JP2001056164A - Heat exchanger - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress a rise in a manufacturing cost in an evaporator having a tube connected to a tank of a separator body. SOLUTION: A cap seat 131 for blocking both end sides of a tank 120 in the longitudinal direction is provided at a side plate 130 which functions as a pressing jig for pressing fins 112 disposed at both end sides of a heat exchange core 110 to a tube 111 when brazed. Thus, the plate 130 is connected to the core 110, and simultaneously blocking works of both ends of the tank 120 in the longitudinal direction are finished. Accordingly, numbers of components and manufacturing steps of the evaporator 100 can be reduced, and the plate 130 can be effectively utilized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, and is effective when applied to an evaporator of a refrigeration cycle for a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a general evaporator for a vehicle refrigeration cycle, a plurality of tubes through which a refrigerant flows by laminating thin plates (plates) press-formed into a predetermined shape in a thickness direction thereof, and each tube. To form a tank that communicates with the

[0003]

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for smaller and lighter evaporators. Therefore, the inventors and others studied a trial production of a thinner plate for forming a tube and a tank. However, when the plate was press-formed, a crack was generated in a protruding portion (deep drawn portion) constituting the tank in the plate. And
The moldability (yield) of the plate was significantly reduced.

[0004] For this reason, the inventors made a trial production of an evaporator in which the tank was formed separately from the tube, and then the separate tank was integrally bonded to the tube by joining means such as brazing. In the work, the evaporator (tank) needs to be closed with a cap at the longitudinal end of the tank.
The number of parts increased, resulting in an increase in the manufacturing cost of the evaporator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to suppress an increase in manufacturing cost in a heat exchanger in which a plurality of separate tanks are joined to a tube on at least one side.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the heat exchange core (110) is disposed at an end of the heat exchange core (110) in the stacking direction. The side plate (13) extending parallel to the tube (111)
0), and a cap (131) for closing the longitudinal end of the tank (120) is formed at the longitudinal end of the side plate (130).

Thus, the side plate (130) is joined to the heat exchange core (110) and at the same time, the tank (1) is joined.
The closing operation on the longitudinal end side in 20) is completed. Therefore, in the heat exchanger in which the separate tank (120) is joined to the tube (111), the number of parts of the heat exchanger and the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced.

When joining the tube (111), the fin (112) and the tank (120), it is necessary to temporarily fix them (111, 112, 120). The fin (112) located at the end in the direction cannot be pressed against the tube (111) as it is.

On the other hand, according to the present invention, a side plate (13) is provided at an end of the heat exchange core (110) in the stacking direction.
If 0) is provided, this side plate (130) can be used as a pressing jig. Therefore, according to the present invention, the number of parts and the number of manufacturing steps of the heat exchanger can be reduced by effectively using the side plate (130).

According to the second aspect of the invention, the cap (131) is formed with the protrusion (133) projecting inward of the tank (120), and further includes the protrusion (133). ) Is characterized in that it is joined to the tank (120) in a state where it is inserted into the tank (120) from the outside in the longitudinal direction of the tank (120).

As a result, since the tank (120) is positioned with respect to the side plate (130), the tank (120) is positioned in a state where the tank (120) is positioned with respect to the heat exchange core (110). The core (110) and the side plate (130) can be brazed.

The cap portion (131) is provided in claim 3
As in the invention described in (1), the longitudinal end of the tank (120) may be closed in a state of being inserted into the tank (120) from a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the tank (120).

Incidentally, the reference numerals in parentheses of the above means are examples showing the correspondence with specific means described in the embodiments described later.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment)
FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an evaporator 100 according to the present embodiment, in which a heat exchanger according to the present invention is applied to an evaporator of a vehicle air conditioner, and FIG. It is a front view. The evaporator 100 is provided in an air-conditioning casing (not shown) constituting a passage for air blown into the vehicle interior, and cools air flowing through the air-conditioning casing.

