Stacked Plate Cooler Base Plate Reinforcement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stacked disk coolers for internal combustion engines, transmissions, and filter modules face challenges in achieving dimensional stability and cost-effectiveness, particularly due to material thickness and reinforcement requirements.

Innovation Solution

A base plate with a raised edge or bead design that surrounds or partially surrounds the stack, providing reinforcement and allowing for thinner material usage while maintaining strength, and optional integration of a stiffening plate for enhanced sealing and attachment, eliminates the need for additional reinforcing disks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of stationary object

If the base plate is made thinner to reduce cost and weight, then manufacturing cost and weight decrease, but the base plate loses dimensional stability and cannot withstand bending moments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebase plate weightVSAvoidbase plate dimensional stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of stationary objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The base plate transitions from a purely two-dimensional flat structure to a three-dimensional form with a raised edge creating a bead. This dimensional change adds structural depth and stiffness to the base plate, enabling it to withstand bending moments while maintaining a thin overall profile and reducing material usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The raised edge of the base plate is formed as a curved bead rather than a sharp or flat edge. This curvature distributes stress more effectively and provides form stiffening, allowing the base plate to maintain dimensional stability under loading conditions while using less material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Strength

If additional reinforcing disks are added to strengthen the base plate, then structural strength increases, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebase plate strengthVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcing function previously requiring separate reinforcing disks is merged into the base plate itself through the raised edge bead structure. This integration eliminates additional components while maintaining the necessary structural strength and stiffness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The reinforcing disks are extracted or removed from the assembly entirely. The base plate's raised edge bead provides the necessary reinforcement function without requiring these additional separate components, simplifying the overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Strength

If the base plate is made thicker to increase strength and stiffness, then structural integrity improves, but manufacturing cost and material usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebase plate structural integrityVSAvoidbase plate material thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of increasing material thickness uniformly throughout the base plate, the solution creates localized three-dimensional structure through the raised edge bead. This provides the necessary strength and stiffness where needed while keeping the overall material quantity low.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The base plate features localized reinforcement through the raised edge bead rather than uniform thickness throughout. This concentrates material and structural strength only where needed for stiffness and bending moment resistance, reducing overall material usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution results in a more cost-effective and dimensionally stable base plate that can withstand bending moments, reducing material thickness while maintaining structural integrity and allowing for seamless integration with sealing mechanisms.

Implementation Method 1

the base plate has a form stiffening in the area where the stack rests, so that the base plate has a higher strength for a given material thickness

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGeometric reinforcement: Geometry

Implementation Method 2

a bent edge of the bottommost heat exchanger disc rests at least partially against the edge of the base plate and is soldered to the edge

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSoldering: Soldering

Data Source

PatentEP2267390B2Stacked plate cooler
Publication Date: 2022.12.14 MAHLE BEHR GMBH & CO
  • EP2267390B2 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2267390B2 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2267390B2 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

The invention relates to a stacked disc cooler, in particular for an internal combustion engine, comprising a plurality of heat exchanger discs (1) arranged one on top of the other in a stack, and a base plate (3) arranged at one end of the stack, wherein the base plate (3) has an edge (4) directed towards the stack (1), which at least partially follows an outline of the stack (1).