JP7466706B2 - Heat exchanger and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a heat exchanger and a method for manufacturing the same.

In recent years, heat exchangers using flat multi-hole tubes, which are flat metal tubes with many holes that form refrigerant flow paths, have been used in car air conditioners, stationary air conditioners, etc. Corrugated fins are generally used in heat exchangers that use flat multi-hole tubes. In addition, plate-type fins and those that integrate flat multi-hole tubes with fins are also being considered.

In conventional heat exchangers using flat multi-hole tubes, the insertion length of the multiple flat multi-hole tubes into the refrigerant distributor is designed to be within a certain range in order to adjust the heating and cooling functions. For example, the refrigerant distributor in Patent Document 1 has a concave structure with a taper or step inside. By bringing the flat multi-hole tube into contact with this taper or step, the insertion length of the flat multi-hole tube into the refrigerant distributor can be kept within a certain range.

JP 2007-232339 A

However, changing the shape of the refrigerant distributor as in the refrigerant distributor of Patent Document 1 may result in increased pressure loss.

The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a heat exchanger and a manufacturing method thereof in which the insertion length of multiple flat multi-hole tubes into a refrigerant distributor is within a certain range without increasing pressure loss.

The heat exchanger according to the present disclosure comprises a refrigerant distributor, a plurality of flat multi-hole tubes, and a group of fins. The refrigerant distributor has a plurality of insertion holes and a contact portion protruding from the outer periphery of at least one of the insertion holes. One end of each of the plurality of flat multi-hole tubes is inserted into each of the insertion holes of the refrigerant distributor. The group of fins is fixed to the plurality of flat multi-hole tubes. The group of fins has an end face that faces the refrigerant distributor while in contact with the contact portion. The end face is positioned at a position away from one end by a length equal to the combined insertion length of the flat multi-hole tube into which one end is inserted and the protruding height of the contact portion.

According to the heat exchanger disclosed herein, the insertion length of multiple flat multi-hole tubes into the refrigerant distributor is kept within a certain range without increasing pressure loss.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment; Schematic diagram showing a flat multi-hole pipe according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a fin according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a part of the upper surface of a first refrigerant distributor according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a side view of a first refrigerant distributor according to the first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a part of the upper surface of a first refrigerant distributor into which a flat multi-hole tube is inserted according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a part of a front view of a first refrigerant distributor into which a flat multi-hole tube is inserted according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a part of the upper surface of a first refrigerant distributor to which a flat multi-hole tube is joined according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a part of a first refrigerant distributor according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a part of a fin according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a part of a first refrigerant distributor according to a first embodiment; FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a part of the upper surface of a first refrigerant distributor according to a second embodiment; FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a side view of a first refrigerant distributor according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a part of the upper surface of a first refrigerant distributor into which a flat multi-hole tube is inserted according to a second embodiment; FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a part of the front of a first refrigerant distributor into which a flat multi-hole tube is inserted according to a second embodiment; FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a part of the upper surface of a first refrigerant distributor to which a flat multi-hole tube is joined according to a second embodiment; FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a heat exchanger according to a third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a flat multi-hole tube integrated fin according to the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a part of the upper surface of a first refrigerant distributor into which a flat multi-hole tube integrated fin is inserted according to a third embodiment; FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a part of the front of a first refrigerant distributor into which a flat multi-hole tube integrated fin is inserted according to a third embodiment; FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a part of the upper surface of a first refrigerant distributor to which a flat multi-hole tube integrated fin is joined according to a third embodiment; FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing a part of the upper surface of the first refrigerant distributor into which the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin is inserted according to the fourth embodiment; FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing a part of the front of a first refrigerant distributor into which a flat multi-hole tube integrated fin is inserted according to a fourth embodiment; FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing a part of the upper surface of a first refrigerant distributor to which a flat multi-hole tube integrated fin is joined according to a fourth embodiment;

Hereinafter, a heat exchanger and a manufacturing method thereof according to an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or equivalent parts are given the same reference numerals. In the orthogonal coordinate system XYZ shown in the drawings, the direction in which the flat multi-hole tube 10 extends is the X-axis direction, the direction in which the first refrigerant distributor 30A extends is the Y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis is the Z-axis direction. Below, this coordinate system will be referred to as appropriate in the explanation.

Embodiment 1.
A heat exchanger 1 according to a first embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the heat exchanger 1. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a flat multi-hole tube 10. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a fin 20. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a part of a refrigerant distributor 30.

The heat exchanger 1 comprises a first refrigerant distributor 30A having a plurality of insertion holes 31 on one surface, for example a side surface 35, a plurality of flat multi-hole tubes 10 having one end inserted into each of the plurality of insertion holes 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A, and a group of fins 20 fixed to the plurality of flat multi-hole tubes 10.

The first refrigerant distributor 30A extends in the Y-axis direction. A plurality of insertion holes 31 are formed in the side surface 35 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A facing the fin group 20. As shown in FIG. 4B, the plurality of insertion holes 31 are aligned in the Y-axis direction. The first refrigerant distributor 30A also has a contact portion 32 provided on the outer periphery of at least one of the plurality of insertion holes 31. As shown in FIG. 4A, the contact portion 32 protrudes from the side surface 35 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. The height of the protrusion of the contact portion 32 from the side surface 35 in the X-axis direction (hereinafter referred to as the protrusion height) is H1. As shown in FIG. 5A, the contact portion 32 contacts the end surface 20b of the fin group 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the flat multi-hole tubes 10 has a flat shape with the X-axis direction as the longitudinal direction and the dimension in the Y-axis direction smaller than the dimension in the Z-axis direction. Each flat multi-hole tube 10 has a plurality of holes 11 arranged in the Z-axis direction. Each hole 11 extends in the X-axis direction. Each hole 11 forms a flow path through which the refrigerant flows (hereinafter referred to as the refrigerant flow path). The holes 11 that become the refrigerant flow path may, for example, penetrate the inside of the flat multi-hole tube 10, or may be formed by partitioning it with a partition wall.

