Heat exchange – Three non-communicating fluids
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-20
2001-02-20
Leo, Leonard (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
Three non-communicating fluids
C165S135000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189603
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a double heat exchanger having plural integrated heat-exchanging portions such as a condenser for a vehicle refrigerant cycle and a radiator for cooling engine-cooling water.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional double heat exchanger described in JP-A-287886, a first heat-exchanging portion and a second heat-exchanging portion are integrally formed by connecting first and second tanks for respectively supplying fluid into first and second tubes of the first and second heat-exchanging portions. However, when temperature of fluid flowing into the first heat-exchanging portion is different from temperature of fluid flowing into the second heat-exchanging portion, such as a condenser and a radiator, heat from high-temperature fluid (e.g., engine-cooling water) transfers to low-temperature fluid (e.g., refrigerant) through the integrated first and second tanks. Therefore, heat-exchanging performance of a heat-exchanging portion (e.g., condenser) in which low-temperature fluid flows is decreased.
On the other hand, in a conventional double heat exchanger described in JP-A-9-152298, a radiator and a condenser are integrated by connecting a radiator tank and a condenser tank. Further, each condenser tube is inserted into each insertion hole formed in the condenser tank, and each radiator tube is inserted into each insertion hole formed in the radiator tank. However, because each tube is inserted into each insertion hole without causing a large shake, tube-inserting performance is deteriorated, and a manufacturing method of the double heat exchanger becomes complex.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger having first and second heat-exchanging units, which can prevent heat-exchanging performance from being decreased.
It is an another object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger having first and second heat-exchanging units, which can be produced in low cost by reducing its manufacturing steps.
According to the present invention, a heat exchanger includes a first heat-exchanging unit, a second heat-exchanging unit disposed downstream from the first heat-exchanging unit, and a connection unit for connecting a first tank of the first heat-exchanging unit and a second tank of the second heat exchanging unit. The connection unit is disposed between the first tank and the second tank to be cooled by air flowing toward the first and second heat-exchanging units. Thus, a part of heat transmitted between the first and second tanks through the connection unit is radiated to air, and heat transmission between the first and second tanks can be effectively restricted by the connection portion. As a result, it can prevent heat-exchanging capacity of the double heat exchanger from being decreased. For example, when first fluid flowing in the first tank of the first heat-exchanging unit has temperature lower than that of second fluid flowing in the second tank of the second heat-exchanging unit, the connection unit prevents the heat-exchanging capacity of the first heat-exchanging unit from being decreased.
Preferably, the connection unit is disposed to protrude from the first and second tanks toward first and second core portions of the first and second heat-exchanging units. Therefore, the connection unit is cooled by air passing through the first and second core portions of the first and second heat-exchanging units. Thus, the connection unit can further restrict heat transmission between the first and second tanks of the first and second heat-exchanging units.
More preferably, the connection unit includes a plurality of connection portions arranged to be separated from each other in an extending direction of the first and second tanks. Therefore, the connection unit further restricts heat transmission between the first and second tanks.
Further, the first tank has plural first insertion holes into which first tubes of the first core portion are inserted to communicate with the first tank, the second tank has plural second insertion holes into which the second tubes are inserted to communicate with the second tank, the connection unit is connected to the first tank at a first portion for defining at least one of the first insertion holes and is connected to the second tank at the second portion for defining at least one of the second insertion holes, and the first portion of the first tank and the second portion of the second tank are adjacent to each other in an air flow direction. Thus, when the first tubes and the second tubes are inserted into the first and second insertion holes of the first and second tanks, the first and second tubes can be readily inserted into the first and second insertion holes respectively by using the connection unit as a guiding member for guiding the first and second tubes. As a result, manufacturing steps of the heat exchanger can be reduced, and the heat exchanger can be produced in low cost.
Preferably, the first tank has a cylindrical first tank portion for forming a first fluid passage, and the first tank portion is connected to the first tubes. The second tank has a core plate connected to the second tubes, and a second tank portion connected to the core plate to form a second fluid passage through which the second fluid flows. In the heat exchanger, the first tank portion of the first tank, the core plate of the second tank and the connection unit are integrally formed, and the first tank portion has a sectional area approximately equal to that of the core plate of the second tank portion. Thus, when the first tank portion of the first tank and the core plate of the second tank are integrally formed by extrusion or drawing, the first tank portion and the core plate can be uniformly molded, and the manufacturing performance of the first tank portion and the core plate can be improved. As a result, the heat exchanger can be readily formed in low cost.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5509199 (1996-04-01), Beamer et al.
patent: 198 14 028 (1998-10-01), None
patent: 0 825 404 (1998-01-01), None
patent: 0 838 651 (1998-04-01), None
patent: 9-152298 (1997-06-01), None
patent: 9-287886 (1997-11-01), None
patent: 10-103893 (1998-04-01), None
Hasegawa Etuo
Muto Satomi
Sakane Takaaki
Sasano Norihisa
Sugimoto Tatsuo
Denso Corporation
Harness Dickey & Pierce PLC
Leo Leonard
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