A vehicle cooling system includes a closed circuit engine cooling system including an engine and a radiator connected by a plurality of hoses. The engine cooling system regulates an engine temperature within a pre-determined operating range by controlling the flow of the coolant through the system. Coolant accepts heat from the engine and then flows to the radiator where it rejects heat to a fluid medium. The coolant then returns to the engine.

The vehicle cooling system also includes a closed circuit transmission cooling system including a vehicle transmission, the radiator and a transmission oil cooler connected by a plurality of hoses. The transmission cooling system regulates a temperature of transmission oil from the vehicle transmission. The transmission oil from the vehicle transmission flows through the transmission oil cooler in the radiator where it rejects heat to the coolant. The transmission oil then returns to the vehicle transmission.

High strength bonds at various tube to hose joints are needed throughout the system to maintain proper flow of fluids through the engine cooling system and the transmission cooling system and to prevent system failure. Conventional crimping techniques are commonly employed to bond tube to hose joints and typically require the use of a pneumatic or hydraulic die set to crimp a ferrule around a tube to hose interface. Although effective, these crimping techniques may be expensive and difficult to operate. Also, use of these traditional crimping techniques may increase production costs due to the necessity of altering the die set each time a different type of hose to tube interface is required. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved method of joining a tube and a hose of different materials together that provides a high strength and cost efficient workpiece that is readily usable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A vehicle cooling system including an engine cooling system and a transmission cooling system. In the engine cooling system, coolant accepts heat from an engine. The coolant flows into a radiator and rejects heat into a fluid medium. The coolant then returns to the engine to accept additional heat. In the transmission cooling system, transmission oil from a vehicle transmission is cooled by the coolant in a transmission oil cooler of the radiator. The transmission oil then returns to the vehicle transmission to accept heat from the vehicle transmission.

Lines connect the various components of the vehicle cooling system. One of the lines includes a tube extending from the radiator and a tube that extends from either the vehicle transmission or the engine. An end of each of the tubes is connected to an end of a hose. The hose is made of a different material than the tubes.

An interface is formed where the hose connects to each of the tubes. A crimp ferrule is located around each interface. The ends of each of the tubes can include an endform having an irregular surface.

An electromagnetic source applies an electromagnetic field to the interfaces. The electromagnetic field compresses the crimp ferrules around the interfaces, forming a secure mechanical joint between the tubes and the hose.

These and other features of the present invention will be best understood from the specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:

Figure 1 illustrates a vehicle cooling system including a transmission cooling system and an engine cooling system;

Figure 2 illustrates a side view of an electromagnetic forming crimp used to join a tube and a hose;

Figure 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a tube used in the transmission cooling system; and

Figure 4 illustrates a side view of the electromagnetic forming crimp used to join a tube including an endform to a hose.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Figure 1 schematically illustrates a vehicle cooling system 10 including an engine cooling system 12 and a transmission cooling system 14. The engine cooling system 12 includes an engine 16 that drives a water pump 18 to circulate coolant through the engine cooling system 12. The water pump 18 pumps coolant through a cooling line 20 and into a radiator 22, where the coolant exchanges heat with air. The coolant then flows through another cooling line 24 and back into the engine 16, completing the cycle. The transmission cooling system 14 includes a transmission cooling line 26 that communicates a flow of transmission oil from a vehicle transmission 28 to the radiator 22. The transmission oil enters the radiator 22 and circulates through a transmission oil cooler 30, exchanging heat with the coolant within the radiator 22. The cooled transmission oil then exits the radiator 22 and returns to the vehicle transmission 28 via another transmission cooling line 32, completing the cycle.

Figure 2 illustrates the transmission cooling line 26 within the transmission cooling system 14. Although the transmission cooling line 26 is illustrated and described, the present invention can also be employed with the transmission cooling line 32 or with either of the cooling lines 20 and 24. A tube 34 extends from the radiator 22, and a tube 36 extends from the vehicle transmission 28. The tubes 34 and 36 are each connected to an opposing end 38 and 40, respectively, of a hose 42. In one example, the tubes 34 and 36 are inserted into the opposing ends 38 and 40, respectively, of the hose 42. Preferably, the hose 42 is made of a material that is different from the material of the tubes 34 and 36. In one example, the tubes 34 and 36 are made of metal, and the hose 42 is made of a thermoplastic or a rubber which is elastic. In one example, the tubes 34 and 36 can be made of steel, aluminum or copper. In another example shown in Figure 3, the hose 42 is a multi-layered thermoplastic hose including a plastic inner layer 44, a fiber reinforced middle layer 46, and either a plastic or a rubber outer layer 46. A first interface 50 is formed where the tube 34 and the hose 42 overlap, and a second interface 52 is formed where the tube 36 and the hose 42 overlap. A first crimp ferrule 54 is located around the first interface 50, and a second crimp ferrule 56 is located around the second interface 52. Preferably, the first crimp ferrule 54 and the second crimp ferrule 56 are made of steel or aluminum.

An electromagnetic source 58 applies an electromagnetic field to the first interface 50 and the second interface 52. The electromagnetic source 58 creates an electromagnetic field that compresses the first crimp ferrule 54 and the second crimp ferrule 56 around the first interface 50 and the second interface 52, respectively, to form a concentric crimp. The first crimp ferrule 54 and the second crimp ferrule 56 compress the elastic hose 42 against the tubes 34 and 36, respectively, and a secure mechanical joint is thus formed between the tubes 34 and 36 and the hose 42 to create a high strength transmission cooling line 26.

Preferably, the electromagnetic source 58 is an electromagnetic forming process (EMF). However, other processes, such as magnetic pulse welding (MPW), may be used as the electromagnetic source 58 of the present invention. One skilled in the art would know what type of electromagnetic source 58 to employ.

Although it is described that both the interfaces 50 and 52 are secured by the crimp ferrules 54 and 56, respectively, it is possible that only one of the interfaces 50 and 52 could employed a crimp ferrule. The other interface would be secured by any other type of attachment.

Figure 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the transmission cooling line 26.

In this embodiment, the ends of the tubes 34 and 36 each include an endform 60 having an irregular surface. The endforms 60 may take the shape of any known tube endform in the art. The irregular shape of the endforms 60 increases the surface area and the strength of the joints. The endforms 60 of the tubes 34 and 36 are inserted into the hose 42 to provide increased strength at the interfaces 50 and 52, respectively.

When the electromagnetic field is applied, the first crimp ferrule 54 and the second crimp ferrule 56 compress the elastic hose 42 against the tubes 34 and 36, respectively.

It should be understood that the present invention may be employed with other vehicle systems that utilize tube to hose joints. By way of a non-limiting example, possible vehicle systems may include coolant systems, air conditioning systems, fuel systems and brake systems. That the foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense is thus made apparent. A worker of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claim should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.