As shown in Figure 1, the flat multi-hole tubes 10 are aligned in the Y-axis direction. As shown in Figures 5A-C, one end of each flat multi-hole tube 10 is inserted into the first refrigerant distributor 30A. For example, the flat multi-hole tubes 10 have a linear shape extending in the X-axis direction.

In addition, the heat exchanger 1 according to this embodiment also includes a second refrigerant distributor 30B into which the other end of each of the flat multi-hole tubes 10 is inserted. The second refrigerant distributor 30B has a structure similar to that of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. The manner of connection between the second refrigerant distributor 30B and the flat multi-hole tube 10 is similar to the manner of connection between the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10. Therefore, in the following, the manner of connection between the second refrigerant distributor 30B and the flat multi-hole tube 10 will not be described.

The fin group 20 is composed of a plurality of plate-shaped fins 20a. The fin group 20 is fixed to the flat multi-hole tube 10, for example, by brazing, bonding, or the like, or by mutual contact and frictional force. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of fins 20a are aligned in the direction in which the refrigerant flows in the flat multi-hole tube 10 (hereinafter referred to as the refrigerant flow path direction), that is, in the X-axis direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the flat multi-hole tube 10. As shown in FIG. 5A, the fin group 20 has an end surface 20b that contacts the contact portion 32. The end surface 20b faces the side surface 35 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A in the X-axis direction while in contact with the contact portion 32. The end surface 20b is composed of the fin 20a that is located closest to the first refrigerant distributor 30A in the X-axis direction among the plurality of fins 20a that constitute the fin group 20.

In order to assemble the fin 20a to the flat multi-hole tube 10, the fin 20a is provided with a U-shaped assembly hole 22, for example, as shown in FIG. 3. The assembly hole 22 extends in the Z-axis direction, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fin 20a. A fin collar 23 is provided around the assembly hole 22. The size of the assembly hole 22 varies depending on the method of fixing to the flat multi-hole tube 10. For example, when the fin 20 is fixed to the flat multi-hole tube 10 by frictional force, the assembly hole 22 may be one size smaller than the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the refrigerant flow direction of the flat multi-hole tube 10. For example, when the fin 20 is fixed by brazing, the assembly hole 22 may be one size larger than the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the refrigerant flow direction of the flat multi-hole tube 10. The left and right sides of the assembly hole 22 of the fin 20 may be provided with a protrusion 24 with a slit for improving heat exchange efficiency. The shape of the protrusion 24 is not particularly limited.

Figures 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams showing an example of a portion of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. Figure 4A is a schematic diagram showing a part of the upper surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A in a see-through manner. Figure 4B is a schematic diagram showing the side surface 35 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. The side surface 35 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A has a plurality of insertion holes 31 formed therein for inserting a plurality of flat multi-hole tubes 10.

The size of the insertion hole 31 varies depending on the method of fixing the flat multi-hole tube 10 to the first refrigerant distributor 30A. For example, when the flat multi-hole tube 10 is fixed to the insertion hole 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A by frictional force, the insertion hole 31 is made slightly smaller than the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the refrigerant flow direction of the flat multi-hole tube 10. When the flat multi-hole tube 10 is fixed to the insertion hole 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A by brazing, the insertion hole 31 is made slightly larger than the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the refrigerant flow direction of the flat multi-hole tube 10. There are no restrictions on the shape of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. The first refrigerant distributor 30A may be a rectangular parallelepiped or a cylindrical shape.

As shown in FIG. 4B, each of the insertion holes 31 arranged in the Y-axis direction has an elongated flat shape in one direction, specifically the Z-axis direction, in a plan view perpendicular to the side surface 35. In other words, the longitudinal direction of the insertion holes 31 is the Z-axis direction. The lateral direction of the insertion holes 31 is the Y-axis direction. Two contact portions 32 are provided on the outer periphery of one insertion hole 31. The two contact portions 32 are arranged symmetrically with respect to an imaginary plane VP that passes through the position of the insertion hole 31. The imaginary plane VP is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the insertion hole 31 and passes through the center of the insertion hole 31 in the lateral direction. In other words, the two contact portions 32 provided on the outer periphery of one insertion hole 31 face each other in the lateral direction of the insertion hole 31.

4A, for example, the contact portion 32 has a shape that spreads in a curved shape toward the outside of the refrigerant distributor 30. When the flat multi-hole tubes 10 to which the fins 20a are fixed are inserted into the insertion hole 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A, the contact portion 32 comes into contact with the fin 20a closest to the first refrigerant distributor 30A. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5A, the insertion length IL of the flat multi-hole tubes 10 is determined by the protruding height H1 of the contact portion 32. The protruding height H1 is the height in the X-axis direction, which is perpendicular to the fins 20a, and is the distance from the first refrigerant distributor 30A to the fin 20a closest to the first refrigerant distributor 30A. The insertion length IL of the flat multi-hole tube 10 is the length of the flat multi-hole tube 10 from one end of the flat multi-hole tube 10 inserted into the first refrigerant distributor 30A to the outside of the insertion hole 31.

The length L1 of the contact portion 32 is, for example, about half the length of the short side of the insertion hole 31. However, the length L1 of the contact portion 32 may be shorter or longer than the length of the short side of the insertion hole 31 and may be determined appropriately. The protruding height H1 of the contact portion 32 is determined by the length L1 of the contact portion 32 and the curvature of the contact portion 32.

Next, a method for manufacturing heat exchanger 1 will be described.

