Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger comprises a core portion including a plurality of tubes with a heat medium flowing therein and fins coupled to the outer surface of the tubes for promoting heat exchange with the heat medium, a pair of header tanks extending in a direction perpendicular to the length or the tubes at the longitudinal ends of the tubes and communicating with the tubes, and a pair of inserts arranged substantially parallel to the length of the tubes at the ends of the core portion to receive the heat transmitted from the core portion and having the ends thereof supported on the header tanks, each header tank includes a core plate with the tubes fixed thereon and a tank body providing the internal space of the tank with the core plate, and the ends of each insert are arranged outside the internal space of the tank and the insert is movably fitted in the header tank and along the length thereof and is immovable in a direction perpendicular to the length thereof.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a core portion including a plurality of tubes with a heat medium flowing therein and fins coupled to the outer surface of the tubes for promoting heat exchange with the heat medium;    a pair of header tanks extending in the direction perpendicular to the length of the tubes at the longitudinal ends of the tubes and communicating with the tubes; and    a pair of inserts arranged substantially parallel to the length of the tubes at the ends of the core portion to receive the heat transmitted from the core portion and having the ends thereof supported on the header tanks;    wherein each of the header tanks includes a core plate with the tubes fixed thereon and a tank body providing the internal space of the tank with the care plate, and    wherein the ends of each insert are arranged outside the internal space of the header tank and the insert is movably fitted in the header tank and along the length thereof.    
   
   
       2 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the fitting between the header tank and the insert has an insertion structure in which an end or the insert is inserted in the through hole formed in the header tank.    
   
   
       3 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , 
 wherein the through hole is formed in the surface perpendicular to the length of the tubes.    
   
   
       4 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the fitting between the header tank and the insert has an anti-brazing structure.    
   
   
       5 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , 
 wherein the longitudinal ends of the core plate extend outside of the tank body, and    wherein each of the through holes is formed in the portion of the core plate outside the tank body.    
   
   
       6 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , 
 wherein each longitudinal end of the tank body is formed with an outward protrusion, and    wherein the through hole is formed in the protrusion.    
   
   
       7 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the fins and the inserts are formed of a bare material not covered by a brazing material.    
   
   
       8 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a core portion including a plurality of tubes with a heat medium flowing therein;    a pair of header tanks extending in a direction perpendicular to the length of the tubes at the longitudinal ends of the tubes and communicating with the tubes; and    a pair of inserts arranged substantially parallel to the length of the tubes, and in such a manner as to contact the core portion at the ends of the core portion to transfer the heat from the core portion, and hating the ends thereof supported on the header tanks;    wherein a stress absorber to absorb the stress generated along the length of each insert is formed in the insert;    wherein the stress absorber is formed over each insert from the upstream side to the downstream side in the air flow; and    wherein the stress absorber is arranged in such a manner that the most upstream end and the most downstream end thereof in the air flow are not superposed, one on the other, along the direction of air flow.    
   
   
       9 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , 
 wherein each insert includes a base portion having a surface substantially parallel to the flat surfaces of the tubes and extending substantially parallel to the length of the tubes, and a pair of ribs are projected in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base portion from the ends of the base portion in the direction of air flow and are extended substantially parallel to the length of the tubes;    wherein the portions of the ribs corresponding to the most upstream end and the most downstream end of the stress absorber are formed with notches, respectively; and    wherein each stress absorber constitutes a base portion-side expansion of the base portion having a substantially U-shaped cross section.    
   
   
       10 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , 
 wherein the base portion-side expansion is formed diagonally with respect to the direction of air flow.    
   
   
       11 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , 
 wherein the base portion-side expansion is split into a plurality of parts in the direction of air flow, and    wherein the plurality of the base portion-side expansions are coupled to each other through slits formed in the base portion.    
   
   
       12 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , 
 wherein the plurality of the base portion-side expansions are not arranged in alignment.    
   
   
       13 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , 
 wherein the plurality of the base portion-side expansions are tilted in different directions with respect to the direction of air flow.    
   
   
       14 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , 
 wherein the plurality of the base portion-side expansions are arranged substantially parallel to the direction of air flow in such a manner as not to be superposed, one on another, in the direction of air flow.    
   
   
       15 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , 
 wherein the tubes each have a flat cross section in the direction of air flow, and    wherein each insert includes a base portion having a surface substantially parallel to the flat surface of the tubes and extending in the direction substantially parallel to the length of the tubes and a pair of ribs projected in the direction substantially perpendicular to the base portion and extending in the direction substantially parallel to the length of the tubes, and    wherein the stress absorber is a notch cut in the base portion diagonally to the direction of air flow.    
   
   
       16 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 15 , 
 wherein only one end of the notch is open.    
   
   
       17 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 15 , comprising a plurality of notches.  
   
   
       18 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 15 , comprising a plurality of notches each having only one open end; 
 wherein the open ends of the plurality of the notches are arranged on the base portion and alternate between the upstream side and the downstream side in the air flow.    
   
   
       19 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 17 , 
 wherein the plurality of the notches are tilted in different directions with respect to the direction of air flow.    
   
   
       20 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 15 , 
 wherein the notch is formed in the base portion, the portion of each of the pair of the ribs adjoining the corresponding notch is formed with a U-shaped rib-side expansion in the direction of air flow, and each stress absorber includes the corresponding rib-side expansion.