US 12,459,328 B2
Supplemental aerodynamic heat exchanger for a vehicle
Daniel Morris, San Marcos, CA (US); Steve Fambro, San Diego, CA (US); Eric Byers, Oceanside, CA (US); Chris Anthony, San Diego, CA (US); Jason Hill, Costa Mesa, CA (US); and John Klopp, III, Encinitas, CA (US)
Assigned to APTERA MOTORS CORP., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by APTERA MOTORS CORP., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/931,239.
Prior Publication US 2024/0100905 A1, Mar. 28, 2024
Int. Cl. B60H 1/00 (2006.01); F28D 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60H 1/00042 (2013.01) [B60H 1/00207 (2013.01); B60H 2001/00092 (2013.01); B60H 2001/00107 (2013.01); B60H 2001/00221 (2013.01); F28D 2021/0092 (2013.01); F28D 2021/0096 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat exchanger for a vehicle, the heat exchanger comprising:
a plurality of chambers, each chamber formed from an upper sheet and a lower sheet, each chamber comprising a plurality of indentations characterized by localized regions where said upper and lower sheet are coupled such that fluid flow within each localized region is inhibited, said upper sheet having an inlet and an outlet, said lower sheet forming a body panel of said vehicle, wherein in an assembled configuration, said upper sheet forms an inner heat exchange surface,
said vehicle including an internal vehicle passage that includes an air inlet disposed within an ambient airflow separation region and proximate a front end of said vehicle, an air outlet disposed proximate a trailing end of said vehicle, and an interstitial cavity disposed therebetween, said inner heat exchange surface in fluid communication with said interstitial cavity so that said internal vehicle passage is adapted to exchange heat with an ambient environment,
and wherein said upper sheet forms an outer heat exchange surface adapted to exchange heat with said ambient environment.