First, an example of a method for manufacturing the contact portion 32 will be described. For example, before the shape of the first refrigerant distributor 30A is formed, a cut is made in a plate material by pressing, and the cut is bent and expanded by pressing and bending to manufacture the contact portion 32. Any unnecessary parts in the shape of the contact portion 32 can be cut off. It is preferable that the pair of contact portions 32 provided for each insertion hole 31 have a shape that is symmetrical with respect to the imaginary plane VP shown in FIG. 4B. The contact portion 32 is provided on a part of the outer periphery of the insertion hole 31 facing outward. The above process is an example of a contact portion forming process in which the contact portion 32 is formed by pressing and bending.

Then, the plate material on which the contact portion 32 is formed by the above-mentioned method is combined with a plate forming the other surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A and integrated by welding or the like. This completes the first refrigerant distributor 30A. The plate material on which the contact portion 32 is formed may be folded to form the first refrigerant distributor 30A in a rectangular parallelepiped shape or other hexahedral, trihedral, cylindrical, or other shape. If the first refrigerant distributor 30A is cylindrical, the contact portion 32 is formed, and then a curved surface is formed, and the curved surface portion, upper surface, and lower surface are integrated by welding or the like. In addition, in order to improve the performance of the first refrigerant distributor 30A in distributing the refrigerant to the multiple flat multi-hole tubes 10, a plate, cylinder, or the like may be provided inside the first refrigerant distributor 30A as necessary. The insertion hole 31 is formed in the side surface 35, which is the surface into which the flat multi-hole tubes 10 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A are inserted. The second refrigerant distributor 30B is also manufactured in the same manner as the first refrigerant distributor 30A.

In the above-described manufacturing method, the length L1 of the contact portion 32 is approximately half the short-side length of the insertion hole 31. Furthermore, the manufacturing method of the contact portion 32 is not limited to the above-described manufacturing method using press processing and bending. For example, the contact portion 32 may be attached to the plate material in which the insertion hole 31 is formed, or to the outer periphery of the insertion hole 31 of the assembly, by brazing, welding, or the like. In such a manufacturing method, the length L1 and protruding height H1 of the contact portion 32 may be determined appropriately.

Next, a method for assembling the flat multi-hole tube 10 and the fins 20 to the first refrigerant distributor 30A will be described. Figures 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing a part of the heat exchanger 1. Figure 5A is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of a part of the upper surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A into which the flat multi-hole tube 10 is inserted. Figure 5B is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of a part of the front surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A into which the flat multi-hole tube 10 is inserted. Figure 5C is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of a part of the upper surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A to which the flat multi-hole tube 10 is joined.

First, the fin group 20 is fixed to the flat multi-hole tubes 10 by brazing, bonding, etc., or by friction. Fixing by friction means fitting and contacting each other to fix. The flat multi-hole tubes 10 are aligned in the short direction, i.e., the Y-axis direction, in a cross section perpendicular to the refrigerant flow path of the flat multi-hole tube 10. The fins 20a are aligned in the X-axis direction, which is the refrigerant flow path direction of the flat multi-hole tube 10, and fixed to the flat multi-hole tube 10. The end surface 20b of the fin group 20, which is composed of the fin 20a closest to the first refrigerant distributor 30A, is located at a position away from one end of the flat multi-hole tube 10 by the combined length of the insertion length IL and the protruding height H1 of the flat multi-hole tube 10. The above process is an example of a fin group fixing process for fixing the fin group 20 to the flat multi-hole tubes 10.

Then, one end of each of the flat multi-hole tubes 10 to which the fin group 20 is fixed is aligned with each or part of the insertion holes 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. Then, one end of each of the flat multi-hole tubes 10 is inserted into the insertion hole 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. At this time, the flat multi-hole tubes 10 are inserted into the first refrigerant distributor 30A until the fin 20a closest to the first refrigerant distributor 30A among the multiple fins 20a fixed to the multiple flat multi-hole tubes 10 comes into contact with the contact portion 32. The above process is an example of an insertion process for inserting the flat multi-hole tubes 10 into the first refrigerant distributor 30A. In the same manner, the other end of each of the flat multi-hole tubes 10 is inserted into the second refrigerant distributor 30B.

Then, the flat multi-hole tubes 10 are joined to the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the second refrigerant distributor 30B. This process is an example of a joining process for joining the flat multi-hole tubes 10 to the first refrigerant distributor 30A. With the above, the heat exchanger 1 is completed. The joining can be performed by brazing, gluing, etc. In this case, if the contact portion 32 has a curved surface, it also has the effect of preventing the brazing material, adhesive, etc. from falling off.

As shown in FIG. 5C, a joint 51 is formed between the edge of the insertion hole 31 in the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10, joining the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10. The joint 51 is formed in the joining process described above. The joint 51 is composed of solidified brazing material, solidified adhesive, etc. In other words, the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10 are joined by brazing material, adhesive, etc.

In addition, the contact portion 32 in contact with the end face 20b of the fin group 20 ensures a gap 50 between the joint 51 and the end face 20b of the fin group 20. Since the gap 50 is ensured in this manner, the brazing material, adhesive, etc. that constitutes the joint 51 can be prevented from flowing out along the end face 20b of the fin group 20. In other words, the brazing material, adhesive, etc. that constitutes the joint 51 can be kept between the edge of the insertion hole 31 and the flat multi-hole tube 10. This allows the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10 to be stably fixed.

The contact portion 32 and the fin 20a may also be joined using solder, adhesive, etc.

