Heat Exchanger and Method for Assembling Heat Exchanger

Abstract

Assembly of a header tank 1 and flat tubes 3 A in a heat exchanger is simplified. A communication portion of the header tank 1 side which communicates with the flat tube 3 A is a slit 11 formed over a region (a side surface 1 b , or a connection portion between a facing surface 1 a and the side surface 1 b ) that retreats from a center portion side in a width direction of the facing surface 1 a , from the facing surface 1 a on one end portion side in the width direction. An end portion of the flat tube 3 A is able to be inserted from the side surface side of the header tank 1 into the slit 11 of the header tank 1 . The flat tube 3 A is caused to abut, in the width direction thereof, on a first abutting portion a of an end portion on the facing surface 1 a side of the slit 11 , and abut, in the longitudinal direction, on a second abutting portion b of an end portion on the side surface 1 b side of the slit 11.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a pair of header tanks which extend in parallel; and   a plurality of flat tubes which communicate with the pair of header tanks and are lined up in two parallel rows,   wherein communication portions of the header tank which communicate with the flat tubes include:   a first slit which is formed over a region that retreats, from a center portion side in a width direction of a facing surface of the header tank which faces the other header tank that forms the pair, in a direction opposite to a facing direction from the center portion on one end portion side in the width direction; and   a second slit which is formed over a region that retreats, from the center portion side in the width direction of the facing surface, in a direction opposite to the facing direction from the center portion on the other end portion side in the width direction,   wherein end portions of the flat tubes are able to be inserted from the side surface side of the header tanks into the first and second slits of the header tanks, and   wherein the flat tubes abut, in the width direction thereof, on first abutting portions of end portions on the center portion side of the facing surface of the first and second slits.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the retreating region is a side surface of the header tank.   
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the retreating region is a connection portion between the facing surface and the side surface of the header tank.   
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the connection portion forms a rounded portion.   
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the connection portion forms an inclined portion having a chamfered shape.   
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein end portions on the retreating region side of the first and second slits are provided at right angles from the end portions of the center portion side of the facing surface, and   wherein the flat tubes abut, in the longitudinal direction thereof, on second abutting portions of end portions on the retreating region side of the first and second slits.   
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein a step is provided in the end portions on the retreating region side of the first and second slits on which the flat tubes abut in the longitudinal direction thereof, so that third abutting portions on which the flat tubes abut in the width direction are formed, and a height of the step is less than a height of the facing surface.   
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein end portions on the retreating region side of the first and second slits are provided to be parallel to the end portions on the center portion side of the facing surface, and   wherein the flat tubes, in the longitudinal direction thereof, passes through the first and second slits and abut on fourth abutting portions in the header tanks.   
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein, regarding front end and rear end in a slit hole direction of the end portions on the retreating region side of the first and second slits, where it is assumed that:   a plate thickness of the flat tube is D1;   a distance in a retreating direction from the facing surface of the flat tube to the front end is D2; and   a distance from the rear end to the end portion of the flat tube is D3,   D2≧D1 and D3>0 are set.   
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein, regarding D1 and D2, D2>D1 is set.   
     
     
         11 . A method of assembling a heat exchanger, comprising:
 a first process of arranging flat tubes in a first row so that end portions in a width direction thereof are on an upper side;   a second process of fitting first slits on one side surface side of a pair of header tanks with both end portions of the flat tubes in the first row from above; and   a third process of fitting flat tubes in a second row into second slits on the other side surface side of the pair of header tanks from above.   
     
     
         12 . The method of assembling the heat exchanger according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein in the third process, the upper ends of the pair of header tanks are opened to the outside before fitting the flat tubes in the second row into the second slits of the pair of header tanks, and are closed after the fitting.   
     
     
         13 . A method of assembling a heat exchanger, comprising:
 a first process of arranging a pair of header tanks so that one side surface side of the pair of header tanks are on an upper side;   a second process of fitting both end portions of flat tubes in a first row into first slits on the one side surface side of the pair of header tanks;   a third process of turning over the pair of header tanks and the flat tubes in the first row which fit with each other; and   a fourth process of fitting flat tubes in a second row into second slits on the other side surface side of the pair of header tanks from above.   
     
     
         14 . The method of assembling the heat exchanger according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein, in the fourth process, the upper ends of the pair of header tanks are opened to the outside before fitting the flat tubes in the second row into the second slits of the pair of header tanks, and are closed after the fitting.