Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger of the present disclosure includes a plurality of fin tubes; in which refrigerant channels through which refrigerant flows are formed and which are arranged to be spaced apart in one direction; and a pair of headers configured to communicate with the refrigerant channels of the fin tubes, wherein each of the fin tubes of the plurality of fin tubes includes refrigerant channels through which a refrigerant can flow, a header hole through which the refrigerant can flows, and a header collar protruding in one direction from an edge of the header hole, wherein the one header collar of a respective fin tube of the plurality of fin tubes is inserted into another the header hole of the adjacent fin tube to the one respective fin tube, and wherein the pair of headers are configured to communicate with the refrigerant channels of the fin tubes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of fin tubes; and   a pair of headers,   wherein each of the fin tubes of the plurality of fin tubes comprises:
 refrigerant channels through which a refrigerant can flow, and 
 a positioning unit that determines positions of the respective adjacent fin tubes of the plurality of fin tubes by contacting respective adjacent fin tube, 
   wherein each of the fin tubes of the plurality of fin tubes are arranged to be spaced apart in one direction with respect to the other fin tubes of the plurality of fin tubes, and   wherein the pair of headers are configured to communicate with the refrigerant channels of the fin tubes.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning unit comprises:
 a positioning groove disposed on one side of the fin tube; and   a positioning protrusion disposed on the opposite side of the fin tube, and   wherein the positioning protrusion of a respective fin tube is configured to be inserted into the positioning groove of the respective adjacent fin tube.   
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each of the fin tubes of the plurality of fin tubes further comprises:
 a first header hole and a second header hole, the first header hole and the second header hole each being configured to allow refrigerant to pass therethrough, and   wherein the positioning unit is disposed adjacent to both the first header hole and the second header hole.   
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each of the fin tubes of the plurality of fin tubes further comprises:
 a first header hole and a second header hole, the first header hole and the second header hole each being configured to allow refrigerant to pass therethrough;   a first port configured to surround the first header hole; and   a second port configured to surround the second header hole, and   wherein the positioning unit is disposed adjacent to both the first port and the second port.   
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 4 , wherein the first port and the second port each comprise a protrusion with respect to a plate of the fin tube. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 4 , wherein each of the fin tubes of the plurality of fin tubes further comprise a header collar protruding in one direction from an edge of the first header hole, and a header collar protruding in one direction from an edge of the second header hole. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each of the fin tubes of the plurality of fin tubes further comprises:
 a first panel; and   a second panel coupled to the first panel, and   wherein the refrigerant channels comprise a space between the first panel and the second panel.   
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the positioning unit is formed in both the first panel and the second panel of each respective fin tube of the plurality of fin tubes, and
 wherein the positioning unit formed in the first panel of a respective fin tube of the plurality of fin tubes and the positioning unit formed in the second panel of an adjacent fin tube to the respective fin tube are in contact with each other.   
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning unit comprises:
 a positioning groove formed in a first panel; and   a positioning protrusion formed on a second panel, and   wherein the positioning protrusion of a respective fin tube is configured to be inserted into the positioning groove of the adjacent fin tube.   
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a spacer configured to create a gap between each respective fin tube of the plurality of fin tubes. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the spacer protrudes from each surface of the each of the fin tubes, and
 wherein the spacer formed on a respective fin tube of the plurality of fin tubes and the spacer formed on the adjacent fin tube of the respective adjacent fin tube are disposed against each other.   
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein both the first panel and the second panel comprise:
 a plate;   a first header hole formed through the plate which is configured to receive one header from the pair of headers;   a second header hole formed through the plate which is configured to receive the other header from the pair of headers;   a first port disposed around the first header hole comprising a protrusion protruding away from a surface of the plate; and   a second port disposed around the second header hole comprising a protrusion protruding away from the surface of the plate.   
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein the positioning unit is disposed in both the first port and the second port. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein
 the positioning unit comprises:   a positioning groove disposed in one of the first port or the second port; and   a positioning protrusion disposed in the other of the first port or the second port.   
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein the first panel and the second panel each further comprise a header collar protruding in one direction from an edge of the first header hole or the second header hole,
 wherein the header collar formed in the second panel of a respective fin tube is configured to be inserted into a header hole formed in the first panel of the respective adjacent fin tube.   
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein the first panel and the second panel each further comprise a plurality of ribs protruding from the plate, and wherein each rib of the plurality of ribs extends in a direction crossing a longitudinal direction of the plate. 
     
     
         17 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of fin tubes; and   a pair of headers,   wherein each of the fin tubes of the plurality of fin tubes comprises:
 refrigerant channels through which a refrigerant can flow, 
 a header hole through which the refrigerant can flow, and 
 a header collar protruding in one direction from an edge of the header hole, 
   wherein the header collar of a first fin tube of the plurality of fin tubes is inserted into the header hole of a second fin tube of the plurality of fin tubes that is adjacent to the first fin tube, and   wherein the pair of headers are configured to communicate with the refrigerant channels of the fin tubes.   
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein the header collar of the second fin tube is inserted into the header hole of a third fin tube of the plurality of fin tubes that is adjacent to the second fin tube. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein each of the fin tubes of the plurality of fin tubes includes a spacer configured to create a gap between adjacent fin tubes of the plurality of the plurality of fin tubes. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein the spacer of the first fin tube is disposed against the spacer of the second fin tube that is adjacent to the first fin tube.