According to this embodiment, the fin 20a closest to the first refrigerant distributor 30A is fixed at a position away from one end of the flat multi-hole tube 10 by the combined length of the insertion length IL and the protruding height H1 of the flat multi-hole tube 10. Also, the fin 20a closest to the first refrigerant distributor 30A comes into contact with the contact portion 32. That is, when the flat multi-hole tube 10 to which the multiple fins 20a are fixed is assembled to the first refrigerant distributor 30A, the multiple flat multi-hole tubes 10 are inserted into the first refrigerant distributor 30A until the fin 20 closest to the first refrigerant distributor 30A comes into contact with the contact portion 32. This allows the insertion length of the flat multi-hole tube 10 protruding from the fin 20 to be within a certain range.

In short, the fin group 20 is fixed in advance at a position away from one end of the flat multi-hole tube 10 by the combined length of the insertion length IL and the protruding height H1, so that the insertion length of the flat multi-hole tubes 10 into the first refrigerant distributor 30A can be made uniform to a constant value IL simply by inserting the flat multi-hole tube 10 into the first refrigerant distributor 30A until the end face 20b of the fin group 20 hits the contact portion 32. Moreover, the distance between the side surface 35 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the end face 20b of the fin group 20 can be set to a constant value H1. The same applies to the insertion of the flat multi-hole tube 10 into the second refrigerant distributor 30B.

In addition, the contact portion 32 is provided on the outside of the first refrigerant distributor 30A, and there is no need to change the shape of the first refrigerant distributor 30A, so there is no increase in pressure loss. The same applies to the second refrigerant distributor 30B.

As described above, the fins 20 come into contact with each contact portion 32 to determine the insertion length of the flat multi-hole tube 10. It is preferable that the contact portions 32 are provided in all the insertion holes 31 of the refrigerant distributor 30, but if the protruding height H1 can be regulated, it is sufficient to provide the contact portions 32 in at least one of the insertion holes 31. In the first refrigerant distributor 30A, the contact portions 32 may be provided only in the two insertion holes 31 at the ends in the Y-axis direction, or may be provided only in a total of three insertion holes 31, including the two end insertion holes 31 and the central insertion hole 31 in the Y-axis direction. If a plurality of contact portions 32 are provided, the contact pressure between the contact portions 32 and the fins 20a can be dispersed, and deformation of the contact portions 32 or the fins 20a can be suppressed. In addition, although an example in which two contact portions 32 are provided for each insertion hole 31 has been shown, one contact portion may be provided.

Furthermore, since the contact portion 32 has a shape that spreads outward from the first refrigerant distributor 30A, it serves to guide the flat multi-hole tube 10 (hereinafter referred to as the guide function). Specifically, when the flat multi-hole tube 10 is inserted into the first refrigerant distributor 30A, even if the position of the flat multi-hole tube 10 relative to the insertion hole 31 varies, the contact portion 32 serves to guide the flat multi-hole tube 10 into the insertion hole 31. In other words, since the contact portion 32 spreads outward, it is easy to insert the flat multi-hole tube 10 into the insertion hole 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A.

4A illustrates the contact portion 32 that spreads in a curved shape toward the outside of the first refrigerant distributor 30A, but the shape of the contact portion 32 is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the contact portion 32 may have a shape that spreads in a flat shape toward the outside of the first refrigerant distributor 30A (a shape that forms part of a V shape in a side view parallel to the Z axis). The same applies to the contact portion 32 formed in the second refrigerant distributor 30B.

4A illustrates a configuration in which the contact portion 32 is provided only on a portion of the outer periphery of the insertion hole 31, but the contact portion 32 may be provided on the entire outer periphery of the insertion hole 31. The same applies to the contact portion 32 formed in the second refrigerant distributor 30B.

3 illustrates an example of an assembly hole 22 extending in the Z-axis direction, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fin 20, but is not limited thereto. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the fin 20a, and FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the assembly hole 22 may extend in a direction inclined from the perpendicular direction to the longitudinal direction of the fin 20. If a fin 20 having such an inclined assembly hole 22 is used and the inclined portion is made downward, the drainage of the heat exchanger 1 is improved. Furthermore, when a fin 20 having such an inclined assembly hole 22 is used, the insertion hole 31 and the contact portion 32 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A may be formed in a similar inclination as shown in FIG. 8. The same applies to the second refrigerant distributor 30B. This also improves the drainage of the contact portion 32.

2 illustrates an example of a flat multi-hole tube 10 that extends straight in the X-axis direction. When using a straight flat multi-hole tube 10 in this manner, as shown in FIG. 1, one end of the flat multi-hole tube 10 is inserted into the first refrigerant distributor 30A, and the other end of the flat multi-hole tube 10 is inserted into the second refrigerant distributor 30B. However, the flat multi-hole tube 10 may not be straight, but may be bent into a hairpin (U-shape) shape with respect to the X-axis direction, which is the refrigerant flow path direction. In that case, the second refrigerant distributor 30B may be omitted.

Although Figure 1 illustrates a configuration in which the heat exchanger 1 has only one first refrigerant distributor 30A, the heat exchanger 1 may also have multiple first refrigerant distributors 30A arranged in the Y-axis direction.

Embodiment 2.
The heat exchanger 1 according to the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the arrangement of the contact portion 33, but is otherwise similar in configuration to the first embodiment.

The contact portion 33 of this embodiment will be described. Figures 9A and 9B are examples showing a portion of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. Figure 9A is a schematic view showing a portion of the upper surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A in a see-through manner. Figure 9B is a schematic view showing the side surface 35 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A.

As shown in Figure 9B, the contact portion 33 in this embodiment is divided in the longitudinal direction of the insertion hole 31, and each portion has an asymmetric shape facing in opposite directions outside the insertion hole 31. Specifically, like the first embodiment, two contact portions 33 are provided on the outer periphery of one insertion hole 31, but in this embodiment, the two contact portions 33 are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the imaginary plane VP that passes through the position of the insertion hole 31. The positions of the two contact portions 33 in the longitudinal direction of the insertion hole 31 are different.