In FIGS. 1A and 2, reference numeral 111 denotes a refrigerant (fluid).
Are distributed among the tubes 111. Corrugated cooling fins (hereinafter abbreviated as fins) 112 for promoting heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air are disposed between the plurality of tubes 111. Then, the fin 112 and the tube 1
11 are alternately stacked in a direction (left-right direction on the paper) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the tube 111 and the air flow direction,
A heat exchange core (hereinafter, abbreviated as a core) 110 for exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the air is configured.

In this embodiment, the tube 111
Is integrally formed by extrusion or drawing of an aluminum material.
As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of two tubes 111 arranged in series in the air flow forms a fin 112 and a tube 11.
1 are arranged in two rows in the laminating direction (the left-right direction on the paper).

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 2B, fins 11 are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the tube 111, respectively.
The first and second tanks 1 extend in the stacking direction of the tubes 2 and 111 and communicate with the refrigerant passages of the tubes 111.
21 and 122 are joined, and these tanks 121 and 122 are joined.
122 (hereinafter, the first and second tanks 121 and 122 are collectively referred to as a tank 120), as shown in FIG.
Two tank spaces 120a, 1a, 1b corresponding to (communicate with) a pair of tubes 111 arranged in series with the air flow, respectively.
20b are formed.

The tank 120 according to the present embodiment is
It is formed by brazing a core plate 120c on the core 110 side and a tank main body 120d that forms tank spaces 120a and 120b together with the core plate 120c.

By the way, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, a tube 111 is provided at both ends of the core 110 in the laminating direction.
A side plate 130 is provided extending in a direction parallel to the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 1C, a cap portion for closing the longitudinal end of the tank 120 is provided at a longitudinal end of the side plate 130. 131 are formed.

Here, the side plate 130 is
In addition to protecting the fins 112 located at both ends in the stacking direction of the core 10 (preventing the fins 112 from being crushed), when the core 110 is temporarily fixed with a wire in the brazing step, the fins 112 located at both ends are connected to a tube. It also serves as a pressing jig for pressing down on 111.

Here, the tube 111 and the side plate 130 are joined by brazing with brazing material clad (coated) on both the front and back surfaces of the fin 112, and the tube 1
Numeral 11 is brazed to the core plate 120c together with the tank main body 120d by a brazing material clad (coated) on both front and back surfaces of the core plate 120c, and the cap portion 131 is coated on the tank 120 by coating or spraying. It is joined by the material. Note that the brazing method described here is an example, and it goes without saying that brazing may be performed by another method.

Incidentally, portions of the side plate 130 other than the cap portion 131 have irregularities 132 in the form of corrugated waves.
The unevenness 130 increases the bending rigidity of the side plate 130, and when the evaporator 100 is disposed (fixed) in the air conditioning casing, the unevenness 132
A maze structure (labyrinth structure) is formed by meshing with the convex portion provided on the inner wall of the air conditioning casing to prevent air from leaking from a gap between the evaporator 100 and the inner wall of the air conditioning casing. Also, in FIG.
a is a refrigerant inlet, and 130b is a refrigerant outlet.

Next, the features of this embodiment will be described.

According to the present embodiment, since the cap portions 131 for closing both ends in the longitudinal direction of the tank 120 are provided on the side plate 130,
Is joined to the core 110, and at the same time, the closing operation of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the tank 120 is completed. Therefore, the evaporator 100 in which the separate tank 120 is joined to the tube 111
In this case, the number of parts and the number of manufacturing steps of the evaporator 100 can be reduced.

In the brazing step, the side plate 130 functions as a pressing jig for pressing the fins 112 located at both ends of the core 110 against the tube 111, and after the brazing is completed (completed as the evaporator 100). After that, since it functions as a cover member for protecting the fins 112 located at both ends of the core 110, the side plate 130 is effectively used to reduce the number of parts and the number of manufacturing steps of the evaporator 100. Can be achieved.

(Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, the cap portion 131 of the side plate 130 has a simple flat plate shape. However, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. The cap portion 131 is attached to the tank 120 in a state where the projecting portion 133 is formed so as to protrude toward the inside of the tank 120 and the projecting portion 133 is fitted into the tank 120 from the outside in the longitudinal direction of the tank 120.
Brazed.

