Heat exchanger

A heat exchanger wherein a heat exchanger body comprises a plurality of vertical flat tubes arranged laterally at a predetermined spacing and each having a front and a rear fluid channel, and a front and a rear header interconnecting upper ends of the front fluid channels of all the flat tubes and upper ends of the rear fluid channels thereof respectively and each open at one end and closed at the other end, an end plate being disposed at each of lateral outer opposite sides of the heat exchanger body, the end plate at the open end side of the two headers having a fluid inlet hole in communication with the front header and a fluid outlet hole in communication with the rear header and being provided on an outer side of an upper edge portion of the plate with a pipe connecting member, the pipe connecting member having a fluid inlet passage communicating with the fluid inlet hole and a fluid outlet passage communicating with the fluid outlet hole, the heat exchanger being characterized in that:

• the pipe connecting member comprises a plate member having an inlet communication passageway in communication with the fluid inlet hole and an outlet communication passageway in communication with the fluid outlet hole, and a block member provided on the outer side of the plate member and having an inlet passageway extending laterally and provided with a fluid inlet pipe socket at an outer end thereof and an outlet passageway extending laterally and provided with a fluid outlet pipe socket at an outer end thereof,
• the plate member being formed by obliquely cutting an extrudate, the extrudate being generally rectangular in cross section and having a rear passageway positioned in an upper rear corner thereof and serving as the outlet communication passageway and a front passageway positioned in an upper front corner thereof to a lower edge thereof and serving as the inlet communication passageway, the extrudate being cut along a plane inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction of extrusion thereof and having the resulting cut surface thereof held in contact with the end plate.

An evaporator for motor vehicle air conditioner wherein an evaporator body comprises a plurality of vertical flat tubes arranged laterally at a predetermined spacing and each having a front and a rear fluid channel, and a front and a rear header interconnecting upper ends of the front fluid channels of all the flat tubes and upper ends of the rear fluid channels thereof respectively and each open at one end and closed at the other end, an end plate being disposed at each of lateral outer opposite sides of the evaporator body, the end plate at the open end side of the two headers having a fluid inlet hole in communication with the front header and a fluid outlet hole in communication with the rear header and being provided on an outer side of an upper edge portion of the plate with a pipe connecting member, the pipe connecting member having a fluid inlet passage 7A communicating with the fluid inlet hole and a fluid outlet passage communicating with the fluid outlet hole,

• wherein the fluid outlet passage of the pipe connecting member is formed in communication with a fluid outlet pipe socket provided thereon at a position on a lateral extension of the fluid outlet hole, the fluid inlet passage of the pipe connecting member being formed in communication with a fluid inlet pipe socket provided thereon as displaced from a position on a lateral extension of the fluid inlet hole, and
• wherein the end plate is flat, the pipe connecting member comprises a generally rectangular plate portion, and a block portion provided on an outer surface of the plate portion and in the form of a projection, the two portions being integral, and the pipe connecting member has a corner portion having a curved surface being formed between the fluid inlet passage and the front header.

An evaporator for motor vehicle air conditioner wherein an evaporator body comprises a plurality of vertical flat tubes arranged laterally at a predetermined spacing and each having a front and a rear fluid channel, and a front and a rear header interconnecting upper ends of the front fluid channels of all the flat tubes and upper ends of the rear fluid channels thereof respectively and each open at one end and closed at the other end, an end plate being disposed at each of lateral outer opposite sides of the evaporator body, the end plate at the open end side of the two headers having a fluid inlet hole in communication with the front header and a fluid outlet hole in communication with the rear header and being provided on an outer side of an upper edge portion of the plate with a pipe connecting member, the pipe connecting member having a fluid inlet passage communicating with the fluid inlet hole and a fluid outlet passage communicating with the fluid outlet hole, the evaporator being characterized in that:

• the pipe connecting member comprises a plate member having an inlet communication passageway in communication with the fluid inlet hole and an outlet communication passageway in communication with the fluid outlet hole, and a block member provided on the outer side of the plate member and having an inlet passageway extending laterally and provided with a fluid inlet pipe socket at an outer end thereof and an outlet passageway extending laterally and provided with a fluid outlet pipe socket at an outer end thereof,
• the plate member being formed by obliquely cutting an extrudate, the extrudate being generally rectangular in cross section and having a rear passageway positioned in an upper rear corner thereof and serving as the outlet communication passageway and a front passageway positioned in an upper front corner thereof to a lower edge thereof and serving as the inlet communication passageway, the extrudate being cut along a plane inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction of extrusion thereof and having the resulting cut surface thereof held in contact with the end plate.