In this way, by arranging the contact portion 33 asymmetrically, the length L2 of the contact portion 33 can be increased to a length equivalent to the short-side length of the insertion hole 31, even when the contact portion 33 is formed by punching out the plate material that constitutes the side surface 35.

In the first embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4B, a cut is made by pressing the plate material constituting the side surface 35 at the center of the longitudinal direction of the insertion hole 31, and then the cut is bent and widened to form a symmetrical contact portion 32. In contrast, in the present embodiment, a cut is made by pressing the plate material constituting the side surface 35 at the center of the transverse direction of the insertion hole 31, for example, to a length equal to the transverse length of the insertion hole 31, and then the plate material is bent and widened in the Y-axis direction to form the contact portion 33.

As shown in Figure 10C, a joint 51 is formed between the edge of the insertion hole 31 in the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10, joining the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10. The joint 51 is formed in the joining process described above. The joint 51 is composed of solidified brazing material, solidified adhesive, etc. In other words, the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10 are joined by brazing material, adhesive, etc.

In addition, the contact portion 33 in contact with the end face 20b of the fin group 20 ensures a gap 50 between the joint 51 and the end face 20b of the fin group 20. Since the gap 50 is ensured in this manner, the brazing material, adhesive, etc. that constitutes the joint 51 can be prevented from flowing out along the end face 20b of the fin group 20. In other words, the brazing material, adhesive, etc. that constitutes the joint 51 can be kept between the edge of the insertion hole 31 and the flat multi-hole tube 10. This allows the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10 to be stably fixed. The same applies to the joint between the second refrigerant distributor 30B and the flat multi-hole tube 10.

According to this embodiment, the length L2 of the contact portion 33 can be made equal to the overall width of the short side of the insertion hole 31. Therefore, when the short side dimension of the insertion hole 31 and the curvature of the contact portion 33 are the same as those in embodiment 1, the protruding height H2 of the contact portion 33 can be increased. This improves the above-mentioned guiding function of the contact portion 33. Note that the pair of asymmetrically arranged contact portions 33 can be formed by pressing, or by a method of retrofitting the contact portion 33 to the insertion hole 31.

The method of assembling the flat multi-hole tube 10 and the fins 20 to the first refrigerant distributor 30A may be the same as in embodiment 1. Figures 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams showing a part of the heat exchanger 1. Figure 10A is a schematic diagram showing a part of the upper surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A into which the flat multi-hole tube 10 is inserted. Figure 10B is a schematic diagram showing a part of the front of the first refrigerant distributor 30A into which the flat multi-hole tube 10 is inserted. Figure 10C is a schematic diagram showing a part of the upper surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A to which the flat multi-hole tube 10 is joined.

The fin group 20 is fixed in advance to a position away from one end of the flat multi-hole tube 10 by the combined length of the insertion length IL and the protruding height H2. Therefore, the flat multi-hole tube 10 with the fin group 20 fixed thereto can be inserted into the first refrigerant distributor 30A until the fin 20a closest to the first refrigerant distributor 30A comes into contact with the contact portion 33, and the insertion length of the flat multi-hole tube 10 protruding from the fin 20 into the refrigerant distributor 30 can be kept within a certain range. In addition, the contact portion 33 is provided outside the refrigerant distributor 30, and there is no need to change the shape of the refrigerant distributor 30, so pressure loss is not increased.

Furthermore, the contact portion 33 in this embodiment is arranged asymmetrically on the outer circumference of the insertion hole 31. Therefore, when the contact portion 33 is manufactured by pressing and bending as described above, the length L2 of the contact portion 33 can be made equal to the overall width of the insertion hole 31 in the short direction. This makes it easy to insert the flat multi-hole tube 10 into the first refrigerant distributor 30A. In other words, even if the position of the flat multi-hole tube 10 varies, the flat multi-hole tube 10 can be easily inserted into the first refrigerant distributor 30A.

In this embodiment, an example in which two contact parts 33 are arranged asymmetrically has been described, but three or more contact parts 33 may be arranged asymmetrically. It is preferable that the contact parts 33 are provided in all insertion holes 31 of the refrigerant distributor 30, but it is sufficient to provide them in at least one insertion hole 31. They may be provided in the insertion holes 31 at two ends of the refrigerant distributor 30, or in three locations including the central part. Asymmetrically arranged contact parts 33 and symmetrically arranged contact parts 32 may be mixed. If multiple contact parts 33 are formed, the contact pressure between the contact parts 33 of the refrigerant distributor 30 and the fins 20 can be dispersed, and deformation of the contact parts 33 or the fins 20 can be suppressed. In addition, an example in which two contact parts 32 are provided for each insertion hole 31 has been shown, but one may be provided.

Embodiment 3.
In the third embodiment, an example will be described in which the contact portion 34 is brought into contact with a flat multi-hole tube 10 and a fin group 21 that have been previously formed as an integrated unit. Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the heat exchanger 1. Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of a flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 in which the fin group 21 and the flat multi-hole tube 10 are integrated.

The first refrigerant distributor 30A is provided with a contact portion 34, as in the first and second embodiments. Also, as in the first and second embodiments, two contact portions 34 are provided on the outer periphery of one insertion hole 31. However, in this embodiment, the two contact portions 34 provided on the outer periphery of one insertion hole 31 face each other in the longitudinal direction of the insertion hole 31, i.e., the Z-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 13C, when the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 is inserted into the first refrigerant distributor 30A, the insertion length IL of the flat multi-hole tube 10 can be determined by the protruding height H3 of the contact portion 34.

The flat multi-hole pipe integrated fin 40 according to this embodiment is an integrated fin group 21 and a flat multi-hole pipe 10. The flat multi-hole pipe integrated fin 40 is integrally molded, for example, by extrusion molding.