As a result, since the tank 120 is positioned with respect to the side plate 130, the tank 120
With the (first and second tanks 121 and 122) positioned with respect to the core 110 (tube 111), the tank 12
0, the core 110 and the side plate 130 can be joined by brazing.

In this embodiment, the cap 131 is used.
In consideration of the brazing property and positioning accuracy between the (projecting portion 133) and the tank 120, about 0.1 mm is provided between the projecting portion 133 and the inner wall of the tank 120 before the brazing step.
The dimensions of the protrusion 133 and the tank 120 are selected such that a gap of 5 mm or less is secured.

Further, since the protruding portion 133 is brazed while being inserted (positioned) into the tank 120, it is possible to prevent the tank 120 from coming off the tube 111 during brazing.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the production cost of the evaporator 100 is reduced while the tank 1
20 can be securely joined by brazing.

(Third Embodiment) In the first and second embodiments,
The cap portion 131 is applied to the tank 120 from the outside in the longitudinal direction of the tank 120 to close both ends in the longitudinal direction of the tank 120. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. In this state, both ends in the longitudinal direction of the tank 120 are closed in a state of being inserted into the tank 120 from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (a direction parallel to the tube 111).

The position of the tank in the longitudinal direction of the tube 111 is determined by bringing the tip end of the cap portion 131 (both ends of the side plate 130 in the longitudinal direction) into contact with the inner wall of the tank 120.
(Cap part 13 formed on (core plate 120c))
The tank is positioned in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube 111 by controlling the size of a slit-shaped hole (not shown) for inserting the tube 1.

(Other Embodiments) In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to the evaporator 100. However, the present invention can be applied to other heat exchangers such as a condenser.

In the above embodiment, the tube 11
1 is a thin plate (plate) that has been integrally formed by extrusion or drawing, but has been pressed into a predetermined shape.
May be laminated in the thickness direction to form a tube.

In the above-described embodiment, the tank 1 is made up of two parts, the core plate 120c and the tank body 120d.
20 (first and second tanks 121 and 122) are formed, but as shown in FIG. 6, one plate (thin plate) is curved to form a tank 120 (first and second tanks 121 and 122).
2) may be formed.

Although the tube 111 is formed by extruding or drawing an aluminum material integrally, the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. Alternatively, the plates may be formed by stacking press-formed plates in a predetermined shape in the thickness direction and joining them by joining means such as brazing.

In the case of this example, as shown in FIG. 7B, the outer end of the tank 120 is closed by the cap 131 of the side plate 130.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an evaporator according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a side view of FIG. 1A, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a front view of a side plate.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the evaporator according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a tank of the evaporator according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a side plate of an evaporator according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a joint between a side plate and a tank of an evaporator according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a tank of an evaporator according to a modification of the present invention.

FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of a tank of an evaporator according to a modified example of the present invention, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of a joint between the side plate and the tank of the evaporator.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 evaporator, 110 heat exchange core, 111 tube, 112 fin, 120 tank, 130 side plate, 131 cap part.

Claims (3)

[Claims] A plurality of tubes (11) through which a fluid flows.
1) and fins (112) disposed between the tubes (111), wherein the tubes (111) and the fins (112) are alternately orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the tubes (111). The heat exchange core (110) and the tubes (111) are joined to the longitudinal ends of the tubes (111), and extend parallel to the stacking direction of the tubes (111) and the fins (112). A plurality of tanks (120) communicating with a plurality of tubes (111)
And a side plate (130) disposed at an end of the heat exchange core (110) in the stacking direction and extending in parallel with the tube (111), and a longitudinal end of the side plate (130). A heat exchanger, wherein a cap portion (131) for closing a longitudinal end of the tank (120) is formed on the heat exchanger. 2. A projection (13) projecting inward of the tank (120) is provided on the cap (131).
3) is formed, and the protruding portion (133) is provided with the tank (12).
2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is joined to the tank (120) while being fitted into the tank (120) from the outside in the longitudinal direction of 0). 3. 3. The tank (120) with the cap (131) inserted into the tank (120) from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tank (120).
The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal end of the heat exchanger is closed.