Heat exchanger and method of manufacturing the same

A heat exchanger comprising:

• a core including a plurality of tubes;
• a core plate connected to the tubes;
• a tank connected to the core plate to be in communication with the tubes;
• and
• a sealing member having a loop shape and disposed to seal a connecting portion between the core plate and the tank, wherein
• the core plate has a groove portion including at least a base wall and an inner side wall to define a groove having a loop shape,
• the sealing member has a width smaller than a width of the groove of the groove portion and is configured such that a whole length thereof under an original condition without being elastically deformed is less than a whole length of the groove, the whole length of the sealing member being defined by a whole length of a longitudinal axis passing through a center of a cross-section of the sealing member, the whole length of the groove being defined by a whole length of a longitudinal axis passing through a center of the width of the groove, and
• the sealing member is fixed to the groove portion in accordance with a restoration force, which is generated by restoring the sealing member from a stretched condition, and
• the sealing member is further pressed against the groove portion by the tank.

A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger comprising:

• forming a core plate into a predetermined shape including a groove portion defining a loop-shaped groove;
• assembling the core plate to tubes;
• preparing a sealing member having a whole length less than a whole length of the groove, the whole length of the sealing member being defined by a whole length of a longitudinal axis passing through a center of a cross-section of the sealing member, the whole length of the groove being defined by a whole length of a longitudinal axis passing through a center of a width of the groove;
• stretching the sealing member into a predetermined size;
• placing the sealing member under a stretched condition in the groove portion;
• attaching the sealing member to the groove portion in accordance with a restoration force caused by removing a stretching force from the sealing member;
• and
• fixing a tank to the core plate such that the sealing member is elastically deformed between the tank and the core plate.

A heat exchanger comprising:

• a core including a plurality of tubes;
• a core plate connected to the tubes, the core plate having a groove portion including an inner side wall and an outer side wall to define a loop-shaped groove therebetween;
• a tank connected to the core plate to be in communication with the tubes;
• and
• a sealing member sealing between the core plate and the tank, wherein
• the sealing member has a loop-shaped body portion having a width less than a width of the groove,
• the body portion of the sealing member is disposed in the groove portion under a condition of being in contact with at least one of the inner side wall and the outer side wall,
• the tank has a projection on an end surface opposing to the body portion, and
• the projection presses against a substantially middle portion of the width of the body portion to elastically deform the body portion.

A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger, comprising:

• forming a core plate into a predetermined shape including a groove portion defining a loop-shaped groove;
• assembling the core plate to tubes;
• attaching a sealing member in the groove portion such that the sealing member contacts at least one of an inner side wall and an outer side wall of the groove portion;
• and
• fixing a tank to the core plate such that a projection of an end surface of the tank is pressed against a substantially middle portion of a width of the sealing member to elastically deform the sealing member, thereby sealing between the core plate and the tank with the sealing member.