# US 12,007,179 B2 · Heat exchanger and air conditioner including heat exchanger > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,179 B2 - Document ID: US12007179B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/435,278 - Filed: 2020-03-25 - Published: 2022-05-19 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-26 - Assignees: Fujitsu General Limited - Applicants: Fujitsu General Limited - Inventors: Daiki Shimano; Masatoshi Watanabe; Yoshinari Maema; Ryo Takaoka; Shohei Nakata; Kotaro Oka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007179B2 ## CPC - F28F 1/325: {Fins with openings} - F24F 1/0067: by the shape of the heat exchangers or of parts thereof, e.g. of their fins - F25B 39/02: Evaporators - F28D 1/053: the conduits being straight - F28D 1/05366: {Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators} - F28F 17/005: {Means for draining condensates from heat exchangers, e.g. from evaporators (F28B9/08 takes precedence)} - F25B 13/00: Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle (defrosting cycles F25B47/02) - F25B 49/02: for compression type machines, plants or systems - F25B 2313/0314: Temperature sensors near the indoor heat exchanger - F25B 2313/0315: Temperature sensors near the outdoor heat exchanger - F25B 2600/0253: with variable speed - F25B 2700/1931: Discharge pressures - F25B 2700/1933: Suction pressures - F25B 2700/21151: at the suction side of the compressor - F25B 2700/21152: at the discharge side of the compressor - F28D 2021/0071: {Evaporators} - F28F 2215/12: with U-shaped slots for laterally inserting conduits - Y02B 30/70: Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - 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) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract A heat exchanger includes: a plurality of flat tubes; a fin in which a plurality of notches are arranged side by side in a vertical direction, the fin having a plurality of intermediate portions and a connecting portion connecting the intermediate portions to each other; and a first bulging portion having an upper end edge and a lower end edge provided between a first notch and a second notch, the upper end edge being positioned in the intermediate portion and the lower end edge being positioned in the connecting portion. The upper end edge has a first upper end positioned on an intermediate portion side, and a second upper end positioned on a connecting portion side, the first upper end being positioned to be higher than the second upper end, or the first upper end being positioned at the same height as the second upper end. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of flat tubes; a fin in which a plurality of notches are arranged side by side in a vertical direction for the plurality of flat tubes to be inserted thereinto, respectively, the fin having a plurality of intermediate portions, each formed between two of the notches positioned adjacent to each other in the vertical direction, and a connecting portion connecting the intermediate portions to each other; a first bulging portion having an upper end edge and a lower end edge provided between a first notch and a second notch included in the plurality of notches, the first notch being an upper notch and the second notch being a lower notch between the two notches positioned adjacent to each other in the vertical direction with the intermediate portion interposed therebetween, and the upper end edge being positioned in the intermediate portion and the lower end edge being positioned in the connecting portion; and a second bulging portion provided below the lower end edge of the first bulging portion, wherein the upper end edge has a first upper end positioned on an intermediate portion side, and a second upper end positioned on a connecting portion side, the first upper end being positioned to be higher than the second upper end, or the first upper end being positioned at the same height as the second upper end, the second bulging portion has an upper end edge formed along the lower end edge of the first bulging portion and a lower end edge formed below the second notch, the upper end edge of the second bulging portion has a first upper end positioned on the intermediate portion side and a second upper end positioned on the connecting portion side, and the lower end edge of the second bulging portion has a first lower end positioned on the intermediate portion side and a second lower end positioned on the connecting portion side, and a left end edge connecting the first upper end and the first lower end of the second bulging portion, and a right end edge connecting the second upper end and the second lower end of the second bulging portion extend in the vertical direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein, at the first bulging portion, the lower end edge is formed such that a distance in a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction between a first lower end thereof positioned on the intermediate portion side, and a connecting portion-side end of the second notch positioned on the connecting portion side, is less than ⅙ times a distance in the vertical direction between the first lower end and the connecting portion-side end. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein, at the first bulging portion, a point, at which a perpendicular distance of a connection line passing through a second lower end of the lower end edge positioned on the connecting portion side, the first lower end, and the first upper end along edges of the first bulging portion from a straight line connecting the first upper end and the second lower end to each other is maximum, is positioned in the connecting portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first bulging portion is formed such that the first upper end is positioned within a range of 4 mm or less from a lower side of the first notch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the second bulging portion is formed such that the upper end thereof is positioned within a range of 4 mm or less from the lower end edge of the first bulging portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An air conditioner comprising the heat exchanger according to claim 1. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the first bulging portions are spaced along the vertical direction of the fin, and the lower end edge of the second bulging portion is formed along a connection line connecting the second upper end of the first bulging portion adjacent below the second bulging portion and the second lower end of the lower end edge positioned on the connecting portion side of the first bulging portion.