IP Library Granted Patent US 12,595,975
Granted Patent B2
US 12,595,975 · App. 18/430,220 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

Heat exchanger

Inventors: Minjae Park (Seoul, KR); Sungsub Lee (Seoul, KR); Minsu Park (Seoul, KR); Hyungbum Kim (Seoul, KR); Juhyok Kim (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
F28F1/32F25B41/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,595,975
App. No.
18/430,220
Granted
Apr 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a plurality of refrigerant tubes configured to allow a refrigerant to flow, and a fin disposed between the adjacent refrigerant tubes, the fin being configured to transfer heat, the fin includes a plurality of first bodies, a plurality of second bodies, each second body being arranged between adjacent first bodies, a plurality of upper bodies, each upper body connecting an upper end of each first body and an upper end of each second body adjacent to each other, and a plurality of lower bodies, each lower body connecting a lower end of each first body and a lower end of each second body adjacent to each other, wherein a distance between each first body and each second body connected to both ends of one lower body of the plurality of lower bodies decreases as it approaches one upper body of the plurality of upper bodies.

Claims (45)

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:

a plurality of refrigerant tubes configured to allow a refrigerant to flow therethrough; and

a fin disposed between adjacent refrigerant tubes, the fin being configured to transfer heat,

wherein the fin comprises:

a plurality of first bodies;

a plurality of second bodies, each second body being arranged between adjacent first bodies;

a plurality of upper bodies, each upper body connecting an upper end of a first body of the plurality of first bodies and an upper end of a second body of the plurality of second bodies that are located adjacent to each other;

a plurality of lower bodies, each lower body connecting a lower end of a first body of the plurality of first bodies and a lower end of a second body of the plurality of second bodies that are located adjacent to each other;

an inner portion overlapping the plurality of refrigerant tubes in a first direction; and

an outer portion not overlapping the plurality of refrigerant tubes in the first direction, and

wherein a distance between a first body of the plurality of first bodies and a second body of the plurality of second bodies that are connected to both ends of one lower body of the plurality of lower bodies decreases moving in a direction toward one upper body of the plurality of upper bodies.

2 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a distance between a first body of the plurality of first bodies and a second body of the plurality of second bodies that are connected to both ends of the one upper body decreases moving in a direction toward the one lower body.

3 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein each first body is inclined at a first inclination angle with respect to a vertical direction, and

wherein each second body is inclined at a second inclination angle with respect to the vertical direction.

4 . The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the first inclination angle and the second inclination angle are the same angle and are inclined in directions opposite to each other.

5 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a distance between a first body of the plurality of first bodies and a second body of the plurality of second bodies that are connected to both ends of the one upper body decreases moving in a direction toward the one lower body, and the first body and the second body come into contact with each other at a same height as the one lower body.

6 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a first body of the plurality of first bodies and a second body of the plurality of second bodies that are connected to both ends of the one lower body come into contact with each other at a same height as the one upper body.

7 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a portion where the one upper body connected to one first body of the plurality of first bodies and one second body of the plurality of second bodies is rounded.

8 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a portion where the one lower body connected to one first body among the plurality of first bodies and one second body of the plurality of second bodies is rounded.

9 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the one upper body is connected to a lower end of one refrigerant tube of the plurality of refrigerant tubes, and

wherein the one lower body is connected to an upper end of another refrigerant tube of the plurality of refrigerant tubes.

10 . The heat exchanger of claim 8 , wherein a portion of the one upper body does not overlap the one lower body in a vertical direction.

11 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the fin overlaps the plurality of refrigerant tubes in the first direction.

12 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the fin further comprises a body opening portion passing through at least a portion of the one lower body disposed in the outer portion.

13 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the fin further comprises a drain groove located in the plurality of first bodies and the plurality of second bodies, and

wherein the drain groove is disposed in the outer portion to prevent inflow of water from an outside.

14 . The heat exchanger of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of refrigerant tubes overlap each other in a vertical direction, and

wherein the drain groove is open downward.

15 . The heat exchanger of claim 13 , wherein the fin further comprises an inflow prevention hole located in the plurality of first bodies and the plurality of second bodies, and

wherein the inflow prevention hole is disposed in the outer portion to prevent the inflow of water from the outside.

16 . The heat exchanger of claim 15 , wherein the inflow prevention hole is disposed above the drain groove.

17 . The heat exchanger of claim 13 , wherein the drain groove comprises:

a first inclined surface inclined in the first direction; and

a second inclined surface inclined in the first direction and connected to one end of the first inclined surface.

18 . A heat exchanger comprising:

a plurality of refrigerant tubes configured to allow a refrigerant to flow therethrough; and

a fin disposed between adjacent refrigerant tubes, the fin being configured to transfer heat,

wherein the fin comprises:

a plurality of first bodies;

a plurality of second bodies, each second body being arranged between adjacent first bodies;

a plurality of upper bodies, each upper body connecting an upper end of a first body of the plurality of first bodies and an upper end of a second body of the plurality of second bodies that are adjacent to each other;

a plurality of lower bodies, each lower body connecting a lower end of a first body of the plurality of first bodies and a lower end of a second body of the plurality of second bodies that are adjacent to each other;

an inner portion overlapping the plurality of refrigerant tubes in a first direction; and

an outer portion not overlapping the plurality of refrigerant tubes in the first direction, and

wherein a distance between the lower end of a first body of the plurality of first bodies and the lower end of a second body of the plurality of second bodies that are connected to both ends of one lower body of the plurality of lower bodies is larger than a distance between the upper end of the first body and the upper end of the second body connected to the both ends of the one lower.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 12, 2024
From: PARK, MINJAE; LEE, SUNGSUB; PARK, MINSU; KIM, HYUNGBUM; KIM, JUHYOK
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 066729/0861 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2023-0013716 · Feb 1, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240255231A1 · Aug 1, 2024
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