Heat exchanger

Abstract

Tubes extend in a first direction and are stacked in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. A side plate is located on an outer side of the tubes in the second direction. A core plate extends in the second direction, and longitudinal end portions of the tubes are joined to the core plate. A through-hole extends through a bent portion of a holding claw of the core plate. A projection is formed in a side plate end portion of the side plate to project in the first direction. The projection is inserted through the through-hole of the holding claw.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of tubes that extend in a first direction and are stacked one after another in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction;   a side plate that is adapted to reinforce the plurality of tubes, wherein the side plate is located on an outer side of the plurality of tubes in the second direction and extends in the first direction;   a core plate that extends in the second direction, wherein a longitudinal end portion of each of the plurality of tubes is joined to the core plate; and   a tank that is fixed to the core plate, wherein:   a holding claw is formed in the core plate and is bent into a U-shape from a tank side end of an outer wall surface of a longitudinal end portion of the core plate to extend in the first direction on an outer side of the outer wall surface toward a side where the plurality of tubes is located;   the side plate includes a side plate end portion, which is an and portion of the side plate in the first direction and is inserted into a gap that is defined between the outer wall surface and the holding claw;   a through-hole extends through a bent portion of the holding claw, which is bent into the U-shape;   a projection is formed in the side plate end portion to project in the first direction; and   the projection is inserted through the through-hole of the holding claw.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the projection has a tapered portion, which is tapered in the first direction toward a distal end of the tapered portion. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein a location of a distal end of the projection in the first direction generally coincides with a location of a longitudinal end of each of the plurality of tubes in the first direction. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of the tubes includes an outermost tube, which is closest to the side plate and is located outermost in the second direction among the plurality of tubes; and   a distance between a center of the outermost tube, which is centered in the outermost tube in the second direction, and a center of the projection, which is centered in the projection in the second direction, is set to a value, which is obtained by multiplying a tube-to-tube pitch of the plurality of tubes with an integer number.   
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein the integer number is two. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the through-hole of the holding claw is elongated in a third direction, which is perpendicular to both of the first direction and the second direction;   a distance between two sides of the projection, which are opposed to each other in the third direction, progressively distally decreases from a base end of the projection in the first direction; and   the base end of the projection has a width, which is measured in the third direction and generally coincides with a width of the through-hole, which is measured in the third direction.   
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the holding claw is a single holding claw in the longitudinal end portion of the core plate and is centered in the longitudinal end portion of the core plate in the third direction; and   the projection is a single projection in the side plate end portion and is centered in the side plate end portion in the third direction.   
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer wall surface of the longitudinal end portion of the core plate and the side plate end portion extend parallel to each other in the first direction and make surface-to-surface contact therebetween. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the heat exchanger is a radiator of a vehicle, which is adapted to be cooled with cooling air applied externally thereto; and   the third direction generally coincides with a flow direction of the cooling air.