Apparatus and method for manufacturing heat exchanger

Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing a heat exchanger including a refrigerant tube, the apparatus including a moving rod movable along a first direction; and a tube expansion body connected to the moving rod to be linearly movable along the first direction, the tube expansion body insertable into a tube base material of the refrigerant tub such that the tube base material is expanded outward when the tube expansion body is inserted into the tube base material of the refrigerant tube, wherein the tube expansion body includes a plurality of groove forming protrusions formed on an outer surface of the tube expansion body so as to extend along a direction inclined with respect to the first direction, the groove forming protrusions form a plurality of grooves on an inner surface of the tube base material, when the tube expansion body is moved to be inserted into the tube base material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for manufacturing a heat exchanger including a refrigerant tube, the apparatus comprising:
 a moving rod configured to be linearly movable along a first direction; and   a tube expansion body connected to the moving rod so as to be linearly movable along the first direction, the tube expansion body configured to be insertable into a tube base material of the refrigerant tub such that the tube base material is expanded outward by the tube expansion body when the tube expansion body is moved by the moving rod to be inserted into the tube base material of the refrigerant tube,   wherein the tube expansion body includes:
 a plurality of groove forming protrusions formed on an outer surface of the tube expansion body so as to extend along a direction inclined with respect to the first direction, the plurality of groove forming protrusions form a plurality of grooves on an inner surface of the tube base material, when the tube expansion body is moved by the moving rod to be inserted into the tube base material of the refrigerant tube. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the tube expansion body is configured to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the moving rod.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the tube expansion body is configured to rotate in a first rotational direction when inserted into the tube base material,   each groove forming protrusion of the plurality of groove forming protrusions includes a first end oriented toward a direction of insertion into the tube base material and a second end opposite to the first end, and   each groove forming protrusion of the plurality of groove forming protrusions is extended to slope with respect to the first direction from the first end to the second end along the first rotational direction.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the moving rod is elongated along the first direction, and has at least a portion disposed inside the tube expansion body, and   the tube expansion body is configured to be rotatable around the moving rod.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a bearing configured between the tube expansion body and the moving rod.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein
 the bearing includes a plurality of rolling elements disposed between an inner circumferential surface of the tube expansion body and an outer circumferential surface of the moving rod, and   the plurality of rolling elements are arranged along a circumferential direction of the tube expansion body.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein
 the bearing includes a plurality of bearings, and   the plurality of bearings are arranged along a longitudinal direction of the tube expansion body.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the tube expansion body includes a taper portion which narrows in a direction of insertion into the tube base material, and   the plurality of groove forming protrusions are arranged on an outer surface of the taper portion.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein
 the tube expansion body further includes a cylinder portion extending along the first direction and having a hollow cylindrical shape,   the taper portion extends from a first end of the cylinder portion oriented toward the direction of insertion into the tube base material, and   at least some of the plurality of groove forming protrusions are arranged on an outer surface of the cylinder portion.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the tube expansion body includes:
 a first end oriented toward a direction of insertion into the tube base material, 
 a second end opposite to the first end, 
 a first hole formed at the first end, and 
 a second hole formed at the second end, and 
   the moving rod extends through the first hole and the second hole.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein
 the moving rod includes a head portion that is in contact with an outside of the first end of the tube expansion body, and   a width of the head portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is wider than a width of the first hole in the direction perpendicular to the first direction.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein
 the head portion includes:
 a first portion adjacent to the tube expansion body, and 
 a second portion located on an end of the first portion oriented toward a direction of insertion into the tube base material, and 
   the first portion is formed such that a width in the direction perpendicular the first direction increases in a direction from the tube expansion body toward the second portion.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein
 the moving rod includes a pressing portion contacting an outside of the second end of the tube expansion body,   the pressing portion is configured to press the second end in the first direction when the moving rod is moving in the first direction, and   the pressing portion has a width in a direction perpendicular to the first direction that is wider than a width of the second hole in the direction perpendicular to the first direction.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of groove forming protrusions are arranged at equal intervals along an outer circumferential direction of the tube expansion body.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the tube expansion body includes:
 a rotating portion configured to be rotatable around the moving rod, and 
 a fixed ball fixed to the moving rod, 
   the fixed ball is located at an end of the rotating portion oriented toward a direction of insertion into the tube base material, and   the plurality of groove forming protrusions are provided on an outer surface of the rotating portion.