Heat exchanger and mounting structure of the same

Abstract

A heat exchanger has tubes stacked in a direction and constructed of plate members. Each tube includes a main part for defining a passage of an internal fluid therein and a joined part that is provided by joining portions of the plate member to have surface contact. The joined part projects from an upstream end of the main part with respect to a flow of an external fluid. The joined part includes an inclined portion that is bent at a predetermined angle relative to a reference plane that is perpendicular to the direction in which the tubes are stacked.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of tubes stacked in a direction and constructed of plate members, each of the plurality of tubes including a main part and a joined part at which portions of the plate member are joined to have surface contact, the main part defining a passage of an internal fluid therein for performing heat exchange with an external fluid flowing outside of the main part, wherein   the joined part projects from an upstream end of the main part toward an upstream position with respect to a flow of the external fluid, and   the joined part includes an inclined portion that is bent at a predetermined angle with respect to a reference plane that is defined perpendicular to the direction in which the plurality of tubes is stacked.   
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined angle of the inclined portion is equal to or less than 45°. 
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the inclined portion has an upstream end and a downstream end with respect to the flow of the external fluid, and   a dimension from the upstream end to the downstream end, measured in a direction parallel to the reference plane, is equal to or greater than 1 mm.   
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tank defining tube insertion holes in which longitudinal ends of the plurality of tubes are received, wherein   the joined part extends throughout the upstream end of the main part of each tube,   the joined part includes the inclined portion at a position other than a longitudinal end thereof, and   the joined part includes a parallel portion at the longitudinal end thereof, the parallel portion being parallel to the reference plane.   
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of fins, wherein   the plurality of fins and the plurality of tubes are alternately stacked in one of a first arrangement manner and a second arrangement manner, wherein, in the first arrangement manner, upstream ends of the plurality of fins are at the same position as upstream ends of the inclined portions with respect to the flow of the external fluid, and in the second arrangement manner, the upstream ends of the plurality of fins are located more to the upstream position with respect to the flow of the external fluid than the upstream ends of the inclined portions.   
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1  being mounted on a vehicle such that upstream ends of the inclined portions with respect to the flow of the external fluid are located higher than downstream ends thereof. 
   
   
       7 . A mounting structure for mounting the heat exchanger according to  claim 1  in a front space of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle defines an opening at a front lower position of the front space for allowing the front space to communicate with outside of the vehicle, the external fluid is air that is introduced in the front space through the opening, and wherein the heat exchanger is mounted such that upstream ends of the inclined portions with respect to a flow of the air are located higher than downstream ends thereof. 
   
   
       8 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of tubes constructed of plate members, each of the plurality of tubes including a main part and a joined part at which portions of the plate member are joined to have surface contact, the main part defining a passage of an internal fluid therein for performing heat exchange with an external fluid flowing outside of the main part, wherein   the joined part projects from an upstream end of the main part toward an upstream position with respect to a flow of the external fluid, and   the joined part includes an inclined portion that is bent at a predetermined angle with respect to a reference plane that is defined parallel to a flow direction of the external fluid and a longitudinal direction of the plurality of tubes.   
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined angle of the inclined portion is equal to or less than 45°. 
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the inclined portion has an upstream end and a downstream end with respect to the flow of the external fluid, and   a dimension from the upstream end to the downstream end, measured in a direction parallel to the reference plane, is equal to or greater than 1 mm.   
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a tank defining tube insertion holes in which longitudinal ends of the plurality of tubes are received, wherein   the joined part extends throughout the upstream end of the main part of each tube,   the joined part includes the inclined portion at a position other than a longitudinal end thereof, and   the joined part includes a parallel portion at the longitudinal end thereof, the parallel portion being parallel to the reference plane.   
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a plurality of fins, wherein   the plurality of fins and the plurality of tubes are alternately stacked in one of a first arrangement manner and a second arrangement manner, wherein, in the first arrangement manner, upstream ends of the plurality of fins are at the same position as upstream ends of the inclined portions with respect to the flow of the external fluid, and in the second arrangement manner, the upstream ends of the plurality of fins are located more to the upstream position with respect to the flow of the external fluid than the upstream ends of the inclined portions.   
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 8  being mounted on a vehicle such that upstream ends of the inclined portions with respect to the flow of the external fluid are located higher than downstream ends thereof. 
   
   
       14 . A mounting structure for mounting the heat exchanger according to  claim 8  in a front space of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle defines an opening at a front lower position of the front space for allowing the front space to communicate with outside of the vehicle, the external fluid is air that is introduced in the front space through the opening, and wherein the heat exchanger is mounted such that upstream ends of the inclined portions with respect to a flow of the air are located higher than downstream ends thereof. 
   
   
       15 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of tubes, each of the tubes including a main part defining a passage through which an internal fluid flows for performing heat exchange with an external fluid flowing outside of the main part, wherein   the main part includes a first main wall and a second main wall opposed to each other such that the passage is defined therebetween and the external fluid flows along outer surfaces of the first and second main walls,   each tube further includes a projection projecting from an outer peripheral end of the main part, and   the projection is bent at a predetermined angle relative to a reference plane that is parallel to the first and second main walls.