# US 11,112,150 B2 · Heat exchanger and refrigeration cycle device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,112,150 B2
- Document ID: US11112150B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/484,245
- Filed: 2017-05-11
- Published: 2020-10-15
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-11
- Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
- Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
- Inventors: Tsuyoshi Maeda; Shin Nakamura; Akira Yatsuyanagi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112150B2

## CPC

- F25B 39/02: Evaporators
- F28D 1/05391: {with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits combined with a particular flow pattern, e.g. multi-row multi-stage radiators}
- F25D 17/067: {Evaporator fan units}
- F28F 1/022: {with multiple channels}
- F28F 1/325: {Fins with openings}
- F25B 13/00: Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle (defrosting cycles F25B47/02)
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B)
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)

## Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a fin having a first through hole into which a first heat transfer tube is inserted and a second through hole into which a second heat transfer tube is inserted and including a first end portion and a second end portion, in which a virtual straight line passing through end portions on the first end portion side of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube is a first virtual straight line, a virtual straight line passing through end portions on the second end portion side of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube is a second virtual straight line, a region between the first end portion and the first virtual straight line is a first drainage region, a region between the second end portion and the second virtual straight line is a second drainage region, and a region enclosed by the first heat transfer tube, the second heat transfer tube, the first virtual straight line and the second virtual straight line is a water introducing region, a first groove inclined to descend toward the first drainage region and a second groove inclined to descend toward the second drainage region are formed in the water introducing region.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A heat exchanger comprising:
a fin having a first through hole and a second through hole disposed below the first through hole, and including a first end portion and a second end portion in a horizontal direction;
a first heat transfer tube inserted into the first through hole, a cross-section of the first heat transfer tube parallel to the fin having a flat shape such that a cross-section in a major axis direction is larger than that in a minor axis direction; and
a second heat transfer tube inserted into the second through hole, a cross-section of the second heat transfer tube parallel to the fin having a flat shape such that a cross-section in the major axis direction is larger than that in the minor axis direction,
wherein,
when a virtual straight line passing through an end portion in the major axis direction of the first heat transfer tube on a first end portion side and an end portion in the major axis direction of the second heat transfer tube on the first end portion side is a first virtual straight line,
a virtual straight line passing through an end portion in the major axis direction of the first heat transfer tube on a second end portion side and an end portion in the major axis direction of the second heat transfer tube on the second end portion side is a second virtual straight line,
a region between the first end portion and the first virtual straight line on a surface of the fin is a first drainage region,
a region between the second end portion and the second virtual straight line on the surface of the fin is a second drainage region, and
a region on the surface of the fin enclosed by the first heat transfer tube, the second heat transfer tube, the first virtual straight line and the second virtual straight line is a water introducing region,
a first groove inclined to descend toward the first drainage region and a second groove disposed closer to the second drainage region than the first groove and inclined to descend toward the second drainage region are formed in the water introducing region,
wherein,
when one of angles formed on the surface of the fin between a line perpendicular to an arrangement direction of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube, and the first groove, is a first angle of inclination, the first angle of inclination being an acute angle, and
one of angles formed on the surface of the fin between the line perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube, and the second groove, is a second angle of inclination, the second angle of inclination being an acute angle,
the heat exchanger is configured to receive air from the first end portion, and
the second angle of inclination is larger than the first angle of inclination.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein, when one of angles formed on the surface of the fin between a line perpendicular to an arrangement direction of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube, and the first groove, is a first angle of inclination, the first angle of inclination being an acute angle, and
one of angles formed on the surface of the fin between the line perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube, and the second groove, is a second angle of inclination, the second angle of inclination being an acute angle,
at least one of the first angle of inclination and the second angle of inclination is 30 degrees or more.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein at least the second angle of inclination of the first angle of inclination and the second angle of inclination is 30 degrees or more.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein
the first heat transfer tube is inserted into the first through hole such that a major axis of the first heat transfer tube in cross-section parallel to the fin is inclined from the first drainage region toward the second drainage region, and
the second heat transfer tube is inserted into the second through hole such that a major axis of the second heat transfer tube in cross-section parallel to the fin is inclined from the first drainage region toward the second drainage region.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The heat exchanger of claim 4, wherein, when one of angles formed on the surface of the fin between a line perpendicular to an arrangement direction of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube, and the second groove, is a second angle of inclination, the second angle of inclination being an acute angle, and
one of angles formed in cross-section parallel to the fin between the line perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube, and the major axis of the first heat transfer tube, is a third angle of inclination, the third angle of inclination being an acute angle,
the second angle of inclination is larger than the third angle of inclination.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A refrigeration cycle device comprising a refrigerant circuit that connects a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator via a refrigerant pipe, wherein
the refrigeration cycle device uses the heat exchanger of claim 1 as the evaporator.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The refrigeration cycle device of claim 6, further comprising a fan that supplies air from the first end portion to the heat exchanger.