As shown in Figure 12, the fin group 21 has a pair of fin plate body parts 21a provided on each flat multi-hole tube 10. The pair of fin plate body parts 21a are fixed to each flat multi-hole tube 10 by integral molding.

Each of the pair of fin plate body parts 21a extends in the X-axis direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the flat multi-hole tube 10, alongside the flat multi-hole tube 10, and is fixed to the flat multi-hole tube 10. The length of the fin plate body part 21a in the X-axis direction is shorter than the length of the flat multi-hole tube 10 in the X-axis direction. One fin plate body part 21a extends outward from one apex of the flat multi-hole tube 10 in the Z-axis direction. The other fin plate body part 21a extends outward from the other apex of the flat multi-hole tube 10 in the Z-axis direction.

Each of the pair of fin plate body parts 21a has a contact part 26 as an end surface that contacts the contact part 34. The contact part 26 is located at both ends of each of the pair of fin plate body parts 21a in the X-axis direction. The contact part 26 at one end in the X-axis direction contacts the contact part 34 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A shown in FIG. 11, and the other contact part 26 in the X-axis direction contacts the contact part 34 (not shown) of the second refrigerant distributor 30B. As shown in FIG. 13C, the contact part 26 as an end surface is located at a position away from one end of the flat multi-hole tube 10 by the combined length of the insertion length IL of the flat multi-hole tube 10 and the protruding height H3 of the contact part 34.

Next, a method of assembling multiple flat multi-hole tube integrated fins 40 to the first refrigerant distributor 30A will be described. Figures 13A-C are schematic diagrams showing a part of the heat exchanger 1. Figure 13A is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of a part of the upper surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A into which the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 is inserted. Figure 13B is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of a part of the front surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A into which the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 is inserted. Figure 13C is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view of a part of the upper surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A to which the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 is joined.

First, multiple flat multi-hole tube integrated fins 40 are created as described above. This process is an example of a fin group fixing process in which a fin group 21 is fixed to multiple flat multi-hole tubes 10.

Next, the flat multi-hole tube integrated fins 40 are aligned at a pitch equal to the pitch of the insertion holes 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. Next, the flat multi-hole tube integrated fins 40 aligned with the insertion holes 31 are inserted together until the end of the fin group 21 in the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 comes into contact with the contact portion 34 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. The above process is an example of an insertion process in which one end of the flat multi-hole tubes 10 is inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A.

Next, the flat multi-hole tubes 10 and the first refrigerant distributor 30A are joined by brazing, adhesive, etc. This process is an example of a joining process for joining multiple flat multi-hole tubes 10 to the first refrigerant distributor 30A. With this, the heat exchanger 1 is completed.

As shown in Figure 13C, a joint 51 is formed between the edge of the insertion hole 31 in the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10, joining the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10. The joint 51 is formed in the joining process described above. The joint 51 is composed of solidified brazing material, solidified adhesive, etc. In other words, the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10 are joined by brazing material, adhesive, etc.

In addition, the contact portion 26 in contact with the abutment portion 26 of the fin group 21 ensures a gap 50 between the joint portion 51 and the fin plate main body portion 21a. Since the gap 50 is ensured in this manner, the brazing material, adhesive, etc. that constitutes the joint portion 51 can be prevented from flowing out along the fin plate main body portion 21a. In other words, the brazing material, adhesive, etc. that constitutes the joint portion 51 can be kept between the edge of the insertion hole 31 and the flat multi-hole tube 10. This allows the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10 to be stably fixed. The same applies to the joint between the second refrigerant distributor 30B and the flat multi-hole tube 10.

According to this embodiment, the fin group 21 is fixed in advance at a position away from one end of the flat multi-hole tube 10 by the combined length of the insertion length IL and the protruding height H3, so that the insertion length of the flat multi-hole tubes 10 into the first refrigerant distributor 30A can be adjusted to a constant value IL simply by inserting the flat multi-hole tube 10 into the first refrigerant distributor 30A until the contact portion 26 of the fin group 20 contacts the contact portion 34. Moreover, the distance between the side surface 35 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the fin plate main body portion 21a can be set to a constant value H3, which is the protruding height of the contact portion 25 from the fin plate main body portion 21a in the X-axis direction. The same applies to the insertion of the flat multi-hole tube 10 into the second refrigerant distributor 30B.

In addition, the insertion length IL of the flat multi-hole pipe 10 can be changed by changing the protruding height H3 of the contact portion 34. In addition, by forming a contact portion 26 with the contact portion 34 on the flat multi-hole pipe integrated fin 40, the accuracy of the insertion length IL of the flat multi-hole pipe 10 can be improved.

In addition, since the contact portions 34 each contact a portion of the fin group 21 at the contact portions 26 of the flat multi-hole tube integrated fins 40, it is easy to insert multiple aligned flat multi-hole tube integrated fins 40 together into the first refrigerant distributor 30A.

In addition, the contact portion 34 is provided outside the refrigerant distributor 30, and there is no need to change the shape of the refrigerant distributor 30, so pressure loss is not increased.

Embodiment 4.
In the embodiment 1-3, an example in which the contact parts 32, 33, and 34 are provided in the insertion hole 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A is shown. In the embodiment 4, an example in which the contact part 25 is provided in the fin group 21 is described. FIGS. 14A-C are schematic diagrams showing a part of the heat exchanger 1. FIG. 14A is a schematic diagram showing a part of the upper surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A into which the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 is inserted. FIG. 14B is a schematic diagram showing a part of the front surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A into which the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 is inserted. FIG. 14C is a schematic diagram showing a part of the upper surface of the first refrigerant distributor 30A to which the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 is joined.

The fin group 21 and flat multi-hole tube 10 according to this embodiment are, as in embodiment 3, a flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 in which the fin group 21 is integrated with a plurality of flat multi-hole tubes 10. The flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 is integrally molded, for example, by extrusion molding.

