Connector assembly

• Main Authors: MCCASKY; WILLIAM J, BUTLER; BRIAN H, FEHR; LESLIE E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.09.1997
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: BLASTING; DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OFGENERAL APPLICATION; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL; HEATING; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; LIGHTING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

Past connector assemblies have failed to provide adequate amounts of the air/cooling liquid mixture from the heat exchanger to the surge tank for proper air venting. The present invention overcomes this and other problems by providing a connector assembly 48 which is easily installed within a tank portion 14 of the heat exchanger 12. The connector assembly 48 includes a tubular member 50 which has a cylindrical portion 54 and a bifurcated end portion 56. The bifurcated end portion 56 has a rectangular outer shape 66 which is designed so that it can be squeezed into a rectangular shaped opening 44 in the tank portion 14. A nut 92 which has an inner threaded portion 104 is threaded onto an outer threaded portion 64 of the cylindrical portion 54 until a pair of tabs 76,78 on the bifurcated end portion 56 are securely seated against an inner surface 16 of the tank portion 14. A washer 110 is seated against an annular beaded seat 36 to form a first seal. An o-ring 112 is seated within an inner annular groove 108 of the nut 92 to form a second seal. The tubular member 50 has an internal bore 52 which has a diameter greater than 0.256 inches/7 mm for communicating the proper amount of air/cooling liquid mixture to the surge tank (not shown) so that adequate air venting occurs.