Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger comprises: a pair of headers ( 10, 10 ) which are provided in parallel facing each other through a predetermined distance and a pathway of the fluid is respectively provided therein; and a plurality of flat heat-exchange tubes ( 20, 20 . . . ) which are provided between the headers in parallel, both ends thereof are fastened to the headers, and a pathway of the refrigerant for connecting the pathways of both headers is respectively provided therein. In this heat exchanger, the heat-exchange tubes and the headers are air-tightly and liquid-tightly fastened by inserting end portions ( 21, 21 . . . ) of the heat-exchange tubes into insertion holes ( 11, 11 . . . ) which are bored on the headers. Furthermore, in the vicinity of opening ends ( 29 ) of both end portions of the flat heat-exchange tubes, shape-holding portions ( 41 ) for preventing deformation of the opening ends are provided.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a pair of headers which are provided in parallel to face through a predetermined distance and a pathway of the fluid is respectively provided therein; a plurality of flat heat-exchange tubes which are provided between said headers in parallel, both ends thereof are fastened to said headers and a pathway of the refrigerant for connecting the pathways of both headers is respectively provided therein, wherein 
 connecting structures between said headers and heat-exchange tubes are provided by inserting end portions of said heat-exchange tubes into insertion holes which are bored on said headers, and air-tightly and liquid-tightly fastening said headers and heat-exchange tubes; and  
 shape-holding portions for preventing the deformation of opening ends of said heat-exchange tubes are provided in the vicinity of the opening ends of each heat-exchange tube.  
   
     
     
         2 . A heat exchanger according to    claim 1   , wherein said shape-holding portions are provided by reinforcement members which project from at least one of opposing wall portion of said heat-exchange tube toward the opposing wall portion, and the connecting ends of opposing reinforcement members are in contact with each other.  
     
     
         3 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a pair of headers which are provided in parallel facing each other through a predetermined distance and a pathway of the fluid is respectively provided therein; a plurality of flat heat-exchange tubes which are provided between said headers in parallel, both ends thereof are fastened to said headers, and a pathway of the refrigerant for connecting the pathways of both headers is respectively provided therein, wherein 
 connecting structures between said headers and heat-exchange tubes are provided by inserting end portions of said heat-exchange tubes into insertion holes which are bored on said headers, and air-tightly and liquid-tightly fastening said headers and heat-exchange tubes; and  
 an insertion end portion, in which the width thereof between opposing side walls of said heat-exchange tubes becomes narrower as it approaches an opening end of said heat-exchange tubes, which is provided on each end portion of said heat-exchange tubes.  
   
     
     
         4 . A heat exchanger according to    claim 3   , wherein each of said insertion holes has a shape corresponding to the shape of said insertion end portion.  
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger according to    claim 4   , wherein said insertion end portion has a contacting portion which inwardly or outwardly projects from the outer surface thereof, and each insertion hole has a shape corresponding to the shape of said insertion end portion in which said contacting portion is provided.  
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a pair of headers which are provided in parallel facing each other through a predetermined distance and a pathway of the fluid is respectively provided therein; a plurality of flat heat-exchange tubes which are provided between said headers in parallel, both ends thereof are fastened to said headers, and a pathway of the refrigerant for connecting the pathways of both headers is respectively provided therein, wherein 
 connecting structures between said headers and heat-exchange tubes are provided by inserting end portions of said heat-exchange tubes into insertion holes which are bored on the header, and air-tightly and liquid-tightly fastening said header and heat-exchange tubes; and  
 a corner of an opening end of each heat-exchange tube is partly cut off.  
   
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a pair of headers which are provided in parallel facing each other through a predetermined distance and a pathway of the fluid is respectively provided therein; a plurality of flat heat-exchange tubes which are provided between said headers in parallel, both ends thereof are fastened to said headers, and a pathway of the refrigerant for connecting the pathways of both headers is respectively provided therein, wherein 
 connecting structures between said headers and heat-exchange tubes are provided by inserting end portions of said heat-exchange tubes into insertion holes which are bored on the header, and air-tightly and liquid-tightly fastening said header and heat-exchange tubes; and  
 a removal prevention member which is fastened to opposing wall portions of each heat-exchange tube for preventing the deformation of said heat-exchange tube caused by the removal of said wall portions, an which is provided on at least one of said wall portions.  
   
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger according to    claim 7   , wherein said removal prevention member is provided by bulging members which project from respective wall portions toward the opposing wall portions, and the connecting ends of said opposing bulging members contact each other and are welded by laser.  
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger according to    claim 7   , wherein said removal prevention member is provided by projections which project from respective wall portions toward the opposing wall portions, a hole which is provided on one of the projections, a pipe member which is provided on the other projection and passes through the hole, and a caulked portion which is provided on the ends of said projections for fastening said projections by turned downward and caulking the end of said pipe member.  
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger according to    claim 7   , wherein said removal prevention member is provided by extending a part of one of the opposing wall portions from each opening end of said heat-exchange tubes and bending toward the other wall portion so as to be fastened to the other wall portion.