IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,151,280
Granted Patent B2
US 12,151,280 · App. 17/772,648 · Granted Nov 26, 2024

Heat exchanger and method for manufacturing heat exchanger

Inventors: Masahiro Kato (Saitama, JP); Takashi Kaneda (Saitama, JP); Fumihiro Kawashima (Saitama, JP)
Assignee: Marelli Corporation
B21D53/08B23K1/0012F28D1/05316F28F9/013F28F9/0246F28F2225/04F28F2275/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,151,280
App. No.
17/772,648
Granted
Nov 26, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A heat exchanger includes: flat tubes; a plate attached to the flat tubes; a medium tank configured to form a medium flow path by covering openings of flat tubes; and a reinforcing member to reinforce the openings. The reinforcing member includes a pair of leg portions and a connection portion that connects the leg portions. An insertion amount of the leg portions into the opening is larger than a sum of a gap between the connection portion and an inner surface and a length from the opening to a position corresponding to a brazed portion between the flat tube and the plate, or when a protruding portion protruding in a direction opposite an insertion direction is provided in the connection portion, larger than a sum of a gap between the protruding portion and the inner surface and a length from the opening to the position corresponding to the brazed portion.

Claims (31)

1. A heat exchanger, comprising:

a plurality of flat tubes configured to form a medium flow path;

a plate attached to an end portion of each of the plurality of flat tubes, the plate having a plurality of insertion holes into which the plurality of flat tubes are inserted, the plurality of insertion holes having shapes the same as cross-sectional shapes of the plurality of flat tubes;

a medium tank configured to form a medium flow path by covering openings of the plurality of flat tubes inserted into the insertion holes; and

a reinforcing member configured to reinforce the openings, wherein

the plurality of flat tubes, the plate, the medium tank, and the reinforcing member are connected by a brazing material,

the reinforcing member includes at least a pair of leg portions and a connection portion that connects the leg portions, the leg portions being positioned on inner surfaces facing each other in a long axis direction of the openings, and a part of the leg portions being inserted into the openings so as to be in contact with the inner surfaces facing each other in a short axis direction of the openings, and

an insertion amount of the leg portions into the opening is larger than a sum of a gap between the connection portion and an inner surface of the medium tank and a length from the opening to a position corresponding to a brazed portion between the flat tube and the plate.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing member has a bent portion that connects the connection portion and the leg portions.

3. A method for manufacturing the heat exchanger according to claim 1 , comprising:

forming any of inner sides of the flat tubes, an inner side of the medium tank, or the reinforcing member from a material free of brazing material layer;

assembling the flat tubes, the plate, the medium tank, and the reinforcing member; and

performing heat brazing after the assembly.

4. The method for manufacturing the heat exchanger according to claim 3 , further comprising:

forming the inner side of the flat tube and the inner side of the medium tank from a material free of brazing material layer; and

forming the reinforcing member and the plate from a material having brazing material layers formed on both surfaces.

5. A heat exchanger, comprising:

a plurality of flat tubes configured to form a medium flow path;

a plate attached to an end portion of each of the plurality of flat tubes, the plate having a plurality of insertion holes into which the plurality of flat tubes are inserted, the plurality of insertion holes having shapes the same as cross-sectional shapes of the plurality of flat tubes;

a medium tank configured to form a medium flow path by covering openings of the plurality of flat tubes inserted into the insertion holes; and

a reinforcing member configured to reinforce the openings, wherein

the plurality of flat tubes, the plate, the medium tank, and the reinforcing member are connected by a brazing material, and

the reinforcing member includes at least a pair of leg portions and a connection portion that connects the leg portions, the leg portions being positioned on inner surfaces facing each other in a long axis direction of the openings, and a part of the leg portions being inserted into the openings so as to be in contact with the inner surfaces facing each other in a short axis direction of the openings, the heat exchanger further comprising:

a protruding portion protruding in a direction opposite to an insertion direction of the leg portion in the connection portion, wherein an insertion amount of the leg portions into the opening is larger than a sum of a gap between the protruding portion and an inner surface of the medium tank and a length from the opening to a position corresponding to a brazed portion.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 5 , wherein

the reinforcing member has a bent portion that connects the connection portion and the leg portions, and

the gap between the protruding portion and the inner surface of the medium tank is smaller than a gap between the bent portion and the inner surface of the medium tank.

7. A method for manufacturing the heat exchanger according to claim 5 , comprising:

forming any of inner sides of the flat tubes, an inner side of the medium tank, or the reinforcing member from a material free of a brazing material layer;

assembling the flat tubes, the plate, the medium tank, and the reinforcing member; and

performing heat brazing after the assembly.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2022
From: KATO, MASAHIRO; KANEDA, TAKASHI; KAWASHIMA, FUMIHIRO
To: MARELLI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059767/0787 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-199113 · Oct 31, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230035116A1 · Feb 2, 2023