JPH0749265Y2 - Heat exchanger tank structure - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial field of application) This invention is a tank of a counter-flow type or single-tank heat exchanger in which a return tube and a forward path are formed in flat tubes alternately arranged with corrugated fins. Regarding structure.

(Prior Art) For example, in a one-tank heat exchanger, the heat medium flows from the header tank toward the tip of the flat tube, and the heat medium flows in the U-shaped path along the U-shaped passage formed in the flat tube.
It turns and returns to the header tank. For this reason, the flat tube is formed with two flow paths, a forward path and a return path, which are parallel to each other so as to form a U-shaped path.

On the other hand, the header tank to which the flat tubes are connected is also provided with a header partition in the longitudinal direction thereof, and a distribution tank for supplying the heat medium to the outward path of the flat tubes and a water collecting device for collecting the heat medium from the return path of each flat tube. It is separated into a tank.

Then, when assembling the heat exchanger, it is necessary to securely connect the distribution tank and the flat tube in the forward path and the water collection tank and the flat tube in the return path so as to prevent leakage.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) In the tank portion structure of such a heat exchanger,
The invention disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 268 discloses a method in which a notch is formed between a forward path and a return path at a flat tube base end, and a tank partition and a tube partition are brought into close contact with each other to be assembled. However, there is a problem in that it is difficult to strictly match the tube partition and the tank partition so as to closely contact each other in order to prevent leakage.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a tank structure of a heat exchanger, which enables reliable and easy assembly of the heat exchanger.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The tank portion structure of the heat exchanger according to the present invention is a tank case 9 in which a distribution tank 12 for distributing or collecting a heat medium and a water collecting tank 13 are formed, and a flat tube 2. In the tank part structure of the heat exchanger, which is composed of an end plate 10 in which a communication hole 17 connected to the distribution tank 12 and the water collection tank 13 is formed, the end plate 10 has both edges thereof. Positioning portions 18a or 18b with which the circular arc portions 2c, 2c of the flat tube 2 are engaged are formed at positions corresponding to the communication holes 17, and the shape of the communication holes 17 is included in the flat tube 2. It is characterized by having a shape.

(Operation) Therefore, the tank portion of the heat exchanger is positioned by engaging the circular arc portions 2c, 2c at the base end of the flat tube 2 with the positioning portions 18a or 18b formed on the end plate 10, and then positioning the tube 2 The base end portion of is moved along the positioning portion 18a or 18b to be brought into contact with the end plate 10, the flat tube 2 and the communication hole 17 are aligned, and fins are interposed between the tubes 2 and then brazing is performed.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. As shown in FIG. 4, a flat tube 2 and corrugated fins 3 are alternately arranged in a heat exchanger 1 such as an automobile heater core. A large number of flat tubes 2 are stacked, and the base end 2a of the flat tube 2 is connected to the header tank 4 and the front end 2b extends downward from here. The lower plate 5 closes the opening of the tip 2b.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the flat tube 2 is formed in a hollow flat plate shape, and a pair of arcuate portions 2c, 2c are formed on both sides thereof. A tube partition 6 is formed substantially in the center along the extending direction. This tube partition 6 extends from the base end 2a to the front of the tip 2b to define an outward path 7a and a return path 7b of the heat medium, the heat medium descends through the outward path 7a, and makes a U-turn at the tip 2b. It forms a U-shaped passage that rises through the return path.

The header tank 4 is a tank case 9 having a substantially U-shaped cross section.
And an end plate 10 that covers the tank case 9 to form a flow path.

A partition plate 11 is formed in the center of the end plate 10 so that the distribution tank 12 of the heat medium and the water collection tank 13 are distributed side by side in the header tank 4. Is the inlet pipe 14 for introducing the refrigerant,
An outlet pipe 15 is connected to the water collection tank 13.

A plurality of communication holes 17 communicating with the outward path 7a and the return path 7b of the flat tube are formed on the flat surface of the end plate 10.

The size of the communication hole 17 is substantially similar to the cross-sectional area of the flat tube 2, that is, smaller than the combined size of the outward path 7a and the return path 7b. Therefore, the flat tube 2
Unlike the conventional case, is contacted with the end plate 10 without being inserted into the communication hole 17.

