Tank structure of heat exchanger and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A tank structure of a heat exchanger includes a core part having a pair of tubes and fins and a pair of tanks fluidically connected with the tubes. The tank structure includes a tank body formed in a tube shape with at least one corner inside the tank body, the tank body having openings at both end portions thereof, and a pair of end patch plates fixed into the openings to fluid-tightly block off the openings, respectively. The end patch plates are formed to have a thin-walled portion at a position thereof corresponding to the corner of the tank body.

1 . A tank structure of a heat exchanger which includes a core part having a pair of tubes and fins and a pair of tanks fluidically connected with the tubes, the tank structure comprising: 
 a tank body formed in a tube shape with at least one corner inside the tank body, the tank body having openings at both end portions thereof; and    a pair of end patch plates fixed into the openings to fluid-tightly block off the openings, respectively, wherein    the end patch plates are formed to have a thin-walled portion at a position thereof corresponding to the corner of the tank body.    
   
   
       2 . The tank structure according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the tank body is formed by using at least one plate, and the corner is formed to have a step of a wall thickness of the at-least one plate by an overlapped portion thereof.    
   
   
       3 . The tank structure according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 the end patch plate has a flange portion contactable with an edge portion of the tank body and a projecting portion insertable into the opening of the tank body, the projecting portion including the thin-walled portion.    
   
   
       4 . The tank structure according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 the thin-walled portion is formed by drawing out the projecting portion toward the corner of the tank body.    
   
   
       5 . The tank structure according, to  claim 4 , wherein 
 the thin walled portion is formed by clipping the projecting portion so that the projecting portion can cover the step of tank body.    
   
   
       6 . The tank structure according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the end patch plate has a flange portion contactable with an edge portion of the tank body and a projecting portion insertable into the opening of the tank body, the projecting portion including the thin-walled portion.    
   
   
       7 . The tank structure according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 the thin-walled portion is formed by drawing out the projecting portion toward the corner of the tank body.    
   
   
       8 . The tank structure according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 the thin walled portion is formed by clipping the projecting portion so that the projecting portion can cover the step of tank body.    
   
   
       9 . A method for manufacturing a tank structure of a heat exchanger which includes a core part having a pair of tubes and fins and a pair of tanks fluidically connected with the tubes, the method comprising: 
 forming the plate into a tank body which has at least one corner inside the tank body;    forming the plate into end patch plates to be fixed into opening provided at both end portion of the tank body, respectively;    inserting the end patch plates into the openings of the tank body, respectively;    deforming a portion, corresponding to the corner of the tank body, of the end patch plates toward the corner to form a thin-walled portion; and    brazing the end patch plates and the tank body to each other.    
   
   
       10 . The tank structure according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 the tank body is formed by using at least one plate, and the corner is formed to have a step of a wall thickness of the at-least one plate by an overlapped portion thereof.    
   
   
       11 . The tank structure according to  claim 10 , wherein 
 the end patch plate has a flange portion contactable with an edge portion of the tank body and a projecting portion insertable into the opening of the tank body, the projecting portion including the thin-walled portion.    
   
   
       12 . The tank structure according to  claim 11 , wherein 
 the thin-walled portion is formed by drawing out the projecting portion toward the corner of the tank body.    
   
   
       13 . The tank structure according to  claim 12 , wherein 
 the thin walled portion is formed by clipping the projecting portion so that the projecting portion can cover the step of tank body.