Heat exchanger for vehicle air conditioner

Details Heat exchanger for vehicle air conditioner Heat exchanger for vehicle air conditioner

1999-10-13

2001-09-25

Leo, Leonard (Department: 3743)

Metal working

Method of mechanical manufacture

Heat exchanger or boiler making

C165S173000, C165S178000, C285S125100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06293011

ABSTRACT:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application relates to and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 10-329797 filed on Nov. 19, 1998, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger and is suitably applied to a condenser or radiator of a refrigerant cycle for a vehicle air conditioner.
2. Related Art
Recently, a condenser for a refrigerant cycle shifts from a serpentine type heat exchanger to a multi-flow type heat exchanger. The serpentine type heat exchanger has a heater core formed by bending a single tube into a zigzag shape. The multi-flow type heat exchanger has a header tank disposed at one side ends of plural tubes in a longitudinal direction of the tubes. In the multi-flow type, the tubes, the header tank and a connector for connecting the header tank to a pipe are bonded with each other by brazing. Therefore, the parts need to be tentatively fastened to each other before bonding by brazing. Especially, the connector needs to be restricted from releasing from the header tank.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, JP-A-4-251195 discloses a heat exchanger in which an end of one of plural tubes
211
is clamped by a connector
230
in a header tank
220
, thereby tentatively fastening the connector
230
to the header tank
220
. However, fluid flowing through the connector
230
into the header tank
220
may mainly flow into the clamped tube
211
. As a result, an amount of fluid distributed to each tube
211
becomes ununiform, and heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger is declined. Further, a passage formed inside the clamped tube
211
may be closed by the connector
230
. As a result, an amount of fluid distributed to each tube
211
becomes ununiform.
As shown in
FIG. 7
, JP-A-4-251196 discloses another heat exchanger in which a connector
330
penetrates the header tank
320
to be tentatively fastened to the header tank
320
. However, in this case, a flow amount of fluid in the header tank
320
may largely differ between both sides of the connector
330
, i.e., between an upper side and a lower side of the connector
330
in FIG.
7
. Therefore, the connector
330
needs to be disposed at a longitudinal end of the header tank
320
, and design of the heat exchanger is restricted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger in which a connector is tentatively fastened to a header tank before bonded to the header tank by brazing without causing decline in heat exchange performance nor design restriction.
According to the present invention, a heat exchanger has plural tubes through which fluid flows, a tank communicating with the tubes, a connector for connecting the tank to a pipe and a protruding portion protruding from an outer surface of the tank. The connector is clamped by the protruding portion and is tentatively fastened to the tank. As a result, the connector is readily and tentatively fastened to the header tank before bonded to the header tank by brazing, without causing decline in heat exchange performance nor design restriction of the heat exchanger.
Preferably, the protruding portion is integrally formed with the tank by any one of extrusion and drawing. As a result, the number of manufacturing processes of the tank is reduced.
Preferably, the protruding portion includes a pair of clamping portions, and the connector is disposed between the clamping portions to be clamped by the clamping portions.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3874710 (1975-04-01), Courtot
patent: 5205349 (1993-04-01), Nagao et al.
patent: 5240068 (1993-08-01), Tokutake
patent: 5363910 (1994-11-01), Baba et al.
patent: 5632332 (1997-05-01), Hanafusa
patent: 5771965 (1998-06-01), Inaba et al.
patent: 5806897 (1998-09-01), Nagai et al.
patent: 6059322 (2000-05-01), Nagai et al.
patent: 63-127094 (1988-05-01), None
patent: 4-251196 (1992-09-01), None
patent: 4-251195 (1992-09-01), None
patent: 5-141580 (1993-06-01), None

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