A part of both side edge portions 10a of the end plate 10 is formed by bending it to the outside of the tank, and is joined to the inside of the tank case 9. The edge portion 10a is formed so as to correspond to the position of the communication hole 17 described above, and the pair of circular arc portions 2c of the flat tube 2 are locked at a position where the flat tubes 2 are aligned with each other for positioning. Parts are formed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, this positioning portion is specifically a notch 18a into which a pair of arcuate portions 2c of the flat tube are fitted, and the width dimension of the flat tube in the lateral direction. Is formed in.

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

The end plate 10 provided with the partition plate 11 is fitted into the tank case 9 to form the header tank 4.

Next, the notch 18a of the end plate 10 is arranged so as to engage the pair of arcuate portions 2c of the flat tube 2, and the base end 2a of the flat tube 2 is guided and abutted on the flat surface of the end plate. To move. As a result, the outward path 7a and the return path 7b of the flat tube 2 are included in the communication hole 17 and come into contact with the periphery thereof.

Similarly, a plurality of flat tubes 2 are assembled to the end plate 10, and corrugated fins 3 are interposed between the flat tubes 2 to assemble the heat exchanger 1.

Then, after the lower plate 15 is attached, it is fixed with a jig and brazed in a furnace.

According to the assembling of the heat exchanger according to this embodiment, the end plate 10 of the header tank 4 is formed with the notch 18a as the positioning portion for the flat tube 2, so that the communication hole 1
Accurate positioning of the flat tube 2 with respect to 7 is easy, and the flat tube 2 can be assembled by simply pressing the flat tube 2 against the end plate 10.

Further, unlike the conventional case, the flat tube is not inserted into the communication hole 17, so that the distribution resistance can be reduced without generating protrusions in the distribution tank 12 and the water collection tank 13.

Next, the flow of the heat medium in the heat exchanger 1 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, from the inlet pipe 14 to the header tank 4
The heat medium flowing into the distribution tank 12 of each flat tube 2
Will be distributed to. Then, it is introduced from the base end portion 2a to the outward passage 7a, descends and makes a U-turn at the tip end portion 2b as shown by arrow A, rises up the return passage 7b, is introduced into the water collecting tank 13 of the header tank 4, and exits. Derived from pipe 15.

Next, a second embodiment of this invention will be described.

In the second embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the positioning portion is not a notch but the recess 18b is formed in the bent edge portion of the end plate. The configuration is different from the example. That is, in the positioning portion, the edge portion 10a of the end plate 10 is formed so as to protrude along the concave portion 18b, and the protrusion portion 9a is also formed in the tank case 9 along this shape.

According to the second embodiment, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained, and the end plate 10 and the joint portion between the end plate 10 and the tank case 9 are three-dimensional. The strength of can be increased.

In addition, although the above-described embodiment has been described by using the one-tank type heat exchanger as an example, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a counterflow type heat exchanger in which tanks are connected to both ends of a flat tube. Similar effects can be obtained.

(Effect of the Invention) According to this invention, the flat tube is guided along the positioning portion of the flat tube formed on the end plate and is assembled by abutting on the end plate.
The flat tube can be surely aligned with the communication hole formed in the end plate. Therefore, unlike the prior art, it is not necessary to position the header tank with the partition plate, and the assembly can be facilitated.

In addition, since brazing between the partition portion and the flat tube is not required, brazing defects can be reduced.

Further, since the flat tube does not project into the flow path of the header tank, the flow path resistance can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the present invention by cutting out a main part, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of a header tank and a flat tube. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the connection between the flat tube and the header tank.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the heat exchanger, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a main part of the heat exchanger according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a connection state between the flat tube and the header tank in FIG. FIG. 2 ... Flat tube, 2c ... Circular part, 3 ... Corrugated fin, 9 ... Tank case, 10 ... End plate,
10a: Edge of end plate, 18a, 18b: Positioning part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A distribution tank 12 for distributing or collecting heat medium.
And a tank case 9 in which a water collecting tank 13 is formed, and an end plate 10 in which a flat tube 2 is connected to the distribution tank 12 and the water collecting tank 13 and in which an end plate 10 is formed. In the partial structure, the end plate 10 is provided with positioning portions 18a or 18b, which are engaged with the arcuate portions 2c, 2c of the flat tube 2, at positions corresponding to the communication holes 17 at both edges thereof. At the same time, the shape of the communication hole 17 is a shape included in the flat tube 2, and the tank portion structure of the heat exchanger.