20080264605 | Heater core assembly - A heater core assembly includes a heater core having two tube stubs projecting therefrom. Two heater tubes engage the two tube stubs, respectively, to define respective abutting interfaces therewith. A clamp couples the heater tubes to corresponding ones of the tube stubs. The clamp includes a first bracket half having two arcuately-shaped openings formed therein for accommodating the stub/tube pairs at the abutting interfaces to permit the stub/tube pairs to extend transversely to the clamp. A second bracket half is hinge connected to the first bracket to permit opening and closing of the clamp. The second bracket half likewise has two arcuately-shaped openings to accommodate the stub/tube pairs when the second bracket half is pivoted onto the first bracket half. The clamp snugly holds the stub/tube pairs when closed. The first and second bracket halves have a thickness measured in the longitudinal direction of each of the stub/tube pairs to extend beyond the abutting interfaces. This permits the clamp to hold the stub/tube pairs at both sides of each of the abutting interfaces thereby laterally supporting the stub/tube pairs and preventing bending at the interfaces. A latch latches the first bracket half and the second bracket half to each other when the clamp is closed. | 10-30-2008 |