locating function for the heat exchanger component. This maximises the size of heat exchangers which can be used in a given application.

[0015] Other advantages of the mounting bracket of the present invention include:

• providing a secure and reliable bracket which requires a minimal amount of space;

minimising the number of components required by minimising the need for screws and other fasting means; and
allowing the components to be attached to one another very quickly and easily.

[0016] Modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing without departing from the scope of the present invention, for example:-

[0017] Although, in the above description, the mounting bracket is used to mount a first heat exchanging component to a second heat exchanging component, it is clearly not limited to first and second components; it could be used to mount additional (third, fourth etc.) heat exchanging components to one another.

Claims

1. An arrangement of a first component (20) mounted onto a second component (22) by means of a mounting bracket (10), the mounting bracket (10) comprising:

- a body member having a formation which is engaged with a corresponding formation on the second component (22) to which the first component (20) is attached to;

- at least an attachment member (16) protruding from the body member, wherein the attachment member (16) is provided with resilient means co-operating with a corresponding formation on the first component (20) and wherein the body member is also provided with resilient means co-operating with a corresponding formation on the second component (22),

and wherein each of the resilient means comprises a biased detent adapted to deform and snap from an outward position to an inward position as it engages with the respective component, the first and second components (20, 22) are heat exchanger components for an automobile, characterized in that the biased detents return back to their original position when the first and second components (20,22) are mounted to one another in order to lock the first component to the second component.

2. The arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the body member comprises a plastics block having a substantially rectangular aperture for receiving a corresponding rectangular protrusion on the second component (22).

3. The arrangement according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the attachment member comprises a rectangular protrusion having the resilient means mounted thereon.

Ansprüche

1. Anordnung einer ersten Komponente (20), die auf eine zweite Komponente (22) mittels einer Montageklammer (10) montiert ist, wobei die Montageklammer (10) umfasst:

- ein Körperelement mit einer Gestaltung, die in eine entsprechende Gestaltung an der zweiten Komponente (22) eingreift, an welcher die erste Komponente (20) befestigt ist;

- mindestens ein Befestigungselement (16), das von dem Körperelement vorsteht, wobei das Befestigungselement (16) mit einem nachgiebigen Element versehen ist, das mit einer entsprechenden Gestaltung an der ersten Komponente (20) zusammenwirkt, und wobei das Körperelement ebenfalls mit einem nachgiebigen Element versehen ist, das mit einer entsprechenden Gestaltung an der zweiten Komponente (22) zusammenwirkt,

und wobei jedes der nachgiebigen Elemente eine vorgespannte Arretierung umfasst, die dazu angepasst ist, sich zu verformen und aus einer Auswärtsposition in Einwärtspositionen zu schnappen, wenn sie in die jeweiligen Komponente eingreift,
wobei die erste und zweite Komponente (20, 22) Wärmetauscherkomponenten für ein Automobil sind, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die vorgespannten Arretierungen in ihre Ursprungsposition zurückkehren, wenn die erste und zweite Komponente (20, 22) aneinander montiert werden, um die erste Komponente mit der zweiten Komponente zu verriegeln.

2. Anordnung nach dem vorhergehenden Anspruch, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Körperelement einen Kunststoffblock umfasst, der eine im Wesentlichen rechteckige Öffnung zum Aufnehmen eines entsprechenden rechteckigen Vorsprungs an der zweiten Komponente (22) hat.

3. Anordnung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Befestigungselement einen rechteckigen Vorsprung umfasst, an welchem das nachgiebige Element montiert ist.

Revendications

1. Agencement d'un premier composant (20) monté sur un second composant (22) au moyen d'une patte de montage (10), la patte de montage (10) comprenant :

- un élément formant corps ayant une formation qui est mise en prise avec une formation correspondante sur le second composant (22) auquel le premier composant (20) est attaché ;

- au moins un élément d'attache (16) dépassant de l'élément formant corps, dans lequel l'élément d'attache (16) est muni d'un moyen élastique coopérant avec une formation correspondante sur le premier composant (20) et dans lequel l'élément formant corps est également muni d'un moyen élastique coopérant avec une formation correspondante sur le second composant (22),

et dans lequel chacun des moyens élastiques comprend un positionneur sollicité conçu pour se déformer et s'encliqueter d'une position extérieure à une position intérieure lorsqu'il vient en prise avec le composant respectif,
les premier et second composants (20, 22) sont des composants d'échangeur de chaleur pour une automobile, caractérisé en ce que les positionneurs sollicités reviennent à leur position d'origine quand les premier et second composants (20, 22) sont montés l'un sur l'autre afin de verrouiller le premier composant sur le second composant.

2. Agencement selon la revendication précédente, caractérisé en ce que l'élément formant corps comprend un bloc de plastique ayant une ouverture sensiblement rectangulaire pour recevoir une protubérance rectangulaire correspondante sur le second composant (22).

3. Agencement selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que l'élément d'attache comprend une protubérance rectangulaire ayant un moyen élastique monté dessus.

Drawing