Heat exchanger

Abstract

A protective cover 7 is disposed on an airflow upstream side of a tube 2. Even when relatively large flying materials such as gravel impinge against a radiator 1, the flying materials are prevented from directly striking the tubes 2. As the tube 2 can thus be protected from the relatively large flying materials such as gravel, the radiator 1 can continue operating, and the reliability of the radiator 1 can be improved.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a plurality of tubes arranged in parallel with one another, and allowing a fluid to flow therethrough;    header tanks arranged at end portions of said tubes in a longitudinal direction, and communicating with said plurality of tubes; and    tube protective members for protecting said tubes, disposed on an airflow upstream side of said tubes, and being separate members from said tubes.    
     
     
         2 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said tubes is shaped into a compressed flat shape in such a fashion that the airflow direction is coincident with a major diameter direction; 
 a fin for increasing a heat transfer area with air is bonded to a compressed flat surface of an outer surface of each of said tubes; and    said fin extends to a portion corresponding to said tube protective member beyond an end portion of said tube in the major diameter direction.    
     
     
         3 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said tube protective member is around rod-like member.  
     
     
         4 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a plurality of tubes through which a fluid flows; and    fins each bonded to an outer surface of each of said tubes, for increasing a heat transfer area with air;    wherein said fin extends to at least a front side of said tube and encompasses the front side of said tube.    
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a plurality of tubes through which a fluid flows; and    fins each bonded to an outer surface of each of said tubes, for increasing a heat transfer area with air;    wherein said tube is shaped into a compressed flat shape so that an airflow direction coincides with a major diameter direction, and said fin is bonded to said compressed flat surface in such a fashion as to cover substantially the whole area of said compressed flat surface of an outer surface of said tube.    
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a plurality of tubes arranged in parallel with one another, and allowing a fluid to flow therethrough;    header tanks arranged at end portions of said tubes in a longitudinal direction, and communicating with said plurality of tubes; and    fins each brazed to an outer surface of each of said tubes, for promoting heat exchange between said fluid and air;    wherein a tube protective portion is formed by a filler metal on an airflow upstream side of said tube when said filler metal is solidified in a brazing process of said tube and said fin.