Evaporator with cool storage function

Abstract

An evaporator with a cool storage function includes flat refrigerant flow tubes and flat cool storage material containers each brazed to one side surface of the corresponding refrigerant flow tube. A plurality of sets each composed of refrigerant flow tubes and a cool storage material container are disposed such that they are spaced from one another. A fin is disposed in an air-passing clearance between adjacent sets, and is joined to the corresponding refrigerant flow tubes and the corresponding cool storage material container. Front portions of the cool storage material containers and the fins project frontward from the refrigerant flow tubes, and an internal-volume-increasing portion, whose container height is greater than that of the container body portion, is provided at the frontward projecting portion of each cool storage material container. Fins are brazed to opposite side surfaces of the internal-volume-increasing portion of each cool storage material container.

1 . An evaporator with a cool storage function comprising a plurality of flat refrigerant flow tube sections disposed such that their width direction coincides with an air flow direction and they are spaced from one another, and a plurality of flat cool storage material containers disposed such that their width direction coincides with the air flow direction, each of the cool storage material containers being in contact with one side surface of the corresponding refrigerant flow tube section and containing a cool storage material, wherein
 an internal-volume-increasing portion is provided at an upstream or downstream portion of each cool storage material container with respect to the air flow direction, and has a container height greater than that of the remaining portion of the cool storage material container, the container height being a dimension in a thickness direction of the cool storage material container.   
     
     
         2 . An evaporator with a cool storage function according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of sets each composed of a refrigerant flow tube section and a cool storage material container are disposed such that they are spaced from one another in a direction perpendicular to the width direction of the refrigerant flow tube sections; a space between adjacent sets each composed of a refrigerant flow tube section and a cool storage material container serves as an air-passing clearance; and a fin is disposed in the air-passing clearance, and is joined to the corresponding refrigerant flow tube section and the corresponding cool storage material container. 
     
     
         3 . An evaporator with a cool storage function according to  claim 2 , wherein respective upstream or downstream portions of each cool storage material container and each fin project outward, with respect to the air flow direction, from the refrigerant flow tube sections; the internal-volume-increasing portion is provided at a portion of each cool storage material container, which portion projects outward, with respect to the air flow direction, from the refrigerant flow tube sections; and the fins are joined to opposite side surfaces of the internal-volume-increasing portion of each cool storage material container. 
     
     
         4 . An evaporator with a cool storage function according to  claim 3 , wherein the interiors of the cool storage material containers communicate with one another at the internal-volume-increasing portions thereof. 
     
     
         5 . An evaporator with a cool storage function according to  claim 3 , wherein respective downstream portions of each cool storage material container and each fin project downstream from the refrigerant flow tube sections; and the internal-volume-increasing portion is provided at a portion of each cool storage material container, which portion projects downstream from the refrigerant flow tube sections. 
     
     
         6 . An evaporator with a cool storage function according to  claim 2 , wherein when the container height of each cool storage material container, excluding the internal-volume-increasing portion, is taken as 1, a tube section height, which is a dimension of each refrigerant flow tube section in a thickness direction thereof, is 0.25 to 2.0, and a fin height, which is a dimension of each fin in a direction of arrangement of the sets each composed of a refrigerant flow tube section and a cool storage material container, is 1.0 to 5.5. 
     
     
         7 . An evaporator with a cool storage function according to  claim 6 , wherein the container height of each cool storage material container, excluding the internal-volume-increasing portion, is 1.5 to 4.0 mm, the tube section height of each refrigerant flow tube section is 1.0 to 3.0 mm, and the fin height is 4.0 to 8.0 mm. 
     
     
         8 . An evaporator with a cool storage function according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of refrigerant flow tube sections are juxtaposed in the air flow direction; a tube section height of at least the refrigerant flow tube section disposed on the downstream end, the tube section height being a dimension in the thickness direction thereof, is smaller than that of the remaining refrigerant flow tube section(s); and the internal-volume-increasing portion is provided at a portion of each cool storage material container, which portion is in contact with the refrigerant flow tube section having the smaller tube section height.