Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger has a tank communicated with tubes at longitudinal-direction ends of the tubes. A first plate member of the tank has a core plate portion connected with the tubes and two side wall portions facing each other, which are constructed of a metal plate material. The second plate member of the tank has an opposite wall portion facing the core plate portion and two cap portions facing each other, which are constructed of a metal plate material. The core plate portion has a protrusion-shaped cross section in the longitudinal direction of the tubes. The first plate member and the second plate member are integrated by brazing. An inner surface of one of the plate members contacts an end surface of other of the plate members, and a fillet is formed between an extension portion of the one plate member and a shear droop of the other plate member.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a plurality of tubes which are stacked; and    at least one tank which extends in a stacking direction of the tubes, the tank being connected with longitudinal-direction ends of the tubes so that an inner space of the tank is communicated with those of the tubes, the tank having a first plate member and a second plate member which are integrated by brazing, wherein:    the first plate member includes a core plate portion which is connected with the tubes, and two side wall portions which are respectively disposed at two lateral-direction ends of the core plate portion and extend in a longitudinal direction of the core plate portion,    the two side wall portions facing each other and being spaced by the inner space of the tank,    the core plate portion and the side wall portions being constructed of a metal plate material by bending;    the second plate member includes an opposite wall portion which faces the core plate portion and is spaced from the core plate portion by the inner space of the tank, and two cap portions which are respectively arranged at two ends of the longitudinal direction of the core plate portion of the opposite wall portion and extend to sandwich the inner space of the tank therebetween, the two cap portions facing each other,    the opposite wall portion and the cap portions being constructed of a metal plate material by bending; and    the core plate portion has a cross section which has a shape protruding toward an outer side of the tank in the longitudinal direction of the tubes, the cross section being perpendicular to the stacking direction of the tubes.    
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the second plate member has at least one rib.  
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein the rib protrudes into the inner space.  
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the side wall portion has at least one junction groove, in which a lateral-direction end of the cap portion is inserted.  
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the side wall portion has at least one first slit, in which a lateral-direction end of the cap portion is inserted, the lateral-direction end of the cap portion protruding from an outer surface of the side wall portion.    
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the cap portion has two second slit, in which the two side wall portions of a side of the opposite wall portion are respectively inserted, the second slit being arranged at the cap portion of a side of the side wall portion.  
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the cap portion has a first bend edge which is disposed at a periphery of the cap portion and bent to contact at least one of the core plate portion and the side wall portion.    
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the opposite wall portion has a second bend edge which is arranged at a periphery of the opposite wall portion and bent to contact the side wall portions.    
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the core plate portion has at least one penetration hole, through which at least a part of an end of the cap portion is inserted, the end of the cap portion being disposed at an opposite side to the opposite wall portion.  
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , wherein the penetration hole is provided with a brim.  
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the core plate portion has a window; and    the cap portion has an engagement protuberance, which projects from an end of the cap portion of a side of the core plate portion and has an overhang portion,    the engagement protuberance being inserted through the window so that the overhang portion is engaged with an outer surface of the core plate portion.    
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 one of the first plate member and the second plate member has a plurality of concave-shaped engagement notches disposed at ends thereof; and    other of the first plate member and the second plate member has a plurality of engagement nail portions which are disposed at ends thereof and engaged with the engagement notches, tips of the engagement nail portions being engaged with an outer surface of the one of the first plate member and the second plate member.    
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 one of the first plate member and the second plate member has a plurality of engagement windows disposed at ends thereof; and    other of the first plate member and the second plate member has a plurality of engagement protrusions which are disposed at ends thereof and engaged with the engagement windows.    
   
   
       14 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a plurality of tubes which are stacked; and    at least one tank which extends in a stacking direction of the tubes, the tank being connected with longitudinal-direction ends of the tubes so that an inner space of the tank is communicated with those of the tubes, wherein:    the tank includes at least two metal plate members, which are respectively provided with brazing material layers at least at outer surfaces thereof to be integrated by brazing, the outer surface of the plate member constructing a part of an outer surface of the tank;    at a brazing junction between the plate members, an inner surface of one of the plate members contacts an end surface of other of the plate members, the inner surface being at an inner side of the tank;    at the brazing junction, the one of the plate members has an extension portion, which extends so that an end surface of the extension portion is positioned at an outer side of the tank with respect to a contact part between the plate members;    at the brazing junction, the other of the plate members has a shear droop which is disposed at the outer surface thereof and formed by punching; and    a brazing material fillet is formed between the extension portion of the one of the plate members and the shear droop of the other of the plate members.    
   
   
       15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 the end surface of the extension portion of the one of the plate members is positioned at the outer side of the tank with respect to the outer surface of the other of the plate members.    
   
   
       16 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 the tank is constructed of the first plate member having a core plate portion connected with the tubes, and the second plate member having an opposite wall portion which faces the core plate portion and is spaced from the core plate portion by the inner space of the tank.    
   
   
       17 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the first plate member further has two side wall portions which face each other and are spaced by the inner space of the tank, the side wall portions and the core plate portion being constructed of a single metal plate material by bending,    two lateral-direction ends of the core plate portion being respectively connected with those of the opposite wall portion by the two side wall portions; and    the second plate member further has two cap portions which face each other and are spaced by the inner space of the tank, the cap portions and the opposite wall portion being constructed of a single metal plate material by bending,    two longitudinal-direction ends of the core plate portion are respectively connected with those of the opposite wall portion by the two cap portions.    
   
   
       18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the first plate member further has two cap portions which face each other and are spaced by the inner space of the tank, the cap portions and the core plate portion being constructed of a single metal plate material by bending,    two longitudinal-direction ends of the core plate portion are respectively connected with those of the opposite wall portion by the two cap portions; and    the second plate member further has two side wall portions which face each other and are spaced by the inner space of the tank, the side wall portions and the opposite wall portion being constructed of a single metal plate material by bending,    two lateral-direction ends of the core plate portion being respectively connected with those of the opposite wall portion by the two side wall portions.    
   
   
       19 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the first plate member has a plurality of engagement notches concaved from end surfaces of the first plate member; and    the second plate member has a plurality of engagement nail portions which are engaged with the engagement notches, tips of the engagement nail portions being engaged with the outer surface of the first plate member.    
   
   
       20 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the second plate member has a plurality of engagement notches concaved from end surfaces of the second plate member; and    the first plate member has a plurality of engagement nail portions which are engaged with the engagement notches, tips of the engagement nail portions being engaged with the outer surface of the second plate member.