In each flat multi-hole tube 10, the fin group 21 has a pair of fin plate body portions 21a and a pair of contact portions 25. The pair of fin plate body portions 21a and the pair of contact portions 25 are fixed to each flat multi-hole tube 10 by integral molding.

Each of the pair of fin plate body parts 21a extends in the X-axis direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the flat multi-hole tube 10, alongside the flat multi-hole tube 10, and is fixed to the flat multi-hole tube 10. The length of the fin plate body part 21a in the X-axis direction is shorter than the length of the flat multi-hole tube 10 in the X-axis direction. One fin plate body part 21a extends outward from one apex of the flat multi-hole tube 10 in the Z-axis direction. The other fin plate body part 21a extends outward from the other apex of the flat multi-hole tube 10 in the Z-axis direction.

One contact portion 25 extends in the X-axis direction from one fin plate main body portion 21a toward the first refrigerant distributor 30A. The other contact portion 25 extends in the X-axis direction from the other fin plate main body portion 21a toward the first refrigerant distributor 30A. The contact portion 25 has a curved shape with a curvature, a shape that expands linearly, etc. The contact portion 25 is provided in the fin group 21, and since there is no need to change the shape of the first refrigerant distributor 30A, it does not increase pressure loss.

Each of the pair of contact portions 25 has an abutment portion 27 that contacts the side surface 35 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. The abutment portion 27 is disposed at a position away from one end of the flat multi-hole tube 10 by the insertion length IL of the flat multi-hole tube 10 into the first refrigerant distributor 30A. In other words, the abutment portion 27 contacts the first refrigerant distributor 30A at a position away from one end of the flat multi-hole tube 10 by the insertion length IL.

In addition, in a cross section perpendicular to the refrigerant flow path direction of the flat multi-hole tube 10, the size of the contact portion 25 is smaller than the size of the fin plate main body portion 21a, and a gap 50 is provided between the contact portion 25 and the flat multi-hole tube 10.

Next, a method for manufacturing the heat exchanger 1 by assembling the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 and the refrigerant distributor 30 will be described.

First, the fin group 21 having the contact portion 25 and the flat multi-hole tube 10 are integrally molded by extrusion molding or the like to form the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40. The fin group 21 has a pair of fin plate main parts 21a provided for each flat multi-hole tube 10, and a contact part 25 protruding from each of the pair of fin plate main parts 21a. The pair of fin plate main parts 21a extend along the flat multi-hole tube 10. The longitudinal direction of the flat multi-hole tube 10, i.e., the refrigerant flow path direction, coincides with the longitudinal direction of the pair of fin plate main parts 21a. The flat multi-hole tube 10 protrudes in the refrigerant flow path direction by the insertion length IL beyond the contact part 25 with a protruding height H4. The above process is an example of a flat multi-hole tube integrated fin forming process for forming the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40.

Next, the flat multi-hole tube integrated fins 40 are aligned at a pitch equal to the pitch of each or some of the insertion holes 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. Then, the flat multi-hole tube integrated fins 40 aligned with respect to the insertion holes 31 are inserted together until the abutment portion 27 of the contact portion 25 of the fin group 21 comes into contact with the first refrigerant distributor 30A. The above process is an example of an insertion process in which one end of the flat multi-hole tube 10 of the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 is inserted into the insertion hole 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A.

Next, the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 and the first refrigerant distributor 30A are joined by brazing, adhesive, or other methods. The above process is an example of a joining process for joining the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin 40 to the first refrigerant distributor 30A. This completes the heat exchanger 1.

As shown in Figure 14C, a joint 51 is formed between the edge of the insertion hole 31 in the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10, joining the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10. The joint 51 is formed in the joining process described above. The joint 51 is composed of solidified brazing material, solidified adhesive, etc. In other words, the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10 are joined by brazing material, adhesive, etc.

In addition, the contact portion 25, in which the contact portion 27 is in contact with the side surface 35 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A, ensures a gap 50 between the joint portion 51 and the fin plate main body portion 21a. Since the gap 50 is ensured in this manner, the brazing material, adhesive, etc. that constitute the joint portion 51 can be prevented from flowing out along the fin plate main body portion 21a. In other words, the brazing material, adhesive, etc. that constitute the joint portion 51 can be kept between the edge of the insertion hole 31 and the flat multi-hole tube 10. This allows the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the flat multi-hole tube 10 to be stably fixed. The same applies to the joint between the second refrigerant distributor 30B and the flat multi-hole tube 10.

As described above, in this embodiment, the contact portion 25 is provided on the fin group 21, so there is no need to provide contact portions 32, 33, and 34 on the outer periphery of the insertion hole 31 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A.

According to this embodiment, the fin group 21 is fixed in advance at a position that is an insertion length IL away from one end of the flat multi-hole tube 10, so that the insertion length of the flat multi-hole tubes 10 into the first refrigerant distributor 30A can be adjusted to a constant value IL simply by inserting the flat multi-hole tube 10 into the first refrigerant distributor 30A until the contact portion 27 of the fin group 20 contacts the side surface 35 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A. Moreover, the distance between the side surface 35 of the first refrigerant distributor 30A and the fin plate main body portion 21a can be set to a constant value H4, which is the protruding height of the contact portion 25 from the fin plate main body portion 21a in the X-axis direction. The same applies to the insertion of the flat multi-hole tube 10 into the second refrigerant distributor 30B.

In addition, the contact portion 25 of the fin group 21 is provided on the outside of the first refrigerant distributor 30A, and there is no need to change the shape of the first refrigerant distributor 30A, so pressure loss is not increased. Furthermore, the insertion length IL of the flat multi-hole tube 10 can be changed by changing the protruding height H4 of the contact portion 25. In addition, brazing material, adhesive, etc. can be stored in the gap 50 to prevent them from falling.

