Header tube, heat exchanger, air conditioner, and method for manufacturing header tube

A header tube connectable to heat transfer tubes arranged in parallel to each other, the header tube being capable of constituting a heat exchanger together with the heat transfer tubes, the header tube comprising:

• a first member including
• a bottom plate, and
• a pair of lateral plates standing at opposed edges of the bottom plate;
• a second member disposed apart from the bottom plate, held between the pair of lateral plates, and bonded to the first member by brazing;
• and
• tab members disposed at edges of the pair of lateral plates of the first member, the tab members being bent relative to the lateral plate so as to face the second member, wherein
• each of the tab members is tapered toward a tip in plan view,
• the header tube further comprises a partition plate for dividing an internal space of the header tube,
• the first member has engaging notches extending from the edges of the pair of lateral plates, each of the engaging notches being disposed between mutually adjacent two of the tab members, and
• the partition plate partially engages with the engaging notches.

A method of manufacturing a header tube connectable to heat transfer tubes arranged in parallel to each other, the header tube being capable of constituting a heat exchanger together with the heat transfer tubes, the header tube including

• a first member including
• a bottom plate, and
• a pair of lateral plates standing at opposed edges of the bottom plate,
• a second member disposed apart from the bottom plate, held between the pair of lateral plates, and bonded to the first member by brazing, and
• tab members disposed at edges of the pair of lateral plates of the first member, the tab members being bent relative to the lateral plate so as to face the second member,
• each of the tab members being tapered toward a tip in plan view,
• a gap between the second member and the tab members and a gap between the second member and the lateral plates of the first member being filled with a brazing material, the method comprising:
• fitting the second member to the first member, and then performing bonding by brazing, with the first member and the second member placed in a furnace such that a direction from a proximal portion to the tip of each of the tab members is oriented vertically upward or vertically downward.