Heat exchanger

A heat exchanger comprising:

• a plurality of heat-transfer tubes placed such that the plurality of heat-transfer tubes are spaced from each other;
• and
• a header configured to distribute refrigerant to the plurality of heat-transfer tubes,
• the header having
• a body section formed in a cylindrical shape and inside which an internal space is defined through which refrigerant flows, and
• a divider that divides the internal space in the body section in a direction of a tube axis of the header,
• the body section having
• a pair of insertion portions that define through holes in both respective side surfaces and that engage with the divider,
• deformed portions formed along the pair of respective insertion portions and formed by being spread out such that portions of walls of the body section each form a groove having a V-shaped cross-section,
• a header base that has a U-shaped cross-section perpendicular to the direction of the tube axis and to which the plurality of heat-transfer tubes are connected, and
• a header cover that has a U-shaped cross-section perpendicular to the direction of the tube axis, that is combined with the header base, and that defines the internal space together with the header base,
• the header base having
• a pair of base side surface portions forming plate surfaces that face each other, and
• a top surface portion formed to provide a cross-link between ends of the pair of base side surface portions and connected to the plurality of heat-transfer tubes,
• the pair of base side surface portions being each formed in a plate shaped and having respective base slits that define holes extending from ends opposite to the top surface portion toward the top surface portion,
• the header cover having
• a pair of cover side surface portions forming plate surfaces that face each other, and
• a bottom surface portion that is formed to provide a cross-link between ends of the pair of cover side surface portions and that faces the top surface portion in the body section,
• the pair of cover side surface portions being each formed in a plate shaped and having respective cover slits that define holes extending from ends opposite to the bottom surface portion toward the bottom surface portion,
• the pair of insertion portions being formed from inside toward outside the body section by the base slits and the cover slits overlapping each other,
• the divider having
• a wall portion serving as a wall that divides the internal space in the direction of the tube axis, and
• a pair of side plate portions that protrude from both respective side surfaces of the wall portion and that are inserted into the pair of respective insertion portions,
• the pair of side plate portions having plate distal end portions that are distal end portions of the pair of respective side plate portions in a direction in which the pair of side plate portions each protrude and that close the through holes in a state in which the pair of side plate portions are inserted in the pair of respective insertion portions,
• the header being formed such that in a state in which the body section and the divider are combined with each other, the plate distal end portions do not protrude from the pair of respective insertion portions toward an outside of the body section, that inner walls of the pair of respective insertion portions are deformed by the deformed portions toward centers of the respective through holes such that a size of each of the through holes defined by portions of the inner walls of the pair of insertion portions that face the plate distal end portions is smaller than a size of each of the through holes defined by portions of the inner walls of the insertion portions that face basal portions serving as root portions of the pair of respective side plate portions, and that the plate distal end portions and the inner walls of the pair of respective insertion portions are in engagement with each other inside the through holes defined by the pair of respective insertion portions.

A heat exchanger comprising:

• a plurality of heat-transfer tubes placed such that the plurality of heat-transfer tubes are spaced from each other;
• and
• a header configured to distribute refrigerant to the plurality of heat-transfer tubes,
• the header having
• a body section formed in a cylindrical shape and inside which an internal space is defined through which refrigerant flows, and
• a divider that divides the internal space in the body section in a direction of a tube axis of the header,
• the body section having a pair of insertion portions that define through holes in both respective side surfaces and that engage with the divider,
• the divider having
• a wall portion serving as a wall that divides the internal space in the direction of the tube axis, and
• a pair of side plate portions that protrude from both respective side surfaces of the wall portion and that are inserted into the pair of respective insertion portions,
• the pair of side plate portions each having
• an angular portion formed in a triangular prismatic shape in a wall that face the inner wall of a corresponding one of the pair of insertion portions in a direction parallel with the direction of the tube axis, and
• plate distal end portions that are distal end portions of the pair of respective side plate portions in a direction in which the pair of side plate portions each protrude and that close the through holes in a state in which the pair of side plate portions are inserted in the pair of respective insertion portions,
• the angular portion comprising a plurality of angular portions formed in each of the pair of side plate portions,
• the plurality of angular portions being formed in parallel in a direction parallel with a direction in which the plurality of heat-transfer tubes extend,
• in a state in which the body section and the divider are combined with each other,
• the plate distal end portions not protruding from the pair of respective insertion portions toward an outside of the body section,
• the plate distal end portions being deformed in such a state that walls of the plate distal end portions are spread out in a direction parallel with the direction of the tube axis such that end faces of the plate distal end portions each form a V-shaped groove, and being in engagement with inner walls of the pair of respective insertion portions inside the through holes defined by the pair of respective insertion portions.