In addition, the contact portion 25 of the fin group 21 contacts the first refrigerant distributor 30A, thereby determining the insertion length IL of the flat multi-hole tube 10. By inserting multiple flat multi-hole tube integrated fins 40 into the first refrigerant distributor 30A at once, the multiple contact portions 25 and the first refrigerant distributor 30A come into contact at the same time. This reduces the contact pressure at each contact portion, thereby suppressing deformation of the fin group 21.

Note that the configurations shown in the above-mentioned embodiments are merely examples, and may be combined with other known technologies. In addition, it is also possible to combine the embodiments with each other, and it is also possible to omit or change part of the configuration without departing from the gist of the invention. For example, in the heat exchanger 1 in which the flat multi-hole tube 10 and the fin group 20 of embodiment 1 are not integrally molded, a contact portion 25 may be provided on the end surface 20b of the fin group 20. The heat exchanger 1 may have contact portions 25, 32, 33, 34 on either the first refrigerant distributor 30A or the fin groups 20 and 21, or may have contact portions 25, 32, 33, 34 on both.

Various embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure are possible without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The above-described embodiments are intended to explain the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is indicated by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the meaning of the disclosure equivalent thereto are deemed to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-001773, filed on January 8, 2021. The entire specification, claims, and drawings of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-001773 are incorporated herein by reference.

1 heat exchanger, 10 flat multi-hole tube, 11 hole, 20, 21 fin group, 20a fin, 20b end face, 21a fin plate main body, 22 assembly hole, 23 fin collar, 24 convex portion, 26, 27 contact portion, 30A first refrigerant distributor (refrigerant distributor), 30B second refrigerant distributor, 31 insertion hole, 25, 32, 33, 34 contact portion, 35 side, 40 flat multi-hole tube integrated fin, 50 gap, 51 joint portion, VP imaginary plane.

Claims (9)

a refrigerant distributor having a plurality of insertion holes and a contact portion protruding from an outer periphery of at least one of the insertion holes;
a plurality of flat multi-hole tubes, one end of which is inserted into each of the insertion holes of the refrigerant distributor;
a fin group fixed to a plurality of the flat multi-hole tubes, the fin group having an end surface facing the refrigerant distributor in a state of contact with the contact portion, the end surface being disposed at a position spaced apart from the one end by a combined length of an insertion length of the flat multi-hole tube into which the one end is inserted and a protruding height of the contact portion;
A heat exchanger comprising: At least two of the contact portions are provided on the outer periphery of one of the insertion holes symmetrically with respect to an imaginary plane passing through the position of the insertion hole.
2. The heat exchanger of claim 1. Only one of the contact portions is provided on the outer periphery of one of the insertion holes, or at least two of the contact portions are provided on the outer periphery of one of the insertion holes asymmetrically with respect to a virtual plane passing through the position of the insertion hole.
2. The heat exchanger of claim 1. The contact portion has a shape that spreads outwardly of the refrigerant distributor in a curved or planar manner.
A heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 3. a joint portion for joining the refrigerant distributor and the flat multi-hole tube is formed between an edge of the insertion hole in the refrigerant distributor and the flat multi-hole tube,
a contact portion in contact with the end surface of the fin group ensures a gap between the joint portion and the end surface of the fin group;
A heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 4. a refrigerant distributor having a plurality of insertion holes;
a plurality of flat multi-hole tubes, one end of which is inserted into each of the insertion holes of the refrigerant distributor;
a fin group fixed to a plurality of the flat multi-hole tubes, the fin group having a fin plate main body portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the flat multi-hole tubes alongside the flat multi-hole tubes and fixed to the flat multi-hole tubes, and a contact portion extending from the fin plate main body portion toward the refrigerant distributor, the contact portion having a contact portion that contacts the refrigerant distributor at a position away from the one end by an insertion length of the flat multi-hole tube into the refrigerant distributor;
A heat exchanger comprising: a joint portion for joining the refrigerant distributor and the flat multi-hole tube is formed between an edge of the insertion hole in the refrigerant distributor and the flat multi-hole tube,
A gap is secured between the joint portion and the fin plate main body portion by the contact portion where the contact portion is in contact with the refrigerant distributor.
7. The heat exchanger of claim 6. a contact portion forming step of forming a contact portion protruding from an outer periphery of at least one of the plurality of insertion holes of the refrigerant distributor by pressing and bending;
a fin group fixing process for fixing a fin group having an end surface to a plurality of the flat multi-hole tubes in a state in which the end surface is disposed at a position away from one end of the flat multi-hole tube by a length equal to the sum of an insertion length of the flat multi-hole tube into the refrigerant distributor and a protruding height of the contact portion;
an insertion step of inserting one ends of the plurality of flat multi-hole tubes into the plurality of insertion holes of the refrigerant distributor until the end faces of the fin group come into contact with the contact portions;
a joining step of joining a plurality of the flat multi-hole tubes to the refrigerant distributor;
A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger, comprising: a flat multi-hole tube integrated fin forming process for forming the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin, the flat multi-hole tube having one end inserted into an insertion hole of a refrigerant distributor, a fin plate main body portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the flat multi-hole tube alongside the flat multi-hole tube and fixed to the flat multi-hole tube, and a contact portion extending in the longitudinal direction from an end portion of the fin plate main body, the contact portion having a contact portion disposed at a position away from the one end by an insertion length of the flat multi-hole tube into the refrigerant distributor;
an insertion step of inserting the one end of the flat multi-hole tube of the flat multi-hole tube-integrated fin into the insertion hole of the refrigerant distributor until the contact portion contacts the refrigerant distributor;
a joining step of joining the flat multi-hole tube integrated fin to the refrigerant distributor;
A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger, comprising: