TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a double chamber heating radiator element made of die-casted aluminium.

BACKGROUND ART

As known, a die-casted aluminium radiator normally consists of a battery of elements coupled to each other to form a radiator of suitable dimensions; each element has an aluminium body that extends generally along an axis (vertical in use) and inside which there are, for the circulation of heating water, a longitudinal water chamber and a pair of transverse joint conduits, placed at respective opposite axial ends of the body. Are also known double-chamber radiator elements, i.e. having two longitudinal chambers arranged side by side.

In die-casted aluminium elements, the two chambers are generally parallel and close one to the other and converge and join directly into one of the joint conduits, usually the one arranged at the upper end of the element. At the other end (usually the bottom one) , the two chambers are combined into one open end, which then has to be closed by a suitable terminal element.

This conformation, also determined by construction requirements, however, is not fully satisfactory from the point of view of thermal efficiency.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a double- chamber heating radiator element, in particular a double- chamber heating radiator element made of die-casted aluminium, which has a high heat exchange efficiency and at the same time can be manufactured in a relatively simple manner.

The present invention therefore relates to a double chamber heating radiator element made of die-casted aluminium essentially as defined in appended claim 1 and, for its preferred aspects, in the dependent claims.

The invention then relates to the manufacturing method for said radiator element, as defined in claim 11.

As will be better clarified in the following, the radiator element of the invention, made by die-casting technique in a relatively simple manner, has a high heat exchange efficiency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of a non-limiting example of embodiment, with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a heating radiator element according to a first embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 is a rear view of the radiator element of figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal section (according to the plane III-III of Figure 2) and with parts removed for clarity, of the radiator element of figure 1;

- Figure 4 is a bottom view of the radiator element of figure 1;

- Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a side elevation view and a rear view of a heating radiator element according to a second embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 7 is a view in longitudinal section (along the line plane VII -VII of Figure 6) and with parts removed for clarity, of the radiator element of Figures 5 and 6.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to Figures 1 to 3 , a double-chamber heating radiator element 1 made of die-casted aluminium comprises a body 2, preferably monolithic, that is made of die-casted aluminium and extends between two opposite longitudinal ends 3, 4 which are, in use, a top end 3 and a lower end 4 respectively.

The body 2 comprises two water chambers 5, 6 for water circulation, an auxiliary conduit 7 which connects the chambers 5, 6 to one of the end 3, 4, and two transverse joint conduits 8, 9, placed at respective ends 3, 4 of the body 2 and which extend between two opposite lateral sides 10 of the body 2.

The body 2 comprises also a front plate 11 and a rear plate 12 , set along the body 2 between the ends 3 , 4 , and for example substantially parallel to each other and to the chambers 5, 6 and a plurality of fins 13 for heat exchange variously arranged on the body 2.

Optionally, one or both plates 11, 12 are formed by plate sections 14 longitudinally spaced from one another and separated from one another by slits 15 (in the illustrated non- limiting example, the front plate 11 is continuous, while the rear plate 12 is formed by plate sections 14) .

The chambers 5, 6 are substantially parallel to each other and extend along respective parallel axes A, B (vertical in use) ; the chambers 5, 6 are parallel and separated from each other along the whole axial length of the chambers 5, 6; the chambers 5, 6 are arranged one behind the other between the front plate 11 and the rear plate 12 and are substantially aligned along a middle plane P of the body 2 and of the radiator element 1; the plane P contains the axes A, B (which lie on the plane P) and is substantially perpendicular to the plates 11, 12.

The chambers 5, 6 are radially delimited by respective lateral walls 16 arranged around the axes A, B.

The chambers 5 , 6 are tapered towards one of the ends 3 , 4 and precisely towards the end 3 that is provided with the auxiliary conduit 7, i.e., in the example shown, towards the upper end 3. In particular, the chambers 5, 6 have an internal cross-section gradually decreasing from the end - 4 towards the end 3.

Each chamber 5, 6 comprises a main portion 17, that extends along most of the body 2 and slightly tapers towards the end 3, and a terminal portion 18, arranged at the end 3 and that has a tapering more pronounced than the main portion 17. The terminal portions 18 are aligned to the respective main portions 17 along the respective axes A, B.

Optionally, each chamber 5, 6 comprises also a head portion 19, arranged at the end 4 and tapered towards the end .3, with a more pronounced tapering than the main portion 17.

The chambers 5, 6 are joined to the auxiliary conduit 7 that, in the example illustrated in Figures 1-3, is arranged at the top end 3 of the body 2; in particular, the end portions 18 of the chambers 5, 6 communicate with the auxiliary conduit 7 via respective openings 20 spaced along the auxiliary conduit 7.

The chambers 5, 6 then communicate with each other via the auxiliary conduit 7. The auxiliary conduit 7 extends substantially perpendicular to the chambers 5, 6 and along an axis Z substantially perpendicular to the axes A, B of the chambers 5, 6.

Preferably, the auxiliary conduit 7 is a dead duct, being formed in the body 2 between a front opening 21 and a rear wall 22 defined by a portion of the body 2; the opening 21 is closed, in use, by a cap 23.

The chambers 5, 6, the auxiliary conduit 7 and the joint conduits 8, 9 define a hydraulic circuit inside the radiator element 1, for the circulation of a stream of water in the radiator element 1; in particular, the chambers 5, 6 and the auxiliary conduit 7 define a loop structure between the joint conduits 8, 9.

The joint conduits 8, 9 are arranged at respective ends 3, 4 of the body 2 and are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the chambers 5, 6 (and therefore to the axes A, B) and to the auxiliary conduit 7. In particular, the joint conduits 8, 9 extend along respective axes X parallel one to the other and substantially perpendicular to the axes A, B of the chambers 5, 6, and to the axis Z of the auxiliary conduit 7; each joint conduit 8, 9 extends between a pair of opposing side openings 24, delimited by respective collars 25 arranged on opposite sides of the body 2 and which serve to connect the radiator element 1 to other similar elements and/or to an external hydraulic system, or are closed by caps (not shown) .

The joint conduit 8 arranged at the end 3 of the body 2 provided with the auxiliary conduit 7 (in the illustrated example, the upper end 3) intersects the auxiliary conduit 7, for example by communicating with the auxiliary conduit 7 via a cross junction 26.

The other joint conduit 9, arranged at the lower end 4 (i.e. the opposite end of that provided of the auxiliary conduit 7) , directly connects the chambers 5, 6, and precisely the head portions 19 of the chambers 5, 6; the head portions 19 are arranged oh opposite sides of the joint conduit 9, which is substantially perpendicular to the chambers 5, 6, and communicate with the joint conduit 9 via respective passages 27 formed in the lateral walls 16 of the chambers 5, 6.

The chambers 5, 6, and precisely the head portions 19 have, at the end 4 of the body 2, respective bottom openings 28, distinct and spaced one from the other and which are closed, in use, by respective caps 29 (shown in Figure 4) .

The chambers 5, 6 are arranged, in respect of the standard dimensions of the radiator element 1, in close proximity of respective plates 11, 12; each plate 11, 12 extends directly from the side wall 16 of a chamber 5, 6, or is connected to the side wall 16 via a ridge 31 which serves mainly to compensate for the tapering of the chambers 5, 6.

Each ridge 31 has therefore a depth (measured between one chamber 5, 6 and the respective plate 11, 12) of a few millimeters; indicatively, each ridge 31 has an average depth (average value over the entire length of the ridge) less than 10 mm and preferably less than about 5 mm.

The position of the chambers 5, 6 with respect to the plates 11, 12 improves the heat exchange efficiency of the radiator element 1, as the plates 11, 12 are directly in contact, or at least in close proximity, with the chambers 5, 6 wherein the hot water circulates .

Moreover, the conformation of the chambers 5, 6, which are separated and arranged side by side for their entire length and therefore also, in particular, to the ends 3, 4 of the radiator element 1, allows to fully exploit even the heat exchange at both ends , 4 , f rther improving the thermal performance of the radiator element 1.

The chambers 5, 6 are connected mechanically by a central rib 32, substantially set along the middle plane P and perpendicular to the plates 11, 12; the rib 32, as the plates 11, 12 and the fins 13, is a solid element (where water does not circulate) .

In the embodiment shown in Figures 5-7, for the most part completely analogous to the embodiment already described, the rib 32 is provided with through openings 33, formed through the rib 32 and spaced longitudinally (i.e. in a direction parallel to the chambers 5, 6 and to the axes A, B) and which subdivide the rib 32 in rib portions 34.

The rib portions 34, acting also as heat transfer fins, have a high efficiency because they are directly served by both chambers 5 , 6 wherein hot water circulates .

According to an aspect of the invention, the radiator element 1 is made by die casting.

The manufacturing method of the radiator element 1 essentially comprises the steps of :

providing a mould comprising: a seat having a shape corresponding to the shape of the body 2, and a plurality of movable inserts, which are movable in the seat and define respective hollow parts of the body 2, in particular the chambers 5, 6, the auxiliary conduit 7 and the joint conduits 8, 9;

- inserting the inserts that define the hollow parts of the body 2 in the seat of the mould;

- coupling in the seat of the mould the inserts that define the chambers 5, 6 with the insert that defines the auxiliary conduit 7, so that said inserts are in contact; - making in the mould, by aluminium die-casting, the body 2;

- remove the inserts and extracting the body from the mould 2.

Then the bottom openings 28 of the chambers 5, 6 are closed with the caps 29, and the front opening 21 of the auxiliary conduit 7 with the cap 23.

It is finally understood that to the radiator element as described and illustrated further modifications and variations that do not depart from the scope of the accompanying claims may be made .

For example, the auxiliary conduit 7 can also be placed at the lower end 4 of the body 2; in a variant not shown, the radiator element 1 is provided with two auxiliary conduits 7 arranged at the respective opposite longitudinal ends 3, 4 of the body 2. In this variant, although both the auxiliary conduits 7 can be made as described above, it may be more convenient to obtain by die-casting the body 2 provided with only one auxiliary conduit 7 (as described above) , and then obtain the second auxiliary conduit 7 by mechanical machining, perforating the body 2 and removing excess material.